Gravity began doing its job. Talon's body started to fall, until something held him. He felt vines holding his body in the air and the creature getting ready to lunge at him.
"This wannabe crocodile is using me like a Ping Pong ball..."
The pain was intoxicating and the fear of no longer having a shield in his hands made the ex-sailor's mind fight with all it had to dodge.
Rooohhhhooouuuuuu
With another roar, the beast lunged.
"Fuck it," Talon used the bone horn in his hand to tear through some vines and let gravity finish its job.
Just in time for the creature's sharp teeth to pass over his head. In free fall, the man and the beast locked eyes. Deep green and terrifying yellow.
The impact came right after, as the sharp rocks and gravel beneath the algae tore Talon's skin.
"Shit... How the hell am I going to kill this thing? It's not some dumb heavy beast, this is an apex predator that knows-" As he got up, Talon's mind was racing for a solution.
That's when the sailor noticed the vines above had momentarily trapped the croc-like beast in the air.
Of course, it was temporary... Still, it gave him the idea he needed.
As soon as the creature broke through the remaining vines, Talon ran along the shore of the small island.
In a crazed frenzy, the beast kicked up sand and rocks while chasing the foolish human.
Talon saw a branch that stretched over the lake, right above the small island. Using it for support, he leaped onto the skull-shaped rock.
Just in time for the creature's jaws to snap below him. But that didn't slow it down.
It was determined to prey on him.
"You want me? Come get me, you outdated version of a beast!" As soon as he reached the top of the cave, Talon shouted at the beast and in a clearly supernatural way, it seemed to understand him.
The hate in the form of flesh and scales leapt at the defiant human, but a grin spread across his lips.
With open arms, Talon jumped toward the lake, passing through some vines...
The beast, though... with all its mass and size, did not. The dozens of vines hanging from the branches above the lake tangled around it, trapping it mid-air.
The trees around the lake creaked in a frantic struggle, their branches cracking under pressure. Even the leafy ceiling above that blocked the sky visibly gave in, but still held the creature's weight... At least for now.
As Talon fell, only one thing crossed his mind.
"Please let there be no other beast in the lake, no other beast in the lake..."
And then he sank into the water...
Several seconds of silence passed until a dark-skinned man, covered in wounds, emerged from the lake.
If there was another beast down there, it had decided not to show itself yet.
Talon's steps were precise as he took his time climbing the skull rock again. His eyes fixed on the trapped creature.
He climbed up by its tail.
The same tail that had given him so much trouble, and began to scale its body. The branches creaked in warning, but they'd have to hold.
The horn rose into the air as soon as he saw the creature's head, and without any apology, Talon's furious eyes drove it straight into the beast using the bone horn.
It didn't die right away.
Dozens of strikes and lots of blood spraying on his face were needed before the beast stopped thrashing.
Beep!
[14:59:59]
The bracelet showed that five hours had passed and it must be late afternoon by now, with the light above Talon starting to turn orange.
"So I guess we're having crocodile for dinner."
It didn't take long for Talon to start a fire right at the entrance of the skull's mouth. He hadn't dared enter the cave before because he didn't know what was inside. What if it was narrow enough to serve as a death trap in favor of the beast?
Now, with time and a good view, he could dissect the creature.
And he did.
Soon, more vines were used as makeshift clotheslines to dry meat and scales. It wouldn't be very effective with the humidity and mosquitoes in the area, but it would have to do.
When he was already on the fifth pass, around the stomach region, Talon saw something shining silver. His hand quickly dove through flesh and blood until it touched something solid.
"What the hell is this?"
When he pulled it out, a silver bracelet appeared, soaked in blood and slightly worn.
Beep!
[Custom fusion function about to be activated: Yes/No]
Even though he was confused, Talon agreed, and the metal in his hand liquefied.
[Loading... 5%]
Several minutes of silence and tension followed until the bar hit 100% and more notifications popped up.
[Previous user Arkhand'Zul, confirmed dead]
[New function acquired: Scan]
When Talon activated [Scan], everything within a 5-meter radius was mapped on his forearm, like the sonar of a ship or submarine.
"Okay... I don't know who you were, Arkhand'Zul, but thanks for getting yourself fucked in my place."
Hours passed as Talon smoked as much meat as he could, leaving the rest to cure.
Beep!
[Saturation: 5% → 10%]
The familiar feeling of energybeing released from his stomach was comforting. The meat, not so much. Something like rubbery, unseasoned chicken made Talon want to puke several times.
Slowly, the firelight began to glow brighter against the darkening sky. Talon knew the first hell was almost over and he could stay there, resting. When the sun rose tomorrow, he would head into the second stage.
Even if he had no clue what it would be.
"Fuck it, dammit! Curiosity is killing me!" His eyes stared like a starving wolf looks at its prey.
The damn skull-shaped cave.
As soon as he finished his meal, the light was nearly gone.
Of course, Talon had prepared.
The skull Crocodile, even with a hole in it, was still massive and therefore served as a shield he tied to his forearm using several vines.
The creature's fangs were also far sharper than the baby Cero's horn.
Armed with the spoils of his kill, Talon grabbed a makeshift torch made from the creature's fat, some branches, and vines.
And stepped into the skull-mouth cave.