Chapter 115 I'm what's darker than black?
Holy Sword Tournament Arc II
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(POV: Akashic Records)
Gallus stretched his muscular arms.
His metallic body glimmered in the setting sun.
"You see, Isadora, Lady Lirien was scared because extracting the Demon Lord seed now could very well kill you. Such a shame, isn't it?"
Isadora, her leg broken and throbbing with pain, desperately clawed away from Gallus, her bat-like wings unfurling to escape his clutches. But before she could take flight, Gallus seized her wing, exerting crushing force as he slammed her back to the ground.
"GAH!!"
The impact sent a burst of agonizing pain through her body, causing her to cough up blood.
Leaning close, his metallic face inches away from her trembling form, Gallus chuckled darkly.
"No need to struggle, my dear. If I remove the core now, I would be defying Lady Lirien's orders, but at the same time, I'll be pleasing King Vyndariel. It's quite the dilemma, isn't it? Kill you now and be done with it, or keep you alive and savor the satisfaction later." (Gallus)
Through gritted teeth, Isadora spat at him, her defiance unyielding. "Screw you!"
Gallus sighed, a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
"How unfortunate. It seems you've already made my choice for me."
Just as Gallus raised his fist, poised to bring it crashing down upon Isadora, a hand suddenly clamped tightly around his forearm, halting the brutal punch in its tracks. The force behind the grip caused the ground to tremble beneath them. Confusion coursed through Gallus's mind as he turned his attention to the unexpected intruder.
"( What?! )" (Gallus)
To his shock, he saw Lumiere, beaten and battered, his left hand gripping Gallus's forearm with an unwavering strength. Gruesome wounds marred Lumiere's right side. Yet, his gaze burned with unwavering relent.
Isadora's eyes widened with shock and disbelief as she witnessed Lumiere's battered form standing before them, defying all odds.
"( How can he still stand? )" (Isadora)
Gallus, too, was taken aback by the sight, his metallic frame momentarily frozen in surprise. With a swift leap, he ruthlessly shattered free of Lumiere's grip.
Examining his forearms, Gallus's gaze fell upon the unmistakable markings on his impenetrable body, evidence of Lumiere's unprecedented strength.
"( That's not possible... his physical strength... )" (Gallus)
How was it possible that a mere grip had inflicted such damage upon his formidable frame?
The thought nagged him.
Lumiere leaned in close to Isadora, "Are okay... Isadora...?" his voice weak.
Isadora's tear-streaked face trembled as she managed to whisper through her pain, "I... I am... but your body."
But before another word could escape her lips, a bone-shattering punch, its force cracking the already decimated ground, erupted from Gallus's metallic fist, striking Lumiere's face with unrelenting brutality.
The sheer impact sent him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll.
Gallus reappeared above Lumiere.
"YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!!"
With a violent descent, his knuckles collided with Lumiere's head, driving it deep into the trembling earth below. The entire coliseum quaked in response to the brutal force.
"LUMIERE!!"
Isadora's cries echoed.
Leaning down, Gallus sneered at Lumiere, a hint sadistic delight in his voice.
"You truly are a remarkable disgrace. I can hardly believe that you manage to cling to life, even in a state as pitiful as this. But fear not, my dear, it'll all be over for you soon."
With a cruel grip, Gallus seized Lumiere's battered face, lifting him effortlessly to eye level.
"I respect your strength... boy..."
"Remove... your hand..." Lumiere's voice barely above a whisper.
"Can you speak a little more loudly," Gallus taunted.
A fire ignited within Lumiere's core, "I said... remove your hand."
"HU!"
The sheer force behind his words sent a shiver down Gallus's spine, prompting him to jump backward, creating a safe distance of 15m between himself and Lumiere.
This was unprecedented – in all of Gallus's existence as a battle god, never once had he voluntarily created such a space between himself and an opponent.
"( What's wrong with Lumiere... his aura... it's... )" (Isadora)
With wide eyes, she watched as the unthinkable unfolded before her.
A creeping sense of dread filled the air as Lumiere's body emanated an overwhelming aura, pulsating outward in waves of power. It was a force that struck fear into the heart of even the most fearless warriors.
"What... are you?" Gallus' voice trembled.
Lumiere gave no response.
Suddenly, from Lumiere's mangled right side, a black substance emerged, extending and connecting to his severed right arm, resting lifelessly on the floor.
Isadora gasped.
Lumiere's arm began to reconstruct itself, piece by piece.
The black matter continued to spread, encompassing almost half of his right side and encroaching on his right eye's territory.
As his arm regenerated, Lumiere's crimson red eyes locked onto Gallus.
Isadora, shocked yet filled with a flicker of hope, recognized the Additional Skill that Lumiere had just used –? [Accelerated Regeneration].
A shiver ran down Gallus' spine as he took in the sight, the air thickening with an unsettling aura.
Step by agonizing step, Lumiere advanced towards Gallus, his every movement followed by an eerie trail of crimson-hued energy. As the cursed energy emanated from his corrupted form, Gallus watched, aghast, as Lumiere's upper clothing slowly disintegrated, revealing his physique.
Darkness materialized, engulfing the surrounding twenty-meter radius where Lumiere stood.
Isadora, paralyzed by the malevolence that permeated the air, clutched her chest, her gasps for breath desperate and raspy.
"My heart... it burns... my insides... it's burning!" she cried out, her voice wracked with unimaginable suffering.
Amidst the horrifying spectacle, Lumiere maintained an ominous silence, his eyes now devoid of all emotion, gleaming crimson in a stark contrast against the abyss of his eerie visage.
And then, with an unsettling calmness, he spoke, his words dripping with malice, aimed squarely at Gallus. "You wanted harm Isadora and my unborn child, isn't that right...?"
Gallus, caught off guard by the accusation flung upon him, struggled to find the words to defend his innocence.
Lumiere's [Mana Pressure] bore down on him, an unyielding force that threatened to crush his very being.
"( Maybe if I attack now... I might be able t-- )"
Before he could even react, he dropped to the ground, his body a jumble of confusion and pain.
"W-what hap--?!"
As he tried to make sense of his situation, his eyes widened in shock as he beheld the grotesque tableau before him – one of his legs, torn from his body, now held in Lumiere's hand.
"GAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
The pain came in a torrent, an agonizing scream escaping Gallus's lips as his lifeblood erupted from the severed stump.
"( He broke through my <<Grand Body Armor>> ? )"
Lumiere's act had been executed with a speed that surpassed a battle gods' comprehension, leaving Gallus with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
Isadora, laying injured nearby, couldn't help but voice her thoughts.
"Red eyes," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper as she struggled to breathe. "An ominous energy... black markings... it can't be..."
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Lumiere's... a Curse King."
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