Demonic Conqueror: Heroic Valor - Chapter 12.1 - 12.4

Author's Note:

8300 words. Enjoy!

--

The Beast let go of the Water Artifact, bounding forward on all fours. Its movement wasn't graceful – it almost seemed off-balance – but the sheer strength in its legs rocketed the creature towards Simon like a heat-seeking missile. Within mere seconds, it had already crossed half the length of the cavern.

Simon reached into Inventory and swept his arm out. Ten Warding Orbs fell out in a line, covering less space than he'd hoped for.

With an ear-splitting howl, the Ravenous Wanderer skidded to a halt about twenty feet away. It collapsed to its knees, clutching its malformed head with both hands, writhing in what appeared to be a state of tortured anguish.

"No no no NO NO no no no no NO–"

On and on its ravings went, muttering with a foul, nauseating voice that crawled into Simon's ears like squirming centipedes. The Beast slammed its head against the floor, leaving a thick dent in the rock – but no blood or visible sign of injury.

Okay. Simon released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. I'm alive. Decent start.

If the creature was smart, he wouldn't be. His line of Warding Orbs was a flimsy, paper-thin defense. It could have thrown debris to scatter the Wards, or jumped high into the air and leapt over, or simply gone around.

Mentally unstable. Only intelligent enough for broken speech. Disadvantages to exploit.

For all they were worth.

Leaving his Wards on the ground, Simon hurried over to Katarina. The woman had picked herself up, pale and wide-eyed as she stared at the Ravenous Wanderer. "Ancient One take us," she breathed. "That Beast could give Helmund's ghastly son trouble."

Simon didn't waste time with small talk. Blue light flashed as he deposited a crossbow, a quiver full of bolts, and his stockpile of poisons in front of her. "Are you a good shot?" he asked, his tone clipped and hurried.

Katarina blinked. "Yes. Why–"

"Need you on fire support. Fell Beast wants me. I'll distract. You shoot. Coat the arrows with poison. Can't hurt."

"That's – no, wait! Slaying the Beast is your purpose for coming here. Why must I endanger myself?"

He put on a hollow grin. "Because we'll die if you don't. I can't beat it on my own."

"...WHAT?"

As Katarina came to terms with her newest revelation, Simon glanced over at the Ravenous Wanderer. The creature was still writhing, but less so, gradually piecing together its self-composure. Clock's ticking.

"I don't understand," the woman finally said. "You're a Demon. You're powerful! You, you withstood a blast of sacred mana without even flinching."

"I'm uniquely resistant to sacred mana. That's all. Doesn't mean I'm strong."

She shook her head, trapped in the 'denial' phase of the five stages. "No. That can't be. You looked so confident! I wouldn't have followed you here if I thought the Beast would pose a threat to you! This–"

"Katarina."

Simon placed his hands on her shoulders. "Afterwards, everything will be explained. But right now? I need you."

He locked eyes with his companion, impressing the severity of their situation onto her with a gaze of iron. "Are you up to this?"

For several horrible seconds, he didn't think she was.

Then a fire lit inside her. Whether it was one of heroism, self-preservation, or spite, Simon couldn't say. Whatever the reason, Katarina promptly reached down, grabbing the crossbow and opening up a vial of poison.

"Don't let it get near me," she stated, all business. "One blow from that horrid creature, and you lose your archer."

The woman's voice lowered, muttering to herself as she began applying toxins to each crossbow bolt. "That explanation had better be extensive."

Simon allowed himself a smile.

He turned back to face the Beast. It had mostly stopped trembling – their reprieve was almost over.

Slowly, cautiously, the transmigrator approached. Part of him was inclined to rush forward and immediately try a Fell Harvest while the Beast was still preoccupied.

The half-eaten corpses in Simon's peripheral vision warned him otherwise. If his Skill didn't completely immobilize the creature like it had for Lucette, then he would only be adding himself to the rotting mass of Springwater's best and brightest.

Instead, he raised his demonic arm and pointed it at the Ravenous Wanderer. The command to Kill whispered at the edges of his thoughts, an urge to slaughter the monstrosity before him, practically begging to be unleashed. It wouldn't actually kill the Beast – not with just 90 MP – but sapping its stamina would go a long way.

However, the Wanderer was fast. Inordinately fast. It's also clearly attracted to mana. By gathering the energy for Kill, I'll likely draw its attention. If it snaps out of its stupor, then dodges, that's one of my major resources down.

His spell could hit. Could. Simon didn't like the odds.

Yet considering how slim his chances were of surviving the next five minutes...betting on uncertainty might be his only real option.

As a last-ditch effort before rolling the dice, he swept his eyes across the cavern. He looked up and down, searching for any possible advantage, for something he could use to–

...Hmm.

Identify.

Simon lowered his arm.

In the brief time remaining to him, a plan was formed.

He didn't wait until the Beast had collected itself. Running up to the line of Warding Orbs, Simon leaned down and strafed sideways. Ten blue shimmers illuminated the cavern as he placed them into Inventory one-by-one.

When the Warding auras had all vanished, the Ravenous Wanderer twitched, snapping out of a trance. Its bulbous head jerked towards him.

"MaNa..."

Joints creaked and cracked as it stood up, turning to face him. "Mana...hAte...nEEd...GIVE."

Simon circled around as the Beast lunged. He extended his left arm, producing a single Ward from Inventory in his hand. The creature shrieked, hesitating, as if the radiant light had seared it like hot pokers–

And then it lunged again, pushing past the pain. Its moment of hesitation had been just that; a moment.

Throwing himself backwards, Simon scattered five Wards onto the ground once more. That was enough to deter the Ravenous Wanderer entirely. It shrunk into itself, cowering, hands clenching as its claws pierced through its own palms.

But it wasn't shaking nearly as much as before.

Testing complete, Simon noted. Results: One Warding Orb is insufficient. About five Wards needed to delay the Beast's advance. Unfortunately, it is also growing accustomed to the exposure, rapidly building a tolerance to warding auras.

Conclusion: The more he relied on his Warding Orbs for protection, the less effective they would be. If the Ravenous Wanderer ever reached a point where it could fully resist them, even for a second...

He and Katarina were dead.

On cue, a crossbow bolt sank into the Fell Beast's back. The creature hissed, its focus shifting to the source of whatever annoyance had given it the equivalent of a paper cut.

It's distracted. Breathing in, Simon extended his demonic arm. Testing: Reflexes.

Forming the intent to Kill wasn't difficult. He didn't have the deep-seated, personal resentment for the Wanderer that he'd felt for Lucette, but the two weren't that different. One was a monster that had doomed thousands of people to a slow, miserable death – while the other was merely on the verge of doing so. It was easy for Simon to desire this Beast's death with every fiber of his being.

And with how it kept ranting and weeping...putting it down might very well be an act of mercy, regardless.

Moderating Kill's output was a much harder task. Simon suppressed the temptation to imbue his spell with the sum totality of his mana, nudging just a trickle inwards. Empowered by a scant 10 MP, the blackened orb that formed was far less impressive than before.

Perfect. He let loose, firing his demonic mana at the Ravenous Wanderer.

Several things happened in quick succession. The Beast's attention snapped back to Simon. It raised its clawed arm, as if to deflect the attack. Then it thought better of that idea, leaping sideways and dodging the projectile with room to spare.

Simon pursed his lips. Testing complete. Results...not great.

Despite being caught off-guard and weakened by Warding Orbs, the creature had been able to react, make a decision, then change its mind and make a separate decision, all in the span of the time it took for Kill to travel a short distance. While the Fell Beast's intelligence and temperament were questionable, it obviously knew how to fight – or at least how to respond to threats.

Conclusion: Kill wouldn't hit unless the Beast was completely restrained.

Simon glanced behind himself. Not even close to my destination, and the Wanderer won't be stopped for long by five Wards. Could put all ten down, make a run for it...but if it wises up and knocks them aside from afar, I'll be left with no protection. What should–

Another crossbow bolt thunked into the Ravenous Wanderer's shoulder. The previous bolt had already been expelled, pushed out of its body by the Beast's absurd regeneration. It still took offense to the interruption, whipping around to face Katarina.

Desperate times, desperate measures. Simon scooped up his Wards again. Time for the first gamble of many.

He produced a longsword from Inventory and threw it, smirking as the bladed edge sank into the beast's lower back. As long as he didn't summon Fell mana, the Beast wouldn't be instantly alerted to his actions.

"...DeMOn..."

This time, the Ravenous Wanderer didn't react immediately. Meaty, pulsating legs sluggishly turned around, shuffling like a decaying zombie. Ignoring a third bolt that came to pierce through its leg, the monster panted heavily, its eyeless gaze drawn straight to Simon's right arm.

"Why?" Its mouth split open, revealing a cavernous maw with more teeth than any living creature should ever need. "Why...yoU? WHY! YOU!"

Bellowing a hideous scream that shook the ground, the Fell Beast charged. Simon had been retreating while it was wasting time, attempting to put space between them – only for that distance to be closed in the blink of an eye.

Claws the size of shortswords raced towards his heart.

Shouldn't use the Wards. Can't let it build a resistance. Need it to stay susceptible for longer.

With a flash of blue, a pristine blade appeared in Simon's left hand. Excitement pumped through his veins as the choice was made.

After all...wasn't HP just another type of resource to be used?

Glove of Minor Power. "Open wide," Simon said, a feral grin adorning his features.

Beast collided with transmigrator. In the same moment, a longsword thrust into the monster's mouth, piercing up through its skull–

As the transmigrator's torso was shredded like confetti.

After Kirkelas and Lucette, Simon thought he would be accustomed to enduring mid-battle injuries. And to an extent, he was...

But pain was still pain.

No amount of mental preparation could dull the explosion of agony that erupted within his body. There was no true way to prepare for the sensation of Fell claws rending him asunder. Of its corrosive touch eating away at skin and muscle. Of multiple vital organs shutting down at once.

HP: 28 / 120

Three-fourths of his HP. Gone. With one attack.

His only saving grace was that the monster didn't go for a follow-up attack. It just tilted its head, as if bemused by the longsword lodged inside it.

Simon chuckled, blood dripping from his mouth. Compared to what the Ravenous Wanderer could have done to him, this was basically a love tap. If it hadn't been distracted by the blade suddenly introduced to its cranium, or if the transmigrator hadn't increased his Vitality earlier that day, then he would be in pieces right about now.

Testing. Complete. Results. Predictable.

Conclusion: Don't...don't get hit again.

He shouldn't even be standing. Simon was fairly certain that the Beast's strike had severed his spine. It was only thanks to the Transmigrator's Body Trait that his torso hadn't fallen apart like an imbalanced Jenga tower.

'Your body has become like that of a fictional game character. Grievous wounds will not affect your combat efficacy. You barely bleed from injuries. Lastly, you will only die when your HP reaches zero.'

To him, wounds were more cosmetic than hindering. As long as he possessed the will to fight – and his limbs were still attached to his body – he could keep on trudging along.

Didn't do anything for the pain, though. Shame.

Katarina's fourth crossbow bolt slammed into the Fell Beast. Or was it fifth? Simon was having difficulty keeping track, what with his flesh having been torn to ribbons and all.

Her aim was impeccable, but it didn't seem to be amounting to much. The Beast hadn't slowed, and its injuries kept healing. They couldn't even know if the poison was affecting it in the slightest.

As if making a mockery of their efforts, it bit down on Simon's longsword, crunching forged metal like soft candy. The Ravenous Wanderer chewed just twice – without swallowing – before opening its mouth once more. Nothing was inside, as though the blade had been annihilated by a black hole.

Through a disquieting haze of agony, Simon cast Identify. Maybe its Description would inform him if Katarina's poison-tipped bolts were actually doing anything.

It took him a moment to remember that he'd already used Identify on the Beast, and that the Skill's Description didn't change after being used once. He sighed, dismissed the window–

Then paused.

Identify. The window popped up again. He looked past its Description, finding what he'd barely noticed before.

Estimated Level: 34 (17 when not mana-gorged)

At the onset of their battle, it had been at 39.

Unlike my own Level, 'Estimated Level' isn't a static number. It alters based on the target's condition. Gerold's Estimated Level was lower than usual due to his illness, and the Beast's Estimated Level is inflated by the mana it absorbed from the Water Artifact.

Furthermore, the Ravenous Wanderer had been wounded numerous times so far. One of those injuries would have been fatal to a creature without Fell-enhanced regeneration.

Healing expends mana. So did that mouth-laser the Beast fired off. It also isn't draining the Water Artifact anymore. If we can keep hurting it, win the war of attrition, its Estimated Level will continue to decrease. It'll grow weaker, less powerful. And if we can reduce its Level all the way down to the base number, we'll be left with...

A deranged Fell Beast that was still more than double his Level.

Well. Simon centered his thoughts, embracing the pain as best he could. It's a goal to strive for, I suppose.

Willing his feet to move, he started running towards his destination again. The sensation was...disconcerting. His brain and body were in conflict, with his body screaming that he shouldn't be alive, and his brain pushing his body to get moving anyway. The flesh begrudgingly obeyed the commands of the mind, transmitting feedback like your intestines should be spilling out of you while still managing a pace faster than what Simon had been capable of on Earth.

Transmigrator's Body was artificially holding him together. Without it, he would be a red, squishy pile on the cavern floor.

Simon glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if the Fell Beast was drawing near. His flagging heart skipped yet another beat at what he saw. The Beast had unhinged its jaw, its mouth opening impossibly wide as pitch-black energy amassed within.

It was going to fire a mana laser at him. The last one had been powerful enough to devastate the cavern's staircase entrance. He'd dodged it before, but if the creature's aim was better this time...

Making an executive decision, Simon reached into Inventory, prepared to fling all ten Warding Orbs at the creature. Doing so would put lifesaving resources out of reach, sacrificing long-term safety for a temporary reprieve, but he didn't have any–

The Wanderer closed its mouth.

Simon did a double-take as surprise blended with his pain-addled thoughts. It changed its mind? He kept his Wards inside Inventory, trying to puzzle out this new behavior. Does it want to conserve energy? Or is there some other reason?

His questions were answered by the Beast itself. Saliva began dripping from the corner of its tightly-shut maw. Its head shifted, angling so that if it did possess eyes, they would've been entirely focused on Simon's right arm.

Of course. His lips twitched with amusement. It's the 'Ravenous' Wanderer.

It had eaten the corpses of its victims, devoured limbs from the still-living residents of Springwater – and now it wanted to take a bite of Simon. As much as it seemed to hate Demons, it would rather add him to the menu than destroy his body with a laser. Apparently, flesh was rich in mana.

Mana-rich flesh...

Dots connected inside Simon's head. With a thought, he accessed Inventory.

Blue light shone as Stuart the Rat's meat appeared on the ground.

It was like dropping raw steak in front of a starving hyena. An ear-piercing screech echoed as the twelve-foot tall Wanderer pounced on Stuart's meat. Rows of jagged, misshapen teeth tore apart Fell-tainted flesh with astounding voracity. A feast that could have served a family of four started rapidly vanishing.

Simon could only laugh. Enjoy the appetizer! The sound of his mirth mingled with the Beast's lamentations. One of Katarina's poisoned arrows sank into the creature's flank, but it ignored her, crying and weeping as it tried to satiate the endless void of its own hunger.

Simon just laughed even harder. Glad Stuart was good for something! Tears were streaming down his face. Probably should've dumped his meat long ago to make room for more caravan supplies, but...it was just so unique! When's the next time I'm going to find a giant rat? Call me a hoarder, but–

"HEY! HEY! WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE?!"

Katarina's outburst struck Simon with a chilling dose of lucidity. Peering down, he realized that his legs weren't running anymore.

Huh. That didn't make sense. The whole point of this repeated cat-and-mouse game was so that he could eventually reach the other end of the cavern.

Each move Simon made – whether it was delaying with Warding Orbs, ejecting Stuart's meat, or even sacrificing his own HP – was all for that singular purpose. By standing still and laughing, he was wasting the opportunity afforded by an increasingly limited pool of options.

Why had he stopped running? When had he stopped running?

Simon looked inward for answers...and found a mind in disarray. The Beast's corrosive mana had lingered inside his body, sinking into his veins and nerve endings, traveling up to his brain. His thoughts were a storm of mania and nonsense, impelling him to laugh and cry and sob and yell and run and kill and feast.

Yet within that tempest of contrasting emotions, one notion stood above the rest. One thought that drove all others.

Hurts so much.

That true and pure feeling told him everything he needed to know. Simon was compromised. Pain that he'd believed he could push through was directly impacting his decision-making process.

Move, he told his legs. They refused to obey. Throw, he asked his arms. No dice.

It was as if the signals sent from his mind were being scrambled by the Ravenous Wanderer's agonizing touch.

This wasn't something that a burst of willpower could fix.

Another *thunk* of an arrow drew his attention to the Beast. It had just about finished its meal. Soon enough, a whirlwind of teeth and claws would be upon him again.

Simon's lips crept into a smile.

Katarina likely interpreted the expression as a symptom of his growing mania, but in truth, it came from the one part of his thoughts that still belonged to him. He smiled because he'd finally figured out what to do.

This pain was overwhelming. There was too much of it to just...shove aside. Simon couldn't isolate it to the distant recesses of his mind.

So he isolated himself instead.

You're not here.

You're not here.

You're not here.

The mantra was a familiar one.

You're not here.

You're not here.

Simon hadn't utilized it for several years now, hadn't wanted to, but...needs must.

You're not here. None of this is happening to you.

You're not here. This pain is not your own.

You're not here.

You're just looking in.

--

The human consciousness named Simon breathed an internal sigh of relief.

Like an observer from on high, he sat back, comforted by the fact that he was untouchable. While pain still resided within his vessel of blood and bone, it was no worse than hearing faint rumbling noises in the distance, or feeling a breeze through layers of clothing. The sensations were detached, muted.

They belonged to someone else.

Peering through his body's twin orbs of sight, Simon examined the battlefield with clinical interest. He spotted the Ravenous Wanderer mid-leap, teeth bared, ready to bite down on helpless prey. He spotted Katarina Cartier standing at the opposite end of the cavern, shooting arrows with a look of fierce determination on her face.

I'm not too late, the consciousness thought. My flesh is still alive.

Mostly. Simon frowned as his empty vessel started to slump over. Just a few moments without someone in the driver's seat, and that was all it took to start slacking off? How sloppy.

Get up, he commanded. You have work to do.

Like a clockwork automaton, his body turned on its heel and resumed its frantic sprint towards The Destination. Its pain belonged to someone else, so there was no conflict with the consciousness' orders. Simon told his vessel where to go, and it obeyed, a dutiful puppet on a string.

The Wanderer's noxious mana held no sway over an outside observer.

Unfortunately, too many precious seconds had already been wasted. Simon's meat-body wasn't anywhere close enough to The Destination yet. It needed more time.

Scattering a defensive line of Warding Orbs should work...once more, perhaps. After that, Simon couldn't guarantee their efficacy. This Fell Beast was hungry and instinctual, not outright stupid, and animals in search of food had a tendency of becoming the cleverest creatures in the world to get what they desired.

It would learn to circumvent the Wards if that card was played too often.

What other resources are available? I can't sacrifice my vessel's flesh again so soon, and Stuart's meat is depleted. That leaves–

Simon smirked as the process of elimination led him to its inevitable conclusion. I had wanted to save MP for Kill...but this is a suitable alternative.

He commanded his body to raise its hands and face the Beast.

What a loathsome creature. As Simon examined the Wanderer's abominable visage, a distasteful grimace stretched across his features. He allowed the emotion, nurturing it, letting his antipathy bloom like a flower in spring. And this beast – this mongrel dares to harm my vessel? To sully what is mine?

Mana gathered in his flesh-body's hands. That cannot stand.

Drawing upon a twisted sense of megalomaniacal authority, Simon made his intent known to the world.

Preserve my vessel.

He would be returning there shortly, after all.

Suffer not the touch of Beasts.

It had ravaged this body once. It would never do so again.

Shield me.

So he decreed, as that which was untouchable.

A shimmering rectangle of mana materialized in front of Simon's vessel. Translucent, and colored like the space between stars, it covered far past the height and width of his body. He poured all of his vessel's MP into the Barrier's construction, hardening it as much as possible.

The Ravenous Wanderer raked both claws downward. Its strength was crushing; if its attack had connected, Simon's fragile meat would have been left in an unrecognizable state. Yet his Barrier still held fast...

For about half a second. With a trill of cracking glass, the translucent rectangle shattered. Hundreds of blackened mana particles dispersed in all directions, shimmering like sunlight reflected by the morning dew.

Simon had already ordered his vessel to resume its sprint before then. This result was well-within acceptable parameters. If anything, considering that there'd only been 90 MP to allocate for the Barrier's construction, it had honestly lasted longer than anticipated.

As a side benefit, the Fell Beast appeared distracted by the explosion of mana particles. Like a cat chasing a laser pointer, it kept trying to grab them out of the air, howling in distress when its claws swiped at nothing.

Closer. The vessel had crossed approximately two-thirds of the necessary distance to The Destination. Getting closer. Just needed to delay the Beast for a bit longer. And then...

Then he would win.

...Or Simon's plan would fail, leading to a swift, grisly demise. Either way, his worries would be much lesser very soon.

The Ravenous Wanderer broke out of its stupor, bounding towards the vessel yet again. He commanded his meat-puppet to lay out five – no, seven of the ten Warding Orbs. More harsh screeching filled the cavern as the Beast stopped in its tracks.

Except it wasn't cowering this time. Unlike before, the creature stood its ground, staring at the Wards with a sightless gaze of malice.

Not good. Some of Simon's emotion leaked through to his vessel, causing it to wince. The Beast has adjusted too quickly. At this rate, even retrieving the Warding Orbs was a risky prospect – the monster would gut him the instant they went back in Inventory.

He was about to throw caution to the wind and leave the Wards behind when a crossbow bolt pierced directly through the Wanderer's skull. It was a stellar shot that, against any normal opponent, would have brought their battle to an immediate end.

The Ravenous creature just turned around, its attention shifting back to Katarina Cartier. Simon was no expert on Fell Beast body language, but its posture seemed remarkably similar to someone who was thoroughly fed up with an incessant, nagging mosquito.

"That was my last arrow!" Katarina Cartier called out. She had situated herself near the caved-in entrance. "Poison's out too! I think I should–"

"HuMAn."

Whatever she had been about to suggest was smothered by the Fell Beast's warbling, distorted voice.

"YoU woN'T...COMPLETE ME."

Its mouth opened, mana coalescing inside. Katarina Cartier froze as she realized what was going to happen next.

Simon performed a rough mental estimate. With Katarina Cartier used as a diversion, and if his vessel ran at full speed...he gave it an 80% chance of reaching The Destination in time. Those were good odds.

Strange, then, then it was already heading in the wrong direction.

His vessel jumped past the line of Warding Orbs, its sanctuary abandoned. Just before the Wanderer's mouth-laser was unleashed, Simon reached out and gripped the colossal creature's upper thigh, his Shapeshifted hand sinking five taloned claws deep into flesh.

Fell Harvest.

--

What followed was the single most disorienting moment of Simon's young life.

'Returning' from his least-favorite coping mechanism was always a crapshoot even under stable circumstances. The feeling of being inside his body again – as a participant, not an observer – was like giving sight to a blind man. Or like forcibly inserting sight into a blind man they were strapped to a table.

While the Beast's corrosive touch was slowly beginning to fade, that pain had simply been exchanged with an influx of overwhelming sensations. Absence replaced by substance. Tingling skin and pumping blood and emotions that Simon couldn't pretend weren't his own.

He would be paying for it later. Dissociating to that extent didn't come without consequences.

Simon let out an involuntary gasp as mana flowed into him. Fell Harvest was draining the Ravenous Wanderer of its energy. Like shoving a waterfall through a straw, his MP instantly shot up to its maximum of 90.

He kept Harvesting. With nowhere left to go, the excess mana dissipated into the surrounding air, filtering out of his overtaxed body to avoid ripping him apart from within. It was pain compounded with discordant sensations compounded with more pain–

Yet he still didn't let go. If he couldn't divert the Beast's focus, Katarina would die.

With a savage roar, the Wanderer let loose its mana-laser. A destructive beam of energy shot forth across the cavern. Fell Harvest had only caused the monster to briefly hesitate, delaying its assault by just a split-second.

And that made all the difference in the world.

Katarina threw herself to the ground as a concentrated line of pitch-black mana passed above, atomizing several hair follicles that had lingered in the air for too long. It carved through the solid rock wall behind her like melted butter, nearly triggering a cave-in as the cavern itself seemed to tremble with concern.

If she had been the Beast's sole prey, perhaps it would have tilted its head down and erased her from existence right then and there. But a destructive beam required copious amounts of mana – mana that was currently being plundered by someone of far greater import.

As if an internal valve had been turned off, the mana-laser abruptly ended. Simon leaped away, disengaging Fell Harvest the second that Katarina was clear. The Wanderer's claws swiped at empty air as he scrambled back over the line of protective Warding Orbs.

Its frustrated cries were like music to his ears. He chanced a quick Identify, grinning viciously at what he found.

Estimated Level: 28 (17 when not mana-gorged)

Weaker. From 39, to 34, to 28. We're chipping away at its mana.

His grin faltered. Also confirmed that Fell Harvest won't immobilize the Beast like it did to Lucette. Expected, but still unfortunate. One less potential option. That just leaves–

Simon's train of thought derailed as he noticed something new. At the opposite end of the cavern, right where the Beast had unleashed its fury, there was...

Ah.

He knew what he had to do.

Before anything else, Simon deposited his remaining three Warding Orbs near the Ravenous Wanderer. All ten Wards were out now. No point in holding them in reserve – not when the Beast had grown too accustomed to their aura. They couldn't be safely retrieved anymore.

Then, as he took off running for what would likely be the last time, Simon started yelling at the top of his lungs.

"KATARINA! GET GOING!" His words came out strained and breathy. The Wanderer must have nicked his vocal cords when it sliced through him earlier. "ENTRANCE IS CLEAR! YOU NEED TO LEAVE!"

It took her a couple moments to process what he was saying. Her head whipped towards the cavern's front entrance, comprehension dawning on her features.

By a stroke of luck, the Beast's mana-laser had demolished some of the rocks blocking the staircase leading up to Springwater Village. There was just enough room for a person to squeeze past.

She could escape.

"That's..." Katarina stared longingly at the open passageway to freedom. With visible effort, she tore her gaze away, turning back towards Simon and the Fell Beast. "What about y–"

"IT WOULD CHASE ME! IF IT GETS UP TO SPRINGWATER, EVERYONE DIES! GO WARN THEM! NOW!"

Katarina was too far away for Simon to see whatever expression was on her face. He thought he saw a flash of indecision before she made a break for the entrance, disappearing up the staircase, but that could've easily been a product of his own imagination.

Maybe he just wanted to believe that she'd considered keeping him company in his last moments.

I'm not going to make it. He knew that already. Had known it for some time now, really. It would be close, a veritable photo finish, but...

That was the problem with adopting a candid outlook on life. You couldn't delude yourself into hoping for a brighter future.

Simon felt no surprise when the Ravenous Wanderer suddenly reared up. Roaring with determination, undaunted by the light of the Wards' aura, it plunged its claws into the ground. Like a river of filth, Fell mana poured out from its body, coursing underground, racing beneath the Warding Orbs–

And then exploding upwards. An eruption of energy blasted the floor apart with incredible force, scattering the Wards all around the cavern.

It was unnecessarily dramatic compared to, say, jumping over, but the end result was identical. The Beast had finally resisted the Warding Orbs for long enough to take action.

Simon's sanctuary had been demolished.

Once more, he felt no surprise as the Ravenous monster sped towards him. And if he felt any disappointment, then it was faint – less of a flare and more of an ember. He could hardly complain when this was merely the consequences of his own actions.

I wonder...

Is this my punishment for not letting Katarina die?

Simon produced the portable Warding Orb that he'd looted from Relia. It was much weaker than the Wards designed to be embedded into stationary structures, but the band of slavers had still sworn by it. He tossed the portable Ward backwards, hoping to delay the creature's advance by a second or two.

The Beast paused for just a moment as it swatted the item out of the air, barely slowing at all.

If I had used her as a diversion, kept running as she got lasered, then my plan would've succeeded. It was a fair trade – one life for the sake of thousands. The triage system at its finest. Logically, rationally, objectively...by any metric, it was the right choice to make. I was fully aware of that.

Instead, I chose sentiment over pragmatism. Now Springwater Village will pay the price.

Claws and teeth fell upon him. Simon cast another Barrier, pushing 90 MP into the spell.

The Ravenous Wanderer had lost a sizable portion of its mana. Its Estimated Levels could attest to that. Compared to before, it was measurably weaker.

That didn't help the Barrier very much. It strained and buckled, already starting to crack as Simon compelled his feet to move faster.

No, not just Springwater – all of Valtia will suffer for my hubris. I know for a fact that this world is fated to die in less than a year. Without my intervention, it has no future. That isn't arrogance; it's simply the truth.

Prioritizing Katarina's life was just a subsection of a much bigger mistake: agreeing to help Springwater in the first place. The population of one random village wasn't worth risking myself over. I should never have journeyed down to this cavern. Should never have revealed my demonic arm at Jonathan's clinic, either.

The needs of the many should've outweighed the needs of the few.

His Barrier shattered. The Beast didn't waste time being distracted by its mana particles, advancing immediately. Simon's last possible resource had been exhausted.

Another expected outcome. He felt no surprise, no disappointment...

And...if he was being completely honest with himself...

No regret.

I could have sacrificed Katarina. Sacrificed Springwater. Continued on my merry way, ignoring their plights, keeping my eye on the prize.

All it would have taken was hating myself.

When analyzing the leaders of Earth, Simon had subjected himself to an ungodly number of vapid speeches and worthless press statements. He'd learned all the excuses they made when explaining why they couldn't be bothered to help people. Sometimes, those excuses were valid.

Other times? Most of the time? It was self-serving drivel. Apathy disguised as logic. Greed masquerading as rationality.

Simon knew how important his life was. He needed to survive for the sake of Valtia as a whole. Even so...if he'd abandoned these people here...turned away from them, treating their lives like nothing...

Well, he wouldn't have liked what kind of person that made him.

After all, Simon also knew that he wasn't some sort of infallible saint. He was flawed, and his perspective could be molded by circumstance. No action is ever made in a void – if he behaved callously, then that would change him, whether he wanted it to or not.

Not every two-faced politician or amoral billionaire had been born that way. Some of them had probably started off as relatively normal people. Then, as their power and influence grew...they'd began making excuses.

How many of them had sold their soul in pieces, one heartless decision at a time?

Gotta keep myself from sliding down the slippery slope, Simon mused. A heart of stone cannot beat – nor can it feel for those in need. If I want to preserve my motivation to save Valtia, then I need to conduct myself like a true blue hero every now and then. When looking at it from that angle, risking myself for Springwater was actually the pragmatic, utilitarian choice.

He almost managed to make himself believe that before the Fell Beast landed on top of him.

It took Simon a full second to realize that he was still alive. Rather than the sharp pain of teeth grinding his flesh – followed shortly by oblivion – there was only the pressure of the Wanderer bearing down on his torso and limbs. The twelve-foot behemoth had casually pinned him to the ground, nearly breaking bones just by virtue of its weight alone.

Once again, its scrutiny was focused on his Shapeshifted right arm. The Beast stared at it, transfixed, unmoving except for the slight tremors that swept throughout its body. Its behavior seemed borderline reverential, as if the demonic appendage was a divine relic that it worshiped and despised in equal measure.

Can I... Simon attempted to use Fell Harvest, sighing when the Skill failed to activate. While his right arm might be touching the Wanderer's body, he wasn't grasping it. Evidently, the distinction was important, and he didn't have enough leverage to twist his arm around and grab hold.

He glanced back, suppressing another sigh. Three feet. The Beast had caught him just three feet before his destination. Salvation had been a hop, skip, and a jump away.

"WhY yOu?"

Like an ice pick stabbing into him, a disarming shiver lanced up Simon's spine. The creature's voice sounded even more grotesque up close. He almost preferred being subjected to its thought-scrambling mana.

"WHY...you?" In the span of two words, its tone went from enraged to grief-stricken. "Why you?" A miserable whining noise emanated from deep within, too pathetic to induce fright, yet too repulsive to inspire empathy. "Why, why, why you?"

The Ravenous Wanderer dipped its head lower. Thousands of razor-sharp teeth hovered inches away from Simon's face. Although a spike of adrenaline surged through his veins, the transmigrator did not flinch.

Maybe he should have. As the Fell Beast met his taciturn gaze, its breathing quickened, muscles tensing with an upswell of loathing.

"Why...nOt...ME?!"

Its mouth opened wide.

Inside, Simon saw an endless absence of nothing; a void that was impossible to fill. The Wanderer's ravenous hunger would never be satiated. It could consume the entire world, right down to the very last molecule, and the voracious yearnings in its core would be left begging for seconds.

The Beast knew that as well – and it hated him ever more for the knowing. Even the bliss of ignorance was denied to it.

Simon would've felt a sliver of pity if he wasn't about to be devoured.

As the monster leaned closer, savoring its moment of victory, the transmigrator urgently ran through his list of potential options. Can't move. No Wards. Out of MP. Fell Harvest unavailable. Can try–

"Any chance we can work out a deal?" Simon hazarded. "My body regenerates after a good night's sleep. Munch on me now, and you lose a renewable food source."

The Beast didn't respond. It gave no indication that it had heard him speak. Simon could barely even hear himself speak over its labored breathing and the sound of...

...Footsteps?

There was a flash of crimson. A rush of motion.

With the Wanderer's hulking mass obscuring most of Simon's vision, he only saw what was happening when Katarina's knife reached around and slit the creature's throat.

She was hanging onto its back, holding on for dear life, one arm gripping the Beast and the other gripping her weapon. Cursing up a storm, the woman repeatedly thrust her knife forward, piercing Fell flesh again and again.

It was like a needle poking at a lump of uncaring muscle. The Wanderer appeared largely unperturbed. Conversely, judging by Katarina's expression, she seemed to be sorely regretting her decision to scale an implacable colossus – yet she still didn't let go.

I watched her go through the passage, Simon thought, mystified. She...she changed her mind.

She came back.

He was so utterly shocked that he almost missed his moment.

Then the Wanderer's weight shifted away from his body, distracted by the mosquito's sudden return, and it was time. Simon kicked to his feet, practically flinging himself back. A chunk of his flesh was torn off, bringing his HP dangerously close to 0, but he was free, and nothing else mattered.

It didn't take long. In less than a second, he had arrived at his destination – a raised platform at the center of the cavern.

Where the discarded Water Artifact laid.

The device was shaped like a teardrop and could fit in the palm of his hand. Its glow was gentle and unassuming. He grabbed it in a hurry, whirling around to face the Fell Beast.

Katarina had jumped off its back and retreated, leaving the creature's loving attention on Simon yet again. Teeth gnashing, the Wanderer lunged.

A small Artifact was raised to meet it.

In all of nature, no element is viewed more favorably than water. It represents the origin and continuance of life itself. Water feeds, water births, and water sustains. Simon had good reason to feel perturbed by Valtia's lack of rainfall – it was tantamount to a barren, empty world.

But despite the gifts it grants and the life it bestows, water is not benevolent. Like any other aspect of nature, it is an impartial, unfeeling force. That which is a boon when calm becomes ruination when roused. People can build castles so tall they pierce the skies, drape themselves in gilded finery and lofty titles, place themselves on the highest of pedestals, pretend that they have ascended their baseborn mortality...

Only for raging waters to sweep away their achievements with contemptible ease. Before the might of the tides, nothing is safe.

That was more or less the question Simon had asked earlier, when he peered across the cavern and cast Identify on the Water Artifact. He already knew that it needed to be strong enough to send a constant stream hundreds of feet up to Springwater's plaza fountain. With that in mind – and when activated at the maximum possible setting – how much water pressure could the Artifact output?

The answer: a lot.

Torrential geysers burst forth from the tiny device held in his palm. They crashed into the Ravenous Wanderer like a truck speeding down a highway, sweeping the twelve-foot giant off its feet. Wet, distorted cries gurgled around the cavern, as if screamed from the bottom of a pool.

Spurred on by an exhilarating sense of turnabout, Simon pursued the Beast for the first time. He dashed forward, maintaining the Artifact's assault, following the creature as it was sent slamming into the far end wall.

A monster-shaped dent formed in the stone, resembling something out of cartoons from simpler, nostalgic days of yore. He made a mental note to appreciate the memory when he wasn't busy fighting for his life.

With its back now literally up against a wall, the Wanderer found itself a hapless victim of Newton's Third Law of Motion. It could scarcely even move, locked in place by crushing water pressure that seemed to be summoned from the oceans depths themselves. Flesh was shorn faster than it could regenerate, pulverized by nature's inexorable indifference.

Identify. Estimated Level: 25.

Identify. Estimated Level: 22.

Identify. Identify. Identify! Simon's heartbeat was lodged firmly in his throat, his skin buzzing with anticipation. This was it. They'd won. They were–

The Water Artifact deactivated.

Between him, Katarina, and the Beast, it was impossible to say which of them was more surprised. Without warning, the Artifact's geysers had lessened to a trickle, and then to nothing at all.

Swallowing the unhinged laughter that threatened to escape his chest, Simon refused to panic. He cleared his thoughts of concerns – valid as they were – and attempted to re-activate the Artifact.

All he got for his effort was a haughty, imperious female voice somehow emanating from the device. It sounded muffled, as if recorded on a low-quality microphone.

"Water production has exceeded reasonable volumes. Safety mode engaged. This Artifact will be usable again after one hour's time."

The recorded voice tsk'd at him. "And if you were employing my lifegiving creation to commit acts of barbarism, then be a good dear and submit yourself to the local authorities for judgement."

Simon's eye twitched. Okay. Okay. He was standing close to the Beast's crumpled form. It looked dazed and heavily wounded, but not dead. Identify.

Estimated Level: 15 (17 when at standard health and mana-levels)

The creature had been brought below its baseline strength. However, Level 15 was still more than twice Simon's own. The instant it gathered its wits–

"FELL HARVEST!"

There was no time to plan. He immediately leapt forward, grabbing the nearest limb with his demonic arm. With his free left arm, he produced a longsword from Inventory, stabbing and draining simultaneously, absorbing mana as he perforated the Fell Beast with fresh holes.

Yet the creature's stirring intensified. Even mangled and beaten, even in a state where half its body mass was missing...like a corpse animated by vile magic, the Ravenous Wanderer began to rise. Hateful grumblings slithered into Simon's ears, a promise of imminent pain.

His offensive output was racing against its regeneration – and he was losing. It was going to recover and retaliate before he could finish it off, depleting the remnants of his HP with a single monstrous blow.

Has to be something else I can utilize. Something for one more push. Simon plunged his sword again, wincing when it snapped off inside the Beast's hardening muscles. What else–

A lone Warding Orb soared through the air, landing close by.

Then came a second Ward, and then a third. With each new arrival, the Beast shrunk further into itself, cowering. Resisting their Warding auras was far more difficult now than when it had been healthy and gorged on mana.

Simon spared a brief glance behind his shoulder. Katarina was running around like a madwoman on a mission, seeking out the Warding Orbs that the Beast had previously scattered. She tossed over a fourth without even looking in their direction, turning on a dime to sprint towards the next glow of light.

Yeah.

I think you've earned that explanation.

After that, the victor of their race was never in doubt. Fell Harvest kept draining mana as Katarina continued to procure more Wards. Eventually, the monster had degraded to the point where Simon's basic sword stabs were having a noticeable effect.

He knew for certain that he would cross the finish line first. It wouldn't be an explosive finish, but that suited him just fine.

Simon was perfectly comfortable playing the role of a silent executioner.

"JuST...jUst waNTed..."

Hateful grumblings became morose whimpers. The Ravenous Wanderer didn't try any last-minute gambits. It found no hidden reserves of power in the depths of its tainted soul.

"To be..."

It was merely a beast caught in a trap. A rabid animal that needed to be put down.

"...whole..."

The Wanderer went still.

Bit-bit-bit, its skin began to peel off. A scent of embalmed corpses permeated the air. Ashen flakes floated upwards before disintegrating, vanishing in a heartbeat, as if they'd never existed at all.

With every passing second, it decayed further. Skin, then muscle, then bone. The process hastened rapidly–

Until it was just a fading cloud of dust, nothing left remaining where there had once been a Fell Beast.

Simon only allowed himself to believe it was gone when the system notifications started rolling in.

Alert: The Ravenous Wanderer has been slain!

Your Level and Stats have increased!
Level: 6 → 11
Strength: 18 → 20
Dexterity: 16 → 24
Vitality: 12 → 17
Intelligence: 9 → 14

A powerful life has been Harvested!

Fell Harvest's Rank has Increased! 1 → 2
It will now add more stat points per Harvest!

2 stat points added to Unspent Points!

Simon calmly sat down, lacing taut fingers together. He looked behind his shoulder, meeting Katarina's expectant gaze. Words were failing him – so he chose to nod instead.

His message was duly received. Katarina pumped her fists into the air, shaking with relief as she let out a throat-scratching cry of victory. "WE KILLED IT!" Frenzied laughter poured out of her in a torrent more powerful than the Water Artifact's geysers. "IT'S DEAD! WE KILLED IT! WE! KILLED! IT!"

That we did.

Simon flopped back, his gaze naturally resting on the cavern's rocky ceiling. Its plain simplicity seemed to ground him, helping him come to terms with what had just transpired.

They shouldn't have fought the Ravenous Wanderer. That was blatantly obvious even without the benefit of hindsight. It was an opponent which – by all discernible metrics – was far beyond their pay grade. Yet due to a mixture of bad luck and bad intel, they had been forced to clash with an unbeatable foe...

And won anyway.

So. He directed his thoughts inward. What do you think?

A pause stretched on.

Alert: Heroic Valor's bonus has activated!

For rescuing Springwater Village from a Fell Beast incursion, you have received bonus EXP!

Your Level has increased!
Level: 11 → 13

8 stat points added to Unspent Points! Allocate them at will!

Alert: Level 13 milestone reached! New options for Class Advancement available!

More Class Advancement options will be available at Level ???

[Not bad,] it told him.

Simon closed his eyes, smiling as Katarina's whooping cheers serenaded him into a well-deserved respite.

--

Thanks for reading!