Chapter 277 (1/2)

Even with a wound in his side, the male spear attendant stood, perplexed, almost heedless of his own blood loss. Of course, his high physical defense stats were starting to slow the bleeding down, but he had lost a majority of his health in the single blow, and must be feeling it, Lucretia mused.

But in his stance, there was no weakness, only confusion.

“Misery…? Does our friendship really mean so little, Claptrap…?” The male spear attendant said, his eyes sorrowful. But this heartfelt wondering served only to infuriate Claptrap further.

“There! This is exactly why!” Claptrap bellowed, the red glow in his eyes hardening. “You don’t take me seriously at ll. Even now… even as I hold the power to kill you, you don’t feel threatened. Because it’s me. Because I’m Claptrap, the lovable merchant, the SIDEKICK!” With the final word, Claptrap threw himself forward, his spear raised. A powerful image of a monster appeared in the air behind him, fuzzy and distant, but vicious and potent.

However, unlike his first strike, the male spear attendant was ready this time, and his Iron Bulwark sprung into being around him, his spear held defensively. The two forces crashed, and the Bulwark was ripped into scrap metal. The male spear attendant managed to interpose his spear between himself and the strike, but even the shaft of that was bent slightly with the force of Claptrap’s attack.

This exchange served as a signal for the other two, and the fight between Black Spear and Divveltian resumed, Divveltian throwing all his reserves at Black Spear, pounding him, forcing his body into awkward positions. Whereas before Divveltian had challenged Black Spear directly and lost, now he continued to harry him, slowly increasing the damage done to the physical body, which the deceased soul inside of the body had little ways of addressing.

Still, those small wounds were short lived, as the red in Black Spear’s eyes grew more bright, and small flames began to emerge on those wounds, licking at them. Slowly, they grew closed, healing through sheer force of will.

Black Spear stepped forward, its eyes baleful and glowing. Divveltian just growled and closed his eyes. A music was emerging, sweeping the streets, higher and stronger than before, and spears began to materialize everywhere.

The small crowd that had gathered at the end of the street watched, eyes wide. This level of confrontation was rarely seen by the public, Lucretia knew, and she didn’t want to be the one that spoiled how weak the average person really was. So she waved her hand, and her third and final zombie moved out of the shadows, cutting the onlookers down.

Beckoning the final zombie over to her side, Lucretia turned to watch the two contests with interest.

Whatever Divveltian was doing, it was working. Although Black Spear was able to heal, he couldn’t do it quickly enough, not with the weight of the crescendo of spears that Divveltian was using to slowly tear the skin off of Black Spear’s body.

If Lucretia didn’t know better… she would have said that Divveltian just had an epiphany mid battle, and was powering up immensely. But the likelihood of that actually happening… Shaking her head, Lucretia turned to the other battle.

It seemed that Claptrap had seen the state Black Spear was being reduced to, and lashed out, harder and harder. Each time, the male spear attendant was knocked to the ground. But each time, the male spear attendant also sprung to his feet, his shoulder broken, his thigh bleeding heavily now as well, but the image of the Iron Bulwark behind him stronger, more vibrant.

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!” Claptrap bellowed, and there were tears in his eyes, Lucretia saw. But she just smiled. She could feel his emotions roiling within Claptrap. Fear, shame, uncertainty. But also, behind the others, a certain amount of satisfaction and excitement, and pride. He enjoyed these new powers very much, she could tell. He just wasn’t sure if it was worth the cost yet.

“Too late…” Lucretia whispered, patting her third zombie on the head. Then, to amuse herself, she began to braid his hair.

The male spear attendant stood his ground. “Why did you come here, if not for us? We-”

“IF NOT FOR US?!” Claptrap was spitting with fury now, almost insensible. “That’s exactly why! I know you think I’d be nothing without you. I know you think all of my success… is just because of the Ghosthound. And maybe… maybe he is responsible. Maybe he deserves it! He’s all they talk about, all anyone talks about… even…. But I refuse to be a fucking dog living in his shadow, like you!”

“Besides…” Claptrap continued, his voice going lower, more menacing, and Lucretia was gleeful as dark, angry emotions grew stronger, filling his body. “It was never about you… it was always about Ciel… and then to see, like everything else, her bet her hand in marriage to the Ghosthound…. And you cracking jokes after she lost, treating her like a cheap harlot…”

In spite of himself, the male spear attendant chuckled. “Oh, kukuku. Yes, my wit is sharp. But they were aimed more at Aethon, than her, I-”

“Just shut the fuck up and get out of my way.” Claptrap interrupted, his eyes flicking to Divveltian, who continued his onslaught on Black Spear. “Or I will show you the difference between us.”

The male spear attendant didn’t move. Claptrap’s eyes hardened. The monster appeared, more defined, but also different, larger now, with a human torso, but with the head of a slug, and arms that were part tentacle, part hook. They lashes forward, with vicious intent.

Although the Iron Bulwark was definitely improved, it was still ripped to the side, and the male spear attendant’s body was hammered into the ground. One of his legs snapped, and a deep gash was left on his chest.