Immortal's Paradox

The monstrous creature lunged, its claws slashing through the air with a ferocity that made the Nightfangs seem like kittens. Lei Chen barely had time to react before the Nanospirit's cold, mechanical voice cut through his panic:

Threat approaching. Evasive maneuver recommended.

"Evasive what—?!" Lei yelled, stumbling backward as the beast's claws narrowly missed his face.

"Watch your footing, fool!" Mao called from the side, perched on a boulder like a spectator at an arena match.

The beast snarled, its glowing red eyes locking onto Lei's trembling form. Its scaled body rippled with every movement, muscles coiled like a spring ready to unleash destruction.

Enemy anatomy analyzed. Weak points identified: joints and underbelly. Recommend targeting vulnerable areas.

Lei's fists clenched. "Great. Now if only I had a weapon!"

Constructing temporary weapon from available materials.

Lei's eyes widened as the Nanospirit worked. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his hands, followed by a rush of heat. From his palm, a crude yet functional blade formed—a shimmering construct of condensed energy and scrap materials from his immediate environment.

"What... is this?" Lei muttered, staring at the weapon in awe.

"Less staring, more stabbing!" Mao snapped as the creature lunged again.

This time, Lei was ready. He sidestepped the attack, his enhanced reflexes kicking in. The blade slashed out, aiming for the creature's leg. The beast howled as the makeshift weapon sliced through its scaled joint, leaving a deep, smoking gash.

"Ha!" Lei shouted, exhilaration surging through him.

But his triumph was short-lived. The creature recovered almost instantly, swinging its massive tail like a battering ram. Lei barely managed to duck, the wind from the attack whipping his hair.

"You're not bad for a newbie," Mao said, licking its paw nonchalantly. "But try not to die, hmm? I'd hate to find another host."

"Helpful as always!" Lei shot back, sweat dripping down his face.

The beast circled him now, wary after the first injury. Lei could feel his heart pounding, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The Nanospirit's voice returned, calm and clinical:

Energy reserves at 72%. Suggest conserving resources.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lei muttered.

The beast charged again, its jaws snapping dangerously close to Lei's head. He dove to the side, rolling to his feet and slashing at its underbelly. The blade struck true, carving another deep wound, but the effort left him winded.

"This thing's tougher than it looks," Lei muttered, glancing at Mao. "Any brilliant ideas?"

Mao yawned. "It's a low-grade demonic beast. You just need to outlast it. Or…" The cat's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Use that shiny machine of yours to do something clever."

"Clever? Like what?"

Mao flicked its tail. "Figure it out, mortal. I'm just here to observe."

Lei gritted his teeth. The Nanospirit might have been a cheat, but it didn't make him invincible. He needed to think strategically.

"Nanospirit," he said, dodging another swipe from the beast, "can you create a distraction?"

Analyzing options... Deploying decoy projection.

A moment later, a shimmering copy of Lei appeared a few feet away, mimicking his movements. The beast growled, momentarily confused by the sudden duplication.

"Perfect," Lei said, using the distraction to position himself behind the creature.

With one swift motion, he plunged the energy blade into the beast's exposed back, driving it deep into the vulnerable joint where its spine connected to its tail. The creature roared, thrashing wildly, but Lei held firm, twisting the blade to maximize the damage.

The beast collapsed with a final, guttural cry, its body shuddering before going still. Lei staggered backward, panting, his hands trembling from the adrenaline.

"Well done," Mao said, hopping down from its perch. "For a mortal, that was almost impressive."

Lei glared at the cat. "You could've helped, you know."

Mao sniffed. "I did help. My moral support was invaluable."

Lei shook his head, too tired to argue. The beast's body was already beginning to dissolve, its demonic qi dispersing into the air.

"What now?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

Mao padded over to the remains, sniffing at the dissipating energy. "Now, we take what's left. That thing was infused with qi, and while you can't absorb it directly, your little machine might be able to extract something useful."

"Really?" Lei asked, perking up. "Nanospirit, can you do that?"

Analyzing remnants... Qi traces detected. Initiating extraction protocol.

A faint glow enveloped the beast's body as the Nanospirit went to work. Lei felt a strange warmth flow into him, not quite like the power surges he'd experienced earlier, but something deeper and more subtle.

Extraction complete. Qi energy stored for future use. Recommend constructing a qi conduit to safely channel energy.

"That's... amazing," Lei said, marveling at the sensation.

"Don't get too excited," Mao warned. "This is barely a drop in the ocean compared to what real cultivators can do. You're still at the bottom of the food chain."

Lei nodded, his excitement tempered by the reminder. "Still, it's a start. And I'll take any edge I can get."

Mao leapt back onto Lei's shoulder, its claws digging in lightly. "Good. Now let's keep moving. Those ruins aren't going to loot themselves, and I'm getting bored."

Lei chuckled despite himself. "You're impossible."

"True," Mao said smugly. "But you'd be dead without me, so I'd say we're even."

As they continued through the forest, Lei couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. He had a long way to go before he could truly stand on his own in this world, but for the first time, he felt like he had a chance.

And with Mao's snarky commentary and the Nanospirit's guidance, it was bound to be one hell of a journey.