Act 2-16 - 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》

Chapter 16 : 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》

Heidar closed in the distance as he dodged Vlad’s big hatchet by a paper thin margin, and stabbed his 《Prognostication Short Sword; Gjallarhorn》 into the latter’s chest.

Vlad sends a kick while dodging the stab from Heidar.

Heidar leaped back while slashing at Vlad’s leg.

「…………」

「Contrary to your bragging, it turns out you’re not a big deal at all. Is this all you got?」

Heidar asked with a mocking smile on his face.

At glance, it looked like Heidar was putting up a good fight.

But, Vlad just shook his head in disappointment, he wasn’t phased by Heidar’s provocation.

「I already saw through your trick. It look like you’re using your enchanted sword to assist you during the battle but… that must be really exhausting, let see just how much longer you can fight me.」

Heidar’s smile crumpled a bit.

「《Trick Dove》!」

I fired 《Trick Dove》 as I ran toward Vlad.

Two doves appeared from the deployed magic circle and went toward Vlad.

「Good job, lad!」

Heidar leaped toward Vlad as he somehow circled around toward the place that was about to get hit by the spirit doves.

「Heidar-san, if you do that you will—!」

Heidar twisted his body, avoiding the spirit doves that came from his blind spot right before they hit him.

「TAKE THIS!」

Heidar’s short sword slashed toward Vlad as soon as the two spirit doves exploded on his body.

Vlad leaped back by using the blast from the explosion.

His face was burned along with his clothes.

On his chest was a long bloody line left by Heidar’s short sword.

「… Too shallow huh. Sorry lad, I failed to kill him. Escape from this place right now.」

Heidar’s face was drenched in cold sweats.

「Naturally, it’s because I’m not allowing you to get too close to me. Your enchanted weapon have some sort of combat support that allows you to see the future right?」

「… It’s bad manners to reveal that sort of information in the public, grey cult dude.」

Heidar fell to his knees, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

It was just a little bit but I saw traces of blood on the back of the hand that he used to rub his eyes.

「Future… vision?」

『It’s similar with this mistress’s 《Gluttony’s Edge》, the trait of your sword, Dean. He might be able to see several seconds in the future and most probably… he is constantly using the power that will burden his eyes during that fight. I won’t be surprised if he suddenly becomes a blindman.』

Beelzebub kindly explained to me.

… I see, so that’s how he anticipated Vlad’s movement.

But, he might become blind if he overuses this kind of ability after this.

「At first, I wanted to take my time to kill you slowly but… I’m running out of time. The number of annoying bugs has increased, anymore might disturb our original plan. I actually want to save this one for the army but… I guess I’ve to go all out to kill you.」

Upon saying that, Vlad struck the ground with his big hatchet.

His strike created a dent and fissure on the ground. Vlad approached us, his body brimming with an even more powerful fighting spirit.

I could see that his muscles had expanded a little bit.

His pressure was a magnitude different from before.

I stopped at my position.

I was right behind Vlad and pointed 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 at him.

Should I use 《Im》? but doing so in this kind of situation would only leave me completely open for attack.

I could see black miasma rising up from his entire body.

Such a scene sent a chill running in my spine.

「Let me tell you something as a gift before you die. After a long time of training, only a handful people in the cult can use 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》. Anyone who can use this will become the priest in our cult. We gained tremendous power in exchange for tremendous amount of odo.」

Heidar readied his short sword and leaped back, he might have seen something with his future vision, something that was shocking enough to make his face cramped.

The next moment, Vlad suddenly closed in toward Heidar.

He was an order of magnitude faster than before.

Though Heidar’s 《Prognostication Short Sword; Gjallarhorn》 had predicted such a move beforehand, he wasn’t fast enough.

Heidar received the attack from the front but, unable to withstand the other party’s overwhelming strength, Heidar’s《Prognostication Short Sword; Gjallarhorn》 fell from his hand as its owner was slammed on the ground.

「GUHA!」

「HEIDAR-SAN!」

「This is the undeniable proof of our faith in Samsara Dragon-sama! Next is you.」

Vlad turned around and looked at me, his next target.

I didn’t want to use this in the public but, I guess I was left with no choice.

「《Petit Dimordi》!」

Thus, Beelzebub’s petit figure passed through the shining magic circle.

「You want to stop me with such puny devil?」

Beelzebub catched the blade of the brandished big hatchet with her bare hands.

The impact of that attack tore Beelzebub’s muscles as the blade was forced down into her shoulder, blue colored blood was spurting from her blood vessels.

She tilted her neck as she stuck the hatchet on her shoulder.

「What the?」

This situation was clearly outside of Vlad’s expectation.

「I can’t hold him back for too long, Dean!」

I closed in the distance immediately and used 《Gluttony’s Edge》 as I stabbed Vlad’s abdomen.

The stab was too shallow due to the difference between our level.

But, it was enough to snatch his most terrifying skill, 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》.

Vlad pulled his hatchet back with furry showing in his eyes, He swung his arm toward Beelzebub’s flank, effectively canceling her materialization.

Vlad then spun on his heel raising his foot aiming at my side.

Vlad’s kick landed on my flank, sending me flying a few metres away from him hitting the ground. I rolled some before laying there.

My whole body was assailed by pain. But, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and bear with it.

The miasma that leaked from Vlad’s skin has diminished.

He couldn’t use 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》 anymore.

「What… is this?」

Vlad’s forehead wrinkled, obviously confused by that situation.

He might be confused that the power that he used to kick me was weaker than it should be, and even more bewildered knowing the fact that he couldn’t activate his 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》 anymore.

I forced my pain riddled body to stand up as I took a breath.

「… My bad, Vlad.」

No matter how much he said it was the proof of his training or the proof of his rank in the cult, it was a fact that he couldn’t use 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》 anymore.

It really was a troublesome battle art that increased his already troublesome strength but, with this he was less dangerous than before.

I could see blood vessels throbbing on Vlad’s expressionless face, he looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

It was as if he overloaded his body with fighting spirit, blood was dripping down from his mouth since he gritted his teeth so strongly to the point that he crushed a few of them.

But, I had no intention to wait for him to run wild again.

As I expected, the 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》 was really important for Vlad.

He finally snapped.

「THIS, HERETIC BASTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!」

His big hatchet struck the ground right in front of me..

That strike would definitely have killed me, if Vlad was in his usual condition.

Upon a closer look, I realized again just how powerful my foe was.

His status is already far beyond mine even without 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》.

I actually wanted to use the gap when his attack missed to land an attack but Vlad’s knee striked my abdomen even faster.

That attack was strong enough to shake my internal organs.

「GAH!」

「I’M NOT DONE YET, DON’T EVEN THINK THAT YOU’LL GET AN EASY DEATH! YOU SHITTY BRAT, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOUR SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN IS?!?!」

I coughed blood as I desperately endured the pain in my entire body.

The impact from Vlad’s knee strike was strong enough to send me flying dozens of centimetres above the ground.

Following the knee strike was a body blow on my flank which slammed my body on the ground.

「YOU, YOU FUCKING SINNER! YOU COMMITTED THE GRAVEST SIN, YOU WON’T DIE THAT EASILY, YOU’LL BE CURSED TO SUFFER FOREVER IN SAMSARA DRAGON-SAMA’S BODYYYYY! THAT’S THE PUNISHMENT FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」

My consciousness dimmed.

The difference between our level was too overwhelming.

I knew that I couldn’t defeat Vlad in a battle even if he didn’t have his trump card.

Suddenly, I recalled the fate of the people who were killed by Vlad.

This bastard, I’ve to stop him at all cost.

Just a bit more, that fucking army should’ve come, if we could hold him back just a bit more.

If they still had their pride, that’s it.

And for that shake, I… will sever his retreat path.

Since he was literally wide open for attack when using his 《Shadow Gate》, he wouldn’t use it right in front of his enemy.

But, he could use that to hide from the army.

The pursuit had already been doomed to fail if he used the shadow of numerous buildings in the city to outmaneuver the army’s pursuit.

I wouldn’t let this guy escape from this place.

I must snatch his 《Shadow Gate》 too.

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