The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 18: Differences

"It's about the same strength as 'last time'..."

Lumière gazed at the skinless monster's corpse and muttered to himself.

Before time reversed, his battle with this creature was evenly matched, and it only seemed like an easy win because of his superior intellect. But now, it was over with just one swing of his axe.

Of course, this was partly because he had "previously" experienced this encounter, was very familiar with the ambush, and had anticipated it.

But regardless, the contrast between "before and after" was enough for him to realize that the transformation he had undergone as a supernatural being was a qualitative leap.

Lumière thought for two seconds, then dragged the skinless monster's body and head into a corner. However, he didn't bother burying them with stones, wood, or soil, letting them and the pool of blood remain exposed.

After that, Lumière quickly searched the half-collapsed building, accurately finding the remaining 197 Filkin and 25 Kopecks, which he sorted into different pockets.

He also flipped through the small blue book again but didn't find anything unusual.

After finishing all this, he stealthily headed deeper into the ruins. But after moving only twenty or thirty meters, he made a circle and returned to the previous spot, skillfully climbing onto the half-collapsed roof, following the path the skinless monster had taken when it was alive.

Once he completed the necessary preparations, he hid himself.

Time passed slowly, and Lumière waited patiently, like an experienced hunter awaiting his prey.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when a figure emerged from a part of the ruins.

It was a half-human, half-beast creature with its knees bent forward, greasy black hair hanging down, and a shotgun slung over its back. It was the same monster that had once given Lumière the "Hunter" extraordinary characteristic.

The shotgun monster cautiously moved forward, as if on a routine patrol.

Suddenly, its nose twitched as it detected the scent of a large amount of blood in the distance.

It quickly changed direction and approached the half-collapsed building that had been burned.

Following the trail of blood, the shotgun monster found the skinless monster's body and head.

It squatted down and began examining them carefully.

On the half-collapsed roof, Lumière shook his head and muttered to himself silently:

"Even at this distance, it didn't smell me?

"Even with the scent of blood masking mine, it shouldn't be completely oblivious!"

As he muttered, he raised his axe and struck the pre-loosened stone crevice beside him with force.

Crash!

The half-collapsed roof shook, and heavy stones came crashing down.

The shotgun monster reacted quickly, immediately twisting its waist, pushing off its legs, and leaping towards an area that hadn't yet collapsed.

Lumière smiled.

He pounced down from the still-intact part of the roof like an eagle snatching its prey mid-air.

Amidst the whistling wind, Lumière and the shotgun monster met in mid-air, with Lumière swinging his axe from above while the monster, with its back to the high ground, struggled to turn and defend itself.