Chapter 84 - #83 Winning is everything (2/2)

”Ah...*crack* That's all you have got?” He immediately snapped his head back at me when he heard my bored tone just to see me completely unscratched walking towards him while cracking my neck with a small smile.

”?!...What are you boy? That punch was enough to kill any fragile human and no matter how high endurance you should have at least received small damage, your human body still has limits.” He asked me with a slightly shocked expression and wide-open eyes.

*Gasp* Everyone gasped when they saw how deep was the hole I created after my crash yet I was standing and walking as if nothing happened to me at all.

”I guess I am a bit special human, nevertheless, I deem you unworthy to pursue Kurome if that was your all” I replied with a small smile.

”Tch! Don't become too arrogant, boy!” He gritted his teeth and shouted at me while he disappeared from his position.

”Die!” I heard his voice from behind me and I could feel something dangerous quickly nearing my head.

”Pff” I just released a smirk while waiting for his attack to connect.

When his fist connected with my head, or should I say when it should connect with it, my head suddenly dispersed as if it was just a hologram.

”WHAT?! An afterimage?!” He shouted with a shocked expression.

”I am already behind you~” I said in low voice with my drawn sword and cold smile.

*Screech* A crimson-colored slash of energy appeared in the middle of the room advancing through the entire room stopping only after being buried numerous meters inside the wall and ceiling.

[Health: 679/760]

[Energy: 889/1365]

...

*Splash* We both regained our distance from each other.

”To think you would be able to survive such an attack just by sacrificing your arm...You are really different from others but still not enough to pursue little Kurome-chan~” I said while looking at his cut off arm lying on the ground near his legs with a stoic expression.

”Akashi! Be careful, he is using some strange curse!” Tsukushi suddenly shouted at me with a worried expression while looking at me with wide-open eyes.

”Hehe, too late! The stronger my opponent, the stronger curse!” He started creepily laughing and strange black markings appeared near his shoulder where his arm was cut off.

I immediately felt chill down my spine.

[Fire Form]!

[Energy: 689/1365]

I didn't hesitate even a second and used my skill. My body suddenly turned into a figure of flames, pure flames.

His markings started to glow a bit and suddenly my arm made of flames has fallen off.

”WHAT?! What the hell are you?!” He shouted while looking at my body of pure flames with wide-open eyes and shocked expression.

The others weren't any different.

---

”Is he even a human, this is unbelievable! And what was that crimson energy that came out of his sword?!” The silver-haired girl exclaimed with a dropped jaw.

”...This is insane. Is this power of a select team?” The blond-haired guy muttered with a terrified expression.

”...He and Kurome aren't part of the select team. They came from the Capital to help us...” Tsukushi replied with a dumbfounded expression before glancing at Poney who was looking for any good opportunity to help Akashi.

---

I looked down at my cut off ”arm” lying on the ground or more like burning on the ground.

I crouched down and with the other hand, I took it from the ground and reattached it to my shoulder. The flames immediately reattached as if nothing happened before.

”What does it matter?” I replied but since I didn't even have a mouth, only a deep changed voice came from the flames, making it even creepier.

”So I take it that your curse reflects any physical damage you receive back to your enemy. That's how you defeated Kurome and since your body is enhanced by the Danger Beast's genes, you have higher regeneration and you are tougher, making use of it against strong enemies with more fragile bodies.” I muttered while canceling my own transformation, making my body appear on the flames' position in the original state.

”...Grrr, you and your Empire do whatever you want. Barging inside our tombs to steal the treasures within. I will never forgive you!” He lost his cool and shouted while pouncing at me.

”You have-” I said and then kicked off the ground to meet him head-on. He struck his hand with sharp nails at my face but I easily dodged by tilting my head to the side and then slashed my sword at his arm once again.

*Splash* ”-lost your cool” I continued my sentence from before with cold eyes when we passed by each other and stopped with our backs facing each other. Another arm has been cut off and he was left without any way how to attack except for kicks.

”Oh! Finally, the big bad guy down! Good job, Akashi!” Poney exclaimed with a happy smile and her fist held high up.

*bang* ”Tch, who the hell are you calling bad guy? You are the ones who invaded our tombs without any provocation! Who the hell are you if we are bad guys?!” He has fallen on the ground with a face first and then replied while gritting his teeth. He was bleeding from his mouth but his transformation has yet to wear off. He didn't even try to activate his curse again.

”You are not bad guys?! What about those captured girls on higher levels of your tomb?!!!” Poney immediately started shouting at him with an enraged expression.

”...Poney?” Tsukushi muttered while looking at Poney with a surprised expression.

”Heh, I can't control what everyone does within this tomb plus you are the ones who provoked us so I think it's fair for you to suffer and we also need to procreate plus we can't just involve normal humans. So it's your problem for invading us.” He replied with a mocking tone.

”You-!” Poney wanted to say more but I interrupted her.

”I sympathize with you, you were in right to do whatever you wanted with those prisoners. You were, after all, winners. But then don't call us bad guys when we invade you and you lose.” I said with a calm tone while I struck my sword into the ground right next to his head while looking down.

”A-Akashi?!” Poney immediately called my name out with a surprised expression after hearing my words and she wasn't the only one.

”...What are you talking about?” He was clearly confused that I can sympathize with him so he looked up just to see my cold red eyes with slit pupils staring down at him.

”In this world, winning is everything. Winners are validated and losers are denied. This is the way of this corrupted world.” I said in a completely emotionless voice while glancing at all people inside the room.