Chương 1: Chapter 17: Severed Arm
The tremendous force caused Cyrus to stagger backward several steps. Fortunately, Migi managed to block the follow-up attack. The clash between their appendages created flickering afterimages in mid-air, and the constant clanging of metal was deafening. Seizing a brief respite, Cyrus inspected the iron sword in his hand. Unfortunately, this newly acquired long sword had been severely damaged; half of its blade was already shattered, as if it could fall apart into a pile of scrap metal at any moment.
Seeing that it couldn't deal with Cyrus immediately, Parasite Beast A shifted its focus to Shinichi. Eliminating Shinichi would make it much easier to handle the injured Cyrus.
"This sword is utterly useless. Looks like I'll have to rely on my own strength," Cyrus muttered, his right arm transforming into a blade of flesh and blood. The silver-white edge gleamed with a chilling metallic luster under the sunlight.
His stamina couldn't match that of the Parasite Beasts, so this battle needed to be resolved quickly.
Cyrus was patient, understanding that opportunities are fleeting. "Now's the time," he said, swinging his arm toward Parasite Beast A's chest.
Unexpectedly, Parasite Beast A grew an additional appendage and slashed diagonally at him as Cyrus closed in.
Cyrus faced two choices: forgo this rare opportunity to attack or risk dying alongside Parasite Beast A.
Cyrus wasn't going to choose either.
Without hesitation, he twisted his body, using his other arm to block the diagonal slash while redirecting his blade across the enemy's left arm.
In an instant, blood gushed from the severed arms of both Parasite Beast A and Cyrus.
Quickly, Cyrus rolled and retrieved his severed arm, gritting his teeth against the pain as he pressed it against the wound.
"Shinichi!" With tears in his eyes, Shinichi mustered all his courage and drove a steel pipe leg of a chair into Parasite Beast A's abdomen. Blood flowed out through the pipe almost immediately.
The massive blood loss rendered Parasite Beast A incredibly weak.
If it stayed here, it would certainly die.
"Fool, I can stick to you, but can you stick to me?" Cyrus wobbled to his feet, his face pale and covered in sweat. Despite his condition, he couldn't help but smile upon seeing Parasite Beast A in even worse shape.
Parasite Beast A said nothing, dragging its bleeding body toward Ryoji Taniyama's location.
"Shinichi, take this chance and finish it off!"
Migi, not wanting any surprises, urged Shinichi.
Shinichi looked at the creature but hesitated, as Parasite Beast A had reverted to its normal human form. "No, I can't do it. If I continue, it would be murder."
Seeing Shinichi's reluctance, Cyrus glanced at his transformed blade arm and pursued the beast.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Cyrus focused his energy and swung his blade. With no ability to resist, Parasite Beast A met its end. Its head fell to the corridor floor with a thud, rapidly decaying and withering away.
"Killing you was quite a hassle," Cyrus said, making sure the creature was truly dead before slumping against the wall, exhausted.
"Shinichi, he's losing blood fast. Get him to the hospital immediately," Migi urged urgently.
"Hang on, Cyrus, I'll get you to the hospital right away," Shinichi said, lifting Cyrus onto his back and rushing downstairs. Along the way, Cyrus felt his vision growing increasingly blurred and his head growing heavier. As he lost consciousness, he vaguely heard many people gasping in shock.
"Quickly get this student into a police car and have it take him to the hospital."
"Isn't that the Sword Saint? What happened? Why is he unconscious?"
...
After an indeterminate amount of time, Cyrus groggily opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the clean white ceiling of a hospital room.
"Got myself into the hospital just for killing a Parasite Beast. Ugh... my head still hurts." Unaccustomed to the hospital environment, Cyrus glanced at the IV drip beside his bed, guessing it was filled with glucose.
He mustered his strength, propped himself up, and checked his status.
[Shape-shifting Talent Fusion: 69% Complete]
[Player's Stay Duration Countdown: 142 Days]
"Two days wasted due to this unconsciousness," Cyrus noted, looking at the countdown.
"Attention, nurse responsible for bed 36: The patient has awakened. Please proceed to room 36."
Soon, a female nurse in uniform entered the room, checked Cyrus's vitals, and asked gently, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Cyrus shook his head. "I'm feeling fine now. When can I leave?"
"Not yet. Your blood sugar is a bit low; you need to be observed for another day. Once your vitals stabilize, you can proceed with the discharge process." The nurse took out a sealed bottle of glucose, opened it skillfully, and hooked it up to Cyrus's IV.
"Another day in the hospital? I don't have the money for this."
Unexpectedly, the nurse smiled and said with a hint of admiration, "You're quite a media sensation right now. You single-handedly dealt with the intruders at the school, and many people have donated money to support you."
Cyrus was confused and couldn't grasp the situation.
After getting his phone from the nurse, he finally understood.
It turned out that when Shinichi was questioned by the school about why Cyrus had collapsed, he explained the general situation but omitted many details. He only mentioned finding Cyrus next to a dead man.
As a result, news of the Sword Saint single-handedly defeating the intruders spread wildly on the internet.
Cyrus had once again gained overnight fame, this time across all of Tokyo.
"Looks like I can't shake off the Sword Saint title now," Cyrus said with resignation.
Soon, news of Cyrus's recovery spread to the media and school officials. Within no time, various news outlets crowded around his hospital bed for interviews.
"Current rumors suggest that the intruders were not human but some unknown creatures. What is your take on this? Was the creature you fought really not human?" a reporter with an entertainment logo asked Cyrus.
(End of Chapter)
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