Episode(8): No choice but to flee!
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~ (8)
[Skill 'Perception' has been automatically activated as the individual has been judged to be in a 'dire' situation]
The mechanical voice pierced through the desperate situation like a beam of light.
What was that?
Nagisa frowned.
It was a bit uncomfortable hearing an unfamiliar voice inside his head, however he quickly shook off the discomfort and focused.
Did I unconsciously activate one of my skills?
Indeed, his vision was now much wider than before.
Before, I could say with all confidence that nothing in a 180 degree angle could escape his grasp.
Now it felt even more inhuman, even without turning back I could still clearly envision the wolves' movements.
Sight, smell and even sensation. Everything down to the touch felt as if even the minute details could be instantly perceived.
If before perception was an instinctive sixth sense, now it felt like I had gained another organ completely dedicated to perception.
This feeling was beyond amazing.
I can even see beyond the surface if I increase my effort.
Nagisa was amazed as his perception sank beneath the flesh of the wolves exposing muscles and bones, even further beyond that he could see the flickering flame of vitality of each wolf.
Seeing every inch of your opponent meant being able to predict their movements and react smoothly without wasted energy.
If this skill was trash then what would be good?
There were even several added effects like thought acceleration allowing him to think several times faster than before.
This didn't grant him invincibility but at least it allowed him time to think several moves ahead of each opponent.
What's really amazing about this skill though-
Golden eyes shone and before him, Nagisa could see a phantom like figure representing himself in the future rush forward.
The figure dashed forward carelessly and a trap activated turning it into a wisp of smoke.
But another figure predicting this trap shot out avoiding it before turning into wisps of smoke after another trap struck it.
Future sight!
With this ability, Nagisa who had been previously worried sped up his sprint and began weaving and dashing through the passage filled with traps like a ninja.
But, I didn't just avoid the traps.
With Knowledge of what was already ahead, I activated each trap before avoiding them causing a choir of miserable howls behind me.
Spears, arrows, flying buzz saws and even giant boulders.
The passage seemed like one big giant fun house filled with traps making the wolves suffer immensely.
Great! Let's keep going!
The results were amazing, with future sight still active Nagisa wanted to make the most of it.
A few lucky wolves managed to make it out of the bloody carnage alive and were still chasing so the crisis wasn't over.
Feeling barely any cost to his own mana, Nagisa continued to force perception to it's limits.
Hm?
A forked road?
Three different paths unfolded before his eyes.
Which was the correct one?
Anxiously, Nagisa paused as the phantoms each entered a passage and waited for the result.
The sound of hungry growls could be heard far in the distance and it was hard to sit still.
Fortunately the result came quickly.
Both the paths on the left side shone with a red light while the last right path shone green.
According to the sparse information he received, the path was chosen not based on his current condition but on the difficulty of passing in his prime state.
This meant, if I couldn't even pass those two left passages in my prime condition then doing when I'm this exhausted was even more impossible.
The skill was definitely a life saver after all, Nagisa had planned to do eeny meeny miney mo to pick the right path if he didn't have the skill.
No longer having to wait, he rushed into the passage.
The phantom made it through this passage because it was in its optimal condition, I'm not even in half a best state so it might be difficult.
Although this path had the highest possibility of survival, it was just as dangerous with his current state.
When he arrived halfway he finally realized why even though survival was high here, danger was just as high.
'F*ck!'
Laid before him was a deep abyss so deep and dark one couldn't see the bottom.
And in this deep abyss, several shaky rock platforms stood as foot holds to help one get across.
But-
Are you kidding?
Those things look like even a leaf could cause them to topple over!
And, to get to solid ground on the other side, the distance seemed at least over 300 meters.
He gulped.
But the group of wolves were already catching up not even giving him a choice.
Fine, there was a risk but it was better than getting mauled to death.
At the same time, looking at the movements of the several phantoms deducing the way Nagisa shook his head.
Was he supposed to pull off all that jumping and twisting through the air with his currently exhausted limbs?
Not falling would be a miracle.
Let's just use the phantoms as a reference and pick out those more stable platforms.
After calculating and ensuring there was no mistake, Nagisa leapt his figure as light as a feather.
Yet-
Oh Sh*t!
The pillar wobbled as if even this amount of pressure was too much.
His face turned pale, not until the platform stabilize did his complexion return to normal.
That felt as if it took several years off my life.
Would crossing this entire distance be so tiring?
But, behind him were the wolves greedily lusting after his human flesh.
They completely disregarded danger and jumped, some falling but some lucky ones catching up.
There was no time to hesitate. Determined, he leapt again the wolves hot on his trail.
Woah!
Impatient and annoyed that this piece of meat kept running away, the wolves lunged at him without care for falling into the endless darkness.
These bastards!
Nagisa shifted his posture avoiding a charge, but he placed too much weight on his back leg causing the platform to rock unsteadily.
Cr*p!
Even so the wolves continued.
And why did it seem like more had come?
No, he couldn't just fall to his death!
His mind worked several times faster and he finally came to a conclusion.
With a shift of his body, Nagisa kicked the lunging wolf into the air and then leapt up using it as a spring board launching himself further ahead with a jump.
But the platform he landed on seemed unable to take the weight of his landing and collapsed.
Hurriedly, he leapt to a nearby platform adjusting his weight before landing.
But he cursed.
Damn! The route I carefully planned is all gone now!
But there was nothing he could do, with a brief moment of frustration he changed gears.
Change of plans.
Recalling the countless phantoms from before, all I had to do was reroute the path.
Hm…
The new route seemed a bit risky, but those pesky wolves were like mangy mutts not giving me time to breathe.
With a crouch, after gathering the strength in his legs Nagisa leapt. But, unlike before he didn't stop.
In the new plan, each of these platforms were extremely weak and he needed to keep moving constantly.
With a zigzagging movement, he swiftly tapped his feet swishing from one place to the next.
As he did, behind him the sounds of each platform collapsing continuously echoed in the air.
But he didn't have time to pay attention to that.
As he got closer and closer to the other side, the distance between each platform became wider and much more difficult to cross.
At the end, there didn't even seem to be a single platform yet the distance was a total of at least 60 meters.
I need a big jump to make it across.
Luckily, he had plans for this.
Shu!
At the same time, a spear shot towards his like lightning appearing before he could even blink.
The spear was inches away from piercing a hole through his head, but having long predicted this vicious trap he tilted his head to the side.
With a raise of his hand, he grabbed the spear shaft firmly before it could zip by and spun it before throwing it far in the distance.
Now I just need to keep steady.
Landing, he dashed forward continuously before reaching the end.
This jump would be impossible normally.
But, launching himself towards the spear he had thrown, Nagisa landed with all his weight.
The spear bent violently, the platform trembled ready to collapse at any moment.
But, Nagisa didn't pay attention to these details only gauging the best time to launch.
Finally, with a push of his legs, the spear threw him high into the sky his body soaring like a rocket.
With almost too much ease, he had cleared the distance and landed with a roll on the ground.
Feeling finally that he was safe, he shot up.
[Saaffee!]
The situation was terrible, but he had made it out alive.
Damn, my legs feel like noodles.
Breathing was hard and he felt numb all over. That was truly a death defying experience.
Never again!
Phew*
With a brush of his hands, the silver blue hair sticking to his face brushed back revealing his face that was both beautiful and handsome.
Did my wig and glasses fall off somewhere along the way?
Well, whatever.
Those annoying things would be in the way anyway.
With that thought he also took out his contacts showing his golden pupils that shone like two suns in the dark dim lighting.
Standing there, Nagisa couldn't help but recall the earlier feeling of perception.
It was way too overpowered wasn't it?
At least, it didn't feel like the perception he was used to.
Maybe it was an extra effect belonging solely to himself or perhaps others had the same.
He wasn't sure.
He only knew that he wanted to leave this damned place soon.
[And the only way is forward!-]
*Growl*
Geh?!
No way right?
A menacing growl came from behind him causing him to freeze in place.
There was no way!
Hoping the sound was a delusion, he turned slowly.
F*ck!
Standing there, a wolf twice his size with drool dripping from its wide open mouth glared at him.
How??
His mind was filled with question marks.
Did the world just want to him to hurry and reincarnate so it sent one across?
What in the world was happening!?
Could anyone have such atrocious luck?
No, perhaps it's just passing by.
One could hope, but-
Raaah!!
Damn!
There was truly no choice but to flee.