The oversized cat stood motionless, staring at Shad Darc with a bewildered expression.
Its reptilian eyes narrowed slightly, as though it were struggling to understand what the tiny creature in front of it was saying.
"Well, it looks like we can't communicate after all."
Shad shrugged.
"But since you didn't attack me with the intention of killing me, I'm willing to let what you did slide. That should make us even, don't you think?"
'It's probably wondering whether you've lost your mind from fear,' the Meditating Advisor remarked.
Shad ignored it. There was no point responding.
The giant cat continued staring at him, apparently trying to make sense of the meaningless sounds coming from his mouth.
Then Shad did something that changed its mood.
Having concluded that the creature had no intention of fighting him, he casually waved one hand and walked past it without giving it another glance.
The cat remained still.
For a moment.
Then Shad felt it.
Something pressed down on him.
Not physically.
Mentally.
The atmosphere around him suddenly became heavy, and an intense sensation crawled across his skin. Shad stopped and slowly turned his head.
The oversized cat was staring at him.
This time, there was no confusion in its eyes.
Only killing intent.
The pressure was so intense that Shad could feel it even without consciously sensing Energy Flow. The creature's hostility seemed to seep into the surrounding air.
And then Shad made the mistake of smiling.
It was a small, almost casual smile.
But the creature seemed to interpret it differently.
To the oversized cat, the little creature had not only ignored it but appeared to be mocking it.
The cat's eyes darkened.
Shad, naturally, had no idea what was going through its mind.
"Why the sudden change in mood?" he asked cautiously.
'Looks like you've pissed it off,' one of his identities replied.
Before Shad could consider the situation further, the oversized cat moved.
Its paw struck him from the side.
The impact came so suddenly that he barely had time to react.
"Boom!"
Shad was sent flying.
His body tumbled through the tall grass for more than a dozen meters before he slammed into the ground and came to an abrupt stop.
"Aargh..."
Pain shot through his body.
"Damn that oversized house cat."
The creature didn't bother checking whether he was alive.
It simply turned away.
As far as it was concerned, the disrespectful little creature was too weak and fragile to have survived that attack. Since it had no interest in eating him, there was no reason to waste any more time.
With a strange sense of satisfaction, the oversized cat turned toward the direction Shad had originally been traveling and began walking away.
Meanwhile, Shad remained on the ground, gritting his teeth.
His right hand was practically useless.
The pain had spread from his wrist through his arm, and he could barely feel his fingers.
"Damn bastard..."
He forced himself to sit up.
"It doesn't think it can just walk away after nearly killing me for no reason, does it?"
His voice carried a trace of irritation.
Still, he decided to let the creature go.
For now.
It had already lost interest in him, and Shad had more pressing problems than chasing after an enormous cat.
He struggled to his feet, fighting through the pain in his arm. Then he tore a strip from his already filthy and worn shirt and wrapped it around his right hand.
The damage was worse than he had initially thought.
His hand was broken and dislocated, and the numbness made it difficult to determine the full extent of the injury.
Fortunately, he had managed to use the arm as a shield just before the cat's paw connected.
That decision had likely saved him from a much more severe injury.
His improved physical conditioning and Energy Flow reinforcement had also reduced the damage. Without them, the outcome would have been considerably worse.
The oversized cat possessed far greater physical power than the bear-like creature—not only because of its size but because of the difference in their overall strength.
Shad glanced down at the weapons he still carried.
"Looks like the other bear-like creature's horn was destroyed too."
He released a strained sigh.
"At least I still have one horn left. The snake fangs should also be useful for the time being."
He had barely finished speaking when the oversized cat stopped.
A strange discomfort had appeared beneath its right front paw.
It was barely noticeable.
Under normal circumstances, an insignificant cut like that would never have caught its attention. But the creature possessed exceptionally sensitive senses, and the tiny injury irritated it immediately.
The cat lifted its paw.
A small cut marked the underside.
Its eyes narrowed.
Then it remembered.
When it had first encountered the little creature, Shad had been holding weapons in both hands. The weapon in his right hand had been longer than the one in his left.
The cat also remembered that even while the little creature had been trapped under its fear-inducing pressure, it had refused to drop its weapons.
And when the cat had struck him, the little creature had somehow managed to intercept the attack with its right hand.
The longer weapon had been in that hand.
The cat stared at the cut.
A realization slowly formed.
The little creature might still be alive.
Its expression darkened.
The oversized cat turned around and looked toward the direction in which it had sent Shad flying.
There.
The little creature was standing.
It was tending to its injured hand.
Alive.
The cat's irritation intensified.
A moment later, it opened its mouth and released a terrifying roar.
"ROOOAAAR!"
The sound shook the surrounding forest.
It was no longer a warning.
This time, the creature intended to kill him.
Shad's body trembled slightly at the roar. He turned toward the sound and saw the oversized cat charging in his direction.
"Damn thing. You're still not done?"
He lowered his body into a fighting stance.
His right hand hung uselessly at his side, while his left hand gripped the remaining bear-like creature's horn.
The cat approached with frightening speed.
Its enormous paws lifted, preparing to deliver a blow far more devastating than the first.
Shad remained still.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes narrowed.
He waited.
At the final moment, just as the massive paw descended toward him, Shad dove beneath it.
The paw swept over his head.
Shad twisted his body and forcibly channeled Energy Flow into the horn in his left hand. The control was crude, and the pressure demanded intense concentration, but he didn't have time to refine it.
He thrust the horn upward with all his strength.
The weapon struck the creature's underbelly.
Resistance met the horn.
Shad's eyes widened.
The horn didn't pierce deeply, but it managed to break through the surface enough to create a wound.
Blood spilled.
The oversized cat roared in pain.
It immediately shifted its body, forcing Shad out from beneath it before retreating several steps.
The creature stared at him with bloodshot eyes.
Confusion flickered across its face.
How had the little creature managed to hurt it?
Shad, meanwhile, stared at the horn.
The resistance he had felt wasn't simply the toughness of the cat's flesh.
It had been Energy Flow.
The realization caught him off guard.
The creatures he had fought before had never displayed any obvious ability to control Energy Flow—not in any way he understood.
But this creature was different.
'Why are you getting distracted in the middle of a fight?' the Pondering Fighter demanded.
'Survive first. Think later,' the Meditating Advisor added.
Shad immediately pushed the thought aside.
His attention returned to the creature.
The oversized cat lunged again.
This time, it opened its enormous mouth, revealing rows of sharp teeth capable of tearing his entire head off.
Shad moved.
He leaped to his left, narrowly avoiding the creature's jaws.
But the cat didn't stop.
Its body twisted, and one of its paws swept toward him before he could properly regain his balance.
Shad shifted his weight and barely avoided the claws.
The tips tore through the air beside his body.
He landed awkwardly, rolled, and sprang back to his feet.
The cat turned toward him.
It had begun to understand.
Charging at the little creature without caution was ineffective. Its enormous size and strength gave it an overwhelming advantage, but that same size also limited its movements.
The little creature was too small.
Too quick.
And far more troublesome than it appeared.
The cat adjusted its approach.
The battle continued.
Neither combatant was willing to make another careless mistake.
Shad moved through the tall grass, dodging claws and jaws while searching for openings. Whenever he found one, he attacked with the horn or one of the snake fangs.
Most of his strikes left nothing more than shallow cuts.
But the wounds accumulated.
The oversized cat, meanwhile, gradually became more aggressive. Its claws occasionally grazed Shad's body, leaving thin but painful cuts across his arms, shoulders, and torso.
Each injury was minor.
Together, they were becoming dangerous.
Shad's breathing grew heavier.
He was already exhausted from dehydration, and his injured right hand severely restricted his movements. Maintaining Energy Flow control while fighting such a massive creature demanded more concentration than he could comfortably spare.
The cat was suffering too.
The wound beneath its belly had continued bleeding. What had initially been a small injury was becoming more serious as the battle dragged on.
It had never expected the little creature to possess such strength.
Now, it understood that allowing the fight to continue would only make matters worse.
Shad retreated several steps, creating a small gap between them.
He wiped sweat from his face with his left arm and studied the oversized cat.
His right hand was useless.
His body was covered in small, painful cuts.
His energy reserves were declining.
He couldn't afford to prolong the fight.
The creature seemed to reach the same conclusion.
Its eyes fixed on him with chilling malice.
The next exchange would decide everything.
The oversized cat lowered its body.
Its muscles tightened.
Then it exploded forward.
It charged with every ounce of strength it could muster, its claws extended and aimed directly at Shad.
This time, it wasn't trying to intimidate him.
It intended to tear him in two.