The crocodile closed his eyes as I saw me jumping towards him.
For a brief second, everything slowed.
The air felt thick, heavy, almost still, like the world itself was holding its breath.
His lips curled slightly, not in worry, not in panic, but in quiet confidence.
He didn't even bother to move.
He didn't feel the need to.
"Hehe, this Kobold, there is no way his punch hit me."
His voice was calm, lazy even, filled with certainty.
To him, this moment was already decided.
He had already seen the ending in his mind, already imagined me falling short, already imagined laughing after.
But his idea soon vanished.
The instant my punch landed on his body, the sound was dull and deep, like something heavy crashing into wet stone.
Blood oozed from the place where my fist struck, slow at first, then faster, dark and warm, spilling down his rough scales.
The area around the impact became battered, twisted inward, broken in a way his body was never meant to bend.
