The mutated bear's large strides shook the ground, making it easier for Nox to determine its location. It only took a few seconds for it to catch up. It towered above Nox's body. Standing before him with a giant presence.
Nox's grip on the spear tightened. His breathing slowed, not out of calm, but calculation. Every vibration through the soil was data. Every shift in the creature's weight was a signal.
(Analyzing enemy posture... Weight distributed evenly. No signs of immediate lunge. Possible intimidation stance.)
He didn't blink. The beast's breath reeked of old blood and rot. Its fresh scars pulsed with each exhale. Despite its monstrous form, it felt aware, like it recognized Nox not just as prey.
Nox took one step back, his foot brushing against a root he'd marked earlier.
(Engagement range optimal. Defensive terrain verified.)
Then, without a word, he raised the spear and waited for the first move.
Looking at Nox with its ferocious eyes, the bear lifted its left palm, striking first. The huge swing came with devastating force as it tore through the wind.
The moment the bear's arm moved, Nox's eyes locked onto the shifting of its massive shoulders. The foreshadowing of its incoming strike.
(Reaction time window: 0.8 seconds. Vector: Left to right. Force: Lethal.)
Nox ducked low, pivoting on his back heel as the wind from the swipe screamed over his head. He shifted his weight forward into a roll, his back brushing against the bark of a nearby tree as he escaped the arc of the attack by mere inches.
As he came out of the roll, Nox spun to face the beast again, spear held defensively across his chest. His feet slid across dirt and root until he regained footing, keeping the tree between them.
(Analysis: Strike was wide. Overcommitted. Left side momentarily exposed.)
With no hesitation, Nox lunged from the tree's cover, aiming a quick jab of the spear toward the beast's flank just above a fresh scar near its ribcage.
The bear didn't stop its attack despite hitting the tree, causing a massive claw mark with the wood exploding into mere splinters.
Using its momentum, it spun its body as it followed the flow of its first strike. Delivering another attack using the same arm, but this time with double the force due to increased speed.
Nox's pupils contracted.
(Second strike incoming. Velocity increased. Angle: horizontal sweep, mid-level. Danger: critical.)
The sound of the tree being torn apart hadn't even faded when the bear's body rotated with terrifying speed, the next strike already in motion.
There was no time to retreat; he could only move forward. Nox surged toward the bear's centerline, ducking under the path of the second swing a split-second before it tore through the space he'd just occupied.
The force was so immense, it split another tree behind him in half with a thunderous crack. While sliding in, Nox kicked off a root, twisting his body sideways and letting the centrifugal force aid him.
He shoved his spear upward like a lever, aiming directly into the bear's exposed armpit—the weak point revealed by its extended arm and spin.
(Contact window: 1.1 seconds. Chance of penetration: medium. Aim: nerve cluster and joint.)
The tip of the spear thrust forward with focused aggression.
However, outside of his expectation. The bear used its momentum to lean forward, rolling on the ground using its left shoulder. Effectively dodging Nox's spear.
When it rolled back up onto all fours, it pounced again without any hesitation.
(Unexpected maneuver: forward roll. Mass displacement: optimal. Spear trajectory: voided. Countermeasure: abort thrust.)
Nox felt the shock of air shift as the bear's enormous body rolled just beneath the arc of his attack. Impossibly agile for something so massive. His footing slid slightly from the recoil of the failed strike.
(Threat proximity: critical. Bear pouncing—trajectory: direct. Time to impact: 1.4 seconds.)
There was no time to backpedal. No time to prepare a second strike.
Nox yanked his spear back in an instant, then flipped it to reverse grip and jammed it in front into the forest floor, using it like a vaulting pole. He launched himself upward and diagonally, just barely over the bear's incoming lunge.
The gust from the bear's pounce almost grazed his legs as he twisted mid-air, his eyes locked on the beast beneath him.
As he soared over it, Nox decided to let go of the spear that was still wedged in the dirt. With his now-free hand, he drew his knife from the vine-wrapped at his waist, flipped it into a backhand grip, and targeted the back of the bear's neck.
(Weak point exposed: top cervical zone. Distance: 2 meters. Window: 0.9 seconds.)
With gravity pulling him down, Nox aimed to drive the blade downward with all the force of his descending body, his expression cold, calculated, and unshaken.
The blade landed successfully. However, due to the thick hide of the bear and the fragile properties of the knife,. It shattered without being able to wedge itself deeper. Only leaving a shallow scar.
(Assessment: Knife integrity—compromised. Hide density—exceeds initial analysis. Damage—minimal. Risk level—escalated.)
The satisfying crack of the blade breaking was followed immediately by the dull resistance of the thick, bark-like hide. Nox landed hard on his feet, his knees buckling slightly from the drop, as the broken handle of the knife remained in his grip.
He clicked his tongue, his eyes narrowing.
"That could've gone better."
He ducked instinctively, already anticipating retaliation. The bear let out a thunderous, pained growl, more annoyed than injured. It twisted its massive form with surprising speed, its claws swiping through the air towards Nox.
Using his low position, Nox rolled to the side, using a tree to shield himself. The broken blade slipped from his hand as he reached for his second weapon. His spear, still embedded in the dirt just meters away.
(Next move: retrieve primary weapon. Secondary option—bait through mobility. Tree cluster nearby—optimal for misdirection.)
As he dashed, Nox used a nearby root as footing to leap towards a tree cluster. He intentionally made noise, cracking a few twigs on the ground, just enough to draw the bear's attention to his movement, but not his destination.
With quick footwork, he juked left around one tree, only to pivot his body sharply and circle behind it. If the bear followed its instinct, it would expose its flank again.
(Plan reset. Objective: weapon recovery. Target behavior: reactive. Margin for error: minimal.)
The bear followed immediately, using both its claws to strike down the tree Nox was hiding behind.
(Analyzing: Target response—aggressive destruction. Path of attack—linear. Structural integrity of tree—compromised. Escape window—<0.8 seconds.)
The instant the bear's claws sank into the trunk, Nox was already in motion.
Bark exploded like shrapnel behind him as he dove to the side, dirt and leaves spraying into the air from the force of the impact. The tree cracked with a guttural snap, beginning its slow, inevitable descent.
Nox didn't watch it fall. His eyes were locked on the spear, still standing where he left it, glinting faintly in the sunlight. With no time to fully recover from the dive, he twisted his body mid-slide, pushing himself off the ground with his heel to launch himself forward into a sprint.
(Plan: retrieve weapon. Tree fall—new hazard. Bear focus—tunnel vision. Advantage—temporary.)
The bear, caught mid-attack, took a heartbeat to wrench its claws free from the splintered tree, giving Nox the moment he needed.
He dove forward, hands wrapping around the shaft of the spear, rolled once to kill momentum, then spun up into a defensive crouch. He raised his weapon as his eyes burned with utmost focus.
The moment the bear got itself free, it shook off the splinters on its fur. It turned around and stared at Nox. It exhaled angrily when it saw that Nox was now holding the spear again.
It didn't pounce immediately; it walked around Nox slowly. Approaching the largest tree around them, it went behind it.
The mutated bear stared at Nox once, then it stood up and leaned its body forward to the tall tree. Using all of its weight to make the tree fall towards his direction.
(Analyzing: Target intent—indirect attack. Method—environmental manipulation. Tree angle—calculated to limit escape routes. Risk level—high.)
The second the bear leaned its massive body into the trunk, Nox's mind processed the trajectory of the falling tree. He didn't just see where it would land; he saw when, how fast, and what path remained that wouldn't end in death.
With a sharp inhale, Nox bursts into a sprint, not away, but towards the falling tree. His eyes locked onto a gap formed by two roots where the tree would strike the ground.
(Timing window—1.2 seconds. Escape vector—thread the needle beneath collapse point. Outcome—high risk, high reward.)
As the tree gave its final crack and began to fall, Nox accelerated. Dirt sprayed from his heels. The shadow of the trunk grew longer and darker.
Just before it hit, Nox dropped to the ground and slid on his side. His arm clutched tight around the spear, with his body coiling to avoid rocks and roots.
The massive tree slammed down just behind him with an earth-rattling BOOM, bark shattering like glass.
He skidded out from the other side, lungs burning, heart hammering in his ears. But he was still alive.
When Nox turned around to face the bear, what he saw shook his mind. He wasn't able to calculate this beforehand. The moment the tree fell, the bear watched where he was going to avoid it and launched itself towards him.
(Analyzing—unexpected predictive behavior. Bear anticipated optimal escape route. Current threat level: critical. Reaction window: 0.6 seconds.)
Nox's pupils contracted, the time stretching thin in his mind as adrenaline surged. The massive bear was mid-air. Its grotesque, bark-like hide twisting through motion, claws extended like spears, mouth wide in a silent roar.
Its entire body was a weapon, and it was aimed directly at him. There was no time to run. No room to counter. Without any other actions left, Nox chose to redirect.
His hands snapped the spear horizontal as he dropped to one knee, jamming the blunt end into the ground and angling the tip skyward. He made a makeshift pike that slanted to the left, not to kill, but to turn.
(Trajectory adjustment—0.2 meters leftward. Predicted result—grazing impact, minor dislocation risk.)
The bear struck the angled spear. Its body jolted, the point pierced its shoulder plating and deflected its path just enough to miss a full collision.
Still, the almost direct impact produced a massive wind explosion. Sending him sprawling across the forest floor.
Leaves and dirt burst up around him as he rolled and slid, gritting his teeth through the sudden sting in his ribs.
But he was still breathing with his consciousness intact.
(Assessment—left rib bruised, possibly cracked. Mobility—diminished. Spear—retrievable. Engagement—ongoing.)
The damage towards the bear this time was not minimal. The impact of its full weight that was accelerated by gravity while it fell directly onto the spear caused massive damage to its shoulder.
With the tip of the spear deeply imbedded within its flesh, it stood up on all fours. The mutated bear's eyes fumed in anger. It endured the pain and pounced again without mercy.
(Analyzing—weapon status: spear destroyed. Injury assessment: fractured ribs, slowed movement. Enemy status: impaired front-left shoulder, aggressive. Remaining tactical asset: concealed spike pit trap with overhead log trigger. Objective: Lure target.)
Nox's hands flexed, still stinging from the shock of impact. His breath was uneven, his chest tightening around the cracked rib. The bear's low growl thundered again, and Nox's mind processed faster than his breath.
(Location of trap: 14 meters northeast. Estimated time to arrival: 6 seconds at current mobility. Tripwire status: intact. Log angle: sufficient to generate fatal force if triggered at precise moment... Plan initiated.)
He didn't turn and run since that would signal fear. Instead, Nox backed away slowly, keeping eye contact.
The bear followed with a primal intelligence behind its burning gaze, watching, interpreting. It sniffed the air, recognizing blood.
Nox walked back slowly, then made an intentional stumble that made his body unstable.
The bear saw his body limping as it smelled blood. It lunged, drawn by the perceived weakness. Fully committed to ending its prey.
Nox saw this as he turned and bolted, his boots kicking up dirt as he zigzagged through the trees, weaving wide arcs to stay ahead just long enough. His side screamed in protest.
(8 meters... 6... 4...)
There, he saw the tripwire's near-invisible tension line. Nox dove at an angle, rolling beneath a slanted root and narrowly dodging the tripwire. He crashed into the dirt behind the trap, his breath short but focused, his eyes locked on the line.
The bear thundered forward, its eyes wild with bloodlust. But then... It crossed the tripwire.
Snap—!
The overhead log released, groaning as the tension in the ropes gave way. The massive timber swung down from its perch with destructive velocity.
The bear recognized the sound too late. It looked up just as the log smashed into its skull with a thunderous crack.
The impact jerked its entire body backward, lifting it briefly off its front limbs. Dazed and staggered... Its foot slipped.
The bear fell into the pit; its weight crashed through the weak covering below. A violent crunch followed as wooden spikes, sharpened and hardened by flame, punctured upward into its
mutated flesh.
Nox pushed himself up, staring as the monster thrashed, impaled and snarling in pain. Its roars were weaker now, laced with blood and exhaustion.
(Analysis—enemy critically wounded. Spike penetration: vital. Log damage: concussion likely. Risk level: dropping.)
He didn't smile.
He didn't move.
He just watched until the bear's struggling slowed... till it stopped.
(Conclusion: Victory—narrow. Threat—neutralized. Observed survival: 57% margin. Adjustment advised for future combat scenarios.)
Nox exhaled, finally. His knees buckled slightly under him.
But he was still standing.
...