Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Demon Race Unleashed Poison in the Dwarf Principality! (4)
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Ttaak!
Kkwaak!
Uwaak!
Suddenly sorry for yelling those weird sounds, but that was all I could do right now. Its attack was several times faster than the one the doppelganger had spat out earlier.
There was no way I could spot it and react in time. Even so, I managed to dodge thanks to my time stop ability. In just one second, I checked where the attack was coming from and evaded it.
A death-defying acrobatics act where even the slightest error would send me straight to hell. Naturally, now that I was stuck playing the acrobat, all I wanted was to run away immediately.
"Dodging like that's a real work of art, huh?"
"......"
"But you can't win just by dodging forever. You know that, right?"
The thing let out a grating, scraping noise midway through, but I brushed it off easily. I was fully aware I was total cannon fodder, after all. There was no pride left to chip away at.
But I wasn't just dodging endlessly. While evading, I analyzed its attack patterns bit by bit. The first thing that stood out was the startup lag.
After each attack, it writhed for a few seconds. Of course, from my perspective, striking during that window meant betting my life, so I had no choice but to move cautiously.
I didn't even know if my attacks would land properly. On the other hand, one thing was certain: its strikes could shred my body to pieces.
Man, I just wanna go home. Fuck.
And now its attacks were getting even more varied. For example, it'd hurl thorns straight at me, but really it had dug a trap in the floor and was waiting.
If it weren't for the one-second no-cooldown, I'd have fallen right into that and lost my life without question. In a situation where I felt like a flounder flopping helplessly, all that came out were tears.
But blaming others in any situation doesn't make you a pro. No matter what, I was the captain of the Royal Knights right now. Even if it was just in name.
I'd do whatever I could.
That way, I could retire without shame. With my mind made up, I charged forward. Naturally, it counterattacked. Everything turned gray once more.
Staring at the silver spear frozen right in front of me again sent chills down my spine, but how many deaths had I already witnessed? If this was enough to stop me, I never would've started.
I slipped past its attack by a paper-thin margin. There wasn't enough time to move more dramatically. As expected, its strike passed over me...... Wait, what?
The thing was grinning even though its attack had missed. Sensing the chill, I stopped time again. I didn't even have time to turn around properly. Less than a second.
Stopping time again was the right call. When I whipped my head around, the silver spear that had passed me was aiming right for Biral's neck. Oh, you fucking...... My god.
Biral had nearly lost his life. I sighed in relief even as I grimaced. I'd already stopped time for over a second. The cooldown was ticking.
In other words, if I didn't finish this thing properly now, its next attack would kill me. Despite it not being hyperbole this time, I was surprisingly calm. I racked my brains coolly.
"Yeah, this is it."
The ancient sages said that if the battle turns against you, seize the terrain advantage. The ground around the castle was crumbling from the ongoing fight.
I decided to use the debris falling from the ceiling first. It was out of reach, of course, so while scanning for a way, I spotted a nearby desk and chair.
I dragged the desk over roughly, stacked the chair on top, and suddenly I could reach the debris. I clung to a massive chunk like hanging from a steel bar.
Boom!!
The debris plummeted, smashing the thing's silver spear flat. Cracks spiderwebbed across the floor at the same time. Good, that should do it here. Next up, the main body.
I considered time acceleration for a moment but quickly scrapped it. The pain of my organs ripping apart wasn't a joke. Unless it was dire, I didn't want to use that.
No helping it then. I drew my sword and stabbed at it with everything I had. Kwaaaak!! Fortunately, the blade didn't bend, but it didn't sink in properly either.
I was getting overpowered in strength. It felt like stabbing into solid rock. The sliver of hope was that, thanks to the blessing on the sword, it at least scratched the surface.
Sawing wouldn't work well against this thing's body composition.
So thrusting like an awl it was.
I gripped the sword with both hands and stabbed furiously.
Just doggedly drill one spot, and something's bound to give.
Someone—no.
Most people would call us evil.
And they wouldn't be wrong. I have no intention of making excuses one by one. But that doesn't mean I regret it. I'll say it proudly: we betrayed them to survive.
Of course, some opposed the chieftain's will. How could we betray our own kin, let alone the continent? Surprisingly, they were the majority, which was shocking.
Didn't we suffer persecution together? Didn't we endure hell together? How could they still cling to such weak thoughts? That in itself was horrifying.
The continent's scourge.
Beings that shouldn't exist.
Cursed monsters.
Maligned and despised like that, without any protection whatsoever. How could they not harbor revenge? I couldn't understand it, but they were kin, so I respected them in my own way.
We buried them all together in the end. No more complaints now. The weak have no place in the future our chieftain is forging.
"Undoubtedly the right thing to do. Rotten flesh must be cut away."
Carrying that burden would've rotted us all the same. And it did happen. To the demon race, we were nothing but disposable tools.
They slapped the fancy title of Blood Tide on our chieftain and demanded results in return. Fail to deliver satisfaction, and you're purged. That was the price we paid.
No complaints there either. I never thought a traitor's life would be easy. So we gave it our all. To survive. For hundreds of years without rest.
And we survived. I was confident we'd survive this time too. Until facing that man. I prided myself on speed surpassing most demons.
But not a single attack landed on him. It was like he was toying with me, dodging by a hair's breadth every time. If not for that baggage behind him.
I would've been the one hit instead. He was luring attacks to protect the baggage. I knew it, but had no choice. Lose what you're guarding, and you're next.
"Dodging like that's a real work of art, huh?"
"......"
"But you can't win just by dodging forever. You know that, right?"
Not even a reaction to the taunts. Of course. Performing a stunt where the tiniest failure means death without a care requires nerves of steel. No way taunts would faze that.
That man is dangerous.
Can't let him reach the chieftain, no matter what.
Mind made up, only one answer. Bait him in and inflict a fatal wound somehow. Bone for bone. Mutual destruction, in a word.
From the start, I'd sworn my life to guarding the chieftain's back. And I wasn't an exception. He dodged the barrage of silver spears all too easily.
But I knew that already. What I'd aimed for from the beginning was the baggage behind. For a split second, he'd notice. Well, what now?
The moment you save the baggage, you'll both get skewered and die. Abandon it, and I'll stake my life to wound you fatally.
Perfect plan, I thought.
Until the spear got crushed by debris.
Fast, sure, but not strong. My spear was neutralized in an instant. When did he even get that up there? I'm no dullard who can't read the surroundings.
Clearly, before the debris fell, my spear could've claimed the baggage's life easily. But suddenly debris dropped from above and pinned it.
And then it hit me.
What that man had done!
But the moment I realized, I belatedly noticed he'd vanished from in front of me. At the same time, something pierced deep into my body. Ah, so that's how it was.
Overwhelming speed even the eye couldn't follow. Boldness to protect the baggage while striking the enemy's throat. Strategy exploiting terrain and objects flawlessly.
I lowered my head. My heart was run through. Maybe defeat was sealed from the start. Have to admit what I must......
My complete defeat.
In skill or strategy.