CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!CLANG!
Sparks flickered in the air as metal clashed with one another. This was the very first time Lucas was fighting a group of enemies. His hands and feet move as swiftly as possible.
Even before he could grasp the situation, attacks kept pouring over him without giving him any time to relax and go through his thoughts. It was difficult to even secure a proper line of sight during melee combat as enemies flocked onto him from all sides.
Metallic sounds echoed from all sides. Blades collided and sparks scattered. In addition to that, countless cries and screams resonated in the empty space.
Chimes of system notification rang in his mind every time he drew his blade.
Notification of experience points flashed before his eyes but he had no time to go through them.
Both the sight and hearing were deafened at the same time. Even so, Lucas couldn't lose his focus even for a moment.
Though he was in the midst of chaos, his heart raced with exhilaration and anticipation. He could feel his blood pulsating violently underneath his skin, his blood was boiling and adrenaline seemed to be pumped into the bloodstream, enabling his body function to alleviate further.
PAKKK!
The dagger hit the skull of one of the enemies. A fountain of blood gushed out into the air with the sound of the skull bone crushed into smithereens.
There was no room for hesitation, seeing a man pouncing on him with an open arm, Lucas rotating his body, pulled out the dagger from the skull of the corpse, and threw it towards the enemy.
The dagger plunged into the throat of the man with a banging snap. Looking backward, he found lines of corpses lying on the floor.
His heart heaved up and down. Targeted by the simultaneous attack, Lucas felt a bit exhausted after fending them off.
His senses were on the edge and his muscles were tense. It was then he realized something.
BAAM!
Lucas rolled to the ground. A fist scratched through the wall.
Lucas flinging his feet, kicked a corpse to push his body away and in doing so avoided the punch.
Lucas, spinning his feet, got up on his feet.
The 3-Star was waiting for him to be tired out before making a move. Lucas was sure that the man had found him troublesome to deal with so he sacrificed his cannon fodder team members to exhaust him.
"Tsk...It seems it's not going to be easy."
Heizen clicked his tongue in displeasure.
Then, he took out a few injections and directly stabbed his thigh.
"What the hell?"Lucas started in bewilderment
A sudden feeling of uneasiness welled up in his heart.
Without wasting time, he activated the flash steps and darted forward. It would be a mistake if he allows time for the enemy to finish taking his injections.
Immediately, the kicking sound rang out at once. Stretching out and compressing the space, Lucas appeared before Heizen with his sword raised upwards ready to strike down.
However...
Before he could swing, a fist hurled at him with an unimaginable speed. Lucas's body clumped down and he raised his other arm to protect his face.
BAAM!
Getting punched by a great force, Lucas's body bounced off against the floor two times before sliding away by a few metres.
COUGH...COUGH...
Lucas sneezed out the blood struck within his nasal passage. While trying to stop bleeding, he glanced at Heizen in terror.
The sight of a grotesque man with a wriggling mass of flesh buffing the muscles reflected in his eyesight.
Nails extended to form claws and teeth protruded out becoming sharp. Dark hair loomed over his back, and the clothes burst out due to the immense tension exerted on them.
Swish!
As if struck by lightning, Heizen rushed at him with a terrifying speed.
Before Lucas could come to his senses, Heizen came crashing down on Lucas at a speed much faster than before.
A roar emerged from Heizen lips that burst out Lucas's eardrum and made him dizzy. Lucas slashed his sword momentarily but his sword was deflected by claws swung at him.
CLANG!
With numbing pain transverse his arms, it was shot back. The fierce momentum made him stumble in his steps due to a strong hit. The layer of skin over his palm was peeled due to holding the hilt tightly.
At that moment, Lucas let go of his sword and struck with a dagger.
Sparks flew in the air with a bang.
Lucas cut off the claws of Heizen along with a finger but in doing so, black blood spilled upon him.
SPURT!
Blood splashed over his face and neck.
The black liquid burnt his clothes and Lucas's eyelids closed due to burning pain as a few drops fell over his eyes. The layer of skin on Lucas's face brunt and faint smoke emerged.
Faltering over his steps, Lucas swung his sword blindly in panic.
SLASH!
Three cut marks made by sharp claws appeared over his chest running from his shoulder to the waist diagonally.
"Arghhhh!"
Lucas groaned in pain and then found himself suddenly hit by a punch.
BANG!
Lucas crashed into the wall and before he could recover, he was punched again.
BOOM!
A deafening roar resounded.
The wall shattered apart by the punch and the layer of debris fell all over. The roof supported by the wall also collapsed and Heizen was covered with a thick layer of rubble.
Meanwhile, Lucas was shot flying back like a rag doll.
Lucas, breaking through the wall, rolled on the ground, and tried to get up on his feet but his legs gave away. He stumbled and fell on his face.
Gasping heavily, as soon as he raised his face.
A grotesque scream echoed from his lips making him jump back.
Frightened like a scared kitten, Lucas's body shivered and twitched uncontrollably.
He was in a big dark room that was filled with corpses. Some were hanging on the ceiling. Some were plastered on the wall, some were lying here and there.
Skins of corpses were peeled, scalps were taken, and teeth and tongue were removed. Defiled and dismembered corpses were depicted in a degrading manner.
At the center of the room, several needles were struck over the kids, and tubes were connected to them. They seemed alive and breathing.
At that time, a kid lying on the white bunk bed slowly robotically raised his head and opened his eyes.
There were tears filled with emotions of agony and misery that were beyond mere words.
The kid tried to open his lips but the moment, his raised head, it slid off and the stitch near his neck tore and the head fell connected by a pulsating reddish tube.
Word struck over Lucas's chest and his heart thumped wildly. Sacred out of his wits, Lucas crawled back and tried to close his eyes.
However, at that moment, his sight became bloody and a pair of red hands pulled out his eyelashes and stretched it wide.
A hoarse, cold voice started to whisper in his ears.
[Don't close your eyes.]
[Look at it…]
[Feel it….Feel their despair]
[If you want to fight the darkness one day, you need to know it, drown in it, swim in it, and thrive in it.]
[But even after going through all this, you shouldn't be tainted by it.]
[Only then, you can be worthy.]
......
Down on the ground floor.
BANG!BANG!BANG!
Frederick swung his spear and slammed against the golden barrier-breaking it apart. Entering inside, he slammed the staff over the caster and beat the people to let out his frustrations.
"Frederick, stop it, they will die."
Frederick snapped out of his thoughts hearing Roan's hoarse voice.
Frederick stared at the beaten rugged figure laying on the floor.
His gaze turned towards the cage inside which kids that had lost their reason and had transformed into something dark, something sinister were kept locked.
Frederick's heart wrenched looking around the huge hall that was used for prayer. This was once a place where Goddess was adored and people got rid of their sufferings.
It was a place where people who have lost all hope, gained new hope and determination to live.
But now, this very place takes people's life and trample over their hopes.
What was more terrible than that was the involvement of Priests in it.
"I can't believe this, "Roan muttered.
"No one is asking you to believe this."A crazy voice echoed.
Frederick's gaze fell on Joseph and a few other priests lying with bodies filled with wounds glaring at them.
They were True Priests and have strong healing power.
They were only alive because Frederick did not risk making a killing move as they may use their divine power to drag them down.
"Do you know the repercussions of your actions boy?"Priest Joseph.
"You have touched something you shouldn't have touched. You all are heretics. You all will be burnt alive."
"Hahahahah!"Joseph burst into laughter.
"Shut up!"Frederick shouted.
"Frederick, Roan, take those four and leave."
"But what about the others?"Roan asked.
"I will kill them," Parth muttered.
"No, you can't,'' Frederick shouted
"Fredeeickkkkk!"Parth roared, mortifying Frederick and Roan.
"Stop showing useless empathy. Your empathy isn't the mercy they require now. Only death can give them peace."Parth spoke in a cold voice.
....
[Note]
While fighting with Heizen, Lucas's sword was deflected easily while the dagger managed to slice off the claws easily because the dagger is B rank while the sword is a D rank.
I know this arc might feel a bit stretched out but believe me this is one of the most important arcs of the series. The ending of the arc might not be satisfying but countless pieces are dropped here that will be crucial in the future so I hope you understand.
Thanks for all the support despite all the flaws of the book.
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