Fate immediately turned around and started to sprint away, but was assailed by a sense of fatigue and powerlessness that caused his speed to lower to that of a light jog, much to his dismay. Meanwhile, the snarling, now monstrous boar hadn’t begun its pursuit, though Fate didn’t turn back around to see why…

If he had looked, he most likely would have become even more panicked, as, in the light of the burning tree, the thick miasma around the boar began to slowly pull itself together in thick strands, which were sucked into the boar’s flaring nostrils…

As the blackish miasma flowed into its body, slowly fading from the air, a bright red aura began to wrap around it, as veins and leg muscles began to bulge!

[Snarl…]

Fate, at this time, had only managed to run a few feet away, but continued to stumble and heave in his breaths as the pain of having his remaining energy drained from him continuously assaulted his body, while his mind remained in a state of panicked flux…

-Sh*t...sh*t!!! Come...o...n...run...run away!!!

Soon, the lingering miasma had been absorbed, and the boar was loudly scraping away at the dirt on the ground, visibly eager to viciously charge through the one who had reduced it to such a state, watching as the child’s shadow continued to distance itself from the illuminating glow of the flame…

[Snarl…]

Finally, after a minute of forcing himself through his fatigue, Fate looked back for a split second, just in time to watch as the bulging legs of the boar had reached critical mass. His eyes locked with those of the frenzied boar, his icy blue staring into the raging cauldron of pure red that had enveloped its pupils, causing him to freeze in place…

[Roar!!!]

The boar shot forward like a rocket, its muscular legs carrying its body, which seemed to be outlined with a crimson glow, towards Fate at a speed incomparable to its previous form! The burst of wind from its charge extinguishing the flames, allowing only the malicious aura around it to expose its presence! Crossing the shadowy distance in a matter of seconds, the boar prepared to tunnel through the child with its almost metallic tusks, the twin spikes barely a few inches away from stabbing Fate’s head!

However, right at that moment, something inexplicable occurred...Fate’s dread-stricken body had already lost strength when it saw the boar begin its charge, and was in the process of falling, when his foot had been caught on the root of a tree, tripping him and causing his fall to be diverted away from the boar, allowing him to miraculously dodge the boar’s furious stampede, with him watching as the monstrous beast passed by him in a blur!

[Craaaccck!!!!]

Soon, the sound of a loud cracking resounded throughout the forest, causing squawking birds to fly into the air. Fate now found himself down on one knee, gasping for breath as sweat poured down his back and forehead…

His eyes shook constantly, giving him a demented and crazed look as tears began to leak from them and an insane grin formed on his face. At this moment, he found himself incapable of thought, unable to bring himself to move or regulate his expressions as he continued heaving in dry breaths...

[Creeaaak!!!]

Suddenly, a loud creaking rang out from behind him, and turning around, Fate witnessed a large tree falling towards him!

『Dodge!!!』

Fate’s body, lacking instruction from both his mind and instincts, readily accepted the commands of the being in the ring, using what little strength it had to propel him away from the incoming tree trunk and into a nearby bush!

[Crashhh!!!]

The tree crashed to the ground, scattering dust and branches everywhere! If Fate were in his right mind, or was able to see past the figure of the fallen oak and in the dark, he would have been furious to see that the boar appeared to be sneering at him, with its sharp fangs exposed, standing next to a torn stump as the sinister miasma now began to reemerge…

Meanwhile, behind the fallen figure of the tree and within a thick bush, Fate sat, uncomfortably wedged between its thin, hard branches, still looking visibly demented as his insane smile remained stagnant on his face and his tears dripped onto the leaves...

『Dude, wake the f*** up!!!』 

Fate didn’t answer…

『WAKE THE HELL UP, YOU DUMB BASTARD, I’M NOT GETTING KILLED BECAUSE YOU WON’T MOVE YOUR DUMB ***!!!』 

Despite raising its voice to a loud shout, the being in the ring still received no response. For an instant, Fate’s body had responded to its command and managed to hide in the bush, but now…

The faint light inside of the red gem scanned Fate’s crazed expression, looking for any sign that it was at least being listened to, but found that light had gone from his eyes and that, most likely, his consciousness had gone with it.

The blue light in the ring suddenly faded, leaving the bush completely devoid of light...and, soon, a similar, dark blue light began to emerge in Fate’s eyes. The smile on his face faded, and with his head turned towards the ground, he stepped out of the bush, now beginning to run through the darkness and into the protection of the trees…

And, right after his figure had faded into the blackened background…

[Craaaaccckkk…]

The vague outline of the felled tree trunk began to split apart, as a pair of twin tusks pushed through its center and two, glowing red lights began to emerge through the cracks…

[Snarl….]

...