Chapter 140 - My Turn

The ends of Larc's robes stretched out and covered around Liv, she had been surrounded. Her expression remained firm as the end of her sword passed out of his back.

A sword made from golden light cut through the air and collided with Larc's robes, slicing the ends off. The torn pieces that surrounded Liv faded to withered material the moment they left his robe.

"I know your trick, demon! No matter how talented you are, even a monster can't attack and defend at the same time." A strong voice called out.

He led the group that entered the room and stood behind Liv with a line of heavily armoured adventurers at his side. His snowy hair hung loosely over his forehead, and the ends of his gloves brushed the loose strands out of his eyes.

Even the leader of Titan's helm is here…what's going on? This is getting messy, if I don't act now then Eshner's going to escape! Wait…could this be good, can I count on them to help me kill them?

My eyes darted from one person to another and landed on the woman at the back. The light from the crystals embedded in the walls bounced off her glasses as her attention shifted to me.

"Mei…I see, so you brought them here." I muttered.

The shadowy mage moved his hands towards the members of Titans Helm but each time he attempted to cast a spell, Adder would intercept with an attack from his team. He commanded an endless flurry of blasts from his guild members and held Larc in place.

Liv closed in and slashed through Larc's spectral body, her attacks passed through him with no changes. He stood in place, taking on the brunt of her attacks without losing health.

Larc dropped to the floor and was taken in by the shadow at Liv's feet, a moment later he flew out beside Adder and cast a bolt of lightning. The electrical blast shot whipped through the air but Liv dodged it with an acrobatic flip.

She landed in front of me, her heels pressed into the dirt and her body stood low to the ground. The sweet smell of honey-scented perfume graced my nostrils as her hair swished back.

"Don't worry Rei, these monsters are dangerous even for a silver rank. Nobody expects you to beat them both, so let us help, okay? You're safe now."

My eyes jolted open widely. 

Saved…? Did I look that helpless to her, was that why Mei called them here? Tch! If I let them beat Eshner now, I'll never be stronger. Not to her.

"No."

I rose from the ground and stumbled from the first step, my body screamed in agony from the fatigue it had accumulated. I walked past her and Liv's hand reached out for mine. She grabbed it and pulled me towards her and our eyes crossed.

No words were exchanged, I poured every emotion I had through my eyes, hoping she'd let me pass. The grip over my wrist loosened and she let me go. Her brows drooped down to a stern expression at the centre of her face.

Eshner rose, she dodged around the adventurers attacking her and crushed them into the ground with ruthless blows of brute force. Her strength had returned and with most of Titan Helm's forces focused on Larc, she had nothing to stop her.

Our eyes met and the sadistic smirk reappeared, glaring down at me from across the room.

"I'll beat her, no matter what," I stated.

I rushed through the crowd of adventurers and weaved through their attacks on Larc and Eshner, dodging and running around them. An adventure rushing towards her drew his weapon. A blade swished through the air, I slid on my knees under its reach and hopped back to my feet ahead of him. 

My eyes remained glued to the raging beast that glared back at me. The fierce battle and commotion around us were nothing but a distraction. I drowned it out, every sound, image and sense other than hers.

I extended my hand, "Zephyr Blast!" The wind shot out my palm and Eshner slashed the air to disperse the attack. 

She ran on all fours and with the back of her hand, knocked an adventurer out of the way. Her white aura appeared and the hairs on her paws and legs spread sluggishly across her body.

We clashed at the centre of the room and exchanged blows, slicing and hacking at one another. Shallow cuts painted her body with blood but her speed didn't dwindle, not even for a second.

Her health had only filled up by one bar by eating those guys but her energy had spiked up by an insane amount. That demonic energy that sent shivers down my spine had loomed over me once more, but with the terrible bonus of my fatigue, I was struggling to keep up.

Her claws dug into my side, she had got a hold of me and raised me into the air. I felt like a child being lifted by their father, helpless to her brutish strength. As I reached the space above her, her glare reached its maximum on the scary factor and she slammed me down. 

The ground shattered and the wave of pain rushed across my sides, crushing my ribs under the weight of the fall. 

My mouth gawked open,

"Gyaak–!" 

She raised her fist and the finer muscles in her arm expanded as she wound it back. In the blink of an eye, her fist flew at me and without thought, I rolled out of the way. The impact of her punch blew a crater into the ground and sent me tumbling like a ragdoll.

She loomed over me, the sharp ends of her fangs revealed themselves from her smile. "That's more like it, now you look more like prey."

{User's Health has dropped to 10%}

I waved my hand out to slap the screen in front of me away but my hand passed through it, slightly distorting it before it disappeared. 

I don't give a shit how low my health drops…I don't care, not until I win. I'll kill her–I'll definitely kill this monster!!

The corners of Eshner's mouth dropped. "You're still pretty lively, even though you're almost dead." Her mouth straightened out and she placed her hand over me. "Screw killing you. I'll just eat you whole."

***

Larc raised a shield of mana and blocked the wave of fire and lightning that struck him. As Olivia ran towards him, he hovered above them all to the top of the room and brought his hands together for a spell. 

After a long chant, a purple ball of fire grew in his hands and fell to the ground, exploding over her. Oliva was blown back into a wall, she took the blast head-on and with quick and decisive action, managed to divert the effect slightly. 

"Pathetic, you humans don't learn, do you? We demons are a superior species, increasing your numbers isn't enough to beat even one of us."

Larc's eyes widened, and he shifted his attention back to Eshner and Rei. A terrified expression overcame him.

'That human's eyes…no, I have to make it in time!' He panicked.

Larc shifted to Eshner's direction and tried to fly over to her but hastily turned his attention to defend another blast. The flame exploded against his shield and invaded his vision with smoke.

The mage who fired the attack kept her hands in the air and looked over to her commander with a startled expression. 

"What now, sir?"

Adder adjusted the ends of his coat, lifting the furry ends of his collar to his ears. He glared at the floating demon, with bloodlust filling his eyes.

"Now, it's my turn."