Act 2-17 - Desperation

Chapter 17 : Desperation

「YOU’VE DONE IT NOW… SHITTY BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!」

Vlad raised his big hatchet with his left hand as he looked at me with his bloodshot eyes.

It seems he finally snapped completely.

Then, there was only one thing to do.

I used 《Moon Reflection》, turning myself into liquid to bypass his attack, and launched a counter with 《Gluttony’s Edge》.

I must snatch his 《Shadow Gate》 to rob him of his escape trump card.

I sent in my mana into 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 in preparation to use 《Gluttony’s Edge》.

The moment I did so, my sword’s blade became much heavier, as if its size had increased.

I would only end up in pain if I missed the timing to activate 《Moon Reflection》.

「DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」

Vlad’s sweep passed right through my abdomen.

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I’ve activated 《Moon Reflection》 the moment he attacked.

Right at that moment, I closed in on him and stabbed 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 into his shoulder.

Just like that, I slanted my sword and swung down!

I suddenly felt a cold, death premonition.

Vlad’s big hatched which just cut my liquified abdomen had already raised up high in the sky.

Dammit, I couldn’t dodge this attack.

Even if I cancelled 《Gluttony’s Edge》, Vlad’s big hatchet would still cut me down.

「… GUH!」

I let go of my left hand from 《Demon Eater Sword: Beelzera》, and raised it up to the sky in order to protect my body.

No, that was not enough. Vlad’s big hatchet would only cut my arm along with my body.

I corrected the angle of my left arm, focusing my fighting spirit in it to strengthen it with 《Transcendent Toughness》.

Just according to the plan, the big hatched slide off right on the surface of my arm, and struck the ground beneath it.

I DID IT.

I reproduced Fedor’s 《Blade Sink》, the application of 《Transcendent Toughness》.

「W-What the?」

Vlad couldn’t hide his surprise.

I shook my sword with my right hand, continuing in slashing at Vlad’s chest.

I felt Vlad’s odo, so I tore and ate big chunks of it.

With this, I snatched both Vlad’s 《Demonic Erosion Fighting Spirit》 and his 《Shadow Gate》.

I could somehow accomplish that seemingly impossible feat since my opponent had lost his composure.

The moment my heightened emotion got relaxed, I felt a heat run through my left arm.

The skin of my left arm which I used to parry Vlad’s big hatched with 《Transcendent Toughness》 was stripped off, and now it was covered in my own blood.

「U-Urgh…」

My mind was almost paralyzed by the pain.

It was so painful to the point that I wanted to cry.

I couldn’t parry it completely.

「YOU… DID SOMETHING AGAIN TO ME!」

A dull pain ran through my abdomen.

I was struck right at my abdomen.

「GAHA!」

「WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME! WHAT! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!」

Following that, Vlad kept on hitting my body with his fists, knees, and the flat side of his big hatchet.

Though I was desperately guarding against his barrage of attacks with 《Transcendent Toughness》, one of his attacks struck my head.

Vlad grabbed onto my shoulder as he raised up my body by the cuff of my shirt.

「ANSWER ME! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!!!」

Vlad’s eyes opened wide, his nose was flaring due to rage.

「Are you an idiot…like hell I’m gonna tell you?」

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I sneered at Vlad to provoke his wrath even further.

Vlad raised up his big hatchet with his free hand.

I see… this was the end for me huh.

But still, the people around me should’ve left this area.

There’s still the army and adventurer in this Romburgh city.

Vlad who had already lost his retreat path and power to fight back wouldn’t get a good end for sure.

「You’re lucky shitty brat… to get an easy death after insulting our Samsara Dragon-sama!」

The moment Vlad was about to swing down his big hatchet, he suddenly slashed to the side.

「HAAAAH!」

Mani was swinging down her 《Evil Spirit’s Battle Hammer; Gadras》 toward Vlad.

Vlad used his big hatchet to protect himself from that attack.

I could see a faint red steam was rising from Mani’s body.

That was 《Evil Spirit’s Battle Hammer; Gadras》’s unique skill, 《Ogre Fighting Spirit》.

「M-Mani, what are you doing!… RUN!」

「… Please don’t ask for the impossible. We’re buddys right?」

Mani smiled at me with a cramped face.

「Weak.」

Vlad thrusted his big hatchet.

Mani screamed as her small body got thrown back.

「MANI!」

When I called out to Mani, Vlad was smiling as he looked at me.

「I see now, I guess I’ll start by killing that woman. Our plan is messed up because of you guys after all. The sheeps had fled too. I shall take my time to deal with that woman, and you.」

「Y-YOU!!」

Vlad threw me on the ground.

Though my hand was clinging on《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》’s hilt, Vlad was kicking my wrist while sneering at me.

Finally, 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 was leaving my hand.

『DEAN, DEAAAAN!』

I felt like that power was leaving from my body.

This was the end. I… was powerless without 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》.

Was that… the truth?

「Enjoy the scene as you’re groveling on the ground.」

Vlad turned his back toward me. His eyes were looking at Mani who was blown away just a while ago.

I grit my teeth as I clung on his leg.

「LIKE HELL… I’LL LET YOU GO!」

「FUCK OFF SHITTY BRAT!」

Vlad was swinging his leg to shake me off.

I focused the rest of my 《Fighting Spirit》 on my arms to harden my clutch with 《Transcendent Toughness》 while enduring Vlad’s kick.

「You persistent bastard..」

「Taking your time to torment a brat without killing him, have you forgotten about me? 」

I heard someone’s voice come just right from behind Vlad.

Though Vlad tried his best to shake me off, I clung desperately onto his leg, plunging my nails into his tendon.

「《Nine Realm Thrust》!」

Heidar swung his 《Prognostication Short Sword; Gjallarhorn》 at breakneck speed as if to seal Vlad’s movement from the blindspot.

The blade of his sword stabbed deep into Vlad’s body.

Vlad untangled my clutch and got away from Heidar.

「If all nine hits connected, his fighting spirit will be sealed but… only four hit properly huh.」

From his haggard breathing, it seems Heidar was also really exhausted due to his previous battle with Vlad, that’s why he couldn’t enter his range fast enough.

「… Sorry, lad. Even though you’ve betted your life to take his attention from me.」

「D-Don’t worry about it…」

After his breathing calmed down, Heidar was walking toward Vlad again.

「As I thought, the one who tells you where to aim is that sword. But, so what? In the end, you’re aiming for non-lethal vital spots. You can’t even move properly right?」

Vlad had already fallen on his knees.

「I guess I have no choice but to abandon this place huh… but, I’ll definitely settle the score with you!《Shadow Gate》!」

The magic circle didn’t come out as he expected.

「W-Wha…. what’s happen?」

Heidar readied his 《Prognostication Short Sword; Gjallarhorn》, and rushed in toward Vlad.

「YOU…YOU DID IT AGAIN SHITTY BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!」

Vlad let out an enraged howl.

That moment, Heidar’s short sword stabbed right into Vlad’s chest.

「Im… possible! my apologies… bishop-sama…」

Blood was overflowing from Vlad’s mouth.

His bloodshot eyes didn’t glare at Heidar, his killer, but me.

Vlad crumbled on the ground, and as if signaling his death, the light of odo was leaving his body.