CHAPTER 35 - THE DEMON OF CLASS A
"...Have you gone mad?" Erwin asked with a skeptical expression, barely able to believe what Brenin had just said.
"I'm serious, dead serious" Brenin retorted, firmly determined to confront Gygas then and there.
During the fight between Gygas and Triton, Erwin had noticed how Brenin's mood was anything but cheerful. He was clearly annoyed, and although he tried to hide it, it was obvious to anyone paying attention.
The native of Hakvill couldn't quite understand why, but the way Brenin kept glaring at Gygas throughout the fight made it clear that the latter was the source of Brenin's agitation.
Were they perhaps friends? Did he know him? It was hard to say, but it was clear that his roommate wouldn't back down.
"Then I'm coming too" Erwin said, determined to step into the ring and face the barbarian, who had paused his rampage to watch their actions in silence.
"No way—"
"Yes, I'm coming with you! You know you don't stand a chance against that monster alone. You need help, don't be stupid" Erwin insisted. He had made a similar decision in the past and knew he had only won by sheer luck. There was no guarantee the same would happen with Brenin, so he couldn't let him do this alone.
Those words hurt Brenin deeply, though he didn't show it. He knew he didn't stand a chance against Gygas either, but at least...
"I wanted to be sure, damn it..." Brenin muttered, with Erwin understanding nothing of what his roommate had just said.
"Fine... understood" - Brenin replied, feeling almost forced to accept Erwin's proposal. "For now, that bastard is watching us, which is good news since at least he's stopped his pointless slaughter. The bad news is, he seems really pissed..."
"Oh, really?" Erwin replied sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood, although in truth, his heart was pounding more from the excitement of the impending fight than from fear. It was something he couldn't understand, something he couldn't control: one moment he was furious, but now everything else had faded into the background, and the only thing that mattered was facing this monster.
"...Anyway, do you have a plan?" Erwin asked, knowing Brenin was the smarter and more strategic of the two.
"...No. We're not strong enough to beat him. If Triton's ability were still active, we might have had a slim chance. But now he's stopped bleeding. He's tired, yes, but we're not on his level, especially now..."
Erwin looked at his roommate with questioning eyes, not understanding what he meant by that last sentence.
"Never mind, I don't have time to explain it..." - Brenin cut him off, annoyed by Erwin's almost idiotic expression - "Anyway, I have an idea to beat that idiot..."
---
The two boys, with all eyes on them, slowly walked toward the ring.
For the first time, Brenin felt agitated about the imminent fight. At first, he thought it was due to the stares of his peers, who seemed to place their hopes in the freshman. But soon, he realized that the pressure came from the fact that, in front of them, Gygas continued to emanate such a strong murderous intent that it made him nervous.
Brenin hated him, yet in the face of someone he despised so much and didn't consider worthy of the title he had just won, he couldn't help but admit how strong and terrifying their enemy was.
Erwin, on the other hand, was completely locked in, to the point where it felt like, in that moment, there were only the three of them in the entire training hall. After all, he had faced much more dangerous situations than this, and in that moment, it was easy for him to find his maximum concentration, leaving Brenin puzzled, who expected Erwin to be under pressure just like him.
[I have to... be strong too!]
The two young mages entered the ring, with Gygas still not moving, watching them with a curious expression, leaving Erwin and Brenin puzzled, as they had expected a different reaction.
"You two... You know you're not on my level, right?"
"...We know. But we came here anyway to stop you" Brenin replied with determination, gradually finding the right focus.
Gygas was even more perplexed by Brenin's response, looking at him with ambiguous eyes. "You... I saw you, you know? Acting cocky with this bastard" - Gygas began, kicking the battered, unconscious body of Triton - "Why do you care about him?"
Brenin looked at the former King of Swords, and after a few seconds of staring at the mutilated body, he let out a long sigh. "Don't get it twisted, I don't care about him at all. But I can't allow a barbarian like you to hold the title of King of Swords. I'd rather leave the title to that half-dead guy."
"...You don't think I'm worthy of the title of King? Haven't you seen my strength?" Gygas growled, irritated by Brenin's statement, which he took as an affront.
"A knight doesn't just use strength" - Brenin began, now ready to fight, drawing his katana - "A knight uses technique and respects his weapon, something you don't do, you idiot..."
[...Second type] Gygas thought furiously, deeply offended by Brenin's words, which he found stupid and senseless.
The three boys, understanding that words no longer mattered, powered up to the maximum of their abilities. At that moment, both Erwin and Brenin realized that the gap between them and Gygas was even wider than they had anticipated.
But that didn't make them hesitate, as it didn't change their plan one bit.
"NOW!"
The two stood one behind the other and, with precise steps, charged at Gygas with great speed. Gygas, unconcerned by what they had in store for him, concluded that there was nothing they could do to win after assessing their strength.
Gygas prepared to deliver a violent blow, using his sword more like a club than a proper cutting weapon. But just as he did, the two suddenly split, going in completely different directions, confusing Gygas, who stopped in his tracks.
> Flashback
>
> *"Listen carefully, Erwin" - Brenin began in a low voice, not wanting to risk being overheard - "That idiot, as you've probably noticed, relies on instinct as his greatest weapon. This makes him hard to hit because he moves like a snake. However, fighting like that comes with a weakness: he reacts to everything. Our goal, first and foremost, is to secure Triton by getting him out of the dome. Once outside, his wounds will heal. Alone, we don't stand a chance of winning, but with that idiot, I'm sure we can beat him... So when you move, go as far away as possible, while I'll stay close to him to attract his attention so you can save Triton... Understood?"*
>
> Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Brenin's plan was simple, but he wasn't sure he could attract Gygas. That's why, from the moment he stepped into the ring, he did everything to provoke him. And he had succeeded, as Gygas was looking at him with even more annoyance than before.
But what Brenin hadn't accounted for was Gygas's mind, which was as twisted as it was diabolical. At that moment, from the moment they had shown their strength, Gygas had only one objective: to destroy Erwin, whom he saw as weak.
And that was exactly what Brenin wanted to avoid, as he believed Erwin wasn't powerful enough to defend himself against that monster.
[D-Damn it, the plan has failed!] Brenin thought, too far away to help Erwin. "Damn it, Erwin, run!" Brenin shouted, but Erwin was frozen.
[I think... the plan has failed?] Erwin wondered, yet he didn't seem particularly scared. Gygas, like the most furious of beasts, was advancing rapidly towards him, and now he had him.
He had no chance against him. Yet, at that moment, Erwin was calm. Too calm, given the situation and the opponent.
Both Gygas and Brenin noticed this, unable to understand how he could be so calm.
Gygas, however, was not swayed by the peculiar situation. Without further thought, he brandished his iron-enhanced sword like a mindless beast, attempting to strike Erwin with all his brute strength.
"Pfiuu..."
Erwin took a deep breath and closed his eyes; he knew he couldn't hurt Gygas in his current state. So, he tried to recall the sensation he had felt against Rudolf when he began dodging all those strikes...
[Remember Erwin... Remember...]
Gygas's sword came down like a lightning bolt, slicing through the air. The section A rookie truly believed he had struck Erwin, as did all the onlookers, including Brenin, who turned away to avoid seeing the impact.
But just as the sword was mere centimeters from his head, Erwin opened his eyes, dodging the blow with a movement so clean, compact, and unnatural that Brenin was left speechless, having expected anything but this.
Gygas, however, was not caught off guard and, despite being completely off balance, somehow managed to muster enough strength and momentum to momentarily defy gravity and deliver a violent upward slash with his sword.
Erwin, truly in his zone, leaned his body completely backward, almost touching the ground with his head, evading the attack that would likely have crushed his skull. Utilizing the motion of that wide movement, Erwin executed a series of quick somersaults, distancing himself from both Gygas and Triton, whose body was perilously close to the battle zone.
"I-Incredible..." was all Brenin could say, stunned by such a display of agility. He had seen Erwin fight during the test day, but the movements he showed now were incomparable to those he had displayed back then.
[Did he still have so much potential? Then why did he struggle during the test?] Brenin wondered, realizing something was off.
The only thing he was sure of was that Erwin had managed to draw the attention of that beast without getting smashed at the first blow, and this meant one thing...
"I can save Triton!"
Using the wind element to enhance his movements, Brenin moved like lightning, retrieving Triton under the distracted eyes of Gygas, who was wholly focused on someone he considered nothing more than a bug to be squashed.
Brenin brought Triton out of the bubble, and his wounds magically vanished. But Triton had been unconscious for a while, having nearly exhausted his mana and due to the intense pain that short-circuited his brain.
"Hey! Someone come help him!" Brenin shouted to his peers, but none moved a finger, leaving him surprised by their reaction.
Most of the students present at the fight between Triton and Gygas were second and third-year students from sections B and C; section A students were few, and though they could intervene, what happened to their "King of Swords" had disturbed them so much that it was as if they were glued to those cold concrete seats.
[Damn... cowards!] Brenin thought, despite not being entirely proficient, he began slowly injecting some of his mana into Triton's body, hoping he would wake up and help them.
"Hang in there, Erwin! I'm coming!" Brenin shouted to his friend, who responded with a thumbs-up and a smile.
Meanwhile, Gygas observed Erwin with a confused look, stopping his laughter for the first time since he stepped into the ring. He was convinced Erwin was weaker, both in strength and agility, mana, and everything else. Yet, twice Erwin had managed to evade attacks that would have felled anyone else.
What puzzled him the most was that Erwin was just a freshman from section C, which was insane to think, as he had never seen anyone move like him in that "worthless" section.
To him, this was very strange, so strange that, in that moment... he was simply amused, and if his smile had vanished moments ago, it now returned, more sinister and disturbing than before.
"You... you're like me, aren't you?" Gygas asked, starting to spin his heavy sword as if it weighed nothing.
"A madman? No, I'm not crazy like you!" Erwin retorted, perfectly understanding what Gygas meant.
"Ah! You're funny, you know!" Gygas raised his voice, and contrary to what everyone might think, he had genuinely taken a liking to Erwin.
What happened next stunned everyone, as no one could have predicted such a turn of events.
"Erwin, I like you! Why don't we become friends?!"
After those words, silence; Brenin, outside the bubble, was almost struck dumb by hearing that phrase. He thought it was a trap, but after observing Gygas's expression for less than a second, he realized it wasn't a bluff but a genuine request...
[What's going on in that lunatic's head...] Erwin thought, shivering at the mere idea of becoming friends with such a barbarian.
"Absolutely no, you bastard" - he replied without hesitation. - "Well...Actually, I want to make some friends since I have only have one, maybe. But you?! No way!" he concluded, shaking his head in disbelief at the question.
"I expected that kind of answer..." Gygas replied, not seeming angry or disappointed by the response. "Then I'll have to destroy you repeatedly until you accept me as a friend!"
Gygas launched himself at Erwin again, charging like a knight on a horse rushing towards the enemy. This time, however, Gygas's movements were significantly faster and more erratic, making it hard for Erwin to follow them.
[Oh, crap!]
With abnormal speed, Gygas began bombarding Erwin with erratic sword strikes, each blow carrying incredible brute force and odd angles, due to his complete disregard for technique despite wielding a sword.
Initially, Erwin managed to evade each slash or thrust, but as their exchange continued, it became increasingly difficult for Erwin to maintain his evasive maneuvers, starting to dodge the strikes haphazardly.
This, besides sapping much of his energy, caused him to make rough and wide movements, to the point that Gygas's metal blade started grazing Erwin. After a while, he was forced to use his arms to block some blows before they could finish him off.
"He's... in trouble!" Brenin hissed nervously, still unable to wake Triton, further depleting his mana.
[I need to go... No, if I go now, it will all be for nothing!] Brenin thought, wanting to intervene but immediately discarding the idea as it made no sense to face Gygas at that moment.
[Ah... I can't stay focused like that night...] Erwin thought in those intense moments, slowly losing concentration, and simultaneously, his dodges became cruder and slower.
He didn't know why this was happening: the situations were similar, yet he couldn't replicate the same sensations he had that night.
After the fight with Rudolf, he realized that if he focused, he could empty his mind, entering a state that allowed him to be 100% concentrated, utilizing his physical abilities to their fullest. Since that night, he had tried multiple times to replicate those sensations, succeeding almost every time. But he had never tested this "ability" in a real battle, assuming he could maintain it for a long time, as he had unconsciously done it once before. This was a mistake, as besides losing concentration with each passing moment, his body was not accustomed to such prolonged and forced stress.
Moreover, Gygas was not as strong as Rudolf, but the difference lay in the intensity and danger of those strikes, which had completely strange and confusing angles.
Meanwhile, Gygas noticed that Erwin was slowly but surely becoming sluggish. Being a "predator" Gygas knew he couldn't miss this opportunity.
In that violent and rapid series of blows, Gygas feigned a move; and Erwin, whose mind was now distracted and preoccupied, fell for it, evading a strike that never actually came.
But he realized too late when he was struck by a diagonal slash; Gygas intended to slice him in two, but thanks to Erwin's reflexes, he managed to avoid a deadly experience, shifting just enough to prevent fatal injuries.
The wound was deep enough to create a pool of blood, and Erwin, heavily impacted by the pain, immediately fell to the ground.
"Ah! Got you!" Gygas exclaimed joyfully, with a grin so horrifying it would scare even a blind person.
"Damn it, wake up, you bastard!" Brenin yelled, forcefully hitting Triton's face, trying everything to wake him up before Erwin suffered like Triton did, and after a few hits, Triton's eyes slowly opened, and Brenin sighed in relief: in that moment, he was sure that, together, they could beat Gygas.
Triton opened his eyes slowly and calmly looked around; "Where... am I?"
"You're in the gym! But there's no time to talk now, we need you to stop Gygas" Brenin said quickly, lifting Triton, who was still dazed.
"Gygas... Gygas?"
Triton looked in Gygas's direction, and at that moment, his face turned pale. Brenin didn't understand what was happening until, with disgust and great surprise, he saw Triton fall trembling before his eyes, starting to urinate on himself out of fear, his gaze terrified, then beginning to scream and roll on the ground.
"AARGH! NO! NO! Get me out of here! Get me away from him!"
"W-What are you..."
It was the only thing that came out of Brenin's mouth, who, shocked, stood with his eyes wide and his expression completely pale, observing that almost surreal scene.