Dominion Bond System: The Only Man Left Has A Yandere Girlfriend

Chapter 74: Running From The Tyrant Serpent Bird

Reiji’s heart pounded loudly.

’Shit... It’s now or never.’

Reiji slapped the Tyrant Serpent Bird on its head.

[RUPTURE!]

BOOM!

A huge chunk of the Tyrant Serpent Bird’s head exploded apart as blood gushed from the wound.

*SKREEEEEE!*

The creature let out a piercing shriek. It couldn’t believe the tiny creature standing before it actually had the audacity to injure it.

Reiji, of course, wasn’t foolish enough to remain standing there. The instant Rupture activated, he chained together Shadow Step, Verdant Grow and Rainfall before retreating deeper into the forest.

The Tyrant Serpent Bird wasn’t about to let him escape so easily.

Still bleeding from its head, it shot high into the sky. Once it gained enough altitude, its razor-sharp golden eyes swept across the forest before instantly locking onto Reiji’s fleeing figure.

Without the slightest hesitation, it folded its wings and dived.

SWOOOOOSH!!

Its enormous body tore through the air while its serpent-like tail curved behind it.

"Oh shit..."

The bird was closing the distance frighteningly fast.

"Think... Think... Think!"

An idea flashed through Reiji’s mind.

As he sprinted forward, he stopped wasting mana on Verdant Grow and Rainfall since the monster had already located him. Instead, he focused entirely on Shadow Step while continuously running.

Reiji gritted his teeth and stretched one arm forward.

[Water Jet!]

VOOM!!

A highly compressed stream of water sliced cleanly through the base of a massive tree.

CRACK!!

Before the giant trunk could completely collapse, Reiji appeared beside it with Shadow Step, grabbed it with both hands and, using every ounce of strength in his body, hurled it directly toward the charging bird before resuming his escape.

SWOOOSH!!

The Tyrant Serpent Bird didn’t even bother dodging.

Instead, the shape of its head changed. Its beak retracted while its skull became completely streamlined, turning into a spear capable of piercing anything before it.

BOOOOM!!

The gigantic tree exploded into countless splinters.

Wood fragments scattered across the forest like deadly arrows, yet the monster’s speed barely decreased.

Reiji didn’t dare look back.

His legs pumped harder as Shadow Step flickered repeatedly beneath his feet.

His heartbeat thundered inside his chest.

’It destroyed it that easily?!’

That tree had been several meters thick, yet the Tyrant Serpent Bird pierced through it as though it were nothing more than paper.

Then another deafening shriek echoed across the forest.

*SKREEEEEEEEE!!*

The sound wave swept through the surrounding trees.

Leaves exploded off countless branches while nearby trunks shook violently.

Reiji felt his vision blur for a split second as the scream assaulted his eardrums.

"Tch!"

He bit down hard enough to draw blood.

The sharp pain forced his mind back into focus.

’I can’t lose concentration now!’

Dark clouds gathered overhead.

Rainfall activated once more, and a dense mist rapidly spread between the towering ancient trees until visibility dropped to almost nothing.

Reiji continued sprinting while repeatedly activating Shadow Step, weaving between trees and boulders without slowing down.

Unfortunately...

The Tyrant Serpent Bird burst straight through the fog as though it wasn’t even there.

Its golden eyes never once left Reiji.

"You’re kidding me..."

The mist was completely useless.

The monster suddenly folded both wings tightly against its body before accelerating even further.

SWOOOOOOSH!!

The air itself screamed.

Reiji immediately felt the terrifying pressure closing in behind him.

It was getting closer... much closer.

His expression darkened.

"I only managed to slow it down a little..."

He continued cutting down trees and throwing them into the bird’s path whenever an opportunity presented itself. Each massive trunk shattered the instant it collided with the creature, forcing it to lose only a tiny fraction of its momentum before continuing the chase as though nothing had happened.

Still...

Even those tiny delays mattered.

Every extra second increased Reiji’s chances of survival.

Unfortunately, the repeated interruptions only seemed to anger the Tyrant Serpent Bird.

Its golden eyes narrowed.

The terrifying pressure surrounding its body intensified.

Then...

It accelerated.

"Crap!"

The distance between them disappeared frighteningly fast.

Reiji no longer had enough time to prepare another obstacle.

His only choice now was to continue running.

[Shadow Step.]

[Shadow Step.]

[Shadow Step.]

Mana rapidly drained from his body. His breathing became heavier.

Behind him, the Tyrant Serpent Bird spread its enormous talons.

Each claw looked large enough to crush a truck.

They rapidly closed the remaining distance.

’I can’t outrun it!’

Thirty meters....

Twenty meters...

Ten...

Five...

’Now!’

Reiji abruptly slammed both boots into the ground.

BOOM!!

Dirt exploded beneath his feet.

Using the remaining momentum, he twisted his waist, grab the ground supporting himself and instantly activated Shadow Step.

WHOOSH!!

The gigantic talons sliced through empty air.

The bird missed him.

Reiji immediately spun around and sprinted in the opposite direction.

For one brief second, a smile appeared on his face.

Then...

BOOOOOOM!!

The Tyrant Serpent Bird beat its wings once.

A terrifying explosion of wind flattened everything nearby.

Trees bent violently. Loose rocks were blown into the air.

Before Reiji could widen the distance again, the monster curved through the sky with terrifying precision and reappeared directly behind him.

"What?!"

His pupils shrank.

’You’ve got to be kidding me!’

This time, the creature didn’t attack with its claws.

Instead, its enormous serpent-like neck suddenly extended.

Its head shot forward like a striking viper.

Too fast. Far too fast than he could handle.

Reiji barely managed to activate Shadow Step.

Yet...

CRUNCH!!

The creature’s jaws clamped tightly around his waist.

"GAH!!"

Pain exploded throughout his body.

His ribs groaned beneath the overwhelming pressure.

Before he could react, the Tyrant Serpent Bird violently whipped its neck upward.

Reiji’s body shot high into the sky.

The world spun violently around him. The sky, the frorest, and mountain blurred together.

[Hardening!]

Mana surged throughout his body. His skin immediately became several times tougher.

Amber flames erupted around him.

[Soul Torture Flame.]

The flames wrapped around his body like armor as he came crashing back toward the ground.

The Tyrant Serpent Bird calmly watched him descend.

It didn’t dodge. It simply waited.

Just before Reiji reached it...

The monster twisted its neck.

BOOOOOOOOM!!

Its spear-like head slammed directly into his body.

"UGH!!"

Blood erupted from Reiji’s mouth.

Every bone in his body screamed in agony.

Even with Hardening activated, it felt as though an entire mountain had crashed into him.

His body shot across the forest like a broken arrow.

Trees exploded apart wherever he passed, smashing into one another before collapsing behind him in a trail of destruction.

He finally bounced across the ground several times before rolling uncontrollably through the dirt.

"Cough!"

More blood poured from his lips. His vision blurred. His ears rang endlessly. He struggled desperately just to breathe.

Before he could even stand, a gigantic shadow descended over him.

The Tyrant Serpent Bird had already arrived.

"No..."

Its enormous beak clamped around his shoulder.

CRACK!!

A sickening sound echoed as unbearable pain shot through his arm.

The creature beat its wings once again.

BOOOOM!!

The forest rapidly shrank beneath them.

The wind roared violently against Reiji’s face as his battered body dangled helplessly from the monster’s beak.

He couldn’t even gather enough concentration to activate Shadow Step.

Everything had happened far too quickly.

His desperate eyes searched the ground below.

The forest rushed past.

Mountains blurred together.

Then...

He saw it.

A gigantic boulder covered in countless razor-sharp stone spikes.

The Tyrant Serpent Bird was flying straight toward it.

Reiji’s pupils shrank violently.

’No...’

The monster tightened its grip.

Then, with one violent swing of its neck...

It threw him.

Reiji’s body became a projectile.

Time itself seemed to slow.

He could clearly see every jagged spike growing closer.

"Damn it..."

He desperately tried activating Hardening again. Nothing happened.

His mana had already been exhausted.

"Shadow Step..."

Still nothing. His vision slowly dimmed.

The enormous boulder rapidly filled his sight.

"This is how it ends huh?"

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The impact echoed throughout the entire forbidden forest.

Blood splattered across the jagged rocks.

And Silence followed.

Only the sound of loose pebbles rolling down the shattered cliff remained.

The Tyrant Serpent Bird quietly landed nearby.

Lowering its head, it stared at the motionless figure embedded deep within the broken boulder.

After several silent seconds, it let out a satisfied shriek.

*SKREEEEEE!!*

With one final glance, the Tyrant Serpent Bird spread its wings and slowly flew back toward the center of its territory.

Ding!

[Host has died...]