Chapter 14: Bitter Struggle (1/2)
Chapter 14: Bitter Struggle
Translator: Translation NationEditor: Translation Nation
‘That’s bad!’
As the sharp edge of the large axe flew forward to split Marvin in two, he forcefully turned his body at the last moment.
[Stiffness lifted!]
Marvin’s rich fighting experience saved him once again, letting him quickly lean to the side to dodge the mortal blow.
Boom!
Diapheis clearly used all his strength to swing the great axe, and was unable to stop the blow from cleaving into the floor.
A cloud of dust flew.
Now!
Marvin’s eyes shined as he was dodging, and he suddenly dashed toward Diapheis’ back. 19 points of dexterity gave him an extraordinary response time. He was as agile as a swallow, his legs clutching onto Diapheis’ lower body while raising his twin daggers horizontally!
Cutthroat!
A hint of fear appeared in Diapheis’ eyes! He didn’t think his powerful Intimidating Presence would only produce the lowest effect on Marvin!
‘This can’t be!’
Barbarian’s Intimidating Presence was usually enough to stun low level adventurers for 2 seconds, not just a short 0.5 seconds.
However, he couldn’t have known that Marvin was someone who had transmigrated and gone through many battles, which had made him strong-willed. He wasn’t that cowardly youth any more. Even if his willpower stat wasn’t high, his soul was so tough that it played a crucial role in the check.
Miscalculating the Intimidating Presence duration made Diapheis careless for a split second. But he was also an experienced fighter, so he directly let go of his great axe and quickly used both hands to protect his throat from Marvin’s Cutthroat.
Woosh!
Blood flew violently, as Diapheis’ left and right hands held onto Marvin’s curved daggers!
Cutthroat failed!
But Marvin’s attack wasn’t over. He sneered, pivoting his whole body around his arms and above Diapheis in a gravity defying stance while twisting his curved daggers.
”Ow!” Even with the strong willpower of a Barbarian, he still couldn’t stand that unbearable pain. He pushed the curved daggers away but then felt an even more excruciating pain at his back. In that split second, the tip of a dagger stabbed into the left side of his spine.
Marvin’s body was fluttering in the air, his left hand already leaving the curved dagger behind while his right foot kicked it.
”Argh!” Diapheis let out a pained scream as the dagger was nailed on his shoulder blade, approaching his heart.
Marvin’s body completed a perfect somersault in the air and stably landed on the ground.
The elite team on the side felt coldness running down their backs while watching. This wasn’t something a human could do! Exercising this kind of control over his body, only the abilities of those legendary high elves could compare.
Diapheis wasn’t an ordinary gangster. He wore heavy armor and apart from his throat and vitals there were only small gaps in his armor that one could exploit.
Marvin could stab his dagger that accurately while in midair; even a 2nd rank Phantom Assassin would not dare to say that they could do it. This was the most natural skill and fighting instinct, tempered from experiencing countless battles. There was no shortcut to get there.
These gang members already began rejoicing that they hadn’t fought, because if they had, they would have certainly died.
This dual wielding ranger’s strength was not as simple as it looked. He certainly was a super-expert!
”I heard some powerful experts could hide their strength, making their it appear lower by several levels.”
”This Masked Twin Blades is surely a super expert.”
”He is done for! We shouldn’t irritate that super expert! Who knows how much that troubled noble paid to hire someone so powerful?”
The few elite Acheron members had already been trembling in fear.
...
But Marvin didn’t care, because he wasn’t able to kill Diapheis with those moves.
‘There was no critical hit.’ Marvin took a quick glance at the battle logs, somewhat regretful. Those moves were already close to the limit of what he could do with his body. He had used up quite a lot of stamina.
Diapheis had lost more than 60HP and was bleeding but he was still alive. He painfully covered his back while panting. Every minute, every second, that dagger stuck on his body would both take some of his HP and reduce his willpower.
”Damned Ranger!” He bitterly withstood the residual pain, displaying his abnormal Barbarian willpower. He picked up his great axe once again and did a powerful low sweep.
Marvin’s pupils dilated as he skillfully dodged with a roll. But Diapheis had clearly learnt his lesson as this time he did not give Marvin an opportunity. He only used part of his strength so that he could keep attacking. The crazily waving great axe painted violent and disordered shadows across the wide back yard. It seemed quite cold and lifeless under the moonlight.
Marvin depressingly wandered outside the great axe’s range, occasionally trying to launch an attack, but Diapheis would put his life on the line to threaten a mutually deadly exchange of blows to force Marvin back. Diapheis could take one of his blows but Marvin didn’t dare to try taking one hit from that great axe.
Both sides were caught in a bitter struggle. This was a willpower race. Marvin’s stamina was quickly depleting while Diapheis' HP was crazily dropping.
That dagger played a key role in this battle. Unfortunately, Marvin hadn’t had time to dip it in poison earlier or it would have gone smoother. But that kind of product was very restricted so getting ahold of it wasn’t easy.
The two were relying on willpower and instincts to fight, and the situation was deadlocked.
The remaining five elite members looked at each other and suddenly moved forward to surround Marvin.
The little girl hiding in the corner lost hope.
They wanted to go against Marvin because they all saw that Marvin’s stamina would soon run out.
He began to pant. Dealing with Diapheis’ axe already took a lot out of him. If they were to attack now, they would certainly defeat Marvin. No matter how strong, without stamina one still couldn’t do anything.