Chapter 128: Volume 6 Chapter 127 – Beris and Kuzan (2)
Boom!
Their auras clashed, and an ear-splitting explosion resounded. Despite Jin and Kuzan only constantly leaving afterimages as they met swords, Beris was surprisingly able to consistently aim perfectly at Jin.
'Is that the girl who lost half her mind?'
Slash!
Kuzan's blade barely grazed Jin's sleeve. The coat sleeve burned to black, as if his skin were rotting.
Jin quickly ripped off the sleeve and threw it to the ground. If his coat hadn't been thick enough, the poison would've penetrated it and gone through his skin.
"Phew, you're attacking at the same time, so isn't using poison kinda cheating?"
Kuzan didn't answer and kept charging at him.
At first glance, it looked as if Jin was losing, but Kuzan was very confused.
'It feels like he has 6-star aura, and his swordsmanship is strangely amazing. And the strength supporting it… Maybe he's hiding his aura? Or maybe he's a magic swordsman?'
While he was undergoing training to be a hunting dog, Kuzan heard about the magic swordsmen who were active in the far past. Compared to those who only knew one physical or magical fighting technique, magic swordsmen had a divine-like power that they could use very efficiently.
He wasn't wrong. Jin just had the blessed body of a Runcandel. However, obviously, Kuzan could not make this conclusion.
Beris was pretty surprised as well.
'This slippery bastard. He deflected Kuzan's blade and dodged my spells? And I can't even get close because he can pull out his light spell. The most annoying brat…!'
Beris and Kuzan were constantly pushing back on Jin.
And because of their desperation building up, they tried their best to maintain their composure. As for Jin, beyond desperation, he was feeling the threat of death as time went on.
'The spells are getting more frequent. Her accuracy is improving as more time passes. If it gets better than this… I don't have a solution for that.'
Even though she was low on mana, Beris was also showing her skills as an 8-star magician.
Bang! Bang!
No different than a line of cannons, her mana winds prevented Jin from counterattacking.
'It's a shame, but I guess I have to pull out my trump card.'
Fwoosh!
From Jin's palm, a small blue flame came to life, and Kuzan stopped his attacks.
The Ruler of the Fire Dimension, Tess. The blue fire signaled the opening of the dimensional portal.
'Blue flames?!'
A crevice opened through space, as if curtains were ripped, and Tess's long neck peered out. Beris's eyes widened.
"Sh-Shit. Tess?! Kuzan, get away from him! You can't get exposed to Pressure!"
Pressure. The special power that only Tess held.
The one who knew of Tess's transcendent power was the magician. Kuzan didn't have many memories of her desperately screaming.
However, he also knew of Pressure. He jumped away while conjuring blade crescents, planning to pressure Jin from afar before the flames could get to him.
'Bingo.'
They definitely thought that Jin would shoot the pressured flames at Kuzan since limiting the movements of the 8-star knight would be more efficient.
Kwooooooosh!
However, Tess unleashed the flames at a different target—Beris. The thick blue flames crashed like waves towards the magician, and Jin didn't miss Kuzan's wavering eyes.
Kuzan turned and bolted towards her, and Jin shot blade crescents towards his back.
"I feel like you are underestimating me. I shouldn't be an opponent you would be turning your back to."
"You…!"
Clang!
Jin conjured up the aura that he saved while fighting defensively.
The aura around Bradamante spread like smoke. An energy known as Blade Mist contaminated the surroundings.
While Jin kept Kuzan company, Tess flapped its huge wings and contained Beris. Each flap of its wings caused thousands of small flames to fly towards the magician.
Then, a breath of blue flames hit her directly.
Detecting that its contractor was in danger, Tess breathed harsh flames with all its might.
"Kiaaaaaaak…!"
A horrible cry that hazed the mind. Sweating rivers, Beris used all her mana to set up mana barriers. A stream of blood flowed out of her mouth.
'Mana overflow! She's finally facing the repercussions of wasting mana while killing the Lunar Sacrifice survivors. It's good for me, though!'
However, summoning Tess was a little tiring for Jin.
'How long can he maintain the summon? Probably ten minutes at most. If Beris falls into mana overflow during that time, I'll basically lose a weapon.'
A gamble. Jin's mana recently reached 7-star, but he used a lot of it when he cast Photon Cannon.
Because of that, summoning Tess and simultaneously using other spells strained him.
'While Beris is locked down, I have to take down Kuzan. Otherwise, I have to end it when Kuzan goes to aid her.'
The latter was Jin's desired scenario. Myulta's Rune and Blade: Unleash were still on the table, but fighting an 8-star without Tess was impossible.
Kaclang! Cling! Booooom!
Kuzan's expression wavered as he was restrained by Jin. From the moment Beris was in danger, Kuzan lost his composure.
Does he risk getting an injury and rescue Beris, or does he trust Beris and kill Jin?
After a short moment of contemplation, Kuzan's blade flickered.
"I don't know who sent you, but if Beris gets hurt, I'll kill you and your superior."
"Sorry to inform you, but I don't move based on orders like you dogs."
Shhhhhk!
Kuzan's sword skill changed.
His attacks until now were composed of steady sword swings. However, the ensuing swings were the complete opposite. It was a completely defenseless, full-offensive, destructive swordsmanship.
He was determined to kill Jin, even if it meant giving away his flesh—bones, even.
'Shit. I thought he'd go save his magician.'
A shock went through Jin's body after realizing the sudden change in style. He unwillingly followed Kuzan's tempo, and the dozens of sparks from their clashing swords pierced his eyes.
'So fast…!'
The fastest blade that Jin had ever experienced.
Nonetheless, there were more opportunities to strike than before. If Jin changed the trajectory of his blade—even by a little bit—he would die. However, he still saw the short time frames of the gaps where he could attack. Jin wanted to strike.
Even so, the moment he would try to attack, Kuzan's poison blade would slash through him.
The problem was that Jin wouldn't hold on for long at their current pace. If he allowed even one small cut, the poison would spread throughout his body.
Selecting his next move, Jin took a half step forward and swung Bradamante.
He planned on activating Myulta's Rune and cutting through Kuzan's throat.
As the two charged at each other, Kuzan dodged the stab by adjusting his shoulders. Kuzan's dark green blade was about to penetrate between Jin's eyebrows.
'Activate Helm!'
Tong!
However, the sudden activation of the helm deflected it.
Yet, it was much different than when he blocked Alu's blade. He felt as if a massive hammer struck his head, causing him to almost lose his balance.
"Kerk!"
Without hesitation, Kuzan prepared his next attack.
'If this is all you have, I'll end you here and now.'
Unfortunately, Kuzan couldn't swing his sword properly.
As he tried to swing his poison sword, Bradamante emitted a vantablack darkness.
Woooom…!
Not only that, but for a moment, their entire surrounding was also dyed in black. Everyone had their sight marred.
Except for Jin.
'This is… spiritual energy?!'
Kuzan didn't lose his prudence when he found out Jin was a magic swordsman, or when Tess was summoned, or when the boy activated Myulta's Rune. But not this time. He had heard about spiritual energy multiple times.
Nevertheless, there was a striking difference between imagination and actual experience. It was a strange force that made people feel fear just by watching it spread.
The darkness would only last for one second.
Shweeek!
Then, like a needle in the darkness, Bradamante—the blade that was one with the darkness—penetrated Kuzan's chest.
Due to that one second of blackness, Kuzan couldn't react in time. The black blade pierced him square in the chest, and a thick line of blood poured out.
"Eup!"
It didn't stab his heart.
However, if Jin turned the handle and twisted his blade, Kuzan would not survive even with his special poison.
If he just exerted force into his palm…
And just turned it…
'Huh?'
Yet, Jin's body loosened. Simultaneous dizziness and nausea overcame him, and Kuzan got farther and farther away.
His eyesight started fading, and his heavy breaths gradually turned into loud shrieks and messed up his mind.
Jin was also cut from Kuzan's poison blade.
It was a slight scratch on his hip, but the poison was already inside his body, flowing through his veins.
"Kerk."
Jin slowly trudged backwards, and his sword naturally slid out of Kuzan's chest. Kuzan threw up blood and fell to his knees, but he had a grin on his face.
Tess's and Jin's mana link was severed. The phoenix let out a screech, and Jin couldn't stop it from being withdrawn.
As Tess disappeared, Beris fell to the ground and shivered. With a quivering hand, Kuzan pulled out another glass bottle.
He drank the poison, and his wound slowly sealed itself. He thought of taking Jin's life as soon as he had enough energy to hold his sword.
"I… have to… get up. Or else, I'm doomed."
Pant, gasp, pant.
With heavy breaths, Jin plunged his sword into the ground and caught his balance. If he let go of his sword, he would struggle to even stand.
He felt as if his bare body were on fire, but not a single scream came out. The most poisonous poison. If it weren't for the Runcandels' blessed body, he would've already died.
For a while, all three of them didn't move; Jin due to the poison, Beris from mana overflow, and Kuzan from his injury not healing too quickly.
Amongst the three, Kuzan stood first with trembling legs. And Jin barely got into his fighting stance.
"Over there!"
"Black hood, it's the outfit the citizens described. Your Highness! It's a possible suspect!"
"Archers, prepare to fire. Knights, follow me!"
From afar, a group of knights on horseback ran towards the three.
It was the military of the prince's faction who had been pursuing the culprit responsible for the mysterious serial killings in the Delki Kingdom that started yesterday morning.
—————
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