Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 19: Easy To Kill

Shit! Shit! Shit! Nessa! Fuck!

’Oh my! Host, what to do?!’

’I don’t know!’

Lavayla didn’t think; she lifted both hands slowly, palms out, as if she were trying to soothe an enormous, unpredictable animal. Her voice dropped to the softest, most cautious tone she’d ever used in her life.

"Okay... listen. I know this is going to sound insane, but you’re not actually seeing what you think you’re seeing."

Tark didn’t move. His eyes, dark and unblinking, tracked every twitch of her fingers.

She forced a weak smile. "Whatever’s happening right now — me standing here, talking, existing — that’s all just your imagination. Really. You’re injured, you’re bleeding like three different shades of red, and you definitely smashed your skull against a tree at least once, so... hallucinations? Completely normal."

Nothing. Not a blink. Not a twitch.

"So here’s the plan," she continued, nodding reassuringly, internally debating her chances of outrunning him. "I’m going to slowly take my hand back. You... are going to close your eyes. And when you open them again, poof. I’ll be gone. Forest spirits, mirages, tragic concussion visions — pick whichever makes you feel better."

She began edging her hand backward, inch by painful inch.

Tark just stared.

And staring had never felt so threatening. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Just then, a low sound rolled out of his chest — a dark chuckle. He crossed his arms, posture loosening. Curiosity simmered under that shadow of irritation as he looked her over.

"Do you think I’m stupid?" he asked, voice rough but disturbingly calm. "I may have only heard of humans before... but you think I wouldn’t recognize one standing right in front of me?"

Lavayla’s lungs forgot their job.

He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "You’re nothing like a Beastman. Small. Fragile. Weak. Fair." His lips curved upward, but not kindly. "Easy to kill."

Lavayla’s throat tightened. She didn’t dare blink, much less breathe.

His gaze dragged downward, studying her like she was a fascinating object. His eyes traveled from her boots, lingering on the smooth, even leather... up her legs... to her hips... her abdomen strapped with fur... then to her neck where her pulse thudded violently beneath the skin. Finally, his stare reached her face.

It was like a line of needles inserted into her skin.

He stepped toward her.

She stepped back, fists curling at her sides as she forced every muscle to stay slack, nonthreatening, decidedly human-level pathetic.

"You look..." he murmured, his voice dipping, "so fair. Smooth. And... clean."

His brows knit tight, confusion flashing hard across his expression. "And your clothes — they’re completely different. Not woven fur, not beast hide..."

Then, abruptly, his gaze locked onto hers.

She felt it like a blade sliding between her ribs.

A dangerous glint that gave her a bad feeling flickered in his dark eyes.

Lavayla didn’t even think — survival instincts hijacked her body. Her hand shot straight to the knot of fur around her waist, yanked, and the wrap loosened instantly. She twisted, grabbing for the baby to bolt—

But she never had the chance

The Beastman who had been in front of her blurred. One second he was standing there, the next his fingers were tangled in her hair and he used it to yank her backward like she weighed nothing. His other hand wrapped around her neck, and he slammed her into a tree tangled in thick vines.

A dull, sickening thud rang through her skull. White spots flashed across her vision. She bit her lip to keep from screaming.

Her hands flew instinctively to her back in horror —

Empty.

The baby was gone.

’Nessa! Where— where is he?! Why can’t I feel him—?!’

’Host! I moved him to the second-space vault the moment you loosened the wrap. He’s safe, but I can only keep him there for ten minutes!’

Lavayla couldn’t even nod; Tark’s grip was crushing her windpipe, lifting her partly off the ground.

"Little human," he murmured, leaning close, breathing hot against her cheek, "you think you can run?"

His fingers tightened. Her airway shrank to a pinhole.

Lavayla choked, her free hand clawing at his wrist.

He stared into her eyes, dark and furious all at once. An expression twisted his features, something like wounded pride and rage.

"You were the one who used those little tricks." His voice dipped, almost a snarl. "Weren’t you?"

Lavayla didn’t answer — mostly because she couldn’t breathe — but also because screw him.

’Nessa— Nessa, do something! Anything!’

’Host, I need you to create distance first!’

The silence only enraged him further. His grip tightened again. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

’I CAN’T—’

’How do I get distance?’ she asked, panic rising.

’Wait. I’m sending options.’

Two options flashed in her mind.

[Emergency Flash Pellet] – Blinds target at point-blank range. Overloads Beastman’s senses.

[Pain-Response Micro-Shock Band] – Sends an electric jolt into anyone gripping you.

Lavayla didn’t hesitate. She picked the first.

The pellet appeared in her palm with a tiny pop and the system immediately instructed her on how to use it.

’Host, you have to crush it to-’

Lavayla crushed it, cutting Nessa off.

A blast of blinding light erupted between them.

He roared — a sound that shook birds from trees — as the flash stabbed straight into his eyes. Jerking back, his hand released her neck as he covered his face.

She hit the ground coughing and scrambled up immediately, vision still pulsing, but she forced her legs to move.

She made it three meters.

Despite the agony twisting his face, Tark’s senses locked onto her like a predator scenting blood. He lunged. His claws wrapped around her arm and dug in. He wrenched her back the opposite direction and threw her.

She hit the ground hard, like she’d been hurled off a cliff.

Her arm smashed against a jagged stone — fabric tearing, skin splitting open. Blood welled instantly, warm and thick.

"Aargh—!" The sound ripped from her throat before she could swallow it.

’Host! Higher-level Paralysis Dart is available! It not only causes paralysis but also inflicts sharp, drilling pain—like driving burning nails straight into a Beastman’s nerves. It also leaves lingering nerve damage—’

’GET IT! NOW!’

’Purchase confirmed— 500 points deducted—’

Lavayla pushed herself onto her knees just as Tark staggered upright, eyes still narrowed and watering but burning with murderous clarity.

He looked at her — at the blood pouring down her arm, at her gasping breaths, at the stubborn fire still in her eyes — and his expression twisted into something almost delighted.

"So. you’re still using those little tricks." His voice rumbled low. "Shame. I didn’t want to kill you. I planned to take you back alive." A slow grin crept across his face. "But I suppose your corpse works too."

Lavayla ripped her injured arm off the stone, biting down hard on her tongue as pain roared through her spine.

He watched her like she was a toy trying to crawl away.

His nails lengthened — long, curved razors. He bent. Then—

He hooked his claws into her shoulder and flung her again.

She hit a tree so hard her teeth clacked together. The air vanished from her lungs. When she fell this time, the world dimmed at the edges.

’Host! HOST!’

Nessa’s voice was fading behind static.

’Host— you have to stab him— stab the dart into a vital point— the neck, the temple— but you must make him come closer—’

’I—I can’t—’ Lavayla’s thoughts trembled. ’My back— I think— I think something’s cracked—’

’Host... please. I can heal you after. But if you die— I can’t bring you back.’

Lavayla didn’t move. She couldn’t. She lay face-down in the dirt, breaths shallow, blood puddling beneath her.

Tark approached leisurely, dust and leaves stirring around his steps. He crouched beside her, fisting a hand in her hair and dragging her upright.

Her heart spasmed irregularly and she was barely breathing

His mouth twisted into that grotesque smile as he studied her slack, bloodied form... then without warning he buried his claws into her thigh and dragged.

Lavayla’s eyes flew open.

Tark froze for an instant because instead of terror, instead of the broken fear that he expected, what stared back at him was something else entirely.

Defiance and rage.

"Fuck you." Lavayla spat the words with venom.

And before he could process the insult—

Lavayla drove the dart straight into his temple.

Tark’s eyes widened, the shock hitting him a fraction of a second before the pain did. He snarled, jerking back, reaching up to rip the dart free but he couldn’t move.