CH 59

(Ichiko POV for the whole chapter)

“Ah… ugh…”

The first experience I encounter after recovering from the impact of the explosion is having my entire body ache and feeling disoriented due to a lack of oxygen. Even so, what I suffered as a result of the explosion is probably better than what others are going through. When I cast a look at the surroundings, all the humans are either wounded or have collapsed, and some of them are undoubtedly dead, their corpses scorched black.

“…Hah…!”

Using my sword as a support, I slowly rise to my feet. I can see the Spicy King with the corners of the mouth curl up in the distance. Apparently, I have been flung away by the impact of the explosion.

However, there is no other living creature standing aside from me, except for the Spicy King. The scale of the explosion seemed to have been overly broad, leading the enemies to become entangled in it as well.

“Heh. Who would have expected you would be able to be up on your feet even after being subjected to a combo that leveraged my skills. I hope my servants can learn from your guts. Or is it thanks to the fog you’re clad in? What a cheat.”

The Spicy King is addressing me in a language I don’t grasp. Yet, that expression of his is distinctly one of disdain.

Whatever the case may be, thanks to the enhanced fire resistance of ≪Fog Cloak≫, it seems that I have somehow been spared. Furthermore, I am the only one who can confront the Spicy King here and now. If so, what I must do is…

“I am the Kirijin, Hisano Ichiko. For the sake of protecting my allies, I will challenge you.”

…to buy Izumi and the others some time to escape.

“Ha! I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but try coming here! You will be killed in an attempt to protect your friends!”

“Here I go!”

While holding the sword in my right hand, I vigorously start rushing towards the Spicy King.

The Spicy King responds by swinging his right hand widely, a flame sparked in it.

“Let’s get started! ≪Scythe of Spicy Flame≫!”

With immense force, a crescent-shaped flame bursts forth. Moreover, by the time he has finished unleashing the flame from his right hand, it can be observed that his left hand has already been lit by the flame as well.

“!”

At first, I evade the first shot that blasts straight at me by leaping to the left, followed by jumping forward while keeping my stance low upon landing to avoid the second shot of flame emitted from his left hand.

“It’s just going to get worse!”

The Spicy King continuously delivers the same skill shot after shot. By leaping to the right, left, forward, and up, I dodge his assaults and advance closer to him.

And when the distance between me and the Spicy King reaches about 3 meters,

“≪Short-range Teleportation≫, ≪Decapitation≫.”

I move to the rear of the Spicy King and swing my dagger with all my strength against his neck.

But,

“Too naive! ≪Manipulator of the Crimson Dust≫!”

“What!”

With the sudden appearance of gigantic red thorns protruding from the Spicy King’s neck, I twist my body in mid-air and manage to elude the thorn, despite it grazing my abdomen. After reaching the ground, I utilize ≪Short-range Teleportation≫ to distance myself from the Spicy King.

“Tsk, I guess I missed it.”

“Haa… haa… suu…”

Although I am trying to regulate my breathing, I am still mulling over the Spicy King’s skills.

At present, I can say with certainty that the Spicy King owns both the lightning skill he employed in initiating the dust explosion and the flame skill he just discharged at me. These two skills are evidently different.

The red powder that is drifting around the Spicy King as well as the red thorns that unexpectedly sprouted from his body; these two things are most likely relevant to the Spicy King’s unique skills. After all, the proper nouns that he uttered before dispersing the red powder and the proper nouns that he mentioned before the red thorns popped out seemed to be the same. It is inconceivable that skills with such a diverse range of effects could be memorized so promptly after leveling up.

Now then, that leaves me with only one move left to execute. It’s a gamble, but I have to do it.

“Here I go. ’I am the one who leaps through the void, a kin of the Fog King. I seek the head of my adversary, the flower of life, the fountain of blood’.”

While chanting, I draw nearer to the Spicy King. Needless to say, the Spicy King is also releasing fire and lightning skills. And then he assails with red thorns that thrust dynamically out from the ground.

“‘Leap, O blade. Until I reach what I seek, cast this blade down upon my foe’.”

Nevertheless, I steer clear of his assaults with quick steps and approach him inch by inch.

And when I make it to the spot right in front of Spicy King,

“‘Cut! Slice! Sever! Outer Skill Senkiri-kaishaku’!”

“!”

With the sword sweeping towards the Spicy King’s neck, his eyes are wide open in amazement.

It is at that point that I hear a cracking sound emanating from around his neck.

I strain my eyes to scrutinize the Spicy King’s neck.

There it lays, my fractured dagger and the neck of the Spicy King, with a hue that mirrors the thorns in its surroundings.

“!”

“Hah! I was right to guard my neck! Feast on this! ≪Arm Strengthening≫, ≪Manipulator of the Crimson Dust≫!”

As I freeze in the unforeseen predicament, the Spicy King, who is clutching a massive red stake in his right hand, lunges towards my stomach.

Although I hastily defend myself against the stake, my sword, which has been reduced to a mere hilt, provides virtually no defensive capability, resulting in me being hurled away with a horrendous sound of my bones rupturing and breath being sucked out of my lungs.

“Gu… ga…”

Perhaps to stop me from getting blown away, the Spicy King’s skill stirs up a mass of red dust around me. It is likely that he is planning to trigger the same dust explosion as before.

I no longer have any prospect of prevailing. My sword has been shattered, and the outer skill I relied on can no longer be employed. On top of that, I still could not establish contact with Kurokiri.

I could spot the Spicy King poised with his left hand.

When I sight this, I involuntarily shut my eyes, and then…

A profusion of flashes and explosions erupt.