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A corner of a street, sealed and blanketed by white snow.
Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, landing on Hiroshi's head and his black-and-white high-collared suit. He had just dealt with two Everwinter Shadewalkers, but his left shoulder had sustained a significant gash in the process. These monsters originated from the city of Belobog. Even for a top 'Preservation' Pathstrider like Gepard Landau, dealing with a horde of them required focus; for Hiroshi, an ordinary human, the feat was borderline miraculous.
He tore the hem of his clothes into strips and wrapped them around the wound, barely managing to treat the injury amidst a fit of wincing pain. "For a non-Pathstrider like me, my strength is still too low. If I had more power behind the 'Demon Blade Thousand Blades', I could have ended that instantly. My movements are restricted now... I have to be careful."
He picked up the key the monster had dropped, walked to the heavy iron gate, and inserted it. With a loud 'creak', the gate opened to reveal a maze of intersecting snowy streets.
"This... which way should I go?" Hiroshi muttered. "If I try them one by one, by the time I find Madam Herta, the opportunity will have passed."
"That battle just now was quite impressive, Mr. Hiroshi."
"Mr. Screwllum!" Hiroshi exclaimed in surprise.
"Correct. My sensory system is now fully connected with yours. I can analyze Herta's movement trajectory within your field of vision."
Hiroshi felt a surge of joy. "Inquiry, Mr. Hiroshi," Screwllum continued. "The injuries you have sustained have severely impacted your combat capabilities. Do you wish to continue?"
"Of course!" Hiroshi answered without a second thought. "You said I don't necessarily have to fight if I find Madam Herta. Besides... even if I die here, it's not a real death, right?"
After a moment of silence, Screwllum spoke. "Affirmative. Your courage is commendable. Please proceed to the street on your right."
Hiroshi stepped inside without hesitation. Watching him, a hint of admiration surfaced in Screwllum's mechanical eyes. Hiroshi's feelings for Herta were sincere, and his resilience was undeniable. No wonder Herta valued him so highly.
After turning a corner, Hiroshi arrived at a broader, deserted street corner. The surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the 'crunch' of his footsteps on the snow. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was safe.
"Caution, Mr. Hiroshi. A Sub-Stinging Insect is lying in ambush to your right."
"What!" Hiroshi immediately rolled to the left.
BOOM!
A pile of junk to his right exploded. A giant insect the size of a human emerged, the color of lava, covered in a hard shell with a pointed mouth and daggers for fangs. It slammed into the spot where Hiroshi had just been. The impact caused the ground to cave in, cracks spreading like a spiderweb.
If his reaction had been even half a second slower, he would be a pile of meat paste.
"My god, this insect is several times harder to deal with than those monsters from before," Hiroshi swallowed hard.
"Mr. Hiroshi, it appears combat is the only option," Screwllum sighed. "You cannot outrun a flying predator of this caliber."
Hiroshi's mind raced. Continuous teleportation would cause dizziness in this maze, and the insect's shell was likely too hard for a frontal assault. I have to get the blade inside its body.
He turned tail and ran. The Sub-Stinging Insect, sensing fresh meat, flapped its wings and gave chase. Screwllum shook his head. An incorrect reaction made out of survival instinct?
Just as Hiroshi ran past a corner, the insect smashed directly through the wall.
BANG!!!
"Argh!!!" Hiroshi was sent flying by the impact, his body slamming hard against a wall. He lay there, appearing to be on his last breath, his sword tossed aside.
"It seems... it can only end here," Screwllum sighed in disappointment.
The insect flew in front of him, lowering its guard. It opened its bloody maw, intending to chew Hiroshi like a snack. Right as its teeth were about to close, Hiroshi's eyes snapped open. A successful smirk curled on his lips.
"It worked!"
In the next instant, the Demon Blade Thousand Blades was summoned directly into his hand from the system space. The blade transformed into countless purple fragments and surged into the insect's wide-open mouth.
"Thousand Blades Break!"
The fragments flooded its interior, frantically shredding its organs. After an unwilling roar, the creature collapsed and turned into ash. Hiroshi had intentionally shown weakness to lure it into a vulnerable position.
Screwllum froze in place, stunned by the sheer tactical audacity of the boy. "Incredible..."
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