∼ Day 24 ∼

Throwing a litany of curses under my breath, my mind worked overdrive to find a solution or plan to the absolute shit-show that was now unfolding amongst the chaotic scene that was group of monsters getting savagely slaughtered. Quickly taking stock of the situation with the other two groups farther away to make sure that no more reavers were coming, I saw that to my relief that the others were still preoccupied.

The other group that had been onset by only one reaver like us seemed to be fairly well off as they had only lost about half their group whilst the reaver looked to be very haggard itself. Surprisingly, they might actually kill that one on their own as that group had some hidden powerhouses of their own.

But I wished I could've said the same about the last group though, but It had been too unfortunate to be assaulted by two reavers at once. Apparently, the reaver that was now carnalizing my group with vicious intensity was one of those two, having split up in favor of helping the dying reaver of my group. But the damage had already been done as that other group was barely hanging on in a desperate attempt to take fend off the reaver whilst making their way to the other group. Most likely in hopes of merging each other and find safety in number.

Our plans had gone much more smoothly, allowing us to almost finish off our reaver. Unfortunately for us, that didn't last long with the arrival of another reaver, quickly causing widespread chaos and death in our ranks. While the reaver on the ground was still lying prone but not dead, it was to my great relief to see it wasn't getting up anytime soon and probably was slowly bleeding out.

It had taken essentially thirty deaths out of the originally eighty monsters to incapacitate and slowly widdle down a reaver. But even with that, it was a barely successful plan. And now there was simply chaos in our ranks, with that one charge into the tightly packed group having killed more than ten monsters in one fell swoop. We were already down to half our fighting force, and this reaver had only lost about 200 health, still having a whopping 1000 health left.

This wasn't looking good...

Not hesitating any further, I moved in close to look for any potential openings. While I had wanted to drink the blood of the reaver we had downed, I couldn't let this reaver kill of my group in the process and leave me utterly alone to face the deadly beast. These reavers were like machines of carnage and destruction, pretty much every inch of its body was weaponized. Their bladed tails and maws created a sphere carnage around them that where anything in range would be torn completely apart.

But as the other reaver had presented itself with a lowered guard as it was gouging the unfortunate orc woman, I managed to create a crack in its defensive sphere with my tactic, however, that wasn't possible anymore. The reaver lowering its guard was the only reason I could've possibly taken the creature by surprise as I did. But this wasn't the case now, as this reaver had been seemingly enraged by the state of its fellow predator that was now slowly dying. It as obvious as the enraged reaver was now seething with anger and bloodlust, unceasingly twisting around and lashing out with deadly attacks.

No opening presented itself, and worry had started to slowly creep into my heart as I saw my group getting widdled down, one by one. If I did nothing, I would soon be facing the horrifying creature alone, and that might just be my end. Getting more and more desperate with each life being snuffed out, I suddenly launched into a plan that very much might just be suicide.

I simply couldn't hesitate any longer and activated Blink after seeing its tail move to slice apart someone else. Appearing on the back of the reaver, I immediately thrust my claws into where its spine lay. My hopes weren't that I could ever sever or even destroy bone of this tank of a creature. What I was betting on was the paralytic compound of my Weak Infusing Slash paralyzing some important functions of its nervous system.

[Reaver has taken 46 damage!]

I already knew that my paralytic compound had very little effect on the hulking beasts, as with their size and mass coupled with the natural resistance innate to poisons and paralytics, they almost immediately shook off the effects within mere moments of injection.

[You have taken 55 damage!]

Only a moment later after I appeared on the back of the reaver and before I could even fully penetrate deep into the reaver's back, I felt a shooting pain rip through my body and explode in my right eye as I was thrown away by the collateral force. Landing roughly on the ground, I sluggishly inspected my newly acquired wound.

A long and terrifying gash had rend itself deep into my body. All the way from my waist to the top of my head ran a brutal-looking wound. I had lost complete sight on my right eye, and the wound running across my body was almost finger-length deep. As I had landed on the reaver's back and launched my attack, its tail had whipped around at insane speeds, and unceremoniously split apart my flesh and carapace with an upwards slash of its serrated-edged tail blades.

I knew my attack would cost me dearly as I had to blunt a counterattack from the deadly creature. My previous strategy of fooling the beast's senses with a weapon or object wouldn't have worked, but I still did throw another gladius at the beast in hopeful desperation. But the reaver was simply way too on guard, and the rapid movement and attacks it was making lowered the odds of me pulling such a plan off again even further. This was the only option...

I tried desperately to orient myself. With the loss of my right eyesight and the blinding pain only slightly alleviated by a charge of Mana Mending and Blood-Born, I had a hard time refocusing on the situation. But as soon as I got my bearing, I felt fear creep down my spine. Through my last remaining eye, I saw the charging form of the reaver, who had apparently redirected its ire towards me.

Desperately attempting to reactivate Blink, I noticed that my previously suicidal attack actually had been somewhat successful. Its charge seemed very sluggish compared to its usually unstoppable force it could charge with, also coupled with the fact that its tail was now limply dragging across the ground behind, my attack with Paralyze having an obvious effect.

But I couldn't simply sit there watch the result of the attack as the reaver closed within just a few meters from me. Opening its wide and displaying its teeth riddled mouth, it went for the kill. However, to my immense luck, the reaver seemed to stumble in its lunge for me with the sluggish coordination of its legs. That gave me just that split of a second I needed to get Blink reactivated and move out of the lethal chomp that would've encased all of my upper body.

[You have taken 42 damage!]

Unfortunately, not all of my body was that lucky. Pain flared from the elbow and down on my left arm. Encased within the giant maw of the reavers, was my entire forearm. As the beast's teeth cracked my carapace and sank into the soft flesh of muscle and tissue beneath, I could help but let out an involuntary scream of pain. I could literally feel my muscles snap and flesh being torn apart.

I desperately launched multiple clawed slashes and strikes with my free arm onto the head of the reaver. It was to no avail though. Due to my attacks on its head only being able to tear apart thin but rough skin to reveal bone that I could barely even scratch. And before I could maul its face even further with my non-deadly attacks, it began suddenly shaking its head furiously like a dog with its toy in its mouth.

Another scream tore from my lungs as the flesh and muscles of my arm were slowly being ripped apart. To my immense surprise, it had apparently let go out of nowhere as I went suddenly flying off to the side. Once again crashing to the ground the third time today. I quickly tried to reorient myself to get a look at whatever had helped me escape the reaver's maw.

But as soon as I spotted the reaver laying on its side with nobody attacking it or even in the vicinity, I suddenly got a sinking feeling in my stomach. Looking down, I only saw the stump of my left arm; the only remains being some loosely dangling tissue. The blood loss was making my head dizzy, and I hadn't even registered the pain or reality of me just having lost an arm.

Looking around, I saw that the remaining monsters of my group had all abandoned me, in favor of joining the other group still standing. I was left all alone with this beast. Anger flared within my heart from having created the perfect opportunity for an assault as the reaver's ability to move or use its attacks was heavily impaired, also having sacrificed my arm for this, but it ended up just being wasted as they fled in fear. It couldn't even get back up for christ's sake.

With hatred flaring in my eyes towards the group who left me to die and the vengeance burning deep within my heart from the cock-sucking reaver eating my arm, I felt the conqueror's will within me summon the last vestiges of my strength. I slowly got to my feet and with wobbly legs started moving. My body could barely move from the blood loss and damage, but my mind was clear as the skies due to my conqueror's will having swept away the haze clouding my mind.

Moving like a zombie towards the struggling reaver, I saw it was beginning to regain control over its faculties as the paralytic compound was slowly wearing off. But I could only stumble along with an unshakeable and steely gaze. It was a battle of if I got to it before it got to me. I had already long since run low on stamina and was now practically dry, but I had just barely enough to activate Blink on last time.

With the protest of my body, my wounds opened up even more, and blood flowed freely. Appearing on top of the struggling reaver laying on its side, I summoned every single last bit of strength within my body. Unwavering, hatred and vengeance feeding my conqueror's will, my aura exploded into an absolutely terrifying presence that encapsulated all of the colosseum, silencing even the seemingly inexorable sea of greenskins.

In a defense mechanism, the reaver opened its maw wide opening in a desperate attempt for survival, but inadvertently also revealed the bits and pieces of carapace stuck between its teeth which only egged my unending fury on. But this was what I had wanted it to do, as the opening of its maw gave access to a certain weak point of sorts.

At a blinding speed, my remaining arm flashed down and entered directly into the maw of the reaver. With the ripping of soft and malleable flesh, my clawed hand reached directly into the beast's brain, killing it.

[Reaver has taken 852 damage, a critical hit!]

[LVL: 23 - Reaver has been slain!]

[You have been rewarded with 23251 points of EXP]

[Congratulations! You've reached levels 18-23]

[You've been rewarded with 6 skill points for reaching levels 18-23]

[Title awarded - Big Game Hunter!]

It's dead...

Gazing at my quarry, I could only stare at it with a blank expression as the edges of my vision slowly started creeping in and my body slowly turning cold. Confused, I looked down and laid my eye on the problem.

Protruding from where my heart was supposed to be, was the jagged edges of the reaver's tail blades. It had penetrated all the way through my back and emerged from within my chest.

At that moment I felt no pain, no emotion, the only thing being the darkness that slowly claimed my world.