“Haah… gah… aha…”

I struggled to my feet, my legs trembling beneath me. Blood dripped from the various gashes on my body, pooling beneath me as I stood.

My ice sword hung loosely in my grip, the once-sharp blade chipped and dull from the relentless attacks at it.

“Oh, look at you,” Yara’s voice came, dripping with excitement.

She clapped her hands together like a giddy child. “Barely standing, bleeding out, and yet still so… defiant. How absolutely exquisite.”

Can’t she fucking shut up?

Of course, I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t waste my energy on her taunts.

My focus was entirely on the rabbit-masked woman, who stood a few feet away and slowly walked towards me with her daggers.

“Haa…” I steadied my breathing, though each inhale sent a sharp pain through my ribs.

The rabbit-masked woman tilted her head, almost curiously, before she moved again.

She was fast—faster than before.

Her daggers glinted in the crimson light as she closed the distance between us in an instant.

Clang!

Our weapons collided, the sound echoing through the room. The impact sent another jolt of pain through my arms, even worse than before.

My arms felt pretty weak as if I couldn’t muster any strength.

Then, she continued, her daggers coming in rapid succession, each one aimed to wound or kill me.

Clink, clink!

I barely managed to parry them, my movements sluggish compared to hers.

“You’re slowing down, Aestrea…” Yara spoke in a sultry voice, “At this rate, you are going to lose, and belong to me~”

‘Ignore her.’

I focused on the rabbit-masked woman’s movements to find an opening. But she gave me none.

Ssssht!

One of her daggers sliced across my thigh, the blade cutting deep. I hissed in pain, my leg nearly giving out beneath me.

She didn’t stop.

Another strike came for my shoulder, and I barely managed to twist out of the way.

Clink, clink!

Her blades scraped against my ice sword, sparks flying from the impact.

“How long do you think you can keep this up, Aestrea?” Yara’s voice was practically a moan. “Your body’s breaking down, yet you refuse to fall. It’s… intoxicating.”

My grip on the ice sword tightened as I blocked another flurry of strikes.

But then… she feinted.

Her left dagger came low, slicing across my leg, while her right drove into my stomach.

Shnk!

The pain was blinding. I staggered back, clutching the wound as blood spilled over my hands.

My vision blurred for a moment, and I nearly fell to my knees.

The rabbit-masked woman didn’t give me time to recover. She lunged forward, her daggers aimed at my chest.

Thud!

I was thrown to the ground, the impact knocking the air out of me.

Before I could move, she was on me.

One dagger plunged into my thigh, pinning me in place.

“Agh!” I bit back a scream, my hands clawing at the floor as pain radiated through my body.

She didn’t stop.

Her other dagger came down, stabbing into my leg again and again.

Shnk! Shnk! Shnk!

Blood splattered across the floor, the metallic scent thick in the air.

My vision darkened…

“Oh, Aestrea…” Yara’s voice was soft, almost tender. “Look at you. Bleeding, broken, yet still… alive. You’re magnificent.”

“However… it seems that you have lost…”

She added although I couldn’t really register her words.

My vision started getting blurrier, as I could only feel the heat from my blood.

‘Fuck…’

‘Not like this…’

The rabbit-masked lady stood on top of me, with her buttocks on my chest as she then looked at Yara, to seek confirmation from her.

My body felt weak.

I couldn’t use magic.

Or aura.

There was nothing I could do.

‘I’m really going to die…’

Ahh…

I wasn’t going to let that happen.

Even if I lose a limb.

I gripped my ice sword tightly and then stabbed into my thigh…

“Uagh…”

I groaned in pain as I saw Yara’s eyes widen slightly at my actions, even the rabbit-masked woman seemed surprised.

Then, my eyes snapped wide as I felt a shot of adrenaline running down my spine. I grabbed her arm and threw her away from me.

Tap…!

She stumbled back, and I used the moment to get to my feet. My legs shook, and I could barely stand, but I refused to fall.

“Ahaa…”

My breaths came in ragged gasps as my red eyes started glowing slightly, and then, I started staggering forward.

“Oh? What is this?” Yara leaned forward with excitement splattered in her eyes.

The rabbit-masked woman hesitated, her daggers poised as she watched me.

My steps were uneven, almost aimless, but something was unsettling about the way I moved.

I raised my ice sword as I closed the distance between us.

But, the rabbit-masked woman attacked first, her daggers slicing through the air.

Clang! Clink! Clang!

I deflected every strike, it was as if my body knew what to do, reacting without thought. Her attacks became more desperate, her strikes faster, but none of them landed.

“Impossible,” she muttered in deep frustration.

For the first time, she spoke.

But her words didn’t matter.

I was already countering.

My sword moved with almost eerie grace, slicing through her defenses.

Shnk!

The tip of my sword grazed her arm, drawing blood. She hissed in pain, her movements faltering.

I didn’t stop.

Another strike came, cutting across her chest and shattering the remains of her mask.

Crack!

The mask fell away, revealing her face.

Blonde hair spilled out, framing sharp blue eyes that burned with determination.

She was beautiful, but I didn’t care.

“Damn it…” she muttered.

The rabbit-masked woman—no, the blonde-haired woman now—staggered back, her blue eyes glaring at me.

Blood dripped from the shallow cuts I had left on her chest and arm, staining the floor beneath her.

“Haa… haa…” My breaths were ragged, my chest heaving, but I wasn’t done.

I gripped my ice sword tightly, the cold blade steady in my hand as I took a step forward. Each movement sent jolts of pain through my battered body, but I didn’t care.

She lunged at me, her daggers flashing in the crimson light.

Clang! Clink!

The first dagger came at my left side—I deflected it easily, pushing her arm wide. The second followed immediately, aimed at my shoulder.

Clink!

I shifted my weight and parried, forcing her back.

She growled, frustration etched across her face as her movements became faster, more erratic.

She tried to overwhelm me with speed.

Shing! Clang! Clink! Clink!

Each attack was deflected, it was as if my body no longer hesitated, and every muscle started working in perfect sync.

And that’s when I remember one time when this also happened.

I entered the state called: “Unity of Sword and Man”.

When I was about to die, my mana reserves were at high time low. And as I felt a shot of adrenaline in my body, I simply let my body move itself, by instincts…

‘Ah… this feels liberating.’

I stepped in close, closing the gap between us. She slashed wildly, her daggers aiming for my throat.

Swish!

I ducked under the strike and drove the hilt of my sword into her stomach.

Thud!

She gasped, her body doubling over as the air was knocked from her lungs.

I didn’t let up, feeling the wind caused by my fast movements hit my face.

Raising my sword, I brought it down in a heavy arc.

Shnk!

She barely managed to block with one dagger, the force of the blow sending her stumbling back.

Her other dagger darted forward, aiming for my chest.

Clang!

I twisted my wrist, redirecting the blade away from my body. My counterattack was swift—a horizontal slash aimed at her midsection.

Shhhk!

She jumped back, but not fast enough. The edge of my sword caught her side, cutting through her clothes and drawing blood.

“Tch!” She hissed, clutching at the wound.

I advanced again and immediately, she tried to create distance, but I didn’t let her.

Her dagger came up in a desperate thrust aimed at my heart.

Swish!

I sidestepped, letting the blade pass harmlessly by me, and brought my knee up into her ribs.

Thud!

She cried out, stumbling back. Her footing faltered, and I took the opening.

My ice sword came down in a diagonal slash.

Shhk!

The blade bit into her shoulder, blood spraying from the wound. Her dagger clattered to the floor as her arm went limp.

“Aghh!”

She staggered, her blue eyes wide with pain and shock.

I didn’t stop.

Raising my sword, I struck again.

Shnk! Shnk!

Two quick slashes opened up more cuts on her arms and legs. She fell to one knee, her breathing ragged.

Her remaining dagger trembled in her grip as she tried to raise it, but I kicked it from her hand.

Clatter!

The weapon skidded across the floor, leaving her defenseless.

I could kill her directly, but somehow, I didn’t want to.

I wanted her to feel pain, so I paused, and spoke coldly:

“Get up.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The blonde-haired woman knelt on the bloodstained floor, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

Her body trembled, fresh cuts lining her arms and legs, blood pooling beneath her.

“Get up.”

The voice was cold, cutting through the air like a sword.

Aestrea stood over her, his blood-red eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity.

His chipped ice sword rested at his side, blood dripping from its edge.

Then, the woman’s head snapped up, her blue eyes locking with his.

And then it hit her—a crushing, suffocating fear.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, her breath quickening as if the air itself was too heavy to inhale.

Every nerve in her body screamed for her to run, but her legs wouldn’t move.

Every muscle locked as his glowing eyes pierced her, cold and merciless. There was no anger in them—just a chilling hunger, the look of a predator.

Her hands shook uncontrollably as she reached for the daggers she had dropped. Her fingers fumbled over the hilts, slick with blood and sweat.

“Move,” she whispered to herself, forcing her body to obey.

She gripped her daggers tightly and pushed herself to her feet, swaying as her knees threatened to give out.

Her fear bubbled over into desperation, and she lunged forward with a scream, her blades flashing in the dim light.

Clang!

Aestrea’s ice sword met her attack effortlessly, deflecting both of her daggers with a single movement.

The woman spun, slashing low toward his legs.

Swish!

He stepped back, letting her blade slice through empty air.

“Too slow,” Aestrea said mockingly in boredom.

Just a few moments ago, he was the one suffering, but now…

The tables had turned.

Hearing his words, the blonde-haired woman clenched her teeth tightly, throwing herself at him again.

Clang! Shnk!

Each strike was blocked or parried as her movements grew more frantic. Her left dagger aimed for his side.

Clink!

Aestrea caught her arm mid-swing and twisted it.

“Ahh!” she cried out as the dagger fell from her hand.

She tried to retaliate with her right blade, aiming for his neck.

Swish!

He ducked, closing the distance between them in an instant.

Thud!

His knee drove into her stomach for the second time, forcing the air from her lungs. She staggered back, clutching her abdomen, but Aestrea didn’t let up.

Shnk!

His sword slashed across her thigh, making her stumble.

Shhk!

Another strike landed on her shoulder, cutting deep.

It looked like he was giving her the injuries that he had received, attacking the same position that she did earlier.

And it was working.

The woman’s movements became sluggish, her attacks grew weaker with each passing second. She swung her remaining dagger in a wide arc, desperate to keep him at bay.

Clang!

Aestrea’s sword shattered her last defense, the dagger flying from her hand.

“Enough.”

He raised his ice sword high, bringing it down.

Shnk!

The blade stopped just short of her neck, the cold edge hovering against her skin. She froze, her entire body trembling as tears welled in her wide blue eyes.

“…Pathetic,” Aestrea muttered, his eyes glowing more intensely than ever.

A faint drip of blood escaped the blonde woman’s neck, as her body quivered in deep fear; she couldn’t even meet his gaze.

The room fell silent, save for the woman’s ragged breathing.

But then, behind them, Yara clapped slowly with a faint smile on her lips.

“Bravo!” she purred.

“What a show… you were divine… fascinating.” Her grin widened as she stepped forward, her eyes glowing with delight.

She didn’t seem to care that her subordinate was injured.

The blonde-haired woman collapsed to her knees, her strength finally giving out. Blood pooled beneath her as she stared blankly at the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Yara tilted her head, watching the defeated woman with mock pity.

“Such a shame that she lost…” Yara muttered softly before her lips curled into a sly smile as she turned her attention to Aestrea.

“It’s a pity that you won’t belo—”

“—The elf.” Aestrea cut her off coldly.

Yara’s grin widened at his words.

She snapped her fingers, and then, one of the walls of the room suddenly opened, revealing the high elf which had a completely shocked expression on her face.

“Oh my~,” Yara softly whispered into Aestrea’s ear.

Aestrea didn’t even notice her approaching him but kept quiet as he stared at the elf.

“It seems that you made quite a self-presentation for the elf,” she laughed softly.

Aestrea ignored her and walked up to the elf, with blood dripping from his clothes.

“Let’s go…” he extended his hand.

The high elf’s gaze lingered on his outstretched hand, her lips parting as if to say something. After a brief hesitation, she nodded, reaching out to take it.

Her delicate fingers closed around his bloodied hand, the sticky warmth staining her pale skin.

Then, both of them walked away from there…

“Don’t worry, my cute Aestrea!” Yara suddenly spoke from the distance.

“I’ll come back for you!”

Aestrea’s brow twitched, a vein pulsing in his forehead at her parting words.

But he didn’t look back.

He simply shook his head and kept walking, guiding the high elf out of the black market.

The moment they stepped outside, a familiar voice called out.

“AESTREA!”

Christina came running toward them, her face pale with worry.

Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Aestrea’s torn and bloodied figure, his injuries far worse than she had imagined.

“Aestrea… You’re—”

Seeing Christina, Aestrea smiled softly, interrupting her words.

“…Take care of me…”

Before Christina could respond, his legs buckled. His body fell forward, and she caught him just in time, her arms wrapping around his battered form.

“Aestrea? Aestrea!”

Panic filled her voice as she shook him gently.

“AESTREA!”

But it was too late.

His body went limp in her arms, his consciousness slipping away as the toll of his wounds finally overwhelmed him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep