Adam gasped, leaning heavily against a moss-covered boulder, his legs threatening to buckle. The Gloomfang, despite its size, was surprisingly agile, its obsidian fur rippling as it circled, its red eyes blazing with predatory intent. The air crackled with raw mana, making Adam's head throb, blurring his vision at the edges.
"Lyra," he wheezed, "I can't... I can't run anymore."
There was a microsecond of silence in his mind, a flurry of computational activity as Lyra processed his physical state and the millions of known and theoretical combat scenarios in her database. Then, her voice, though still calm, held a new, urgent intensity.
"Adam, listen carefully. Extended evasion is no longer viable. We must engage. The Gloomfang, despite its formidable nature, possesses critical vulnerabilities. Its glowing red eyes are not just for vision; they are highly sensitive mana receptors, a weak point. Its breathing apparatus, located just below its maw, is also surprisingly delicate for a creature of its bulk."
Adam's blood ran cold. Engage? He had nothing. No weapon. No skill. Just his own rapidly failing body.
"What... what do I do?" he stammered, staring at the approaching monster.
"We will execute a series of targeted strikes," Lyra dictated, her instructions rapid-fire, concise, and utterly without emotion. "First, the eyes. You need to blind it. The surrounding environment offers crude projectiles. Focus on the Mana-Infused Stones around your feet. They are dense and, if thrown with sufficient force, can inflict significant blunt trauma."
Adam glanced down. Small, dark stones, infused with a faint, iridescent glow, lay scattered on the forest floor. They looked heavy.
"The Gloomfang is closing," Lyra pressed. "Its next lunge will be a direct charge. As it commits, you will sidestep sharply to its right. This will expose its left flank and bring its eye within striking distance. Immediately after evading, grab the largest Mana-Infused Stone you can lift with your dominant hand and propel it with maximum force directly at its left eye. Do not hesitate."
Adam swallowed, his mouth dry. This was insane. But the alternative was certain death. He fixed his gaze on the Gloomfang, forcing himself to breathe, trying to still the frantic pounding of his heart. The beast lowered its head, a low, menacing growl vibrating in its chest.
"Now, Adam!" Lyra commanded.
The Gloomfang surged forward. Adam, summoning a last, desperate burst of strength, twisted to his right, feeling the rush of air as the monster's massive body thundered past. He saw it – the glowing red eye, a perfect, horrifying target. His hand instinctively closed around a jagged, heavy stone. With every ounce of his remaining strength, he swung his arm like a whip, launching the stone.
It flew true. There was a sickening thud and a sharp, guttural shriek of agony from the Gloomfang as the stone slammed into its left eye. The glowing red light flickered, then dimmed, replaced by a dark, oozing mess. The beast stumbled, roaring, its movements becoming erratic.
"Success!" Lyra's voice was a rare note of triumph. "Now for the respiratory system. The Gloomfang is disoriented. It will thrash. Your opportunity is when it bellows. Its throat will expand, exposing the vulnerable tracheal area. Find a second Mana-Infused Stone, or if none are immediately available, a sharpened Obsidian Shard from a fallen rock formation. There is one approximately two meters behind you."
Adam, adrenaline coursing through his veins now that the initial shock had passed, spun around. He spotted it – a jagged, obsidian shard, sharp as a knife, protruding from a mossy rock. He tore it free, his fingers scraping.
The Gloomfang was indeed bellowing, a monstrous, pain-filled sound that shook the very trees. Its head was thrown back, its powerful neck stretched, exposing the vulnerable patch of skin just below its chin.
"Aim for the center, Adam!" Lyra urged, her voice a precise whisper in his mind. "A direct strike will collapse its airway. Finish this!"
Adam staggered forward, ignoring the burning in his muscles, the ringing in his ears. He focused on the exposed throat, on Lyra's unwavering command. With a desperate, primal yell, he plunged the obsidian shard forward.