Chapter 29


    It was a prickling across my skin, a shiver up my neck and down my arms. My frantic eyes were drawn to everyone else, moving unaware. I twisted, unable to locate what was wrong when I found Rose and Jack staring at me with wide eyes.


    No, <em>behind me</em>. Screams broke out.


    In a single moment, everything crystalized, and I whirled around. A nightmare loomed. A too-human grin on a creature that was anything but. Angr features as to highlight a <em>sharpness</em> in the air. Hands that stretched to long ws. ck skin that seemed to meld with the dark.


    Eyes that crinkled in malicious glee. It was leaning <em>out of my shadow</em>, emerging as if from some invisible pool. As if my shadow was liquid. And it was about to kill me.


    Its arm swung out and instinct carried me inside its range, daring to <em>approach</em>. <strong>[Solos Instinct] </strong>screamed.


    Theyre in our shadows! I yelled, hearing chaos.


    Parker, behind you! A distant shout. I-its a demon! A demon!


    Evahn! Jack yelled voice desperate, much closer. Rose


    To me! Someones shout pierced the area. The <strong>[Glow Pendant]</strong>! Rickson!


    My body moved before I could even process the danger. A part of me had already learned inaction lead to death. Muscle memory, cultivated through my clones, <em>demanded I move</em>.


    I bent out of the way faster than I had any right to. Quicker and nimbler than Id ever been. A thrusting w met the space I shouldve been and I twisted. A whirlwind of air whipped my hair back.


    It almost seemed surprised it had missed, features just human enough to disy the emotion. Its head cocked to the side to regard me in a way that was distinctly <em>not</em>. I had no time to be surprised.


    Evahn! And a plume of fire exploded across its shoulder, causing it to swing its head to Rose with a hiss of pain and me. It had teeth as long as my fingers, all glistening white. Get back! We need to get to Parker!


    Go! I yelled, making my way backward. I can stall it! My heart was racing and all my attention was on this otherworldly creature. This was on another level than the things we had fought thus far. It was


    It lunged forward with a devilish grin, horns curling up across its forehead. Its ws were reaching, looking to sh and rend. I rolled to the floor as the space I was in exploded in a spray of dirt. Its arm had blurred with speed.


    I scrambled to my feet and


    My eyes widened as I craned my neck upward, finding those nightmarish ws racing for my face. <strong>[Solos Instinct]</strong> saved me and somehow I <em>seized</em> its wrist with both hands, my own reaction surprising me, surprising <em>both</em> of us. I strained against it as another <strong>[Firebolt]</strong> struck it across the face, melting its skin, and eliciting an unholy roar.


    Run! Rose was yelling.


    But my senses were riding high and I felt more than saw the opportunity. Another aspect of <strong>[Solos Instinct]</strong> guiding my decisions. I wasted no time in its moment of weakness.


    I yanked it forward in its moment of agony and instantly unsheathed my knife, finally finding the time. Of crude goblin make, I was thankful it was at least sharp. My hand found the handle with ease, fingers more nimble than ever, and I was upon it pulling the knife across its throat before it could even react.


    I stood up, ck blood covering me. Pale green eyes behind a mask of blood. I couldn''t spare a moment to think. There was time to thinkter.


    I heard Gary in the distance, <em>somehow</em> calm despite it all, yelling outmands organizing the chaos. I heard voices, Parker, Rickson, everyone. I saw them harried, ambushed through means Id never thought to expect.


    <em>How how the hell? </em>Jack was staring at me, having been unable to do anything. <em>Heshes insane. </em>H-how? He asked.


    Jack, Rose, stay here. Away from the shadows! I yelled at them.


    Where are you going? Rose looked at me.


    The rest of the group was under attack and I rushed forward without pause. I was faster, my feet more sure upon the ground, a newfound strength in my limbs. I was the closest one to help the middle of the packthe original me, that was.


    Sixth didnt have to pause at the treeline to gauge the situation. He, like every iing clone, already knew what was happening. So it was with that surety that four clones dashed into the clearing, unassuming figures shrouded from notice by the dimness of the <strong>[Sleepywood]</strong>.


    No hesitation, not now.


    <strong>[Power Strike]</strong>! Parker roared and I saw the air ripple in that way even I couldnt manage. Instead of a punch, his kick sent the creature a few feet back, grasping its stomach with rage.


    Everyone stay back! His <strong>[Glow Pendant]</strong> seemed to weaken the thing with soft light, brightening the dim twilight. Behind me! Everyone careful!


    The thing was wary of Parker, hesitant. It wasnt the time to retreat but advance, to press the creature further off-bnce. That was how I saw it. But I operated without fear for my life.


    Sixth rammed into the creature with all the force of his weight, a decidedly regr feat of strength. It was enough to send the demonic thing a few feet back. Sheer momentum enough to substitute strength.


    Evahn! We cant fight that thing! Get back! The <strong>[Glow Pendant]</strong>... He trailed off, staring. Evahn?


    How is he doing that? Gary said wide-eyed.


    I ducked under its strikes, weaving between its sharp movements like flowing water. An incredible disy of precision and instinct. A confidence that was a necessity, born on the edge of death. Fueled by fear of pain and agony, but no consequence beyond it.


    Sixth took on the creature as only a madman could. Evasively, cautiously, but with absolute confidence. Aplete disregard for any repercussions a mistake might visit. It was almost as if he had eyes at the back of his head.


    Its a <strong>Skill</strong>! Stop staring, move! Something in Garys voice filtered away my fear, courage rising within me. All my clones moved easier.


    Seventh mmed into the creature, dragging it down. Its head <em>rotated</em> and bit down on my shoulder. The pain resonated, the tearing teeth and rent flesh. <em>Pain</em>. A sh of searing heat across every clone.


    But an agony no worse than anything Id already endured.


    What the hell? Someone whispered. Theres two of


    Dont just stand there! Help him! Rickson yelled, wide-eyed at seeing a <em>second</em> me.


    But theres


    <em>Help him!</em> Parker shouted, rushing forward. <em>Both</em> of them, damn it!


    Slowly, then with increasing speed and urgency, help came. My strength, despite my numbers, was not enough to overwhelm the thing. Instead, it was abination of various <strong>Skills</strong>, disys of power, and strength sheer stats and numbers couldnt exactly match, that left the creature dead upon the tinted blue grass, ck blood seeping through the soil.


    My original self helped a struggling man in the middle of the group. D-demon! He screamed, scrambling backward, waving a knife around. Help me! <em>Help me! </em>He pleaded as the creature approached, enjoying the frantic babbling of its prey.


    Eighth and Ninth each took to an arm, thetter receiving a gash across the chest, the former stabbed in the arm. It was just too fast for my clones to respond. They could react and process the movements, but at a certain point, its reach and maneuverability earned it my cloned blood.


    And yet, together, I <em>moved</em>.


    Three of me, moving in tandem. I could sense its intent, faintly, and moved from where it might strike. My hair whipped forward and backward with the force of its lethality. Angry, it dashed forward, but Eighth was there, ducking under its blows and sticking out his leg.


    It tripped and fell, rolling to the floor. And tried to get up


    Ninth stomped on its arm, shattering the bone at the elbow, then snapping what was left by pulling the arm where it shouldnt bend. It screamed, ck blood leaking. My other clone did the same, the force of gravity a wee friend. It reared its ugly head and I kicked it across the face, mming my foot down on its skull.


    Then I brought my fist down upon its back with all my strength, testing that influx of stats. My fist made contact, faster than the eye, and something within the devilish beast burst. It looked at me, eyes ring even in itsst moments, before going still.


    <strong>[Dungeon Notice]: For defeating three Nightmare Ifrits, your group is rewarded with two [Umon Chests].</strong>


    <strong>[Dungeon Notice]: Congrattions! As you are the first group to explore the [Sleepywood] the [Umon Chest] rewards have been upgraded to [Unusual Chests].</strong>


    I let out a breath.


    And found many people staring at me.