Neinuko part 2

"Everyone, don't let your guard down!" A reminder to us by our leader with eyeglasses. "Go!" they signaled.

The boys immediately pierced the monster’s whole body with sharp wood sticks, so the monster cried out in pain. It was not sharp enough to penetrate its thick skin because we did not have any knives or other tools with us. But the boys forced it through to inflict its body.

"Rwaaah!"

"One more!" commands the chubby leader.

The boys gradually attack the monster using their sticks. As we continue to struggle, I'm thinking of the odds again. There is something wrong here. First, why is the river too shallow? Secondly, when the tri-games start, it's unfair to the players because we don't have a weapon against the monster regardless of fighting 24 vs 1. The monster attacks a human being so we can still lose. We weren’t aware of when and where specifically will the game start. Third, with the size of this forest, is it just a coincidence that we encountered the monster? If yes, why only tonight? We’ve been here since early morning—also, the time here seems to be running too fast compared to Earth. We only spent an approximately maximum of five hours searching for food and shelter ever since, yet it already dusked. Did the monster mean to show up at night because it targets us from the very beginning? And since it is at night, it has a better chance of winning. Or maybe because it's hiding something?

I scanned the surroundings. There are only ten boys here. If my suspicion is correct, the two missing boys are injured or worse, dead. But I’m hoping they’re not. I saw something dark red on the monster's fang, it was probably blood. Just thinking about it makes me feel bad.

I am swallowed up in my thoughts. The monster is still standing. It was just groaning and doing nothing to us. Why doesn’t it attack us when it is barely hurt? Often in movies, the monster attacks before its opponent can see an opportunity to attack or escape. But what does this one do? It is just moaning in pain. The boys managed to pierce once its body but there was barely any blood coming out of it. It must not be a fatal attack to stop a monster like this.

"What the?!" panicked a boy as we witnessed the monster’s power. It’s unbelievable but this one can cure itself rapidly.

The other girls were terrified as well and forced to run away. I admit that I am also getting scared. I can feel the increasing speed of my heartbeat. Just so when we could hurt the monster even for a bit, the worst-case happened because it regenerates. Even so, I tried to be firm and be calm as possible. I just stared the monster straight into its eyes.

Why don't you attack us? Are you being vigilant, or do you also have a weakness?

"Leader, what now?"

"Help!"

"There's nothing we can do!"

“Let’s run back”

“N-No…”

The two leaders are also confused. Lying in the sand were the wood sticks and branches they used to attack didn't seem to help much. After a few minutes of deep thought… I already know the weakness of this one. I hope this will work but it’s better to try out.

"Whaaa! 'Don't! Take me down!" a tanned boy shouted as the monster lifted him gaping. It will attack him. This is bad!

*splash*

"Ahhh!" The monster wriggled and released the boy. We helped him to get up and ran away from the monster.

The monster's expression changed. Its eyes widened staring at its stomach."Urraaawwwrrr!" the monster cries in pain.

We immediately covered our ears because of the noise. We saw the monster moan in ache. Its body gradually decomposes until it is completely reduced to ashes that are strewn with sand and blown away by the wind.

"W-What happened?" questioned someone.

"I don't know. A while ago the monster was still standing in front of us, and it was going to eat him. Turns out, the monster transformed into ashes."

I sighed because the boy who was nearly eaten was now safe. I also lost my nervousness and was thankful that the monster had finally been eradicated as well. Despite the monster’s death their eyes widened looking at me.

"W-Why?" I mumbled because their looks were frightening.

The bubbly friend held me on both shoulders. "How did you do that?"

I scratched my head. "The what?"

The two leaders approached me. "What happened? How did you end the monster?" the leader with eyeglasses asked.

"How?!" the chubby leader added.

I calmed them all down first. "Well, first, I wondered why we were attacked tonight. Second, the monster looked like a hybrid of a dog and a cat. Third, it had worms in its stomach. Fourth, why didn't it attack us all when we got close to the river?”

“And then?” the bubbly girl persistently queried.

“The answer is that the monster is afraid of water and salt."

"Huh?!" they questioned me in harmony.

"Animals are more vigilant at night compared to humans, this secures a probable win for the monster. Its face is a combination of dog and cat. Aren't most dogs and cats afraid of water? We managed to pierce its body through its stomach. The stomach with worms in it dies when you pour salt on it. There’s a possibility that it might not die completely but the effect is painful. The proof of that was why it didn't attack us right away when we were near the river because it was afraid of it.” I gazed into the river while I continued explaining my theory to them.

“Actually, this river is not an ordinary form of water. Its water is too salty, confirming it is very dense, so we were able to stay afloat even if it was too shallow with a depth of a little higher than our knees. And because the monster was afraid of water and salt, I splashed its wounded stomach with worms inside with salt water from the river."