The creature flung the meat mask aside, discarding it like trash. It no longer needed the human remains now that it had successfully hooked a new prey. Once separated from the monster, the skin slowly turned black and decomposed, emitting an unbearable stench. The creature's features beneath the mask were even more hideous than its other body parts. It had a humanoid face with four dark, glassy eyes embedded in its forehead, no nose, and a slit mouth extended like a scarecrow. The monster focused on Elaine, head unnaturally cocking side to side, making her skin crawl. Then, it opened its mouth, lips sucked in, showing rows of needle-sharped teeth, and shrieked. Like an off-keyed violin, a jarring sound came from the widening gap, torturing her eardrums.

Run! Run! Or you will die! The small voice inside her yelled. Elaine scampered to her feet and darted in the opposite direction, heart thrashing inside her chest. Her muscles screamed, but she persevered. Nothing else mattered, not the biting cold or her nightmare—only escaping thoughts remained. She risked a glance over her shoulder and confirmed the creature following her. Its spider legs steadily crawled forward, in no hurry to catch up. It's playing with me. Elaine realized while gasping for air. Her lung scorched, and her legs ached, but stopping meant death or worst. The trees seemed to merge with the snow, creating a canvas of white, blurring Elaine's path. She swirled and turned, attempting to lose the monster, but the branches hindered her movement, scratching her face and tattering her dress. She tripped on a root and tumbled to the ground. Then a sharp pain traveled up from below. Elaine looked down and saw a reddish-purple tint on her skin, with the bone almost protruding. She had dislocated her ankle.

Elaine again glimpsed back, and her heart sank. The creature was mere feet away, leaves crackling where it crossed. She gritted her teeth and crawled forward, enduring the pain.

A brooding shadow loomed over Elaine, and she knew the one-sided hide-and-seek game was over. She turned her head and saw the creature's monstrous features inches from hers. Its mouth opened slightly, blowing hot breath on her face and releasing a stench of decaying flesh. Elaine squirmed at the foul smell and scrambled from its reach. But unfortunately, the monster was no longer interested in frolicking around and lifted its two front legs, displaying razor-sharped claws. It swiftly stabbed her shoulders, pinning her in place.

The claws dug deep into her skin, almost penetrating her shoulder blades. An excruciating pain shot up Elaine's brain, blood spewing from her lips, and she gave an agonizing cry. The monster leaned closer, sticking out its snake-like tongue, and licked her face, tasting its meal before digging in.

"Why keep suffering through a fate worse than death? Why not release yourself from the pain and torture? We want to help you, big sis. Give yourself to us." The creatures' voices again rang in her ears, breaking down her psyche and tugging her to make a fatal decision. Elaine understood the fate they were referring to, remembering the hollowed corpse the monster donned on its face. Was the man skinned alive? Or did he die before the unspeakable act happened? Her stomach twisted at the thought.

Not yet! I can't die yet! Elaine bit her lips, drifting her hand inside her dress pocket. Her brows furrowed with sweat droplets dripping from her forehead, drowning in pain at each slight movement. She concentrated most of her remaining mana into the dagger, then mumbled an enchantment, creating an ice wall between her and the monster—the barrier cut through part of its legs with the claws still buried within her shoulders. The beast bellowed with rage, tilting backward. Elaine took advantage of its temporarily disoriented state and stabbed her dagger into its neck. Ice flowers bloomed from the weapon's tip, spreading like wildfire and exploding, decapitating the monster's head from its body. Blood, skin, and bones splattered on Elaine and across the field, sprinkling the surrounding emerald and white with deep crimson. The creature's lifeless body swayed for a few seconds and finally toppled over, barely missing her.

Elaine gasped for air. Even breathing made her wound ache. She picked up the dagger and limped toward a nearby tree, leaning against it and dropping to the ground. Elaine stared down at her shoulders—at the monster's claws still stuck within her body. She reached inside her other dress pocket, taking out a small bottle. Inside the bottle was the medicinal liquid she received from Alexander. Elaine's gaze hovered over her injuries, then tightly shut her eyes and gritted her teeth, placing both hands on one claw and tearing it out. Red liquid spewed from her mouth and the gaping wound, pain rippling throughout her being. She threw the monster's body part aside, heaved another breath, and pulled the remaining claw from her other shoulder.

Elaine's vision started blurring. She was losing too much blood. Elaine immediately opened the bottle and poured everything down her throat. She sat motionless, chest palpitating. Elaine could feel her wound healing, but the process was too slow for her comfort. She needed to keep moving, knowing the commotion she caused would soon attract other predators. However, she had no strength left, and her mana almost emptied, too weak to continue the enhancement spells. Her world would shortly return to absolute darkness.