Cursed Guardian

Chapter 8: Intense training

In one blink, the insane had her hand around my neck, tightening the grip, causing me to struggle to breathe. I felt engulfed by darkness before I managed to stab my katana into her side, making her release me immediately.

I fell to the ground, almost losing consciousness as I gasped for air. When I looked up, four Insanes with fierce eyes confronted me. The one I had stabbed was clutching her side, blood flowing profusely.

They're getting close to me, and it felt like this was indeed the end for me.

The world seemed to stop at the next moment. They all lunged at me with their sharp claws, and I thought it was the end, but I was wrong. I felt a strong aura beside me, even though I couldn't see anything. As everything around me slowed down, I sensed someone holding my arm, causing a strange sensation like electric shocks running through my body. I couldn't speak. I also felt my heart pounding heavily. I found myself standing on the ground, still held by the invisible hand of an unidentified being. I closed my eyes as I felt their breath on my neck, dispelling the fear I had of the Insanes in front of me due to their presence.

"I told you already...if Feros was ordered by someone to protect you from any risk of your life, then I'll be your armor and weapon to win against risk," I closed my eyes as I felt their warm breath near my ear, feeling comforted by their words. Who is this invisible stranger?

"Let us dance in the middle of this dangerous training of yours," I only then noticed his cold and deep voice, calming the fear within me.

Before I could respond, I glanced around. I first looked in the direction where Miss Violet was standing, unmoving. Time seemed to have stopped because of being with me. It could be his power, but I noticed a strange presence in his surroundings. It seemed like there were dark fumes dispersing, which probably explained why time had halted.

"I don't know how to," I replied in a whisper. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew he had a form, and I hoped that I would eventually see and recognize him.

"Then, I will guide you to the right steps," he said before I felt him hold my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I swallowed hard; the relaxing feeling from earlier had turned into awkwardness. I could almost feel his body curve.

"You can close your eyes if you want," he said, gripping my arm. I shook my head at his suggestion, and time resumed in a blink. I caught the gaze of Miss Violet, and I must have stood up quickly because time paused momentarily. Before the Insanes could attack me, I felt a tight grip on my arm. His hands guided me in the fight, controlling my movements to align with his intentions.

I was surprised when his hands disappeared from mine, replaced by a strong gust of wind. I jumped as the wind took control of my body. When I landed back on the ground, the Insanes who had lunged at me earlier were now lying on the ground. They seemed angrier than ever, drenched in their own blood. I quickly turned to Feros's direction, recalling how he was struggling against the three Insanes.

"F-Feros!" I shouted in panic, but the strong wind once again controlled my body to help Feros against the Insanes.

I ran towards him, swiftly kicking a katana on the ground that flew upwards, then leaped to catch it. Before I could do so, I bit into the surface of my katana. I pulled out the two knives I had tucked earlier and hurled them at the Insanes. The knives spun in the air and hit two of them, leaving only one standing. I removed my katana from my mouth, caught another katana I had kicked earlier, and leaped into the air. As I landed near the remaining insane, engaged in combat with Feros, I swiftly kicked them with force. When I hit their back, they tumbled and rolled on the ground. As I landed, I saw Feros with scratches all over his body.

I glared angrily at the remaining insane, who was now standing with a smirk on his face. Her saliva dripped from her sharp fangs, landing on the ground, causing smoke to rise where it touched.

Does her saliva contain venom?

I hadn't fully recovered from what I had witnessed when she swiftly moved and attacked me immediately. I managed to dodge her attacks with just her claws as her weapon, but when my anger peaked, I used my katana against her. She dodged with incredible speed, as if she possessed superhuman agility. I winced in pain as I felt the wound she had inflicted on my back earlier, from when they had assisted me before I summoned Feros.

Feros was currently helping me defeat her, but even Feros was struggling to engage this enemy due to her incredible speed.

I felt my strength waning because I had summoned Feros, which probably made my movements faster earlier in the attack due to my adrenaline rush and that invisible being guiding my body in combat. My eyes widened as she swiftly aimed her hands with long claws at my eyes. There was barely an inch between them before her claws could touch my eyeballs, as if she wanted to gouge them out. I held my breath, breaking into a sweat, but I saw an invisible being stopping her, freezing her in place. I seized the opportunity to strike him.

I quickly raised my two katanas in the air and stabbed them into her arms that were steady in the air. She screamed in pain, and I saw her two arms fall to the ground, spurting blood rapidly.

An incantation suddenly entered my mind, which I knew came from Feros's mind. Before it faded, I recited it, feeling that something good would happen if I delayed.

I saw the insane's form change in front of me, resembling a gigantic serpent as its scales spread rapidly across its body. Before it could fully transform, I acted first.

"Moderama! Igchea!" I felt a surge of weakness as I uttered those words, using all my strength, but what surprised me was that everything stopped. A blue smoke-like substance spread in various directions in the air.

I quickly glanced at the insane, about to transform into a giant serpent. My steps towards her were weak, as my strength was fading.

I looked at Feros, who joined me in approaching. As we neared, Feros swiftly attacked, striking the insane's face and various parts of its body. I felt a sensation as if time was about to resume its normal pace. Before that happened, I took a deep breath and hurled my katana at the insane's face. Just as time returned to normal, the insane swiftly moved, fighting Feros as it transformed. I felt nervous seeing my thrown katana seemingly hopeless in hitting any part of its body.