[Bonus chapter] Victory or loss?

His left leg positioned in front of his right leg as they were kept apart. his left hand curled into a fist, stretched out pointing towards the purple haired man. It was a complete one handed imitation of the purple scorpion boss's style.

<Adaptation effect: Temporary fighting style imitation: Zalpha's Close Quarter Combat.>

Zalpha's close quarter combat. A fighting style which was used for killing. It included a mixture of different striking martial arts. Boxing, Kick boxing, knife wielding and other aspects excluding grappling. Currently Asper had adapted to the boxing and kick boxing side as it was the side scorpion's boss was using.

But when scorpion's boss saw this, he couldn't believe it, he was dumbfounded. He took it as mockery. How far did Asper intend to mock and look down on him after killing all of his members? His anger which he had been containing suddenly blossomed.

"I see…" He muttered as he let out a sigh. "I'll kill you with my hands alone." He added

In that moment, the man dashed towards Asper, sending a right kick right at Asper's head as he pivoted with his left.

Sway.

Asper easily avoided the kick as he swayed his body to the right while staying in stance. It was the exact same movement scorpion's boss had used against him.

Seeing this, scorpion's boss changed the trajectory of his kick towards where Asper had swayed to. However, he missed once again as Asper leaned his body back.

"!"

*WHAM!*

Out of nowhere, Asper suddenly countered, striking scorpion's boss at the bottom of his chin with a raising kick. Before he even knew what had hit him, Asper sent an Axe kick right down at scorpion's boss head only to end up missing as the boss leapt back.

Despite having leapt back however, Asper stayed on him. Stepping in and throwing two straight jabs, right at his face.

Sway, sway.

Both jabs missed as the boss tilted his head left and right. But suddenly, out of nowhere, he was knocked off balance as he was hit with a low sweep kick.

"Wha-"

*BAM!*

The instant there was an opening, Asper dug a straight fist right onto the man's face sending him a few feet back. However, it wasn't nearly as powerful as he wanted but it didn't matter, he kept going.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

Asper single-handedly unleashed punches, one after the other. Each one aimed precisely at the scorpion boss's face.

Sway.

*Bam!*

Whenever, he'd try to dodge, Asper would switch up his attacks and add in a kick, hitting him right in the direction which he would sway to avoid. It was if Asper was predicting his every move before he even initiated.

He could do nothing but stay on the defensive, blocking or taking head on the attacks from Asper.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BA-BAM!*

'What's going on?' Purple scorpion's boss wondered.

How was it that Asper could predict his moves? How was it that he was on the defensive? How was it that Asper was perfectly using his fighting style and stance? How was he even keeping up with him? His attacks didn't hurt that much, but his speed was on a whole other level. How was it that the poison wasn't working?

Such questions filled his head as he got the shit beat out of him just as he had done to Asper.

"HOW?!-"

*BAM!*

Once again, he was interrupted as Asper landed a kick right on the side of his face, slamming him into the wall in the process.

"How you ask…?" Muttered Asper as he stepped in.

Purple scorpion's boss reflexively stepped back and threw a punch at Asper's face, but was surprised to see once again that he had predicted the punch and avoided it by a hair's margin.

The instant he missed, he knew he fucked up. Asper suddenly slammed his hand onto the man's face, before kicking him off balance and slamming him head first down onto the ground, all in one motion.

*SLAM!*

[Electricity]

Surges of electricity traveled directly into the man's head from the edge of Asper's hand frying the inside of the man's head in the process.

*ZZZZTTTT*

"GAAAARGH!!!" He cried out in pain.

It's over.

The man's eyes rolled back as smoke could be seen coming out of his ears. Asper had successfully finished him off.

"I can see it... Your movements. That's how."

Due to having adapted to his attack pattern and fighting style, Asper could see the trajectory of his every move before he made it.

If it was a punch, a highlighted fist could be seen extending out of his body in the trajectory of his arms. If it was his body swaying then that too was highlighted before it happened. It was highlighted a red colour. A very useful ability gained from his skill.

'Now to kill-'

Asper's thought was interrupted by a sudden notification

<EMERGENCY!>

'!'

[Razor Wind Sphere] [Wind Blade]

Blades of wind flew out, slashing at Asper who refused to let go, when all of the sudden, another sphere made of razor sharp raging winds was formed around the boss's body, slicing off Asper's remaining arm.

In that instant, with his little remaining strength, Asper leapt away from the sphere, before slamming his back on the hallway wall and collapsing onto the ground.

His vision quickly grew darker and his eyes began to shut. He ended up losing too much blood. Blood was pouring down his shoulders from having lost his only remaining arm.

<Emergency! Extremely low blood levels detected!>

<Warning! Losing body temperature!>

<Initiating Life Support mode!>

<Adapted to wound!>

<Lack of blood!>

<Warning!> <Warning!> <Warning!>

"Shut up… I know." He muttered as his eyes were about to close.

'He used all of his remaining strength to take me out with him.' Asper thought to himself

All he could see was the wind sphere slowly expanding towards him. It was the end for him. He couldn't move, he could barely breathe. He had ended up losing too much blood.

He was counting on the guy to die so he could level up and place all his points into vitality, but it looked like he was going to bleed out to death before it could happen.

"So fucking unlucky…" Asper muttered as his eyes shut.

Right as his consciousness was about to fade, he could have sworn he heard someone call out to him but before he could find out, it faded.

——————————————

"The great vampire witch…" Muttered Jester as he stared at the sky whilst laying with his back on the sand. "The rumors weren't all talk." He added as he looked down.

His body was missing both of it's legs. Scratches and cuts could be seen all over it. His mask was completely broken and torn off just as she said it would be.

He placed his palm on his face and let out a chuckle before muttering.

"Ah~… I was barely able to get away but I can't wait to see her again…"

——————————————

"Asper… Drink it." Said Stella as she placed her arm over his mouth.

A stream of blood slowly flowed down her hand before dropping inside of Asper's mouth. However no amount which dropped went inside. He wasn't drinking it. Or more precisely, couldn't

Asper's half dead body leaned against the wall in the middle of the hall. His hair dyed red from dried blood. Blood spilling out of his injuries. He was missing both arms and had Stella's blood dripping down his mouth. It was a horrendous sight.

But Despite that sight in front of her, she had a calm look on her face. After all, it's not like they were close. They didn't know each other. She had only gone to help him so he could pay for food.

That was the case and yet-

'He's not drinking. At this rate…' She thought to herself as she looked at his dying figure.

"There's no choice…" Stella added as she moved in closer to his neck.

Once she was inches away from his neck, she gave it a single sniff before biting down into it. Piercing through his skin with her small sharp fangs.

*Pierce*