CH 146

“Chapter 146: Guard 2”

My skin at the tip of the blade is bleeding.

Even then, both Mike and I know they’re not serious yet. It’s just a warning.

– Can we really not go in?

– There is no need for us to repeat ourselves.

I’m sure if I tried my best I could at least get another step closer.

I’d rather not die here.

– Well, if that’s how it is. Come on, Mike.

I turned around and was about to take a step down the stairs.

– NOW, MIKE.

Mike knocked back the blue man into the white woods.

– I’ll ride your back!

If she got serious, it could take her only a few leaps to reach the top, but with me on her back she has to be careful.

– Sorry, but we have to talk to Akane!

One of them is down. The other one-

– Shameful.

The yellow man had caught up to us.

A spider web filled with ominous eyes appeared in front of us. I tried cutting it with Silver, but it wrapped around me before I could react.

Not only that, my muscles are getting numb, which means it must’ve been poisoned.

– Tch… It’s just some dumb poison!

I took out a smoke bomb and threw it ahead of us. The smoke is made out of the remaining miasma I had, and it’s mixed with some paralyze nullifier.

– Puny tricks like that won’t work.

– MIKE, DON’T STOP, KEEP GOING.

– Your foolishness is laughable.

– Wha-KH!?

My body became numb again, but not due to poison this time. I’ve experienced this before with Akito.

– Lightning Art: Shock Spider Web!

It’s not surprising for living beings in this world to be able to use magic, but this is a rather inconvenient time to find such strong magic users.

Mike stopped abruptly to check on me, which made me lose balance and fall down.

– Grr…

– Your confidence far exceeds your skills.

The blue man was standing in front of Mike with his hands making a sign. A horn was protruding from his forehead.

– Are you okay? (Yellow Man)

– Of course I am! Get the kid already. The wolf is keen on protecting him.

– GRRR.

I was being pulled by the spider web.

– Fire Art: Flame Lark.

Just when all the odds seemed against us-

– Souji, Kihachirou, that’s enough.

Our opponents’ attack vanished.

– I was very clear when I asked the Grandmaster to keep this a secret. It seems I was mistaken.

– Akane-san… (Takaya)

– So, you came. Not that I’m surprised.

Akane appeared from the top of the stairs, wearing crimson priest clothes. Two pale red phosphorescent horns were coming out of her forehead.

Her smile looked both happy and sad at the same time.