That giant deer opened its mouth wide and tried to chop off my head. I instinctively moved my face back. Still flustered from the sudden attack, I dragged my body backward with both hands slamming onto the ground.
It rushed toward at terrifying speed with its antlers pointing at . As it reached closer, I jumped sideways to dodge, but it suddenly snapped its head in my direction, landing a direct hit on my chest.
The sudden hit launched into the air, and the antler slipped from my hand. I rolled across the ground before crashing into the trunk of a nearby tree.
"Oh fuck, My—my ribs are broken," I muttered, holding my chest in pain.
"What's wrong with this fucking deer? Aren't deer supposed to be herbivores? Why is it trying to eat ?"
I slowly got up, breathing heavily. But that deer was already preparing for its next step—pawing its right leg on the ground.
"What is wrong with you? Are you a bull or what?" I snapped in frustration, but it had already launched itself toward again.
The mont it ca closer, I raised my right foot forward and grabbed its antlers. It pushed back toward the tree to slam into it, but this ti I was ready.
I moved my legs backward along with it, and as the tree ca closer, I placed my feet on the tree, moved them upward, and pushed the bark, launching myself from the top of that deer.
But I didn't let go of its antlers—I pulled them back along with my body and slamd the deer's head on the ground.
"Holy crap," I gasped, witnessing my strength.
I never had this kind of physical prowess. It must be due to that awakening Vivi ntioned.
I didn't waste a second and ran toward the spear I had dropped. The deer was already up as I grabbed the antler.
It roared at in fury, and its veins began turning purple the angrier it got. Even its eye color changed to purple.
It bolted toward again, but in a single breath, I ducked low and struck its chin with the spear. But that bastard ignored all the pain from the hit and counterattacked with its antlers, piercing through my right shoulder.
I shrieked as blood gushed from my shoulder, turning its purple antlers red. It moved its head upward, and my body followed as my feet left the ground. It ran around like a mad bull, smashing into everything it ca across: trees, rocks, the ground.
I felt my shoulder bones cracking under my own weight. The pain was so intense I could pass out at any mont, but I gritted my teeth and grabbed its antler with both hands.
I scread with all my might, snapped the antler in two, and fell to the ground.
Ding… This update is available on N0veI.Fiɾe
"Congratulations. You have learned a new skill: Pain Tolerance – Level 1"
As I landed, I noticed sothing—there was a strange purple thing, like a leech, stuck to its belly. All the purple veins were also spreading from there. It might've been just a hunch of mine at that mont, but I ignored the unbearable pain in my shoulder and rushed toward that leech.
I grabbed it and yelled, "Vivi, activate the All-Devouring Breathing Technique."
"Initializing Host's request…"
" Cursed Beast detected!"
"Activating All-Devouring Breathing Technique…"
" Absorbing the Soulforce of Cursed Beast…"
The purple veins spreading through the deer's body slowly began disappearing, and instead, they started covering my body, moving from my arm to my dantian.
The deer scread nacingly as its Soulforce got sucked out of it. But I knew just from its howls how painful it must have been for it.
I moved my other hand to its neck, hugging it, and spoke in a soft voice, "Bear it just for a mont. It will be over soon."
The deer cald down and slowly lowered its head, embracing my hug. Tears fell from its eyes, and its front legs fell to its knees.
"Absorption of Soulforce completed.
Soulforce absorbed: 60/100."
The deer fell unconscious to the ground. I turned and dragged my worn-out body to a nearby rock, sat down, and rested against it.
I took off my ragged, bloody shirt and tore off a piece of the cloth, placing it in my mouth. Then, with trembling hands, I grabbed the antler lodged in my shoulder.
"Huff... huff... huff..." With heavy breathing, I pulled it out in one go. A splash of blood followed.
"Skill: Pain Tolerance leveled up.
Pain Tolerance: Level 2
Description: In intense situations, the host can ignore 10% of the pain from injuries."
"Vivi… can-can you heal my injuries," I whispered with the little strength I had.
"Host doesn't have enough Soulforce for instant healing.
But Vivi can numb the host's injured shoulder to reduce the pain, but it's not recomnded as the host's right arm will stop functioning for the ti being."
"Just forget about it." The blood kept coming out of my shoulder. My mind began to fade from the heavy loss of blood.
Through the haze, I caught a shadow moving toward , but my eyes refused to focus.
"Is it another beast?" I muttered. "I don't care, I just wanna rest now." My eyes closed as I fell unconscious.
.
.
.
"You know, @#$% told that you always put others above yourself. @#$% says that you have the purest heart and the kindest soul. And I also believe that's the truth. So please… don't give up, because we haven't given up on you yet."
.
.
.
"Again with that strangely familiar voice," I mumbled as I opened my eyes and woke up.
I was floating again in the Amrita water. My injuries were gone.
"How did I co here?" I wondered.
I moved out of the water, and suddenly a tongue started licking my face. It was a deer, but its hairs were long, and its black eyes held uncountable tiny stars— as if I were looking into the universe itself. Its antlers were radiating an oceanic blue color, and fireflies floated around it.
But when I saw its antlers, I realized one was broken.
"Hey, aren't you the deer I fought in the forest?" I said smilingly, patting its side. "So you carried here and saved my life, huh? Thank you so much."
I hugged its massive neck with both of my hands.
Ding…
"You have freed the mystic deer Ruru of its curse without killing it.
You have accomplished a great achievent.
You have received a reward : Voice of Tranquility "
"Voice of Tranquility: You can calm any living being feeling intense emotion with your voice."
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