Vol 1 Chapter 13 (2/2)
At that moment, following an unpleasant ‘bekyo!’ sound, something surged up my palm.
A foreboding sensation of metal snapping.
Wha……t?
The parting gift I received from Jig-san……from the base——came apart!
And there’s one more monster still left……f.u.c.k!
I clicked my tongue soundlessly and rushed down to the two.
「Guaaaaruaaaaa!」
——Right then.
An agonizing metallic cry resounded. A reflexive impulse to cover my ears a.s.saulted me.
The Blood Ogre, which was supposed to be dead, no idea how or why, pushed the spear and the sword sticking into its chest further in, and spat more than a mouthful of blood into the air.
Enshrouding us in the fog of blood.
「s.h.i.+……Guys! Please get away, quick!」
Upon Bays-san’s words, everyone got away.
Even so, our bodies were already drenched. d.a.m.n it!
「……Kuh- my body- numb……」
「Nuu……」
Groaning, the two leaked out such words.
What?
Ah……Paralytic poison!?
That it didn’t work on me……Was that due to Abnormal Status Resistance skill?
That was probably its last struggle. The Blood Ogre collapsed onto the ground and ceased moving.
This is bad……
「Gi……Gi- gurua- gugaaaaaaaaa!!」
Resounded a cry that could freeze the blood flowing inside one’s body.
The state of the remaining monster……was strange.
Its bright red skin turned dark red. Its red horn was dyed jet black.
I could feel the intimidating air on my skin.
Hey……it’s not a different monster, is it?
——Is it……《Bond of Blood (Blood Alliance)》’s effect?
Still, still——
If the three of us challenged it in perfect condition, we could win.
However——
「Oooooooooaaaaaa」
Visibly maddened, the monster howled and charged at us.
With two of us paralyzed, we won’t be able to cope with it, surely.
If that’s the case……I shouldn’t go, right?
Totally unarmed, I went to confront the Blood Ogre.
I had no intention of clas.h.i.+ng head on, of course.
However, I had now visually confirmed the rare skill.
If……if only——I somehow manage to steal it.
Slipping through the blow encapsulating its increased strength and speed, I managed to touch the body of the enemy, somehow.
However——it resulted in failure.
For a moment, I was forced to stop and think.
So……is there really no way to turn it around?
The enemy, the power of whose was not abating in the least, opened a fierce attack on the two behind me.
The two picked their weapons back up. However, they didn’t seem as agile.
——First hit.
Sto-p……
———Second hit.
Sto-……
——————Third hit.
After getting thrashed by the club and flicked into the air, the bodies of the two cruelly crashed into the tree trunks.
「——Stop it, you! You G.o.dd.a.m.ned ogre, aaah!」
That was a lack of plan.
Hitting barehanded was foolish.
To hit the Blood Ogre hard, I raised my fist overhead and threw myself into it.
Unfortunately, however, I ate a direct hit of the side sweeping club. Just like a ball, I bounced off and tumbled onto the ground.
I felt an acute pain of bones breaking.
「——Ow~~! Gu……a」
However, I wasn’t dead yet.
It was an opportune decision to have had a proper armor made.
Not far, Arnold-san and Bays-san could be seen, collapsed.
「——Papa!」
Lim ran up to Arnold-san.
Even though I told her to stay back……
Better yet, Lim and that adventurer woman should already have run away.
「Gu……u……? Ha……Lim, run- away. Don’t mind me.」
「No……no……Don’t leave……don’t leave me alone……」
Trying hard to breathe, Arnold-san coughed up blood and dyed the ground red.
His arm was crooked, his leg bleeding.
「……No……no way……never……Noooo!」
She screamed in denial.
She was wailing.
The air about Lim changed completely.
There was no change in her appearance, however……something felt off.
By the grace of the skill stolen from the Blood Ogre, my body seemed to have recovered to the point of moving.
I have no idea as to what she intends to do……
「Hey, Lim, what ar——……」
The moment I tried to grab the arm of Lim who was walking unsteadily *furufuru* toward the Blood Ogre——
Her fist cut through the air.
Had I not evaded, it would surely have hit my face.
This……Don’t tell me——
「Hinder……hurt……go……care……——」
I couldn’t bear to look at Lim, who was visibly in pain, as she dashed straight to the Blood Ogre.
「Aaaaaaaa!」
This is perhaps the effect of……《Bersekification》. (TN: Changed Berserkization to Berserkification)
As for the invocation condition, it may vary depending on the circ.u.mstances of acquisition of this a posteriori skill.
It was probably when her village was invaded that she first acquired this skill.
If that’s the case……then, is having your closed one’s life exposed to danger the invocation condition……?
No, it’s not the time to think. If I don’t stop her——
Dogon!
「Na——」
Lim’s fist crashed into the Blood Ogre’s abdomen as a bam resounded.
Followed by a roundhouse kick, followed by a palm heel; she attacked the enemy incessantly.
Although the person loses reasoning……Berserkification somehow grants the person incredible power.
Unfortunately, she was still lacking to be this Blood Ogre’s opponent.
Besides, no matter how you looked at it, Lim’s body was taking the toll.
「Seiji……please. Take Lim and escape.」
「Arnold-san……」
「If she continued to fight in this state, she would collapse before long……Please.」
「But then, what of you two……?」
「Don’t……mind us, please. Miserable it may be……but that’s an adventurer’s life; full of dangers. Please train well and grow into a fine adventurer. You have our best wishes.」
……Why do you two have to try so badly to look cool?
But you know what?
I’m infected with this disease, too.
It’s natural to be attracted to ‘cool’.
When you were young, didn’t you unconditionally long for ‘cool’?
Even when you grew up, you had a trace of it left somewhere.
However, when you realized that they were nothing but wild delusions……deep down your heart……it hurt.
They were wild delusions……only because they couldn’t be realized.
They 『were』.
Now, however, making those wild delusions a reality is no longer a dream.
……So then, would it be wise if I ran away?
No, that’s not what I longed for.
If I turned my back……the disease I’m infected with would die.
——If I did……wouldn’t I be a boring normie?
I firmly refuse!
For me——
For my sake——
I can’t run away from this place.
……After all, I have to look cool.
「Arnold-san, there’s one thing……which I would like to try. And regardless of the result……I will have to borrow your sword——」
I have 《Sword Arts Lv2 (25/50)》. If I could add his——
The toll on Lim’s body had surpa.s.sed her limit. The Blood Ogre started to press her. Having received a hit of the club, her body was sent flying.
Somehow, I caught her midair and landed safely.
I pulled Lim, who was still riotous, into my embrace, caressed her head and told her ‘it’s okay’ many times over.
Having gradually regained her calm, Lim collapsed after the backlash of the toll kicked in.
Laying her beside Arnold-san, I spoke a few words of grat.i.tude.
「Lim, you did well……Next time, you won’t have to lose your closed ones. I won’t let it happen.」
I turned around to face the howling Blood Ogre and held the large curved sword up.
……It’s alright. My body can keep up with this Lv.
「——Is this what you call breaking through the barrier?」
「Guruaa! Buguruaaaagaaaaaaaa!!」
「You have gotten more noisy than awhile back……don’t you think? 《Bond of Blood (Blood Alliance)》……huh? Even though I have failed to steal it, doesn’t mean I don’t have other skills——」
Without averting my eyes from the enemy which had turned dark red, I spoke filled with confidence.
「Your face is flushed red——I see. Are you mad that your partner is dead?」
——An air trembling roar resounded, kicking the battle to death off.
「……It’s finale!!」
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Name: Seiji・Agatsuma
Race: Human
Age: 18
Job: Adventurer (Rank E+)
Unique: Scholar’s Knowledge
Skill(s)
・Thief’s G.o.dly Skill (Riot Grasper) Lv2 (8/50)
・Physical Abilities Enhancement Lv3 (5/150)
・Sword Arts Lv3 (5/150)
・Abnormal Status Resistance Lv2 (2/50)
・Stick Arts Lv1 (7/10)
・Vitality Enhancement Lv2 (32/50)
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
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