〈 Chapter 206 〉 Chapter 203 – VS Malbaki (2)
*
‘Did I freeze in fear?’
The instant I saw those empty eyes, the feeling I had was nothing but terror.
To desperately forget that feeling, the president unconsciously screamed and swung his fist.
“Are you trying to take revenge now?!”
But before he even realized it, the man in front of him drew his sword.
The target was…
The president’s neck.
He felt it instinctively.
This is going to kill me.
He quickly pulled his body back, but a thin line was already drawn across his neck.
Soon, a stream of blood flowed from the thin line.
If he hadn’t dodged, he would have truly died.
A powerful warning rang in the president’s mind.
The opponent in front of him was genuinely dangerous. He should run. He could die.
No. He would definitely die.
The fact that he was afraid of a mere academy student sat uncomfortably in the president’s mind, so he shouted as loudly as he could.
To forget that fear somehow.
“You brat!”
He immediately drew the Japanese sword hanging on the wall.
Then, in an instant, the man approached the president.
Without realizing it, the president hurriedly experienced the future and regressed.
In that future, the man swung his sword down toward his own head.
Blocking that attack with the sword in his left hand, the president planned to jab his right hand, shattering the man’s face.
A feasible future.
The president, who thought regression was omnipotent, believed so.
When he regressed, he felt like the man’s red left pupil gleamed, but he thought it was just his imagination.
Instead, he blocked the same sword strike he’d experienced in the future.
‘If I swing my fist here, it’s my victory!’
The president was confident he would win.
However, the moment he tried to swing his fist…
BAM!!!
“…Huh?”
The president had to admit that his assumption was wrong.
The man pulled out his sword’s sheath with his left hand and struck the president’s right fist upward.
A fleeting opening.
Through that gap, the man struck the president’s abdomen with his left knee.
Simultaneously, he jumped with his right foot and kicked the president’s chin with his right knee while plunging the sword downward.
This time, without any hesitation.
This was aimed straight at the president’s neck.
‘I’m going to die!’
Thanks to his survival instinct, the president managed to grasp the descending sword with both hands just in time.
He could feel the blade sinking into his palm and fingers, drawing blood.
But somehow, he saved his life, just for now.
As he tried to kick the man away, the guy quickly discarded the sword and kicked the president’s chest, creating some distance.
The sight might be a guard against his own attack.
But to the president, it felt like a declaration.
He could kill me anytime.
Then, the man drew his final sword.
Holding the sheath reversed in his left hand.
The president also gripped the sword he was holding.
The difference was that just a moment ago, he had the blade, but this time he held the handle.
Feeling disgusted with himself, who felt pitiful, the president shouted loudly.
“Are you trying to mimic a killer poorly? Don’t come any closer!”
“……”
Without bothering to respond, the man charged fiercely.
It was almost puzzling how fast he was, considering he wouldn’t be able to enhance his body.
“Die!!!”
The president gripped the sword with both hands and swung down.
Though his grip had weakened due to the recent attack, he thought he couldn’t block it with just one hand.
However, that thought was…
BAM!!!!!
‘W-What kind of strength is this!!!’
The moment the man deflected the president’s sword, he disappeared without a trace.
The guy wasn’t just sprinting with acceleration.
Right before he closed the distance, he spun around adding a rotation.
Then, with his left hand’s sheath held in reverse.
He combined speed, rotation, and strength to strike upward with the sheath.
The president’s sword couldn’t withstand it and was pushed away.
Feeling numbness in his hand, the president unconsciously released the sword.
Simultaneously, the sheath flew up high from the man’s hand.
They both lost one weapon, but…
The man still had one more left.
In no time, he spun around again and swung the sword in his right hand towards the president.
The president hesitated, contemplating swinging his fist again, but decided to quickly experience the future and regressed.
In the future, the man narrowly dodged the fist and slashed near the president’s heart.
That was a very deep cut.
Just looking at it, it was a considerable fatal injury.
‘I’ll back off for a moment and immediately counterattack.’
As soon as the regression ended, once again, the man’s left eye sparkled slightly.
Before he could harbor doubts, the man’s right hand swung fiercely.
In accordance, the president took a small step back.
Finally, a triumphant smile emerged on the president’s face, believing he could win.
“What?”
But that smile quickly vanished.
Because the hand that had just swung did not hold anything.
‘Why is he empty-handed?’
In that moment, a chilling blade pierced his body.
Specifically, between the right ribs.
THWOOOSH!!!
“Ugh!!!”
Only then did the president see the man holding the reversed sword in his left hand.
At the same time, he finally understood how the attack happened.
Initially, the man feigned swinging his sword with his right hand and then released it.
Then, stepping forward with his left foot, he grabbed the sword in reverse with his left hand and slashed.
This was not a technique a mere amateur could use.
Even someone unfamiliar with the weapon would find it incredibly difficult.
Considering he could easily lose his weapon if not careful.
And even if he managed to slash, it would be hard to penetrate like this without high proficiency.
Yet, the man executed it without any issues.
It was beyond common sense to understand.
‘A monster bastard! Just a moment ago, he couldn’t even draw a sword!’
Now the result was a fatal injury with the sword lodged in his right lung.
Still, with the sword stuck, the president determined to attack in this moment.
Of course, that resolution was…
GRAHHHHHHH!!!
As the man twisted the blade in him, he quickly vanished.
All he could do was cling to his fading consciousness.
Now, he wanted to believe it was a dream.
However, the intense pain as his ribs were forcibly opened…
And the blood-curdling scream escaping his mouth painfully reminded him that this was reality.
Desperately, he swung his right fist, and the man pulled out his sword, creating some distance.
Exactly enough to be out of reach of the punch.
Then, he grabbed the sheath that had floated in the air with his right hand.
THUD!!!
“Uhh! Cough! Cough!”
He thrust the sheath deep back into the wound he had just made.
As if not allowing him to breathe properly.
But that wasn’t the end.
With fierce motions, the man drew the sword’s path, drawing red lines across the president’s body.
It looked like the incorrect marks on a grading paper.
You got it wrong.
No such thing as the correct answer.
Soon, numerous lines were drawn across the president’s tendons.
Thigh. Arm. Calf. Arm.
Lines that continuously etched in.
Naturally, there was bleeding, but it was barely just shy of being excessive.
This was not an accident born from clumsiness.
This was the result achieved by being too skilled.
Whether it was instinctual or practiced, no one knew.
As the tendons snapped, the president fell to the ground.
Like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
The man then mounted him, and the president met his gaze.
For the first time since the fight began, he could look closely into the man’s eyes.
Those eyes, like before, were hollow…
But there was some emotion embedded within.
Coldly, and silently boiling rage.
Infinite sorrow and despair.
And finally…
A darkly burning intent to kill, as if promising not to let him die easily.
The man slowly raised his sword in reverse.
Aiming first for the president’s right eye.
The president’s heart held no more pride.
His words, trembling involuntarily, leaked out from his open mouth.
This could stem from fear of the pain to come.
Or perhaps the fear of death.
But most likely…
A desire for life.
Breath was difficult as the sheath lodged in his lung, and he occasionally coughed blood while trying desperately to speak.
“Please, I don’t want to die! Please save me! I’m sorry! Just forgive me this once!”
But the man said nothing in reply.
In some ways, he resembled an executioner.
No need for conversations.
Instead, he suddenly began piercing the air with the sword just beside the president’s right eye, repeatedly.
After a few repetitions.
At last, it seemed the man had found his mark as he quietly lifted the sword again.
Simultaneously, the president understood.
The meaning of what the man had just been doing.
‘H-He’s a madman trying to pierce just the eye and take it out!’
The president’s teeth chattered.
He couldn’t move any limbs, but if he could, he would be on his knees, pleading with his hands.
Transparent liquid began to flow from his eyes and nose in an embarrassing manner.
Of course, regardless of the president’s state, the man showed no reaction.
He just stared at the president’s eyes with his endlessly dark ones.
Finally, the moment the man brought the sword down…
“It hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
A woman’s scream echoed.
At the same time, the man’s sword pierced sharply down.
Slightly off course from its original trajectory.
The sword tip sliced beside the president’s right eye and lodged itself into the ground.
It neither took out the eye nor pierced through the head.
It merely sliced the skin slightly before embedding itself in the ground.
Fortunately, he wasn’t dead.
Meanwhile, the man quickly vanished as if he had lost all interest in the president.
But the president had no idea where the man had gone.
And understandably so.
As the sword dropped, the terror that had been controlling the president sent him into unconsciousness.
Before he lost consciousness, the last thing he felt was…
A strange warmth spreading through his groin.
Was it brought on by fear?
Or perhaps from relief?
Only the president would know.
*
Elcia’s voice.
Even if it was just an echo, that was fine.
I just wanted to hear it again.
I quickly ran to where Elcia had collapsed.
What came into view was Elcia, rubbing her belly and wearing a pained expression.
She was alive.
Elcia was truly alive.
Recognizing I was coming, Elcia broke into a bright smile.
“Master! Are you hurt?!”
Without a word, I hugged Elcia tightly.
Feeling Elcia’s warmth in my embrace, tears began to fall unconsciously.
Elcia looked a bit surprised, but when she felt me sobbing, she gently hugged me back.
“Is that really you, Elcia? You’re really here?”
“Don’t worry. I’m here.”
“Thank goodness. Thank you for being alive. I’m really grateful.”
The relief of knowing Elcia was alive made me cry even more.
At the same time, I felt pitiful that I had put her through this pain.
“I’m sorry. You must’ve been in so much pain because of me. I’m sorry for being useless.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I did this because I wanted to.”
Then Elcia pulled away from me and gently held my face.
She carefully wiped away my flowing tears, smiling.
“Don’t cry. My handsome master’s face will get ruined.”
“……I’m sorry.”
“From now on, saying sorry is off-limits. And…”
Suddenly, Elcia lightly pushed the corners of my mouth upward with her fingers.
“You look much better when you smile!”
“……Thank you.”
“That’s more like the master!”
Then Elcia quickly kissed my forehead.
When I slightly zoned out due to her sudden action, she smiled brightly once more.
“Master! I love you!”
“I love you too.”
This time, Elcia hugged me tightly.
In response, I embraced Elcia back.
“Thank you for everything!”
“Thank you for staying alive. And for loving me despite this me.”
Elcia began to stroke my hair, starting to smile more beautifully than anyone in the world.
“Then please take care of me going forward! My love!”
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