The air of the dungeon room hung heavy, the only sounds eg were the ominous throbbing of her heart and footsteps.

  Cir gripped her spear tightly, her amber eyes narrowed as she cautiously sed the chamber.

  She had done her researd khat her ferocious sabretooth-like oppo was likely nearby, lurking in the shadows, sneaking around to deliver an ued strike.

  Her grip tightened even more around the sturdy shaft of her spear, the etal a f presen her hands as she squared her shoulders, her feline eyes narrowed as she had spotted her oppo.

  Across the chamber, the liger fang observed her, letting out a low growl when she found it, its frame rippling with raw power.

  With its savage fangs bared, it crouched low, muscles coiling as it prepared to charge.

  Cir's breath caught ihroat, her heart pounding even harder in her ears as she steeled herself for the ing onsught.

  THUD! THUD! THUD!

  With a sudden blur of movement, the liger fang uself forward, paws outstretched, jae and its razor-sharp fangs glinting in the low light.

  Cir's body reacted on pure instinct, her senses heightened as she activated her special skill - ological acceleration.

  Her vision blurred as she activated her skill, the world around her slowing to almost a crawl.

  She could see every twitch of the liger's muscles, every flex of its powerful limbs in excruciatiail.

  Pivoting on her heel, Cir twisted her spear, the bde slig through the air as she parried the liger fang's attabsp;

  The impact sent a jolt through her arms, but she held her ground, amber eyes locked on her oppo.

  The liger fang nded a few paces away, its powerful muscles coiling as it crouched low, a rumbling snarl esg its jaws.

  It observed Cir with its pierg gaze for a brief moment, searg for an easy opening.

  Cir knew she couldn't afford to let her guard down, even for a moment. She o be a few steps ahead of this predator.

  ROAR!

  The liger charged again, its massive paws leaving deep gouges oone floor.

  Cir braced herself, her muscles coiled like springs.

  As the liger drew near, she darted to the side, her spear thrusting forward.

  THUD !

  The tip grazed the fur on liger fang’s shoulder, elig an irritated growl.

  Uerred, the liger fang immediately whirled around, its cws sshing through the air.

  G!

  Cir's spear met the liger fang's cw, the impact f her to take a step babsp;

  She pushed back, her muscles straining, then swiftly thrust her on forward, aiming for the creature's vulnerable shoulder joint.

  The liger fang anticipated the attad swiftly sidestepped, its jaws snapping dangerously close to Cir's arm.

  She felt her heart nearly leap from her throat as she narrowly avoided the creature's dangerous bite.

  Cir tinued her assault, her spear a blur as she executed a series of precise thrusts and sweeps.

  The liger fang responded with a flurry of sshes and pounces, its movements a blur to the untrained eye.

  But Cir's enhanced perception allowed her to anticipate each attack, her body flowing with a graceful, deadly rhythm.

  G! G! G!

  The sound of metal against razor-sharp cws echoed through the chamber.

  As they were g, Cir soo a familiar sensation.

  She realized that she couldn't afford to keep up the high-iy pace of bat for much longer.

  The side effect that came with using her skill "ological Acceleration" without pause was starting to show.

  She could feel the familiar drowsihat usually followed creeping in.

  Quickly, she reached into her pocket and popped a white cube into her mouth, the substance providing a mueeded dey to the side effect.

  These were glucose clumps that Draade for her exclusive use.

  The liger fang, sensing Cir's momentary distra, seized the opportunity.

  GROWL!

  It lunged forward, its jaws snapping shut just inches from her body.

  THUD!

  She stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding the attabsp;

  Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

  But the liger fang wasn’t going to give her any breaks, her eyes widened in horror as the creature followed up with an immediate assault.

  It came barreling towards her, its paws swinging in a flurry of quick sshes.

  Swish! Swish! Swish!

  The air itself trembled with the sheer ford blinding speed of the liger's strikes, sending shivers of dread down Cir's spine.

  Grittieeth, Cir unleashed a rapid volley of jabs and thrusts, her spear a blur as she desperately sought to keep the ferocious beast at bay.

  But the liger was relentless, its superior size, tough fur and raw strength allowing it to weather her wild assault with ease.

  With a mighty swipe, it batted her on aside, leaving her horribly vulnerable.

  Cir's heart pounded in her chest as she felt the scorg, fetid breath of the liger fang near her skin.

  Desperately, she threw herself to the side, rolling across the uneven, rocky floor of the chamber to retrieve her on.

  Paihrough her as her shoulder smmed against the rough stone, but she pushed the agony aside, more adrenaline c through her veins.

  Springing back to her feet, Cir quickly took up a defeance, her keen eyes sing the area for any advantage she could exploit.

  The liger prowled around her, its movements slow and deliberate, as if it savoured the fear it instilled in its prey.

  'Damn this beast!' Cir thought, gripping her spear tightly.

  She knew she o turide somehow, to seize the initiative.

  Seeing the liger fang tes powerful muscles, she attempted to predict its move - it was either going to lunge or pounbsp;

  She had to make the right guess and deliver a critical blow.

  "Lunge," Cir decided, she immediately turned and lunged forward, the tip of her spear thrusting towards the monster's chest.

  But the liger fang was faster than she had anticipated, its lithe form darting to the side with blinding speed.

  Cir's eyes widened in dismay as she realized her mistake - it wasn't that the liger had bee faster, but that her increased adrenaline aion had somewhat messed with her own skill.

  As she overextehe liger swung one massive paw, its razor-sharp cws slig through the air towards her unprotected fnk.

  SKREEE!

  Cir hissed in pain as the cw attack almost pletely tore through her side, blood spattering across the dungeon floor.

  Her armour had taken the brunt of the damage so she could still fight.

  Grittieeth, she pushed past the searing agony, spinning her spear and sweeping it in a wide arbsp;

  The liger fang leaped back, avoiding the attack, but Cir refused to let up, her relentless assault f the creature to retreat further.

  GRRRR!

  Saliva dripped from the liger fang's fangs as it eyed Cir warily.

  Cir's grip tightened on her spear as the liger fang attacked once more, its jaws snapping at her head as she had crouched to evade the attack.

  She then darted to the side, the creature's fangs missing her again but this created an opening that she needed.

  Seizing the opportunity, Cir thrust her spear forward, the bde sinking into the liger fang's open shoulder joint.

  ROOOAR!

  The liger fang howled in pain, thrashing wildly.

  Cir braced herself, digging her heels into the ground as she struggled to maintain her hold on the spear.

  The creature's powerful movements threateo wrench the on from her grasp, but she refused to let go.

  Suddenly, the liger fang twisted its body, the spear tearing free from its flesh.

  Cir stumbled, her guard momentarily lowered again.

  In a fsh, the creature lunged, its head smming into her chest and knog her to the ground.

  Cir gasped as the air was forced from her lungs, her spear cttering to the floor beside her.

  The liger fang loomed over her, its hot, foul breath washing over her face as it opes jaws, ready to deliver the killing blow.

  SKREEE!

  With desperation for survival fuelling her in that moment, Cir forced her skill "ological acceleration" to the absolute limit her body would allow.

  Time seemed to slow even further, and she could see every detail of the liger fang's oning atta excruciating crity.

  Thick veins throbbed on her head, especially around her eyes.

  Blood flowed profusely from her nose and tear ducts, but she couldn't be bothered with such trivial matters now.

  Grittieeth, she ched her fist and puhe liger fang in the eye.

  The creature reeled ba pain, momentarily giving her some spabsp;

  Quickly, Cir rolled away, narrowly avoiding the liger fang's retaliation.

  Landing on her hands and knees, she snatched up her spear.

  The liger fang rounded on her, its golden eyes gleaming with malice but it didn't immediately attack, much to her relief.

  Reag into her pocket, Cir retrieved another handful of glucose clumps.

  Shoving the sugary fe into her mouth, she felt a tiny bit better.

  She knew she couldn't keep relying on her special skill - the strain was already extremely heavy on her, and she could feel the o of drowsiness creeping further.

  She o end things in a decisive attack.

  Gripping her spear tightly, Cir charged forward, her movements a blur as she darted and weaved, studying the liger fang's movements and searg for an opening.

  The creature responded with a flurry of swipes and lunges, its speed and agility making it a tough oppo.

  It seemed as though the creature had boundless stamina, never showing any signs of fatigue.

  SKREEE! GRRRR!

  The two batants exged a series of blows, their battle growing more inteh each passing moment.

  Cir could feel the fatigue setting in, her muscles ag, her vision starting to blur.

  But she refused to give up, her determination fuelling her every move.

  At some point, Cir had begun to move minimally, serving her energy for a decisive strike.

  Finally, as the liger fang prepared for a fast dash attack, Cir saportunity.

  The shoulder joint wound that she made earlier in battle caused its left froo falter, it gave out when the liger fang crouched, putting all its weight on the leg in preparation for a fast dash attack.

  Timitack based on this observations, she immediately thrust her spear forward, the bde managing to pierce the creature's throat.

  The liger fang's eyes widened in shock, a gurgling roar esg its jaws as it colpsed to the ground, thrashing and vulsing.

  Cir stumbled back, her special skill fading as she fought to catch her breath.

  She watched as the liger fang's movements grew weaker, its life slipping away.

  With a final, ragged breath, the creature fell still and disied, the room enveloped in an eerie silence.

  Wing in pain, Cir wiped her bloodied fad pressed a hand to her wounded side, the little strength she had slowly wearing off.

  She knew she o remain awake, after all, she was still in the dungeon, but her body felt heavy, the drowsiness from overusing her skill “ological acceleration” threatening to e her.

  Reag into her pocket, Cir retrieved the st of the sweet treats.

  Looking at the sweets in her hand, Eleni’s face popped in her mind.

  Letting out a hollow chuckle, she threw them into her mouth, sav the sugary taste.

  As the familiar warmth spread through her, she steeled herself, pig up the magic stone and her spear tightly, moving toward where her familia waited.