NOVEL WEB Chapter 16: Risk
Nyanko Sakura leaned against the dusty wall of the abandoned building, her heart still pounding from the chase. She took a moment to catch her breath, her red eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. The wolf's growls echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of the predator lurking outside. She knew she couldn't stay hidden forever.
"Time to fight," she whispered to herself, her voice filled with determination. She reached into her bag and pulled out the strange iron objects the Glock and the hunting rifle. Carefully, she counted the remaining bullets in both weapons. The Glock had five bullets left, and the hunting rifle had three.
"I have to make every shot count," she thought, her mind racing with plans. The wolf was a formidable opponent, and she needed to disable it quickly. Her best chance was to aim for its legs or head. "I can't waste any bullets," she reminded herself, her hands trembling slightly as she loaded the weapons.
Steeling herself, Sakura pushed open a small window and peered outside. The wolf was still there, prowling around the entrance of the alleyway, its eyes glowing with a malevolent hunger. It sniffed the air, searching for her scent. She knew she had to act fast.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered, her ears twitching with anxiety. She took a deep breath, steadied her aim, and squeezed the trigger of the Glock. The gunfire echoed through the air, and the wolf let out a furious howl as the bullet struck its leg.
But the beast was not easily deterred. It turned towards her, its eyes blazing with rage. Sakura fired again, this time aiming for its head. The bullet grazed its ear, causing it to roar in pain. She fired a third shot, hitting its shoulder. The wolf staggered, but it continued to advance, its determination unbroken.
Sakura's heart pounded in her chest as she switched to the hunting rifle. She had three bullets left. "Make them count," she told herself, her hands shaking. She aimed carefully, focusing on the wolf's head. She pulled the trigger, and the rifle's powerful blast echoed through the street.
The bullet hit its mark, piercing the wolf's skull. The beast let out a final, agonized howl before collapsing to the ground. Sakura watched it fall, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Relief washed over her, but it was short-lived.
In its final moments, the wolf had lashed out with its massive claws. Sakura tried to dodge, but she was not fast enough. The claws raked across her left arm, the impact breaking the bone with a sickening crunch. Pain shot through her body, and she cried out, her vision blurring.
She stumbled back, clutching her injured arm. "I have to keep moving," she thought, her mind a haze of pain and determination. The wolf lay dead before her, but she knew the danger was far from over. The sound of gunfire would attract attention both human and monster.
With her right hand, she reloaded the Glock, her fingers slick with sweat. She had two bullets left. "Just in case," she muttered, her voice strained with pain. She glanced around, her eyes searching for a safe place to rest and tend to her wound.
She spotted another building nearby, its door slightly ajar. "That'll do," she thought, gritting her teeth against the pain. She forced herself to move, her steps unsteady. Each movement sent waves of agony through her broken arm, but she couldn't afford to stop.
Sakura pushed open the door with her shoulder and stumbled inside. The room was dark and empty, offering a brief respite from the chaos outside. She leaned against the wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "I need to find something to splint my arm," she thought, her mind racing.
She tore a piece of fabric from her sweater and fashioned a crude sling for her injured arm. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. She needed to keep moving, to find a safer place to rest and heal. The world outside was still dangerous, and she couldn't let her guard down.
"Stay strong, Sakura," she told herself, her eyes narrowing with determination. "You survived this. You can survive anything." With a deep breath, she pushed herself to her feet, her resolve unbroken despite the pain.
As she stepped back into the street, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the ruins of the city. The wolf's body lay still, a testament to her will to survive. But she knew this was only the beginning. The world was filled with dangers, and she had to be ready for whatever came next.
"One step at a time," she thought, her mind focused on the path ahead. "I'll keep fighting. I'll survive." And with that, Nyanko Sakura continued her journey, her spirit unyielding in the face of the apocalypse.