Chapter 100

The Poisonous Maiden VS the Intelligent Brute

The impact created by the two opposing sides pushed both of them back. While Connie had to stop herself from being thrown too far by planting her claws into the ground, Sergio merely took two steps back to kill the momentum.

“Careful! Her claws had poison in them!”

Sergio looked at the leftover Energy trying to inflict its effect into his fist. The man merely smirked and wiped it on the ground. “Don’t worry. My body is impervious to most things. More importantly…”

Sergio eyed the horned creature lying in a pool of green blood, noticed the swords lying to her side, and raised one eyebrow. “Kamiya…? You’re a Demon?”

Realizing how she looked at the moment, Kamiya nodded solemnly while trying to stand up. “I’ll explain later! For now, we have to kill that monster called Cornelia!”

“That’s rich, coming from someone who’s a demon herself.”

Connie stood up somewhat unsteadily, chest heaving from the impact of their earlier greeting. She tried to mold the Energy within her body to disperse the unpleasant force that accompanied the man’s fist.

“Ah, the infamous Cornelia of the Steelheart House. Clearly the rumors did you an injustice,” the man paused. “But a Werebeast? I thought both of your parents are pure humans.”

“Who are you?” the girl said warily. This newcomer was strong. Strong and dangerous. She could not fathom his strength.

“Introduction? At this stage? Very well. I am Sergio Bonaulti Dornez. Painter. Vice-Captain of the King’s Watchmen. I was tasked with keeping the Hero out of trouble. Which he was making more troublesome than it should.”

“A Hero? It seems that Vorzenny kept their secrets very close. I did not expect to meet someone like you this late in the game,” Connie said, her tone showing a tinge of annoyance.

“Neither would I expect that the one the Hero pined for, to be capable of putting the Hero’s Party through such a wringer. The surprise gladdens me, nonetheless.”

Despite his bearish and muscular features, his words were eloquent, and his morose brown eyes spoke of intelligence and stalwartness. His thick eyebrows were raised as he seemed to have remembered something.

As if an afterthought, he then turned his head to look at Kamiya. “That reminds me. Where is that little bastard?”

“Y – you didn’t meet with him?” Kamiya coughed green as she struggled to breathe.

While his head was turned, Sergio lowered his head to evade an incoming swipe attack. Connie quickly turned her body to grab his arm and was about to rip his flesh apart when she found that her claws could barely pierce his skin. Realizing the futility, Connie turned her attention towards the unexpecting Kamiya.

“Let’s keep this between you and me, little Lady! I need her alive.”

Sergio caught her by the tail and flung her away.

A sharp glint came from her hand, shooting straight to his temple.

Connie had grabbed the Rugell that was lying on the ground beside Kamiya and used a Flying Sword Technique which sent it flying towards Sergio in a surprise attack. The man, however, merely caught the sword with his bare hands.

Rugell was by no means a blunt sword, and with the power of her Energy it should have cut into his flesh. Yet there was no sign of blood anywhere from his palm. Connie was visibly shaken as her expression turned grim. In direct contrast, Sergio was elated.

“Ooh, magnificent! What Skill is that?! No declaration also! Is it a Passive?!”

“Connie!” Two voices called out from behind.

“W-what?!” Connie shouted in confusion. “Illumca?! I told you to stay in Courandhel!!”

Seeing the wretched condition of Connie, anger flashed in her face and she quickly summoned her fire butterflies.

“Fireball! Fireball!! Fireball!!!”

At the same time, she pushed forward with her daggers forming the First Technique of the Phantom Monarch Butterfly Art.

“Having more opponents are fine. But when the quality is lacking, it simply will not do,” Sergio commented as he raised his left arm. “Come to me, Niniweh!”

A giant battle axe appeared from the empty air with a blast of green and golden light.

It had a strange, unbalanced form. Its shaft was almost transparent as if it were crafted from an ancient crystal. A small sculpture of a nubile maiden in prayer connected the head of the strange axe to its shaft. Multicolored wings reminiscent of the stained glass of the Cathedral in Courandhel spread out from the sculpture’s back to form the axe’s edge.

It was less of a weapon than it was a unique work of art. And yet despite the visage of fragility, both Kamiya and Connie could feel the strength emanating from that axe.

“Sing for me, Niniweh!” he shouted. “Ground Dasher!!”

The moment he declared the Skill, a powerful, golden glow came from his body. He swung the axe down into the ground and a powerful force burst out in a straight line, exploding continuously. Sensing the danger, Connie slapped her tail and used the force to propel her to Illumca and rolled out of the way. But the shockwave caused by that attack still managed to catch them and sent them both rolling on the ground.

Everything within 300 meters in front of him was destroyed by the Skill.

Kamiya was well acquainted with the Ground Dasher. It was the second Skill all Axe wielders learned. But the magnitude of the destruction caused by the Skill performed by Sergio far outstripped them.

This…this is impossible! This is no longer the limit of a man. That means... “U – Unrestrained?”

“Unrestrained?!” Martell who heard Kamiya’s words almost fell to his knees.

Connie was also surprised by what just happened. But as someone who was used to the wholesale destruction caused by Cultivators, she regained her composure faster than the rest.

“Oh, surprising to see a Slave know that term.” the man said. “Sadly, I have not yet hit that divine number. I am only a Level 91.”

“That’s I – impossible!”

“Impossible? I have no need to lie. Of course, you can try and Analyze me. Though I doubt you can with your Level.”

Hearing this, Martell quickly said. “Mistress! Let’s run away! The Hero is dead! We no longer have any reason to stay!”

Kamiya, who heard these words suddenly felt her heart humping out of her mouth. “Y – Yuuji is dead? N – no…! Impossible…!” Kamiya’s eyes darted around, unable to accept the truth. “You lie! People like you couldn’t have killed him!!”

The sudden news shook Kamiya to the core. However, the supposed guardian of the Hero of Vorzenny simply shrugged. Unperturbed by the news. “Dead, is he? Guess I’m going to have to be ready for a flick on the forehead back at home.”

“How could you?!” Kamiya shouted angrily at his lackadaisical reaction. “He is our Hero! We need to avenge him!!”

“No. You will stay there and mend your wounds. You cannot even stand up straight.” the man threw Rugell that he had been holding at the hysterical woman to shut her up before throwing her a bottle of Golden colored potion. “Also, that little shit? He is your Hero, not mine.”

He hefted his giant battle-axe and eyed Connie who was using this chance to rest. “The Age of Heroes is ending. The people just refused to see it! Blessing of the Gods? If it was during the Golden Age of Heroes, then they might be worth a coin,” the man said with a forlorn look. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to witness the true Heroes! To etch their figures upon the finest marble…! But now? Little boys with barely a hair on their balls trying to play at war.”

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Sergio laughed, finding the idea so humorous that he could not help but let out a guttural laugh. “It’s as if the Gods and Goddesses are playing with us!” the man sneered.

“The King will not stand for it…!” Kamiya said, before coughing green. The potion healed most of her wounds, but the toll her transformation took made every movement a struggle.

Sergio scoffed, quite undisturbed by Kamiya’s threat. “I know of my own worth. Would the Kingdom risk losing an Unrestrained candidate for a Hero who could not even control his own desire? Alas, his life has ended. A pile of ash could not return to wood. A life taken could not be given back.”

“Are you finished with your…speech?” Connie said, despite searching for a gap to retreat while he had a row with Kamiya she could find none. A proof of his formidability.

“You are not trying to run?” Sergio turned towards Connie and his party.

“Will you let us go?” Connie said with a fed-up tone.

“No,” the man said cheerfully. “But I want to offer you a chance.”

He planted his battle-axe to the ground and spread his arms.

“Let us have a bet, Lady Cornelia! As one warrior to another! Let us have a dialogue between just the two of us! You are worthy of it!!”

“…what?”

“Just the two of us. And I promise you, I will not use a Skill. I wish to know you better.”

“Is this a trick?”

“Stop playing around and kill her already!” Kamiya cried out in anger but was shut up by the glare Sergio gave her.

“This is no trick. When our fists met before, I felt the weight in your swing. The darkness and pain lying within it. It spoke of experience, of age,” The bearish man clenched his fists and closed his eyes in a show of joy. “What kind of pain have you been through? What kind of experiences have you led while at such a tender age? I wish to know more,” he then gave her a look. “Well?”

Connie closed her eyes briefly in a retrospection before finally giving him a nod. “I accept.”

“Magnificent!”

“Connie, let us help you!” Illumca said.

“No. He is far beyond your league. And beyond mine too,” she said solemnly. There was no fear in her eyes. Only focus.

“I’m…sorry. If it wasn’t for me…”

“No. It wasn’t your fault. If I could let someone get away with trying to molest one of mine, I would not be worthy of my Dao.”

“Then, at least let me witness the fight.”

“Alright,” Connie placed a reassuring pat on her head before heading to battle.

“Mistress…”

“Not running away?” Connie glanced at Martell.

“I should. I know I should. But I don’t know why. I feel like…I want to see this. I need to see this.”

“Well, suit yourself. Keep close to Illumca and Chen. No matter what happens.”

There was something in the way she said it. He did not know why, but he obeyed nonetheless.

----------------------------------------

“You are blessed with good companions.”

“Yes, I am,” Connie agreed. “They are rather a handful though.”

“As are all good companions do. A pity Kurosaki Yuuji only have puppets. Otherwise, his fate would be different,” the man lowered his stance and held his battle-axe aloft.

Though the two were going to fight a deadly battle with Connie having an almost certain death result, their conversation was rather jovial and free of ill will. A stark difference to what had transpired earlier.

“By the way, as a bit of advice. I do not bleed easily. So, try to kill me without sparing anything.”

“I intend to.”

The wind blew between the two of them, causing Connie’s robe to flap and Sergio’s hair to sway. A strong wind suddenly blew and sent gold and red flying.

And then, there was a loud crash.

Connie had fought many people before. Many of them stronger. But he had never fought someone like Sergio.

His movements were wild and unstructured, yet there was a sense of connection within. Like an avalanche, where even just the displacement of one pebble could become the cause of a further landslide.

Connie did not even try to block the axe, choosing to evade it forthwith. Understanding the power contained within it. She managed to have a scratch in, only to slightly graze his chest. She was faster than him, but her attacks could not even faze the man.

She dodged a swing, which was then followed by a kick, which sent her flying.

“Again!” the man shouted. A brusque laugh escaped from his lips. “Again!!”

The man ripped apart his now tattered clothes, as he felt that it hindered his enjoyment. Thin scars from Connie’s attacks added to his tough, hairy chest.

The girl managed to keep up with him, even if only for a while. He, who had taken the head of the Demon of Howling Fear, Abinazar. He, who had delved deep into the Demon Continent to the North and survived.

Sergio was reveling in this rarely found joy. His swings became faster, his pursuit more aggresive.

On the other hand, Connie was having trouble keeping up with this new, unfairly strong opponent. Her strength was far from adequate, her wounds were keeping her from using her Techniques to their fullest. And her transformation was quickly falling.

She was losing.

Death is coming for her. She could feel it with every swing of his axe, her body was failing her mind. Her strength was failing her will.

She focused her mind to look for a weakness. A joint lock? Impossible. A poison attack? She had tried that and failed? That newly created disease? She had only a smidgen of that. Not even enough to kill a rat. As her mind raced, she fell into something akin to a meditative state. Where there was only her opponent and her.

Her moves became sharper, with less movement. Her attacks became more polished. Her claws moved and turned into different forms, aiming at his vitals. Which excited the man even further.

“What do you think about the Heroes, Lady Cornelia?” he asked while slapping her hand away with his free hand.

Connie was too deep in her trance to answer. Within that white space in her mind, she began to grasp something crucial. Yet he continued to speak.

“The Gods let the Races summon Heroes, beings blessed by their Gifts. Their ‘cheats’. But they never ask…why…humans? Why give all that blessing, all that power, to beings as flawed as Humans?”

“If they could bestow blessings upon any creatures, why humans? Why do they choose creatures who are controlled by emotions, by desires, and ambitions? Like that Hero of ours. A pathetic little sack of meat controlled by his dick,” he swung his axe, which cut through two successive trees like butter before twisting it to crush through Connie’s defense, breaking her arms.

Connie, with her arms broken and dangling like two wet socks from her body, grimaced. The pain had woken her up from her trance. Just as she was about to grasp something. The pain and disappointment made her heart felt sick.

“Agh…gah…” Connie spat out blood from her mouth and continued. “…pah, and you think you are more worthy of receiving that Blessing from the God you pray to?”

“Me? Oh no. I don’t pray. I consider myself free of any attachment to the deities that might find amusement at their creations’ folly and suffering.”

“You say that as if you don’t believe in them,” Connie tried moving her arms, but they refused to budge.

“Oh, that’s wrong. I do believe in them. The same way that I believe that the Gods and Goddesses are matchless in their cruelty and unparalleled in their irony. And such hedonistic gods deserve none of my prayers.”

“…” Connie let out a derisive laugh. “Hahahah…! If we have met in any other way, we could have been the best of friends.”

“And yet here we are, bitter enemies. The Gods and Goddesses do like to play with the fate of mortal men,” he smiled, gesturing towards her. “Are you out of your tricks?”

“Not yet!”

Connie dashed onto the top of a tree. Without the use of her arms, Connie could not use her claws. A sudden inspiration made her bite her tail. It made a spark as she dragged her tail across her fangs before flicking it at Sergio.

The attack was like that of a sword, cutting across Sergios’s midsection. It was of such weight and speed that it caused Sergio to fly back. A large wound had been opened on his perfect abdomen.

Contrary to her expectation, the man was overjoyed.

What joy! What luck!! To meet such an opponent!! Though clearly outclassed, there was no resignation in her eyes!! Someone who would not give up even without the use of her arms!

“YES!” the man ignored the wound and sent his battle-axe flying to Connie.

She evaded the axe only barely when a kick into the solar plexus caused her to fly up before falling to the ground like a ragdoll. Sergio quickly followed up by grabbing Niniweh and slashed at the helpless Connie.

“Connie!!”

“No!”

Chen enlarged itself to stop the Dark Elf from running to her. “She’s going to die!!”

“Have…some faith…” Connie struggled to speak. She managed to roll aside in time, but her tail had been cut. She was losing too much blood and her consciousness was starting to fade. Her eyes were also losing focus.

Am…I losing?

Yes…the opponent was too much for me. But when has that ever been a problem?

I can just run away. Just like in the past. Grow stronger, then get revenge.

Her eyes turned to the three silhouettes not far from her.

If I die, what will happen to them? Prisoner of war? Or worse?

I won’t let that happen. Never.

But what can I do? I don’t have the use of my arms. Or my tail.

Focus on what I can do. Without my sword, what do I have left?

Yes…that’s it. isn’t it? The only thing that helped me stand again after being abandoned and left to die.

----------------------------------------

“I guess this is your limit,” Sergio said with a look of disappointment. “But it was the most fun I’ve had in ages. Now…I will send you off properly as a sign of my respect.”

As he raised his battle-axe, Sergio noticed something was happening to her body.

Connie dug deep into her Poison Core, molded it with what was left of her Energy, and let all the poison that she had gathered until now to bubble and overflow. This was a desperate Technique that would leave her without poison. Thus, rendering her powerless. Therefore only to be used when there was no other option.

Purple miasma shot out from beneath her scales, mixed with blood.

She then fell limp on her knees. Looking the very image of a dying fawn.

"You see...Mister Sergio..." Connie grimaced as the color of her face became darker and veins of dark purple began to crawl all over her body. "the thing about me is...I am a sore loser."

Connie opened her jaw wide, up to the end of the cracks of her cheeks, then faced the ground. Purple smoke began pouring out of her mouth in great quantities, quickly covering her body. All the trees that were touched by the smoke began to die, their leaves shriveling up and their barks peeling off.

Seeing this, Kamiya was flabbergasted. Sergio – who up to now had never felt danger from anyone – felt alarmed for the first time in ages.

“Don’t breathe it in! This is very strong poison!!!” Sergio ordered as he grabbed Kamiya and threw her away to safety. “Run!!”

Sergio grabbed hold of a tree, ripped it out of the earth and tossed it into the rapidly enlarging plume of smoke as he now could no longer see his opponent. The tree exploded before it even enters the smoke and a shaft of purple light broke through and shot at him.

The smoke gathered and rolled like a living being, covering everything within half a kilometer radius from the epicenter. Killing and rotting and destroying everything within it.