Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Creature Loyalty (2)
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The insect creature died instantly.
It slumped over, impaled by the silver pillar. The human-faced bird flapped puzzled wings atop Nemelda's corpse.
Asil needed to slip into the waiting area during this opening.
Sharing the same thought, Ricardo walked toward Asil.
He bent down and scooped Asil up.
Ricardo expertly supported Asil over his shoulder and carried him to the waiting area.
Huh?
But why wasn't the third creature coming out?
Pushing the question aside, I caught Asil.
"Senior, forfeit too."
As I took him, my eyes met Ricardo's.
But Ricardo didn't respond. He just turned away.
The senior strode off with his signature lazy yet firm steps. The tall man reentered the arena.
I gently laid the dazed Asil beside Barbie. He couldn't even open his eyes properly. His ragged breathing grated on my nerves.
I wanted to get him treatment right away...
I didn't want to see another senior end up like this.
I whipped my head around.
"Ricardo!"
I raised my voice at his retreating back.
"I'm going in now!"
The senior didn't turn, just raised his middle finger.
I'm gonna lose my mind.
The silver thorns piercing Nemelda began to drip downward. Nemelda's corpse slowly descended to the floor.
The human-faced bird stopped tearing into the corpse and turned its head.
Its pale mouth was smeared with dark red blood.
The blood-smeared human-faced bird stared blankly at the senior.
[Ricardo has gripped his spear!]
Ha.
That guy's really doing it.
The creeping silver liquid stretched long and formed a spear.
Without even glancing my way, the senior yanked it free.
Having absorbed even the shattered spear rolling on the ground, the one he held was twice as long as Asil's had been.
The shape-shifting weapon gleamed dazzlingly, reflecting the arena lights.
The human-faced bird perched on Nemelda's corpse took flight with a flurry.
I bit my lip, watching it cast a shadow over Ricardo.
[Hang in there, Pepper!]
Puk!
The spear stabbed into its eyeball.
"Aaack!"
[Oh no! Pepper's left eye has been pierced!]
The announcer's voice held no trace of sympathy as he commentated.
Flutter, flutter—the pained wingbeats filled the arena. The rattling chains followed sharply.
[But it's not a fatal wound!]
That's the problem.
The spear lodged in the eyeball popped out and clattered to the floor. The silver spear rolled across the arena.
[Not enough power! Repeating Barbie's mistake—looks like he's got no learning curve!]
Thud!
Ricardo dodged the diving human-faced bird like a hawk.
Its massive talons slammed into the arena floor. Just slightly off from where the senior had stood.
Not a mistake.
Its depth perception was off now that one eye was useless.
And the senior had the skill to exploit it.
"But still, forfeit!"
He couldn't kill it like that.
"For! Feit! For! Feit!"
"Shut up for a sec~."
The senior grumbled as he rolled away from the second attack.
"Focus a bit..."
Boom!
Thud! Thud! Attacks came, but none landed. Ricardo fluidly evaded.
Fine cracks spiderwebbed the arena floor, but no hits connected. He dodged every strike effortlessly. No wasted motion in his evasions.
A stark contrast to Asil and Barbie's movements.
Asil couldn't move properly due to injury, sure.
Even accounting for that, Ricardo's motions were far more efficient than the previous seniors'.
[Experience shows in the movement!]
Even to civilian eyes, it was obvious—the announcer shouted excitedly.
[Sordi is showing the difference from the prior Badgers. We can kiss goodbye to expecting Pepper's attacks to land!]
I thought the same.
He might even counterattack.
I watched as Ricardo dodged and melted his spear back into liquid.
Soon...
Puk!
A silver thorn pierced its talon.
"Oh!"
[Ah! He predicted Pepper's landing spot and grew the shape-shifting weapon!]
The human-faced bird thrashed its wings in agony on the floor.
[Peper's right foot is pinned!]
Got it.
The arena echoed with the human-faced bird's pained cries.
He hadn't killed it, but Pepper wouldn't fly for a while.
Especially since the thorn's tip had split like a pinwheel.
Amazed by the senior's perfect response, I raised my voice.
"Senior! I'll go kill it now!"
Ricardo turned his head for the first time, meeting my eyes.
"Forfeit!"
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he slowly walked back toward the waiting area.
I was satisfied with that. My racing heartbeat slowed.
Once he gets close, I'll make him forfeit no matter what.
Then dash out and deal with the flapping human-faced bird first...
Squelch.
Hm?
Ricardo's and my heads snapped down together.
We stared at the same spot for a while.
The senior's left foot, as he approached the waiting area and stopped.
It hovered slightly.
About 3cm off the ground. His right foot was firmly planted, but the left didn't touch.
As if something invisible propped it up.
Something squishy...
"What is it?"
It's moving?
"What the hell..."
A pillar-shaped shadow stretched out before the retreating Ricardo.
I watched in stunned disbelief as a translucent pillar silhouette emerged, bubbling like boiling water's surface before shifting into human form.
No...
It became me.
[Finally! Hoo has appeared!]
Dripping, translucent Hildebert Talib.
[Give him a round of applause! Looks like Hoo's decided to mimic the cute rookie Badger in the waiting area today!]
"Me?"
"Creepy face..."
My sharp hearing caught Ricardo's mutter.
"Arrogant-looking..."
Me?
I couldn't ask.
Ricardo had reshaped his remaining shape-shifting weapon into a dagger and swung.
Whoosh. The dagger sliced through fake Hildebert Talib's neck.
The sound of cutting translucent liquid.
The sliced spot collapsed and flowed downward.
But the wobbling, formless mass soon regenerated into fake Hilde.
[As you know, physical attacks don't work well on Hoo!]
"Don't work well" means they work somewhat.
[Especially not with a dagger like that—you can't kill it!]
This is ridiculous.
I furrowed my brow, assessing the situation. Meanwhile, slime Hildebert's right hand sharpened into a dagger.
Mimicking the one Ricardo had swung.
Ricardo stood frozen, face cold as ice, dagger in hand.
Not enough mass to form a spear. Most of the weapon was tied up restraining the human-faced bird, leaving him scant material.
And cold sweat.
Beads on the paler-than-before senior's face were distracting. He didn't look good.
Not like Barbie's stamina drain.
Side effect of using the shape-shifting weapon?
Either way, we needed to end this fast.
I shouted at the creature about to swing its sword-hand like Captain Hook.
"Ricardo!"
He'd killed Nemelda and restrained Pepper—now judge coldly!
"Forfeit!"
The oozing creature swung its arm.
"Forfeit already!"
Slash.
The dagger grazed his neck.
My heart dropped.
Fresh red blood trickled from the thin line across his throat.
A bit deeper, and he'd be dead.
Ricardo scowled, backing away while clutching the wound with his left hand and swinging the dagger.
The silver dagger clashed with the creature's blade-arm.
Clang!
He was overpowered.
I screamed at his recoiling right arm.
"Ric!"
That stubborn bastard!
"Forfeit! Forfeit now!"
At this point, screw it.
"I'm going in!"
Chains be damned.
Electric bars be damned. I dashed to the corner lest the explosions catch lying Barbie and Asil, then bolted for the electric bars.
Bomb chains still on my wrists and ankles.
"Give me a sword!"
"Forfeit!"
The moment I stepped on the electric bars, Ricardo snapped.
"Hurry and release the chains!"
Clang!
My wrists and ankles felt light.
The electric bars vanished, ceiling above gone.
New sensations flooded in. Surrounding spectators, announcer gripping a mic on a giant hoverboard, massive lights on the arena, soaring ceiling.
The colossal colosseum.
Taking it all in, I ran to the senior.
And kicked the fake Talib turning toward me.
Thwack!
Fake Talib flew to the arena corner and splattered.
Now Ricardo Sordi was fully visible. The man lifting his gaze from his ankle to meet my eyes.
I flashed a bright smile at the senior, face like he'd kill someone any second.
"Senior! Let me take you back to the waiting area!"
"You crazy fuck!"
Ricardo grabbed my collar.
He glared murderously at my unyielding smile and growled.
"Nothing in your eyes?"
"I'll end it quick."
I gave a faint smile.
Really...
"I'll do it right, so hand me the sword, Senior."
His green eyes, burning with fire, fixed on me.
Rage and irritation blended into flame.
That fierce blaze, fueled by intense emotion, gradually died down.
Replaced by unknowable feelings.
I didn't bother figuring them out.
Instead, I smiled softly as he released my collar.
"Thanks for trusting me."
"Kill the bird, and I'll make it bigger..."
The senior grumbled irritably, offering the dagger.
"But get so much as a scratch, and you'll regret it like a dog..."
Silver dagger.
I gripped the solid one he handed over. Enough to slice the flapping human-faced bird and Hoo's face-making self.
Enough to cleave the creature beyond the slowly opening gate.
"This is plenty."
I replied to the senior brushing past me.
"I'll do well.
Hunting.
And revenge too.