Chapter 88
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: How Can a Person's Name Be Like That? (3)
Blood Tide loved conversations. They allowed him to learn everything about his opponent. Filling his mind with their stories and savoring them slowly was his favorite hobby.
In that sense, he desperately wanted to have a proper talk with the Royal Knights' new captain. But as he clashed with the man, Blood Tide felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
He was one of the three strongest among the progenitors. The very fact that his epithet was "King of All Blood Tides" spoke volumes about his power.
Yet even he couldn't fully read the new captain's movements. No, failing to read them was secondary. That initial attack—what the hell was it?
'The moment it touched me, I couldn't even move my body. It was like time itself was crushing me...'
It was a ridiculous metaphor, even to him. But he couldn't think of it any other way. In his mind, the most absolute, unstoppable force was time itself.
And that unease grew stronger as he watched the captain dodge. There wasn't even a hint of his evasion path. It meant he—Blood Tide himself—had missed the enemy's movements.
Yet the man didn't move that fast normally. Was there a penalty for using his power? No, he used it far too often for that to be the case.
'No point overthinking it.'
First, he needed to test the enemy's limits. Blood Tide twitched a single finger. With that alone, blood spears—that had devoured dozens, hundreds of knights—erupted toward him.
It was a perfect blind spot. No human—no demon, unless they had hundreds of eyes—could see it coming. And yet, that human dodged it effortlessly.
Blood Tide didn't get angry. If anything, he felt his mouth water. A mere human, this strong? Then he must have an incredible story to tell.
"Heh, I'm getting ahead of myself here."
He wanted to end the fight quickly and hear that story. From a human perspective, it was like the urge to dive into a gripping novel. Blood Tide ramped up his intensity.
He'd initially aimed to capture alive if possible. But now his mind had changed. He'd lop off limbs instead. And with his attacks now purposeful, they bore fruit.
"Kuh?!"
Spears bursting from the ground and air cleanly severed Hans's right arm. Pathetically, since it wasn't life-threatening, Time Stop didn't activate.
Thus, he lost his arm in an instant. Fortunately, he'd been switching stances and wasn't holding his sword in his right hand. Still, the momentum shifted in a heartbeat.
That was humanity's weakness. Demons could regenerate severed limbs with enough time. But humans—and all continent-dwellers—couldn't. Blood Tide laughed.
"The tide has turned. Why not surrender now?"
"...So you'll spare my life?"
"Of course. I'll guarantee it personally."
Most in this situation wouldn't beg for life—they'd demand death instead. Blood Tide couldn't understand it. He grasped concepts like pride and honor, sure.
But what did it matter once you were dead? And an opponent's death wasn't ideal for him either. It meant losing access to their unique stories.
Thus, he'd personally killed foes with his own hands only a handful of times. And even those were mostly disappointingly weak.
So begging for life wasn't bad in Blood Tide's eyes. Quite the opposite—he welcomed it with open arms. More stories to hear.
"In exchange, tell me more tales. Oh, and if you want, I can reattach your arm for—"
Blood Tide abruptly cut himself off, mid-rant. A chilling sensation pierced his spine. Without thinking, he leaped back. What was that just now?
In that moment, he saw it: Hans's severed right arm dissolving before his eyes. Bone and muscle crumbled to dust in seconds.
Severed body parts vanishing like that did happen in rare cases. But disintegrating this fast? This was a first.
"What the...?"
"Shut up and die."
"?!"
The man, kneeling moments ago, surged forward. Not giving up? Fine, lop off a leg then. Blood Tide moved to act—
But his body wouldn't obey. Precisely, it didn't follow his thoughts. Like flailing in quicksand. A horrifying sensation.
Compared to that, the man's sword was blindingly fast. Just like that initial strike—utterly irresistible. And with a swing, Blood Tide's head was cleanly severed.
My arm... got cut off...?
I stared blankly at it. The right arm, spraying blood as it flew through the air. Realizing it snapped me back—searing pain followed.
Like someone cauterizing below my right shoulder with a branding iron. My stomach churned. I barely held back vomit and collapsed to my knees.
Until now, Time Stop had auto-activated. My life was in danger. But not this time. What was the difference? I realized soon enough.
Intent.
Blood Tide had attacked carelessly before.
Anywhere would do.
But that was lethal to me. One hit and I'm dead. This time, though, he targeted my arm specifically for capture.
No mortal threat. No Time Stop. I gritted my teeth. Penalty for over-relying on it? All that's left is acceleration...!!!
[If you use it like that, you'll die too.]
"...Ha."
She appeared. The girl with white hair and red-and-black eyes. The chuunibyou claiming to be "Time" herself. She smiled in front of me.
"This is my only option right now."
[No, you have other options.]
"Like what?"
[Make a deal with me.]
"A deal? With you?"
Dealing with her? The only thing that came to mind was that previous time acceleration—which had massive penalties, forcing me to risk my life.
[I'd like you to live a long time.]
"..."
[But this opponent's a real nasty one, huh?]
"Get to the point."
[Give me your right arm. Deal? Simple, right?]
I glanced at my arm. Pain had faded briefly amid the distraction, but her words brought it roaring back. I grimaced.
"...So you'll spare my life?"
[Of course!]
I nodded. Her mouth split into a grin, corners nearly touching her ears. Simultaneously, my severed right arm turned to dust and flowed to her—to her right arm, precisely.
Her arm still looked like a delicate girl's. But instinctively, I knew: her right arm was now mine. Dealing with her was still a raw—
No, not the time. I had to take down that progenitor somehow. Fortunately, the power from our deal was incredibly useful.
I gripped my sword with my remaining left hand. One eye, one arm left. But the power from her more than offset the penalties—it was overwhelming.
That's why I charged forward confidently. No Time Stop. Saving it as insurance. Blood Tide reacted instantly.
A progenitor was still a progenitor.
No tricks would even graze him.
I'd traded blows with Comprachicos or Doppelgangers without Time Stop. But Blood Tide was leagues beyond those small fry.
Then again, he created all Blood Tides. It made sense. That's why the power from her would shine now. Time Acceleration was the piercing spear.
Its accelerated slashes let even my unskilled self carve foes reliably. Sure, the cheating damage came at the cost of my organs rotting from pain.
But compared to that—
This new power was the ultimate shield. It drastically slowed the enemy's time, letting even an infant yawn and dodge. The price for my right arm.
Its name:
Time Deceleration.