Chapter 547: Jealousy is My Power (47)
Chapter 547: Jealousy is My Power (47)
Of course, it would take a little more time for the world to come to a complete standstill.
The fact that color still lingered in my vision was proof of that. I hadn't been able to fully rouse my Aura, fearing the vampire might notice my intentions.
Still, it was better than being completely unprepared.
For the first time, a crack appeared in the vampire's composure.
She seemed to have finally realized that the situation was turning unusual.
But what could she do now?
Time was already slowing to a sluggish crawl, and I was the only one who could navigate freely within this world.
The hand axe, drawn like a bolt of lightning, carved a stark white line through the air.
The axe blade, having soared to its peak, hesitated for a fleeting moment as it sought its prey. The vampire clearly perceived the hand axe, yet she did not retreat.
Her attitude suggested she couldn't care less whether I swung it or not.
My brain, tempered by countless battles, quickly deduced a new hypothesis.
She wasn't rushing in because she relied on her regeneration. The vampire's neck was well within the reach of my hand axe. No matter how much of a fiend she was, if her head was severed, she would be immobilized for at least a few seconds.
If so, there was only one answer.
The vampire had a means to block my axe.
It could be toughened skin or perhaps a sorcerous barrier. Whatever it was, it was clear the vampire was certain of her victory.
That smile of hers still hadn't faded.
So, without hesitation, I brought the hand axe down.
Right into my own shoulder.
Splat! A spray of blood erupted.
The vampire's expression contorted once more, and I decided to finish the sentence I had started earlier.
What was it I said? 'Gladly'?
"…I'll give it to you!"
Her vision was momentarily overwhelmed. Even for the great vampire, a proper response was impossible in that split second.
I delivered a full-powered kick I had prepared in advance. The blow struck the solar plexus of the vampire, who had been aiming for my throat. From behind the curtain of blood, the sound of her breath being knocked out of her escaped.
This was the second move I had planned.
The vampire was a mage who manipulated blood and barriers, but I was a swordsman. No matter how powerful a mage was, I held the advantage in close-quarters brawling.
At least, as long as the vampire hadn't brought her true body.
And this distance was enough.
As the entire world was dyed in monochrome, I drew my sword with my remaining hand.
The sword point aimed toward the lower left.
It was the Yurdina family's secret sword art, the 'Golden Silk Sword.'
The successive strikes of this technique were exceptionally effective at neutralizing an opponent's defense. However, the only concern was that my opponent was a 'vampire.'
Ordinary fangs wouldn't even leave a scratch.
So, I decided to put in a bit more effort. It was a feat that would have been unimaginable in actual combat without my 'Mental Imagery.'
The mana entwining the sword began to loosen like mist. Infused with the subtlety of Unbinding—a single strike.
The lion's teeth, split into five fangs, lunged at the vampire trapped in time.
And then, as the landscape began to regain its color.
The vampire staggered backward, looking down at her chest with a gaze full of disbelief.
Immediately after.
Pshht! Five streaks of crimson paint erupted.
The silver galaxy was drenched in blood.
Blood dripped down, soaking the gray earth.
The vampire clutched her chest, unable to suppress the blood welling up in her throat. The dripping blood and her wide-eyed stare spoke of the woman's shock.
But the vampire wasn't the only one who had staggered back.
I also retreated a couple of steps before collapsing to the ground, coughing up a handful of blood. Blegh. The metallic liquid surged up my throat and spilled onto the earth.
My eyes were just as wide as hers.
When exactly?
I should have been the only one capable of moving within the frozen time. Unless it was an out-of-spec powerhouse like the 'Saint,' it should have been impossible to overwhelm my Mental Imagery.
Hadn't even 'Greed,' one of the Seven Deadly Sins, feared this Mental Imagery of mine?
That was why 'Greed' had constantly pressured me in our previous match to prevent me from activating it. In fact, I had inwardly thought that was the best possible response.
But the 'vampire' was different.
Despite not bringing her true body, my own was a mess, with blood vessels ruptured all over. My internal organs weren't faring much better, leaving my insides in a state of turmoil.
There was one more question remaining.
My sword should have cut deeper than that.
It was a strike intended to be a fatal blow. Naturally, she should have sustained a wound that put her life at risk.
Yet, that monster didn't seem to be on the verge of death. She was wounded, yes, but only to a certain extent.
The vampire coughed up blood, her voice sounding dazed.
"The rumors… weren't lies? How do you… know 'Unbinding'?"
I had just as much I wanted to say.
Forcing my churning stomach to settle, I shakily pushed myself up.
"Auntie… is this any way to treat your nephew-in-law? What on earth did you do to me?"
I spat the words out through gritted teeth. I tried to sound as if I were the victim.
Of course, there was no way she would fall for it.
The vampire simply shook her head, letting out a hollow laugh.
A faint heat flickered in those blue eyes. Whether it was ecstasy or rage, I couldn't tell.
Perhaps it was both.
Her sharp blue eyes pierced me like blades.
"Nephew-in-law, shouldn't you answer my question first? There's an order to these things, you know…."
"Isn't my answer obvious?"
At my blunt reply, the vampire fell silent for a moment.
She glared at me intently before a twisted smile finally spread across her face.
"…You?"
"Yes. Though I'm lacking, I am receiving instruction from the Great Witch."
It was a lie that would have made the Great Witch raise her voice in protest had she been here.
I had never officially become the Great Witch's disciple. 'Binding' and 'Unbinding' were merely techniques I had stolen by peeking into the memories of the man from the future.
But there was a reason I deliberately gave a false statement.
That reason was revealed shortly after.
The woman let out a sharp, hissing breath. Her weary eyes narrowed slightly.
It meant she was displeased.
"How long has it been since you began your studies?"
Her cold tone hung at the tip of my chin.
I felt as if her question were a blade. I felt that if I took a single wrong step, my head would be lopped off instantly.
So, I smiled inwardly.
She was agitated.
I didn't know the full story, but the Great Witch and the vampire were sisters and enemies. Naturally, she was more likely to get worked up when the other's name was mentioned.
And excessive emotional shifts led to mistakes.
A gap of a mere instant was fine; a single slip of the tongue was enough.
Anything that could help.
In any case, I needed the Great Witch's help to escape this barrier. Although she had been repelled by the vampire, I had no doubt she would return soon.
There was no basis for it.
I just had a strange conviction. That she obviously would.
Therefore, my task was simple.
Buy time, gather information, and look for opportunities to accumulate damage.
The rest was up to the Great Witch.
I decided to drag out my words on purpose.
"I haven't really counted. Perhaps… two months?"
"…Liar."
The sound of teeth grinding echoed through the air.
Surprised by her reaction, which exceeded my expectations, I studied the vampire's face closely. The woman was now gnawing on her black glove.
A familiar emotion was writhing in those blue eyes.
An emotion I had encountered countless times within the Academy over the past few days.
Jealousy and inferiority.
"Are you lying to your aunt? Now, now, that's naughty… That's not a clumsy technique that can be mastered in two months."
"How would you know that?"
"Because it was my secret technique!"
The vampire roared, the veins in her neck bulging.
Her gaze was so intense it gave the impression of blue flames. Every time her ghostly voice tore through the air, the blood spilled on the ground danced rhythmically.
Even the droplets of blood falling from my own mouth.
I nearly gagged, unable to bear my churning stomach. I felt like I was finally starting to understand.
That monster was controlling all the blood in the vicinity.
But how?
At the very least, she hadn't been able to control the blood inside my body. If she could, she wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of coming close to bite my neck.
Making me combat-ineffective would have been simple.
While my questions deepened, the vampire's vivid blue howling continued to batter my eardrums.
"But 'that bitch'… 'that bitch' stole it! She even had the audacity to demonstrate it in front of me! No, no… in truth, that wasn't all she took. Everything… 'that bitch' took everything from me!"
Vrrr, vrrr. The vibrations resonated.
The vampire's wrath was shaking the entire area. Feeling as if I might be forced to my knees again, I gripped my sword once more.
There was hope.
If my sword didn't work at all, that would be one thing, but I had a chance in a close-quarters exchange. It was just as I made up my mind and took a step forward.
Wait.
I felt a strange sense of dissonance and looked down at my feet.
I had clearly taken a step forward, yet the distance between the vampire and me remained unchanged.
Strangely so.