48 – Fox vs Demon King part 3
A burst of nether flames generated extreme cold. The forest froze entirely. The ground under our feet had become a solid block of ice. And dark clouds gathered in the sky and snow started to fall. As for me, both my arms and legs were covered in ice scales that resembled dragon claws. The ice continues forming up over my shoulders, with two large wings sprouting from my back.
“What are you…? Why can you still move?”
“The temperature in my body is below 200 degrees celsius. At that temperature, blood no longer flows and my molecules are stagnant. In other words, I temporarily killed my body.”
“Such a thing is impossible! If what you say is true, then you shouldn’t be able to take a single step. At that temperature your heart would stop and your body would shatter. This doesn’t make any sense! So how?”
“Yeah, about that…”
I raised my index finger next to my lips.
“That’s a secret.”
As if I would reveal my powers to him. To be honest he’s right. Lowering my internal temperature at this point means I will eventually die. There’s a time limit tied to this technique. I have to end it, in 3 minutes.
“I’m coming.”
At the same time I spoke, I already stepped in.
Then, as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, I close the distance between us.
“?!”
Then an impact.
The instant Ygalima realizes that his private space had been breached, he abandoned offense and focused solely on defense. However, he could not see my sword at all.
Not only him, no one else could see it.
That single stroke…… did not cut a single snow flake.
“——Kuh!!”
Knocked back by the impact, Ygalima rolls on the ground.
Though he could not see the sword, he was able to defend through intuition alone. He immediately leaps back to his feet.
Thunder roars, and I disappear along with the fading lightning.
That instant, I was already standing before him. Brandishing Yuki.
Then again, Ygalima is assaulted by an impact.
“Arrgh!!”
He truly could not see it. Why can’t he see it?
It was not just about the speed. In this state, my sword is——nature itself.
“Darn you. Why can’t I get a read on you?
During a fight, while dealing with many swords at the same time, a fast sword is indeed a threat. However, even a fast sword requires a preliminary movement. As long as I pay attention, dealing with it is not impossible.
But your sword… I can’t see it.”
“You already cleared that up yourself. The key lies solely in being beyond your awareness. The same way you can’t focus on each individual snowflake. My blade slips out of your awareness.”
I appear behind him. His shoulder was cut. Just like glass would break, a large hole appeared in his shoulder.
“Aaaarrgh!”
“Anything my blade touches freezes. That includes you too. Your wounds will end up like ice and I will eventually shatter you.”
“You bitch!”
He leaped towards me and tried to slash me with his sword. Once again our blades clash. But this time.
*Crack*
His blade broke into pieces.
“This can’t… something like this defies all logic.”
“Backing away? I guess it’s your turn to feel despair.”
“Uh!?
This me? You mean to say… I am afraid? Nonsense!!!”
*Angry howling*
His shrieks kinda resemble the Ripper. You're all bark and no bite, buddy. Time to end this.
“It’s over.”
I once again accelerated to a speed that was beyond what the human eye could trace and I sliced him vertically. A perfect cut. He was split in half with his body starting to break apart.
“Im… possible. Such power…”
“Such power? I’m sorry. But I’m nowhere close to the abyss of cold. This isn’t my limit you know? But this is as far as a weakling like you can push me. Now, shatter.”
He turned into ice particles. All that was left behind was a small black orb about the size of a human heart.
“Hmm? Is it due to you guys being immortal? That should have frozen as well. No matter.”
If I can’t destroy it, might as well devour it. I’d rather not let that power fall in anyone else’s hands.
“Darling, another high density magical power is approaching us!”
When I turned around, it was when someone was coming down from the sky. A man with purple skin clad in a black robe with his face covered. He opened his palm and a snake made of purple flames emerged. It was fast and it grabbed the orb. It… ate the orb?
“??”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you have this.” (???)
Great. One thing leads to another. What a pain. I can’t waste much more time. I’m almost at my limit.
“Fret not. I will not allow Ygalima to revive again. In that regard, you can say that I am on your side.” (???)
“I don’t know who you are, but are you planning to feed that orb to another Demon King?”
“No. Please just think of me as a random bystander.”
“You really think I will let you walk? Devour.”
My nether flames erupt and form a large mouth aiming to gobble mister no-name. However he seems calm and…
“Devour.” (???)
What!?
A similar eruption of purple flames is launched from his side. Did he just say devour? His purple flames and my blue flames struggled against each other, however they both ended up canceling each other out.
Due to my shock, when the light show ended, I couldn't see that weird guy at all anymore. Did he already manage to make an escape? Shit. Regardless, I have to cancel my magic or else I'll be dead.
I let out a long breath, letting my nether dragon armor melt. My body functions started once again. A stunt like that really took a toll on me. Wasn't expecting it. I still kept my guard up, but neither me or Yuki could sense that person anymore. Just who was that guy?
With the battle of a whole other level that happened before his eyes, the elven Queen was astounded. It seems she was far enough to not be affected by Ygalima.
The Elves ran over from within the forest while raising their voices. I was wondering what was going on. I hope they aren't intending to attack me.
The Elves shouted.
They were, words praising my victory. It seems like I can finally get some rest. This was a bigger workout than I imagined. But gotta keep my head high a little longer. Can't let these guys know that I'm tired. That wouldn't be cool at all.