MTLNOVEL Chapter 15: The Widowmaker II
"I'm sorry...Maggie."
But the strike never came.
A shout pierced the air, and Evan's eyes snapped open. Victor stood not far away, his expression fierce as he roared.
"Get up, Evan!"
There was no real explanation. It could have been his human instincts of survival, or maybe it was the system's doings.
Evan's body moved before his mind could catch up. He darted to the side as the bear swiped down, its claws missing him by inches.
The blade Vin had lodged in the bear's side caught his eye. Without thinking, he lunged, grabbing the hilt and yanking it free.
The bear roared in agony, spinning to swipe at him, but Evan duckedagain. His movements were quick, almost instinctive, as if his body had been fine-tuned for survival. Who knew, his point allocations were not useless after all. The system was real. Everything was real.
"I'm not dying here." Evan growled, his grip tightening on the blade.
"Not today. Not to you. I'm gonna make it back to my world. To Maggie..."
The bear snarled, its eyes blazing with fury, as rivers of saliva rolled down its monstrous jaws.
Evan, standing his ground, waited, patiently awaiting his chance to strike.
Victor, however, was not just a passive observer. His eyes flicked between Evan and the beast, his brow furrowed in confusion and concern.
'Why's Evan still there?' he wondered.
'Why isn't he running like a normal person?' He couldn't fathom it. The boy was battered, beaten, and yet he stood his ground.
'What the hell was he waiting for?' His thoughts were interrupted as he shouted,
"Evan! What the hell are you doing? Run! We don't have much time! We have to go now!"
Evan didn't flinch, he didn't even turn to Victor. It was as though he truly intended to battle the beast.
Victor's heart raced. He was sure Evan heard him—he had shouted loud enough, but the young man didn't seem to care.
Right then, Evan's gaze shifted ever so slightly, meeting Victor's for a brief moment, before returning to the beast. Victor's confusion deepened. He wasn't sure how or why, but Evan was intent on slaying the Widowmaker.
' What the hell is going on?'
Suddenly, he heard a faint shuffle behind him. Turning to his rear, he saw Vin standing there, holding his bruised hand, fingers trembling slightly as he stepped forward.
His face was contorted with pain, but fortunately, the bears strike was not enough to kill him- lucky bastard.
"You look terrible."
"I'll live." Vin added as he walked in, observing the sight of Evan and his opposition.
"What the hell is that lad doing? Doesn't he know he should move away from the animal?" Vin asked.
" I...I...I think he wants to slay it." Victor said, a tad bit of doubt laced in his speech.
"Is he dumb or just stupid?!"
'Hmm...I think brave is the real answer.' victor replied inwardly before stepping forward, advancing to Evan.
"Victor-" vin exclaimed as he attempted to grab Victor , but the pains from his wounds sent him down to a knee as he groaned painfully.
"Don't do it! It's fucking suicide."
Victor, however, ignored Vin's warnings and walked till he got to Evan's side.
"Why do I feel like I can't change your mind about fighting this thing."
"victor..." Evan muttered softly. He was a little bewildered. He thought he was the only one crazy enough to challenge the Widowmaker, but now, there Victor was, by his side, like a true comrade.
"... you dont have to be here. I can fight my own battles." Evan casually replied as he took a sharp glance at victor before returning his gaze to the Widowmaker.
"Yeah, but not against a goddamn bear!"
"I have to do this." Evan declared. Ofcourse he didn't expect Victor to understand, but he did have to do this, or else- as the system stated- he would lose HP.
Victor hesitated, taken aback. He had never seen this side of Evan before—this unrelenting, cold resolve that seemed to permeate his entire being, unbeknownst to him, Evan was just trying to complete a quest which was do or die.
'Is he crazy?' Victor thought, his mind scrambling to make sense of the situation.
'Is he really going to face that thing?'
Evan's gaze shifted, and Victor felt a shiver crawl up his spine. There was only a slight fear in his eyes, besides that, there was just a quiet, burning resolve.
Victor swallowed hard, not sure whether he should step forward or stay back.
The Widowmaker took another slow, deliberate step forward, its massive form looming over them as it glared at the duo with bloodlust filled eyes.
There was an unsettling intelligence behind those eyes, as if it knew exactly what Evan was planning. It circled, with calculated steps, testing Evan's resolve.
Victor's eyes darted around, analyzing the situation.
'This doesn't feel right. Why isn't it attacking?'
He had seen the Widowmaker rip through entire groups of men with little effort, like it did with the Lords men, but now it seemed to be waiting. Watching. Observing.
Evan's fingers flexed on the knife's hilt, his breath steady despite the pain coursing through him. The wound in his side, a gash that had yet to fully heal, throbbed with every beat of his heart. No time for that now, he thought. Focus on the fight. Focus on the bear.
He glanced at Victor once more, and though his expression remained hard, there was a flicker of something—trust, maybe? Or perhaps something more. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. He had a job to do.
"Victor." Evan said softly, but with an edge of urgency in his voice.
"I need you to be ready. We'll need two to take this thing down."
His words were matter-of-fact, as if they were discussing the weather rather than preparing for a life-or-death battle.
Victor's eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell do you mean, two? You're out of your mind, kid!"
Evan didn't wait for Victor's agreement. He glanced at the Widowmaker, which had paused its circling, its eyes locked on Evan. The creature wasn't making any sudden moves, almost as if it were... waiting for something.
"Look at its thigh," Evan murmured.
"See the wound? The one from earlier?"
Victor, directing his gaze to the bear's Hinds, saw the wound on the bears right thigh, where Vin had stabbed it, which was bleeding out. He was dazed by this, not just because he thought that the bear was invincible but, because he understood the implicatuon.
'The beast bleds.... it could be killed!'