The moment Raven noticed that something, or rather someone, was approaching the location where he was, he quickly raised his guard. However, once his eyes fell on the nearing figure of the monster, Raven's eyes widened and his body froze.
That was not a monster, that was his enemy he must defeat to get out of this nightmare... The Rotrid!
A tall and well-refined figure with a thin and long weapon in hand, seemingly a spear, and a long coat reaching the ankles of its wearer. These were the only things Raven could see for the time being as dust blocked his view, but from this alone, he was sure it was the Rotrid.
What's more, for the first time in his life, Raven felt truly scared just by looking at another individual. He didn't feel like this when he was surrounded by those beasts or when he had to face those two colossal snakes...
His hands, just as his legs and body, were trembling scarcely from fear! Which meant...
'Crap!' cursing, Raven quickly moved and hid behind a pile of debris, using only his dagger's polished blade as a mirror to look at the Rotrid.
And sure enough, as the dust settled, Raven was able to see the face of his fated enemy, causing him to suck in a mouthful of cold air.
The Rotrid, while having a humanoid appearance, in reality, looked nothing akin to a human.
First of all, her skin was deep red with shades of dark green like that of rotten flesh while purplish-blue veins could be seen snaking through every inch of her body, pulsating and threatening to explode whenever she took a step.
Secondly, her hair which reached the middle of her back in contrast to humans were tentacles akin to squids. It had the same rotten flesh color as her skin.
Lastly, which was also the most disturbing one, was her lower abdomen and the left area of her chest. There, where humans had their indispensable organs, such as guts and heart, was nothing but a large gaping hole, allowing one to gaze through it and see the other side!
'How is she even alive at this point!?' Raven almost cried out, not believing that such a thing was even possible.
A living being without a heart... What ridiculous shit was that!?
'No... Calm down. Remember, she is not a human but a Rotrid, one from a race you don't know anything.' Raven took a deep breath.
'Yeah, that is right. She has a heart, I just need to figure out where.' Raven thought to himself, now with newer resolve and a smile.
However, soon his smile froze and his eyes widened as every hair on his body stood up.
"Fuck!"
Whoosh!
Swish!
BAM!
With a loud explosion that sent debris and chunks of huge stone flying in all directions, a long silver spear crashed into the spot where Raven had been a second ago before soaring into the air and flying back into the hands of the Rotrid.
'How did she do that?' squinting his eyes, Raven stared at the spear in the hands of the Rotrid, trying to figure out how it was capable of flight despite no strings attached to it.
'Her Artifact? An ability similar to telekinesis?' Raven used his brain, but as everything happened just way too fast he had no time to figure it out... yet.
"So you are the human I have to fight?" halting her steps and slamming the end of her weapon into the ground, cracking the concrete below it deeply, the Rotrid stared at Raven with flickering disgust in her crimson eyes.
'Wait... I can understand what she says?' Raven pondered dumbstruck, only to get the answer a second later.
[Language Barrier had been erased!]
[Instantaneous translation had been activated!]
'So that's how...' Raven sighed inwardly before he straightened his posture, his dagger tightly clenched in his hand.
"Have you come asking questions or to fight?" Raven asked indifferently, but his slightly trembling hand sold how he truly felt, which, didn't go unnoticed by the Rotrid.
"Trying to act tough despite shivering like a dog..." the Rotrid sneered coldly and raised her weapon.
"But as you wish. Let's end this right now and here."
With those words, the Rotrid grabbed his spear with both hands and...
It vanished!?
Raven's eyes widened and could only raise his dagger, blocking the tip of the Rotrid's spear from drilling a hole into his chest at the very last second!
"Urgh...!" with a loud groan as he felt pain sweep through his body, Raven felt as if his body was sent flying, crashing against one of the building's walls in the distance.
[Rune Mark: True Heir's Resolve activated!]
[5 Random Avatar Traits will be increased +50!]
[Title: The Blessed Prodigy First Effect had been triggered!]
[All Avatar Traits +10!]
'Fuck! I feel as if a train had crashed into me!' spitting out blood from his mouth while feeling his arm numb, Raven quickly jumped onto his feet and was ready to dash forward.
However, just as he did his leg got stuck in a stone, forcing him to fall forward.
Swish!
Bam!
'What!?' although angry because he had just fallen accidentally, looking like a retard, Raven was also shocked as he succeeded in avoiding a fatal strike from his enemy.
However, unknown to him, the necklace hanging from his neck at this time glowed with a gentle silver light, indicating his survival was more than sheer luck.
Whoosh!
With the same magical trick, the spear that could have claimed his life and now was pierced deeply into the wall above him, moved on its own accord, and flew back into the hands of the Rotrid.
"Hmph... How unlucky..." the Rotrid sneered softly and raised her weapon, ready to throw it at the still lying Raven on the ground.
'Crap!' cursing inwardly as all hair on his body stood straight, Raven pushed himself onto the side with all his Strength, just a second before the spot where he had been lying now was just a small pit!
'Chance!' seeing that now dense wall of dust covered his figure, Raven jumped onto his feet and with all his Speed he dashed away.
Right now, even with his Title and Rune Mark, he was several Ranks weaker than that Rotrid. He was also pretty sure that not even his Monarch Crown could help him against that monster, so what he had to do now was to retreat and think of a way he could win this battle.
"Running away like a rat? How annoying..." spitting on the ground with disgust, the Rotrid extended her hand toward the spear and once it flew back into her hold she started to follow after Raven with calm and steady steps.
It seemed after their first clash, she was in no hurry to kill Raven as she understood completely that the gap between the two of them was huge.
In her mind, this fight has already ended with her being the one emerging on the top...
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the atmosphere in every corner, let it be on the streets or inside buildings, was insanely grim and depressing.
"That... That is who Luck has to kill?"
"This is just unfair... Also, what is that spear in her possession? Is that her Artifact?"
"We are doomed..."
People began to mumble with pale faces and drop onto their knees with almost hollow eyes, slowly losing all hope that Luck could win against his enemy.
After all, everyone had seen it with their own two eyes. He had stood no chance against that monstrosity! Both her strength and abilities were superior to him!
Only a few remained standing straight with hope burning in their eyes and hearts, however, it was not even a minute before even they began to lose their faith in obtaining victory.
As for the reason?
-------------------
[Opponent Data]
Name: Khushcev Paloma
Race: Rotrid
Rank: 19
True Rank: 9
Artifact: Dual Core
Current Title: The Blessed Prodigy
Current Relic: Ghost Trident
-------------------
The moment Paloma's figure appeared on the floating panel, information about her also popped up, causing even more humans to lose hope.
"Rank 19... This is just ridiculous..." laughing with a wry smile, Lucas shook his head and looked at Paloma's walking figure on the panel.
"Not only that, but it seems that spear in her hands is not her Artifact at all..." Darwin said with a low voice and a scarcely dark face.
"Fuck! Fuck all this!" not bearing any longer, some people smashed their glasses onto the ground, and with fuming anger, which in truth was their helplessness and fear disguised as such, they stormed out of the hall.
And just like that, those who lost all hope, even after witnessing how Raven killed several monsters with ease, all rushed out of the room with now only a few staying behind.
"Things are not looking good for us..." sighing deeply, a young man beside President Bai grabbed his trembling hand and sighed.
"That is true, but we must still believe. After all, these data mean nothing." President Bai stated gravely before shifting his gaze at the young man and adding, "And exactly for that reason, we must not allow chaos to rule over us, or at least not yet. So I hope you know what you have to do."
Surprised at first before becoming serious, the young man nodded and, although a little pale, straightened his posture and said, "Leave everything to me, Sir!"
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺