Volume 5, Chapter 97: Engraved Words
Volume 5, Chapter 97: Engraved Words
An unmistakable pleasure floated through the demon monkey’s heart.
The force that creeped out from the depths of its body. The demon monkey could not stop shaking its limbs. Unprecedented excitement covered its whole body. This demon monkey was no longer just a beast from the woods.
Emptiness. This feeling of void also filled the demon monkey’s heart.
No matter what it did, pleasure was only a temporarily emotion. Yet, the demon monkey kept shaking its limbs with all the power he had. This power quickly annihilated the preys that stood in its way. Each time it bounced its fingertips, blood and flesh burst. Each time it held down its hands, bones were crush to death.
Despite crushing and killing the preys, the demon monkey fell dissatisfied. The prey were like mere flies, who died immediately just by feeling the demon monkey’s tremendous force. Pleasure was truly a short emotion that quickly turned into frustration.
However, right now. The prey standing in front of the demon monkey was different.
The silver-haired swordswoman wielded her tiny power without running away. This was the real pleasure. The true thrill. One could only feel pleasure towards hunting when the prey proved to be challenging. This prey didn’t die nor escape just by witnessing its strong power. For the demon monkey, this fight was truly pleasurable and fun.
“If so, how about using a hand?” The instinct of the demon monkey resonated through his spine.
The demon monkey struck its hand on the stone pavement, and fragments scattered and flew in the air all over the battlefield. If these fragments touched any of the humans or elves nearby, their bodies would certainly fly and break into pieces.
Naturally, the silver-haired swordswoman intercepted the flying debris. This prey aimed only at the big pieces each time she swung her sword in order to clear her path. She showed formidable ability to cut each flying fragment as if she took a single breath.
However, when she wielded the long sword, she aimed at the movement gaps of the demon monkey, who defended himself with its powerful arm. There was no time for adjustment. It was a single blow aimed at the enemy without hesitation.
*metallic sound*
The long sword clashed against the tip of the demon monkey’s hand. This monster’s skin was so durable and strong that it were capable of deflecting steel. The swordswomen probably tried to counterattack at the same time as she attacked. However, none of her offensive strikes scratched the demon monkey’s flesh.
The swordswomen failed to hurt her opponent. The demon monkey realized this much.
The demon monkey scratched its legs. It kept scratching its feet too. No one would have thought that a human could handle that attack with such a thin-looking sword. However, despite failure, the swordswoman didn’t back away. The swordswomen stood bravely in front of the demon monkey, even though she was out of breath.
For the demon monkey, this was a nice match. She was a worthy prey. She survived after the monster shook its limbs.
Every time the swordswomen attacked with several strikes, the demon monkey distorted his vicious face. A loud noise roared from the belly’s mouth. In fact it showed joy. Yes, a joy for the hunt. The thrill to kill a worthy prey.
This was such a pleasurable time for the demon monkey. No doubt about it. But, that’s it. All things must end.
The physical endurance of human beings had a time limit. The demon monkey recognized the strong physical endurance of the swordswoman, despite knowing her limits.
The swordswomen tried to counterattack every time the demon monkey swayed its arm. However, the freshness of the prey was clearly falling.
This battle was probably going to end with the next strike. The fingertips of the demon monkey strengthened. The strong grip seemed to shake even the air.
This decent prey had entertained the demon monkey. This monster didn’t have intelligence per se. It had, however, an accurate instinct. Somewhere deep on its consciousness, this demon monkey recognized the swordswoman’s efforts.
That’s why its instinct told it that it should pierce her heart with just one blow, so that she wouldn’t suffer in vain. A commendable death for being a worthy prey.
The demon monkey was as big as ever when it swung its arm with all its might towards the swordswomen.
—
The silver hair swayed in the wind. The long hair stuck on her cheeks. Caria shook off the silver hair from her face, and gazed at demon monkey with glittering eyes.
Sweat dripped from her face, and her glittering eyes almost lost its spark.
Caria’s body moaned painfully. She reached the limit of her physical strength. She kept pointing her blade towards the opponent, but to no avail. She barely managed to survive. She moved her legs forcibly and slashed the enemy even with an injured wrist. Indeed. Caria took such extraordinary measures to prolong her life.
“…This is no good. I’m not inflicting any damage at all.”
Caria’s silvery eyes flickered. Her beloved long sword began to chip, and the place where she attacked was not even damaged. Caria focused only on one thing, to hurt the demon monkey. To pierce its hard muscle and skin.
The road to victory was almost invisible to see. Caria’s breath was disturbed, and she strongly clenched her quivering teeth.
Caria didn’t want to lose. She didn’t want to expose such an awkwardness and feebleness. The only thing that came to Caria’s mind right now was the feelings that were dear to her. Something similar to tears emerged at the edge of her eyes.
She absolutely couldn’t bear to lose. The so-called bitterness of defeat. Her pride did not allowed her to suffer defeat from this demon monkey. This was one of her feelings. But, more than that was the other feeling which overpowered Caria’s heart.
“…I have only one thing in my life.”
If someone asked Caria to list what she was proud of in her life, Caria would definitely say her sword technique. This trait was her unmistakable pride and a part of her life.
Therefore, within a second, her mind began to wander. If she had been knocked down here, if she had been defeated here, “he” would certainly be disappointed in her. “He” would forsake her.
“Ahh, I hate these thoughts. Yes, that outcome is truly unbearable for me to think.” Caria bit her lips.
Flames sparkled in Caria’s silvery eyes once again. “If that’s the case, then I have no choice but to defeat the monkey in front of me. This is the only way forward.”
Caria used to be in a similar situation before. When she tried to defeat the wild boar-type monster, the hexenbiest, in the Forbidden Forest. At that time, with Lugis’ advice, she managed to kill that demon beast.
However, right now, there was no Lugis beside her. She had to win without his help. She had no choice but to overturn this battle with her own strength.
If she had no choice, then she had to think like Lugis. Deeply observe the demon beasts, identify their habits, and find their weaknesses.
Caria understood that attacking that monster’s limbs was useless. That hungry big mouth was too vicious to be called a weakness. Where should she attack? She had to figure the weak spot in order to kill this demon beast.
Suddenly, a thought reflexively ran through her brain. Then, Caria’s cheeks shook unconsciously. Somehow, it came to her brain out of nowhere as if a flash illuminated her mind. The idea that came to her was too rash, but it seemed to be the only good chance.
“I see, let’s bet on it. When I think about his words, I realize that they aren’t that bad at all. It might be very difficult, and I don’t even know if this answer is the correct one.”
The barbarian voice of the demon monkey echoed high and the strength of its powerful arms were too strong. The silvery eyes shuddered.
Caria had only one opportunity to overcome this fearsome opponent. She squeezed all of the physical strength that remained in her body. She didn’t know it she could make it. All she had to do was try to kill it with one blow.
Ah, Caria reminisced about what “he” said before.
“…You can do it. Of course because it is possible. There is no way that you will lose.”
“…Why do you say such a thing? Why do you mock yourself? Those words have no basis. All you have to do is believe in yourself.”
The shadow of that powerful arm was hazy. That strength cut the wind and delayed the sound. The ground cracked and fragments flew in the air.
Caria didn’t turn her eyes away for a second. She clearly understood this momentum. The climax. An ultimate clash where it could end in a blink of an eye. With everything at stake, would she die or would the enemy die?
Caria’s thoughts drifted away from the initial purpose. Then, she realized this. “I don’t have time nor room to delve into it.”
This demon monkey used its large and hungry mouth to roar and eat. It even drank a barrel of wine before. A piece of wood or rock didn’t matter. That large mouth swallowed up everything. Its fangs were always moving as if they were alive. Even the body itself seemed to move accordingly to the movements of that large mouth.
So why did this beast monkey had the original mouth in the face along with that large mouth in the belly? Why did it have two mouths at the same time? Caria didn’t know exactly what was going on. But there was one thing that she could be sure about.
This demon-looking monkey was undergoing a transformation into an unmistakable full demon.
The limbs were tougher than normal and the belly mouth was certainly vicious. These were traits of full demons, and not demon beasts. Demon beasts were animals with irregular shapes. But, they weren’t full demons, as they were half-demons and half-animals. However, this monkey still had the original face from a great monkey. It was originally not a demon nor demon beast. This monkey was just a common beast not too long ago.
However, with its ongoing demon transformation, the beast monkey stood up with two legs so that its arms would protect the weak points remaining in its body.
Besides this great defense, the road was getting too destroyed. This fact was a disadvantage, since it was hard to move around. At any rate, the body of the demon monkey stood up with two legs and far exceeded the height of a human. The steel-like limbs and the large belly mouth interfered with Caria’s plan. When it came to approaching, it could be suicide since the powerful arms could destroy anything in its way.
This opponent was not something that humans dared to fight. Even more in a one-on-one battle.
The hand palms, which were full of strength and destruction, approached Caria. Those hands were like weapons. In other words, those meant death just by a mere touch. If Caria tried to deflect them with the long sword, then her sword would be repelled. And if she tried to prevent the attacks, then her sword would be broken.
Jumping behind those hand attacks would be in vain. The same with fighting through the rears. None of these tactics would work, as the arms had a great extension and trajectory. Not to mention the flying debris which was a huge hindrance to the fight.
There was only one way then.
Caria’s legs moved and she thrown herself into the air. She didn’t let fear consume her mind, because, after all, the intimidating monster’s arms were bigger than they had ever been before. While shaking the silver hair, Caria’s small stature entered inside the range of the demon monkey by force. Right into the killing zone. Right in front of the enemy.
The attack was underway. There was no going back now. The aim should be towards the moment when the hands of the monkey were completely swung down. Naturally, while the face was lowered as well.
Caria’s very existence shook the boundaries of death. In this moment, her soul pushed a tinny string between life and death.
If she made a mistake, she would die. Caria knew that, and for a moment, the fangs in the belly mouth could cut her off.
The face of the demon monkey got closer to the earth as it swung down its hands. Caria’s heart was full of resolve and bravery. Caria was no longer afraid. On this crucial moment, she remembered the following words.
“…Those words have no basis. All you have to do is believe in yourself.”
A flash of light ran through the demon monkey’s chest.
A silver flash struck a line from the monkey’s crotch up to its mouth. Exactly in the blink of an eye. No one breathed or spoke in the midst of this final attack.
“…Because you are Caria Burdnick.”
After a moment. The silver long sword was reborn, and an excess of blood drenched the whole battlefield.