Chapter 120: The Bleeding Scream
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“I am getting tired of your bluffing!” Asparthes roared with fury, his entire body erupting with crimson energies as it shapeshifted into a massive arm made of blood energy. “Die already! {Crimson Demon’s Hand}!”
The gigantic arm impacted my body directly. I didn’t want to use my shield again, as I was sure it would break the moment it took such a devastating blow, so I decided to simply tank it with my sheer physical strength.
And only a little accessory I got as my reward...
FLASH!
My red-colored earrings suddenly started to shine bright crimson the moment the hand was about to clash over my body, its effects finally activating.
[The Special Ability of the [Blood Demon Earrings (A+ Rank)], [Blood Absorption Barrier] has been activated!]
[By sacrificing -100 Durability, a Barrier that absorbs 70% of all Blood Attribute Magic will be created for 10 Minutes. 30% of absorbed blood will restore the user’s HP and MP.]
[Can be used only once a day.]
CRASH!!!
Once the hand finally impacted me, the barrier mitigated 70% of the damage, plus the Death’s Little Sister Privilege weakening an enemy Undead’s power made it so it only dealt around 20% of its total damage.
“Huh, that didn’t hurt at all.”
Asparthes opened his crimson-red eyes in utter shock, noticing that one of his strongest techniques had not properly worked, and in fact, the damage I could have taken was instantly restored in both HP and MP.
“W-What?!” The vampire muttered. “That barrier… It can absorb blood energy?! Those earrings! Where did you get them?!”
“Why don’t YOU shut up for once, Asparthes?!”
I didn’t have any time to waste. Imbuing my legs with Ki and Mana, I rushed towards the vampire in front of me as I pushed away the Blood Knights trying to get in my way. Gram loaded itself with more Mana, as I unleashed several slashing attacks at once towards the Magician Blood Knight!
“{Starshine Rush}!”
Starshine Rush is a new technique I created by combining several other sword techniques I had already made. It pretty much combined them all as I unleashed them in quick succession, changing my stance with each attack.
SLASH!
First was the spinning attack of the {Sunlit Arc}.
SLASH!
Then the piercing attack of {Sunlight Blade}.
SLAASH!
Afterward, the devastating blunt strike of {Heavenly Decapitation}.
SLAAASH!
And lastly, the explosive bright light of {Eclipsing Arc}!
FLASH!
“UUUAARRGGHHH…!”
Asparthes experienced death for the trillionth time, his entire body being cut down to tiny pieces and then burned to near ashes by the brightness emanating from my body.
His body pieces fell onto the floor, too tiny to recognize, as they began to slowly regenerate, fleshy tendrils beginning to emerge very slowly.
I knew it!
One of the main weaknesses of this “immortality” is the actual time it takes to truly regenerate the flesh; the more wounds there are, the harder it will be.
This is why it is easy to regenerate out of being beheaded; by merely sticking their head back together in a split second, it's done.
But it’s a whole different deal if several limbs are cut or if he’s turned into minced meat.
[“Anna, use the chains!”]
“I know! {Demon-Sealing Celestial Chains}!”
FLASH!
Several chains emerged out of my Physique, made of Celestial light, and wrapped around Asparthes flesh and bones as I tightly sealed him into the shape of a watermelon-sized meatball.
“Arrgghhh! Graaaarrgghh!”
The groans of the agony of Asparthes could be heard as his body tried to free himself from the sealing while still trying to regenerate, a perpetual cycle of agony. Well, not perpetual; it is only temporary; he’ll free himself in a couple of minutes.
“Lord Asparthes!”
“You damn Celestial!”
“Kill her!!!”
The other Blood Knights rushed towards me the moment they saw their Lord being cut down to pieces and temporarily sealed, slowing down his regeneration tremendously.
“{Holy Dragon Flame Blades}!”
Combining the Holy Dragon Flare with the Sunlight Blade gave birth to blade-shaped Holy Dragon Flames, which I fired towards the Blood Knights as I rushed past them, explosions quickly emerging one after another.
BOOM!
“Uuaargh!”
BOOM!
“T-These flames…!”
BOOM!
“C-Catch her- ARGHH…!”
BOOM!
“Dammit!”
BOOOM!
As the Blood Knights suffered and slowly began to regenerate, I ran into the Domain’s walls, the swirling masses of red energy that made up the entire Domain’s Dimension.
“{Sunlit Arc}!”
I quickly leaped off the ground, encompassing my entire body with powerful Ki, Celestial Energy, and hints of Cosmic Energy. The explosion of energies and the slicing, spinning Gram hit the domain’s walls, generating a huge explosion.
BOOOM!!!
“Not enough, huh?”
However, not to my surprise, the barrier did not break; it was completely unscathed, and that was probably one of my strongest attacks!
“Hahaha… HAHAHAHA!” The voice of Blednica echoed across the entire Domain. “Fool! Did you really think you could destroy this mighty Domain?! Not even High Celestials can destroy pocket dimensions so easily! Let alone a one-winged failure such as you!”
“Certainly, it’s a pretty strong Domain, I have to admit it.” I smiled.
Bleeding Scream helped Blednica create this pocket dimension with their “Blessing”, and therefore, it is not just a domain I could easily destroy...
“However, it’s a different story as long as I’ve got this with me,” I said.
“Huh? What do you mean?!” Blednica was confused.
From my inventory, a large golden jar emerged, quickly beginning to float in midair as I opened its lid, revealing a spiraling mass of countless souls.
[You have activated the [Ramses’ Soul Eating Urn (S Rank)]!]
[The Urn hungers for souls! It has begun to absorb nearby souls!]
I stuck the Urn into the swirling, red-colored walls of energy as the souls making up the entire Domain started to be slowly swallowed.
“T-That’s…! A Divine Relic of a Constellation…! Where did you get that?!” Blednica screamed.
“Let’s say I am quite beloved by the Constellations.” I smiled back at the swirling, crimson skies.
If trying to break it didn’t work, as long as I absorb the souls composing this powerful Domain, it might weaken enough so I can break it.
FLUOSH!
The urn started to slowly absorb the souls, around three per second out of almost a thousand. In a few minutes, it will be exhausted of Souls!
“What is she doing?!”
“Stop her at once!”
“Take that urn away from the barrier!”
The Blood Knights had already regenerated, rushing towards me with their weapons and magic. Now I need to battle and protect the Urn from harm until the Domain is weakened enough.
And shatter it!
[The Bleeding Scream] gorily swirls its endless appendages.]
[They seem to enjoy your struggles.]
.
.
.
Meanwhile, as Anna fought to survive until the Domain she was trapped in was weak enough, the second Anna, her Doppelganger, accompanied by Inferna, battled against Asparthes' twin sister, Emiliette.
“{Chaos Blades}!”
By combining the Elements of Holy Light, Death, and Phantom together with some Necrotic Energy and Celestial Energy, plus her affinity with the Chaos Element as a High-Ranking Demon herself, she created Chaotic Energy, which she shaped into blades, making the deadly swirling energy into powerful projectiles.
The projectiles flew across the skies and landed over Emiliette one after another. The mighty magic warrior swung her gigantic great sword, unleashing explosions of crimson light as she barely blocked a few of Doppelganger Anna’s attacks.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
“Tch…! This damn brat!”
Emiliette roared, showing her sharp canine fangs. Her legs moved at lightning speed as she raised her sword the second she reached Anna’s front, her fury growing larger the more the battle continued.
“{Blood Wrath}!!!”
With a powerful vertical swing of her great sword, Emiliette unleashed a devastating, explosive attack that let out a mighty slash, devastating the ground below and shattering it open!
BOOOM!
Anna barely evaded the attack, only losing a small part of her slimy body as it quickly regenerated through her overuse of Healing Touch, the most convenient Skill so far.
“She’s getting faster…”
The Doppelganger Anna quickly noticed Emiliette’s change; the more furious she grew, the more power she would gain. Without a doubt, she had some sort of Berserk Demonic Stigma, further increasing her power the more she lost her mind.
“GRAAAAAAHHH!!!”
With a monstrous roar, Emiliette didn’t stop there, swiftly pushing further until her claw reached Anna and pushed her down with tremendous, herculean force!
“DIE!!!”
Her sword loaded itself with all her Blood Energy, striking Anna’s chest and piercing it fiercely!
CLASH!!!
A huge shockwave of demonic and blood energies swirling together was unleashed, the ground below shook once more, and huge cracks in the underground layers started to open up!
However, when Emiliette regained her senses, she noticed Anna’s chest had been opened and a huge hole had been created before she could properly pierce her body, as the rest of her body quickly turned back into a purple-colored slime and entangled her body!
“This is one of the benefits of not being a human! Heh!”
“Urgh?! W-What?!”
“{Demon-Sealing Celestial Chains}!”
FLASH!
Chains of light emerged all around Anna’s slimy body, wrapping around Emiliette’s arms, legs, torso, and head, forcing her to stand still, even if for a few seconds, before she freed herself with her sheer strength!
“Now, Inferna!”
“RAAAAAH!”
With a single command, Inferna appeared from behind Emiliette, her spear blazing with black demonic flames mixing together with the holiness of the spear’s enchantment, piercing through Emiliette’s armor and then through her chainmail, all the way to her skin, and then her spine, right behind her neck!
“URGH?! AAAAAGGGHH…!”
CRASH!
An explosion of light and demonic energy was unleashed as Emiliette’s neck started to crack, resisting with incredible strength, and her Demonic Stigma began to activate again as her eyes turned purely red.
“{Twin Cutter}!”
With a scream filled with exhilaration, desperation, and hope to mix together, Inferna imbued the rest of her energies into activating one of the many skills she learned from Anna!
The single attack she had unleashed suddenly divided itself, as a second attack, just as devastating as the previous one, hit Emiliette’s spine as it was already being pierced!
Crack, crack…!
“URGH…! T-THIS CAN’T…! W-WAIT!”
Crack, CRACK!
“AAAAAGGGH…!”
CRASH!!!
Her neck blew up into pieces as Emiliette screamed while the rest of her head splattered into smithereens, her entire body quickly freeing itself from her chains in that eruption of wrath, pushing Inferna away with a strong punch into her stomach, piercing it until reaching her spine, and throwing away Anna’s slimy body with a shockwave of Demonic Blood Energy!
TRUUM!
“Uuaargh…!”
Inferna screamed in agony, falling to the ground as her guts splattered over the ground, blood everywhere.
Doppelganger’s Anna consciousness almost faded away as she had lost too much mass, quickly glancing at Emiliette’s strange body!
Her head was completely destroyed, yet her physical body was still somehow moving!
“W-What…?! Ugh… Inferna!”
The Doppelganger quickly moved towards Inferna, aiming to save her and touching her wounds to heal her. However, the enormous hole in her stomach, which pierced until her spine, was too big and deadly. Healing Touch can only heal minor wounds; something this deep required special magic.
She quickly poured all the potions she had, but the wound did little to recover, major loss of organs and bones couldn’t be easily recovered, and Inferna’s life force was beginning to fade away rapidly.
“GRAAAH… RAAAH!”
The body of Emiliette roared as a monstrous set of sharp jaws emerged from her neck, and then, with a long tongue and a single eye in the tip, a parasitic-like monster seemed to have infested her, a “last resort” that Blednica had given to her in the worst-case scenario!
[The Bleeding Scream] shrieks in agonizing pleasure, giving birth to their precious unborn child, the putrid fetus of their endless screams.]
[Their appendages open and close, letting out the acidic mucus of their aberrant lifeblood.]
[The [Parasitic Bleeding Child (S- Rank)] has taken over [Magician Blood Knight: Emiliette (A+++ Rank)] body!]
[All Stats have increased by +200%, a monstrous entity makes her headless body into their perfect vessel!]
“Ugh… Hahh…!”
Inferna was gritting her teeth, trying to bear the agonizing pain, but incapable of moving.
“A-Anna…” She muttered, tears flowing from my eyes. “Am I going to… die?”
“No… You’re not going to die!”
Doppelganger Anna decided to bet it all on the girl that had sparked Anna to do all of this, the girl she first met, which made her understand what the demons were going through the most.
“Hang in there!”
Her purple-colored slime body suddenly entered Inferna’s large wound, filling her stomach and replacing her organs, even her spine, as she took out several bones from the Wendigo King to replace them!
“Urgh…! W-What’s… going on?!”
Inferna suddenly felt a burst of energy rushing through her body as she noticed her stomach suddenly looking like new!
“Shit… The real Anna’s going to get mad at me; I was supposed to protect everyone…” Doppelganger’s Anna’s voice sighed, and suddenly, a small, tiny purple tentacle showed up over Inferna’s palm.
“E-Eh?! You're... inside of me?!” Inferna was flabbergasted. “You fused with me!”
“I’ve temporarily replaced what you’ve lost!” Said Doppelganger Anna. “Stand up, Inferna! That bitch’s not gone yet! She’s coming! I’ve lost too much mass myself; I can’t take on her easily!”
“GRAAAAAAHHH!!!”
“Hurry!!!”
Doppelganger’s Anna senses and reflexes suddenly sparked through all of Inferna’s nervous systems as her body moved almost on its own, at an incredibly fast speed and with graceful movements, only a split of a second before the place where she was resting was to be blown up to pieces by Emiliette’s raging sword attack!
CRASH!
“I’m so nimble now!”
Inferna was shocked, yet she couldn’t help but feel emotional, tears flowing from her eyes as she realized her friend had given up her own life to save her.
“Doppelganger, why did you..."
“Why shouldn’t I?! I share Anna’s memories; she would have done something similar herself."
“RAAAAH!”
Emiliette didn’t let them even talk, her sword clashing against Inferna several times consecutively, all while sharp tentacles coming out of her neck were constantly trying to cut her down to pieces!
With Hel’s Grimoire suddenly floating around her, Inferna gained a great boost to her Mana, which she swiftly employed to retaliate against the parasitized vampire with a barrage of Demonic Spearmanship Arts!
“{Infernal Jab}!”
An eruption of black and purple flames emerged, clashing against Emiliette’s stomach with an explosive strike, opening up a hole through her and sending her flying away!
CRASH!
“UURGGHH…!”
The beast groaned in agony, only to quickly stand back up again, slowly regenerating its huge wound.
“Ah, she’s a tough nut to crack…” Doppelganger’s Anna sighed. “Inferna, can you still go on?”
“I can!” Inferna’s eyes glowed with a purple hue as a sudden burst of light emerged from one of her hands. “Huh? T-This light is…?!”
“Not bad! It looks like it’s working properly!” The Doppelganger celebrated. “Listen Inferna! For as long as I can stay within you, you can use some of the abilities I inherited from the real Anna!”
“Anna’s powers…!” Inferna felt her heart beating faster and faster. “Alright! I’ll wield her strength to protect my village—no, my family!”
“GRRRHH… RAAAAH!”
As Inferna made up her resolve, Emiliette’s once beautiful body started to mutate, the parasitic being within her deciding to change her shape and make her easier to handle!
[The Bleeding Scream] shrieks.]
[There is nothing more pleasurable than the struggles of mortals.]
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