I am Just an Average Tamer

The beasts lunged—

Not one by one.

But all at once.

Over twenty shadows, red eyes blazing, claws scraping over stone as they leapt forward like a wave of death crashing down on Kai.

"Fuck."

Kai spat under his breath, eyes scanning, adrenaline roaring in his veins.

His knees bent, daggers reversed in his grip.

Too many. No space. No time.

A beast pounced from the side baring its fangs.

[<Ghost Steps!>]

Flick!

His form shimmered, slipping out of the creature's reach like smoke.

The beast slammed into where he'd been, its momentum crashing it into the wall.

Kai reappeared behind it.

[<Phantom Slash!>]

His daggers gleamed with dark energy as he carved across the beast's flank, black ichor splattered the floor. But no time to watch it fall.

Two more were already on him.

He ducked low, rolled, barely evading claws aimed to rip open his back. Another beast came from above, its maw wide open.

Thunk!

A throwing knife embedded into its eye mid-air.

It shrieked in pain and dropped before reaching him.

Scree!

Vael screeched above, wings snapping wide.

[<Sonic Dive!>]

Boom!

A shockwave cracked through the air as the falcon blurred downward, slamming into one of the larger beasts. It was hurled back like a broken puppet, tumbling across the stone floor.

Kai kicked off a wall, using the momentum to flip over two more enemies. His eyes flicked, tracking every blur of movement.

[<Falcon's Sight!>]

Everything slowed, sharpened.

Even the faint twitches of muscle and shifting weight betrayed the beasts' next moves.

One rushed from behind, too fast.

[<Stealth!>]

His body vanished in a blink.

The beast skidded to a stop, confused. Then a heartbeat later—

Shing!

Kai reappeared at its side, one dagger driven deep into its throat. It gurgled then.

Thud!

Collapsed.

But another came.

No room to breathe.

He gritted his teeth and jumped back. Claws grazed his jacket. A line of blood marked his ribs.

"Shit!"

He winced, sweat dripping from his brow. His breathing grew heavier. These things were fast. And coordinated.

Vael circled above, eyes gleaming like twin suns.

[<Echo Ball!>]

The falcon shrieked, releasing a vibrating sphere of compressed sound.

It hit one beast mid-pounce, exploding into a concussive blast that blew it backward into its allies, knocking three of them down.

"Nice one, buddy!" Kai growled, flipping over a rubble pile.

But another beast snapped at his ankle, narrowly missing.

[<Warding Veil!>]

A faint shimmer pulsed around Kai's body, slowing the next beast's strike just enough for him to twist aside.

He retaliated, jamming a dagger under its jaw.

Then.

He dashed low through the chaos, carving tendons and throats with precise strikes.

Vael dove and soared, his Wind Fang carving sharp arcs through the enemies like blades of air.

Screeches. Howls. Clashes of steel and claw.

The chamber echoed with violence.

Bodies hit the floor. Some twitched. Some didn't rise at all.

Kai panted, sweat dripping into his eyes.

Almost half of them were left. And they were circling now.

He clicked his tongue.

One lunged too soon.

[<Ghost Steps!>]

He blinked behind it.

[<Phantom Slash!>]

Blood splashed.

Vael followed with another Sonic Dive, and two more beasts were knocked cold.

Kai flipped a blade, licking blood off his lip where one had grazed him.

He smirked, dark and sharp.

"Come on then."

He barely finished his taunt before the first beast lunged again.

Then another.

Then three.

"Shit!"

He twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding a claw that could've ripped open his side. One paw clipped his shoulder anyway, knocking him off-balance.

He tumbled over the rubble-strewn floor and rolled back to his feet just in time to block another bite with a crossed guard of his daggers.

Clang!

The impact sent vibrations down his arms. His boots skidded on stone.

He dropped low, aiming to sweep the beast's legs, but another leapt at him from behind.

Vael screeched, feathers bristling, and dove with deadly precision.

[<Sonic Dive!>]

Boom!

The beast was knocked clean off Kai's back, but Vael wasn't fast enough to escape.

A third creature leapt from the side and slammed into him mid-air.

"Vael!"

Kai's voice cracked with panic as he watched his falcon spiral and crash against a stone pillar with a sickening thud.

Vael let out a weak, wheezing screech.

"Goddamn it!"

Kai's rage surged, but he couldn't go to Vael, not with six more beasts surrounding him, closing the ring.

Blood trickled down his forearm. One of his daggers had been knocked away.

[<Ghost Steps!>]

He vanished again, but his movement faltered, drained.

He reappeared behind a beast and drove his remaining dagger into its back, only halfway in before it threw him off with a violent jerk.

He hit the ground hard, dust kicking up as his back slammed into rock.

Another one pounced on him, claws raised.

Kai rolled just in time, but its claws grazed his side, slicing open fabric and skin.

His breath hitched.

That one hurt.

[<Stealth!>]

He activated it out of reflex, disappearing again. But his heartbeat pounded like a war drum.

He was burning his mana fast—too fast.

He couldn't win this by brute force.

He moved through shadows, darting behind pillars, dodging attacks just by inches, but it was all delay.

The beasts were swarming, hunting, cornering.

Vael stirred.

His wings twitched weakly.

Then—

[<Echo Ball!>]

A vibrating orb pulsed from his beak, catching three beasts in the chest mid-charge.

They were thrown back, but it only bought seconds.

Kai clenched his teeth, heart pounding. Sweat mixed with blood on his brow.

"Gotta break their rhythm..."

He gritted his teeth, reached into his belt, and threw three knives in a spread pattern.

One stuck into a beast's neck. Another hit a paw, and the third—

Boom!

Exploded with a burst of smoke.

Kai dashed in.

[<Phantom Slash!>]

He reappeared mid-smoke, a blur of sharp steel and precise cuts.

One beast's throat was slit. Another lost an eye. But the third tackled him straight out of the smoke cloud.

He and the beast crashed to the ground, rolling. Kai grunted, feeling its hot breath on his face, fangs snapping inches from his nose.

He jammed his dagger upward, pushing it into its jaw with a scream of effort.

The beast jerked, shuddered, and went still.

His chest heaved.

His vision spun.

"Fuck... too many..."

A low growl echoed from behind.

He turned too late.

Claws raked across his back.

"GRAAGH!!"

He stumbled forward, blood spurting. He hit a pillar, smearing red against the stone.

His vision blurred. His knees buckled.

Then—

He heard it.

Vael's screech.

[<Wind Fang!>]

Swoosh!

A sharp blade of wind carved across the incoming beasts, forcing them back.

Vael rose again. Weak, but standing. Wings trembling.

"…Good… boy…"

Kai's eyes glinted.

He pushed off the pillar, staggering upright.

He could still fight.

They would still win.

Kai's smile returned.

"Let's fucking end this."