Okay, let's get the basic statistics out in the open.

What does that Cyclops have? Great build which gives it a lot of strength, vision that can detect things that normally people can't and also great craftsmanship.

What do I have? Plot armor, plot convenience, monologuing abilities and of course, seductiveness (Hahahaha!!!) – None of which will be helpful against a Cyclops.

If I have to defeat that thing, I need to use my surroundings to my advantage. Hmm, I'll do that.

Yeah, genius! Use the surroundings, the forest that is the home of your enemy, to your advantage! That's the greatest plan you have ever thought of.

But then, what the hell am I supposed to do? I am in a pinch here and well, knowing the author, he won't put any cool ideas in my mind.

*****

Since Grey and Jessica's shop at the New Street is the next target, the first thing the two of us decided to do, after talking about the various possibilities and failing to figure out anything useful, was to get to this shop. For now, it is completely fine. The attacker said he/she will have this shop destroyed by 6 pm tomorrow. That means we still have about 20 hours before anything happens to this place. The problem is –

"What if that note's purpose is to misguide us?" –that doubt that was bound to come up in our minds.

"What if the person responsible for this is targeting some other shop out of 8 others they own and that note was to make us not get to the right place in time?" Roswaisa's question is completely sensible. However, even if that is the case,

"I still think a thorough search of this shop might be a good idea." I insist so, mostly because of an instinctual feeling.

"Well, I guess we do have time." She says and pushes open the door to the shop. The receptionist looks at us and smiles and starts with the formal greeting, to which, Roswaisa puts up a hand and stops her.

"We are here on business and would need to search this shop thoroughly. You can call Grey and Jessica and ask them about us. They'll tell you that we are trustworthy." Saying so, the Demigoddess heads deeper into the shop. So, I start with the outer sections.

I might be wrong but I just feel that we will find a clue in this shop.

*****

Adjusting myself at a distance I assume will be safe and still allow me to look at the clearing where the two have a base at, I try to look at what that giant one-eyed thing is doing. And, to my surprise, it seems what brought him here was the smell of a fox all tied-up and ready to be eaten. I am not surprised that a monstrosity like that would eat a fox but I wouldn't wanna see that happening.

I am not stupid enough to get my cover blown for the sake of saving a fox either so I'll wait here. Forgive me, animal lover everywhere, but I am a human with barely any real power to speak of.

"Don't drop the pots!" The voice of the girl comes, heading towards the clearing.

"I won't. I am not so clumsy." The boy replies as he too is obviously heading in the same direction.

They are about to enter the clearing and come face-to-face with the Cyclops. The Cyclops too seems to have started losing interest in the fox and is starting to react to the coming smell (or whatever it is that he uses to track his prey) of the two teens. It's only a matter of time before some blood spills.

"Wait!" The girl suddenly stops and drops the pot.

"Who's the one who-"

"There's something there, something really dangerous." Good senses, girl. Now, if you know what's good for you, then start running. That way, I can also just sneak away and not bother with that monster.

"But who would it be?" The boy, seemingly worse in the brain department, then starts heading into the clearing to check out who the girl just sensed. And so,

"You idiot! We need to run!" The girl pulls on his clothes and starts pulling him backwards.

"So what now?" The boy says with fierce determination. "Just because someone found our base means we abandon everything run away like cowards?"

Yes.

"Yes."

And with that, the boy's determination crumbles and he stops resisting being pulled back. However, the voice that idiot raised was enough for the Cyclops to start heading their way.

I really can't do nothing now.

And so, I pull on a branch of a nearby tree as hard as I can with the intention to break it. And it doesn't take more than five seconds for me to finally break it. The edge from I where I broke the branch, as I'd hoped, has some sharp edges. Now, that thing only has one eye. If I can get this into its eye, it'll be blind and I'll have a chance of overwhelming it. That seems to be the only way as there is no future for me in the option of taking on it in a fair-fight.

"Hey!" The boy yells. "The Cyclops is looking right at us."

Indeed, the Cyclops completely forgot about the fox and is looking right in the path and the two teens were coming from and now are running back on.

And it certainly looks like it's filled with gluttonous desires. Maybe eating humans is more pleasurable to it than eating foxes. In any case, I am going to go through with the plan and blind it. But, I need to be quick and quiet. That thing can smell as well as hear pretty well. If it seems me coming, the whole idea might just backfire.

"Run faster!" The boy takes the hand of the girl and, using the biological advantage of his gender, turns the pace they were running at a bit faster. The Cyclops doesn't fool around though. It starts chasing them right after. While its speed is nothing amazing, it still is faster than the two of them. However, I AM impressed by the strength this monster has shown. With every single step, he is leaving a mark in the ground big enough for one to assume King Kong passed by.

Interesting. Maybe, after I blind him, I'll use the one and only ability that I really have that isn't borderline useless. I'll take away this strength he is showing by my Moral Dystopia.

And since that thought has crossed my mind now, I have to confess that I am much more motivated to go through with this.

*****