章節 4: Death's Blossom

The last place he had expected to find himself was Europe.

The worst continent he could possibly be in.

Everywhere in Europe except for the North was basically a death zone.

"You have to be joking with me, right!?"

"Not even [Redo] will be able to save me here!"

Sure, [Redo] might give him another chance, but that is only one time!

He was sure that just staying an entire day here in the middle of Europe would get him killed multiple times by the harrowing creatures residing here.

Perhaps the god of death wasn't as generous as he had thought.

He could already imagine the death god laughing at him from above, dressed in a black robe that covered everything except the part of his face surrounded by dark mist, holding a long, black, creepy scythe in his right hand.

Or perhaps from below?

As if confirming his thoughts, he could hear the sound of thunder behind the grey clouds looming over the city.

"Dammit! I really need to get awa-"

Azriel couldn't finish speaking as suddenly he heard a howl coming from behind, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Turning around nervously, he saw the very things he had tried to avoid at the end of the street.

Five wolf-like creatures stood there, glaring at him with pitch-black eyes. Their bodies, stripped of fur, revealed naked, scarred, and blackened skin, with some parts rotten and decayed.

The inside of their cheeks was visible, their gums exposed, and saliva dripped continuously from their gaping mouths, pooling on the floor.

The smell they gave off was horrible, making Azriel swallow the vomit that rose into his throat.

'... why couldn't I be sent into a romcom world, dammit!'

Screaming inside his mind, Azriel guided the mana in his eyes, peering into the mana cores of the void creatures in front of him.

"Three of them are just Grade 3 beasts, but the last two are a Grade 2 and Grade 1 beast..."

The Grade 1 beast was even missing one of its eyes, making it look even more terrifying.

Though Azriel was a little more relieved now, since the void creatures in front of him were supposedly weaker than him...

Supposedly.

The problem he was currently having was that his body felt extremely tired, and so did his mind.

The fact that the last time he had fought a void creature was more than two years ago was clear from his memories.

While being the son of the Crimson clan, he was also just an average teenage high schooler!

'Calm down, Le- Azriel... I am stronger... stronger than these do-'

"Eek!"

An unexpected high-pitched scream escaped his lips as the scary void wolves suddenly started walking towards him.

"A-ah... you won't harm me, right?"

"You guys are good little p-puppies, right?"

As a response, two of the Grade 3 void wolves lunged at him.

'Guess not!'

A katana materialized in his right hand, its blade pitch black, devoid of any color as if consumed by darkness itself. The hilt was adorned with intricate patterns of black and red.

Void Eater.

The katana his father had gifted him...

His very own soul weapon that grows stronger the more he does, unlike the other ranked weapons.

The appearance of mana changed everything on Earth. Mana stones became a reality, leading to the creation of stronger structures and more powerful weapons.

A weapon created by mana stones could be empowered by one's own mana, resulting in it being able to be wielded by, for example, a master-ranked human.

Of course, a master-ranked human won't be able to handle or wield the weapon of a saint, and the weapon of an expert would simply break if wielded by a master-ranked human, making it expensive for many humans to become heroes since they needed to buy a new weapon each time they ranked up.

Luckily for those who have a soul weapon, they don't have that problem.

Perhaps due to all the training he underwent as Azriel, ingrained in his mind, he instinctively positioned Void Eater in front of him just in time as the first void wolf bit down on it, causing sparks to fly.

Luckily, being a Grade 3 Intermediate, his sword was also far stronger than the sharp teeth of a mere Grade 3 beast.

He kicked the wolf with his right leg, sending it flying back towards the other void wolves who were watching.

As he spun to his left, he felt mana coursing through his veins from his mana core.

"[Frost Wall]!" he shouted towards the second Grade 3 wolf lunging at him.

Moments later, a wall of ice emerged between Azriel and the approaching beast.

His heart thumped loudly against his chest as adrenaline surged through him.

"I am Azriel. Remember that. Not Leo anymore, but Azriel... No," he muttered to himself.

"That's not right."

"I'm not just Azriel, nor Leo anymore—"

"I am both of them."

"Not an extra or an ordinary high schooler anymore."

"Not the boy who lost his family in a car accident."

"Not the extra who died as a plot device for the heroine and protagonist to get together."

"...Azriel Crimson."

Someone who wouldn't tread the path of an ordinary or forgotten extra.

The ice wall shattered as all three Grade 3 beasts decided to attack him instead of just one.

Their razor-sharp teeth gleamed as they lunged with mouths wide open.

He sensed the bloodlust in their pitch-black eyes.

Strangely, his mind became extremely calm as he faced the oncoming beasts, unafraid.

Time seemed to slow down as another wave of information flooded his mind effortlessly.

Red lightning crackled around Azriel's body as black mist poured from his mouth.

The mist and lightning coiled around Void Eater.

And then—

"First Form: Death's Blossom."

Azriel muttered as the void wolves closed in, mere inches from his face, ready to have him as their meal.

Only for him to suddenly vanish from his spot, reappearing a few meters behind the Grade 3 beasts and in front of the Grade 2 and Grade 1 beasts.

A beautiful, trail-like dance of red lightning and dark mist surrounded Azriel and the Grade 3 beasts before the mist transformed into black roses, crackling with red lightning. They dissipated into the air moments later.

Swinging Void Eater, black blood splattered the ground as Azriel heard three thuds behind him.

Turning back, he saw the lifeless bodies of the Grade 3 beasts lying on the street, blood spurting from their cleanly decapitated necks.

Azriel's blood-red eyes looked dead.

There was no emotion in those eyes—dull, devoid of life.

Only for in the next second a status update happened that showed in his vision:

-----------------------------

Status Update!

-----------------------------

First form acquired!

[Sword Arts]: Dance of Death -> 5% mastery [1/?]

-> [First Form]: Death's Blossom

-----------------------------

Seeing the sudden status update in front of him, he snapped out of his state as he looked bewildered at the changes of his status and the lifeless bodies of the Grade 3 beasts.

After that, he looked towards the Grade 2 and Grade 1 beasts who were looking at him cautiously, and he swore he could see something in those black eyes of theirs...

...fear?

Glancing between them, he only had one thought in his mind:

"What just happened?"