Chapter 97
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Second Form -3-
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The barbaric barrage pouring from four forearms each as thick as a man's torso didn't carry any aura, but its sheer power alone shook the underground cavern.
Boom! Crash! Bang!
-Don't dodge, you bastard! Take it!
-What are you doing! Faster...! Swing it faster! Hurry!
-I-I'm doing it!
'One thing's for sure—no need for aura with that strength.'
Weapons that casually shattered nearby decorations and thick walls.
That kind of power surpassed the destructive force of ordinary aura with pure muscle alone. A chilling strength that sent shivers down the spine, but since it followed simple trajectories, staying calm made it easy enough to dodge.
Especially against an opponent whose head was completely fried. He didn't even realize his right arm always smashed straight down while his left swung from left to right in endless repetition.
Once you saw through an undead like that, experienced a few patterns, and prepared just one proper weapon, anyone could take it down on a try.
Its exterior, bloated with muscle, came with high physical resistance to blunt strikes or slashes.
But it had an impressive HP pool, so it was easier with a holy-attribute weapon or a mage companion versed in fire magic.
'Can't commit to one shot yet...'
Transforming into Rakshasa without perfect proficiency consumed mana like crazy, so he hesitated to do it rashly.
The conclusion: whittle it down until he was confident of a one-shot kill as Rakshasa. He gripped the warhammer's handle tight in his palm once more.
[Sterling Warhammer]
▷ Deals bonus damage to undead.
▷ Contains divinity.
-A warhammer forged by melting down rosaries from devout nuns.
Dodging a falling greatsword, he slammed his warhammer—cloaked in blue aura—down on the undead's massive hand.
Crack-!
No blood flowed beneath the shattered muscle; pale flesh crumbled and scattered like marble.
-Argh!! It hurts! Why does it hurt?
-Kyaaah! It stings... It hurts...!
It regenerated sluggishly, but recovery was pathetically slow compared to the forehead wound from the dagger earlier.
One strike confirmed it. Dinner with Rike at home was on the table.
'...Faster than I thought.'
—
Boom-! Thud! Whoosh-
-You rat!
-I hate pain! Stop it!
Splat!
Flesh leaped from the undead like a fish as he struck down.
-Urk! My queen! Are you alright?
-Kyaaah—! No...!
"Tch..."
He'd told Rike at home it was a simple job before heading out.
Worried about getting hurt and catching an earful, he only struck at perfectly open moments and pulled back. Prioritizing safety, about five minutes? Maybe ten in reality.
The undead's stamina had no limit, and its swing speed stayed constant, turning it into a rhythm game.
The hulking figure, who'd taken a three-hit massage to the shoulder with the hammer, staggered back and glared.
-You've... come to steal this body's kingdom...! I know your identity... Empire's assassin!
-What do we do? I wanna live! Let's run!
-What about our citizens then...!
A tear-jerking melodrama from the utterly broken-minded undead.
Treating the zombies they'd placed as citizens and refusing to flee—it might even be nobler than the current emperor.
"Delusions... Sigh. Yeah, sure. I'm an imperial assassin. Here to take the king's head."
-You scum!! Don't covet my kingdom—!!!
-We'll chop off your head and send it to the Empire as a warning!
Its dented skin regenerated swiftly, pale flesh turning black as its eyes fully rolled back.
Berserk mode at under 30% HP. It charged, swinging weapons far faster than before.
Perfect timing.
He tossed the warhammer into his inventory and assumed a counter stance against the boar-like straight charge.
[First Form - Rakshasa]
Feeling the familiar foreign sensation on his face, he clenched his right hand—and weight filled the palm that should have been empty.
Whoosh-
Gripping the sword blazing white, he twisted his waist and slashed as if hurling it forth.
Slash.
The horizontal strike sent the middle-aged woman's head spinning away.
Best to cut her first to avoid annoying black magic at the end.
Ignoring the crown shattering midair and her piercing scream, he pulled the sword from right to left, carving deeply into her chest.
Splatter-!
Black flesh split cleanly in a V, white flames leaping to the rotting undead meat.
-Aaaah-!!! Argh!!!
Forgetting its charge amid the agony blazing in its chest, the undead dropped its massive weapons to the floor and tore at its burning flesh with its own hands.
'Useless for healing, but beats holy power at purging.'
Compared to divinity—which benefited humans and sent impurities skyward—this was extremely one-sided, but it filled him up just fine.
'About three seconds on a named like this?'
Recording the shorter duration than last time, he gripped the sword tight.
-Grooo!! Uwaaa!! M-my queen!!
As the flames subsided, it groped its now-empty neck. Curious about the reaction, but what was the point of sparing it? It'd charge again if fine.
"What're you looking for? You'll meet soon enough."
-Th-this... like this...!
Slice-
Still human at heart? Despite being undead, its eyes feared death—so he cleanly severed the head.
"I sent you off nicely. Be grateful."
Thud!
The giant body collapsed, and the bright yellow talisman on Rakshasa's sword absorbed the sinister energy.
Shaaa-
Sated, the sword vibrated with satisfaction.
Finally...! Red letters filled the talisman without gaps.
If he hadn't skimmed the game with bookmarks, he'd be dizzy thinking how long it'd take.
[Second Form acquisition conditions fulfilled.]
[Mana cost of First Form Rakshasa reduced.]
[Acquired derivative skill of First Form: White Flame.]
[Gained strong resistance to impurities.]
"Haa...!"
The insane catharsis washing over him after the tension peaked.
Completing one of the War God's five forms and meeting conditions granted bonuses like resistances or skills.
Impurities covered black magic, undead corruption, etc. His favorable matchup against undead and demons flipped completely.
With Rakshasa's mana cost reduced, he could quit adventuring, join the Church, and get top treatment proving his abilities.
But what he wanted most from the first form was...
Fwoosh-
'Not hot, as expected.'
A small white flame danced in his hand. Now he could use White Flame without the form! Without Rakshasa's talisman-plastered sword.
By his memory, destructive power was less than half compared to using it in Rakshasa state. The felt strength matched.
Tricky to pair with aura, but it perfectly covered Rakshasa's single-shot nature and short duration. Felt like real growth.
'Feels damn good!'
Second Form offered choices on first use, so too soon to check.
Heading home basking in joy, his foot caught a black tome like an encyclopedia.
Thud-
"Hm? Oh, loot dropped."
Not fixed item; variable drops from this monster, so a bit exciting what it'd be.
[Corpse Golem Creation Manual]
'...Burn it.'
—
Two days before the academy's second semester started.
Pondering the second form and practicing to wield White Flame and aura together—like water and oil—made him lose track of the days.
Just two days until he took on academy instructor duties, once a week.
Agreeing with Rike that even living together, time together would shrink, they pinky-swore to maximize remaining days. After eating her homemade lunch and strolling, they headed home.
"Familiar face."
The mailman he hadn't seen in ages spotted them from afar, bowed in greeting, slipped a letter into the mailbox, and left.
"Oppa~ Letter from sis?"
"Sis? Eclair?"
A letter from Eclair. He'd hoped after not seeing her for so long it'd say she missed him, but the content remained cold.
No personal feelings; the palace offered extra rewards, and someone above wanted to relay a message.
Meet tomorrow afternoon in the Adventurer's Guild reception room, or reply if impossible.
"Gotta go, right? Over a week since you saw sis... Long time no see."
Rike said it purely, without malice. But saying in front of his lover he missed another lover and was excited to go—his tongue wouldn't move easily.
Even if they met.
She'd be busy lately, and the meeting spot was inside the guild.
No chance for a date-like thing. Just seeing her well would satisfy.
"Hm... Work, so gotta go."
Seeing his awkward expression, Rike giggled and pressed her lips to his ear. Hot breath accompanied her sticky whisper.
"You worry about the weirdest things. Fine then... Satisfy me tonight, and go with peace of mind."