Point of View: Tharok
I watched Rogan stop in the distance.
I smiled with contempt.
—Keep running, father…
My smile widened even more.
—So you finally realized it…
But I was reaching my limit as well.
My right eye had stopped working several minutes ago. I could only see darkness on that side. And the left one wasn't doing much better. My vision blurred constantly, while red stains slowly spread across everything I looked at.
I gritted my teeth.
—All because I activated Overload in this condition…
I was too heavily injured.
And I had almost no Origin Energy left when I activated the art.
Overload was never a safe art. The energy stored inside my heart was far too violent, and normally I needed to control it with my own Origin Energy to prevent it from destroying my body from within.
But now…
—It's like trying to hold back a raging sea with my bare hands…
My body could no longer endure it properly.
Every second became worse.
I could feel my muscles tearing apart.
I could feel tiny blood vessels bursting inside my eyes.
I could feel my organs being crushed under the pressure of my own energy.
And yet I kept moving forward.
Because I could still reach him.
Because I could still kill him.
The backlash was close.
I could already feel it.
I grabbed another stone from the ground and hurled it with all my strength.
But at that exact moment, my vision went completely dark.
—GHAAA…!
I heard a scream in the distance.
I blinked several times and quickly wiped away the blood pouring over my only functioning eye.
And when I regained part of my vision…
I smiled.
—Hahahaha…
The stone had struck his leg.
Finally.
Rogan had grown used to dodging my attacks and didn't expect one that inaccurate.
And that was exactly why it worked.
Hope surged inside me once more.
—Just one more hit…
He wasn't far from the tribe either.
And he knew it.
That was why he kept moving forward despite his injury.
But now he was limping.
And that was enough.
My eyes filled with killing intent.
—This is my chance…
I completely ignored the pain consuming my body and forced myself to move even faster.
My muscles cracked violently.
Something inside my chest shattered.
But I didn't stop.
I couldn't allow him to escape.
Point of View: Rogan
I have to make it.
I have to make it.
I have to make it.
That was the only thought left inside my head as I ran.
My leg was severely injured, and I could barely keep my balance.
I gritted my teeth.
—Damned Tharok…
I glanced at the wound.
A hole pierced straight through my calf.
I had stopped the bleeding with Origin Energy, but it wouldn't last much longer without treatment.
Even so, I kept moving.
I couldn't stop.
I would not die here.
I would not give this unfair world the satisfaction.
Suddenly…
The ground trembled.
My eyes widened instantly.
I looked behind me.
And my heart nearly stopped.
Tharok was falling from the sky straight toward me.
—NO…!!
I desperately leaped to the side.
BOOOOM!!
The earth exploded violently.
Snow, mud, and stones flew in every direction.
My breathing turned chaotic.
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead while staring at the massive crater before me.
That was close…
Far too close…
I tried to keep running.
But I stumbled.
—No… no…
I crashed heavily onto the ground.
I tried to get up immediately, but fear had robbed my body of coordination.
I fell again.
Then I started crawling desperately away from him.
I looked into the distance.
The tribe wasn't far anymore.
But…
I muttered in despair:
—I'm finished…
I closed my eyes.
I had lost.
At this distance, there was no way for me to escape.
This world had defeated me once again.
Several seconds passed.
And nothing happened.
I slowly opened my eyes.
Confused.
Why didn't he attack?
Then I saw him.
And a chill ran through my entire body.
Tharok was convulsing violently inside the crater.
His body twisted unnaturally while blood poured from his mouth.
His muscles expanded and contracted chaotically.
I could hear bones breaking.
The skin on his arms slowly began to split apart from the internal pressure.
—What… is happening…?
It didn't look like a trap.
I could see the pain in his eyes.
And something else as well.
His body was giving out.
Then I understood.
A huge smile slowly spread across my face.
—Hahahahaha…
I won.
I truly won.
I slowly stood up while trying to regain my composure.
Then I walked toward him with my back straight.
I looked down at him and spoke coldly.
—It seems this is the end… son.
The convulsions slowly began to weaken.
Then Tharok's body started shrinking.
Reddish vapor poured out from every pore of his skin.
At first, he returned to his original size.
But it didn't stop there.
His flesh began wasting away before my eyes.
His muscles disappeared.
His skin clung tightly to his bones.
His cheeks sank inward.
His arms looked like dried branches.
Even his height visibly decreased as his spine slowly bent forward.
He looked like a corpse.
No…
He looked like something worse.
A monster that had destroyed its own body for power.
Even I felt uncomfortable looking at him.
But I felt no pity.
I glanced at a nearby rock, and killing intent filled my eyes.
—You liked throwing rocks at me, didn't you?
I walked toward it and placed my hand on top of it.
It was enormous.
Perfect.
—I'll kill you with this…
I tried lifting it.
Then I heard the roars.
ROOOAR!!
My heart skipped a beat.
The abominations.
I had forgotten about them.
I looked at Tharok.
Then toward the darkness of the forest.
I gritted my teeth.
I didn't move.
Several seconds passed.
The roars echoed again.
Much closer this time.
ROOOAR!!
ROOOAR!!
My breathing grew heavier.
I have to leave.
He's already finished.
There's no need to risk myself any further.
I slowly turned around and prepared to run.
Then I heard a weak voice behind me.
—Cow…ard…
My body tensed.
I bit my lips hard.
But I didn't stop.
I wouldn't stay here.
It wasn't cowardice.
I just…
I just wouldn't take unnecessary risks anymore.
Yes.
That was all.
His words didn't affect me.
They couldn't affect me.