296 Chapter 296: Rages at the Ringside (2/2)
”Impressive.” Liu watched the imposing figure of the flame mage, nodding in admiration. ”You're probably one of the few young men able to avoid my blood spears like that. No wonder you're able to rise up to the rank of lieutenant in one of the most reputable mercenary guilds even at such a young age. Remarkable indeed.”
”And you…” Redfield regarded his opponent, his face scrunched up deep in thought. ”With such skill and power, why are you not the leader of the Blood Slaughter Sect? Why have you handed over leadership to such a young boy who is clearly inexperienced and reckless? What exactly are you planning?”
”Who knows?” A sly smile crept over the elder's wrinkled face. ”I have no obligation to tell you, except that I will remain loyal to the leader of my sect and offer my advice whenever necessary. Are you perhaps trying to see through my intentions? What use is that? Whatever happens to my sect is none of your business now, is it?”
”You are right.” Redfield nodded. ”I was stupid for asking.”
He then lowered his spear, as if to pierce through Liu from a distance. Flames danced around its edge as he prepared to launch a torrent of hellfire at the Blood Slaughter Sect elder. If there was no point talking, then he shall finish this battle as soon as possible.
However, Liu's grin widened and he raised his empty left hand to snap his fingers.
”!!!”
Blood spikes erupted not from the ground, but from within Redfield's own body. The red-haired mercenary fell to his knees, gurgling in blood as he clutched helplessly at his wounds. Blinking in disbelief, he stared at Liu in astonishment.
”You gave me too much time,” the old man explained idly, leaning on his spear. ”I have already completed my ultimate spell. This whole space is now my territory. The blood within this space is all under my control” His smile grew ominously. ”That includes the blood of all my opponents. It's not a very big space, but it's more than enough for the likes of you.”
”…I see,” Redfield murmured, but Liu didn't give him a chance to speak.
With a snap of his fingers, he had even more spikes erupt from within the fire mage's body, causing even more hemorrhaging and internal damage. Redfield gurgled and jolted violently a few times from the old man's merciless attack, but he somehow managed to pull himself together and endure the attack. For the time being.
”It's a pity, though…that I can't kill you with your own blood alone. My victims' blood holds a lot more resistance than the blood of mine, and that of my allies. And you have also proved yourself to be infuriatingly tenacious, young man.”
”Hah! You have no idea!” Redfield coughed defiantly, but managed a mocking smile. ”You won't be able to kill me like this!”
”Indeed. That's why…I'm going to have to resort to a more…conventional method.” Liu raised his hand and conjured a dense hail of blood spears that emerged from the ground. There were thousands, if not tens of thousands of them responding to his will. Obeying without question, the countless blood spears launched into the air before arcing downward to bombard the immobilized Redfield in a dense rain of blood. So thick and numerous were the blood spears that they temporarily blotted out the night sky in a carpet of crimson.
Held aloft and immobilized by the blood stakes that now impaled his body from the inside out, Redfield muttered a single incantation.
”Prometheus Unleashed.”
Flames erupted around his body and expanded into a colossal conflagration that consumed the entire row of blood stakes that had skewered and restrained his body, expanding exponentially toward the heavens. Even as the hail of countless blood spears rained down upon him, they were immediately incinerated by the growing flames that lit up the dark area like the sun.
Even as glowing embers drifted down the battlefield, Redfield hovered in the air for a moment before descending, almost taking on the visage of a god of fire. Despite the wounds he had sustained earlier, he now appeared unscathed, the blood that caked his lips and the wounds on his limbs and torsos erased, almost as if they had been burned away by his divine fire.
”You…” Liu growled as he watched the red-haired fire mage descend slowly, his imposing figure illuminated by wildly dancing embers. He shook his head in disbelief. ”Even though I've seen so many things throughout my life, I find that I can still be taken by surprise sometimes. Impressive. Just like a phoenix, reborn, huh?”
Redfield swung his spear and launched himself forward, slashing at Liu, who swore before parrying the flaming strike with his spear. Blood stakes and fire collided and exploded, but the two combatants continued to trade furious blows that blew scorched craters or left bloody remains across the ravaged battlefield.
*
Anastasia spun gracefully in the air, almost like a ballerina skating across ice, as she avoided the blood arrows being fired at her by her opponent.
The female Blood Slaughter Sect disciple cursed under her breath, but she continued bombarding her opponent with more of her bloody projectiles. Several of the other disciples had joined her, pursuing the elusive ex-Assassin – but to their cost. More than a few of them were corpses lying on the ground, their eyes wide open, their pallor purple and their mouths foaming. Victims of Anastasia's poisons, they had succumbed in short order, paying for their attempts on her life with their own.
”Stop dodging!” the female Blood Slaughter Sect disciple complained, even though inwardly she knew that Anastasia wouldn't listen to her.
Or at least that was what she thought, but the green-haired ex-Assassin whirled to a stop and sliced apart her blood arrows with her daggers.
”Finally!”
One of the Blood Slaughter Sect disciples – a male, this time – thought that this was a great opportunity and he lunged forward while forming a new blood sword in his hand. Gripping it in both hands, he swung at Anastasia, who calmly parried his blood blade with a single dagger. Her other hand flashed out in a silver blur, her second dagger slitting her opponent's carotid artery.
”!!”
The Blood Slaughter Sect disciple collapsed in a bloody gurgle. There wasn't even a need to wait for Anastasia's poison to take effect. He was dead the moment she cut out his throat.
”Stay back, you fools!” the female Blood Slaughter Sect disciple shouted with a shake of her head. ”She specializes in close combat! Engaging her in melee is suicide! Stay back and launch ranged spells at her!”
”Yes, ma'am!”
The remaining Blood Slaughter Sect disciples fell into formation behind her and readied their blood arrows.
”?!”
One of them coughed and clutched at his throat before falling. Another wavered, foaming at the mouth, before he keeled over. More than a few were staggering back, grasping at their throats and gagging.
”?!”
The female Blood Slaughter Sect disciple realized something was amiss. Even she was finding it very difficult to breathe, and a burning sensation erupted at the back of her throat. Blood and tears clouded her vision as she stumbled, her hands flailing about.
”How?!”
That was when she noticed the thin, almost invisible green mist that had settled across the entire space. Realizing the toxic nature of the gas, she tried her best not to inhale it even though she knew it was too late.
”When did she…?”
”You gave me too much time.” Anastasia was smiling wickedly. ”This whole area is now my territory.”