Chapter 196

So. Apparently Natalie wasn’t going to fuck the boss for dominance. She had assumed that would be the case, because—well. Carnal Boss. What else would it mean?

She didn’t get to contemplate the misunderstanding for long. With a second-level boss streaking toward her, fist pulled back as she readied herself to deliver a devastating punch, Natalie could only worry about one thing. The fight. Surviving it.

Heaving her hammer forward, she swung the massive block of stone in a vicious arc at the Hellhound, intending to meet the surge of movement with her own. But even the quarter-second delay born from her surprise meant she was a hair too slow. The Hellhound dipped beneath the attack, barely avoiding it, then rocketed back up, crashing her fist into Natalie’s stomach. A burst of flame accompanied the blow, heat licking across her exposed skin.

Natalie grunted, staggering several steps backward with the force of the attack. But something strange happened: it wasn’t painful. Nor did she feel her HP dip. While HP was an enigmatic force, she could usually feel, in a vague sense, how healthy the resource was—how healthy she was. But the attack hadn’t left her even slightly worse for wear. Not even in a mundane way; her stomach didn’t ache. It was as if she hadn’t been hit at all.

She doubted it was because the Hellhound’s blow had simply been so insignificant. Something else was going on. A suspicion that was confirmed shortly. Steadying herself, a symbol blinked into existence above her opponent’s head: the outline of a heart, filling up from the bottom with pink light.

As if the Hellhound’s attack had increased some hidden gauge, rather than hurting Natalie.

What in the world was going on?

Where the Hellhound apparently intuited the rules of this game simply from having been transformed, Natalie was fumbling around in the dark.

Regardless of the specifics being unknown, though, the current goal was simple. Fight. And win.

The Hellhound followed her initial punch with a rapid step forward then a vicious kick. She was clearly a martial artist of some kind. Natalie hadn’t fought many of those during Tenet spars, with most students wielding weapons. The only reason to not have one would be if one’s class facilitated otherwise. But she had some experience, at least.

Experience or not, it was difficult dealing with a close-range style when Natalie herself was handling a supremely cumbersome hammer easily seven feet long.

In a split-second decision, Natalie released her grip on her hammer. Even with her skills making the weapon more effective, her current circumstances prevented her from using it well. Natalie caught the Hellhound’s leg, then, grunting, swung, tossing her off balance. The Hellhound clearly hadn’t expected the maneuver. She went tumbling sideways, landing back-first on the ground with a hard ‘oomph’.

Re-grabbing her hammer, Natalie quickly slammed it down, the giant block of stone hurtling for the Hellhound like a meteor. But while Natalie had been fast, she hadn’t been fast enough: the Hellhound recovered, rolling to the side, and Natalie’s hammer crashed impotently down where she’d been a second earlier, splintering stone.

The two of them locked eyes for a moment, Natalie’s hammer embedded into the floor, and the Hellhound lying on her back, looking up at her. She grinned, orange eyes wild.

Natalie hefted her hammer, reorienting herself and getting her brain fully into gear for the upcoming fight. The Hellhound leaped back to her feet in a coordinated, effortless manner. The heart symbol above her head was still one-fifth full of pink light. But now, another symbol had appeared to join it: a shield, which had only a trickle of silver light, perhaps one-twentieth filled.

“What are those?” Natalie asked warily, keeping her distance. The Hellhound had, thankfully, not immediately rushed her after recovering. Natalie got the feeling she had just been testing her out—getting a feel for her. By the grin, the Hellhound liked what she’d found. Natalie sympathized; she also lusted for a good fight. They were kindred souls in that regard.

“What are what?” the Hellhound asked.

“The symbols. Above your head.”

The Hellhound paused, then tilted her head. Her wolf ear twitched, as if agitated, interested, or—whatever twitching wolf ears meant.