Chapter – 71
<Shut up!>
Kugung!
The ground where the host had been standing just moments ago collapsed. The host lunged at me with that explosive speed again.
But—
Kwa-kwang!
<…!>
The spot where my demonic sword struck was empty.
I leapt into the air and got behind the host. As I spun halfway and stepped aside, Serpens traced a wide arc.
A chilling sensation of flesh being cut, and blood spurted.
<Kraaah!>
The host writhed in pain. But the red orb embedded in the hilt of the demonic sword flashed, and the wound on his back healed in an instant.
<What…? The demonic sword heals too?>
Surprised, Agnes listened as I recited the original story.
“It regenerates using the blood of those it kills as a sacrifice.”
Of course, this is a unique demonic sword option. Holy swords don’t have this.
By the time the host had fully regenerated, he went berserk and charged at me again.
<How dare you!>
Chaang! Ka-kang! Kaahng!
I focused, dodging and parrying the host’s attacks while searching for an opening.
During the extended clash, my necklace vibrated.
<There are hundreds of corpses in sight. With this, the regeneration could be endless, right?>
“If it’s just a superficial injury, yes.”
<Then you’d have to sever either his head or right arm to end it. One of the two should do it.>
“The right arm works for me.”
It wasn’t out of fear of killing.
<Right. For every massacre where he went too far, I can’t just let him off easily.>
“Yes. Once the Inquisition takes him, they’ll show him hell.”
<But, Ailet…>
Agnes’ voice dropped lower.
<He’s a strong opponent. If you try to end this without killing him, you could get hurt.>
“Don’t worry.”
And that’s when it happened.
<What’re you muttering alone like a fool!>
A burst of magical energy erupted from the host.
The veins around his red eyes bulged and twitched. His black hair stood up sharply, fluttering wildly.
White and black auras thickened along our swords. His sword struck vertically; mine, horizontally.
The auras clashed, causing a massive explosion. I quickly retreated outside the crater, then leapt forward again.
The dust kicked up by the blast filled the air, but I didn’t hesitate.
Pajijik.
The moment our swords met again, the aura burned impurities from the air, clearing my vision.
The host had become stronger by sacrificing his lifespan.
His speed matched mine, and in terms of strength and aura, he surpassed me. The situation tipped in his favor.
<Let me end this!>
The demonic sword pierced toward my heart at a terrifying speed.
I widened my eyes and twisted my body to the right.
Barely.
Shk!
‘Hup.’
Pain seared through my left shoulder. It felt deep, but tolerable. Focus mattered more.
I was close enough to touch the host’s face. His vital points were completely exposed right after his attack.
I raised Serpens diagonally.
<Hik!>
A sharp tearing sound rang out. The host barely managed to evade beyond the gap of Serpens, letting out a mocking laugh.
<Haha! Where on earth do you swing your sword…!>
But he didn’t know.
My sword was a bonded sword.
With a flick, the sword I had fallen back with cut the target.
<…Is that… ah…?>
Blood spurted from the host’s shoulder.
<K, Kraaah!>
The right arm holding the demonic sword tumbled to the ground. The bonded sword chased it like a predatory snake, shattering it to pieces.
Then it happened.
The demonic sword, buried in blood and flesh, moved on its own and flew toward the host.
He gritted his teeth in pain but managed to catch it with his remaining left hand.
<Ah, you overlooked the bonded sword’s trait. Both arms needed to be severed.>
“Now’s the time.”
But it wasn’t that easy.
The whip-like Serpens reached for his left shoulder, but the host blocked it with the demonic sword and spun away.
<Take this!>
He didn’t forget to use a vile yet effective tactic to tie me down.
It wasn’t aimed at me—it was aimed at Tessilid.
<Ailet!>
“Yes.”
Kwarrrr!
My aura intercepted his attack. Sparks erupted in the air as the two auras clashed and canceled out.
The host had fled behind a ridge, disappearing from sight.
<Don’t chase.>
“That’s the plan.”
Even if we pursued, it was still inside the dungeon. Unless he massacred thousands, his right arm wouldn’t fully regenerate here. There were no more humans left to serve as the sword’s sacrifice, so there was no rush.
But something urgent remained.
I hurriedly ran back to Tessilid.
“Terry!”
He somehow remained conscious, barely supporting himself with the sword planted into the ground.
Tessilid tried to lift his head. His sea-colored eyes were unfocused.
“Ailet…”
“Don’t talk. Stay still.”
I placed my hand on his silver hair, channeling healing.
[<System> Passive Skill ‘Bonded Healing’ increases ‘Healing’ effect by 400%.]
Oh, right. I remembered.
A healer skill I learned from Rodrigo Orsch after beating him up.
A ridiculously overpowered passive that multiplies healing effects by five, but only for Tessilid.
A level 67 heal amplified. Tessilid’s body recovered in an instant under a shower of healing magic.
The immediate danger was over, but he was still in bad shape.
Excessive bleeding, exhaustion, and thirst were still problems.
I took a potion from my satchel, feeding it slowly to Tessilid. While waiting for him to finish, I scanned the surroundings.
“We need somewhere to lie down.”
The area was a field of bloodied corpses.
It’d be better to move Tessilid elsewhere, whether by carrying him or otherwise.
But first, I had to check something.
“Wait a moment.”
I remembered injuring my left shoulder earlier. I needed to heal it before it got worse…
“Huh?”
There was no wound on my left shoulder.
What?
I focused all healing on Tessilid for maximum effect. Did it heal me too? No…
Then I realized that even before casting, the pain in my shoulder had been minimal.
Which meant…
“Could it be…?”
Tessilid’s left shoulder was stained with blood.
Though his uniform was intact, a wound seemed to have appeared as if it had formed naturally.
It clicked.
Rodrigo had dropped two skill books. One was Bonded Healing, paired with another skill: Bonded Protection, a tanking skill that took damage in my place.
Tessilid smiled weakly, as if confirming the answer.
“I can only do this much…”
“Ah, really… this….”
I wanted to scold him, but he cleverly let the moment pass.
“Terry…!”
His body tilted. The tension released, and the balance he maintained with the sword collapsed.
I quickly caught his upper body. A fully grown man’s weight pressed heavily against me.
“Sorry… I suddenly got so sleepy…”
His exhausted but peaceful expression, eyes closed. He seemed confident that this was a safe place.
“….”
Any anger I had evaporated. I leaned him gently on my shoulder.
Yes. What really mattered now?
“…You did well.”
Just surviving this far was commendable.
✠
We couldn’t rest in the middle of a corpse field. I opened a map to find a suitable nearby spot.
Beyond a hill, I found a grove by a stream. I carefully moved the unconscious Tessilid onto a blanket.
I sat beside him, feeding him restorative potions little by little.
Tessilid’s body and mind were so overworked that he didn’t even show signs of waking.
Agnes, now materialized, looked down at him and clicked her tongue.
<He managed to endure an S-rank boss…>
“Looks like he’s been fighting for at least half a day.”
<Without you, he’d be dead. Judging by his aura, he’s like an upper-level Aura Expert. Fighting alone without heals would limit him to A-rank bosses.>
Indeed, the original first-time Tessilid grew slowly, fitting the level of a weak hero. Soloing an A-rank dungeon was about his limit.
But even without my intervention, Tessilid would have survived somehow.
It’s still before the original story begins. The protagonist dying here would break the story.
The original-story narrator confirmed this.
