Thud!
Gack!
Ugh!
Sorry for suddenly screaming like that. Right now, what I can do is all I’ve got. That attack was way faster than the one the doppelganger spit out earlier.
Of course, there was no way I could see it and react fast enough. Still, I managed to dodge due to my Time Stop Ability. I check where the attack is coming from in just 1 second and then evade.
Life-risking acrobatics with even the slightest error could lead to my demise. Naturally, in the position of being that acrobat, I only wanted to run away right away.
“Dodging like that is an art, huh?”
“……”
“But you can’t win by just dodging. You know that, right?”
He had been scratching his insides mid-attack, but I could bear it rather easily. I was aware I was nothing but trash, so my pride was non-existent.
However, I wasn’t just dodging the attacks. While evading, I was reading his attack patterns in the meantime. The first thing that stood out was his animation.
After he attacked once, he’d squirm for a few seconds. Of course, attacking during that time would be life-threatening for me. So I had no choice but to move cautiously.
I didn’t even know if my attack would be effective. On the other hand, one thing was certain: his attack could shred my body to pieces.
Oh, how I’d love to go home. Damn it.
Moreover, his attacks were getting more varied since earlier. For example, he threw spikes straight at me but actually had traps laid on the ground, waiting for me.
If it weren’t for the 1-second no-cooldown, I’d have surely lost my life to that attack. In such a situation, all I could produce was tears.
However, blaming others in any situation can’t be called professional. Whatever happens, I am the commander of the Royal Knights. Even if it’s just a title without substance.
I’ll do whatever I can.
So that I can step down without shame when I retire. With that resolve, I charged forward. Naturally, he counterattacked. Everything turned gray once again.
Seeing the silver spear frozen in front of me again was chilling. How many deaths have I witnessed up to now? If it was going to stop like this, I wouldn’t have even started.
I dodged his attack by a paper-thin margin. I didn’t have enough time to move my body any larger. As expected, his attack passed right by me… Wait, what?
He was smiling even though his attack had gone awry. Feeling chills, I stopped time again. Naturally, there wasn’t even time to look back. Just less than 1 second.
Stopping time again was the right answer. When I turned my head, I saw that the silver spear that had passed me was targeting Viral. Oh, this damn… Oh my god.
If I had made a mistake, Viral would have almost lost his life. I felt relief but also a grimace. I had already frozen time for more than 1 second. Of course, the Time Stop cooldown was ticking.
In other words, if I didn’t finish off that guy adequately this time, I’d die on the next attack. Even though this wasn’t a fuss, I was surprisingly calm. I quietly racked my brain.
“Right, this is it.”
Ancient sages said, if the situation is unfavorable, take advantage of the terrain. The effects of the ongoing battle made the ground of the castle crumble before my eyes.
I decided to use the falling fragments from the ceiling. Naturally, they were out of reach. While I was looking for a way, I spotted a desk and a chair nearby.
I roughly brought the desk over, stacked the chair on it, and managed to reach some fragments. I hung from the massive debris like it was a gym bar.
Boom!!
The fragment crashed down, smashing his silver spear. At the same time, cracks erupted in the ground. Alright, I think that’s enough for now. Next up is the main body.
For a moment, I considered using Time Acceleration but soon gave it up. The pain of my insides tearing was no joke. Unless it was an extreme situation, I didn’t want to use that.
Then there was no choice. I drew my sword and stabbed it into him with all my might. Khwaaak!! Luckily, the sword didn’t bend, but it didn’t penetrate properly either.
In fact, I was being overpowered. It felt like stabbing a sword into solid rock. If there’s any hope, it’s that the sword is blessed, allowing for at least scratches.
Saws don’t work well on that guy’s body type.
Then I had no choice but to stab it repeatedly.
If I stubbornly bore into one spot, anything would result, right?
*
Someone, no.
Most people would say we are evil.
And they wouldn’t be wrong. I have no intention of making excuses for each one. But I don’t regret it. I’ll say it without shame. We betrayed to survive.
Of course, there were those who opposed the chief’s will. No matter what, how could one betray their own kin and even the continent? It’s surprisingly astonishing how that number turned out to be the majority.
Haven’t we suffered together? Haven’t we experienced Hell together? Then why can they still hold onto such weak thoughts? That’s equally shocking.
A scourge on the continent.
An existence that should not exist.
A cursed monster.
Despite being scorned and vilified like that, having received no protection at all, why do they not harbor vengeful spirits? I can’t understand it, but since they are my kin, I respected them in my own way.
Having buried them together in the ground, I have no more complaints, I suppose. Those weak ones are no longer needed in the future our chief will create.
“TK7 GMAA EDP KKEP…”
“It is undoubtedly the right thing. The rotting flesh must be cut away.”
If I were to carry that burden, I would rot away the same way. And indeed, it was so. To the demons, we were merely disposable tools to be used and discarded.
We offered the chief the title of Blood Demon in good faith and in return demanded results. If those results didn’t satisfy, we’d be purged. That was the cost we paid.
I have no particular complaints about that. I never thought the life of a betrayer would be easy. So I gave my all. To survive. For the past few hundred years, continuously.
Yet we survived. And I was confident that we would survive again. At least until I faced that man. I thought I had enough speed to outdo most demons.
However, not a single attack reached that man. It was as if he was playing with me. Continuously dodging by a paper-thin margin. If it weren’t for the burden behind me.
I would’ve been the one getting hit. To lure the attack away to protect the burden behind me. I had no choice but to get caught, knowing it. If what I was protecting disappeared, it would be my turn next.
“Dodging like that is an art, huh?”
“……”
“But you can’t win by just dodging. You know that, right?”
He provoked me without response. Of course, he was doing such dangerous tricks where one slight failure could cost him his life. There’s no way a steel-like mentality could be provoked.
As expected, that man is dangerous.
I can never send him to the chief.
Now that I’ve made up my mind, there’s only one answer. I must set a bait and deal a lethal blow to that man no matter what. Give a bone to take a bone. In short, the determination of a duel.
From the beginning, I vowed to stake my life on guarding the chief’s back. I made that promise. And I am not an exception to it. As I faced the barrage of silver spears, he dodged them far too easily.
But I already knew that. What I had aimed for from the start was the burden behind me. For a fleeting moment, he must have sensed it. Now, what will you do?
The moment you try to save that burden, you’ll be pierced through along with it. If you abandon the burden, then I will stake my life to deal a lethal blow to you.
I thought it was a perfect plan.
At least until the spear was crushed by the fragments.
It was fast, but it wasn’t strong enough. My spear was quickly neutralized. When did that get there? I’m not some fool who couldn’t even grasp the surrounding environment.
Before the fragments fell, my spear could have claimed the burden’s life. Even doing so leisurely. But then suddenly, debris fell from the sky, pinning my spear down.
And that’s when I realized.
What that man had done!
But as soon as I realized that, I belatedly noticed the man in front of me had disappeared. At the same time, I felt something piercing through my body severely. Yes, that was it.
Overwhelming speed that my eyes could scarcely follow. And while protecting the burden, his audacity to simultaneously attempt to take my head, alongside strategy using the terrain skillfully.
I lowered my head. I could see where my heart had been pierced. Perhaps the moment of defeat was predetermined from the start. I have no choice but to acknowledge the truth of it…
This is my complete defeat.
In skill, in strategy.
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