She took the staff infront of her, the stick illuminates as information floods her mind. The cat-like creature, unconscious behind her, turned her into a being that can fight the creatures infront of her.
The Outsider is losing his consciousness.
Her fatigue from constantly running earlier was gone. She aimed her staff infront of the flood, her body knows what to do. [Mana] flows through her veins and into the staff she was holding.
His body torn apart limb from limb.
The staff glows bright, the girl that was only supposed to be a candidate for the card fully became it's user.
But he still persists, letting out a silent scream even if his mind turns to mush.
"[Love Missiles]!"
Alas, another card has found it's candidate.
.
.
.
(Juwan's POV)
"UAAAAAGHH"
I screamed as I woke myself up to a sitting position. My eyes wobbly as tears and sweat drip down my face.
I'm in my bed.
I look around to see that I was in my room. I checked my body as if to see if there's any injuries.
There were none.
Then... that must've been a dream. A very bad dream.
"Get your shit together Juwan." I told myself as I cover my face. I feel tired, I feel like shit.
I stood up to atleast wash my face only for me to fall face first on the floor.
I can't move.
My spine feels like it's being hammered down to dust as my nerves are going haywire, as if it's being flooded with boiling oil.
"Ack--!"
I can only grunt in pain as every move I make hurts like hell.
Suddenly the pain is gone, as if it didn't even occur. I stood up, my eyes wandering to my hand as I use my kitchen counter as support.
The pain made me realize that what happened was real.
I died.
So how am I alive right now? What am I supposed to do now? Should I just be thankful that I'm alive? To pretend that it was all just a dream?
I don't know what to do. I feel like shit.
I sat down for a bit to calm myself down, closing my eyes to not let myself drown with all these thoughts. As I take a deep breath, I noticed something at the corner of my eye.
It was my boxing gloves and shin guards that I haven't used for a month.
It's been exactly a month as well since this world merged with mine. At times that I feel stressed like this, I'd usually just go to the gym... but I don't know if it exists here.
Seeing them again made me realize that there are things that stayed the same even after this world merged with mine.
...
"Should I check?" I asked myself as I finally start to calm down.
I stood up, took a shower and got dressed. If the old gym I used to go to is still here then hooray... If not then it's not bad to try a new one. After all, I can't let myself just sulk around.
I left my apartment and went to the train station.
.
It's gone.
The spot where the gym was supposed to be is replaced by a cozy looking cafe. Well, that's a bummer.
"Haa..." I sighed as I contemplate on what I should do now.
I did say to myself that I'd just find a new gym to go to. Oh well, I sighed as I pull out my phone to check the time.
I looked back again at the cafe where the gym that was once here. There was a mini board just near the entrance, a delicious looking milktea is in promo.
There's nothing wrong if I drink milktea first before going right..? Yep let's buy one.
I reached for the handle.
But the moment I put my door on the handle, I felt something wrong.
I felt my whole body shiver.
My instincts are telling me that there's something a few meters from me, my body is stopping me from looking at whatever it is, but my mind knows that I should even if my fear is stopping me.
I turn my head to the direction of where I felt fear. A diamond shaped swirl, it's glowing red as I feel nauseous just by looking at it.
I looked inside the cafe and saw that everyone is frozen in place, as if time had stopped for them.
The swirl faintly buzz as the air turns suffocating.
Suddenly...
Thud.
Something came out of the the red swirl.
A creature with a bulky build and shields for arms.
I'm certain that those are shields because I've encountered them countless of times in a certain game.
But the thing is, it's the boss of Act I.
So why is it here?
Suddenly, an explosion happened a few blocks away from where I was. I looked at where the explosion came from.
The smoke was pink.
The signature color of Lovely Aerin. Once again, I was reminded of my place in this world.
That's right, this isn't my story. At this point I'll just be a victim, a tragedy and a lesson for Lovely Aerin's growth.
"Ha... haha..."
Who would've thought that the one time that I decided to unwind, this happens. I can't help but laugh.
More creatures start crawling outside the swirl. Should I hide? Nah, that would be meaningless... What happened the night that I died was pure luck.
I got out of that nightmare because I was lucky and now this world is trying to make things right.
The creatures in front of me screeches, they sound like laughter, as if laughing at my situation.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" I laughed along with them.
It's as if this world just gave me a taste of how it would feel to live here for a month, and now the trial's over. It's time for an outsider like me to leave, is that it?
I saw one of the creatures with blade for arms lunges at me, it's blade directed at my neck.
I slipped under it and threw a counter punch. It's face feels like metal but I still pushed through, even if it breaks my knuckles.
Seriously. Fuck this world.
"AHAHAHAHA! If I'm gonna die, might as well go out with a bang, right?!" I said as I raise my fists, logic and rationality be damned.
Two of the those with blade for arms charged at me, as if wild animals swinging their arms as the big one with shields started to slowly march towards me.
I avoided their arms and started running away, making them chase me.
"Come and get me you fuck faces!" I said as I see them run and crawl at the walls of the buildings.
They jumped towards me as I slipped under one of them, grabbing them by their bladed foot, letting myself get cut and slamming them to the ground.
But they took no damage at all.
So what?
The only thing I care about right now is fucking up this scenario, even if just a little, so that this world's plot gets derailed!
Suddenly, the other one came down, ready to stab me with it's arms, only for me to avoid it as it stabs it's own kind that was underneath me earlier.
It cried out in agony, lashing out to the other bladed creature, accidentally cutting one of it's arms out.
I kicked the one who accidentally stabbed the other one, leaving it with only one arm as the other one slowly bleeds out and turned to dust.
I eliminated one of them.
But there's a dozen more of them, not to mention that big guy over there, the one that's slowly marching towards me.
But I'm in too deep in this situation.
And my instincts are telling me to fight anyways.
I walked towards the severed blade arm on the ground. The creature with one arm rushed towards me.
I kicked it directly in it's left side since it had no arm to defend it with as they collapsed on the ground. I felt my shin cracked with just how tough it's skin is.
I took the severed arm and swung it downwards the creature before it stood up, decapitating it as it turn to dust.
Surprisingly, it's severed arm didn't disappear.
Suddenly, I felt my side get stabbed.
I didn't notice the others closing in. I got stabbed again by another one as I felt blood going up my throat.
"Blegh--!" I vomitted blood.
One of them aimed at my head but I slipped out of it as I used the blade that I now currently have to sever the arms that stabbed me.
They screeched in pain as they stagger back from losing their arms while I look like a human pin cushion.
It's hard to breathe, every inhale is painful and every exhale is agonizing.
My body feels heavy, my right shin broken, my knuckles on the verge of breaking.
So what?
"Come at me you bastards!" I shouted as as loud as I can.
They lunged at me. I can't move my legs properly due to the weight of the blades that are currently stabbed at me.
One, Three, Seven, Ten.
Ten of them rushed at me as I raised the severed arm blade that I was holding, swinging it wildly as I felt my body get stabbed again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
I feel like strength leaving my body, everything is painful.
But I still feel pain. I'm still alive.
So I'll keep swinging.
I kept swinging my arms, sometimes feeling resistance, sometimes not hitting anything. I kept swinging,
They screeched so I shouted back. I don't know how long I've been swinging.
I kept swinging and until I saw none of them left.
All of them turned to dust, including the severed arm that I was swinging. Including the blades that were stuck in me as I start to bleed out like a faucet.
I feel like I'll collapse. But I can't yet, there's one more in front of me.
"It's your... turn... big guy." I said as I struggle standing up.
It marched slowly.
Each step makes the ground tremble.
It stopped in front of me, lightly swatting me like a fly, as I get flung like a toy on the ground before it continues it's march.
It hurts. It's as if I got hit by a bus. I'm bleeding out as well, my eyes can't even focus properly.
Is this it?
Well, I had a good run. Hell, it was a great run. I can't believe I got to defeat so many enemies, I was only expecting atleast taking down one or two.
.
.
No.
Don't lie to yourself Juwan, you know you don't want this to end like this. This isn't be enough for me. It's not enough at all!
A great run?! I don't want it to end with just a great run you bastard!
I pushed myself up.
My eyes aren't focused at all, my arm is broken from getting hit by that big fucker. I feel cold from losing so much blood, but I won't let myself die like this!
As I was standing up, I saw my blood flowing upwards. Suddenly, the one with the shield arms turned around and looked at me.
The blood started to flow to each other, making a blob of it that's floating in mid air before taking a form.
A black card.
I noticed that the big bastard was marching as fast as it can towards me, as if it doesn't want me to touch this card.
"Hehe, is this what they call plot armor?" I asked myself as I weakly grasp onto the card.
"Gosh I love it." I said as the card basically disintegrate and enveloved my whole body.
Unlike Lovely Aerin's vibrant pink light that illuminates everything as she transforms into a magical girl, mine was pitch black that lets out multiple screeches.
All the pain and injuries I had started to fade, and my dizziness lessens. Suddenly, information floods my brain.
So this is what it feels like, it's not as painful compared to how they described it in the game.
"[Evade] and [Bind] huh." I uttered as I see the skills I got.
At this point I don't even know if it's this world or my luck that hinders me. Well, it's fine.
I got what I need anyways.
The giant rushed at me as I look at it directly in it's eyes.
It marches forward as fast as it can, the ground trembles with each of it's step.
It swung it's heavy shields for arms towards me as I step to the side as it whiffs completely.
I planted my foot on the ground, twisting my foot and hip as my shoulder and arm follow through, making my fist act like the end of a whip as I strike it's elbow with all my might.
This time, I didn't break my knuckles. The hit landed properly, it's arm broke, and it staggered backward as it lets out a roar out of agony.
[Vulnerable.] The passive skill that anyone with a card gets, making it possible for those who have it to hurt these creatures.
"Man, that was satisfying." I said as I walk towards the monster who's grasping it's broken arm.
It swung it's other arm as I easily slipped under it, planting my lead foot before pivoting my hips to throw a leg kick as it cries out in pain.
It swung it's arms downwards so I throw a leg kick.
It tried to swipe me away like an insect as I avoided it and countered with a leg kick.
It smashes the ground wildly as if throwing a tantrum so another leg kick.
Another leg kick.
And another leg kick.
I kept throwing leg kicks at the same area until it's tough protection breaks, falling down to the ground and unable to get up due to how wide it is.
It stared at me. Breathing frantically, raising it's arms to lash out but it can't. I stomped on it's arm, preventing it from even trying.
It's eyes are focused on me, it's breathing even more unstable as it grunts heavily, sweating profusely as it tries to raise it's arms.
"Oh? So you guys can get scared? Damn, I didn't know that." I said as I stare at it.
"[Bind.]" I casted as a rope made out of black energy came out of my hand, wrapping it's face with it.
I sat on it's chest, making it harder for it to breathe.
"Then... are you scared of me?"
I felt myself grin as it starts to struggle even more.
"How does it feel when you're about to die? Shitty right?" I said as I chuckle.
It looked at me, it's eyes terrified. I just smiled, pulling the rope wrapped around it's face as it gets tighter and tighter until it popped like a balloon.
I wiped off the blood on my face as the rope on my hand disappeared out of thin air.
Welp, time to find loots!
.
.
Man, there's no loot at all, the only thing that the creature dropped was a mask.
I stood up and started walking away from the corpse that's slowly turning to dust.
"W-Who are you!?"
Suddenly, I heard a trembling voice behind me. I looked at the mask I'm currently holding...God, it feels like this shit is planned.
"Haa..." I let out a deep sigh.
I put on the mask that was dropped by the creature before turning around as I see a girl in a pink dress, holding a staff with a heart on the tip tightly.
The magical girl, Lovely Aerin.