Chapter 30 - Descent of the Saintess (3)
The saintess's pale fingertip pointed toward Hans, who had lost all will to fight.
"I'll heal you up."
"H-Hiiik!!!"
Senior Hans, gripped by terror, slapped his ass in panic and stumbled backward.
"D-Don't! Don't do it...!!"
Paaat-!!
A burst of light erupted from the saintess's fingertip, engulfing him. He didn't even have time to scream. The moment the light touched him, Senior Hans's body dissolved into red mist, scattering into the air just like the other two.
Poof-!!
"......"
Now it was just me, Piarot, and Rena left. I forced my trembling legs to move, blocking Piarot's path. Then I thrust my forearm roughly behind my back.
"Piarot, drink!!"
"!!!!"
But the space behind me was eerily silent. I whipped around in desperation, only to see her shaking her head furiously with teary eyes, backing away.
"N-No!!"
"Piarot!!"
Her gaze flicked between my forearm and the saintess standing far off.
"B-But if you get hurt... you'll be the next target..."
"Ah..."
But this wasn't the time for sentimentality.
"Don't talk nonsense, idiot! We're all gonna die anyway!! The order doesn't matter!!"
"Don't! I don't want... I don't want you dying because of me...!!"
That was when it happened.
"There."
The saintess raised her index finger again. The tip pointed straight at us. I flinched instinctively, body going rigid. Me? But the angle was off—just a bit. Her finger bypassed me, aiming right at Piarot's face behind my back. Specifically, under her eyes. Those deep, dark circles from exhaustion and mana depletion.
"Your complexion looks poor. Lack of sleep is the enemy of good skin, you know."
"......!!"
Damn it, she can heal that too?!
"Drink now!! Piarot!!"
"Ugh..."
Piarot squeezed her eyes shut.
Wooong-!!
A swirl of destructive light began gathering in the saintess's palm. If that fired, Piarot was done for.
"Fuck!!"
I didn't hesitate—I brought my wrist straight to my mouth.
Crunch-!!
"Guh...!"
Biting down hard into my flesh, a metallic tang flooded my mouth as red blood welled up. I shoved my gushing wrist toward Piarot's lips by force.
"No!! Evan!!"
She tried to push my arm away.
"Hurry!! It's too late already!!"
"Oh my."
The saintess's half-closed eyes curved into crescents at the sight of blood streaming from my wrist.
"You're hurt. Let me heal that for you."
The light's trajectory shifted from under Piarot's eyes to my wrist.
"Now!!!"
At my desperate scream, Piarot parted her lips with tears brimming. Her red lips enveloped my mangled wrist.
Gulp.
A hot swallow down her throat. At the same instant, the saintess unleashed a torrent of white light that poured into my body.
Sizzzzzz-!!
It was a bizarre sensation. My wound healed and sealed in an instant.
Thump-!
Piarot's heartbeat thundered through the forest after swallowing my blood.
Shoooo.
A dazzling silver wave began spreading from her hair.
But things didn't go as I'd expected. Instead of charging the saintess, she lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my bleeding body.
"B-Blood... Piarot!!"
"No way! If you're dying, Evan, then I'll die with you!!"
Her scream, laced with desperation, rang out as the saintess's white light engulfed us—or rather, just me.
Shoooooo.
The light passed through Piarot harmlessly, drawn only into the wound on my wrist.
Targeting skill?
My wrist began writhing grotesquely where the light seeped in.
Crack, rip.
"Kuh...!"
The cells in my wrist multiplied abnormally, swelling up. Agony as my veins threatened to burst. The fates of our fallen comrades flashed through my mind.
I'll die like this...!
Shing-!!
I drew the longsword from my waist without a second thought. Gripping it backward, I aimed the blade at my own side.
Squelch-!!!
"Gaaargh!!"
A horrific tearing sound as the cold steel pierced between my ribs. Searing pain exploded in my brain. My vision flashed white from the torment of metal gouging living flesh.
But it worked immediately.
Sizzzzzz-!!
The saintess's light flickered in confusion. The healing force, headed for my wrist, surged toward my newly damaged side instead.
Screeech, creak.
My flesh regenerated wildly, trying to push the embedded sword out. If the sword was expelled, the wound would close. If it closed, the excess healing would make my body explode.
"Ughhhh...!!"
I gritted my teeth, clutching the emerging sword with both hands. Grinding through the regenerating flesh, I shoved it even deeper.
"E-Evan!!"
Piarot, holding me, screamed in horror. Blood frothed from my mouth.
The saintess's skill has targeting!! So then!!
I glared at Piarot with bloodshot eyes and yelled.
"Guh... Piarot!! Now!! She can only heal one at a time!!"
While I endured this insane pain, pinning down the saintess's healing. This was our one shot.
"Please!! No time!!"
Rumble-!!
The earth screamed. Centered on Piarot, who held me, a storm of dense red energy exploded outward. It was less mana and more like materialized killing intent.
She looked down at me with bloodshot eyes. The sight of me, drenched in blood and stabbing myself, snapped the fuse of her reason.
Piarot glared at the saintess.
"You... I won't forgive you!!"
Crunch!!
Piarot kicked off the ground and charged. Each step cracked the earth like a spiderweb, the ground crumbling beneath her.
Whoosh!
Explosive acceleration. Like a red comet, she closed the distance to the saintess in an instant. Her ten fingertips sprouted sharp claws like a beast's.
Piarot slashed through the air without mercy.
"Die!!!"
Clang-!!
Space itself tore along her claw's path, three streaks of red lightning engulfing the saintess.
Slash.
Sizzz-!!
Before the severed body parts hit the ground, sticky flesh threads spurted from the cut surfaces like unraveling yarn. Like living glue, they yanked the pieces back together.
Splat, squelch.
The quartered body jerked in midair before magnetically snapping back to normal in a flash.
"!!!!!"
That was when it happened. Beneath Piarot's feet on the ground, the thick shadows rippled like a swamp.
Rumble rumble-!
From the black pool rose two obsidian spears with massive arrowhead tips.
"Eat this!!"
With Piarot's gesture, the shadow spears shot toward the saintess like living serpents.
Thrust-!!
"Guhk..."
No time to dodge. The arrowhead spear impaled the saintess's slender abdomen, bursting out her back. Dark red blood surged from her mouth.
At the same time, from her torn belly, dazzling radiance leaked like light from a shattered jar.
"Grrrrr...!"
Piarot bared her teeth, raising her hand skyward. The shadow spear skewered the saintess like a spit, hoisting her into the air. Her feet left the ground. No escape now.
"Rip you to shreds!!"
Piarot's fingers danced like a conductor's. The remaining shadow spear morphed into a flexible whip, lashing at the airborne saintess.
Snap-!!
The whip severed her left arm, but it began regenerating instantly.
Whoosh! Thwack! Thud!
The black whip didn't stop. It battered her body at invisible speeds. Thigh sliced off, side gouged, ankle shattered. But each time, the threads wove back together.
"Kuh!!"
Simple cuts were useless. It just stuck back like a magnet.
Piarot realized it too.
"If I don't let it reattach...!!"
Crack-!!
Piarot manipulated the shadow spear to coil around the saintess's left arm. Instead of slicing, she yanked it off by force.
Riiip!!
A sound like splintering wood echoed as the arm tore free from the shoulder. Piarot flung it to the ground.
But.
Twitch.
The shoulder began regenerating at a horrifying speed.
Her main body's recovery defies imagination.
Splat. Squelch. Slash.
Flesh rained down from the air, clumping back together dozens, hundreds of times. It was like watching a glitched video on endless loop—nauseating visual violence.
The saintess was dying hundreds of times in midair, yet never truly dying. Even skewered, her reforming face twisted into a grotesque smile each time.
"Please... please... just die... save Evan... sob..."
Piarot sobbed, swinging the shadow spear wildly. Her tears mixed with the saintess's spraying blood in the air.
Grind...
The pain in my side was reaching its limit too. The saintess's healing pushing out the sword, my muscles desperately holding it. My vision flickered as organs twisted and nerves burned.
This wouldn't work. The moment Piarot's mana ran dry, or I passed out and dropped the sword—we'd be wiped out.
Something... I need something else.
I clung to the fraying edge of consciousness.
Think!! A way to kill the saintess!! A way for all of us to survive!!
Then, a flash of insight pierced my spinning mind.
"......"
This was the only way. My social dignity would be obliterated. But life mattered more.
I steeled myself.
"Piarot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I screamed her name until my throat tore.
"Huh?"
Piarot whipped around, her tear-streaked face startled.
"C-Come here!!! Ughhh!!!"
Urk, urk.
My self-inflicted side wound throbbed. Regeneration clashed with my grip, dark blood fountaining out.
"Evan!!"
Piarot rushed over, pale as a ghost. She clutched my bloody hand in both of hers. Her hands trembled violently.
"This is... cough! I know this sounds totally insane!!"
"It's okay! Tell me, Evan! What do I do? How can I save you?!!"
She peered into my face, sobbing. She'd sell her soul to the devil if it saved me.
"It sounds like total bullshit, but...!! This is the only way right now!!"
"I get it!! Just tell me!! Evan, hurry!!"
Yeah, better than dying. I squeezed my eyes shut.
And with my dying breath, I shouted heroically.
"G-Give me... a blowjob!!"