#273
Rematch (2)
Hesperon even used 「Hyperesthesia」 as he swiftly scanned his surroundings and grasped the situation.
‘The slums on the outskirts of Jeron. No one else nearby... Is this a barrier? Looks like they were determined and prepared from the start.’
No matter how prosperous a city might be, there was always darkness where the neglected gathered.
That was precisely the sort of place he was in now.
Like the Great Temple, it was located on the outskirts of the capital, but quite some distance from it—a crime-ridden district where both the environment and public order were poor.
‘This wasn’t thrown together on impulse. If they set a trap and waited in a place like this, it means they predicted all my movements.’
Then his gaze turned to the thirty or so masked figures surrounding him on every side.
Even to Hesperon’s senses, which had not yet fully matured, the sharp aura they exuded was clear, and they reeked of people who lived in the shadows.
‘Assassins? No, not simply that. There seem to be those who’ve learned aura, and even mages mixed in.’
There was no way just anyone could command people of this caliber.
Especially if they had planned an assault using even a barrier in a place that, slums or not, was still the capital.
Lastly, his eyes turned to the only man not wearing a mask.
In truth, he was the most problematic being present.
“It’s been a while, Sir Stav. ...No, I suppose you’re not a sir anymore?”
A master-class warrior and the former captain of the Imperial Guard, Stav.
Since Riley had not said much, Hesperon had thought she had disposed of him long ago and buried him somewhere, but it seemed he had somehow managed to slip away.
“Hah— Yes, it’s good to see that face again after so long. I truly missed it. Thanks to you, I had quite a precious experience.”
At Hesperon’s smooth greeting, Stav let out a dry laugh and replied.
Judging by his appearance, it was easy enough to guess what sort of experience he meant.
‘He certainly looks like he’s been through a lot.’
The powerful body that had once been packed with solid muscle, befitting a knight who had reached the extreme, had shriveled miserably.
His complexion was haggard beyond words from rapid aging, malnutrition, fatigue, and more.
And above all...
“Puhaha— Seeing you like this really does make it a comedy. How very ridiculous it’s become.”
His right arm had been cut off from the shoulder, and a leather eyepatch covered his right eye.
In addition, traces of various tortures remained all over his body.
It seemed he had somehow received treatment, but the damage to his flesh had been so severe that the resulting losses and aftereffects were plainly visible.
“It doesn’t look like you escaped alone. I suppose those friends helped you?”
Seeing that he looked to anyone as if he had been imprisoned somewhere for a long time and had barely managed to escape, Hesperon casually tossed out the words.
He could roughly guess the circumstances, but he wanted to be more certain.
“...Indeed, you’re so different that I wonder if you’re truly the same one as before. That power is unusual too. Pure curses, neither black mana nor the abyss.”
But Stav merely looked at him with a strange gaze and spoke of something else.
Shrrrng—
Then he brought his left hand, which had only three fingers remaining, to his waist and slowly drew his sword.
“I’d like to cut you down right this instant, but I have a promise to keep, so I suppose I must endure.”
Then a pitch-black energy rose like flames along his sword.
It was destructive and eerie energy completely different from the aura he had used before—black mana.
“......!”
And the moment he sensed the flow of that energy.
Hesperon moved on instinct.
He twisted his body and thrust his right hand forward.
As his arm, around which black energy coiled, faced the front—
Kwaaang—!
“Kh!”
It collided with the black mana that had, at some point, rushed right up before his nose, spreading a powerful shockwave in every direction.
“Tch, I meant to cut off your shoulder. I’m still not used to this at all.”
The one-armed dark knight muttered in dissatisfaction.
Hesperon, who had instantly retreated with even a secretly prepared physical reinforcement support spell added on, frowned.
He had managed to block the surprise attack for now, but the impact seemed greater than expected, and the arm that had blocked it trembled with numbness.
To begin with, black mana itself was an extremely aggressive energy, so his 「Right Arm of Craving」, which was likewise specialized for attack, could not offset the entire impact.
‘So even rotten, he’s still a fine fish?’
It seemed his aura hall had been damaged too, so he had accepted black mana instead...
As expected of a powerhouse who had been among the upper ranks even at the extreme level, the power was formidable despite the fact that he could not have had long to adapt.
‘Still, he’s definitely weaker than before, so maybe I can hold out. The problem is those guys.’
Just then, a few among the masked figures encircling the area began showing signs of moving in coordination with Stav.
Most were still keeping their positions and cutting off his escape routes, but in such an extreme situation, additional interference was never good news.
‘I still can’t use 「Hero’s Footsteps」. Then the only remaining means of evasion is unsummoning.’
It had not been long since he sent Harley to Tarak to hunt the revolutionary, waited out the cooldown, and then sent him south again.
However, 「Otherworld Transmission Formation Summon」 also still had more than a day of cooldown remaining, so he was reluctant to unsummon carelessly.
As he was pondering how to respond—
-Heron? Is something wrong?
Ignoring the barrier the masked men had set up to block spatial movement and communication, Riley’s signal came through 「Chain of Covenant」.
Perhaps she had vaguely sensed something from the fierce collision moments ago; her presence seemed full of concern.
-Ah! Riley. Something serious is happening here!
And Hesperon.
Without the slightest hesitation, immediately told her all about the situation he was in.
‘Riley is involved too, so of course she should know! If anything, I’m the one who got swept up in this.’
Judging by the attack that occurred as soon as she left, and by what Stav had said, their goal was to take Hesperon hostage.
Then wasn’t it obvious what their intention was?
-Stav is there?
After quickly hearing the full story, her voice sank coldly.
A chilling air she had never once revealed to Hesperon until now.
-So, that man was still alive and hadn’t died?
-Uh... His body’s in pretty bad shape, but he’s alive anyway.
-Hah! ...This is embarrassing. I thought I had things under proper control, but there were still rats hiding. Well, thinking about it, it hasn’t even been that long since I seized the initiative, so maybe it’s only natural. ...There’s a lot to deal with going forward.
Apparently, she had believed Stav was already dead.
While she had hidden him away in an unofficial location and interrogated him for the sake of venting her anger, someone had exploited an opening created by her sudden expansion of power.
From the other side of the connection came Riley’s irritated sigh.
-But Heron, are you truly all right? If Stav is there...
Then suddenly, she asked in a worried, urgent voice.
No matter how damaged his body was, the status he had achieved at that realm would not simply disappear.
Moreover, had she not personally seen Hesperon barely escape from him while hovering between life and death?
It was only natural for her to worry, since that had not only caused problems with his eye and arm, but also left him hospitalized for quite some time.
-Mm, about that.
And his answer to that concern was—
-Strangely enough, I can hold out decently well...?
There was a confidence in his voice that did not match the situation.
***
Swaaaek—
Stav charged in with ferocious momentum.
He had felt it during their first clash as well, but facing him head-on was still dangerous.
‘Then I just won’t face him head-on.’
The bracelet on Hesperon’s arm emitted an ominous light.
Along with it, his reflexes surged beyond their limits as if going berserk.
Like the item he had used before, it was an object imbued with a curse as lethal as its outstanding effects, but he showed not the slightest hesitation in using it.
‘Khh, this is incredible.’
Because his 「Curse Predator」 devoured all of them and instead converted them into his own power.
But that alone was not enough to shake off a dark knight who had reached such a realm.
The sword imbued with black mana flew before his eyes in an instant.
Kwajang—!
Just before impact, it shattered a barrier that had formed in midair, failing to cut his body and leaving only a shockwave behind.
“Ugh!”
Caught in the aftermath, Hesperon flew backward and grimaced.
The impact that churned his insides made him nauseous, but it was far better than being directly cut by that vicious blade.
Having thus bought a brief moment away from Stav’s pursuit, he lightly flicked his finger again.
Dozens of black threads that had momentarily materialized glimmered faintly in the air, and his body shot upward as if pulled by something.
“Khh— Again! How annoying! You clownish bastard!”
Stav, who had missed his chance again, ground his teeth and swung his sword irritably.
Contrary to Stav’s emotions, Hesperon looked at the protective ring that had fulfilled its purpose and crumbled into powder, then let out a sigh of relief.
‘Whew, that was close.’
Swish—
Each time he moved his fingers, part of the energy scattered in every direction momentarily appeared like threads and pulled his body.
This provided him not only speed, but also ever-changing movements that allowed him to roam freely through the air.
‘Mobility using the concealment and materialization of curses. It’s my first time properly using it in actual combat, and it consumes more mental strength than I expected.’
To begin with, curses were an ability unmatched in secrecy.
Since they had no physical substance, they could not be severed through ordinary means, and even if the curses hidden in the air were erased with powerful energy, if only a brief moment was given, they would be endlessly restored by the 「Right Arm of Craving」.
‘And I can somehow endure that brief moment with magic tools and my status.’
On top of that, the curses gradually consumed during the process could even be replenished with magic tools.
‘It was worth secretly scattering them diligently from the start.’
A little time provided within a limited space.
This place was already a spiderweb he had woven with curses.
Of course, it might be a little dangerous if there were a great spell that could blow away the entire area at once, but since there was no mage of that level here, he did not need to worry too much.
‘Here they come again.’
At that moment, Hesperon’s gaze snapped to the side.
He had briefly shaken off Stav with his advantage in mobility, but from the beginning, Stav was not his only enemy.
Shiaaak!
A masked man suddenly leaped out as if he had predicted his route and swung his sword.
Unlike at first, when they had remained quiet as if leaving things to Stav, they were now taking an active stance, perhaps because they had not expected Hesperon to be capable of this much.
‘But against an opponent of this level...’
To begin with, curses were fundamentally extremely aggressive and harmful in nature.
Using them for mobility as he was now was merely an application.
The masked man reached right before him.
Hesperon stretched his right hand toward him.
Then clenched his fist.
“......!”
And at that exact moment.
Around the man, hundreds of black threads connected to Hesperon’s hand revealed their forms.
And then—
Puhwak—!
They tightened toward the center in an instant, scattering a cloud of blood mist.
It was not merely physical force created through materialization, but a curse-killing that mixed in curses which drastically reduced resistance and defense.
Against an opponent who had not reached a certain level or built up resistance through supernatural defenses, it was close to a sure-kill technique.
‘Of course, it consumes that much energy.’
Fwoosh—!
Immediately after reaping one life like that, the black flame coiling around Hesperon’s arm took on a certain shape.
A body long like a snake, and a head jutting out near his shoulder.
A black dragon with a pair of horns rising upward and a lush mane curved its sharp eyes and bared its teeth in satisfaction.
As if devouring the resentment a life had carried until its very end.
“You bastard—!”
“Yikes.”
Kwadududuk—!
Kwaaang!
And Hesperon hurriedly threw himself away to avoid Stav’s black mana, which rushed in with terrifying momentum and destroyed the area.
All while putting on a pile of cursed magic tools supplied again through 「Avatar Cloud」.
-Heron, are you really going to be all right? Can’t you use spatial movement like last time? No, perhaps I should return after all...
At that moment, Riley’s voice, which had briefly cut off while he focused on the battle, came through again.
As if she had never exuded that murderous atmosphere, her soft voice was filled solely with worry and anxiety.
-No, it would look strange if the representative did that. I’m still fine. Looks like I’ve grown a lot more than I thought. At this rate, I might even be able to get out on my own.
It had been worth faithfully drinking the 『Elixir of Growth (7 Days) (200,000)』 every time the opportunity came.
To think even an overwhelming gap in realm could be replaced with cash purchases—what wonderful capitalism this was.
Long live the Karma Shop.
-Hoo— You said your location was the southeastern slums of Jeron, correct?
-Huh? Uh... yes.
-Don’t overdo it trying to escape on your own. Focus on holding out as long as you can. I’ll send people soon.
But what returned to Hesperon’s confidence was Riley’s firm voice.
-I knew I should have swept them all away long ago...
Something murderous seemed to slip out afterward, but he was too busy dealing with Stav, who had come after him again, so he let it pass.
‘With the elixir’s effect plus actual combat, my growth speed is incredible!’
He was too busy paying attention to his proficiency rising in real time to concern himself with such trivial matters.