Chapter 58: Rematch (II)

Chapter 58: Rematch (II)

Haruki grinned as he found himself in the same forest where everything started, now facing off against Medusa. Shinji cowered behind his servant, already imagining Haruki's spear impaling his chest.

"Don't interfere," Haruki ordered the servant trio. Medusa might still give him some trouble, but victory would belong to him nonetheless. It was a simple truth, not arrogance.

"They will do it though," Arch retorted. "Medea will do it even if it makes you mad."

Everyone gave Haruki and Medusa the space they needed.

Medusa bent forward and touched the ground. She vanished from his sight. Haruki quickly turned and blocked Medusa's explosive kick with his spear. She still pushed him a couple of steps back. Her Monstrous Strength skill temporarily boosted her strength parameter to B-Rank, giving her an edge over Haruki. The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

'I'll be crushed if I rely on my sight to fight.'

He raised his strength to near B-Rank via reinforcement. Medusa disappeared again and maneuvered around him, leaving several afterimages in her trail. Every opening she got, she attacked him. Honor and chivalry meant nothing to the monster of legends. She targeted him from every direction, throwing her daggers at his weak spots like an assassin. At the same time, she regarded his reaction to her attacks and added a few faints here and there.

"I'll kill you gently," she whispered behind him and kneed his back.

His reinforced back ate the full brunt of her knee. He staggered a few steps before he regained his balance.

By the time he turned around, Medusa had vanished in the veil of dense forest. She darted from tree to tree, creating a web of chains that extended from her hair. Her superior experience pushed him into a corner, or so it seemed from Semiramis's perspective.

They were entangled in a furious whirlwind of blows. Violet arcs clashed with pink as Medusa's serpent-like fluidity clashed with Haruki's precise spear hits. The ceaseless noise of metal on metal echoed throughout the forest, frightening every other life form including Semiramis' familiars.

"He is losing," Semiramis said as she turned to Medea. "I'm still surprised my master can keep up with Rider. She is stronger than me."

"You're wrong," Artoria said, her eyes unmoving from Haruki and Medea's blazing battle. "Master is being defensive on purpose."

Medea nodded. "He hasn't used his trump card."

"The truth was far from my observation." Semiramis put on a serious expression as she looked at Shinji. "That boy is fated to perish here today. He shouldn't have angered my master."

"What did he do?" Artoria asked, clueless about Haruki's hatred of Shinji. "Can you fill me in?"

'He isn't worth the rampage.'

She might have done it if her master treated her with respect and kindness. She just couldn't find it in herself to become a monster to defend trash like Shinji.

Meanwhile, Haruki grinned at the notification panel floating in his face.

[Awakening Progress: 4.5%]

More than three dungeon floors worth of progress in one fight. He'd gladly take this growth any time of the day.

"Caster, seize the Grimoire from Shinji."

Medea cast the 'Atlas' spell on Shinji. The air grew heavy and trapped Shinji in one place. It could freeze a servant who possessed C-Rank mana parameter or lower. Shinji, who didn't even have magic circuits, could do nothing as the chill of the spell seized every fiber of his being. The Grimoire flew out of his grasp and came to Haruki's hand.

"W-What what are you doing?" Shinji's eyes shook in pure terror, the only body part he could move at the moment. "Matou Family won't spare you you if anything happens to me."

Haruki smiled at the threat as he sparked a fire in his hand. The Grimoire, which gave Shinji a sense of authority, burned into ashes within seconds.

"Don't worry," Haruki said, walking to Shinji. "You won't be getting an easy death. About the Matou Family," he sneered. "Your old man will join you in hell."

"Why?" Shinji growled, realizing he won't be getting mercy now. "What DID I do?"

He couldn't find anything wrong with himself. He always minded his own business after Haruki began his bullying. He only attempted to kill Haruki after all the suffering he went through at his hands.

"I didn't save Sakura because I couldn't You BULLIED me every day. You beat me up like I was your personal punching bag. You are the BAD guy. You won't get away easily."

Haruki shook his head. "I don't care if I'm good or bad. You'll die. That's all there is to it."

He might be innocent in this timeline, but he was simply Haruki's most hated character.

Tired of Shinji's excuses, he slapped Shinji with his spear and knocked him out.