Chapter 30 (2/2)

But in reality, both of them were exchanging attacks using blades of light and darkness in extreme speed. Due to their equal strength, they continued tearing each other.

Little by little, both of them were starting to acc.u.mulate scratches on their arms, cheeks, waist, and scattered blood around. Each time the blades came in contact, either one of them gets hurt or a loud metallic sound was heard. Slight red traces spread throughout their body.

Finally, the two of them retreated back to safe distance.

Both of them couldn’t hear anything from their surrounding, breathing heavily, blades drawn. The one who broke the silence, the one who moved firstー is the 『Hunter』.

Unlike his previous actions, discarding his defense, the 『Hunter』 turned every enemy in front of him into prey of his blade. His attacks couldn’t be compared to what Jirou had blocked before. His blade was now faster and heavier.

He tried to avoid the attack and counter the 『Hunter』, who had abandoned his defense, but suddenly the beam saber grew longer in front of him and cut his shoulder deeply. He jumped back to avoid the attack but it still managed to damage his body.

The 『Hunter』 didn’t miss the opportunity and raised the output of his beam saber, then attack Jirou before he could regain his momentum and giving him a one-sided beating. But Jirou kept waiting, even at the expense of his life, waiting for the chance to use his final trump card that could reverse the defensive fight.

The 『Hunter』 kept slas.h.i.+ng at Jirou, who could barely block his attacks. It’s obvious that Jirou was severely weakened due to blood loss. And finally, Jirou suddenly fell on his knees, either from too much blood or because of his age.

「Don’t…!」

In response to his meek beg, an overhead slash came to Jirou’s direction. But Jirou was waiting for this exact moment. Jirou then lunge forward and gladly receive the blade, causing a huge cut wound on his body.

「What!?」

Even the calm and composed 『Hunter』 couldn’t antic.i.p.ate the action. When his brain finally recognized what happened, it was too late. The Jirou in front of him was nothing but a clone. After being cut by the 『Hunter』, the wound starting to glow and releasing a huge amount of heat.

「Tch…!!」

The『Hunter』 clicked his tongue and tried to retreat back, but Jirou’s clone combusted and caused a ma.s.sive explosion.

It was a combination of Jirou’s s.h.i.+n.o.bi skill, 【Clone Creation】 and 【Atomic Requiem】. The former creates an alter ego, while the latter sacrifice his own life to create ma.s.sive damage to the enemy. In the game, combining these skill is impossible, but in this world, the alter ego has its own body and HP, so he can use the skill to create an explosion at the expense of his clone.

The combination creates a body that restricts the『Hunter』’s attack and prevented him from escaping the Atomic Requiem.

「Haaa… haaa……」

Meanwhile, Jirou was looking at the explosion from a distance away. An Empire soldier noticed him but Jirou quickly kicked his head without even looking. If the soldier dies, he dies. (TL: it directly translates to “if the soldier lives, he’s lucky. if the soldier dies, he’s unlucky”) After the sand clouds dissipated, the 『Hunter』 could be seen on his knees while holding his discharged beam saber.

「To think that you even give that much strength to your clone… Are you even sane?」

「You can’t expect anything less from a s.h.i.+n.o.bi」

Jirou walked without sound towards the 『Hunter』 who was seriously injured and couldn’t move and quickly landed a hit on his neck. The empire soldiers who saw the state of their commander quickly drop their weapons and surrendered. Then Jirou commanded his soldiers to take them to prison and confiscate their enemies’ weapons.

But while doing so, he forgot to keep watch at the 『Hunter』’s fallen body. The only thing left was just a black suit that he wore, everything else melted like a black stain on the ground.

「So he escaped… No way, did he imitate me? But… since when did he have this kind of power… I’ll think about it later.  Please ask the Mage squad to tell Masaki-dono via telepathy that the Hunter has retreated. Tell him to open a path right into the enemy headquarter」

「Yes, sir!」

The mage who received the message agreed to tell Masaki via telepathy.

Jirou, who still feel uneasy by the 『Hunter』’s disappearance, ran all the way back to the headquarter.

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