Chương 93: Chapter 057 We Meet The Gods With A Smile (Part 2)

Baron Argil roared in anger, his face flushed red with deep rage.

"You killed my son! My legacy!" Argil growled like an out-of-control animal.

"For Kendrel!" The noble shoved one of his own guards aside and over the cliff. The badgerkin screamed as he fell to his death. The other nobles didn't flinch at the unnecessary death of one of their guards; they were easily replaced. Favouring his right leg, Cain rose to meet the enraged Baron.

"That's more like it." A wide bloody grin formed. They clashed. Argil's sword moved with impossible speed. Cain blocked and parried, just staying ahead of the noble's frenzied attack. Steel clashed in a flurry of sparks and blood. Both men were taking small injuries. Argil fought like a demon. Rage gave him speed and power. Cain countered with decades of experience and skill.

"That has to be an enrage skill." Jack thought of his untested [Pseudo Goblin: Enrage] skill.

"He's not using other skills. Why?" He watched the fight in confusion. Argil had decades to amass dozens of pseudo skills. Yet, the Baron was fighting like a poorly trained warrior or knight with a sword. The remaining guards had pulled back, wary of the rampaging Baron Argil. H e could've used a [Fireball] or [Frost Breath] then. Jack saw plenty of opportunities for Argil to finish Cain with a stolen mage spell, but the Baron only used his sword. Each clash showed his rage. He must have them. He watched, stunned.

Is he a Journeyman Knight? Has he lost all reason due to being enraged? Argil's fury made him faster and stronger. He fought like a man possessed, but still with some skill. However, if Jack's observations were correct, he'd left his most powerful skills unused. As Argil cut deep across his ribs, Cain grunted, "Fuck!" He retaliated with a skill, slashing the Baron's right thigh; the blood mage didn't even flinch at the new wound. Both men were covered in blood from small wounds and a few deeper gashes.

They fought in a storm of clashing blades and grunts, each strike shaking the air. Rock shattered beneath their boots. Cain drove Argil back with a brutal series of blows. Argil now had his back to Jack. Sensing an opportunity, he grabbed a hooked sabre that had been dropped on the ground and held it in both hands. Taking a deep breath, he activated a [Chronos Sphere] scroll and pointed the blade towards Argil and prayed that what he had planned would work.

The [Chronos Sphere] scroll slowed time to a crawl for Jack. I hope this skill works with a sabre. He activated his pseudo warrior [First Strike] skill and prayed it would work. He sped towards Argil and slashed down through his right shoulder, but the blade stopped less than six inches deep. He tried to pull the blade free, but the hook was stuck on bone.

"Shit!" Jack drew his dagger with his right hand as time resumed to normal. Argil ignored the hooked blade like it wasn't there and lunged at Cain. Jack was dragged with him, ruining the enraged Baron's sword form. With a wide, bloody grin, Cain sidestepped and buried his sword through the Baron's heart, twisting the blade as he withdrew it.

"Die, you bastard!" Argil gasped. Blood spilt from his lips as he tried to speak, "Kend…" then the blood mage fell to his knees. Jack stabbed his [Assassinate] empowered dagger in Argil's neck. Another flash of memory of the female assassin stabbing a laughing noble through the roof of his open mouth and up into his brain. Jack's right palm burned as if he'd grasped molten iron, but he didn't let go. No, he gripped tighter and twisted.

He sensed a strong surge of power flow into him; the largest transfer of power he'd felt yet. His knees felt weak, but at the same time, he felt powerful. The thrum of excess energy buzzed through every part of him as a feeling of invincibility took hold. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. All his wounds healed. His crooked nose cracked and crunched back into place.

"Aargh! Fuck!" Despite the pseudo [Endure Pain] skill, the pain was excruciating and caused his eyes to run with bloody tears. Whatever was happening, it was no soft healing skill. Dropping to his knees, he clenched his teeth as the arrow tip and broken shaft were forced from its wound by mending flesh. He moaned as he fell on all fours, dagger still in hand, while shaking from the pain. Every scratch, bruise, and wound was gone. All his exhaustion was gone, and a new pseudo skill formed.

After the pain receded from the vicious healing process, he was left feeling empowered, like he'd just woken from a restful night's sleep. Even his mana recovered. Wow… that was terrible and amazing. Cain sagged, wounded and heaving. The Journeyman Warrior, blood dripped from his grin.

"Got one of you noble bastards." Jack began healing his ally and friend. [Assassin's Intuition] triggered as Fenton screamed and charged past the guards. Greaves shouted.

"Fenton! Fenton, stop! By the Gods, Fenton!" Fenton ignored his uncle. He reached Jack with his blade swinging. Jack turned from healing Cain and tried to dodge, but he was too slow. Fenton's sword cut clean through his raised left wrist and scored a deep cut down his left cheek. He screamed at the pain and trauma of losing a hand. His world turned white before pseudo [Endure Pain] took the brunt of the agony. Shit. I… I… The shock took his thoughts.

He dropped his dagger and cradled the stump as blood poured from his severed wrist. He fumbled with a pseudo [Heal] spell, closing the wound to a raw, weak scab. The bleeding almost stopped, but the ache and shock remained as the colour drained from his face. Fenton loomed over him.

"Pathetic. All this trouble for a damned commoner rat." Jack stared into the eyes of the teenage noble. He could see his disdain in his twisted grin and the way he looked down at him over his hawk-like nose. I will not die to this noble brat. He still expected to die this day, but not to a child with an inferiority complex towards a commoner. He activated a [Chronos Sphere] scroll. He had only two left now. Time slowed as he crouched, aimed at Fenton's chest with his right hand, and activated the pseudo [Fireball].

Fenton's chest flared blue while surrounded by searing hot flames. The [Fireball] dispersed as a waistcoat button disintegrated in a burst of blue sparks. He'd been protected by an enchantment.

"Fuck!" Jack spat. Touching his tender stump to his breast pocket, he used his last [Frost Breath] scroll, "Frost Breath!" He aimed at Fenton's chest, praying he didn't have an enchantment that protected him from the common mage spell. His right hand shook from pain and shock as the freezing plume of air flew towards the young noble. The [Frost Breath] hit Fenton's left shoulder; his waistcoat glowed blue. Another enchantment flared, another button turned to sparks, but no damage.

Protective enchantments burned out with each spell absorbed. Most nobles had two, maybe three, enchanted items to protect them from common mage spells. After the protections were exhausted, they became vulnerable. Time returned to normal, and Jack slumped, holding his tender stump while feeling the residual cold from the [Frost Breath] spell. Fenton smirked.

"Are you done, commoner?" He brushed the remnant frost from his shoulder like he'd just walked through snow before kicking Jack in the face.

"You just cost me 50 gold!" [Assassin's Intuition] flared as Jack's jaw cracked, his teeth shattering. He fell to the ground, choking on his own blood and teeth. Fenton laughed.

"You're out of tricks, scribe." Cain was on one knee, leaning on his sword, spent. With sheer willpower, he pushed himself to a standing position. Baroness Vampese flashed forward; she was so fast, it must have been a skill. Fenton lifted his blade to end Jack.

"Fenton!" Greaves yelled.

"I want him alive. Do not ignore me, boy!" Fenton hesitated. He looked across at the fight between Cain and Vampese. Cain raised his sword and swiped at the incoming noble, but Vampese caught his sword arm with her free hand while stabbing him in the heart with a dagger.

"For Olivia," she whispered, twisting the blade.

"She'll meet you in Tartarus. Give her my best wishes." Cain gasped, dropped back to one knee, his sword falling to the side with a clunk. She smiled and kissed Cain on the forehead, only for Cain to grab her with both arms, locking onto her in a tight bear hug.

"Bitch!" he spluttered through bloody lips. Cain's eyes met Jack's one last time. There was no fear, just peace and a wide, bloody grin from the giant adventurer. With a final grunt, he picked her up and ran them both over the edge.

"It was an honour, Jack!" Vampese screamed as they disappeared into the raging torrent of water below.