From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

Chapter 219: Labored attempts

Nana gradually regained sensation in her hands and feet, a coldness permeating her body. With a sudden lurch, she moved forward, the dim light slowly revealing her surroundings. She found herself on her knees, a sharp pain gripping her shoulder. Glancing at her right hand, she noticed a dagger, its blade stained with blood.

The name 'Josia' was intricately etched onto the blade. This detail caught Nana's attention, and she pondered, "This must have been Mother's?" The thought lingered in her mind, a connection to her mother that felt both poignant and mysterious.

Just as she was absorbed in this thought, the sound of metal scraping against the ground reached her ears. It grew progressively louder, indicating an approaching presence. Nana looked up, her eyes straining to make out the source of the sound amidst the dim lighting.

Before she could get a clear view, the walls around her suddenly erupted into towering blue flames, forming a giant circle that illuminated the area with an eerie glow. Emerging from this fiery spectacle was a faceless creature, its head an odd, metallic triangle. It moved towards her with a deliberate, menacing pace, brandishing a massive sword that glinted ominously in the flickering firelight.

Nanako, mustering all her strength, attempted to rise to her feet, only to be met with a sharp increase in pain from her shoulder. She realized, with a start, that a piece of metal – a remnant of the arrow from her vivid memory – was still lodged in her flesh.

"How could any of that have been real?" she wondered, her mind reeling from the surreal experiences that seemed to blur the lines between reality and memory.

As she grappled with these thoughts, a massive sweep of air whooshed near her, the creature's sword slicing through the space where she had just been. Nanako instinctively pushed herself back, narrowly avoiding the blade which came mere inches from her face. Refocusing on the creature, she prepared for its next move.

Then, a voice, chillingly familiar, echoed through the flames. "Sweet girl, why are you running from me?" It was the same voice as her mother's, a haunting mimicry that sent a shiver down Nanako's spine. As she watched in disbelief, the creature morphed, its form changing and reshaping into an eerily accurate representation of Nana's mother.

"Don't run away from mother; that's very rude, you know?" the apparition chided, its tone a disturbing mix of maternal affection and sinister intent.

Nana's keen observation noted that while the creature had taken on the guise of her mother, its blade remained unchanged – a stark reminder of the imminent threat it posed. The creature's body, though resembling her mother's, still bore unsettling signs of its true nature. Part of its arm was a twisted mass of flesh, a grotesque contrast to the familiar form it had adopted.

As the creature lunged towards Nana with a downward slash, she reacted swiftly, rolling to the side in an attempt to dodge the attack. However, her injured shoulder hindered her movement, causing her evasion to fall just short of safety. The blade tore through her clothing, leaving a small gash on her arm. A sharp scream escaped her lips as she continued rolling, crashing into a wall with a thud.

The creature, in the voice of her mother, spoke with a chilling callousness. "Now, dear daughter, just stay there and die for me, please. It's rude to make mother work harder than she needs to." The words were laced with a cruel mockery of maternal care, adding a psychological twist to the physical pain Nana was enduring.

Nana, pressed against the wall, pain throbbing in her shoulder and arm, realized the gravity of her situation.

As the creature, donning the haunting guise of Nana's mother, surged forward with increased speed, it aimed a lethal thrusting attack with its sword. Nana, cradling her injured shoulder and battling waves of pain, took a deep, steadying breath. In a moment of focused determination, she opened her eyes wide, just as the blade came perilously close to her face.

In that critical instant, a small explosion erupted between them. Seizing the opportunity, Nana propelled herself into the air with a forceful push from her uninjured hand. Mid-air, she rapidly formed a complex weave with her fingers, combining a triangle and a hexagon pattern — a symbolic fusion of her parents' techniques.

The creature, embodying a twisted maternal persona, wasted no time in its counterattack. It leaped towards Nana, its voice a distorted scream, "How dare you attack Mother!" It swung its sword at her with ferocious intent.

But Nana, with her hands completing the intricate weave and her injured arm now hanging limply at her side, was ready. As the creature's blade drew dangerously close to her cheek, she snapped her fingers. The action unleashed a powerful explosion, tripled in intensity from the combined weaves.

The blast sent the creature hurtling backward with immense force, crashing it into another wall. The impact reverberated through the room, a testament to Nana's growing control and power over her abilities. Despite her injury and the emotional turmoil of facing an entity masquerading as her mother, Nana had managed to turn the tide of the battle

As the creature howled in agony, its voice morphed into an unsettling blend of her father's and mother's tones, creating a dissonant chorus that screamed, "HoW DaRe yoU—"

Nana, her emotions churning into a fierce resolve, planted her feet against the wall. Using it as a springboard, she propelled herself towards the creature, her eyes burning with righteous anger. "YOU WILL NOT SOIL THE IMAGE OF MY PARENTS OR ANYONE I CARE ABOUT!" she declared vehemently, her voice cutting through the chaos.

In a sudden shift, the creature's deceptive forms dissipated, revealing its true nature. It stood as a grotesque monster, towering at 20 feet tall, its enormous mouth filled with thousands of razor-sharp teeth. The monster lunged at Nana, attempting to ensnare her in its deadly bite.

Reacting swiftly, Nana snapped her fingers, triggering a series of explosions. One detonated right at her feet, providing her with an additional boost to leap over the towering creature. In mid-air, she wielded her wand with her injured hand, focusing intently despite the searing pain.

Channeling her energy, Nana unleashed a barrage of water bullets from the wand. The projectiles rained down on the creature with relentless force, each bullet striking with the intensity of a piercing round. Overwhelmed by the assault, the creature staggered back, retreating to a nearby wall.

Nana landed gracefully, her breathing heavy but determined. She watched the monster recoil, its form riddled with the watery onslaught. Despite the gravity of her injuries and the emotional toll of the battle, Nana stood resolute.