Minutes later, after a series of exchanges, Kai's fight with the Wolf Beast still had no end in sight.
His breath came ragged and uneven, his body screaming in protest as he stood his ground. His clothes were barely holding together, tattered and clinging to his burned skin where the beast's acid had scorched him. Every movement stung, his muscles ached, and his vision blurred for a split second before he forced himself back into focus.
Across from him, the wolf beast prowled, its massive form moving impossibly fast for something so large. It was a blur, weaving between the thick woodland trees, its glowing yellow eyes never leaving Kai.
Thick, matted fur covered its body, now torn and soaked with blood from the countless wounds Kai had inflicted on it. But the beast didn't stop. It didn't slow. It was intelligent, calculating, and still just as deadly.
Kai let out a breath, forcing himself to stand tall despite the tremors in his legs. "Still going, huh?" He wiped the sweat and blood off his brow, his lips curling into a strange smile.
It wasn't excitement, nor was it fear. A weird rush pumped through his veins, making it harder to tell where his exhaustion ended and his bloodlust began.
'Damn it... I need to stay level-headed.'
The beast snarled before vanishing into the trees, as it kept doing. Kai barely caught sight of the movement before he threw himself to the side, rolling just as a massive claw swiped where he had been standing. Dirt exploded from the impact, chunks of earth flying in all directions.
'Fast bastard!'
Kai flicked his fingers, blood from his wounds twisting into jagged spears that shot toward the beast. It dodged effortlessly, but he was already moving, using the distraction to rush in. A tendril of blood curved around his arm, forming a wicked blade as he slashed upward at the beast's throat.
A heavy impact rattled through his bones as the wolf's forearm met his attack. Kai was thrown backward, tumbling before skidding to a stop. He barely had a moment to breathe before the beast lunged again.
"Tch! You're really getting on my nerves!"
He twisted mid-air, flinging out a barrage of blood shards that peppered the wolf's flank. Some bounced off its thick fur, but a few sank in, drawing fresh blood. The beast growled, snapping its head toward him in frustration.
'It feels pain, good. But this thing's not fighting like some mindless monster - it's adapting to my attacks.'
Kai landed hard, his feet digging into the soft forest ground. He could feel his blood control slipping, his reserves running low, his body struggling to keep up. But there was no stopping now. He grinned through gritted teeth, not backing down in the slightest.
"Come on then, doggy. Let's keep this going."
The wolf snarled, eyes locking onto him with renewed aggression. Then it moved. This time, Kai almost didn't see it. A blur of dark fur streaked across the woodland, the air itself trembling from its sheer speed.
'Fuck!'
He barely managed to duck as the beast swiped at him again. The tips of its claws carved into his shoulder, a burning pain flaring as blood splattered the ground. Kai staggered but forced himself upright, his mind racing.
'It's wearing me down, but it's also starting to falter. I just need to hold out longer than it does; it's only a matter of time... right?'
He gripped his bleeding shoulder, focusing and suppressing any hesitation, fatigue, or pain he was feeling.
The blood dripped to the ground - and then, with a flick of his fingers, it shot upward. Small chains of blood surged from the dirt, snapping toward the beast's legs. It leapt back just in time, but Kai was already moving again. He feinted left, then spun right with as much force as he could, slicing his blood blade across the beast's hind leg.
A deep gash opened, spilling fresh crimson. The wolf let out a furious snarl, turning to snap at him with dagger-like teeth. Kai dodged, but just barely. The beast's fangs grazed his side, tearing through what little remained of his shirt.
"Fucking hell, you're persistent!" Kai coughed, wincing at the deep scratches littering his body.
Their exchange of attacks continued for what felt like hours. Kai was on the receiving end of most of them, and his condition was far worse, but he still stood his ground.
The ominous look in his red eyes only continued to grow. He was covered in wounds, his body flung all over the woodland, smashing into trees, yet he refused to show any weakness to the beast. No matter how many times he was knocked down, he got back up.
Every time Kai thought he couldn't, he did.
His life hung by a thread. Blood clung to him - his own, the beast's, and that of the wolves he'd slaughtered just to get this far. He was running on fumes. And worse, his bloodweaving had gone quiet, no longer responding like before.
The beast wasn't in great shape either, covered in wounds and it had lost a lot of blood. But it was still standing. Still circling, albeit with a limp.
The air was thick with tension. The forest, once alive with howls and rustling leaves, had fallen into a heavy, unnatural silence. Only their ragged breaths filled the void.
Kai's eyes tracked the creature as it paced. It wasn't charging blindly anymore. It was hesitant.
'It knows I won't stop. That no matter what, I won't just roll over and die.'
There it was - that electric thread between predator and prey. Coiled. Taut. Waiting to snap. But neither of them wanted to be the one to back down.
Then it suddenly broke.
The beast paused, eyes burning into his. One step back. Then another. And then it was gone. It vanished into the shadows without another sound.
Kai didn't move. Not at first. He stood frozen, barely breathing. His body swayed, battered and near broken. Then came a long, shuddering exhale. His arms dropped to his sides like dead weight.
"You... bastard." A breathy laugh escaped his cracked lips as he slid down against the nearest tree.
Every inch of him screamed. Pain flooded his nerves. His head was spinning. The blood loss was catching up.
But the beast was gone.
He was alive.
And somehow, impossibly, he'd won.
Surviving against that beast in his condition was a win in his books, especially since he'd left it with more wounds than it could count.
A crooked grin split his face. "Hah... not bad. Guess that means I'm C-Rank now."
And with that, Kai finally let himself go limp, darkness sweeping in like a tide as he closed his eyes.