Tick Tock On The Clock [LITRPG Deckbuilding with Time Ticking down]

...

The fire crackled softly in the dark, the faint hiss of roasting meat the only sound accompanying the symphony of nocturnal forest life.

Cassian sat cross-legged on the mossy patch of ground, staring at the slab of deer meat slowly turning on his makeshift spit. The scent of charred fat and smoke curled upward into the night air, mixing with the wild aroma of pine and damp earth.

Nope, not gonna eat it raw it's my kill, He sighed as he looked down at his wrist [04: 20: 48: 23]

Almost 6 hours of daylight and most of it was uneventful. No ambushes, no monsters, no hidden ruins. Just trees and hills.

Still, he'd made progress. The dense tree line was thinning now, the ground sloping sharper with each hour of travel. From his current elevation, the highest peak—his destination—was finally visible through the gaps in the canopy, a jagged black silhouette against a sky painted in hues of indigo and silver.

Cassian tossed another dry stick into the flames.

It's too quiet… man, I'm missing Dorian's company.

With a slight roll of his eyes, he lifted his hand and summoned the behemoth card with a flick of essence.

"Come forth [The Behemoth]" he murmured. The summon materialized with a rumble, its massive form rising just beyond the firelight's edge. Its dark hide shimmered faintly in the glow, and its bright yellow eyes blinked once, slowly.

Cassian offered it a grin. "I'm getting lonely buddy help cheer me up"

The behemoth stared at him. Silent. Unmoving.

"Yeah, I'm talking to myself again, but hey at least I have you to listen to my ramblings."

He sliced a portion of the roasted deer with his combat knife, holding it out like an offering. "Here. You've earned your share. Technically."

The behemoth didn't move as a thought entered Cassian mind's, Do summons need to eat? Can they even eat?

Guess it's time to find out.

Waving the meat in the beast's face. "Come on. It's good. I put actual effort into not burning this."

Reluctantly—perhaps just to shut him up after minutes of constant aggro—the behemoth leaned forward and snapped the meat from his hand, chewing it with exaggerated disinterest.

Cassian smirked. "See? Told you."

Finishing his own portion, he leaned back against a tree trunk placing a longsword in front of him, the fire's warmth brushing gently against his face. He closed his eyes, drawing in a long, controlled breath. The cool mountain air filled his lungs, crisp and sharp, carrying with it the subtle energies of the living world.

He let his essence flow, searching.

Threads of ambient energy stirred in the air—thin and elusive, but present. Vital aura. The quiet rhythm of nature's breath. He guided his awareness toward it, stretching out slowly towards the sword. Whatever aura is… it's definitely connected to weapons.

breathe in… breathe out….

Cassian focused, reaching inward. Not to summon the weapon, but to feel it. To understand it. To connect. With it.

And yet even after almost half an hour of meditation, there was no progress with Aura, Cassian could feel that mystic energy but every time he got close to touching it would slide further away.

A soft chime echoed in his mind.

Cassian opened one eye and sighed. "Exactly… Well, I get that part about Aura, but that doesn't mean that I can't meditate and condition my mind and body, right?"

He glanced up at the moon, pale and full above the treetops, framed in the jagged silhouette of the mountainside. It made him chuckle under his breath.

"In the last few days, I've made a lot of dumb calls. Rushing. Improvising. Fighting like I'm still back in some game. If I'd taken more time to prepare, maybe I wouldn't have almost died so many times." He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head, voice quieting. "If I can train myself to stay calm, and focused, even when it all hits the fan—that's more important than unlocking some flashy new ability."

"Though I wouldn't deny a new flashy ability!"

Another chime flickered to life.

Cassian burst out laughing, head tipping back as the firelight shimmered against the trees.

"Gods… thank you, guys," he murmured, wiping a tear from his eye.

He exhaled deeply, letting the moment settle into his bones. No—he wasn't going to brute-force his way into awakening aura. Not tonight. Not like this. But he was on the right path. His will was sharpening, his mind clearing—he could feel it.

My resolve is still growing. One step at a—

A shiver ran through Cassian but before he could figure it out—Behemoth shifted beside him, muscles rippling beneath its dark hide, its massive head slowly turning toward the shadows just beyond the fire's edge.

What the hell?

He barely had time to move before the Behemoth was already on it. With a blur of motion and a crack, the creature's neck twisted grotesquely.

Its body collapsed in a boneless heap just inches from Cassian's feet and as he looked closer, the silhouette was lithe, tall with one long, curved horn jutted from its temple, its skin a deep obsidian hue that seemed to drink in the firelight.

"Demons"

Cassian stared at the body, heart thudding as his hand instinctively reached for his weapon. He hadn't sensed a thing until it was nearly on top of them.

God damn, can you please not do this now!

Cassian slowly stood, jaw tight, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the fire's reach. The night suddenly felt far less peaceful.

If this was just the scout…

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

"So much for a quiet evening," he muttered, voice low as he turned to Behemoth, who stood still and alert. Cassian patted its thick hide.

"Good job, buddy," he whispered. "I don't think they've realized their scout's dead yet…"

He exhaled slowly, scanning the tree line, the firelight casting flickering shadows across the forest floor. His eyes narrowed. "We have to take the fight to them, buddy. No more waiting around."

"Mana Shield."

«You have cast [Mana Shield] spell, Gained an LVL 0 Mana shield 10/10 DMG absorption.»

«You have fed 10 Essence points to your mana shield spell, Current saturation: LVL 10 Shield 100/100 DMG absorption»

A soft shimmer enveloped Cassian's body as the invisible barrier settled over him.

Grabbing his sidearm and his sword, he gave a subtle mental command to Behemoth.

Go. Engage them… make it look like you are a berserk beast. I'll follow.

Without hesitation, the Behemoth let out a low, guttural growl and charged into the darkness, its form vanishing between the trees.

Cassian gave a curt nod, muttering under his breath as he followed, "Yeah"

He sprinted into the forest, boots silent over the underbrush. Visibility was terrible—still no night vision, a problem he swore he'd solve if he lived through the week. He couldn't rely on what he couldn't see, so he turned inward instead.

Not sight. Feel. Trust the instincts.

He let the feedback from his [Danger Sense] navigate, combining it with the quiet footprint of his [Stealth] skill. The air buzzed faintly as he expanded his perception, letting it stretch out in all directions like a net woven from essence and intent. Every vibration in the ground, every unnatural shift in the air, he felt it.

And soon enough, he was greeted by a system notification.

Cassian grinned, Nice job… I'll be there soon.

He pushed harder, drawing on his enhanced stamina, the trees blurring past him as he angled toward the source of the fighting. The thread connecting him to Behemoth burned brighter now—close.

Cassian shook his head, brushing off the notification. And soon the sounds of battle grew sharper—snarls, guttural roars, the crash of heavy limbs against armored hide. Through the veil of trees, flickers of flame and bursts of virulent green light lit the air in sick flashes. His Behemoth's bellows echoed through the forest like thunder, but the tone was off—there was strain behind the fury.

Shit…

Cassian's heart beat with worry as he moved closer, fully submerging with his [Stealth] skill. Essence coiled tightly around his presence, muffling even the whisper of his breath. The world narrowed into a controlled focus—no sound, no thought, only the hunt.

He reached the edge of a slight ridge and dropped low, eyes narrowing at the scene below.

Five demons.

Four of them were locked in vicious melee with the Behemoth, darting in and out with sharp, wicked blades, coordinated like a trained hunting pack. Flame licked from their mouths and claws, and arcs of acidic mist hissed from vents in their skin—poison.

But it was the fifth one that drew Cassian's full attention.

A towering brute, easily nine feet tall, with skin the color of scorched blood and muscles corded with unnatural strength. Three massive horns curled like a crown from its skull, and a jagged brand glowed faintly on its throat. It stood behind the others, arms crossed, barking orders in a guttural tongue thick with scorn.

Its aura reeked of authority—and arrogance. That's the pack leader for sure.

"Shit," Cassian hissed under his breath, gripping the edge of the ridge. I should've cast Holy Blessing before—damn it.

He took a slow breath, steadying his mind. Panic wouldn't help now. He still had time. Barely—but just enough.

Alright. Let's turn this around.

His eyes locked onto the pack leader.

Cassian surged forward.

Essence flooded his limbs as he launched from the ridge, midair, like a blade descending from the heavens. The shadows clung to him until the last second.

He landed behind the pack leader, his sword flashing in his left hand while his right leveled a pistol at the demon's back, Cassian couldn't afford the miss if he failed hitting the head of the demon at least with the back he had a big target, one he wouldn't miss.

Now.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The demon barely had time to register before the blade sang through the air and carved a vicious arc across its midsection, slicing deep into flesh and muscle. Black blood sprayed in a jagged burst as the pack leader howled, staggering backward.

The demon's roar built into a frenzied crescendo as steam exploded from its pores. Its form bulged with heat and fury. Flame erupted from its claws, coating the obsidian talons in blazing fire. With a guttural snarl, it swiped at Cassian's head, flames trailing behind like a comet's tail.

Cassian ducked low, barely avoiding decapitation. The sheer heat scorched the air above his head, and a wash of flame slammed into his barrier. Gritting his teeth, he rolled back, landing hard against the packed earth.

«Mana Shield saturation is critical»

What do you mean, shield critical? That wasn't even a direct hit! FUCK!

Cassian rolled backward, drawing his second pistol mid-motion and firing two more shots into the demon's face. The demon snarled, throwing up a thick arm to shield its face. Bullets tore into flesh, forcing it back, buying Cassian a split second of space. He dropped to one knee, fingers glowing with essence.

"[Piercing Light]!"

A radiant beam lanced forward from his outstretched hand, a narrow spear of searing brilliance that tore through the battlefield with blinding force. It struck its target—but a crimson shield materialized before the demon, absorbing the blast.

"Fuck!" Cassian grit his teeth. No, you don't.

"[Heart Swords!]" he barked.

Five ethereal swords shimmered into existence, hovering above his shoulders like ghostly sentinels.

Cassian flicked two fingers forward.

The first two swords shrieked through the air, streaking toward the demon in a staggered formation. The demon braced, summoning the same red shield—barely reforming it just in time. The first sword slammed into it, cracking the sigil with a violent burst. The second met a backup shield that flared red before fracturing into shards of flickering essence.

The demon bellowed in frustration, stumbling a step backward.

Shit, how many layers does this guy have?!

Cassian narrowed his eyes. "Go."

He fired the remaining three swords in a tight, crisscrossing spread. They cut through the air coming in from different angles, forcing the demon to defend from all sides.

The Demon growled and brought its claws up, swiping through the first sword, then smashing the second with a burst of flame and brute strength.

But the third sword—light-speed, precise, and perfectly angled—slipped through a gap in its guard.

A sickening squelch echoed through the clearing as the blade buried itself deep into the demon's gut.

A roar of pain erupted from the beast, louder than anything before, echoing off the mountain.

Cassian stood his ground, breathing hard, heart hammering in his chest.

Got you. Now gotta capitalize on this…

He surged forward, hand flicking to the side as he activated his [Blink] card—vanishing and reappearing in a burst of displaced air directly on the demon's exposed left flank.

Cassian raised his gun and fired point-blank. The muzzle flash lit the demon's snarling face as bullets tore into its cheek, temple, and throat—each shot snapping its head back with brutal force. At the same moment, Cassian twisted, plunging his blade into the gaping wound left by the [Heart Sword], driving it deeper toward the beast's core with a guttural shout.

But the kill confirmation never came.

Instead, a deafening roar exploded in his mind—[Danger Sense] flaring like a thunderclap, primal and absolute. Every nerve screamed to move but the world had already slowed, collapsing into that dreadful crawl where instinct moved faster than thought.

A flaming claw—streaked with ash and rimmed in molten embers—came swinging toward his ribs.

But that wasn't the worst of it.

From behind the tree line, a jagged arrow of dark green energy shot through the air, vibrating with toxic malice, aimed directly at his heart.

What…? How? Goddamn it—Behemoth, where are you?!

"[Blink]!" he hissed through gritted teeth, eyes flaring as he reached again for his escape.

But the world didn't shift.

Instead, a cold, mechanical tone rang in his ears like a death sentence:

Cassian's heart stopped. His mouth opened in disbelief. No… No, no no—!

Panic surged in his veins like venom. Try something else. Anything!

He flared his essence, snarling as he snapped his wrist and reached for [Firewave].

"FUCK!" Cassian screamed—his abilities, his options—were crushed in an instant under the weight of multiple tactical cards.

And then the world moved again.

The flaming claw struck first, raking across his side in a burst of blinding heat. His shield flared—cracked—and shattered in a spray of golden sparks. The pain was immediate and primal. Skin scorched. Ribs crunched.

He staggered, but there was no time to fall.

The poisoned arrow followed, slamming into his shoulder like a spearhead. It punched clean through cloth and flesh, embedding deep into bone. His body jerked, breath stolen from his lungs—and then came the final blow.

Through the blur of fire and smoke, the pack leader surged forward, raising a massive fist. The punch landed with the force of a battering ram, crushing into Cassian's sternum.

The world tilted. His body went weightless. He flew.

Trees shattered around him as he was launched backward, crashing through branches, bark, and undergrowth.

...