They didn't rush.
That was the second problem.
The five creatures didn't lunge all at once—not immediately. They spread out instead, forming a loose circle around Shin'ya and Yuki, each one keeping just enough distance to react.
Not panicking.
Not reckless.
Waiting.
Shin'ya felt it before anything happened.
Pressure.
Different from before.
One creature had been a fight.
This—this was something else.
Yuki shifted her stance slightly, blade angled just enough to respond in any direction.
"Don't let them surround you completely," she said.
"They already did."
"Then don't let them close it."
That… was not helpful.
---
They moved.
Not together.
Not separately.
Controlled.
Two stepped forward.
One from the right. One from the left.
The others stayed back.
Testing.
Again.
Shin'ya exhaled slowly.
This wasn't about reacting anymore.
This was about keeping up.
---
The first one lunged.
Yuki intercepted it instantly, her blade cutting across its path with enough force to force it back.
The second one—
Came for him.
---
Shin'ya moved.
Faster than before.
Not perfect.
But faster.
The claws came in low—he stepped back, twisted, barely avoiding the strike.
Too close.
Too slow.
Again.
---
It didn't stop.
No pause.
No reset.
The creature adjusted mid-motion and came again.
---
Shin'ya's hand moved.
Not toward a weapon.
Toward the air.
---
Fire.
---
A small burst—nothing impressive. A flicker more than a flame.
But it was enough.
The creature recoiled, not from damage, but from interruption.
Shin'ya stepped forward.
For the first time.
---
That was new.
---
He didn't think about it.
Didn't question it.
He just moved.
---
Wind.
---
A sharp push forward—uneven, unrefined, but forceful enough to throw the creature slightly off balance.
Not far.
Just enough.
---
"Left," Yuki said.
---
Shin'ya didn't look.
He moved.
---
Another creature had already been there.
Waiting.
---
Its claws came from the side—
He ducked.
Too late.
Not entirely.
---
Pain flared across his back this time.
Not deep.
But deeper than before.
---
"Stay aware," Yuki said.
"I am aware!"
"Then be faster."
---
Easy for her to say.
---
The circle tightened.
They were done testing.
---
This time—
Three moved at once.
---
Yuki stepped forward, cutting one down before it could fully commit, her blade precise and efficient.
But that left two.
Both for him.
---
Shin'ya's heartbeat spiked.
Too fast.
Too many angles.
Too much to track.
---
Move.
---
The first came high.
The second low.
---
He stepped back—
No.
Not enough space.
---
He pivoted instead.
Awkward.
Unstable.
But it worked.
Barely.
---
The first missed.
The second clipped his leg.
He stumbled.
---
The ground felt too far away.
---
No.
---
He forced himself upright.
Forced his body to respond.
---
Water.
---
Not a wave.
Not anything impressive.
Just a sudden burst against the ground.
---
The dirt shifted.
Mud formed instantly under the creature's feet.
---
It slipped.
---
Not much.
But enough.
---
Shin'ya didn't hesitate this time.
---
He moved in.
---
Too close again.
Too risky.
---
But it worked.
---
His hand struck forward—
Not physically.
---
Electric.
---
A brief spark.
Uncontrolled.
Unstable.
But direct.
---
The creature recoiled violently, its movement breaking completely for a second.
---
Yuki finished it.
Clean.
No hesitation.
---
"Don't overextend," she said.
"I didn't—"
"You did."
---
Another one lunged.
---
Shin'ya reacted on instinct.
---
Shadow.
---
It wasn't dramatic.
No darkness spreading. No visible shift.
Just—
Faster.
---
His body moved before his thoughts caught up.
A step.
A turn.
A clean dodge.
---
Too clean.
---
He didn't think about it.
Didn't have time.
---
The creature missed.
Completely.
---
Shin'ya grabbed its arm—
And used its own momentum to throw it off balance.
---
He didn't know how he did that.
---
Yuki did.
---
She moved in and cut it down.
---
Two left.
---
For a moment—
There was space.
---
Shin'ya breathed.
Sharp.
Uneven.
Everything hurt.
Shoulder. Back. Leg.
Nothing critical.
But enough.
---
"You're slowing," Yuki said.
"I noticed."
"Don't."
"Great advice."
---
The last two didn't rush.
Again.
Watching.
Learning.
---
"They adapt," Shin'ya said.
"Yes."
"Why does everything here adapt?"
"Because things that don't die."
---
That was… not comforting.
---
They moved again.
Together this time.
---
Yuki took one.
Shin'ya got the other.
---
This one was faster.
More cautious.
It didn't commit fully.
Didn't overextend.
---
It had learned.
---
Shin'ya stepped forward—
It stepped back.
---
He attacked—
It avoided.
---
This wasn't like the others.
---
Think.
---
He adjusted.
Slowed down.
Matched it.
---
Wind.
A light push.
Not to hit.
To guide.
---
The creature shifted—
Exactly where he wanted.
---
Fire.
A small burst—
Not at it.
Near it.
---
Its movement changed again.
Predictable.
---
Now.
---
He moved in.
---
Closer.
Closer than before.
---
Too close.
---
Its claws came down—
---
He didn't dodge.
---
He stepped inside.
---
Pain again—
A shallow cut across his arm—
---
But he was in range.
---
Electric.
---
Stronger this time.
Still unstable.
Still rough.
---
But enough.
---
The creature convulsed.
Just for a second.
---
Yuki finished it.
---
Silence.
---
Not complete.
But enough.
---
Shin'ya didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just stood there, breathing hard.
---
"That was—" he started.
---
Yuki didn't respond.
---
She was looking past him.
---
"Shin'ya," she said.
---
Something in her tone changed.
---
Not urgency.
Not panic.
Something worse.
---
Awareness.
---
"Don't turn around quickly," she said.
---
He turned anyway.
---
There were more.
---
Not five.
Not ten.
---
Dozens.
---
In the trees.
Between them.
Above them.
---
Watching.
---
Not moving.
---
Yet.
---
"Oh," Shin'ya said quietly.
---
Yuki adjusted her grip on her sword.
---
"We're leaving," she said.
---
"Yeah," Shin'ya replied.
---
The creatures moved.
---
All of them.
---
At once.
---
To Be Continued