Kryptonians: Man of Steel

Chapter 1515 Slaying Monsters
But the system felt no fear.

At the critical moment when the monster leaped into the air and its sharp claws gleamed as it slashed at his face, the system-controlled body displayed superhuman reflexes and precision.

The left foot (the broken leg!) was twisted violently to the side as the axis, and excruciating pain shot through the nerves like a high-voltage electric shock. The body narrowly escaped by grazing the deadly claw!

At the same time, his right arm, which was gripping the longsword tightly, seemed to be driven by a powerful mechanical spring, drawing a swift and sharp semicircle from bottom to top!

"Tsk-!"

The steel blade slashed fiercely at the relatively soft side abdomen exposed after the monster missed its target!

The tough, slippery skin was cut open, and thick, dark green blood, emitting a strong stench of rust and decay, gushed out, splashing a few drops onto Hachiman Hikigaya's face and clothes, warm and greasy.

The monster let out a sharp, painful screech, stumbled after landing, and the muscles at its wound twitched as if trying to stop the bleeding.

It turned around even more violently, its single eye (Hachiman Hikigaya then noticed a slightly bulging, eyelidless yellow sac above its head) filled with primal rage.

"It worked?! It injured him!"

A flicker of disbelief crossed Hachiman Hikigaya's remaining consciousness.

However, the system's "punishment" seems to go far beyond that.

At the very moment of this successful first exchange, Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly felt that the oppressive force recede a portion of itself, like a receding tide!

The excruciating pain, fear, and weakness overwhelmed him like a flood bursting its banks!

"Uh...ah!"

Suddenly, control of the body returned, but at the cost of the excruciating, overwhelming pain that had been forcibly suppressed at the fractured tibia and dislocated ankle erupted without any buffer!
His vision went black, his knees buckled, and he almost collapsed to his knees.

The steel longsword in his right hand became as heavy as a thousand pounds, and the muscles in his arm trembled violently, making it almost impossible for him to hold it.

The precise evasion and counterattack controlled by the system just now seem like a miracle.

The monster had clearly noticed the sudden change in his condition.

It let out a low growl and pounced again, faster and with more ferocious claw strikes!
This time, the target is Hachiman Hikigaya, whose movements are distorted and whose defenses are wide open due to the excruciating pain!

"No! System! Help me!"

Under the shadow of excruciating pain and impending death, Hachiman Hikigaya instinctively cried out for help to the very being that had just been tormenting him.

[Punishment Objective: To stimulate survival instincts and combat awareness under extreme pressure.]

[Logic: Overcoming fear and pain independently is key to growth.]

[Command: Return basic body control to the hero. The system provides minimal movement assistance (maintaining joint immobilization).]

A cold stream of information flashed by.

Hachiman Hikigaya felt that the force that kept his broken leg from falling apart was still there, but he had to do all the movements of his body himself!

Did fear overcome the excruciating pain?

No, it was the excruciating pain, catalyzed by fear, that transformed into a kind of hysterical madness. The instinct for survival, like the last spark, ignited in the ashes of despair!
As the fanged maw drew ever closer, emitting a foul stench, Hachiman Hikigaya let out a roar that was not human, a mixture of pain, fear, and desperation!

He completely abandoned the support of his left leg, putting all the remaining strength and weight of his body onto his relatively intact right leg. His body fell to the side in a very disheveled manner, like a rotten tree blown down by a strong wind!
"Pfft!"

The monster's claws grazed his shoulder, tearing up pieces of cloth and leaving stinging welts, but the deadly attack missed its mark!
He fell heavily onto the cold, damp ground. The excruciating pain from his broken leg caused his body to spasm, and he nearly fainted.

The longsword in his hand flew out and landed with a clang not far away.

The monster missed its attack and immediately turned around, its long, thin purple tongue licking its fangs and hissing excitedly, clearly regarding the fallen human as easy prey.

It lowered its body again, preparing to launch a final attack.

Hachiman Hikigaya lay on the ground, his face pressed against the cold, dirty earth. The excruciating pain from his broken leg and the exhaustion of his entire body made it difficult for him to even move a finger.

It's over... It's finished... Is this the end of "justice"?
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a fine steel longsword lying less than half a meter in front of him.

The cold blade reflected the faint sunlight filtering through the alleyway, and the "NV" engraving was clearly visible.

[Command Correction: Deadly threat detected. Initiating final survival protocol. Forced lethal counterattack!]

That vanished, tyrannical control took over again in an instant!
Hachiman Hikigaya felt himself being roughly lifted up by an invisible giant hand!

Ignoring the excruciating pain in his left leg, the system forcefully propelled his remaining right leg to push off the ground, propelling his body forward like a cannonball!

At the same time, his right hand grabbed the hilt of the sword on the ground with lightning speed!
The monster seemed not to have expected that its "dying" prey could still burst forth with such speed, and its pounce paused slightly.

This is the meal!
Under the system's control, Hachiman Hikigaya's body, propelled by the momentum of his forward thrust, suddenly lifted and leaned back at an angle exceeding human limits. At the same time, the longsword he was holding, using the immense potential energy from the forward thrust and the lifting of his body, transformed from bottom to top into a resolute reverse kesakatsu, infused with the remaining power of his entire body (and the system's brute force)!

"puff--!"

The sword tip pierced the monster's relatively soft jaw with perfect precision!

The tough bones and muscles were forcibly torn apart by the sharpness and immense power of the steel!
The sword flew upwards with unstoppable force, piercing through the palate and deeply penetrating the monster's skull!
Time seems to have frozen.

The monster's lunge froze in mid-air, its single yellow eye instantly losing all its luster, leaving only emptiness and disbelief.

Thick, dark green blood gushed out like a small fountain from the gaping wounds on his jaw and head where the sword had pierced through him. It flowed down the sword and dripped onto Hachiman Hikigaya's face and body, warm, foul-smelling, and nauseating.

"vomit……"

Upon witnessing this bloody scene, the overworked office worker, who had collapsed to the ground, finally couldn't hold back and began to vomit violently.

Hachiman Hikigaya's body remained in that almost twisted, upward thrusting posture, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, the blade deeply embedded in the monster's head.

The system's immense power vanished as quickly as the tide receded after delivering this fatal blow.

"Uhhh-!!!"

The moment Hachiman Hikigaya's consciousness regained complete control of his body, the excruciating pain caused by the forced suppression and extreme use of his left tibia fracture and dislocated ankle, which was enough to drive anyone mad, completely engulfed him like a tsunami!
At the same time, his right arm was severely strained due to the excessive sword swing he had just performed, and he was in excruciating pain.

(End of this chapter)