Kabanata 13

Keenan didn't take time and ate the N-core, he was still injured despite eating the N-core of the Uccelli. He cracked the crystal in his mouth and gulped them down, the warm sensation enveloped him before disappearing. He raised his shoulders checking if they were okay, so far so good, it seemed. The discomfort slightly vanished and he still had to eat more N-cores. 

This was just the start of the night but Keenan already faced two different kinds of Nightmares. Especially the Uccelli, that creature was the one who gave him the most damage. He promised that this was the last he would get snatched by a flying monster. 

"It's all good that I have these new Skills, or else I'll die with those talons alone."

He tapped his shoulder, the bones that broke earlier were now healed. He still had irritation around his back but he could endure it, it was not fatal. If he ate another N-core the pain would go away. Keenan looked at his pocket just to make sure that the picture was fine, he breathed in relief when he realized that the picture was alright and not destroy. But when he looked at his clothes, he sighed because they gained additional holes, to make the matter worst, it was stinky! His sweat and blood were stuck in his clothes but Keenan didn't have any choice but to wear them. 

They were his protection when the sun was shining bright and his blanket when the cold breeze brushed in the night.

"I don't know how to skin the creatures in this place, they are different from the animals on the Earth. Their flesh alone is dangerous since they are poisonous. And even if I know it, I don't have the time to create one… just like now. Guests are coming and I have to welcome them with the right service."

He smirked and turned his head in the direction where a couple of growlings echoed. Keenan transformed his arm into a blade, the growlings started to become stronger. Then a wolf-like Zviera leaped and pounce on him, but Keenan already expected this. The invisible Hands caught the jumping creature and grabbed its neck, the monster elevated in the air as its neck was being crushed by an invisible force. The monster was dangling in the midair and choking.

The Zviera struggled and kicked its feet in the air but the suffering didn't end. The Hands squeezed its neck and broke it, the Zviera's neck bent oddly and lost its life. Keenan immediately dropped the monster because he knew that another one would come!

A different Zviera showed up, the Zviera was faster this time and quickly reached Keenan. He tried to grab the monster using his Hands but he only grazed it which caused the monster to stumble but it continued running at him.

Fortunately, Keenan prepared his blade and warmly welcomed it, he activated his new Skill, Concentrate Draw. The Zviera opened its mouth to bite him but a sharp blade faced the monster. The blade went to its mouth and slashed it down its throat. The creature made a drowning sound as its throat was being filled with its own black blood. Keenan didn't end his attack with that, he raised his other hand and snapped his fingers! He cast his Double Cut to damage it again.

"The most recent attack that I put on my opponent, I can return it!"

A deep wound manifest on the stomach of the monster, the dying creature lost its power as its blood splash around. After a few couples of whimpering, the Zviera dropped dead.

"Phew… I see, you didn't want me to rest."

He sighed in relief but even that was halted when he realized that dozens of monsters were surrounding him. Their intention was apparent, they wanted to tear his flesh and feast on his body, a human was a delicious delicacy that was hard to find.

Most of the time, they were working in a team and it was rare to see a lonely human. This was a great night for them to taste the legendary flesh of the species called humans. Their salivas started pouring down, they were excited to eat him. However, they didn't know that Keenan had unparalleled survivability, he won't easily die.

He raised his blade and put his defense up. The unnoticed Hands covered him although the Zvieras couldn't see them and keep coming close.

"I'm not sure if this will work, but let's try it. I will die anyway if they reached me."

The monsters roared and dashed, they opened their jaws to crunch him but they were stopped by a transparent force. They were confused, their mouths were only two inches away from Keenan's skin but they couldn't get near. He was protected by a barrier(?).

"Hehe, what a stroke of luck, with this, I can protect my body."

Keenan found that his invisible Hands were not affected despite the creatures biting them, he didn't feel any pain. He only felt a slight tickle, his Hands were tough. He could feel the bites but they were comparable to touches, not painful at all.

"Covering myself with these Hands will protect me from their attack… although I have to be beware about their strength."

Some of them pushed him which led him to back away and almost losing his balance. These creatures had the strength to put him down. But Keenan had an answer for that.

Keenan grinned as he lifted his blade, he targeted the Zvieras that were biting his invisible Hands. He slightly made a gap between his invisible shield and stabbed them! The monsters yelp and stop their attacks, some of them ran away but Keenan didn't care. His mission was to remain alive, these creatures were weak anyway, they were Class-D so he didn't feel the urge to get their N-cores. But for those who stayed, Keenan didn't hesitate to kill them.

"So I'm not affected even if my Hands are attacked, what a convenient skill."

The more he used his Hekatonkheires ability, the more he realized that it was a powerful Skill. The Hands were strong and could crash a neck with brute force. Furthermore, they didn't feel any pain even if dozens of monsters attack them. They have a tough defense. Keenan's eyes were shining, he was happy to know that he had a life-saving Skill. He could use the Hands as his shield and protected him from attacks. It was not a perfect AT field but it was better than having nothing at all.