30—1st Step: Trust

Turning around, I saw that, as I'd feared, the tree protecting Nika had finally fallen, her squishy body now exposed to the beast's attacks. She was shaking like a leaf, too scared to move.

Even worse, it seemed the sound of our fight had attracted an uninvited guest. It was a greyhound, an high E Rank monster, that was stalking her, measuring her up, from the shrubbery behind Nika, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and end her in one move, or wait for the chameleon to do so, then be able to drag her away from our clash.

Careful planning wouldn't do me any good at this point.

I let my instincts take over.

"Hey, you beady-eyed, invisible fucker! Come at me! You hit me, and I'm still as good as new! Can't you even do your job properly, you sneaky bitch!?"

No sound came from it, but I saw it shift by the droplets of water that still clung to its body, almost defying physics.

I could only hope to have taken its attention. I rushed at it with all I had, my body moving on its own despite my mind knowing how suicidal the act was. I had no time. I looked to my right. The greyhound had its legs coiled, ready to leap at any moment.

I shook my head, and focused on the threat before me. I could half-reliably protect myself with my sword, though I might not react fast enough if the chameleon aimed for my head or legs, but if it opened up the end of its tongue and used it to take my sword from my grip again instead, I wouldn't have enough time to move out of the way–

'Wait. Can't I just cut it, then?'

I had an outrageous thought.

'No, no, it's impossible... right?'

I had no more time to deliberate.

As my building momentum carried me within about fifteen meters—fifty feet—of the creature, I saw a small, pink gap open in the air. The inside of the thing's mouth. Its attack was coming.

I readied my sword, gripping it with both hands and raising it high above my head, my superhuman muscles straining.

The tongue was fired.

Time slowed down to a crawl. Every fiber of my body screamed at me to run, to dodge, to put my sword in front of me to block the blow.

But I didn't. I would not run away anymore. I would not allow what happened earlier to repeat itself. It would achieve nothing but another stalemate, delaying the creature's demise and putting Nika in danger of being jumped by the greyhound. I held in my hands not a shield, but a sword.

A weapon meant to cut.

However, I faltered.

'Can I really cut that? A spike made of something so strong it dented even compressed orichalcum without getting damaged? Which cut through a century-old tree, thrust by thrust?'

I shook my head.

'Yes I can. Even water can cut through metal with enough pressure. And I sharpen my sword every day, I care for it as if it were my own body. I know it inside out.'

I took a deep breath,

'I trust my sword.'

and leaped forward.

As the fleshy spear promising my demise sprang towards me, ever closer, I brought my sword down, borrowing gravity's strength to supplement my own.

My blade met its tip.

Spear met sword.

CLANK!

The sword won.

The metal spike was cut in two, perhaps in part due to the fact that I hit one of the seams where it naturally split to form that flower-like sucker, but its momentum carried the tongue ever onward, causing it to continue impaling itself further and further on my blade.

It split into two, its unceasing momentum causing both sections to zip by each of my sides.

The tip of my blade hit the ground, its arc complete. But it kept cutting.

The chameleon in front of me finally made a sound then. It opened its maw wide and shrieked in pain, a high-pitched, glass-shattering cry that would leave a normal man's ears ringing.

I was no normal man.

Before the maw could close, I leaped forth once more and thrust my sword inside, as deep as I could. I felt it go through something. Maybe its heart.

Blood spurted out, follower by another shriek, but I had already covered my ears in advance.

The beast collapsed.

'It really wasn't that tough,' I thought, 'I could've beat it easily had I avoided its detection the first time or, failing that, its tail when it swing it at me.'

Then I shrugged.

'No time for useless ruminations,' I thought, as I retrieved my sword and immediately made a beeline towards Nika.

She had fallen on her butt, her whole body shaking, eyes wide, tears pouting out like rain. There was also a patch of wet earth around her, smelling slightly of urine.

I didn't mention that as I ran past her and nearly bisected the greyhound, capitalizing on the fact that it was still stunned by the chameleon's shrieks.

Turning back to face Nika, who was staring in fright at the dying greyhound that nearly took her life, I stepped forth, grabbing her hands and pulling her up. I wrapped my arms around her back, and she melted into my embrace, sobbing quietly on my shoulder.

I spotted Aina, slowly walking towards us, looking on in concern and... something else. Maybe even several somethings.

I freed up an arm, and beckoned her closer.

Soon, she was close enough for me to grab her by the waist and reel her into my embrace as well, my broad chest offering enough space for the two.

We stayed like that for a while, wordlessly feeling each others' warmth.