Chapter 66 - Bounty Head and Awakening [9] (1/2)

66. Bounty Head and Awakening [9]

After defeating the swordsmen who were enhanced by spirit pills, we advanced to the depths of the laboratory.

We went through the dark, narrow corridor for a while – into a dimly lit, slightly wider room.

(…There’s something here)

I felt someone’s breath in the depths of the dark.

「Thor Sammons, right?」

When sensei asked – from the far end of the room, a short woman in a black cloak appeared.

Light pink hair curled at the end.

A constant displeased look in her sharp eyes.

It was Thor Sammons, a member of the Black Organization that kidnapped Ria.

「Aa, you’re Black Fist… ga-ha!?」

Leia-sensei’s fist pierced deep into Thor’s abdomen.

(F-Fast…!?)

I almost couldn’t see any of her initial movements till the point where her fist was unleashed.

「Sorry, but I don’t have time right now. I’ll interrogate you later…… What!?」

Sensei, who should have landed a fierce blow, suddenly leapt far back for some reason.

「…Tch, so that’s what it was.」

Fresh blood was dripping from her right hand, as she murmured annoyedly.

And then,

「Gyahahahaha! As the information said, you really are a simpleton, Black Fist!」

Another Thor appeared from behind the first Thor.

「「Two Thors..!?」」

When I and Rose said that at the same time – the『Thor』in front of us, turned into a sword that was thrust into the ground.

And then,

「Bewitch -〈Mimic Art〉!」

The moment Thor said so.

A kind of white clay overflowed from her sword, and it started to take the form of Leia-sensei.

「So I was right… The one I hit was the soul dress which copied into Thor herself. Guessing from the current act, I guess… the condition to copy is『cut the target』?」

With a keen eye, sensei calmly analyzed the opponent’s soul dress.

「Kuku, I heard you were a muscle brain, but… surprisingly you figured it out!」

As Thor said that, she held up a dagger in each hand which she took out of her bosom.

It seems that she herself will participate in the fight while controlling the copy.

「… Allen, Rose. You guys go first.」

Sensei whispered so that only we could hear it.

「I’m not sure how much performance my copy will have. It’s going to be a hassle if it targets you.」

If that copy possesses the same strength as sensei…

Rose and I will be killed helplessly.

「And… we don’t have much time anymore. Depending on the result of the『analysis』, Ria might be『disposed』of as is. Rescue her as soon as possible before that happens. I’ll follow right after you, once I’ve beaten this guy.」

「「Understood.」」

Leia-sensei herself should know the best about the ins and outs of her copy.

In that sense, it would be best to leave this place to her.

「Let’s go, Rose!」

「Aa!」

As we agreed, Rose and I immediately started running to the back of the laboratory.

As we ran – Thor silently let us pass.

It seems that her role is to halt Leia-sensei here.

We ran down the corridor and came out to a larger room than the previous one.

But there,

「Y-You’ve come…!」

「Intruders… must be eliminated…!」

There were an absurd number of swordsmen.

「This is…」

「Aa, it’s going to be a long fight…」

Hundred, no… There were about two hundred or so.

With their eyes bloodshot and breathing heavily, they were holding a distorted-shaped soul dress in their right hand.

Everyone here was definitely an enhanced swordsman who dosed on spirit pills.

The moment Rose and I pulled out our sword and assumed our respective stances.

「UOOOOOOOOHHH!」

「GAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

They charged at a tremendous speed all at once.

We were overawed momentarily before the two hundred angry roars.

「-DIEEEEEEE!」

As I defended the looming downward slash,

「Guh…」

A terrible shock ran through both arms.

(What… brute strength!? )

Is it the effect of spirit pills or the power of strengthening-type soul dress?

I don’t know which it is, but either way, the swordsman in front of me boasted a power different from ordinary people.

But I can’t afford to lose to the false power which relies on drugs!

「UOOOOOOH – HA!」

I took back control on the frontal contest of strength. Keeping that momentum going, I strike with a diagonal slash.

「Wha…!? Ga-ha」

I guess he didn’t expect to lose in a contest of strength.

There was a great upheaval among the enhanced swordsmen.

「Let’s go, Rose!」