We start walking through the station to eventually meet up with everyone in the middle.
We suddenly hear growling and four beast-like monsters appear from the corner.
"I won't carry you, like a princess you know, Rin." I say as I ready my blade.
"Good, I can handle myself just fine."
Usato buds in "We'll see."
He readys his axe.
I lunge forward first. I feel lighter than expected, and my take off was powerful.
I use my momentum to cut the neck of one of the beasts off.
"I'm just better-" As I start to talk the one of the other beasts jump on me.
Rin suddenly stabs the beast through the head, killing it.
"Well thank you, but now I have blood on my face. What will the ladies think?"
She laughs "What 'ladies'?"
I glare at her and stand up. I feel like I'm missing something...
"USATO!"
I whip my head around to see him standing triumphantly above the other two, decapitated beasts.
"I'm all fine. I was actually doing work while you two love birds where doing whatever it was."
Rin's face turns red.
"'Love birds'!? With him? Please."
I sigh
"Damn, good job Usato." I fist bump him
***
After a lot of hard work and about 12 monster's slain by your's truly we arrive at the middle of the station.
"We're the first, naturally. You guy's had me." I say with a dramatic tone.
"I could've did that alone." Rin says, "You were just convenient."
"Really? Is that why you specifically chose us to come with you?"
She glares at me "you are talented in your own rights..."
"Oh? A compliment from our school's ice queen? This has to be a dream."
She punches my arm surprisingly hard. "Shut you mouth and focus."
"Ow, alright!" I sigh "Usato, you doing alright?"
Usato is scrolling through his panel.
"Me? Yeah, I'm fine."
I let out a sigh of relief "good."
I sit down on the floor.
"I figured out the fundamentals of my ability."
They both look up, suddenly interested in what I have to say.
"Continue..." Rin says, leaning forward.
"Well, I can create C-grade items fairly easily..."
"Well, at least you have one." Usato says with a chuckle.
***
After a while everyone shows up.
Me, Usato, and Rin stand in the middle of the crowd.
I clear my throat.
"Any casualties...?"
Multiple people stand up, including a small boy. "My little sister. The monsters got her..."
I swallow hard. "I'm sorry for all of your losses. I vow to become stronger and protect all of you." I place a hand on my chest. "With all of my strength... I will protect you all."
"Woah, bold declaration. Can you live up to those words though?" Rin says with a mocking look on her face.
"Shut up please..."
"Alright, alright... But really. They'll all die eventually anyway. So you basically already broke your vow."
I take a deep breath.
"I'll let Rin handle the rest of this." I say to the crowd as I wave and walk away.
***
I'm sitting in a tent starting at my panel when Usato and Rin walk in.
"Why'd you leave the rest of that to me?" Rin says as she plops on the floor.
"You wanna beat me right?" I say with a slight smirk.
Usato cuts in, sounding more analytical than usual. Regardless, this thing hasn't ended yet. Meaning we're still missing some monsters..."
"I'll go out, and hopefully find them. Don't think about coming after me." I stand up and create my blade. "Later."
As I'm walking I start mumbling to myself.
"They could've at least tried to stop me..."
I decide to check a run-down train.
"Where are all the monsters? Come on out!"
I enter the next cart and a huge beast breaks through the roof.
I ready my sword. "Well, well..."
I lunge at the beast and try to slice it but it knocks me away.
"Ack!"
I grip into my sword and try again, blood trickling from my forehead.
He slashes me across my chest, leaving four big gashes in my torso, deep and painful.
"Agh!" I fall and drop my sword. 'Stay awake. Get up and fight. You want to be like those characters in anime, right? Like that one reader who never gave up!? THINK GODDAMNIT!' I say in my mind.
'Find the missing piece, I know I can win this!'
I stand back up and rush at the monster, staying low instead of just charging in recklessly. As the monster swipes at me I slide in between it's legs and create another blade to cut its stomach.
I use all my strength to cut, but...
'CRACK!' my sword breaks.
I turn around, meeting the beasts gaze as it strikes me all the way to the next cart.
'I'm loosing consciousness... Am I gonna die here?' I watch the beast slowly approach.
'Creation of physical C-grade objects... HOW CAN I USE THIS NOW-'
I chuckle to myself "There's the piece..."
The beast lunges at me but I roll under him. 'I think I can create things wherever with this skill, but first...'
I start feeling fatigued due to blood loss.
'HEALING POTIONS!'
I create a healing potion and gulp it down, stopping the blood, but not fully healing my wounds. 'good enough'
I stand up and stare the beast down.
"Any last words? Oh, that's right, animals can't talk."
Multiple swords patrude from the monster and kill it from the inside, out.
"I'll call this, Unlimited Sword Works: intrusive offense!"
The monster falls along with me.
As I'm about to loose consciousness Zin opens a portal and walks out. "Oh, boy. You're all torn up."
I'm too tired to speak.
"Too burnt out?" He picks me up with his magic and walks us in the portal.
Then I drift off into my world of darkness. My consciousness.
[New title unlocked: 'Beast Hunter']
[Rarity- B-Grade]
[Buffs: Beast-like monsters now take 50% more damage from ranged attacks from you and 150% more from direct attacks.]
[Current state- unconscious (safe)]