I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Despite the terror's horrible external wounds, Adam knew the most critical damages were happening inside. Radiation was probably ravaging its cells and DNA, causing internal bleeding and organ failures.

Curiosity gnawed at him, a relentless itch he couldn't scratch. Thus, he crossed the vortex to continue his observation and understand how the original survived.

A few seconds later, he snorted at the once terrifying behemoth, reduced to a scorched mess. Dust billowed in the damp cave as its chest rose and fell with difficulty.

Inside its stomach, blood churned and crashed against the walls like a tidal wave. And in the middle of this raging red sea, the original swung his military knives, his lips curling into a devious smile.

"HAHAHA. Look at you! I'll soon pierce your stomach like a balloon!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Despite the dizziness assaulting him, he roared and continued his mad onslaught. Stopping meant death anyway. So, he gritted his teeth, fighting against the currents to strike the same tissue, a single thought in mind.

'I'll survive!'

However, his heart wavered. Initially, no matter how many times he struck, the tissues reformed in a flash. Now, the creature seemed to have lost this ability for whatever reason, yet he was the problem.

With each second crawling by, he felt his strength decline. The taste of acid filled his mouth as nausea assaulted him out of nowhere, and his headache kept growing worse. Hesitation flashed in his bloodshot eyes as he realised he couldn't pierce the thick muscles.

As everything seemed lost, wild tremors shook the stomach, increasing the blood volume and pushing him towards the creature's tunnel-sized throat.

Stunned by the sudden occurrence, his eyes narrowed into slits. It was his chance!

"I'll cut your throat open and leave from it. Do you regret eating me now? HAHAHA."

Oblivious to the situation, he laughed again, striking feebly, as blood poured from his nostrils.

Yet, Adam figured understood what transpired. The beast's immense frame shielded the original from the radiation... at least, for a moment. That's how he didn't die instantly.

'He is still infected, though, and severely, at that.'

With his shallow knowledge, he was no expert in the field, but one thing was for sure. The original's DNA would collapse in the next few minutes. In simple words, he would perish. Upon realising this, his eyes sparkled with utter confusion.

'Like seriously, is he a cockroach? How did he not die after all of this?!'

As he watched with undivided attention, the terror's shaking intensified. After ten seconds, it opened its titanic maws, shrieking in agony before...

BLERG

The noise of liquid crashing into the ground filled the damp cave as the metallic scent of blood permeated the sticky air. Unable to function properly, the creature's body automatically forced the fluid saturating its stomach out. And amidst the violent torrent, it flushed the small, struggling figure of the original, too!

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Rolling on the ground, the man puked as well before wobbling to his feet and clutching his chest with a grimace. Despite the pain, emotions stirred in his mind in a chaotic maelstrom.

'I survived!' He thought, his clenched fists trembling and his eyes narrowing at the behemoth. Because now, he would take revenge. For him, for the soldiers, for the city.

"I told you, you'll regret it!"

His voice rang out with spite as he staggered towards the creature. With slow, painful step, he climbed onto its face, locking eyes with its monstrous eyeball. A smirk twisted his lips, fueled by a burning desire to cut it into pieces.

However, he knew the creature was too durable, even if it couldn't move. Thus, he clenched his fingers around his knife and pressed it against the trembling eye. Using it like a chisel, he struck it with his right palm, gradually plunging it into the weakened tissues.

Fortunately, the creature's internal wounds were too extensive for it to retaliate. So, millimeter by millimeter, he pressed, his smirk enlarging after each passing second, despite the sensation of weakness sapping his strength.

The creature shuddered under his feet, a vain attempt to retaliate overshadowed by its internal agony.

After fifteen seconds, the original's arm pierced through. Vengeance burning in his eyes, he plunged his hand and seized something hard yet smooth lying in the mangled eye's depth. Then, he pulled his bloodied arm back and stuffed the thing inside his mouth, shocking the creature to its core... literally.

"I told you I'll devour you before you can!"

His voice echoed with triumph and resentment, the taste of victory bitter and sweet on his tongue.

Infuriated to see the ant act willfully, the creature's entire form shook with rage. Its melted chitin plates rubbed against each other in a horrifying cacophony, and its emotions erupted like a volcano. How dared this insignificant thing devour a part of its mighty body? Ignoring its suffering, it summoned all its remaining strength.

Its body rose from the ground, legs trembling like candles assailed by a storm.

CRASH

However, its arteries shattered with its sudden movement, hastening its decay and a few seconds later, it stopped moving entirely. Just like that, a mighty tier-five creature perished.

Elated, the original's heart hammered against his chest like a drum. Yet, he could feel it, the increasing pain accompanying each beat.

"Something... huuh... is wrong with me," he said, his words chopped by ragged breathing. If he attributed his state to the potential lack of oxygen in the creature's belly, he now was sure that an invisible force gnawed at his body.

Thankfully, the vortex stood a few kilometers before the city. If he could reach it, the military would find ways to heal him. At least, that's what he hoped.

"I can't die... I will never die," he muttered through gritted teeth as he took feeble steps towards the swirling mass of energy composing the vortex.

As he drew closer, the typical buzz of mana filled his ears in a soothing melody. But he was too exhausted to appreciate it fully. His senses dulled now that his body had reduced its adrenaline production, and his vision blurred. His head throbbed with increasing ferocity as fresh blood dripped from his nose and eyes, marring his clothes scarlet.

Every movement was a struggle, each step a battle of will to survive.

Unfortunately, his will didn't matter when radiation mercilessly struck at his DNA and cells. As he finally stepped into the passage, the world spun and his brain shut down everything in the next moment. His eyes dulled, and his body collapsed inside the vortex.

Amidst the encroaching darkness, a final, resolute thought echoed within him.

'I... will... survive.'