“Camille-sama!”
Camille collapsed, vomiting blood after being stabbed in the abdomen by someone, and Iseru’s scream echoed through the dungeon. Jesha and Kadri readied their weapons, while Dowhill and the others, who were further away, braced themselves against the strange “killing intent.”
“Aishe!!”
My master, who had been kneeling after receiving a poison needle, raised his voice as he looked at the figure behind Camille.
Aishe? I could understand that she had been called by a Spirit due to the strength of her “wish,” but her condition was abnormal. Her eyes were bloodshot and dyed completely red, and she growled as if in confusion, turning her hate-filled eyes towards my master and me, who was by his side.
That strange Mana Particles surrounding Aishe… My master noticed it too, and groaned.
“You, don’t tell me…”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Aishe suddenly screamed, and as if enduring something, she once again raised her broken sword towards the fallen Camille.
“Tch!”
Clang!!
I leaped out, ready, and the blade of my boot, unleashed at full speed, collided with the broken sword, creating sparks.
“You…!!”
“!?!”
Despite receiving the blow in an awkward posture, halfway through her downward swing, Aishe blew me away with the strength of only one arm.
Even as I was sent flying, I changed my posture by kicking in the air and swung down the ball-shaped Pendulum, but Aishe caught it with one arm and swung her broken sword again.
Giin!!
“Tch!”
I instinctively blocked with my Dagger, but I was blown away again by the force, which was different from before.
However, I managed to pull Aishe away from Camille. I glanced at Kadri, and he instantly understood, moving to retrieve Camille.
Aishe’s arm, which had been crushed by the Pendulum, regenerated in an instant. Not only that, but countless poison needles, like the ones she had used before, were released from around Aishe’s waist.
“Gaaaaaaah!!”
Nero, who had intervened between me and Aishe, deflected the needles with his 【Slashing and Piercing Resistance】, and the Tentacle he unleashed like a sharp whip forced Aishe back, who blocked with her sword.
Why is she using needles? I don’t remember Aishe ever using needles in battle; it was that old man—Ergrim—who used them.
“Human girl!! That one is using “Sorcery”!”
The voice of the Sorcerer Charleschan echoed from behind. So that Mana Particles color was indeed that. But how could Aishe, who isn’t a Sorcerer, use Sorcery? It seemed to be the enhancement-type Sorcery used by the Yoma Clan, but had she had it implanted in her body from the beginning?
I thought that Ergrim might have done it, but that assumption was denied by Aishe herself.
Behind Aishe’s waist… around where the poison needles had been released earlier, a familiar “head” was swaying.
“Ergrim…”
The severed head that Aishe was holding was Ergrim, whose figure had been missing.
Was Ergrim killed by Aishe? But why did she kill Ergrim?
Considering what had happened so far, it didn’t seem like Aishe and the Magic Clan were hostile to each other, even in the killing contest called the “Ceremony of Selection.”
But, Ergrim’s head, Aishe’s situation, and the fact that “Sorcery” was involved, mixed together the lessons I had received from my master and that woman’s “knowledge,” leading me to one hypothesis.
“…Gu-du?”
Not in the literal sense. Gu-du is a Sorcery that involves confining multiple beasts and insects in one place and making them cannibalize each other, condensing hatred and resentment into the last one.
I can’t imagine how it happened, but by Aishe incorporating the Ergrim she killed with Sorcery, something similar might be happening.
“…Ugh.”
Even if he couldn’t see the colors, my master must have sensed it, as he groaned and tried to stand up, but my master, who had probably been poisoned by Ergrim, was not in a condition to fight.
Jesha stood in front to protect my master and the recovered Camille, while Charleschan and Dowhill also readied their weapons and remained vigilant.
I see… Judging from my master’s attitude, Aishe must be my master’s sister, whom she had left behind in the Evil Race Nation. If so, then what I have to do is clear.
“Master… please take care of Camille.”
“Aria!”
With my master’s voice at my back, I headed towards Aishe.
“Gaaaaaaah!!”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Nero was trying to restrain Aishe, who was trying to come towards me. No, even Nero could only restrain her.
【Aishe】【Race: Dark Elf ♀】【Rank 5】
【Mana Capacity: –/290】【HP: –/330】
【Overall Combat Strength: — (Sorcery Enhancement in Progress: 3364)】
【Condition: Cursed】
“Switch. Nero.”
Clang!
Interrupting the two’s battle, I blocked Aishe’s broken sword as if hitting it with my Knife.
Nero reluctantly yielded his prey. And Aishe, noticing my figure, immediately changed her target to me.
“Pink Hair woman!!”
She unleashed a Slashing Style attack that howled with the sound of the wind, and I barely dodged it while scattering several 【Shadow Snatch】, and Aishe, seeing that as an opening, pounced on me as if jumping.
There is nearly a double gap in combat strength between me and Aishe. That power, which shaved away Aishe’s life, would not be equal even if I used the 【Iron Rose】.
But—
Bang!!
“Ugh!?”
I immediately released the ball-shaped Pendulum from the 【Shadow Snatch】, kicked it to entangle the thread around her toes, and slammed the Ball-Shaped into Aishe’s temple.
If I can’t match her in strength, there’s no point in opposing her with strength. That’s why I oppose her with skill and heart, putting everything I have into it.
We took distance as if bouncing off each other, and readied our weapons again. Even though she had lost her mind, Aishe must have sensed something from me, as she growled like a beast while being wary, glaring at me with bloodshot eyes.
I have no intention of backing down. Even if my master and Aishe are sisters, that’s precisely why I can’t let my master fight anymore.
“Let’s settle this… Aishe.”
Thump!!
At the same time, I kicked off the stone floor like an arrow and leaped out, passing each other, and our Blades slashed shallowly at each other’s shoulders as we crossed paths.
Aishe’s sword is broken, so it’s barely possible to fight. Still, with all my Status being inferior, a moment’s opening would be fatal.
Before the fresh blood that scattered from my shoulder could fall to the ground, I reversed and repeated the attack. I dodged the hook-claw attack that Aishe, who had lost her Shield, unleashed by leaning back, and the Slashing Style Pendulum, which had changed its trajectory by kicking the thread, slashed Aishe’s side.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Even so, Aishe swung her broken sword without caring. The tip of the sword being swung, the claws being swung, cut my cheek, tore my shoulder, and carved a deep wound into my gauntlet.
At this rate, I’ll be overwhelmed. I suppressed my wavering spirit deep within my heart, removed unnecessary attribute Mana Particles from my entire body, and increased the purity of my Mana.
“—【Phantom】—”
I created a Phantom as if spitting out the omitted Mana Particles. However, there was no room to reflect my appearance, and a mere black Shadow wouldn’t even serve as a distraction, but I deliberately made the 【Phantom】 follow only my movements without manipulating it.
“Nuooo!!”
The Phantom that followed me blurred my figure, and the broken sword cut through the air as if misjudging the distance.
My master has an original Magic that involves wearing existing Magic, and originally, it’s a Magic that enhances the defense and attack power of close combat by wearing offensive Magic, but I, who don’t have offensive Magic, couldn’t use it.
The tactic I’m using now is something I came up with to make that Magic usable in my own way, but its advantage is more effective the more skilled the opponent is at sensing with their Ki.
The Mana Particles with increased purity enhance my physical abilities. I manipulate the four Pendulum using not only my arms but also my feet, dodging attacks while counterattacking.
If there wasn’t such a difference in combat strength, and if Aishe was in her right mind, I wouldn’t have been able to handle her attacks. Finally, the rotating Slashing Style and Ball-Shaped Pendulum grazed Aishe, and from behind her, the rotating Blade Scythe Style Pendulum was swung out, taking advantage of her momentary distraction.
Clang!!
“!?!”
The swung-down Blade was stopped by Ergrim’s head, which was floating in the air.
Why is it moving? As I jumped back in警戒, Ergrim’s severed head, floating in the air, made a sound as if gnashing its teeth.
—Kill—Kill—
Using that voice as the activation word, a 【Fireball】 was released from Ergrim’s severed head.
“—【Magic Shield (Shield)】—!”
Can she use magic on her own!? I jumped to the side, deploying a [Magic Shield (Shield)] to mitigate the impact.
“Aria!”
Master and Jesha’s voices echoed. I extinguished the lingering flames by rolling, creating distance and bracing myself. However, there was no follow-up attack. Squinting, I saw Ergrim’s head still trying to speak.
—Kill—Kill—For the Evil Race—Aishe—Serejula—Forgive—…
“…………”
“Ergrim…”
Master’s hoarse voice reached me. I had thought Aishe killed Ergrim out of hatred for me. But… maybe not.
It seemed Ergrim, on the verge of death, used his life to cast a curse on Aishe. It was a terrifying obsession, but his voice conveyed more sorrow than hatred.
The “Master” that Master spoke of must have been Ergrim.
Ergrim prioritized the Evil Race in his own way. Even if it meant being hated by Master and Aishe, whom he had raised…
“Don’t come.”
I stopped Jesha, Dowhill, and the others who were trying to help.
“I’ll stop him.”
Aishe, who had stopped moving when I jumped out, started moving again.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Aishe and Ergrim’s head screamed simultaneously, and Ergrim shot poison needles from his mouth. I spread the shawl Master had woven for me to intercept the needles, while simultaneously using the ball-shaped pendulum to entangle the black dagger I had thrown into the air, slamming it into Aishe with the combined weight.
Crack!!
With that blow, Aishe’s sword, having reached its limit, broke off at the base. The generic pendulum I immediately launched was caught by Ergrim’s head, and Aishe, having lost her sword, jumped back and picked up something that had fallen.
“—[Release]—!”
What Aishe grabbed was Camille’s Demon Sword that he had dropped.
I don’t know if Aishe has the [Dagger Arts] skill to wield two Demon Swords, which are daggers. But that Demon Sword has the ability to compensate for that.
Even if she has lost her mind, her instincts as a warrior made her use it.
“—[Dancing Ripper]—!”
Aishe and Ergrim raised their voices, and the Combat Art [Dancing Ripper] at Dagger Arts level 5 was activated.
A furious eight-hit combo unleashed from both sides. The power of Aishe now should be enough to pulverize me in an instant.
I pulled back the black dagger and held it together with the black knife in both hands.
I’ve seen it many times. I’ve even taken it myself. Remember that movement. The trajectory of the blade. Focus, I know this technique!
Remember the fight with Camille. The fight with Carla.
I will ascend to a higher level here. If I can’t, I’ll just die. But I—
“Will live”!!
“—[Dancing Ripper]—!!”
The mana surging from both arms was transmitted to the two sister weapons, unleashing an eight-hit slash as if they were one from the beginning.
Clang! Giiiin!
Blade intercepts blade. Deflecting slashes with power exceeding mine, deflecting multiple slashes with a single swing, the sounds of my accelerated slashes merged into one—
Kiiiiiiin!!
A single strike from the black knife vertically cleaved Ergrim’s head, along with his lingering resentment.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
The overlapping screams of the two dying voices echoed, Ergrim’s head disappeared, and Aishe’s body collapsed as if blown away. But—
“…Guh…”
Aishe is still alive. More than the damage from [Dancing Ripper], her body is probably ravaged by the sorcery she had been subjected to.
The mana particles of the sorcery have already disappeared from Aishe’s body. As the light of reason gradually returned to Aishe’s groaning eyes, she turned her gaze to me with eyes as if seeing something unbelievable.
“…You…are you going to…show mercy…”
Remembering what she had done so far, Aishe’s eyes, as if she had been exorcised, trembled as if enduring something.
“Don’t get the wrong idea.”
I sheathed the dagger and knife while intimidating her with killing intent, wrapped the fallen shawl around myself, and turned my back to her.
“If you die, Master (Serejula)-sama will be sad… That’s all.”
[Aria (Alicia)] [Race: Human Female] [Rank 5] 1 Up
[Mana Capacity: 69/350] 10 Up [HP: 97/280] 10 Up
[Strength: 11 (16)] 1 Up [Endurance: 10 (15)] [Agility: 18 (27)] 1 Up [Dexterity: 9]
[Dagger Arts Lv.5] 1 Up [Martial Arts Lv.5] [Throwing Lv.4]
[Archery Lv.2] [Defense Lv.4] [Thread Manipulation Lv.5] 1 Up
[Light Magic Lv.4] [Dark Magic Lv.4] [Non-Attribute Magic Lv.5]
[Utility Magic x6] [Mana Control Lv.5] [Intimidation Lv.5]
[Stealth Lv.4] [Night Vision Lv.2] [Detection Lv.5] 1 Up
[Poison Resistance Lv.3] [Abnormal Resistance Lv.4] 1 Up
[Simple Appraisal]
[Overall Combat Strength: 2110 (Body Enhancement in progress: 2709)] 544 Up
The Ceremony of Selection is over, and Aria has finally reached Rank 5.
…It was a long journey. I had Camille hold the Demon Sword for this, but it took longer than expected.
But this doesn’t mean the Evil Race arc is over.
To return, the last enemy awaits.
What will happen to Serejula and Aishe? See you next week for the continuation!
P.S. Actually, I have been updating once a week since last year due to the book publication work, but please note that the weekly update will continue for the time being due to the work on the second volume and comic adaptation.