The rise of the unorthodox

"So, how are we going to stop this thing? We need to think fast!" Delight shouted as she darted around, trying to stay clear of the massive serpent.

I had to think—fast. Restraining it wasn't working, and I was running out of time. I needed to observe.

The serpent had stopped chasing us. It coiled around its own body and began vibrating rapidly. I didn't know what it was doing, but it wasn't good. If I didn't act soon, it might heal or become even more dangerous.

As I continued to watch, I saw something I hadn't expected: the serpent was regenerating. This was no ordinary fight anymore. It was kill or be killed.

Delight was hiding behind a rock, just like I was, her eyes pleading with me to make a decision. I signaled to her, my voice steady despite the pressure. "Attack its wounds. It'll weaken it."

Without hesitation, Delight sprang into action. Her eyes glowed, her nails transformed into sharp claws, and her feet morphed into paws. With incredible speed, she dashed toward the serpent and began slashing at its body, each strike hitting its open wounds.

The monster hissed and whipped its body violently in retaliation, forcing Delight back. She slammed into a rock, blood spilling from her mouth. Her body began to look pale as she panted heavily, clearly losing a lot of blood.

I rushed to her side, kneeling down. "Delight, no… You can't…"

Her eyes fluttered open, but there was no strength left in her. "You can do this, Beatrix. I can't go on any longer…" Her voice trailed off as she closed her eyes and passed out.

My heart pounded in my chest. I was the last one left standing. The others were out of commission, and the monster was still a major threat. I had to do this.

I quickly realized that none of us had even used our weapons. If we had, this fight might have ended differently. But now, it was up to me.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out two small discs—my chakrams.

The moment they were in my hands, I gripped them tightly. I could feel their weight, their power. I used my hair to propel myself, launching forward with agility and speed. The serpent swung its massive body left and right, trying to strike me, but I dodged with ease, my hair giving me an edge in maneuverability.

I got behind it, but it was already turning to face me. I had to act fast.

I threw my chakrams into the air, catching them with my hair, using my strands to guide them. The serpent tried to lash out, but I was quicker. Using my hair, I shot out additional tendrils to restrain the beast, pinning it down.

I closed the distance and began to rotate the chakrams at breakneck speed, getting closer and closer to the serpent's head. With a powerful strike, I slammed the first chakram into its skull. The serpent screeched, thrashing violently, but I held my ground, the spinning chakram tearing through its flesh.

I pushed deeper, the chakram still spinning faster and faster. Blood poured from the monster's skull like a waterfall. With the second chakram, I slammed it repeatedly into the serpent's body, causing the blood to gush like rain.

I wasn't done. The monster needed to suffer. The more it struggled, the more I felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.

Using my hair, I formed tendrils and stabbed them into the serpent's body, each strike adding more pain, more anguish to its already battered form. I didn't want to stop. Killing, the blood, the sight of it—it intoxicated me. It made me feel powerful.

"Hair girl, I think it's dead now. You can stop," Mr. Sayo called from behind, his usual smile on his face.

I snapped out of my trance, my breath shallow and ragged. Looking down at my hands, I saw blood—so much blood. I needed a bath.

I turned to see Mr. Sayo clapping his hands, a grin still plastered on his face. "Good job, Beatrix. That drive for retribution turned you into a killing machine."

He walked over to the remains of the serpent and reached into its skull, pulling out a glowing orb the size of a golf ball. It glowed with a faint purple hue, its cloudy appearance giving it an otherworldly, almost enchanting look.

"This is a monster orb. You can use it to forge new chakrams. Yours are beyond repair," he said, tossing the orb into my hands.

I looked down at my chakrams, now ruined beyond recognition. "Thank you," I said, my voice steady, though my hands were still shaking from the adrenaline.

Mr. Sayo walked over to Daniel, Delight, and Devin, who were still unconscious. He sprayed a grand healing serum over their bodies, and within moments, they began to stir.

"God damn it, let's kill this thing!" Devin shouted, still groggy from his injuries.

"Shut up, it's already dead," I rolled my eyes, clearly annoyed.

"What's that supposed to mean? I was supposed to kill it!" he protested.

I shot him a glare. "You passed out. I killed it. Deal with it."

We exchanged words, the group slowly returning to its usual banter.

Mr. Sayo interrupted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Enough, kids. Get it together. We've got more of those things to kill."

We all sighed, exhausted.

Despite our pleas, he didn't let up. We couldn't catch a break.

We moved to another part of the field, where another serpent awaited us.

It was time for round two. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins, the rush of the fight calling to me.

At the end of the day, as we walked toward the next battle, Daniel asked, "How did you kill it so quickly?"

"Practice," I replied, a grin tugging at my lips.