Blood Demon loved conversations. Because through conversations, he could learn about his opponents in detail. Filling his mind with many stories and savoring them slowly was his hobby.
In that sense, he definitely wanted to have a proper talk with the new Commander of the Royal Knights. However, while facing him, Blood Demon felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
He was one of the strongest among the Blood Demons, ranking in the top three fingers. After all, his alias of being called the king of all Blood Demons spoke volumes about his strength.
However, even he couldn’t fully read the movements of the new Commander. No, it wasn’t just that he couldn’t read the movements. What was that initial attack?
Ugh?!
‘The moment I was hit, I couldn’t even move my body. It was as if time was pressing down on me…’
It was a nonsensical analogy. But he had no choice but to think that way. In his mind, the most absolute and irresistible force was none other than time.
And that sense of discomfort grew stronger as he watched the Commander evade his attacks. There was no sign of dodging at all. It meant I missed the opponent’s movements.
But usually, he didn’t display such fast movements. Was there a penalty for using his power? No, it seemed like he used it more often than expected.
Hmm…
‘Thinking about it won’t change anything.’
First, he would find out his opponent’s limits. Blood Demon merely flicked a finger. With that alone, the crimson spear that had consumed hundreds of Knights shot toward him.
It was a perfect ambush. A perfect attack that no human, let alone a fellow demon without hundreds of eyes, could see—yet that man was evading it with such ease.
But Blood Demon didn’t get angry. Rather, he felt his mouth watering. For a mere human, he was that strong? Then he must have an incredible story to tell.
Hmm…
“This is a bit hasty of me.”
He wanted to finish the fight quickly. He wanted to hear that man’s story. From a human’s perspective, it was similar to wanting to read a good novel. Blood Demon moved with even more intensity.
Initially, he wanted to capture him if possible. But now, his thoughts had changed. He would sever his limbs instead. And now that his attacks had a clear purpose, he achieved results.
Shink?!
A spear that rose from the ground and air cleanly severed Hans’ right arm. Haha, amusingly enough, since it didn’t affect his life, Time Stop didn’t activate.
In an instant, he lost his arm. Thankfully, he hadn’t been holding the sword in his right hand during the change of posture. But momentum could only tilt in one direction.
That was a drawback of humans. While demons could regenerate from severed wounds given enough leisure, the people of the continent, including humans, couldn’t.
He laughed. “The balance has shifted. Isn’t it time you surrendered?”
Hmm…
“…So you would spare my life?”
“Of course. I guarantee it.”
Normally, in these situations, many would beg for their lives or prefer to die. Blood Demon couldn’t understand. Of course, he knew the concepts of pride and honor.
But once dead, isn’t that just nothing? Besides, the death of his opponent was not good for Blood Demon either since he’d no longer hear their unique tales.
Thus, until now, he could count on his fingers the times he had personally killed his opponent. Most of them were too weak and ended up dying unexpectedly.
So, begging for his life was not a bad thing for Blood Demon. On the contrary, it was something to welcome with open arms. He could hear more stories.
“But give me more stories. Oh, if you want, I could even give you your arm back….”
Blood Demon, who had been excitedly babbling, suddenly stopped speaking. He felt a sensation piercing through his back. Unbeknownst to him, he instinctively stepped back. What was that just now?
In that moment, Blood Demon could see it. His severed right arm was slowly disappearing. His arm turned to dust, bone and muscle disintegrating before his eyes.
Such a disappearance of a severed body part did occur sometimes, but that was only in special cases. To see it vanish in mere seconds was a first for him.
“What the hell is that…?”
“Shut up and die.”
Ugh?!
The one kneeling suddenly stood and charged. Had he not given up? Even if it was troublesome, he’d have to sever a leg. Blood Demon had already decided to move.
But his body wouldn’t move properly. To express it accurately, his body wouldn’t follow his thoughts. It felt like struggling buried in sand. A horrifying sensation.
In contrast, the enemy’s sword moved too fast. It was similar to that initial feeling, an unresistable sensation. In an instant, the sword swung by him cleanly severed Blood Demon’s neck.
*
My arm… got cut off…?
I stared at it blankly. That, splattering blood and soaring into the air, was undoubtedly my right arm. Perhaps due to realizing that fact, a fiery pain accompanied it.
It felt like someone was searing below my right shoulder with fire. I felt nauseous. I thought I was going to vomit. I couldn’t hold on and ended up kneeling.
Until now, Time Stop had activated automatically. Because my life was at risk. But this time, it didn’t activate. What was the difference? But I soon realized that difference.
It was a difference in intent.
Until now, Blood Demon had attacked vaguely.
As if it didn’t matter where he hit.
But that put me in a critical situation. After all, if I took even a single hit like that, I would die. But this time, it was a certain attempt to capture me, aiming for my arm.
Thanks to that, my life wasn’t in danger, and thus Time Stop didn’t activate. I gritted my teeth. Was this a consequence of relying too much on Time Stop? Now, the only thing left was acceleration…!!!
[If you use that, you’ll die too.]
“…Hah.”
That thing appeared. A girl with white hair and red and black eyes. A middle schooler calling herself Time. She was smiling at me.
“This is the only option I have right now.”
[No, you have other options, don’t you?]
“What is that?”
[You can trade with me.]
“Trade? With you?”
Trading with her, no matter how I thought about it, only the previous Time Acceleration came to mind. That Time Acceleration had a huge penalty; I had to risk my life to use it.
[I want you to live long.]
“…”
[But this time, your opponent is really strong, isn’t he?]
“Get to the point.”
[Give me your right arm. How about that? A simple trade, right?]
I glanced at my arm. For just a moment, I didn’t feel the pain due to my focus fading. But her words made the pain return. I frowned.
“…Then, would you spare my life?”
[Of course!]
I nodded. Her mouth stretched wide, corners reaching her ears. At that moment, my severed right arm turned to dust and flew toward her; or rather, toward her right arm.
It was still her slender girl’s arm, but I instinctively understood. Her right arm had replaced mine. Indeed, this trade was mine…
No, now was not the time to think about such things. I had to somehow defeat that Blood Demon in front of me. Fortunately, the power I gained from the trade was immensely helpful.
I gripped my sword with my remaining left hand. I had only one eye and one arm left. But the power received from that girl was strong enough to offset the penalties.
So, perhaps that’s why? I confidently charged forward. I didn’t use Time Stop. This was an insurance policy, just in case.
As I moved, Blood Demon responded immediately.
He was indeed a Blood Demon, wasn’t he?
I wouldn’t even be able to touch him with tricks.
The previous opponents like Comprachicos or Doppelgangers could at least exchange blows without using Time Stop, but this Blood Demon was on a different level from such trash.
After all, he claimed to have created all Blood Demons, so it made sense. For that reason, the power I had just received from him would shine now. Time Acceleration was a spear that pierced through everything.
With the accelerated time strikes, even someone of my lacking skills could certainly cut through him. Of course, the price for that ridiculously powerful attack was the pain gnawing at my organs.
But compared to that…
The power I gained now was the best shield. It would thoroughly slow down my opponent’s time, allowing even a newborn baby to avoid attacks while yawning. The name I received by sacrificing my right arm.
Time Deceleration.
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