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Kai resolved, "Time to try out 'Reflex Mode'. But I will have to keep an eye on my aura."
With that, Kai activated Reflex Mode. A surge of power coursed through him, and his movements became supernaturally fast—a blur of determination and calculated risk. The system displayed the aura cost immediately, a reminder of the price paid for such a skill.
The monstrous shape of the zombie ant moved on. Its absurdly bobbing fungus head looked comical while it growled low and gutturally. Kai's new speed allowed him to veer aside at a lightning-fast pace, barely dodging the initial lunge by the creature.
Kai shouted in defiance, "Not today, the stinking mound of decay! You, piece of rotten meat!"
His mind spun with strategic decisions. Each talent he had was a double-edged sword: vital to survival but depleting his shrinking aura reserves. He hesitated for only an instant before deciding to press on. The enemy's hunger was real, and every action was fueled by a voracious appetite to consume.
Kai murmured quietly, almost to himself, "I'm not just fresh meat. I'm a fighter, even if I'm not yet worthy of a star."
The zombie ant advanced again, its movements jerky and uncoordinated but undeniably menacing. Kai's antennae picked up the telltale vibrations of its approach, and he readied himself to counter with a measured activation of Tiny Tank. The system registered the skill's cost as his aura dipped further.
In the dim, echoing corridor, the standoff reached its climax. Kai's mind was a whirlwind of calculation and raw emotion—fear, defiance, and a desperate will to survive. Every breath, every twitch of his antennae was a silent promise to himself that he would not fall prey to this abomination.
Kai with grim determination said, "If being alive means facing monsters like you, then I'll fight every step of the way."
And then, as if on cue, the zombie ant let out a guttural scream and charged. Its fungal head bobbed wildly, and its decaying arms jerked along in an unearthly, compelled gait. Time stood still as the monster bore down on him—a killing wave of death that would consume everything in its path.
Kai braced all skill and every piece of his laboriously acquired resilience fixed on the impact to come. The retribution of his internal warnings to him, his strict calculations, and his sarcastic derision united in one instant, in one momentous juncture, in one sole, eternal phrase.
Kai yelled defiantly, "Not today, rotgut!"
Kai's heart pounded like a relentless war drum as the echo of the zombie ant's charge reverberated through the narrow tunnel. In the dim, flickering light, every detail of the creature was etched in nightmarish clarity. The zombie ant loomed before him—its decayed exoskeleton marred by clusters of writhing mushrooms, its eyes glowing with an unholy hunger.
Gathering his courage, Kai's voice rang out, strained and defiant.
Kai says, "System, show me its stats now! Why in hell is this zombie so strong?"
The system's cold interface flickered into focus with a terse update:
[Ding! System notifications:
> Enemy Stats – Zombie Ant:
Speed: 15
Stamina: 15
Strength: 15
Aura: 300
HP: 300]
Kai's mandibles clicked in disbelief as he took in the numbers.
Kai muttered in a low voice, "These numbers… all stats are higher than me. This is no ordinary foe. I'm in for a hell of a fight. "
Kai suppressed the fear of his new form and prepared himself for the fight of survival. His entire body ached to run, but he was trapped in the sombre reality of the impending battle. The zombie ant moved resolutely, its every move thundering the earth. There existed only this fight and the hellish burden of looming loss at that instant.
"Come on then," Kai whispered harshly to himself, voice trembling with a mix of fear and defiance. "Let's see what you've got."
The zombie ant's next assault was a cruel, unanticipated kick—a hammer sweep driven by a burst of poisoned aura. Pure power from the blow sent Kai flying back into the unyielding, hard wall of the tunnel. Pain exploded inside his tiny frame as he stumbled backwards, the world clouding at each blow. The creature's arms swung back and forth in a disgusting precision; each whiplash and stab a consideration of pure, dead strength.
Kai was unable to recover his footing, straining upwards on trembling legs. All of his home-world senses were telling him he was already outnumbered. He attempted to flip on his Antenna Sensory Boost so he would be able to foresee the enemy's next move, but the shock and the pain left him too stunned. The zombie ant attack was too rapid—a flurry of punches, each punch a ringing of a death knell. His battered body could hardly muster the energy to defend or dodge the savage blows.
Not. not like this." Kai groaned, his head reeling. All of his fibres screamed in pain as the persistent enemy closed in on him. Rot and mould scents mingled with the acrid taste of his own fear. The movement of the beast, energized by its otherworldly strength, drained the tunnel of life. All of these blows were a blow to his pride, a blow to his body that pushed him closer to breaking.
In the midst of the vicious battle, Kai was on the back foot. His reflexes, which had been conditioned by previous tests, were now turning against him. The zombie ant's vicious attack drained him—his limbs heavy, his exoskeleton already battered by deep cuts and impressions. The enemy's power was too great. Kai tried to retreat, stumbling backwards over the rocky terrain, but his stumpy legs buckled under the attack.
"Shit…"
He growled with mandibles clamped tightly, blood—if one cared to consider it in that manner—blending with the dust adhering to his chitin. The hallway, previously a motionless observer of his initial plight, was now resounding with the sound of his laboured breathing and the heavy strides of the zombie ant.
The enemy's next move was even more devastating. It gathered a surge of its rotten aura, channelling it into a powerful, focused strike aimed directly at Kai's midsection. With a sickening crunch, the blow connected, and Kai's world narrowed to a pinprick of searing pain. His vision darkened at the edges; his strength was ebbing away under the crushing force of the zombie ant's attack.