NOVEL WEB Chapter 20: Desperation
Xavier's lungs burned as he sprinted through the ruins of his personal dungeon's dystopian version of New York. The ravenous ghoul was relentless, its feral hisses and snarls echoing through the crumbling streets. Every second, it lunged at him, claws swiping through the air with vicious intent. He ducked, dodged, twisted his body to narrowly evade each strike, barely countering when he could.
The ghoul had no sense of combat finesse—no tactics, no structure to its movements. It simply lunged, clawed, bit, and pursued him at erratic, unpredictable speeds. Yet, despite its lack of skill, its sheer speed and power made up for it. Xavier realized the ghoul's greatest weakness: it lacked balance. Its sheer aggression often caused it to overextend, tripping over itself in its blind hunger.
As it lunged at him once again, Xavier took the chance. He caught its arm mid-swipe, his grip tightening like a vice. With a fierce yell, he twisted his body and hurled the ghoul over his shoulder, using its own momentum against it. The creature crashed into the wreckage of a broken-down car, its body crumpling the metal with an ear-splitting crunch.
Xavier wasted no time. He clenched his fists and leaped onto the ghoul before it could recover. With pure, unfiltered rage, he rained down blows onto its face. His fists connected with brutal force—one, two, three, over and over again. Blood splattered across his knuckles as he shattered its nose, caved in its cheekbones, and sent teeth flying in every direction. The ghoul's jagged fangs scraped against his knuckles, peeling his skin, but Xavier didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
"Just. Stay. Down!" he roared, his fists now slick with the ghoul's dark, viscous blood.
His breath was ragged, his arms numb, his vision blurry from adrenaline and exertion. Yet, just as he believed he had beaten it into submission, an iron grip seized his wrist.
Pain exploded through him as the ghoul's jaws clamped onto his forearm, its fangs sinking deep into his flesh. A sickening crunch followed as blood spurted from the wound, staining the pavement crimson. Xavier's scream tore through the night as he wrenched his arm free, stumbling backward, clutching his shredded wrist.
He gritted his teeth against the searing pain, his breath coming in quick, panicked gasps. The wound was bad, but not fatal—yet. With shaking hands, he tore a strip from his sweater and wrapped it tightly around his wrist, suppressing the bleeding as best he could.
His eyes snapped back to the ghoul. It was rising again.
Xavier's stomach twisted at the sight. The ghoul's face was barely recognizable—its skull partially caved in, its gums bleeding, its remaining teeth jagged and broken. And yet, it still lived. Its bloodshot eyes locked onto him, burning with unholy hunger. The monster let out a gurgling hiss, its rage palpable.
Then, the system chimed.
[WARNING! Ravenous Ghoul has entered an Enraged State. Attack Power increased by 5!]
Xavier's heart sank. "Are you kidding me?" he hissed through clenched teeth. He barely had enough strength to keep up before—now it was even stronger?
Before he could react, his world turned upside down. Something heavy struck his abdomen, sending him hurtling backward. His body crashed through a crumbling building wall, debris scattering in all directions. The impact knocked the wind out of him as he tumbled through the wreckage, coming to a painful halt in a pile of rubble.
A sharp, unbearable pain coursed through his body. His chest ached, his ribs screamed in protest, and his vision wavered. He spat out blood, his hands trembling as he tried to push himself up. His body refused to cooperate, shaking under its own weight.
Through the dust and debris, he saw it. The ghoul, emerging from the destruction like a nightmare given form. Its steps were heavier, more deliberate. It had tasted his blood. It wanted more.
Xavier groaned, clutching his side. His fingers came away wet and sticky with blood. His abdomen was torn open, his skin and muscle barely holding together. His injuries were bad—he couldn't afford another direct hit like that.
His mind raced. He needed a plan. Running was no longer an option. The ghoul was faster, stronger, and his stamina was running dry. His only chance was to end it, here and now.
Through sheer willpower, Xavier forced himself to stand. His legs wobbled, his breath ragged, but he clenched his fists. Pain flared through his injured arm, but he ignored it. He didn't have the luxury to care.
He locked eyes with the ghoul. The monster tilted its head, as if savoring his desperation. Then, with a guttural snarl, it charged.
Xavier narrowed his eyes. This time, he wouldn't just react—he would control the battle. He would win. He had to.
As the ghoul lunged, Xavier gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the final round.