Chương 16: 3.6 Picking up the Pieces

"Huh?"

I couldn't help but huff in surprise and confusion as I eyed the woman for any kind of other catches.

"Dame Blutmond?" Heh. At least the tin can was just as confused as I was.

The lady holstered her rapier before moving her arms into theatrics; one hand on her chest as the other outstretched towards Lise. "I can see that you refuse the offer of being partnered up with me~" What?! "But if you so choose, I'll allow you to take the little Nenner along with you should you work with me~"

I kept my guard up as I watched the tin can tense up in his suit of armor.

"But Dame Blutmond! Isn't it-"

*SPLASH!*

My eyes widened as a splash of water suddenly erupted from her now-brandished rapier; its tip pointed menacingly at the tin can's head. The woman sported a dangerous smile, one that I was partially familiar with.

"I'm a Primzahl You're not." A Primzahl? A Prime number, if I was translating it correctly. "You do as I say, got it?~"

"Y-Yes, my Dame."

I mentally filed the term away in my head along with all the other things I still needed to know about before focusing my sights on the now-readying tin can. I'm sure it was an important term, but it wasn't important right now.

"You will fight for the child's right to accompany you, Rouge~" she explained. "Defeat Sir Knight here, and I'll make it so that you get to stay together with your charge~"

I nodded wholeheartedly at the challenge. No use looking at a gift horse in the mouth even if it came from the devil herself.

"Lose, however, and only you will leave this Furnace with me~"

A fair trade, considering the power she had over the deal.

"Oh! And I'll kill the child in front of you, okay?~"

My eyes widened as I immediately turned my sights towards Lise, her small body already shuddering in fear at the prospect of getting killed by this maniac.

Okay, that was far beyond what I'd like to accept even from the devil!

"On my mark~"

Still, there was no point in fighting it as I was now. I steadied my breath as I readied myself for a fight I'm not even sure I could win. But for her sake...

"Go~"

I couldn't afford fail again.

"It'll be my pleasure to grind you into the ground, Dirt Eater."

I weaved to the right as the tin can immediately went for the offensive.

*CRASH!*

I let out a breath as his halberd's blade crashed onto my left side. Immediately, I capitalized on his weapon's apparent weakness.

*CLANG! CLANG!*

I slashed at his left leg, his armor pinging at my attacks. He was slow, but his armor was posing a problem.

"Tch..."

I clicked my tongue as I glanced at the spot of my attacks. Not even a scratch... Not enough power then.

"Nice try, Dirt Eater."

*WHOOSH!*

In retaliation, the tin can swung his halberd sideways towards me. I was on his side, so I used his slow maneuverability against him by circling towards his back. I then tried to deal some damage to him again.

*CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*

Only for my attacks to annoyingly bounce off. Damn. Still no damage. What was this thing made of?

"Don't even try, Dirt Eater," the man taunted as he moved back about a meter away from me, his halberd not even pointed at me in a show of confidence. "This is an Imperial-standard suit of armor."

"So?" It would still have to have some sort of weakness.

"It means it's impervious to paltry attacks from non-combatants such as yourself," he haughtily stated. "Such an armor is given the proper Seigels that makes it impervious to your feeble attempts at combat, Dirt Eater."

I silently thanked this idiot for giving me a clue as to how the damn thing was so indestructible. Immediately, I mentally drew up all of the possible Seigels that I knew were capable of granting such properties onto metal. Well, I just hope I remembered the damn Seigels in the first place.

"So? Do you accept your place, Dirt Eater?"

"Calm down, tin can. I'm thinking here."

Seigel after Seigel ran across my mind. That gave reinfo- No, too energy-intensive... Armament? Couldn't see the telltale blackening on any part of the metal... Perhaps a-

"Big Bro!"

Shvt!

*CRASH!*

My eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as I stood a mere centimeters away from the halberd that almost chopped me in half. Had Lise not shouted at me, I would've been a goner.

Taking the initiative, I immediately established more distance away from the knight, all while still intensely staring at his suit of armor for any possible chink that I could use. The Seigels on it should've been visible when I struck the damn thing, but the suit simply shrugged my blade off, not even emitting the blue glow that any reinforced piece of metal should give off when struck with a force capable of scratching it.

How the fvck did it work then?!

*WHOOSH! CRASH!*

I dodged another volley of attacks as I took advantage of his unwieldly strength; kiting his swings while maintaining a respectable distance between my hair and the sharp end of his weapon.

"Confused, are you not?" he taunted as he continued to swing his oversized clothing rod. "Submit to your betters, Dirt Eater."

*SHIIIIINGG!*

Sparks flew as I gritted my teeth, my dagger raised to redirect his overhead swing.

*CRASH!*

The business end of his halberd landed on my right side as my arms burned harder than ever before; the force of his attack more powerful than any strike that I've experienced in the forge.

*WHOOOSH! WHOOOSH!*

He then began swinging at me with wild abandon. I couldn't keep dodging like this. Sooner or later, I'd run out of steam and drop dead on the ground. Once that happened, the only thing I'd have to worry was whether I'll do it figuratively or literally.

Breathing through my teeth, I wracked my brain for ideas on how to crack this puzzle. This wasn't a fight at all. This was more of a 'how do I inflict damage on this guy?' kind of battle. Humans were fragile creatures; one injury taken to the extreme and the human body will falter like a house of cards.

I only needed one debilitating opening to press the advantage.

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