From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals

Lt. Daemon's body jerked violently as the harpoon embedded in his back dragged him across the rough earth. His arm flailed uselessly, blood spilling from the jagged wound in his shoulder, mixing with the dirt as he was pulled further away from the center of the clearing. His vision blurred, the pain blinding and relentless, as his muscles screamed in protest with each wrenching pull.

He could feel the harpoon digging deeper into his flesh, catching on the bone and tearing through the sinew with every inch. His breath came in shallow gasps, the agony so intense that it threatened to consume him entirely. The warmth of his blood soaked his clothes, the ground beneath him slick with it, and yet he couldn't move, couldn't stop the relentless force dragging him toward certain death.

Through the fog of pain, he heard General Osalf's voice, the mocking tone cutting through the haze like a knife.

"You thought you could fight me?" Osalf's voice carried with it a cruel amusement, each word laced with venom. "You thought you could bring me in? You?"

Daemon's fingers twitched, his hand weakly reaching for the blade at his side, but the weight of the harpoon pulling at his back was too much. The chain clinked ominously, each metallic rattle sending fresh jolts of pain through his body. He could barely see through the blood and sweat dripping down his face, his vision swimming as he tried to focus on Osalf's silhouette standing just ahead.

Osalf took a slow step forward, his blade hanging lazily at his side, the cold glint of steel catching the fading light. "And now look at you, Daemon. Look at where your loyalty has gotten you. Dragged through the dirt like a wounded animal."

"Fuck…" Daemon hissed through gritted teeth, his breath ragged. His vision blurred again, the purple hue of the setting suns casting eerie shadows across the clearing. He couldn't move, every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire, the weight of the harpoon pinning him down like prey caught in a hunter's snare.

Behind him, the man holding the chain chuckled softly, the sound deep and menacing. "You see, General?" the man said, his voice low and gravelly. "I told you, when death arrives, I always come with it. You only see me when it's your time."

The harpooner stepped into view, his clothes tattered and grimy, his face gaunt and pale, marred by a missing eye socket and a jaw that looked nearly dislocated. The jagged chain in his hands clinked softly as he gave it another sharp tug, dragging Daemon closer toward him. "I am the Black Bull's Death Sentry, and I am here to finish this."

Daemon's teeth clenched against the pain, his fingers desperately clawing at the earth as he was pulled further back. He had to act. Now.

"Please allow me to handle the rest," the harpooner said with a sinister grin, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth. "I'll make it quick."

The sound of the chain tightening filled the clearing, the pressure around Daemon's body intensifying as the harpooner prepared for the final pull.

Daemon's eyes flickered toward Osalf, and for a moment, he saw the faintest hint of amusement in the general's eyes. He wasn't supposed to end like this. Not like this.

"You should know better than this," Daemon growled, his voice strained, each word an effort as his muscles screamed in agony. "You taught me... more than this."

The harpooner gave a sharp yank on the chain, sending fresh waves of pain coursing through Daemon's body as his shoulder threatened to give out entirely. But as Daemon gritted his teeth against the onslaught, something inside him snapped—not a bone, but a resolve, a surge of energy born out of desperation.

With a final burst of strength, Daemon reached up with his good arm, his fingers wrapping around the harpoon shaft lodged in his back. His muscles screamed in protest as he dug deep into his reserves, forcing his body to obey.

The harpooner's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Daemon move. "What the—"

In one swift motion, Daemon activated his skill, summoning the remnants of his strength to channel Kinetic Repulsion. With a violent twist of his body, the energy that had been building within him erupted outward, sending a shockwave down the harpoon and into the chain.

The links shattered, snapping apart like brittle glass as the force of the blow ripped the harpoon from Daemon's shoulder with a sickening squelch.

Daemon's scream tore through the clearing as the pain reached its peak, his body jerking violently as the harpoon finally came free. Blood sprayed from the wound, soaking the ground beneath him, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.

The harpooner staggered backward, his face a mixture of shock and anger as he stared at the severed chain in his hands. "What the hell…?"

Daemon didn't give him time to recover. His vision was red, his body trembling with the effort it took to stay upright, but his instincts took over. With a single, powerful lunge, Daemon drove his blade into the ground, using it to push himself to his feet.

His breath came in ragged gasps, his shoulder burning with pain, but he stood tall, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You thought I was done?" Daemon growled, his voice hoarse but filled with determination. "You'll have to try harder than that."

The harpooner snarled, his hands trembling as he raised his chain again, but before he could strike, Daemon spun on his heel, his blade flashing in the dim light as he aimed for the harpooner's throat.

The harpooner barely had time to react, raising his arm to block the strike, but Daemon's blade sliced clean through the chain, sending the jagged links clattering to the ground.

But before Daemon could press the attack, a voice cut through the chaos.
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"You didn't think I'd let you handle this alone, did you?"