Even wild beasts needed rest after running for hours. They were soon surrounded by pitch black, eerie darkness again. Haruto could see just fine, but the dwarf had lost his ability to see again.
Both of them stood panting heavily with dry raspy gasps. They were out of breath, their stamina reserves had run dry. Of course that was to be expected, since they'd run for…who actually knew how long? Haruto's guess was 20 minutes. But…
'Curses'
Stopping. They couldn't stop, they just couldn't. The sea would sing soon. Even at this distance, after seeing the sea himself, he felt like he was never going to get out of its reach.
'Damn it!'
Swallowing hard, Haruto looked at the dwarf and said lowly:
"We can't stop"
The dwarf nodded.
They wanted to continue running, as they'd before they stopped.
But something halted them. The shadows suddenly moved. Jagged spikes, miry obsidian filled empty sockets in place of eyeballs, and four long limbs that ended with sharp, deadly things that seemingly could cut through reality, the claws.
Haruto's expression darkened whilst his heart sank into his stomach rock bottom.
'Curse it all! You're the last thing I want to meet right now'
Haruto shuddered. Staring at the hollow sockets staring back at him from the sockets. They felt like death themselves.
Haruto swallowed hard while he involuntarily took a step back. Of course the bastard had taken their bait. But what were the odds that they wouldn't meet it on their way back? Neither of them knew. And here it was, the odds had caught up with them.
Although he wanted to kill the damn creature, he really didn't want to face it in a one on one fight. But, Did he have a choice now? Obviously, he did not. He did have a weapon though.
Haruto grinned and summoned the howling bone. The white one-handed longsword willed itself into existence. Made from bone and emitting a dangerous dark aura, obvious even to the blind dwarf — well, for now —, it looked like a weapon designed to possess Nyctophilia. He really did not wish to be confronted with it himself.
But, there was one problem. He did not have any idea of how to swing a sword. But, he couldn't care less.
For the sake of being on the safe side though, he turned to the dwarf and asked:
"Do you perhaps know the basics of swinging a sword?"
Thinking for a split second, the dwarf quickly retorted:
"Grab it—near the guard! Feet apart, one forward—bend your knees! Don't just swing—turn your hips and cut through like your life depends on it—because it does!"
Haruto sucked in cold breath.
'That was much'
Turning back at the creature, he followed the dwarf's instructions. Near the guard. Feet apart, bend your knees. This was going to take some getting used to.
Losing its patience, the creature of the night moved.
Although, he had expected the creature to be stronger than him. He didn't expect the gap to be this wide.
'Curses!'
The bastard closed the distance in a second, sending out a threatening growl ahead as It stretched its claws, attempting to leave a headless body in Haruto's place.
'Not today'
Side stepping reflexively, Haruto grimaced and threatened to gut the creature from below, all he met was fading darkness.
'Fast! Thank gods I'm not dead. But crap!'
Looking behind him, Haruto saw a claw stretching out to reach him from his back and tear his skin off again. Haruto froze.
Then he heard the dwarf's voice in split second:
"Fall flat, think outside the box damn it!"
'What precise timing'
Grimacing, he fell forward like a tree. Directly evading the claw. That was good news. He did not die.
But bad news. He was sprawled on the cold floor, with no way to retaliate whatsoever.
Not giving him even a split second to react, the horor lunged at him, intending to pin him to the ground with the deadly claws. But it failed.
Haruto rolled to the side, barely evading the deadly claw. But, that wasn't enough. Almost immediately, the claws were closing in on him again.
But this time, Haruto grinned.
He stretched out his hands to meet the deadly claws.
He thought he heard the dwarf shout his name.
"Harry!"
'Surely, it wouldn't hurt too much'
The claws connected with his palm. Sending a wave of pain through his whole body. But, that was exactly what he wanted. The impact of the initial force blasted him further away into the darkness from the horror.
He finally had enough time to stand up and face the horror with his sword. He gritted his teeth and tried to endure the pain.
'Being a girl sucks! Damn it! Painful, very painful'
His current body felt very weak and frail. He didn't feel comfortable in it at all. Any harm and he would wince like a pretty little girl — well, he was pretty. But, what kind of sound was that?!.
Haruto quickly got into a stance and brandished the howling bone once more. He stared at the horror madly, ignoring the pain searing through his whole being.
'I promised I'll kill you first, and I will'
Grinning madly, Haruto charged at the horror. He hoped its arrogance would cloud its judgement. He had only one card left to play. Not that he had any to play to begin with. This was his only card. And what's more? It's a damn gamble!
'Curse you abomination!'
Reaching the creature, he raised the howling bone above his head, in an attempt to cut off the horror's head and send it hauling.
But of course, he failed, the creature expected it and blocked it with his claw.
Haruto grinned even wider. The horror had no follow up mechanism. Not that it couldn't, there was no need. After all, Haruto was weak.
If there was enough light. One would notice an afterimage immediately after Haruto finished his unsuccessful attack. He side-stepped immediately, completing a lot of movements in the process. Suddenly, the horror howled.
'Yes!'
His plan had worked.
The system suddenly whispered in his ears:
[You have mastered a gold combat technique: Chorus of a thousand steps]
[You have slain a grade 3 horror, Undead Graveborn, HollowWraith. Your rank increases]
[You have received a Vestige]
Haruto smiled darkly. His sword was buried deep in the spinal cordic area of the horror. If it had any. Haruto doubted it didn't. The bastard was just too strong!.
He had killed it. His first kill, a grade 3 horror!
It felt like a dream. But, there was no time to reminisce about his achievement. They had to leave the premises as soon as possible.
Feeling jolts of pain spread his whole body, he whistled.
"Welldone"
The dwarf creature came out soon after. And at a steady pace, they quickly left the harrowing shore.