The massive frame of Carpen I encountered in the past made me shrink in fear.
The beastly howl that spilled from my mouth froze me in place.
The rough wind pressure generated by swinging an arm tore at my skin.
The tough leather that enveloped my entire body actually deflected the sword.
I had never touched it even once.
It was an endlessly high, insurmountable wall.
But that’s not the case now.
After 27 years, I no longer felt intimidated facing Carpen.
I didn’t turn my back even when our eyes met.
I was able to overcome the beast’s howl.
I deflected Carpen’s arm and let the pressure dissipate.
And then…
I slashed.
My sword drenched in his blood.
I broke a nail.
I could hear the painful cries writhing in agony.
Finally.
Finally, I reached him.
[GRAAUUU-!]
Carpen’s halberd swung fiercely.
I immediately twisted my body and angled my sword.
To block the heavy attack.
To withstand the assault from a foe larger than me.
To defend against Carpen’s attack.
The fluidity was unleashed.
Kaang-
Carpen’s halberd flowed down along the blade.
Then, Heinzel’s attack swung toward Carpen’s wrist.
But I couldn’t land the blow.
I missed.
Carpen evaded it with a peculiar movement.
The halberd sliced through the air.
Immediately, the writhing blood aura collected around Carpen’s nails.
“Luchi!”
Carpen’s nails went wild.
That brute couldn’t dodge.
He charged forward and kicked Heinzel’s body to the side.
Then he raised his sword.
Hundreds, thousands of strikes pounded against my weapon.
Strikes against my body.
His nails ripped into my side.
Before blood droplets could spray, I was slashed across the neck.
The sword screamed.
Flesh burst forth from my body.
A horrific pain spread throughout my nervous system.
I couldn’t see.
I activated my senses.
My head throbbed painfully.
How did Noah handle this? Tsk.
I bit my lips and held on.
I focused all my nerves on my senses.
Concentrating on Carpen.
Only then did the wild blood aura start to reveal itself.
I twisted my sword to follow its movements.
Kaang- Kiiiing-
I blocked it.
I let it flow.
I deflected it.
I countered.
Behind me, Heinzel’s halberd sliced through the air with a roar.
I threw my body to create distance.
The halberd struck Carpen’s tough leather.
Kuudduk-
Carpen’s muscles expanded with a noise.
The halberd got stuck in the muscle.
“You bastard!”
[Grrr-!]
With Heinzel’s roar, his unique ability was unleashed.
Gravity was added to the halberd.
The weight grew heavier.
The force intensified.
Eventually, it tore through Carpen’s tough leather and embedded itself deep within his solid muscles.
Without missing that moment, I used my unique ability and struck the sword into the gash of the skin.
Crimson liquid surged, carving a new scar into Carpen’s body.
Hope was in sight.
Our bodies were a mess, but so was Carpen.
That fact only fueled my fire.
I drew strength.
My heart raced faster.
I steadied my breath and picked up the rhythm.
I lunged at Carpen, swinging my sword.
Slashing, deflecting, cutting, stabbing.
His tail lunged for my neck.
I jumped high onto it and twisted my body.
I swung my sword again.
The sword swung from an awkward position, lacking enough power.
But my unique ability ignored that.
I didn’t need to close the distance.
I didn’t need to build power.
As long as it was visible.
As long as I swung.
It would cut.
That way, I left another scar on Carpen’s body.
Heinzel’s immediate follow-up attack ensued.
Due to his unique ability, the halberd wrapped with wind swung ferociously.
At the same time, Carpen’s halberd swung as well.
Jjeoong-!
The air burst apart.
The noise assaulted my eardrums.
I twisted my body mid-air, landing on the ground before rushing back in.
That guy didn’t even look back, blocking my sword with just one hand.
Thus, our relentless back-and-forth continued.
Dodging nails, letting blood auras escape, etching scars on his body.
I too spilled drops of blood on his aura.
In the air, the blood of beast and man intertwined.
Emotions swelled.
I picked up the pace more.
I didn’t spare my energy, utilizing my unique ability.
My vision turned red.
Blood tears flowed from my left eye.
My eyeballs felt like they would pop out.
It was unbearably painful.
But the louder I got, the deeper his voice became.
His breathing grew ragged.
The pain.
Transformed into pleasure.
I aimed for his joints, stabbing.
I plucked nails.
I slashed through veins.
I broke bones.
[GRRRRAAAAAAAA-!]
Carpen let out a desperate scream as he shook off my attacks.
Heinzel and I also distanced ourselves to catch our breath.
Just then, as I was about to throw myself back at Carpen…
The blood aura that had only surrounded his nails…
Covered his whole body.
A chilling sensation enveloped me.
I felt like if I gave him more time, something dreadful would happen.
I charged at him with all my might.
Unleashing my senses.
His eyes became a blurry image.
This should be enough.
Activating my unique ability, I swung the sword.
Toward his eyes.
Toward the same right eye as mine.
The sticky sound of flesh being pierced hit my eardrum.
Gooey blood splattered.
His eye dropped to the ground.
But he was oblivious, shrouded in blood aura.
Infusing it into his body.
Condensing it.
Heinzel seemed to have noticed as well, roaring and rushing in.
The halberd swung violently, tearing open Carpen’s side.
His innards spilled forth.
Yet still.
He was condensing the blood aura.
An endless sense of dread engulfed me.
Forgetting to breathe, I launched my sword strikes.
Heinzel also went wild with his attacks.
When Carpen’s intestines soaked the floor…
Puhaak-!
The sounds of flesh tearing that had only echoed from Carpen.
Blood droplets.
Ragged breaths.
“D-damn… t-pain…”
A voice filled with agony erupted from Heinzel.
Retrieving my sword, I turned to Heinzel.
The halberd made from a manticore’s skull shattered.
His right arm, covered in rough muscles, was severed.
The legs that always walked proudly twisted and broke.
That once resplendent, unyielding body…
Now crawled on the ground pathetically.
I recalled the scene from just moments ago.
Though I was missing one eye, I didn’t sense it.
Even with both eyes open, I couldn’t register it.
Even while extending my senses, I felt nothing.
Nothing came into view.
No killing intent either.
No signs.
No movements.
Carpen stood still.
Relaxing his body.
But.
I didn’t understand why this outcome had come to pass.
Biting my lip, I charged again.
I opened my eyes wider.
Sharpening my senses more keenly.
Following that, I wrapped around thicker magical power.
Wrapping with sharp magical power.
Without letting go of my strength.
Steadying my breath.
I unleashed my blade.
The sharpest swing I’d made thus far aimed at Carpen.
However.
It didn’t cut.
It didn’t touch.
The sword I swung with all my strength became entangled in his blood aura.
I recovered my sword and charged again.
Again.
Again.
Still, I didn’t cut.
I couldn’t reach him.
The sword I swung at him was on the verge of breaking.
Eventually, I halted my movements and watched Carpen.
I gazed at the gathering blood aura on his body.
The aura wriggled in the air, focusing on Carpen’s body.
It covered him all over, gathering at his heart.
With each moment, Carpen’s heartbeat resonated.
Instead of the wriggling blood aura in the air,
His heartbeats reverberated.
“Luchi… what is this…”
Heinzel, hastily bandaging himself with a potion, stumbled closer.
His complexion was pale.
Yet in his remaining left hand, he clutched a shard of the halberd.
“I don’t know either. I didn’t see this in the past.”
“Is that so? I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t see anything at all. It’s absurd.”
I handed the last potion to Heinzel.
“It seems you drank it all up while patching up.”
“Thanks for that.”
Heinzel, who had never accepted anything before, accepted it cheerfully.
“So your condition’s a mess, huh?”
“Yeah… not good.”
“What are you going to do?”
Heinzel, gulping down the potion, gritted his teeth.
“What else? If I don’t chop that bastard’s right arm off, I’ll lose sleep for the rest of my life.”
“Ugh… I see. Then let’s go.”
“Damn it. Whatever happens, I’m taking that bastard’s arm.”
Steadying my breath, wrapping my magical power…
I charged at Carpen once more.
Even if I didn’t cut, I swung.
Even if I didn’t reach, I extended.
Without rest.
Forgetting even to breathe.
I continued swinging.
After a lengthy series of sword swings…
Carpen moved.
And then…
His body crashed to the ground.
His left arm severed.
His legs twisted.
His ribs shattered.
His insides burst forth.
His muscles ripped apart.
His left eye popped.
Blood gushed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
I lost my sword.
My vision darkened.
A cold sensation…
Engulfed my body.
As my mind began to fade…
And all sensations dulled…
“Ah… I’m alive but… what the hell is this…”
A warm energy enveloped my whole being.
Zeeeek- Tak-
Jiiik- Tak-
The sound of something scratching the ground.
A mournful, weak, yet powerful voice.
I heard it.
“Man, a party of minimally 4… dumbass adults. Didn’t want to treat you to a meal or what…? So stingy…”
