Chương 23: Curse Invasion

Allocation Window"FEELING HUNGRY! BIG MEAL RIGHT HERE!" Bodies mashed, bodies split, bodies partially devoured. People strewn across the road in a scene resembling hell. I thought I would never see such a sight again. It was supposed to be different. I have power here. Strength beyond my wildest imaginings. I should have not gone. There would have been more officers on the scene quicker. My fault. I could have run quicker. Taken over the mines quicker. My responsibility. The feeling of failure took over me.

My world turned inward. In the bright of day, a shadow cast on my heart. My sight settled on Vanessa, her sword still out, ready to fight to protect those behind her. The same autumn eyes that wavered in front of her sister stared down at an enemy who could rip her to threads. The cursed turned its head once more. I roared with my whole soul. Mana exploded in a great blue fire around my body. Blood, guts, and ash were blown away by the gust.

The cursed human's attention was fully on me, and it slowly walked towards me. See me. Follow me. Hearing Gamma behind me, I signed for them to move around and escort the people through the door, away from the cursed. I heard a double 'ting' from Jimmy's sword on the ground as an affirmative. Mana essence flowed around me; I went low, and my hands grabbed the stone and earth below. Blade glowing in a tail stance, I primed my whole body. Every muscle was tensed and ready. No one else dies.

Black nails clawed my face, and I rolled to my right with a gash on my left cheek. The cursed's left clawed up, and my blade met it with a slash. Its pale skin was burnt by the glowing steel but didn't cut. Mist formed over his claws, and a right claw came for my head, and my mana-armoured hand batted it away. Momentum pulled up my greatsword for an upward slice; however, agile feet took the cursed being back. Fast…! I need its attention on me! I assumed an orthodox stance.

Two hands on my hilt, I stood with my sword straight. I focused on the walking, swirling smoke, watching its movement with my heightened senses. I needed to put points into mana capacity in order to have enough mana to cut it, but the moment my attention lapsed could be my last. … I need to bait it. I looked slightly to the left of the humanoid, and it pounced with claws out. Increased agility moved me quickly to guard.

A second after it collided with my blade, the air boomed, my feet scooping the earth while I was pushed. I held on against the frightening creature's amazing power. Argh… Strong bastard… I took an inward step to the left, and I diverted the claws away for thrust to pierce its head. The mana thrust cone of mana only touched air as the possessed human leant to their left. Are you kidding me...? I had my b ack muscles engaged as I slashed at the cursed's right shoulder. Dust blew from a blade, only hitting air.

Slipping by my greatsword, it threw a left hook. Unimaginable pain sprouted from my side as the black nails dug in chainmail. Like an unwelcomed fly, I was whacked into the opposite building. Mana armour saved me from most harm as I crashed heavily into the brick wall. I landed with bits of brick falling on me. My sword pointed to the floor as it blocked a slash of nails.

"Give me a break!" Skirting across the ground, the cursed went around to flank me with its right. Mana repulsion from my left palm on my sword's edge flung upward at speed. The monster retreated in time. I slash down on the monster, It evaded with a jump back. Coming with a skip from the left. The cursed human's swift steps made me miss again, and my sword cracked the ground. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Stay still!" A step to its left, then it zagged directly at me. Black mist consumed the clawed hand, getting larger and producing scarier claws. I do the same by defending my chest from the black claw with a gauntlet of pure mana. I flew back into a building window, creating a vortex. in my wake A home was destroyed as I destroyed more buildings into another street. I landed in a roll, rising up a two-handed stance ready to fight again"Fuck me…" I watched it climb over the wreckage of the house.

Behind the cursed, Vanessa and the rest are nowhere to be seen. I sighed in relief. I slowed my breathing. Each inhale and exhale hurt my right side. My four circles spun, and mana flowed rapidly around my greatsword. No wasted movement. The cursed broke through the air, closing on me. I lifted my blade to strike down. Immediately, it shifted to my left. My feet redirect to follow it, turning the downward slash into a horizontal slash. A mana saw cut into a stunned monster's chest, and it fled back.

Point-enhanced agility allowed me to follow. I rained thrusts upon the cursed who blocked with both arms crossed. The once silent monster screeched as it impatiently threw out four black mana slashes from its four long black claws. Feet spread wide, and empty left balanced me. I dodged under, countering with a one-handed jab from low with my blade. My blade was faster, and its shoulder splashed red. However, the cursed continued to slash, smashing the ground where I was.

Out of the cloud of road dust, my sword sliced at its head. The feint tricked it as it leaned back for my lunge. It weaved under, attacking low at my body with both black claws. A black, fogged head rebounded off my mana-imbued left knee, and from right to left, my sword slashed. A black mist claw grabbed my blade. I felt my sword locked by the cursed's grip. Mist grew on the cursed's right claw and attacked. Mana repelled it with my left palm, and my left boot crushed the humanoid's knee.

With a loud screech, it let go of my sword in pain, retreating. I am getting used to its speed... The cursed panted in the black mist. With it exhausted, I could finally let my focus decrease. I still heard the cries and clangs of battle raging in the distance. By now, Alpha and Beta should have arrived. But for the battle to be still raging, how many spiders could there be? Hundreds? thousands? I needed to finish this quickly. My focus was back on the enemy. I will not fail this city any more.

I will be worthy of the Greystone name! Towards my left, a black mist-gloved hand grabbed the pavement I jumped from. Fingers scooped the road beneath like butter. The sword of Osberg whizzed like rushing water as its edge turned into a sword of mana. I watched it. Studied it. Left? Right? Straight it went; the ground became dust as it rushed toward me. It's slower! The wind pulled my face. My cloak flapped in the vortex, and I met the cursed halfway with a big slash.

A crescent light forced the monster back into a wall, shaking the building.

"AARRRHGHH!" I roared as I sprung at my enemy again. My blade point pierced the right collarbone. My mana blade sawed a few inches deep before the cursed hit it away, ripping it through its shoulder. A scratch from underneath was parried, and I pushed my sword through the mist and into its abdomen, feeling the durable body inside. Skin sizzled around the wound, and I pulled it out to bat away a claw. I feel its desperation in its attacks. I parry them, riposting with rage fuelling my strikes.

Against the wall, with nowhere to run, I lacerate. My greatsword cut and sliced. Red painted the floor and wall, and I kept slicing. The black mist enveloping the cursed slowly ripped away with every bash of my sword. It screeched with every strike to its chest. It slumped against the wall, and I hit it more. It fell back to the ground, and the flat of my blade whacked the cursed until the mist disappeared over its face. A young man. Pale skin, black veins, and red eyes looked at me. He was... alive?

His eyes were begging. For what? Mercy? No.

"K-k-kill me..." As you wish. I struck him again. His head dented with each hit of the flat. Keep hitting. His head concaved. I hit and hit and hit and I-"YOUR GRACE!" Woken up from my rage, I turned my head. Jimmy ran to me and froze as he scanned me. I looked down at the mess I had created. A boy's head, pulp on the pavement. Ah... I exhaled while holding my bleeding side.

"Report."

"Her Grace and others are with Gamma." Good… On the corpse, remnants of the curse trailed like seeking smoke to my blade. My blade hummed like never before, singing a voice of strength that Jimmy couldn't hear. Plonk"Alpha and Beta have arrived to fight with the rest of the city's guard. However, the numbers…sire, there are too many…" I turned away from my bizarre sword, facing Jimmy, and my boots rippled the pool of blood.

"Why..." I marched to him.

"... Are you here?" A tinge of anger stained my tired voice.

"Duke… There is a rank A curse. A giant arachnid, but it's bigger and stronger than its type should ever be. And its trailing gamma." I flicked off blood and brains from my weapon. I felt my chest. I regarded my ribs. I can go on.

"Where?"