The moment I moved, the Hebira reacted instantly, its coiled body snapping forward like a whip. It didn’t just lunge, it slithered through the air as if it were swimming through water, its near-weightless form gliding toward me with eerie grace. I barely had time to swing my sword before it twisted midair, avoiding my strike with unnatural fluidity.

  Tch. Fast. Its movements weren’t just quick, they were disturbingly smooth, like a ribbon caught in an invisible current. It didn’t waste any motion, its sleek form undulating effortlessly as it dodged my strike. I felt an unsettling sensation in my gut. This wasn’t just some mindless monster lunging at me on instinct.

  I spun, flipping my talisman between my fingers before releasing it. The sacred paper shot forward, glowing with purifying energy as it homed in on the snake-like creature. For a moment, I thought I had it, the talisman was about to make contact.

  Then, with an almost lazy flick of its tail, the Hebira twisted out of the way, its scales shimmering like liquid shadow as it maneuvered effortlessly through the air. The movement was so smooth, so eerily graceful, that it felt less like a dodge and more like a preordained motion, as if it had known exactly where my attack would land before I even made it. Its elongated body undulated in a hypnotic rhythm, its golden eyes glinting with a cold, analytical sharpness that sent a chill crawling up my spine.

  I clicked my tongue in frustration. It dodged? The cockroaches had been easy enough to hit, but this thing was different. Faster. Smarter. Its unsettling eyes never left me, studying me like a predator observing prey.

  The realization sent a deep, icy chill down my spine. This thing wasn’t just dodging on instinct or reacting to my attacks, it was studying me, dissecting my movements with eerie precision. Every twitch of its elongated body, every hypnotic ripple of its scales, was deliberate, calculated. It was like fighting against a creature that had already seen the battle unfold and was simply playing along, waiting for me to make a fatal mistake.

  A shiver of unease ran through me as the Hebira let out another quiet hiss, its body beginning to coil again. My instincts screamed at me. It was about to strike.

  I forced myself to move first.

  Diving sideways, I flared my wings, using a quick burst of momentum to reposition midair. The Hebira’s attack narrowly missed, its fangs snapping shut just inches from where my shoulder had been.

  This thing is ridiculously fast. Its movements were so fluid, so eerily smooth, that it felt more like I was fighting a gust of wind rather than a living creature. Each dodge, each twist of its elongated body was deliberate, calculated, not a single motion wasted. But I wasn’t going to let it outmaneuver me forever. I just had to be faster, sharper, and one step ahead of whatever unnatural instinct was guiding its movements.

  I tightened my grip on my sword and, without hesitation, flung another talisman at the Hebira. This time, I didn't aim directly for it. Instead, I threw the talisman slightly off to the side, knowing that the creature’s instinct would push it to evade. As expected, the snake reacted instantly, its body twisting in an almost hypnotic motion, dodging with eerie precision. The movement was so smooth, so natural, that for a brief second, it was as if the creature had anticipated my intent before I had even acted. But that was exactly what I had counted on.

  "Got you," I muttered, narrowing my eyes as I seized the opening. My muscles tensed, every fiber of my being honed in on that single instant. The Hebira, still mid-dodge, had no way to shift its momentum.

  << Hebira (Lv. 4) >>

  Health Points: 222/321 [69.15%]

  Attack: 5

  Category: NONO

  Description: Evil spirits exorcised, still a dangerous noodle. Now 20% less cursed, but still 100% nightmare fuel.

  Without hesitation, I surged forward, my blade cutting through the air with relentless precision. I shot forward in that split-second opening, my blade already swinging. The Hebira, mid-dodge, had no way to correct its trajectory in time. My sword connected with a satisfying slash, cutting through its shimmering scales.

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  The Hebira let out a shrill, piercing screech, its body writhing violently. Dark, inky blood splattered through the air, dissolving into the corrupted sky. It wasn’t a killing blow, but it was enough to prove something important.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  I could hurt it. And as if to confirm my resolve, a flickering swallowtail butterfly materialized behind me the instant my sword struck. With delicate, almost ephemeral wings, it hovered for a brief moment before darting forward, its luminous form slamming into the Hebira with surprising force.

  (-2 Physical Damage)

  The Hebira hissed, its serpentine body contorting midair as the ethereal butterfly burst into motes of shimmering light. Each time I landed a hit, the butterfly would follow up with a strike of its own. A chain reaction of attacks, an extension of my will.

  "Alright, creepy noodle. Let’s see how many exorcisms it takes to send you packing." But before I could press the attack, the telltale rustling of chitinous legs scuttling against stone sent a shiver down my spine. My eyes darted downward to see several Gokibura clambering up the shrine’s broken pillars, their grotesque forms twitching as they fixated on me with their soulless, beady eyes.

  "Oh, great," I muttered. "Because one nightmare fuel monster wasn’t enough."

  The cockroaches lunged, their spindly legs propelling them into the air. I twisted mid-flight, barely avoiding their gnashing mandibles as I retaliated with a wide arc of my sword. My blade cleaved through the first Gokibura, ichor spraying into the air as its exoskeleton cracked apart.

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  A swallowtail butterfly flickered into existence behind me, its delicate form shimmering as it darted toward the wounded creature. It collided with the Gokibura, dealing an additional blow before bursting into luminous fragments.

  (-2 Physical Damage)

  [Swallowtail butterfly leveled up to level 2]

  Physical attack 2 → 5

  My eyes widened slightly as the system notification flashed in the corner of my vision. Swallowtail Butterfly leveled up? That was unexpected. I hadn’t even realized it could improve.

  A small grin tugged at my lips as I watched the next butterfly shimmer into existence behind me, its glow just a little stronger, its wings moving with renewed energy. "Alright, let’s see what you can really do now."

  Without wasting a second, I pivoted midair, shifting my focus toward the remaining Gokibura. They skittered unnervingly fast, their twitching antennae sensing my movements. One lunged from below, its serrated mandibles snapping hungrily, but I twisted just in time, bringing my sword down in a brutal overhead slash.

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  A second butterfly materialized, its glowing wings fluttering as it dove into the weakened creature, shattering its exoskeleton in a burst of iridescent light.

  (-5 Physical Damage)

  [+45 EXP]

  [+20 Weapon EXP]

  Another Gokibura leaped from my blind spot, its grotesque form mid-air, but I hurled a talisman without looking. The sacred paper latched onto the insect’s chitinous shell, glowing brilliantly before dissolving in a flash of purifying energy. The creature’s corrupted aura flickered and shattered, its form distorting as the NONO status was forcibly cleansed from its body.

  I didn’t give it a chance to react. My sword was already swinging, cleaving the now-weakened monster in two. More butterflies swarmed behind me, each one following my strikes with its own relentless attack. I was no longer just fighting, I was dancing, weaving through the battlefield in a deadly rhythm, every attack seamlessly chaining into the next. My breath came in steady bursts, my mind sharpening with each perfectly executed movement.

  "How many of you do I have to kill before you get the message?" I muttered, my blade flashing as I struck again. I didn’t let up, pressing my advantage as the Hebira recoiled from the last strike. Its body twisted, attempting to slip away, but I was already moving.

  I spun midair, wings flaring to shift my position as I brought my sword down in a relentless flurry. My blade cut through the air in rapid succession, slashing at the Hebira’s sleek, shifting form. Each strike landed true, carving into its shimmering scales as dark ichor splattered into the air.

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  (-15 Physical Damage)

  With each successive slash, more swallowtail butterflies emerged, their luminous wings fluttering in unison before launching forward. Like guided projectiles, they struck the Hebira with pinpoint accuracy, bombarding it with bursts of radiant energy.

  (-5 Physical Damage)

  (-5 Physical Damage)

  (-5 Physical Damage)

  The Hebira shrieked, its eerie voice a mix of rage and agony as its form flickered, the corruption that sustained it beginning to unravel. Its body spasmed, writhing violently in the air, before I thrust forward with all my strength, driving my blade straight through its head.

  (-20 Critical Damage)

  For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The Hebira’s golden eyes dimmed, its body shuddering as a final, gurgling hiss left its throat. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, it collapsed, its serpentine form twisting one last time before disintegrating into a cloud of dark mist. The lingering fragments of corruption dissolved into the air, leaving only silence in its wake.

  [+100 EXP]

  [+50 Weapon EXP]

  I exhaled, my grip on my sword tightening as the last remnants of the Hebira faded from existence. "That’s what you get for being creepy."