Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Ameris's Salvation
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With an arrogant expression, she looked down from the sky. I spoke to Ameris.
"Brace yourself, Ameris. No, Cellus. I'm going to beat some sense into you until you snap out of it."
At my words, Ameris's eyes began to glow red.
"Yes, kill me. Drive this body to the ends of the earth!"
"Erina, Baek A-rin! Battle stations. We're going to thrash her until she comes to her senses and drag her along. Erina, Plan A!"
"We never made any plans!"
"Why not? We trained together!"
At my words, Erina shouted back as if remembering.
"Already ready! [Blessing of the Heavens]."
[Skill (Blessing of the Heavens) intervenes in the Empty Skillbook.]
[All skill levels are fixed at 5.]
[All stats temporarily rise.]
[Mental strength noticeably increases.]
This should be more than enough to smack some sense into one arrogant brat who's lost her mind.
Fake Flash Strike uses way too many skills at once.
I'll counter with Bunny Hop as much as possible.
The Bunny Hop I'd always been adjusting for distance.
Even at level 1, it was such trash that I couldn't even brake properly.
But that also means, in reverse, it's a force that no human leg strength could brake straight.
I'd always toned down the power to the minimum to target opponents on the ground.
Otherwise, I'd smash into the earth before reaching the enemy because I couldn't handle my own power.
But right now, Ameris is floating in the air.
'That means I can go full power without holding back.'
The Bunny Hop I'd always controlled.
Today, it's full level 5 Bunny Hop.
I crouched in place and prepared Bunny Hop.
"Come at me! How will you kill me?!"
"Hoo. Here goes."
[Bunny Hop]
"Kwaaaaaagh!"
The sensation of kicking off the ground from my toes...
I don't even feel that.
At some point, I was just flying through the sky.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Ameris's panicked voice rang out.
But it was already too late.
A speed even I, the user, couldn't perceive.
No matter how much it was Ameris, she couldn't react.
"Die!"
I drew my dagger and thrust toward Ameris.
"No, you madman Si-woo!!! What do you mean die?!"
"Kim Si-woo..."
No, I know.
It just came out like a habit.
The blade tip grazed Cellus's arm.
I brushed past her and kept climbing higher.
"Don't toy with me! You have no intention of killing me?!"
Ameris, indignant at my attack.
I have no intention of killing her, but I've never toyed around either.
[Psyche's Blade unique effect activates.]
"Th-this is..."
Ameris froze, unable to move.
Normally she'd collapse in pain, but as expected of the true ancestor.
Still, it seems I can bind her movements.
"Do you think you can face this body?!"
Ameris spoke, looking up at me as I continued to gain altitude.
This wasn't some reckless stunt.
[Dark Screen] - LV. 5
The moment I activated the skill in midair, Dark Screen enveloped Ameris and the surrounding area.
"Stop these childish tricks!"
I told you, it's not a trick.
After countless practices, a 4.3-second technique with a 100% success rate.
I stepped and maneuvered in the air.
[Dark Strike]
In an instant, I moved behind Ameris's neck and wrapped my arm around it.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
She's flustered!
"Choke!!!"
"You think a choke like that would work on this body?!"
Ameris shouted indignantly.
This is bad. She really seems pissed.
I don't know how long Psyche's Blade effect will last.
I have to settle this before it wears off.
"Hoo."
I know it too. Even with my thick forearms, a normal choke won't knock out a true ancestor.
But what I'm doing isn't a normal choke.
In skills, I lack Baek A-rin's finesse.
Erina's sturdiness.
Kang Hwa-yeon's or Lee Seong-hyeon's raw power.
That's why I'm confident in unorthodox skill applications more than anyone.
The arm choking her neck.
I gripped the dagger in that arm in reverse grip.
Poor Strike, the skill that swings the blade hard.
It could be seen as 'a skill that swings a sword hard.'
'But that's for people like us who are sword supremacists down to our bones.'
In my eyes, Poor Strike is just mimicking a human arm movement.
At best, 'forcing a very strong movement.'
Wasting it only on swinging a sword would be a shame.
Right now, I'm going to use Poor Strike to choke her neck.
I activated the skill toward the direction choking her neck.
[Poor Strike] - LV. 5
My right arm dug in deep, forcibly and very strongly squeezing Ameris's right carotid artery.
"Guek!"
"Whether you're a true ancestor or vampire, stab you and blood comes out! Of course you have blood vessels! Blood doesn't just sit there for no reason!!!"
As I started squeezing her neck hard, Ameris's already pale face grew even paler.
"Vampires have proper blood flow too!!"
Ameris, still out of her mind, gasped and choked out words.
"Y-you... Let go. If you don't, we'll both fall."
"I don't care!!"
I need to seize the advantage decisively.
If I miss this chance while she's off guard, there won't be another.
Carotid artery.
The pathway for blood to the brain.
A vital spot that can instantly kill with a 5cm skewer if aimed well.
One side was properly squeezed.
Now for the remaining left carotid.
I raised my idle left elbow.
Have to aim precisely.
Strike her shoulder dead-on from above!
"I'll snap your left carotid too!"
"Y-you, stop...!"
Smaack-!
My left elbow slammed precisely into her carotid.
Perfect.
Perfectly snapped!
...Wait.
Shouldn't I not snap this?
She's a true ancestor, so she'll come back to life... right?
While I was agonizing, we plummeted into the swamp holding her.
"Kwaaagh!"
The impact doubled because I was holding Ameris.
Reduced by 0.5 times thanks to the swamp.
Conclusion: a couple of my ribs are busted.
"It hurts! It hurts so much!"
As we fell into the swamp, Erina rushed over and extended her hand.
"You madman Si-woo, you okay?"
"Pull me out."
...
After getting utterly wrecked by the swamp and being pulled out.
I laid Ameris on the ground.
"So, what do we do with this?"
She couldn't have died, right?
"You madman Si-woo! You said you'd save her, but who chokes and stabs vitals to save someone?!"
"I wanted to save her for sure."
At my excuse, Baek A-rin shook her head.
"Wasn't it more like you wanted to kill her for sure?"
"I'm wronged."
"Still, she'll come back to life. Considering Cellus's vitality from earlier..."
Baek A-rin was right.
A true ancestor wouldn't die from this.
I looked at Erina.
"Still, we should tie her up. There's definitely rope in the backpack..."
Then, Ameris, lying on my knee, opened her eyes.
"You truly surpass this body's expectations in every way."
"Hey, quick, get the rope to tie her."
At my words, Ameris smiled.
"No need. This game ends now."
"What do you mean?"
"Our conversation was enjoyable. To be honest, you were the most intriguing guest this body has ever invited."
"Then...!"
"But I must die. The living cannot be forgiven."
Her words furrowed my brows, my voice laced with anger.
"If you want to die that badly, I'll kill you. I have the power. I'm the man you've been waiting for to grant you death. So follow my words. If you still want to die after that, then I'll kill you. With my own hands..."
At my words, Ameris gave an uncharacteristic smile.
"For some reason, I sensed an intriguing—no, nostalgic scent on you. A familiar, wistful, heartbreaking scent like mine."
"Then even more...!"
"Perhaps that's why. I showed you memories this body never intended to show anyone. Maybe I wanted to be saved by a man like you from my shameful, wretched past. If I must die, a man like you wouldn't be bad."
Got her. She's coming around.
I smiled at her words and replied.
"I'll grant that wish. Once you've enjoyed what you want, when it's time for me to die, I'll fulfill your wish."
"No, that's impossible as is."
An ominous feeling hit me as I looked at Ameris—only for her to vanish from sight.
What the—.
And then Ameris reappeared before me.
"In the end, this was all this body's playacting."
This gold-digger.
I tried to choke her again, but couldn't reach.
Ameris continued unperturbed.
"If you were truly the man to kill me, you would have seen through this all being fake."
...Certainly, Lee Seong-hyeon would have noticed with [Piercing Gaze].
Ameris smiled.
"But it's already too late."
With her words, the surrounding scenery vanished entirely.
Ameris herself included.