Chapter 14 - The Link Between You and I 2 (1/2)

Chapter 14 - The Link Between You and I (2)

A modicum amount of time had passed from that moment.It was a short amount of time where not even one hour had passed. It was also the moment in their lives where Artpe and Maetel had to focus the most.

Artpe was in a precarious situation where his Mana was about to bottom out, so he continued to keep a low profile.In the end, Maetel’s Swordsmanship had reached level 9…..

The Skeletons, who were exhausted from battle, tried a new tactic where they purposefully tried to die through Maetel’s attacks.However, Artpe intercepted them by throwing his shield into their abdomen.They were put out of the battle by the hard hits, and the only thing these Skeletons could do was roll around the floor.

Finally, Artpe felt himself reach his limit in terms of his body and Mana.

“Hoo-ooh.Koo-hoo-ooh….!”

“It is all done, Artpe!”

“Ggoo-oohk.All right.!”

Artpe was moments away from losing his consciousness.He was about to fall to the floor.However, a voice of an angel could be heard through Artpe’s ears.Artpe gritted his teeth as he fought to stay up.He checked the state of the Dungeon.

It was as if hell had manifested on this floor.

[Goo-gahk, gah-gah-gahk…...]

[There is no way….I’ll accept…..]

[Death…I only want an honorable death…..]

The number of Skeletons, who had died, was zero.The number of Skeletons capable of continuing the battle was also zero.The floor was a mess.It was hard to tell if the bones were ribs or spines.They were all just rolling around the floor.

The two heroes had taken down over 400 Skeletons, and it drove home the absurdity of the situation faced by the party of two.

“Are you ok, Artpe….?”

“I’m still alive but, you….Are you able to cancel your Berserk state?”

“·…...yes!”

It was as she said.Her emotions started to calm after speaking those words.The red haze that had covered her entire body dissipated, and her Mana calmed.Artpe let out a bitter laugh at the sight.

Rage had swept over her, and her rage had paralyzed a portion of her rationality.He had been a little bit worried that she wouldn’t have been able to cancel her Berserk state.It might have led to an accident occurring….

It seemed his fears had been baseless.

Still, a wrong was a wrong even if the two of them survived the battle unharmed.First, he ended the Mana link with her.He narrowed his eyes as he spoke in a stern voice.

“Were you aware that you had learned a dangerous skill?”

“Yes.However, if I hadn’t maintained it, I thought Artpe would die….”

“Still, if you had died, all of this would have been for naught.If I survived while you died in this place, do you think I would have been happy?”

“Ah-oooh.”

When she heard Artpe’s cold voice, Maetel’s cheeks turned red, and she lowered her head.When he saw this sight, he finally took his ire down a peg.

It was easy to forget, but she was a beginner hero.She had picked up the sword less than a week ago.She was only a 12 year old girl.Yet she had somehow kept a hold on her rationality as she maintained her Berserk skill.In truth, she deserved praise.

“The danger of using that skill is so high, because it is a skill that deals with an emotion.If you think of the skill as your absolute ally, it’ll come back as a blade that will plunge itself into your heart.I just want you to remember this fact.All right?”

“Y...yes.I’ll keep that in mind.”

“....all right.Let’s finish this.”

In truth, he wanted to sit her down and give her a lecture.However, he worried his words would create an artificial ceiling for her talent, so he decided to leave it be.

“Hoohp.”

He violently pulled on the threads connected to the shield.The enormous shield fell from the air to destroy the skulls of the nearest Skeletons.All the Skeletons on the floor had already been inflicted with several layers of the shield’s curse, so they couldn’t put up any fight against the shield.They were broken into pieces.

[D...dead.]

[Our comrades were completely annihilated…..]

[Our power is getting stronger, but….]

“May I destroy all of them, Artpe?”

“Yes, you can destroy all of them.”

Artpe let out a kind laugh as he raised his hand again.The shield floated into the air as it followed his hand gesture.It stood on its edge, and it started to rotate in a violent manner.Maetel also squeezed out the remaining energy left in her tired body as she swung her bastard sword.

[Koo-ahk!]

[Koo-gah-gahk!]

[Regret……..]

Every time one Skeleton was killed the other Skeletons felt a surge of energy within their bodies.However, the only thing they could do with the abundance of energy was to rattle around the floor.Of course, as more Skeletons died, the defense of the remaining Skeletons also increased.The Skeletons couldn’t even jump towards the two heroes to attack them, so the improvements being wrought on the Skeletons were meaningless.

“A single blow isn't enough to kill them.Eh-eet!Eh-eet!”

“There is a better way to do this, Maetel.You shouldn’t unnecessarily harm you weapon’s durability.”

Artpe extended his Mana Threads, and he took control of the Skeletons, who couldn’t put up much of a fight.He started bashing the skulls of Skeletons against each other.

He was able to smash and eliminate the Skeletons in an effective manner!

[Koo-ahhhhh!]

[You…You wicked bastards…..!]

He used the hardened skulls against each other!Although his past occupation was being one of the Four Heavenly Kings, he was displaying a level of ruthlessness that might exceed the Demon King!

“Artpe is amazing!This really is easier than breaking them with my sword!”

“Yes, it really is….”

The current hero was already different person now.In her previous incarnation, Maetel had been a pure and innocent woman.He had seen her shed tears when one of the Four Heavenly King had died.She had been a virtuous woman.Now she was a girl, who was smashing Skeletons against each other!

Artpe realized how important early education was as he swung the skull.If someone saw the two, they wouldn’t think they were heroes.They looked like great candidates to become the next Demon King.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived.

“These are the last ones, Artpe.”

“Look at how hard their skulls are.It is hard to call them as being Skeletons anymore.They are almost on the same rank as a Dullahan.”

[We want you to give us an honorable death….!]

The power of several hundred Skeletons were split between the two remaining Skeletons.The two skulls were the product of this process.They were so heavy and hard that one wondered if they could be used as weapons.Artpe was weak in strength, so he couldn’t even lift the skulls.Maetel, who easily swung the bastard sword, was barely able to lift them.

As an experiment, she threw the skulls against the wall.The blameless wall cracked instead of the skulls.Artpe tilted his head in puzzlement when he saw this.

“I think it is comparable to a level 100…..?”