Chapter 10: Blinding Flash

Something strange resonated within the air. No...resonate wouldn't exactly describe the scenario at hand. It was as though Pam's very presence as an individual had melted into the air, forming an abscent void incapable of feeling.

Two steps back. Toura had subconsciously taken two steps back in fear of the looming threat in front of her.

'Just what is she planning? Is it a special technique? No...that can't be right! Past the initial rampage, she hasn't used even an ounce of m'lord's power. She clearly has a hidden third option.'

'If that's the case…'

Toura Eria's ability is the "Pitch Perfect". It allows her to compress anything tangible into her hands and assign devastating speed to the subject once thrown. It is formed from transfiguration and enforcement type magic.

The pinnacle of "Pitch Perfect" lies within the user itself. By assigning "herself" as the subject of the ability, her magic itself is greatly compressed to the point of distorting space.

Not a single person has survived this attack, with the exception of Mosong and Gilsong.

"I'll kill you! M'lord's grace is wasted upon you!"

Her malice was condensed into an overwhelming aura of despair. However, Pam had not budged one bit.

In fact, it was hard to tell if Pam was even conscious at all. Her mind had filtered out the unnecessary thoughts of "ego". It was a technique commonly used by her sister, Malery Zhou.

For the past 12 years, she had drawn countless losses from Malery. Her current total was 18,759 loses. However…along with all of those failures came a single draw. The only time she had ever gone even with her sister.

By witnessing Malery fight in various sorties, as well as spar against her holographic copy in the training room, she had gained the basic grasp of the technique called "Still".

Her consciousness sunk even deeper.

'It's not enough to simply beat her with strength.'

'I need to get rid of everything restraining me.'

'My thoughts, my mind…the trees and wildlife itself.'

'I'll become lighter than water…than air…'

'I'll become nothing at all.'

Pam had taken a subtle stance against Toura Eria, her body frozen in place like a statue.

"I will kill you." Those were the last words Pam Fuller would speak before delivering the final blow.

Without a hint of terror, hatred, remorse or disdain, she would kill without a second thought.

Toura took the initiative and bursts forth with a typhoon of energy. The ground, air and even sound itself were engulfed in the spontaneous explosion. It was so intense that Pam's eardrums had exploded. However, pain was not enough to stop her.

In a feat of sheer instinct, Pam extended her arm into a right straight. Had Pam even been 0.0000001 seconds off, it would have meant her life would end that instant. However, luck was never a factor in the fight. It was purely Pam's intuition as a fighter that lent her a chance at victory.

The dust settled from the collision as the two fighters stood there silently. Toura Eria's entire midsection had been blown away, the torn visera and exposed blood vessels pouring out a typhoon of blood.

'Lord…I am sorry…for being so inadequate.'

For just a brief moment, she recalled a memory of the early days of the kingdom in which Gilsong had still been the ruling power. The 3 Heavenly Generals stood proud before their king with admiration and respect, carrying appropriate smiles on their faces.

'Why…did you ever leave?'

Her body crumbled into pieces and scattered into the air, like dust dancing upon rays of light.

Gilsong manifested himself and looked at the remains of Toura Eria with vacant eyes. For a second, the world seemed to have stopped.

"So you're actually…capable of feeling remorse?"

"…It is none of your business you witch. How about taking care of your own situation first." Gilsong's tone was far angrier than usual and it had lost it's playfulness.

"Oh…This old thing."

Pam felt light, significantly lighter. She looked down at her right arm, only to find a paste of blood and flesh around the ground. Her entire arm, from the tips of her fingers to the base of her shoulder, had been completely eviserated.

"Maybe I let her land...one too many hits..."

She collapsed on the cold, hard ground as a mysterious announcement played.

[You have defeated a Heavenly General!]

[Status obtained: "Imperial Privilege"]

[6 hours have now passed in the game! The 6th wave has now begun!]

"Shit...more enemies already? I'm already out of gas..."

Toura Eria's final attack had sent a shock throughout Pam's entire body. This factor, along with the immense blood lose of her missing arm, would render her immobile. Even breathing was now a laborous task, as she danced on the fine thread of life and death.

The growls of the Hell-Hounds and Percepilis beetles signalled coming attack. Their mouths drooled with a veracious intent to mangle and devour the broken Pam. They lunged forward with their sharpened claws and attacked, yet their advances were met with a steady halt.

"Hm, it looks like I'll need to step in for a bit."

"Gilsong..."

The Illustrious King of Miyo, Gilsong the Free, stood before Pam in physical form, stopping the beast's attack with a pinky.

"I may hate to admit it, but it seems you actually do have some merit."

Pam smirked at the slight compliment. "I appreciate the long-awaited support."

Turning his eyes away from her in embarassment, he affixed his gaze to the beast. "As your partner bound by the contract, it is my duty to aid in your survival at all costs. I don't want to end up as a wandering spirit again, now do I?"

"..." Pam had already gone to sleep by the time he began talking. Her wounds were repairing themselves like twine. The power of the contract had returned to her.

"...Did she take a nap? The insolence that damn girl has truly astonishes me." In a small fit of anger, he twisted a Hell-Hounds neck 180 degrees before bending it's body in half.

"Now then...let's get started. It's been so long since I've been able to release my pent up frustration~" The Ilustrious King put on a sinister smile.