A Berserk Story Like No Other
Here's the fifth chapter, please enjoy.
Also, thank you for the review LunaWolfSunTigeress15! Means a lot to me! And thank you to everyone for the support!
By the time Nalia awoke, she could feel nothing but a throbbing headache and a huge pain all over her chest and back… The taste of metal was still present in her mouth and she grimaced to herself as she spat out the blood as well as slowly began to sit herself up through sheer will power alone. Little whimpers and sharp intakes of breath could be heard passing her lips but even as she breathed in, the throbbing pain in her body wouldn't go away…
"Everything hurts… When was the last time I felt pain like this?"
The half demon shook her head gently to shake away the thoughts swirling in her mind and the ringing in her ears, which already began to dissipate away. Her amethyst eyes slowly opened up to the world before her, her vision a little blurred but even she could see what was happening.
Guts was fighting the hunter that was sent after her… And judging from how laboured the other demon's breathing was and how beat up his body was, Guts was actually winning. However, then she saw the wounds her human companion had come to sustain too. She bit her lip lightly to prevent another whimper from escaping her throat as she managed to slowly pull herself up to lean against the tree, so she could get a better look at the fight… And possibly help out the human she was with.
"I was pathetic… Abysmal even. Just how is this human keeping up with my old tormentor?"
Ten minutes earlier…
The demon's body flew back and skidded across the ground, a silent cackle actually escaping their lips as they slowly stood up. Blood trickled down the side of their head as well as from their right ear, which had burst his ear drum. They turned their head to see Guts already in front of them, his sword ready to cause massive damage.
"Now then… Let's get started."
And with that, Dragonslayer collided across the demon's stomach with loud clang of metal.
The body of the demon instantly flew back and roughly landed on the dirt ground, blood splattered across Dragonslayer as well as the earth below the large man. The swordsman raised an eyebrow as he watched the demon slowly pull himself up off the ground, a deep wound now sporting across his stomach with blood spilling from the corner of their lips.
"Not dead? Fine. I'll just keep swinging until you're down for good."
"That was a good hit… Good power too, for a human."
On the outside, the demon seemed very unfazed by the attack but on this inside, he couldn't stop himself from shouting and growing more worried and confused by the moment…
"How can this human hit me? No mortal blade could harm my body!"
The demon looked towards the human, though his eyesight was looking towards the iron slab that he held. His curiosity only grew when his vision caught sight of a pale dark purple aura surrounding the tip of the blade…
Guts frowned at that as his gaze hardened, his right hand tightened its grip around the hilt of his iron slab, preparing himself for an attack from the demon before him. He watched as the demon raised their sword in the air before immediately rushing towards him, his sword coming up to block the incoming attack…
The attack clanged against the raw iron, making the Black Swordsman skid back a tad bit but he managed to hold his ground, even as the power of the blow rattled his bones and shook his vision for a split second. All Guts could see was the maniacal grin of the demon before him, though as soon as the large man tried to push the demon away, they had already quickly guided themselves down and around the man, slicing at his exposed thigh some.
The Black Swordsman gritted his teeth together before letting out a might roar, swinging Dragonslayer around behind him but instead came up empty until he felt another part of his body get cut like butter… He looked at the underside of his left bicep, seeing blood seep from a wound and down into his iron prosthetic arm.
All he needed to hear was the little laugh from the demon nearby and Guts quickly brought out one of his small explosives, dragging the tip across his blade before throwing towards the demon. As expected the demon jumped back and immediately, the human swordsman took his chance to use the explosion and the smoke as cover…
As soon as the scarred man dashed through the smoke, his sword was already swinging in an arc before he felt it collide with the demon, a sputter of air and blood erupted throughout the small clearing as a body was once again sent flying across the earth. A mangled groan could be heard as Guts watched the demon slowly yet shakily come back onto his feet, his hand coming over to cover his bleeding stomach as well as to wipe away the blood that was leaking from his lips.
"Now this… Is very unexpected…"
Another breathless cackle escaped the demon before their crazed gaze looked towards the human swordsman.
"I haven't had this much fun in a very long time… I never thought a human would do this for me… Too bad you're about to die…"
Before the Black Swordsman could register what had just happened, the demon had somehow appeared before him with that blood-stained grin and his saber coming up for a thrust towards him. All the large man could feel was pain and heat run through his body like a water stream through the forest.
He looked down just in time to feel a fist collide with his jaw, sending him across the earth.
"What… What was that?"
Guts didn't have time to ponder when he heard footsteps approaching behind him… His vision was blurred a little, his head was spinning, and his body felt heavy and slack… His grip on his sword slowly tightened as he managed to shakily get back up to his feet, his teeth gritting together as he could feel the left side of his abdomen burn with pain.
"Damn… He made my wound even worse now…"
Steeling himself, the Black Swordsman got back into his stance but not before hearing a shuffle of weight nearby. He managed to look back a moment to see Nalia's body now leaning against a tree, her amethyst eyes scanning the surroundings…
Present…
"If you didn't get in my way, you didn't have to get hurt human… I would've taken Nalia back and you would potentially be compensated for returning her to me."
The half demon glared daggers at her old demon hunter, who in turn was staring directly at her human companion. She was about to step forward and help the large man but instead felt her body freeze when she felt that same energy surround and practically engulf the area. Her eyes slowly moved towards Guts and instantly, she felt them widen slightly when she saw his own maniacal grin and his lone obsidian eye seeming to flash red for a quick second…
The demon in turn stopped in his tracks and cocked his head to the side in curiosity when he felt something once again beginning to build up within the human before him.
"What's this?"
A deep chuckle resonated from the Black Swordsman as he looked towards the demon with that same look all demon's hated… Make that even the Gods themselves hate.
The look of defiance.
The demon felt his features contort into one of hatred and anger, perhaps even frustration when he couldn't stop looking at the human.
"Stop that…"
Guts' lone eye continued to bore into the demon, his grip tightening on Dragonslayer.
"Stop looking at me like that, insect!"
With a burst of speed, the demon was up in the large man's vicinity once more, his sword swinging across to slice at Guts' neck but all it managed to hit was the air itself, making their eyes widen. All the demon could do was just look to the side to see the look of a beast… No, a monster, coming towards him.
A might roar was heard and before they could comprehend what had happened, the demon felt his body get hit with the iron slab once more and his body crashing into a nearby tree… Blood began to pool beneath him as well as leak from his lips, his eyes becoming more distant as the seconds passed by… But even he wasn't prepared for the bottom half of his body to be completely ripped from him.
Amethyst orbs could do nothing but watch as the only human she's ever seen beat a demon of that high calibre by himself, without the use of magic of any kind.
"Nothing but his physical strength… Who the hell is this guy?"
She watched the demon, whose body had been decapitated from the waist down, looked up to Guts who was now in front of him, his bloody sword pointing directly at him. The demon let out a breathless chuckle but only managed to sputter up more blood.
"You… Y-You will… Fight us all?"
Guts didn't bother to say anything as he stared down at the dying demon before him, though he slowly began to put Dragonslayer away from him by his prosthetic, his right hand slowly moving to rest over his abdomen to stop the blood.
"Y-You are a f-fool… Y-You will be hunted…"
"That's nothing new."
The demon managed to look around the human some to see the bleeding brand on that back of his neck… The Brand of Sacrifice. A forlorn smile made it's way onto the demon's features as he looked down at the earth. He finally understood the message that was sent now.
"Y-You are the sacrifice… Y-Your fate…"
"Fate doesn't exist."
A sharp gasp came into the demon's severed body as his eyes looked up to the Black Swordsman once more, though his vision was becoming darker and darker by the second. Before he could even utter another word, the demon felt his body begin to glow as well as decay slowly… The human before him had already turned and was leaving him to die…
"I was beat by a human, huh…"
Guts made his way over to he last saw Nalia and managed to find her sitting at the base of a tree, her breathing still laboured and jagged and her head still bleeding a little though it seemed to have closed itself up somehow…?
He shook his head a little and made his presence known by making his way in front of her, his bloody bandaged hand reaching down towards her. Her eyes looked up, widening a little as she saw him but for some reason, she didn't object to his offer. She slowly stood up and leant against the tree once more but could feel herself becoming weaker… She needed rest and her wounds tended to. And apparently… So did his.
"You're hurt Guts…"
The Black Swordsman winced lightly when he felt her hand leave his and touch his abdomen, making him already miss the warmth from her hand…
"Wait, why am I thinking that?"
He shook his head and knelt, his back facing her.
"You can't walk. We can't stay here."
Nalia felt herself biting her bottom lip for being a nuisance but it seemed eh wasn't taking no for an answer, but honestly, she secretly didn't want to pass up such a chance to be closer to him. She blushed slightly at that thought and silently scolded herself before climbing onto his back and instantly she felt his right hand move to hold her firmly underneath her.
"You do realise where you-"
"Shut up. My other hand is occupied."
"And my wound hasn't got pressure… I need to be fast."
Nalia closed her eyes as she rested against his back, her eyelids becoming heavier as she felt Guts begin to walk at a semi-fast pace. He was hurt, that much she knew, but it seemed he wasn't going to let her treat it any time soon either… Damn his arrogance. Before she knew it, she was asleep and making their way out the forest.
Thanks for reading.