"27 D+ rank monsters remaining."
The soft, feminine voice of the system resonates inside my head as the slithering remains of the spiders finally hit the ground, succumbing to a limp.
As I finished using mana infusion, I look again at my MP, noting the '27/120' encapsulated in a textbox as my limbs begin to weaken, a lethargy hitting the deepest depths of my soul.
If I don't finish this sooner, I'll run out of MP far sooner than I kill all of these pests. An unease penetrates my skin, my arms shaking as I envision the many ways in which I'll be dissected if I'm incapacitated by my lack of mana.
If I continue to use mana infusion, I'll run out of MP and certainly leave myself vulnerable to the spiders' attacks, but if I don't use it, then I'll have no means to quickly and efficiently dispatch them.
As my teeth clasp together, my gums whitening as a clattering begins to emerge, I clench my jaw as I again charge forth, maintaining my strictly offensive tactics against the hordes of spiders numbering deep into the hundreds.
Two spiders to my right launch shattering attacks of web, but I'd already anticipated this--mainly due to my enhanced deduction skill--skidding across the surface of one and completely outmaneuvering the other.
Maintaining my velocity, I again charge forth, my target backing up. However, it was too late.
"Mana infusion!"
Shooting out my energy to extend the range of my blade, I quickly dispatch both my target and the surrounding adversaries as I quickly deactivate my infusing of mana, both preserving my energy and lowering the time differential between me killing my enemies and my reallocating of focus to a different spider.
"21 D+ rank monsters remaining."
Glancing back towards my status window, the insides of my cheek fold ever so slightly as my lips blush, poking out and about as a smile creeps up on my face.
With this, I only needed 21 more kills before I could escape and complete the mission.
Sliding under the intense force of another ball of web, I insist on maintaining a constant flow of offense and little to no room for the spiders to reground.
As the spiders continued their attacks, I made mental note of which ones I'd been in the range of, using my peripheral vision to best ascertain my next course of action.
Vaulting across the battlefield, I extend forth my blade in an all too familiar fashion, expecting all the same futile efforts that the spiders have shown up until now.
"Mana infusion!"
As my target instantly made note of my attack, it jumped back, all focus on avoiding the attack.
That is, what I assumed would happen. However, this time, it met me halfway, sticking out its claws as it came to intercept my blade upfront. The tenacity of the thing!
However, at the strength I'm at now, there's no D rank beast who could deflect a head-on attack from my blade infused with mana.
Releasing all the force bunched in my forearm, I put forth my attack in an instant, bearing no hesitation for the creature's resistance.
As blood rang out from the point of impact, I jumped back, fixated on the open wound left on my remaining good arm that made its way from my wrist to the inside of my elbow.
Recalling the moment of impact when I'd eyed for the creature's head, it both deflected my attack, leaving me staggered before expeditiously stabbing its claw into my arm and leaving a deep gash.
"T-the hell?" The world began to become a haze as my expression turned to one of disbelief, my gaze shifting between my arm and the creature.
A quiver manifested in my voice and posture, the surprise of it all cutting the tether between me and my composure.
As I fought to hold back the shaking of my hand from the pain and loss of blood, I gripped my blade harder, retreating from the spider as it attempted to maintain its pursuit.
As I turned around, I took note of a crimson engraving on its forehead, positioned a few inches off from where its top eye laid.
Before I could sufficiently increase the distance, the creature lunged forward, hastening its approach as mana released as an outburst from its claws to unleash a shatteringly powerful burst of strength.
Attempting to defend myself, I hasten my blade as my fist raises up towards my chest where it was aiming, almost instinctively using as much mana as I could to strengthen my blade.
With no concern of remaining reserves, I call out for mana infusion again, this time secluding the range of the mana out of instinct to just my blade to condense and further strengthen the integrity of the blade itself.
Crack!