Chapter 31: Mortal Combat.
Hello everyone! It's the one and only meatball back for the first time in 8-9 months! I know I ended up missing the one year anniversary for the fanfic but I was just busy dealing with personal things. Now that I am back though, I was able to finally deliver a chapter to the fans who are still around to read the story. I really hope this chapter lives to your expectations and that I was able to redeem myself from the rushed chapter 30. I'm hoping that I can get back to a usual schedule after this chapter but I am not going to guarantee it. That is all for now, and if you have questions ask intimacy#0001 (aka me) about it in the mushoku tensei discord server or my dms! Love, meatball.
The bandit came rushing in at me with full force, I quickly conjured an Ice Wall to hopefully slow him down but he ran right through it like it was nothing. Just what the hell is this guy and how can he run through an Ice Wall so quickly? In order to retaliate against his current rush I used [Fractured Soul] and swung it at him as fast as I could, but out of nowhere I felt my own mana being drained. Could this have some type of correlation to his cursed sword? And if that is the case then what is the drawback of using that ability? No matter what though my sword was able to wrap around his legs and drag him down to the ground.
I had also fallen to the ground though due to my body being drained of its mana. I clutched my chest as I attempted to steady my breathing. Feeling like I have absolutely no stamina whatsoever is something I'll forever despise. Just the mere feeling of weakness will be something that will plague my mind ever since that S rank dungeon. The guy across from me though was able to get back up like it was nothing.
"Just what the hell is that annoying ass sword?!" He yelled in anger.
I looked down at his lower half and it looked like I was able to cut off one of his legs with [Fractured Soul], but at that same moment it looked like it was starting to recover. That shouldn't be possible at all whatsoever. He looks like he's anything but an immortal demon. Is there a chance that he is possibly related to your highness the Immortal Demon Lord Badigadi? But then again I don't think he had any offspring like Atofe.
I finally got back on my feet but I wasn't able to conjure any type of weapons that I currently need to try and simply combat against this bandit.
"Well, well, well. I applaud you really Red Lion, so early into our fun little fight and you have cut off my leg already. It's a shame though really that this is all you can do as of this moment."
The bandit chuckled to himself before picking up my sword and throwing it back to me.
"Usually I'd just end these types of fights in a heartbeat, but since I'm fighting against someone, oh so strong! I'll keep myself entertained while destroying every bit of pride you have. For the record the name is Akira!" He laughed menacingly.
I caught [Fractured Sword] and immediately got into a North God Style stance. I may be out of practically all of my mana but that will not stop me. No matter what I need to fight on and make sure I can finish this guy so I can make sure all of No Name is alright. Especially Kath, El, and Kyra. If I allow myself to falter even the tiniest bit, it would cost me dearly and I can NOT afford to lose my loved ones.
Akira's leg had finally finished healing and the minute he realized it he got up. This time he didn't use his cursed sword at all for some reason but instead rushed at me with ferocious speed out of nowhere. It's as if he was practically doing a [Longsword of Light] but in reality he wasn't. He must've used the mana he took from me to boost his touki and enhance his physical attributes.
I swung my sword with all of my might and parried his attack, but it ended up throwing me back even further to the edge of a ravine. My body feels so numb, I can't even grip my sword anymore, and my mana still hasn't started to replenish. Akira continued to laugh more and more as he just slowly made his way to me. Why the hell is he just so damn strong! He isn't a seven world power so it just doesn't make sense for him to be this strong damnit!
"Is that really the best you got dummy?" A feminine voice said.
I couldn't sit up to see who was talking, but based on the voice I can tell that it is none other than my own sister Kath. The one person I was hoping would not help me.
Kathlyn, A few minutes before.
The minute I heard a big clash from where Big brother was and that one bandit was, I abandoned my post with Anastasius and Arthur and ran to my blood. Oh Everett, just what the hell is happening right now, we were just supposed to be taking a nice trip back home and see Big Sis Adela and everyone! Not get ambushed out of nowhere by three bandits who don't even come off as strong…
"KATHLYN! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Anastasius yelled. I ignored his call for me and kept on making my way to my brother.
Anas quickly got into his Water God Style stance and used [Flow] to parry the unknown bandit with ease. It looked like the bandit was female using a battle axe though which is rare. Nevertheless he should be able to handle it especially with Art as his back up. I kept on running until I had finally seen both of them in my sight. Big brother was near the edge of a ravine while the bandit that ambushed us in the first place was walking slowly.
I cast multiple [Icicle Wall] spells in front of big brother and ran immediately to him to cast an advanced healing spell on him. It hurt to see him so weak and injured… They haven't even been fighting for more than 40 mins but yet he has taken this much damage? Just what type of monsters have we encountered by bad luck?
"W-What the hell are you doing over here Kath? You're supposed to be with Anas and Art backing them up with your magic, not over here worried about me!"
He yelled at me again, but this time I'm not gonna let his frustration get to me. I grabbed his hands and pulled them onto my chest and closed my eyes for a short second to give a short prayer. I opened my eyes and then gave him a reassuring smile.
"I know you don't want me to be over here and to not be in danger in general but I can't let you continue to risk yourself for all of us. All of No Name is here for a reason, we will not let you risk your life trying to fight a freak of nature for us!" I started to cry a little while letting go of his hands, "You sit right here with these mana potions and I'm going to take care of your trouble for the time being. If it looks like things are going to get rough, go and get Big Sis Elly then okay?"
Big brother gave me a nod of acknowledgement and drank the potion I had given him. I got up from where I was kneeling and pulled out my sword. Without a single chance to catch my breath, my ice walls were broken. This guy's touki is just out of this world to just burst through multiple walls like that from a Water Emperor mage!
"Those walls were really fucking annoying… And now we have this new challenger appear out of nowhere! What might your name be though blondie?" He flirted.
"The name is Kathlyn Greyrat, I'm also known as the [Ice Princess]." I grinned and gave the bandit an Asuran bow. He looked at me with disgust before playing along with my shenanigans.
"Well then Ice Princess, assuming that you're related to the red cub over there. The name is Akira, your future murderer!" He laughed before immediately getting a battle position. This guy really isn't wasting any time at all, how scary.
I got right back into my Water God Style stance and taunted Akira a little to really get him into a good position to hopefully take him out with ease. I really need to hurry up and end this so we all can continue the trip back home. I need to enjoy my time with my team and my beloved brother and Art.
Akira looked like he was filled with rage after seeing me taunt him and then dashed at me like he was lightning. I was able to react in time luckily, but god that was really hard to parry with [Flow]. There is something I did notice about how he moved that time. He wasn't as straight with his rush and it looked like his body was beginning to tense a little. What could be the cause? I have no idea as of right now. I took advantage of this though and immediately swung my sword down on his arm and cast [Flamethrower] on the severed wound to seal it up.
Akira yelled in agony as he put out the flame on his arm but continued to fight through it with only one arm. He swung and swung his sword at me but with every attempt I just blocked everything. His strikes continued to get weaker and weaker and it was at this moment where I took advantage of it. I cast [Sonic Boom] to gain some distance from Akira and pulled out my magic wand to start conjuring an [Absolute Zero] spell.
Per usual of course since nothing good can ever happen in this world, a ring of fire engulfed around me and I had to switch my attention from the Absolute Zero spell and to making a waterfall spell around myself. It just had to be a mage involved with the bandits, and since I have no idea where they are at I can't even use Ran Ma on them.
"About time you finally handled those two Mariah!" Akira scolded. The woman named Mariah made her way over to Akira and started to cast some type of healing spell on Akira.
"Just shut up and get ready to finish this off. I can't stand fighting against this group of so-called high class adventurers anymore."
Akira's arm was healed as if it wasn't burned off or anything. Once I had realized that the woman was the one who cast that spell, I immediately used [Ran Ma] to cut her off from using anymore magic and cast Absolute Zero. It was then though that I had realized that my chances of coming out of this with a win went from 75% to 25%. Akira absorbed the whole entire spell with his cursed sword and dashed at me like he was light.
Big brother used [Longsword of Light] and clashed swords with Akira though, so the two of them are occupied with each other again, but now this has me questioning if Anas and Art are even alive since Mariah was our opponent first.
"So lady, what did you do with the Pink Haired freak and the cutie with brown hair?" I tried to keep my composure.
"Those two? They're practically on the verge of being dead at this point."
"What did you just say..?" I asked.
There's no way she defeated Anastasius that fast, especially with Arthur providing backup for him! I cast [Ice Pillar] from beneath her but she was able to react in time to dodge the spell. What she wasn't expecting though was for me to switch from a magic spell immediately into a [Longsword of Light]. I cut Mariah from her torso and quickly sheathed my weapon. All of that hype and build up just for her to be pathetic? I'm honestly disappointed. Or I was at least until I was suddenly thrown off from Akira shifting his attention to me while I was off guard.
Everett.
I was in the middle of fighting this Akira fellow with everything that I got with the remaining mana I was able to get thanks to my darling little sister. With this I was finally able to stand a chance, but that was until he kicked me with all his might and looked on over to where Mariah chick was and Kathlyn and immediately started to dash their way. It took me forever to realize what his plan was and when I finally noticed it, he was gone.
"KATHLYN MOVE OUT THE WAY NOW!"
I called out to her as loud as I could be but I wasn't fast enough.
The view that I was seeing in front of me was just unbearable.
Akira impaled Kath straight through the chest with his cursed sword and then took it out immediately to get back. His hair was turning white out of nowhere for some odd reason but that is besides the point. All that needs to be noted at this point is that the bastard is gone now, all by himself. It's as if he wasn't here at all.
I walked on over to Kath's body and fell down onto my knees. I feel unbelievably weak. Kath coughed a little and I picked her up as fast as I could and held her close to me.
"K-Kath… Speak to me lil sis, it's going to be okay alright! Just stay focused on me and I'll try my best to call out for Eleanor okay?" I panicked.
I screamed for El as loud as I could, begging and pleading for her help but no response yet. I cried out for anyone in No Name, only to not hear a single thing from them. While I was in the middle of my breakdown, my one and only little sister put her cold, soft hand on my face. I immediately grabbed hold of that hand and gripped it softly.
"Everett… This is not your fault at all, okay big brother..?" She coughed out some blood onto herself and I before continuing. "I was just not on high alert after killing his teammate and there was nothing you can do about his unbelievable speed… We were finally bested and that's that okay."
She started to cry a little as she used all of her strength to come closer to my face and kissed me.
"I love you so much Everett… I don't want to die and leave you all alone..!" She cried out.
The minute she started to cry I pulled her into me and started to cry alongside her. I continue to call out for everyone and still no response. I started to cast [Ex Healing], an intermediate healing spell on Kathlyn but it wouldn't stop the bleeding. Kathlyn finally stopped crying to look me in the face one last time before leaning forward and whispering into my ear.
"I-I am sorry for not waiting longer for Big Sis Elly to get here brother… I love you and please don't ever forget that."
After that her head dropped down onto my shoulder and I realized her body is cold now. What I'm holding in my arms right now is my dead little sister, Kathlyn Anemoi Asura. A magic and sword prodigy, and a loving daughter and friend.
I shook her corpse a couple of times.
"Kath. Kathlyn… C-Come on now, this isn't a funny joke little sister! Wake up right now and tell me that this is nothing but a joke!" I said before just completely breaking down.
I cried and cried until I felt a hand touch my shoulder.
I immediately cast an [Icicle Field] around Kath and I before realizing it was only El and everyone else. She had a beyond pained look on her fast while grabbing her injured hand because of the ice spikes. Leo and Vicky put down both injured Anas and Art and simply put their hands over their mouths in shock. My beloved Kyra Cruel on the other hand. She immediately broke down and fell to her knees as she saw me holding the body of her now proclaimed little sister in my arms.
"Everett…" El called out to me. She made a pathway through the Ice, and kept her distance from me.
She still hadn't healed her hand from my spell.
I didn't say a single word to her as I just stared at her. No speaking, no nothing. I just simply looked at my lover with a dead look. I could tell El was trying her best to keep her stoic and cold front up but it was gonna break sooner or later. Kyra appeared from behind El, still crying and everything but called out to me.
"Please tell me that this isn't real Evie. I'm begging you dear." Her voice trembled.
I didn't say a single word back to her, just gave her the same look I gave El.
It was just at this moment where Kyra just dug her face into her chest and cried. Vicky stood there in the back tending to Art and Anastasuis while Leo was nowhere to be seen anymore. It was like everything around was just destroyed out of nowhere.
El patted Kyra on the back before pushing her to the side to get closer to me. She did nothing but kneel down and grabbed me by my head to embrace me.
"I'm sorry, but she's gone, Evie."
I didn't even push her away once she said that. I knew that my younger sister was dead, and I also knew that it was my fault for why she is dead. Eleanor took Kathlyn from my arms and placed her down to cremate her body. She conjured a jar and put what remained of Kath into the jar. Kyra grabbed me by my hand and led me over to Anas and Art.
The two of them weren't dead gladly, but it was clear that they sustained some type of serious injuries and so forth. Especially Anastasius since he is practically still in a coma, but Art was fine on the other hand. We all packed what we left of our belongings and made our way to the nearest inn.
