Vicious Viper

"These guys keep showing up!" Zero screamed, slashing an invader's chest, kicking him away; and swinging her sword into an inverted position before stabbing an invader approaching from behind.

"You made your discomfort clear the last five times you repeated that sentence." Edric responded, parrying an invader's blow, breaking his balance, and piercing his heart.

"Sorry, but I'm tired, I've used too much magic for today!" Eupherbia screamed, the magic surrounding her body glowing dimmer with each invader defeated before she hid inside Edric's bag,

Then, the two partners grudgingly advanced across the Land of Seas towards the shrine, cutting down any invaders.

"I don't know if you noticed, but I'm in a hurry!" Zero deflected another invader's blow and slashed his throat, but he didn't care and still fought.

"Hurry is the enemy of perfection; you must act slowly and calmly." Edric slashed an invader's waist and chest shortly after that.

"Sorry, but that's not my style, I like it hard, rough, and fast!" Zero leaped over an invader's spear strike, landing behind him and slashing his back.

"You know damn well that's not what I meant!" Edric kicked an invader's chest, knocking him down and piercing his heart.

"Hump! That's what everyone says! Knights talk about honor and duty, but a pretty face offering a little fun is all you need to drop it all. I wonder what you look like under the armor."

"You will have to remove my armor by force if you want to know what I look like."

"I have no problem with that."

Growling, Edric cast Soul Ray, blasting a hole through an invader's with a bow farther ahead.

They reached an overrun coastal village, with gargoyles invading the houses, taking the inhabitants by their members, and taking off shortly afterward, disappearing midst of the swarm.

Edric ran faster towards the village upon seeing this.

"Hey, tinhead, what are you doing?" Zero asked.

"What do you think? Helping these people!" Edric switched to his bow and fired arrows at the oncoming monsters.

"I'll move on if you waste our time! I have a sister to kill!"

"Then do it, but I doubt the gargoyles will allow it." Edric's arrow pierced a gargoyle's head as it swooped down, shattering it upon falling.

More gargoyles landed and surrounded Zero. One tried to pierce her with its rapier, but the intoner stepped aside, dodging the blow, then severing the gargoyle's arm, and head with the following cut.

"These things are annoying, where did they come from?"

"They are gargoyles from the Tower of Latria, created by the Old Monk in his soul experiments." Edric fell another gargoyle from the sky.

"Do you hear yourself talking? You sound like a crazy priest!" Zero kicked a cart toward a group of gargoyles and leaped in, tearing them apart with a flurry of blows.

"If I were a priest I would throw holy water on you."

"Are you calling me a demon?"

"You're hardheaded as one! Dragon come!" Edric called the black dragon.

A large shadow passed over the village, raining fireballs, destroying part of the swarm, followed by the attacks of a smaller white dragon.

"Hey Zero! I am helping!" Mikhail screamed.

"Shut up! I'm in the middle of a conversation! What do you mean by that?" Zero demanded.

"You fight with rage and no technique, the slightest insult sends you into a fit, you swing your sword like a piece of metal and care little for what happens around you!" Edric equipped his sword and shield and ran through the village streets.

"Come here and say it to my face!"

"Your anger only proves my point." Edric slashed the gargoyles in his path.

"I see you two are getting along well." The black dragon amusedly, crushing a gargoyle between its fangs.

"Oh! Zero, are you making friends? Hello sir knight, my name is Mikhail!" The young dragon said.

"Hello Mikhail, I am Edric." Edric responded with a completely different politeness than the one used with Zero.

"Hey, no befriending the tinhead here!" Zero sliced a gargoyle in two at the waist.

"Tin head?" Edric asked, blocking a crossbow dart.

"Yes, if I'm the hardhead then you're the tinhead."

"Honestly, that's not the worst thing someone called me."

"Oh, I can be creative if you want! How about, virgin knight?" Zero teased.

"Seriously? Is that your maturity level?"

"Believe me, I'm more mature than you think, I can show you tonight."

"Is that all you think about?"

"Not usually, just when I spent a long time without fucking."

"I feel sorry for the man who slept with you."

"Me too, I still haven't found one that can satisfy me yet. Do you want to try?" Zero teased again, testing Edric's patience.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, for Edric, the arrival of more invaders interrupted the moment.

"They again?! I'm pretty sure I killed the same guy five times! What is their problem?!" Zero asked.

"I'm tired of repeating myself to everyone, but more invaders will appear as long as the summoner isn't killed. Killing them will only banish them temporarily." Edric answered.

"And where is this summoner?"

"It is unknown to me."

"Perfect, then we'll do it the hard way!" Zero ran toward her enemies.

Sighing, Edric ran after Zero, who parried a sword strike and cut the invade repeatedly while another group approached. Using her great speed, she danced among her enemies with quick, graceful leaps and acrobatics, delivering a flurry of blows.

Stepping aside, she dodged a spear and sliced the invader's arm and head off before leaping backward, avoiding a claymore that cracked the ground. Jumping again, she kneed the claymore invader's face and pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Edric faced his enemies, blocking an invader's rapier and shield bashing him before cutting his waist, chest, and neck. Then, he rolled away from a decapitating ax, but the invader kept attacking, forcing him to constantly dodge.

Edric ducked, slamming his shield into the invader's chin as he rose, knocking him away and piercing his chest right after.

Both combatants advanced, defeating the invaders in their path. Simultaneously, the dragons destroyed the gargoyles in the sky.

"Hey Zero! What kind of sister is Five?" Mikhail shoots a fireball at a group of gargoyles.

"The slutty one." Zero dodged a crossbow dart and killed an invader.

"What does that mean?"

"It means she only thinks about dirty things."

"Oh! Like you?"

"No!"

"HAHAHA! I've met Five personally, and comparing both of you, I can see why he thinks so." Edric slayed another invader.

"I bet she took you to bed." Zero spoke.

"No, I prefer to avoid Five's presence as much as possible."

"Wow! Virgin Knight was just a nickname, but I think I got it right!"

"Human, where do you find such interesting people? Watching you two argue is entertaining." The black dragon laughed.

"Listen here you..."

However, Edric didn't finish as a line of bow and crossbowman invaders appeared, ready to fire, not allowing them to dodge.

He ran ahead of Zero, blocking the various projectiles with his shield while she jumped on his shoulder, using him as a springboard and passing over the invaders.

They did not react quickly enough and were slaughtered by the Intoner and knight's combined strength. Now, they reached a large beach, seeing another war scene.

Soldiers and knights fought against invaders and gargoyles as warships fired at the concentration of enemies.

"Where is Five's shrine?!" Zero demanded confused.

"You seemed to know where to go, so I just followed you." Edric stopped beside her.

"I think she got us this time. And you, one more comment and I'll rip your tongue out."

"Not if I decapitate you first."

"Hump! You would be surprised with what would happen next. But where do we go now?"

She had her answer when a large bipedal monster with gray skin and carrying a large club emerged from the sea. It stepped on the beach, roaring in pain while trying to touch the back of its neck, but it fell dead before it could.

An invader stood on its back, an uchigatana in each hand and wearing shaman clothes. Removing the swords from the monster's flesh, he raised them in an X-shape above his head.

Suddenly, a second invader appeared, equipped with a scimitar, a wooden catalyst, and casting a spell at the uchigatanas, enchanting them.

With his swords covered in magic, the invader advanced toward Zero, who jumped back, dodging his blows, but she kept attacking, dragging both blades across the sand, and throwing them at her face.

"Son of a… AAAHHH!" Zero screamed, slashed in the chest by the swords. Annoyed, she advanced towards the invader, he did the same.

Both exchanged a flurry of swift cuts, the enchanted Uchigatanas sparking as they collided with Zero's dragon fang sword.

The invader tried to pierce her heart, but she dodged the attack and kicked his chest, sending him rolling across the beach before he sank his swords into the ground, stopping his movement without time to recover, since Zero rushed forward.

Stepping away quickly, the invader received a slash to the chest rather than losing his head.

"You are pissing me off, just die already!" Zero shouted.

Giving her an impassive look, the invader stepped forward and the two exchanged blows again.

The invader swung his swords in an X-move, but Zero leaped over him while he spun around, blocking the incoming cut in time.

Holding her sword with both hands, Zero forced the invader back as his arms shook upon facing her enormous strength.

His feet slid across the sand while the Intoner screamed in rage, pulling her sword back and slamming it against his uchigatana, shattering it in a shower of metal.

The invader's eyes widened and he hurled what remained of the blade toward his enemy, but she easily deflected the projectile. Without of options, he held the remaining sword with both hands and raised it above his head.

The invader lowered his Uchigatana and Zero slashed with her sword. In a flash, both stood on opposite sides of the beach. Nothing happened for a moment until the invader fell to his knees without his arms.

He lowered his head, waiting for the final blow as Zero approached and slashed his neck's back, separating his head from his body.

"Now that the bastard is dead, where is the tinhead?" She looked around and found the knight in question fighting the catalyst invader.

The invader kept the knight at bay by casting a barrage of Flame Toss and Soul Ray while Edric leaped and rolled away, each spell creating a sand cloud as it hit the ground.

Raising his shield, he endured the damage and advanced toward his enemy, but the invader disappeared before he could land an attack.

"AAAHHH!" Edric screamed, slashed across the waist and back.

Looking around, he saw steps forming in the sand, so he swung his sword towards it, forcing the invader to break his spell and block the attack.

They exchanged blows again, with the invader casting quick spells, forcing Edric to dodge clumsily and find a catalyst pointed at his face.

"Hey, idiot, look here!" Eupherbia left Edric's bag and fired a magic projectile at the invader's face, pushing him back.

"I thought you were tired." Edric spoke.

"A little, but not enough to do nothing."

The invader cast several spells, enchanting his scimitar, covering his body with a barrier, surrounding Edric with a poisonous mist, and turning invisible.

However, he cast Anti-Magic Field, creating a circle of blue energy across the beach, canceling the spells.

"I can't help you now, whatever you did stopped my magic." Eupherbia spoke.

"Don't worry, thank you for your help, now leave the rest to me." Edric placed his shield on his back and held his sword in both hands.

The invader tried to block Edric's blow, but the monstrous strength behind it threw him away while the knight advanced quickly. Without time to stand, the invader removed something from his belt and threw it at him.

Due to his speed, he did not have time to dodge the explosion and flames that covered his body. Unfortunately, for the invader, Edric kept advancing, his fire defense too great to fail to a simple bomb.

Raising his scimitar for the last time, the invader tried to fight back, but his movements weren't fast enough. Edric's sword pierced his throat, with the tip coming out the other side, his body went limp and he disappeared.

"Well, looks like it's all over here, see you later." Eupherbia returned to the bag as Edric and Zero approached each other.

"So, where to now?" Edric asked.

"Shut up, let me think!" Zero replied.

"Zero, something is rising!" Mikhail shouted midst the fight.

"Certainly, ruins are rising from the bottom of the sea." The black dragon completed.

A series of ancient ruins emerged, causing tremors and raising waves as a large coliseum appeared in the distance. The gargoyles covering the sky changed course and advanced towards the construction.

A yellow magic circle appeared above the coliseum and a large thing fell into the building. Magic rays came from inside and destroyed the swarm by the hundreds, but more gargoyles took their place.

Simultaneously, the battleships formed lines, pointing their guns toward the beach.

"Everyone, the shelling will begin, evacuate the beach! We will send these things to hell!" One of the soldiers shouted.

Immediately, the soldiers retreated, escaping their fights and retreating inland, out of cannon range. Zero and Edric stared at each other after hearing that information.

"Idiot!/Dragon!" They screamed simultaneously.

Both dragons dove and grabbed their respective partners, Zero sat on Mikhail's back while Edric held on to the black dragon's leg.

They escaped in time, as a rain of cannonballs hit the beach, covering it in smoke and explosions, killing all invaders present.

"Hump! At least those bastards are gone." Zero growled.

"Yes, but for how long?" Edric asked himself.

With the conflict on land behind them, the dragons approached the coliseum where the gargoyles fervently attacked. They found Five, Ditto, and a large, golden crab-like creature fighting an almost endless swarm.

The Intoner and her Disciple pierced every enemy they encountered with their spears while the crab incinerated gargoyles with magic, but they were slowly overwhelmed.

"Darling, looks like we're not getting out of this." Five said to her disciple.

"Of all the places I could die, why does it have to be right next to you?!" Ditto screamed.

"Honey, this is not the time to pretend you don't like me, we're in an emergency right now." Five ignored her disciple's anger.

"AAAHHH!" Ditto yelled in frustration.

A cloud of gargoyles dove towards the two, Five tried to sing and activate her Intoner mode, but one of the gargoyles covered her mouth while the rest grabbed her arms and legs.

Ditto stood in a similar situation, but one of the gargoyles held a pale, spherical, and slightly glowing object, and placed it on his chest where it sank into his body.

Then, they released Ditto, who grabbed his chest with pain coursing through his body. He coughed and struggled, standing up and trying to escape, but the pain clouded his judgment and he fell from the coliseum towards the sea below.

Five let out a mighty scream, destroying the surrounding gargoyles and kneeling on the edge, extending her hand towards the water, but her actions were in vain as Ditto did not return.

Suddenly, the entire coliseum shook and a large shadow appeared on the water.

"Dito?"

A water jet drenched Five and a large shadow covered her body, with the sun shining behind the large shape of its owner. She fell to a sitting position upon seeing the thing, a gigantic golden viper with its yellow eyes focused on her.

"Dito, is that you?"

"RRROOOAAARRR!" The viper roared and tried to devour Five.

BOOM!

"RRROOOAAARRR!"

Fortunately, a shower of fireballs hit the viper, stopping its attack. Looking where it came from, the viper saw dragons approaching.

"What the fuck is that?!" Zero screamed.

"A demon!" Edric answered.

"Wow, this thing is huge! Does it taste good?" Mikhail asked.

"Finally, a powerful opponent, I was getting bored!" The black dragon exclaimed.

"Stop, he is my disciple!" Five screamed at the new arrivals.

"That thing is no longer your disciple! It would be best to put him out of his misery!" Edric replied.

"No! Dear, It's me, Five! Why don't we stop this and have a little chat? We can discover what your new body can do! I bet we can have fun! Just imagine, doesn't that turn you on?" Five tried to reason with her disciple, but this irritated the viper, as it opened its mouth and tried to devour her again.

"Dragon!" Edric shouted and the dragon dove towards Five. The knight grabbed the Intoner and pulled her away as the vipers tore a piece of the coliseum, throwing stones everywhere.

"What are you doing standing there?! Get rid of that thing!" Zero shouted at Mikhail.

"Yes, Zero!" Mikhail flapped his wings, diving towards the viper.

"Not like this!"

He collided with the viper head's side, disorienting it, but the monster recovered and opened its mouth, spitting a green goo.

"AAAHHH! That was close!" Mikhail shouted, flying away from the goo that melted the coliseum's stone.

"What were you thinking, hitting that thing?!" Zero demanded.

"I did what you said!"

"Yes, and we were almost melted by poison!"

However, the argument ended as the viper lunged at them again; Mikhail flew away while spitting several fireballs at it. Nevertheless, the viper attacked, chasing the dragon regardless of the damage done to its body.

"Stop, you are hurting him!" Five screamed, trying to escape Edric's grip.

"Can you please stop?! I'm trying to keep you safe!"

"Not while you try to kill my disciple! I said stop!"

Her scream drew the viper's attention, and the monster stopped attacking Mikhail and turned toward Edric.

Breathing deeply, the viper spits another jet of acidic venom while the black dragon moves away and lunges at the monster, slamming into its forehead.

"Face me!" The black dragon roared, spewing fireballs, each exploding and burning severely.

"See, he's trying to kill you!"

"He's confused! Ditto would never do that!" Five grabbed the black dragon's leg, trying to climb onto its back, but it struggled, forcing her down.

"Listen! If I solve this problem without killing your disciple, will you stop being a nuisance?!" Edric exclaimed.

"Yes!"

"Then let me think!"

Let's see, this transformation is the result of an uncontrolled Demon Soul. I need to remove the soul without killing its bearer. Well, I will need to thank Yuria when I return to Boletaria.

"Dragon, fly close to Zero!"

"I don't know what you're thinking, but you better not ruin my fight!" The black dragon exclaimed, flying towards Mikhail.

Both dragons dodged the viper's bites and venom, Edric grabbed Five by the arm and threw her at her sister, where she slammed into Zero on Mikhail's back.

"Hello, do you come here often?" Five asked, lying on Zero's lap, but she only tried to stab her.

With the Intoner relatively safe, Edric and the black dragon engaged the viper.

"Dragon hit that thing with all you might!"

"There is no need to repeat!"

The black dragon flapped its wings and shot towards the viper as the monster did the same. The two collided with a blast, with the dragon forcing the snake back.

Seizing the moment, Edric jumped onto the viper's head, sinking his sword into its flesh and touching his catalyst on its head before casting a spell.

The viper's eyes widened while it tried to take Edric off as a strong light shone and luminous particles left its body. The light grew stronger and stronger, and with a final roar, a powerful blinding light covered the coliseum.

When it dissipated, Edric and an unconscious Dito fell towards the sea, but the black dragon caught both in its paws and dropped them on the coliseum. Mikhail, Zero, and Five followed, leaving the dragon and approaching them.

"Dito, talk to me!" Five held her disciple in her arms.

"Ugh! Are we alive?" The disciple asked, regaining consciousness.

"Yes!"

"Shit!"

"So, what do you have there?" Zero asked Edric.

"A Colorless Demon Soul, the soul of a demon that has absorbed enough souls to become a potential Archdemon. A blacksmith can use it to upgrade special weapons." Edric stored the soul in his bag.

"I still think you're talking bullshit, but I'm willing to believe it after seeing what it did to the bitch's disciple."

"That was amazing; you hit that thing like it was nothing!" Mikhail said to the black dragon.

"Keep fighting and someday you will reach my level, young dragon." The black dragon replied.

Unfortunately, the moment of peace ended with the return of the gargoyles diving toward Five and the invaders appearing around Zero and Edric.

"Release me!" Five screamed as the gargoyles took her away, one of them gagging her, preventing her from singing.

"HAHAHA! Take her away from here!" Ditto waved at them.

"Dragon, get us out of here!" Edric blocked an invader's sword.

"You gave me too many orders today, I don't like your boldness!" The dragon took flight and grabbed Edric and Ditto.

"Let's get out of here too!" Zero mounted Mikhail.

"Yes, Zero!" Mikhail answered. Then, both dragons flew away from the Coliseum.

Five disappeared over the horizon, the Land of the Seas fell without their leader, the invaders spread like a plague, and the people could only flee as Five's forces tried to recover.

END OF CHAPTER