Chapter 10 – Lightning Strikes (5)

“I don’t understand why someone so powerful brought a normal human with her. Are you two family? I think it’s the only reasonable explanation.”

Aleen was unable to answer the man's words. The pain in his body was enough to make him want to faint. To be honest, the only reason he was able to endure until now was purely due to willpower.

Aleen tried to stand weakly despite the pain in his body. He was certain that the moment when he chooses not to stand anymore is going to be the moment of his death.

Because of it, Aleen stood once more. Holding the spear in his hands, he looked to the black-dressed man and pointed the weapon towards him. The man, however, ignored his movements and simply grabbed the flag. It was obvious that he didn’t consider Aleen as someone dangerous.

“… What happened to the woman?” Aleen asked in a low voice with a mix of hope and fear. Fortunately, the man's enhanced senses picked up his words.

“The woman? She is fighting my teacher and the two level five orcs. I must say, she is crazy strong. What is her origin? She is not one of the famous warriors of the game, but her abilities are incredible.”

“… So she is fine.”

“What? Are you worried about her?” The man sneered. “Don’t tell me that you think that she will come to your rescue? Hah, she cannot save herself currently, how can she care for a useless level one as you now? Or perhaps, are you in love with her? Though I don’t think that a level one has the right to love a level five.”

Aleen simply ignored the man’s words. When he heard that the woman wasn’t dead, he felt a bit relieved in his heart. It wasn’t that Aleen fell in love with her or something like that; instead, he felt grateful to the woman for saving his life. Aleen was sure that the only reason because he was alive yet, was thanks to her.

It was not hard to make the association. If his team killed hundreds of level one in the enemy base when they attacked, how many humans can be alive in his team base after it suffered an enemy attack?

Besides, though the man laughed to it, Aleen had the hope that the woman could come and save him.

However, he knew that it was practically impossible.

If he wanted to continue living, his only choice was relying on himself.

Because of it, Aleen pointed the spear towards his enemy. He didn’t know about his enemy’s strength, but maybe he had a possibility of winning if he uses it.

But before he could think about how to use the attack that he used before, the enemy moved.

Aleen only felt the enemy disappear from his sight, then, an instant later, he felt an impact hitting his waist.

His body flew through the ruined city, but before he could land, another impact hit his chest. Then, his body crashed against the ground.

“Gah!” He cried while spitting a mouthful of blood.

“So weak.” The man said. “Can you do something special? A secret move? No? I thought so.”

Receiving another kick, Aleen felt all the strength leaving his body. But at the same time, he found a ray of hope. Inside his mind, he felt something.

It was a strange kind of rune inside his head, standing in the middle of his mind. Aleen was unable to see it, but somehow, he could feel that it was there.

When Aleen tried to move the rune, he immediately understood.

That thing was the origin of his power.

It was his only hope of leaving this place alive.

Aleen suppressed his desire to use it immediately. It was obvious that the black-dressed man didn’t see him using it against the beast he killed. Because of it, Aleen knew that his best shot was using it when the man is not expecting an attack.

Holding his chest with a hand, Aleen used the other hand to hold the spear tightly, afraid of dropping it. Then, kneeling because of the pain, he looked towards the man.

Playing with a dagger in his right hand, the man closed to Aleen slowly; wishing to see the despair on his face. Aleen, however, tried to keep calm in the situation. He knew that he only had a shot at it. If he fails, he definitively was going to die.

“Hmm. You are not fun. I guess that I will kill you then. Goodbye, weakling.” With an indifferent tone, the man raised his dagger ready to pierce his heart.

At that moment, Aleen knew that he had to use his attack. It was his last opportunity. Even though the man was on guard, he could not wait anymore.

He willed the rune in his mind to work, and it emitted a brief shine. The little mana remaining in his body moved in response, and the skill that he just acquired was activated.

But before he could use it, something in a corner of his sight attracted his attraction.

A beast, bigger, uglier and faster than the ones he saw before, was charging towards the black-dressed man’s back.

Surprised, Aleen stopped his ability from activating. At the same time, the man noticed the abnormality and turned his head to see the beast’s mouth centimeters from his face.

An expression of terror appeared on his face, and his daggers moved reflexively to block the attack. Immediately after, his daggers shined with a bright light and attacked the monster, cutting one of its extremities. But despite it, the weight of the beast caused the man to take a few steps backward.

“Damn monster!”

With a shout of rage, the man attacked with the other dagger, cutting the level two beast’s head. But because of it, he forgot the presence of Aleen behind him.

“Now!” Aleen roared, using the shout to unleash all the remaining strength in his body.

Immediately, lightning coursed through his body, slowing his perception of the surroundings and granting him extreme speed for an instant.

Aleen pointed his spear to the man’s neck, and then, his body moved.

A streak of lightning illuminated the surroundings, and Aleen body crossed twenty meters in an instant. Then, with a thud, his body hit the ground.

*Crash*

For an instant, only silence filled the place.

Then, Aleen began to laugh.

“Ha… Hahahaha…!”

With a smile on his face, Aleen laughed happily. I did it! I killed him!

But when he was celebrating, the reaper's voice sounded.

“So, was it the trump card you were hiding?”

It was frightening, filled with hatred, shame, and bloodlust.

Immediately, the expression of happiness froze on Aleen's face and a feeling of despair appeared inside him.

From the smoke, the figure of the man appeared.

Holding a dagger in his hand and using the other to hold his neck, the man walked towards Aleen.

Blood was flowing from his neck in great quantities, but though the wound seemed threatening, it was not enough to kill him.

On the other hand, Aleen could not move his body anymore.

After the last attack, the little remaining strength he had, was used.

“Do you think that something like that can kill me? I must admit though, you almost got me there. If I would have reacted a bit later, I would be dead.”

Hearing the man words, a smile of resignation appeared in Aleen’s face. How can someone react to an attack like that?

... I guess my luck was not enough, huh…

Closing his eyes, Aleen heard the man steps closing to him. Deep inside of him, he was not resigned to this result. He didn’t want to die.

A strong desire to survive bubbled in his chest.

But there was nothing he could do.

“Any last words? No? Then, die!” Raising his dagger, the man swung it to Aleen’s heart.

But then, a second miracle occurred.

Before the dagger could hit, a sword appeared.

Then, an ice-cold voice sounded.

“I don’t think so.”

An instant later, a greatsword pierced the man’s heart.