15 Chapter 13 - Quest, challenge
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Above the Swamp, earth, sand and dry leaves were piling up as Takashi stepped onto the wet ground and ran towards the approaching enemy. From between the poisonous trees with violent trunks and leaves, Demon Beasts that looked like jelly-beans with brightly colored, slimy mucus--Slimes were approaching one after another to attack him.
A silver flash surged from the mouth of his scabbard, Takashi drew his Iai towards the approaching blue slime in front of his eyes.
The slime that chilled the air was cut in a clean half---more Slimes immediately attacked him. However, Takashi had already recognized the pattern of their attacks and he simply brushed them off with Murasame.
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Less than thirty minutes ago----
Takashi surveyed his surroundings. Most Cancer Grounds were surrounded by a fence, and civilians were prohibited from entering. However, Takashi had found a hidden path into this particular Cancer Ground in West Tokyo; a forest with a radius of at least a dozen kilometers. This was one of the new Cancer Grounds that had sprouted recently and thus, not many parties had challenged them.
Cancer Grounds became the production base of Demon Beasts. It further encroached the surrounding area because of the Demon Beast's propagation and kept expanding. Inevitably, the people that originally lived on the soil that became a Cancer Ground were evacuated.
As Takashi prepared to enter the Cancer Ground, doubt appeared in his heart again. Am I able to survive? Those words kept replaying like a broken recorder in his mind.
However, Takashi steeled his heart. He had already made the determination to get stronger, regardless of the circumstances; and he entered the Cancer Ground.
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From the swamp behind Takashi, who was currently crouching down to examine the Slimes----cylindrical tentacles leaped out.
A Demon Beast different from the Slimes! Was it waiting for an opportunity like the one just now?!
They were just Demon Beasts, and yet they matched their breath superbly and performed combination attacks.
Takashi recalled the incident with the Illegal Magician a few days ago and couldn't help but shudder at those memories.
Takashi drew his Iai and severed the tentacles in one go. What kind of aquatic creature was it that lurked inside the swamp? It was unknown, but the tentacles could be cut as well.
Suddenly, from the surface of the swamp, a gigantic--Demon Beast resembling a sea anemone's face came out. Several squirming tentacles were stretching and heading towards him!
At some of the sea anemone's tentacles, there were traces of being sliced; tentacles that were cut short previously.
When the tentacles were only a hair breadth away from reaching Takashi, all the tentacles were bisected in a flash and in one go by Takashi's Iai draw. The Demon Beast groaned in pain and just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished back into the swamp almost immediately.
However, the instant Takashi turned his body and prepared to leave the Cancer Ground, the scream of people reverberated in the nearby surroundings.
Takashi rushed to the source of the screams.
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As Takashi advanced deeper into the Cancer Ground, its atmosphere as well as the type of Demon Beasts appearing were also changing. Soon, he found the source of the scream.
Four students, wearing the Liberion Academy uniform, were engaging with multiple Demon Beasts. Two of the students had already fallen, blood leaked out from their mouths and their clothes were nearly torn to shreds. Takashi recognized the two as the other members of Akane and Ayato's party--then...the other two fighting must be...
The dense foliage interrupted the sunlight, making the surroundings gloomy. From the darkness of the gap of the trees, ivy leaped out entwining and Demon Beasts poured out in a surprise attack. The Demon Beasts that prepared the surprise attack were the ferocious types that resembled wild beasts.
For example, the monkey type Demon Beast that leaped out from the interval of the trees and attacked with sharp claws. An average magician wouldn't be able to catch their speed and would get mangled one-sided.
For example, the wild boar type with their steel like skin. Its raging charges possessed terrible destructive power, physical attack or the heat of normal flames couldn't pass through their hardened skin.
Those Demon Beasts relentless assaulted their party.
"Akane! Ayato!" Takashi rushed towards them and evaded the attacks of the Beasts by fore-sighting their movement with Perception Magic.
"Takashi! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" His two friends screamed in unison even though they were desperately fighting for their lives.
A Demon Beast that looked like a Chimera----On the body as big as an elephant, there were the heads of a lion, a goat, and a snake; directed its opened mouth towards Akane, from there, a fierce flame was spouted out.
"Inflammation Armour!" Akane managed to foresight the sign of flame being created and a vortex of fire swirled and covered her body. The flame swallowed the flame and the attack was neutralized.
At the same time, the Chimera's front leg that looked like a log was heading to Takashi in a side sweep. Even one of its claws was absurdly big with the size of a human's arm. Takshi swiftly dodged his body and slashed back with his Katana.
"Akane, Ayato, take your other party members and quickly escape! I will hold them off for as long as I can!" Takashi signaled to the both of them as he parried another strike by the Chimera.
"What are you talking about Takashi?! You will die!" Akane literally screamed as she ran around desperately, trying to dodge the various attacks.
"Akane is right, Takashi. You will die if you continue to stay here..." Ayato glanced at Takashi and produced a thick barrier of earth to block the incoming attacks. However, that barrier was easily destroyed.
"I have an escape path! Quickly take those two and leave!" Takashi repeated harshly.
Akane and Ayato stared at one another for a second before they nodded and quickly carried their fallen comrades. "You better come back to us alive Takashi! If you don't, I will kill you!" Tears streamed down Akane's face as the both of them turned around and dashed off into the darkness.
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Only Takashi was left alone.
The Demon Beasts quickly focused their attention on the remaining prey.
An avatar of a weird four-legged animal suddenly emerged out. A face that had a nose like an elephant, a short and stout body like a small bear, and legs that developed like tiger's muscle.
A powerful sleepiness overwhelmed Takashi's brain like a surging wave. His consciousness was entwined right away and he was going to get carried away to the far off beyond. The inside of his head was vanished in pure white.
Takashi immediately maintained his consciousness with Trance magic and barely avoided falling asleep, but his concentration to magic power was disturbed in pieces.
From the creatures mouth *DON! DON!* multiple shots of black light bullet were shot out.
Takashi quickly cast his own defensive magic, "Misteltein!" However, that magic was easily blown away and Takashi collapsed on the ground. Smoke escaped from his clothes that were charred to ashes.
"GUGIIIIIIIII!"
Takashi glanced up at the sound that resounded out at the sky. When he looked up, a dragon with a slender body that was similar to a human's body shape----however that body was made from stone----a gargoyle was swooping down.
Takashi tried to deflect of the attack of the Demon Beast by raising his Katana in front of him.
However....
Crack!
His beloved sword that was a tough <Ancient sword> reproduced through alchemy--was broken.
"...!?"
Takashi received a shock that couldn't be voiced. In the Yagane household, it was the Katana his step father had given him as a gift after his skill in swordsmanship was recognized.
His magic power was weakening too much.
His magic power didn't spread through this blade thoroughly, that was why his Katana broke.
That shock made Takashi's judgement delayed for an instant.
Pierce.
The claws of the gargoyle had penetrated through even the defensive magic of his body.
Fresh blood spurted out from Takashi's mouth as a hole opened in his stomach.
Shit! I can't die here...not like this....
With the last of his strength, Takashi gathered his remaining magic power to his legs and he ran away into the endless darkness of the Cancer Ground.
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