Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Imperfect

I struggled for breath. It felt as though I was inhaling a viscous liquid instead of air. 

Years had passed. Perhaps more. But that was just an aspect I added to the Mental World to keep my senses grounded; time didn't matter here.

What mattered was my mental power and, at the current moment, it was strained. 

I didn't know how many times I fought with the creature, no, I knew—four hundred and fifty-six thousand eight hundred and seventy-two spars in total. 

All of which ended with me getting my body torn apart. The exhaustion from each battle carrying on to the next.

I was tired.

And it showed.

“...I can't wait to devour you once more,” the Hearthborne said, snickering gleefully. 

She suddenly launched herself towards me like a bullet using her tendrils, ramming her two feet on my chest and sending me flying. 

I cried out as I flew off, crashing into a hut. My ribs shattered, digging into my lungs and heart. 

The simulation ended. And I was standing back on my feet, facing the growling monster. 

I trembled under the sheer exhaustion, grasping my soul. “I-, I can't anymore… Br-, break…” the buildings and monster faded away at my command, returning to darkness. 

The feeling of pins and needles piercing my skin became more intense. My skin seethed, and my organs felt like they were rapturing. 

This pain that suddenly exploded, numbing the mental fatigue I felt, was something I knew all my life.

I bit my lip, slowly hugging my body into a fetal position. It hurt. The unbearable anguish tore through my psyche, breaking it asunder. All my insecurities began to resurface, old traumas flickering into my mind.

The Mental World creaked, twisting in different ways, smells, colors, and sounds. A kaleidoscope of colorful shapes spinning themselves on crooked axes, and inverting between impossible angles filled my vision.

“...I…am not giving up.” 

The pain surged intensely as if it were disagreeing.

My mental body trembled, pieces of light cracking off my skin, sparkling around me as golden flakes.

You're resting, then? A cold voice rang past the chaos, overflowing my mind. …Still the same pathetic worm. Just as—

“Shut it!” I yelled, willing the Hearthborne and village back. The pain searing on my skin vanished, and the back of my brain felt as though it were melting slowly.

I swayed, brain reeling in my skull. The figure of the creature was shrouded by a blurry, undulating aura. She studied me, noting my state.

Shaking my head, I degenerated my consciousness to that of a normal man, the metaphysical senses I felt dimming…my ability to predict and control the Hearthborne's movements disappearing. 

I slowly took a few steps back, muscles throbbing in protest to every movement, watching my footwork.

Jyrin Street Boxing held a great importance on fast, purposeful strikes that targeted vital areas of the human body. Throat, head, joints, groin, eyes…all things the beast in front of me could heal immediately. 

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I sighed, trying to focus my shaky vision. ‘It's not like I have the speed to land my attacks.’

In the end, at the very least, I could depend on the elegant—yet boorish—footwork to reserve energy by cutting off useless muscle movements.

Slowly, my vision narrowed, trained on the old lady. Taking a deep breath, I absorbed the golden, translucent fog enshrouding my body, recalling why I was doing this: to minimize Soulsparking. 

I shivered, just thinking about using the skill left me rattled. The feeling of it…as if I were setting myself on fire to keep warm.

The Heartborne moved. She was predictable, sending a tentacle to my head, keeping her stance low. 

The side of my face stung, a sharp tendril slicing up from my chin to my forehead. It burned, the pain enough to slow my steps as I paced back.

She didn't miss that. With a rigid movement, the thing lurched back; shooting numerous tentacles from her back forward. 

I jumped back, then pushed myself against a nearby building, flipping through the air. The small house crumbled, tentacles of hardened blood ripping through the walls. And they didn’t lose momentum, whipping at me a second later.

Cursing, I pushed myself against the damp dirt with my hands, launching my body meters above the ground. The tendrils blasted against the earthen floor, missing me by a hair. 

While airborne I twisted my body, catching sight of the creature in the periphery of my vision, then I swept my foot toward her face; smashing a heel into her disfigured face.

The thing let out a cry in surprise, embedding several centimeters into the ground. I didn’t let her gather ‘her’ wits, and stomped down at her chest, returning the favor from a moment ago. 

She blanched painfully, her tendrils swelling stiff, raking at my rear.

I didn’t let her half-assed attack reach me, rolling forward. The creature was on me almost instantly, contorted her body bizarrely as she sprung in my direction. 

Claws—black, jagged things as sharp as daggers—thrusted for my eyes, then everything faded black. 

I woke to a space of darkness.

‘Again.’ 

How many times did I die to that same strike?

I sighed, killing that thing without Soulsparking was proving…hard in my current state. I need to increase my base stats if I want to beat it.

Another sigh.

That’s if I wake up.

My skin burned, searing with self-loathing. Weak… something deep within me whispered, echoing my inner voice. …Weak…

Gritting my teeth, I invoked Cognitive Eidolon, using the skill’s power—and every bit of my will—to ignore the call of madness. It muted but didn’t vanish, looming over my consciousness.

I ignored it, willing the skill info of Soulsparking to fill my vision.