CHAPTER 62: CH 62: TAKING ACTION- PART 3

Kana stumbled back as the beast lunged, claws slicing through the air just inches from her face.

The force of its swipe shattered stone and sent dust flying, but she narrowly ducked under it and darted behind a toppled pillar. Her breath came in harsh gasps as she tried to calm the tremble in her hands.

The beast growled again, sniffing the air, and Kana winced as she realized it was tracking her with terrifying precision.

[Warning: Taunt skill is at max level. Host presence is considered extremely agitating to enemies.]

Kana froze.

’Taunt skill?!’

"...That’s a scam! I didn’t even know I had that!"

She hissed under her breath.

The beast pounced at her hiding spot, and Kana rolled out of the way just in time.

The pillar shattered behind her, stone splinters slicing into her arm, but she didn’t stop to check the wound.

Her focus was entirely on evading—dashing to the next bit of cover, weaving through the scattered debris of the temple grounds.

Her stamina held.

Her legs ached, her lungs burned, but somehow, she was still moving.

It wasn’t enough.

She could dodge, yes, but the creature wasn’t slowing down. And sooner or later, one hit would be all it needed.

Kana ducked behind a cracked archway and pressed her hand to her chest, panting.

"Okay. I need... I need something."

[Max-level skill: Auto-Battle detected. Would you like to activate?]

Her eyes widened.

"Yes! Do it!"

The shift was instant.

Her awareness dimmed, like being pushed gently to the backseat of her own body.

Her limbs moved with a strength and precision she didn’t recognize—grabbing the charging beast by the forelimbs, pivoting, and slamming it down onto the broken stone with a single devastating motion.

The beast thrashed wildly beneath her, snarling, snapping, twisting to break free. But her grip was unrelenting.

The muscles in her arms locked like steel, her stance solid. It couldn’t shake her.

And slowly, its struggles weakened.

Kana could feel the creature’s pain now.

Not just its physical injuries, but the confusion and suffering rolling off it in waves. It wasn’t evil. It wasn’t trying to kill her. It was lost. Twisted. Made this way.

Then, voices.

Footsteps approached—four, maybe five figures, moving through the smoke. Kana’s body tensed, and she prepared herself to fight again.

Her hold on the beast didn’t loosen, but her head turned toward the approaching sound.

Temple robes.

They were wearing temple robes.

Relief hit her first.

But then—

"Did the mad animal do its job? Is the intruder dead yet?"

"High Priestess Jenna was too soft... should’ve dealt with that girl from the start."

Kana’s heart stopped.

They weren’t here to help.

She froze, breath caught in her throat. Her instincts screamed at her to stay silent.

Carefully, she shifted behind a large chunk of debris, dragging the weakened beast with her as quietly as she could.

The weight wasn’t easy, but her system-enhanced strength allowed her to manage.

"I don’t see the body. We should confirm."

Another voice muttered.

"Check the rubble. The beast couldn’t have gone far."

Kana gritted her teeth.

They were hunting her. The people she almost called out to.

The creature beneath her whimpered softly, its eyes still dull with madness, its body twitching from whatever had been done to it. Kana tightened her hold.

This wasn’t right.

None of this was right.

’What did they do to you...?’

[Condition met: Target recognized as afflicted, not hostile.]

[New skill unlocked: Purification.]

[Would you like to use Purification on the target?]

Kana blinked.

"I can... I can save it?"

The creature whimpered again, weaker now. The temple members’ voices were getting closer.

She made her decision.

"Use Purification."

Kana whispered.

A soft hum rose from her palms. Then a brilliant, warm light burst outward, surrounding both her and the beast in a radiant glow.

It pushed back the smoke and shadows, creating a small pocket of pure, calm air. The creature stopped twitching. Its breathing slowed.

The rage in its eyes faded. And slowly, it blinked, looking up at Kana with something like recognition.

But the light had drawn attention.

"There! She’s alive!"

Someone shouted.

Kana looked up in time to see the temple-robed figures charging toward her. No more pretending. No more waiting.

They had their orders, and she was their target.

The beast beside her gave a low growl—not of anger this time, but warning. As if it now understood that they were both in danger.

Kana got to her feet, heart pounding.

"Can you move?"

The beast rose too. Its limbs were shaky, but it nodded once. A silent agreement passed between them.

Kana looked ahead at the approaching enemies.

They weren’t going to stop.

She had no choice but to fight back.

Kana backed away as the guards emerged from the smoke, their expressions cold, deliberate, and without mercy.

The crimson-embroidered temple robes they wore billowed slightly with every step, but it was the look in their eyes that made Kana’s stomach turn.

They weren’t here on a mission of duty—they were executioners.

One of them, a tall man with a hooked scar running down his cheek, gave her a pitying smile.

"A shame. You seem like a decent girl. But you chose the wrong side the moment you aligned yourself with High Priestess Jenna."

He said.

Kana opened her mouth, but no words came. Her throat was tight, her breath uneven. They had planned this. All of it.

"You should’ve stayed quiet."

Another muttered, drawing his weapon.

"Jenna’s faction is finished. And now, so are you."

Said the third.

They lunged at her in unison—but something massive shot forward, a blur of fur and muscle crashing between her and the blades. The beast.

The creature she had saved stood protectively before her now, eyes locked on the enemies, teeth bared.

It let out a guttural snarl and launched itself at the nearest guard. The man barely had time to react before the beast slammed into him, sending him flying into a stone wall with a sickening thud.

"Damn it—! Hold it back!"

One of the other guards cursed.

But the beast was fast—far faster than they expected. Its movements were a blur, every strike precise, every motion desperate and furious.

Kana could only watch, her body frozen. The chaos around her blurred, the violence too raw, too sudden.

Blood sprayed across the stones.

Screams echoed through the smoky air.

Her vision swam. Her limbs shook uncontrollably.

She hadn’t asked it to protect her. She hadn’t wanted this. She had just wanted to help.

And now—

"Kana."

The voice was soft. Cool. Almost distant.

Before she could look up, a hand touched her eyes—cool as water, firm but gentle, shielding her from the carnage. Her body instantly relaxed, trembling easing just slightly.

"Forget what you saw. You don’t need to carry this."

The voice whispered.

The scent of flowers lingered on the air. The screaming was still there, but it felt farther now, muffled by the sudden calm wrapping around her like a blanket.

"Rest."

Kana tried to ask who it was—but her lips wouldn’t move.

The world dimmed behind the hand over her eyes. For the first time, Kana did not want to think anything else but to rest.