Chapter 60: Swordman of Rust

“Keeek Kek Keeeeek”

A Ratman who was currently sitting on top of a chest raises its head looking towards the intruder who had suddenly opened the door to this room.

The eyes of the ratman were crimson as the glossiness of their eyes emanated a vicious deadly aura vibrating with malicious intent. There was a slight hint of intelligence in them as it looked towards Niko almost as if it was looking down towards someone beneath it.

Niko was in full alert as this kind of Ratman was something that he had never really seen before. The monster was a head taller than himself with bulging muscles that would make Candreva look like a wimp.

The fur on this ratman was also darker than the ordinary ones he had faced before, and towards the neck area, the fur was longer and more puffed out almost looking like a mane. There were scars all over the Ratman’s body as well as golden piercings on its ears and lips. There were broken chains on his muscular limbs, as well as some that were still attached to the nearby wall.

Niko immediately took notice of that as he accessed the situation carefully.

The most striking part about the ratman was the long sword that the ratman had in his hand. Although the longsword looked rusty beyond usage, it vibrated with an aura that resembled that of a time long forgotten there was a strange shape to the sword as the point was round and wider than the rest of the blade. The sword was also slightly thicker and the muscular ratman carried it with him like a heavy object by his side as the round tip left cratches that littered the ground from being carried and being dragged by the ratman.

Niko was quick to react as he wanted to be the first to make a move. Without holding back he released all of his spirits. To Niko’s surprise, the change in expression of the ratman was strange, as it seemed like the ratman was taken aback but relentless and fearless. The Mantis spirit sorrounded Niko like a potective shield, its sword like arms infront of him, ready to protect its master.

“Swoosh!”

Ratmen and Boars rushed towards the sword-wielding ratman as they were following Niko’s order to shred him into pieces. As Niko gave this order he took a few steps forward, taking advantage of the slight chaos.

[Celestial Probe]

…

[Name: Rat Swordsman of Rust]

Rank: F+

[Skills]

[Rusty Slash]

[Shriek of Terror]

After quickly getting his info, he took another step back. He didn't have much time to react as the battle had commenced.

A ratman spirit jumped up with a ghastly greenish knife in his hand ready to slice at the Rat Swordsman. The sword'sman showing its prowess raise the big sword infront of him, blocking the attack as it jumped back and threw a heavy slash forward, shattering several spirits in the process, as Niko winced and staggered backwards slowly. He touched his head, feeling a painful thump vibrate from within. Regardles of how much strenght he gained, the pain was always the same.

The Rat Swordsman was simply too strong and smarter than the spirits. However, he was simply a lone Rat Swordsman and there was only so much he could do. And in a matter of time, a few spirit broke through the defences.

A few ratmen were able to slash and bite the legs of the Rat Swordsman, causing him to do a large slash, jump back, and raise its head.

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“SHRIIIIIIIiiiiiiiieeeeeeekkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!”

The sound was so loud and the frequency so low that there was a ringing sound in Niko’s air causing him to feel slightly disoriented. To Niko’s luck, because these were spirits rather than actual living organisms, they were completely unaffected by the shriek. And despite the fact that he lost control for a second, the spirits were able to handle themselves if Niko allowed it, although, they wouldn't display intelligent characteristics. Therefore instead of causing these meddling spirits to be disoriented and unable to attack, he simply wasted his efforts and time as the spirits wasted no time in attacking.

Slashes and bites came in fury as the many agile spirits were overwhelming.

Swoosh!

Suddenly a projectile flew from behind the spirits and struck the Rat Swordsman right on the belly.

“Shrieekk!!”

This time there was another shriek that echoed through this room, however, this shriek was of pain and hatred and not a skill. Turning its crimson eyes towards Niko and the Steampunk Bee right next to him, the ratman’s hateful eyes showed that it was on a mission.

Niko was a little annoyed as the steampunk bee always seemed to bring aggro whenever it shot an enemy, however, the bee was too useful. In fact, Niko even had plans to return to the forest and get some more spirits like the bee or even the battle that had terrorized the summoned..

Suddenly, the Rat Swordsman raised the longsword with both hands as it took a long breath. The longsword began to change color to a light brown hue which turned slightly darker as it spread throughout the blade of the longsword. This had to be the [Rusty Slash] skill that Niko had seen earlier. His toughts raced as he tied to predict what the skill entailed baed on the name and position that the swordsman was in. It had to be a projectile of sorts!

Bang! The sword swung downwards and then sideways as some spirits were too late to react, and they received a sharp cut through their bodies destroying them in the process and sending an ethereal green flash to spread through the room for a second. The boars were the least agile and were the fastest to go.

Instead of continuing its assault after successfully killing a number of spirits, the swordsman continued the slashing motion towards the chains that were behind him keeping him in place.

This happened quite quickly, as Niko raised his staff and used the [Green Blob] skill of the staff he currently wielded. He could feel the killing intent of the swordsman and the danger it emitted.

All of these events happened rather quickly as right after the rat swordsman was able to slash the chain behind him, he bent slightly and jumped sideways.

Bang!

The blob hit the wall behind him, causing it to corrode rather quickly. The rat swordsman was very quick as right after jumping sideways to dodge the blob it strategically jumped over the spirits towards Niko,

There was a slight look of panic on Niko’s face for a slight moment. For the first time in a while, he felt like he could possibly die here.

The rat swordsman approached extremely quickly, and in a matter of seconds, he was a few meters in front of Niiko ready to slash. Niko had to act quickly and on his feet, otherwise, his head would be on the floor in the next few seconds. As Niko still stood there with the bee next to him, the rat swordsman swung its longsword.

Swoosh!

Clang!

A loud sound of metal on metal could be heard as sparks could be seen flying from the interaction of the two figures. The sword that the rat swordsman wielded had not slashed Niko apart and instead, it was blocked completely by the mantis spirit, who stood behind Niko with its claws around him.

This was Niko’s last trump card at the moment, and to his luck, it worked. As the ratman was completely shocked by the appearance of this mantis spirit, the spirits behind him who were still following the order to shred him into pieces were right on his tail.

With scratches and bites, blood that was falling from the hole in the ratman’s abdomen was no longer the only source of this crimson waterfall, as there were more deep scratches on the rat swordsman's back.

The eyes of this monster were completely different than previously. Although there was still a tenacity there and an unwillingness to give up, the look of fatigue was different. Spirits didn't feel tired, therefore, they were still slashing and biting with the same form of viciousness.

The rat swordsman who was slightly overwhelmed, wanted to react but the mantis which protected Niko was also extremely quick and agile and there was no way that the tired rat swordsman could do anything against him in this state.

Swoosh!

The mantis spirit slashed towards the rat swordsman who was quick to lose its head as its big muscular body fell to the ground lifelessly. Blood gushed from its orphases spreading throughout the floor.

With a huge sigh of relief, there was a tired expression on Niko. His brain was pounding with pain as he had used so much to defeat that monster. He also had lost a lot of his spirits too.

“Hopefully it was worth it…” Niko spoke slowly as he looked towards the headless rat swordsman on the ground with the same strange look the rat swordsman had previously, “... Rise.”