The Spinehound lunged straight at Leon, jaws wide open—but he swiftly dodged to the side, his movements sharper now that the healing pill had restored his stamina and sealed his wounds.
Selphy's voice echoed in his mind, calm but alert.
"Wielder, under its chest—there's a core. That's its weak point. Aim for it!"
As Leon adjusted his stance, another Spinehound pounced from behind. He hadn't seen it coming.
But before it could land, Selphy acted—her golden energy pulsed through his limbs, jerking his body to the side just in time to avoid the strike.
Leon 's eyes widened in shock.
"You… you moved me?"
"Of course! I'm not just for show, you know."
Selphy chimed playfully, but her tone quickly turned serious.
"Now let's end this, Wielder. Aim for the core."
For the first time, Leon nodded—not out of obligation, but trust.
He bolted forward, closing the gap between him and the nearest Spinehound. As the creature snarled and readied its jaws, Leon suddenly dropped low and slid beneath its body. With precise aim, he drove the glowing blade straight into the beast's chest.
A sickening crack rang out as the blade pierced through metal and flesh. A burst of dark fluid—half blood, half oil—splattered across the floor. The Spinehound jerked violently, then fell limp.
Leon twisted away just in time as the lifeless body crashed behind him.
"Nice move, Wielder!" Selphy praised in his mind.
"But no time to rest—four more incoming. Two on your left, about three meters aways. One at your front, two meters. The last one is already behind you—just a meter away!"
Leon didn't hesitate. With Selphy feeding him tactical intel, he whirled around, blade raised.
A flash of steel met a swipe of claws—Leon parried the incoming strike from the Spinehound behind him, sparks flying as metal clashed with metal. Without missing a beat, he ducked low and sliced through its leg, dodging to the side before the beast could retaliate.
He gritted his teeth, heart pounding—but he was still standing.
"Wielder," Selphy's voice rang in his mind, sharp with concern. "You're inexperienced in multi-target combat. I suggest retreating for now—"
"I don't give a damn!" Leon snapped back, his voice raw with defiance.
He turned to face the remaining Spinehounds and let out a roar, voice echoing through the shattered ruins.
"COME AT ME, YOU METAL-FREAK BASTARDS!!"
Two Spinehounds lunged at once.
Leon met them head-on.
In a single motion, he sidestepped and brought Selphy's blade up in a clean arc—[SHINK!]
One Spinehound's head separated from its body, the glowing edge slicing clean through its neck. The corpse hit the floor with a heavy thud.
But the second one was faster. It sank its jaws deep into Leon's left arm.
[CRUNCH]
"GAAAHHHH!!"
Leon screamed in agony as teeth crushed bone and tore through muscle. Pain exploded through his body like fire.
Through the haze, he tightened his grip on the blade with his right hand and rammed it straight through the creature's skull. The Spinehound spasmed, twitched, then dropped, lifeless.
The final two watched cautiously now, pacing in a slow circle—studying him.
Leon's arm was ruined. Blood poured from the mangled limb. The flesh was torn, the bone shattered and jutting through the skin.
"Wielder!" Selphy's voice was filled with panic. "That's critical! You need emergency assistance now!"
Leon staggered back, barely keeping his balance, his breath ragged. He looked down at his left arm, it was terrible.
Without hesitation, Leon pulled out the pill container and tossed the remaining three healing capsules into his mouth.
The nanobots got to work immediately—he could feel the warmth spreading through his shattered arm—but the damage was severe. It would take time to fully mend.
Clutching his arm, he turned and sprinted out of the room, racing down the broken corridor, retracing his steps to the entry point.
"Wielder," Selphy's voice rang in his mind, calm but urgent. "Based on current healing rates, your left arm will require ten minutes to fully regenerate. You must locate a safe place to recover. The two remaining Spinehounds are still pursuing you. However, after witnessing how you took down their kin, they've become cautious. Current distance: ten meters and closing."
Leon grunted, forcing his legs to move faster despite the blood loss and pain.
"Okay!" he barked through gritted teeth, sweat dripping down his face.
With no time to rest, Leon forced his battered body to push forward, stumbling through the cracked hallway until he spotted an empty room. He threw himself inside and slammed the rusted door shut behind him, chest heaving.
"Two minutes remaining until your left arm is fully healed," Selphy reported calmly. "Spinehounds are five meters away—but they haven't detected your position yet."
Leon exhaled sharply, a fleeting sense of relief washing over him.
He glanced down at his left arm.
The shattered bone had re-aligned, torn muscle stitched itself back together, and the bleeding had stopped. New skin was beginning to form, glowing faintly under the flickering orange emergency light.
(Just a little more…)
His grip tightened around the golden blade in his right hand.
He knew it wouldn't be long before the monsters caught his scent again.
"I need to get to the surface," he muttered.
"Selphy! Fastest route to the surface—now!"
Leon pushed himself up, breathing through the pain, and burst out of the room into the dim corridor.
"Wielder," Selphy's voice echoed crisply, "the main staircase is five meters to your right. I've also unlocked a nearby maintenance hatch—it'll get you to the surface faster."
Leon sprinted toward the hatch, following her instructions. Just as he neared the staircase, a feral snarl erupted behind him.
"They've found you! Distance—ten meters and closing fast!"
Selphy's voice snapped in his mind.
His breathing quickened. Legs burning, Leon bolted down the final stretch of corridor. At the far end, a red light blinked above a half-buried metal panel.
He dove for it—slammed his hand on the release.
With a hiss of steam and a groan of rusted bolts, the panel creaked open, revealing a narrow ladder shaft drenched in shadows and stale air.
No hesitation.
He climbed.
Each step sent pain lancing through his body, but he pushed through it, jaw clenched tight.
"Fifteen seconds until full arm recovery," Selphy announced.
A loud clang echoed from below—one of the Spinehounds had slammed into the open hatch.
Its claws screeched against the metal as it tried to crawl in after him.
The shaft was narrow—only one could fit at a time—but that didn't slow the beast. With a snarl and a burst of speed, it launched up the ladder.
Leon glanced down—red eyes. Open jaws.
"Five seconds until full arm recovery!"
The creature leapt.
Fangs bared, claws stretched forward—it was just inches from tearing into him.
Leon reacted on instinct. He twisted mid-air, bringing both hands to the hilt of his blade. With a desperate roar, he drove the weapon downward, the golden edge flashing as it pierced straight into the Spinehound's head.
[CRACK!]
The creature's eyes flickered—red lights sputtering—before going completely dark.
Its weight dropped instantly, dragging Leon with it.
Thinking fast, he released one hand from the blade and grabbed the ladder, stopping his fall just in time. The now-lifeless Spinehound tumbled down the shaft, crashing into the beast that had been climbing behind it. Both fell with a metallic clang that echoed deep into the dark below.
Leon hung there, panting, his hand trembling from the effort.
Then silence.
The tension drained from his body.
"You did it, Wielder!" Selphy's voice rang out, bright and cheerful. "You've eliminated all the monsters!"
"…I see," Leon muttered between breaths. "Thanks."