Rebirth: Necromancer's Ascenscion-Chapter 20: Desperation

The beast lunged at Ian with a snarl, its jagged teeth glinting in the firelight. Ian barely managed to sidestep, the creature's maw snapping shut inches from his arm.

The dog's claws scraped against the ground as it turned, its glowing red eyes locked onto Ian with a predatory focus.

It lunged again, and Ian stumbled backward, his heart pounding as he narrowly avoided another vicious bite.

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The next few moments were a blur of motion and terror.

The dog was relentless, its attacks coming in rapid succession. Ian dodged and weaved, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

He had no training, no skill, and no real understanding of how to fight. All he had was the slightly upgraded stats from the brute soul be absorbed, and it was barely enough to keep him alive.

The dog's teeth grazed his leg, tearing through his trousers and drawing blood.

Ian hissed in pain, his body instinctively recoiling as he scrambled to put distance between himself and the beast.

He could feel the warmth of his blood soaking into the fabric, the sting of the wound a sharp reminder of how outmatched he was.

Eli sat on the log by the fire, his golden eyes watching the struggle with a detached calm.

He didn't move to help, didn't offer any advice. He simply observed, his expression unreadable. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of Ian barely avoiding death, Eli let out a sigh.

"You're even more hopeless than I had anticipated," he muttered, his voice laced with disappointment.

He reached into his robe and pulled out a dagger, its blade gleaming in the firelight. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Ian.

The dagger landed in the dirt a few feet away, its hilt sticking up like a lifeline.

"I won't help you," Eli said, his tone cold and final. "If you can't kill even this alone, you're not worth teaching. So you might as well die."

The words hit Ian like a physical blow, but they also ignited something mentally. His gaze shifted from Eli to the dagger, his mind focused.

He didn't have any skills in fighting.

He didn't have high magic affinity like those who had betrayed him. But he had something they didn't—a desperation to survive, a burning need to be stronger.

The dog lunged again, and Ian dove for the dagger.

His fingers closed around the hilt just as the beast's teeth snapped shut where his hand had been.

He rolled to his feet, the dagger clutched tightly in his hand. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling with adrenaline and fear, but his grip on the blade was steady.

The dog circled him, its growl low and menacing.

Ian's mind raced as he tried to think of a plan, but there was no time. The beast lunged again, and this time, Ian didn't dodge. He met the attack head-on, his body slamming into the dog as they both tumbled to the ground.

It was a brutal, messy brawl.

The dog's claws raked across Ian's chest, its teeth snapping at his face. Ian gritted his teeth against the pain, his free hand gripping the dog's fur as he stabbed wildly with the dagger.

The blade found its mark, sinking into the beast's side, but the dog barely seemed to notice. It thrashed and snarled, its weight pinning Ian down.

Ian's vision blurred as the dog's teeth closed around his shoulder, the pain blinding. But he refused to give up.

He refused to die.

With a roar of defiance, he drove the dagger into the dog's neck, twisting the blade with all the strength he had left.

The dog let out a guttural howl, its body convulsing as it collapsed on top of him.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, with a final, shuddering breath, the dog went still.

Ian lay there, his body trembling as he tried to catch his breath. His wounds burned, his blood soaking into the dirt beneath him, but he was alive.

He had won. Barely.

He pushed the dog's lifeless body off him, his movements slow and painful. As he struggled to his feet, a faint glow caught his eye.

A translucent panel appeared before him, its words glowing faintly in the darkness.

[Vermin Slain: Venom Dog]

He had done it.

He had killed the beast. But at what cost? His body was a mess of wounds, his strength nearly spent. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Eli's voice broke the silence, his tone calm but laced with a faint hint of approval.

"Maybe you're not so useless after all."

Ian turned to look at him, his gaze steady despite the pain.

"I'm not," he said, his voice low but firm. "I'll prove it."

Eli's lips curled into a faint smirk, his golden eyes gleaming in the firelight. "We'll see," he said. "But for now, you've earned a rest. Sit down before you collapse."

Ian didn't argue.

He stumbled over to the log and sat down, his body trembling with exhaustion. The fire crackled, its warmth a small comfort against the cold night air.

He could feel his wounds beginning to heal, the faint hiss of Soul Essence working its magic, but it was slow.

Too slow.

Eli watched him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he stood, walking over to the dog's corpse.

He knelt beside it, his fingers brushing against the beast's fur. "You did well," he said, his voice low. "But this is just the beginning. The forest is full of creatures far more dangerous than this. If you want to survive, you'll need to be stronger. Faster. Smarter."

Ian nodded, his gaze fixed on the fire. He knew Eli was right. He had survived this fight, but it had been close. Too close.

If he wanted to make it through the Blackblood Forest, if he wanted to survive the arena, he would need to become more than he was.

But for now, he was alive. And that was enough.