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Angel of Ruin and Blade of Shadows – Part 06

Lavia followed the sound of footsteps. Thanks to her Imperceptibility, the person ahead hadn’t noticed her presence. However, the forest terrain made it difficult to catch up quickly.

Just then, the individual leaned against a tree to catch their breath. The wind rustled through the trees. Moonlight filtering through the branches revealed Ranna, the factory’s master and the source of all the chaos.

I’ve caught up… But what now?

Lavia hadn’t planned beyond catching up to this person when she realized she was trying to escape. All close combat was Hikaru’s domain, and casting magic here would risk incinerating Ranna.

I need to think. Yes, think… What would Hikaru do?

Lavia recalled Hikaru’s actions during their recent dungeon expedition on Southleaf Island. He had carried a paralyzed Jillarte without any weapons. His strategy was to escape, but not just run away. He had faith that Lavia and Paula would come to his aid, so he had focused on buying time.

All right. Let’s do this.

Lavia deactivated her Imperceptibility and addressed Ranna. “Where do you think you’re going after causing such chaos?”

Startled by the sudden voice behind her, Ranna turned to look. Lavia wore a hooded cloak, revealing only a black silhouette with a faint glimmer of a silver face.

“You must be the intruder who burned down my factory!” Ranna quickly grasped who she was, shooting her a sharp glare. “What have I ever done to you?! You destroyed my factory and everything!”

“You don’t get it? It’s a consequence of your poison and those chimeras you created hurting another nation without any justifiable cause.”

“I disagree. All I did was create weapons. The country decides how to use them. It’s absurd that I have to suffer for it!”

“But you willingly developed those vicious weapons, didn’t you?”

Lavia continued the conversation while silently praying for Hikaru’s arrival. He possessed Mana Detection, so he should sense Lavia confronting someone. He would realize that something was wrong and come to her. Lavia wasn’t confident she could restrain Ranna on her own.

“Are you stupid? Every weapon carries with it the shadow of peace. If research on the Accursed Toxin progresses, so does research on antidotes and cures. It was you guys that stole the cure, right? Considering how effective it is, you should understand that this research could lead to peace.”

“What about the chimera?”

“Tch… Smart-mouthed, are we? Little shit! Oh, I see. I get it now.” Ranna grinned. “You’re stalling for time. Getting me to talk while waiting for your friends to arrive. Your completely vulnerable stance screams amateur. A little girl like you can’t do anything, can you?”

Lavia’s eyes widened.

“I’m not falling for such an obvious plan!” Ranna whirled around and bolted.

Lavia began chanting. “O’ Elementals, heed my call.” This spell was too conspicuous, so she didn’t want to use it, but she had no other choice. “Flames rising higher than will-o-wisps, incinerate the approaching danger! Flame Wall!”

Her speedy incantation barely made it in time. A fiery wall erupted right in front of the fleeing Ranna, startling her and causing her knees to buckle. The surroundings turned bright as daylight.

“I can burn you whenever I want,” Lavia said, closing the distance between them.

Ranna, mouth gaping open and shut, seemed to have lost her will to escape.

“Now, stay still…”

She did it. She somehow managed to immobilize Ranna.

Lavia’s heart raced. She couldn’t help but wonder if Hikaru was constantly devising and executing tactics like this.

Removing a rope from her belt’s tool bag, Lavia approached Ranna, oblivious to the faint smile that crossed the woman’s face.

---

Hikaru had already sensed Lavia’s presence with Ranna. He bit his lip in frustration. He was too careless that he only witnessed Ranna’s escape now.

A burst of fire magic illuminated the area up ahead.

“That’s Flame Wall. Lavia is stopping Ranna from escaping.”

He needed to hurry. Hikaru knew more than anyone that Lavia’s physical abilities were far from impressive.

Through the trees, he saw Lavia drawing out a rope and approaching Ranna. Then, Ranna reached into her pocket.

“Stop!”

The warning came slightly too late.

Ranna turned around and hurled something at Lavia’s face. Startled, Lavia froze in her tracks and began to fall backward in slow motion.

“Lavia… Laviaaa!”

Hikaru, racing forward, reached Ranna, deactivated Stealth, and demanded answers.

“Hey! What did you do?!”

Taken aback by Hikaru’s sudden appearance, Ranna stammered, “Who? Oh, you must be this girl’s accomplice.”

“Answer the question! We’ve already taken the cure.”

Ranna chuckled. The flames from the Flame Wall had vanished, leaving behind only smoldering embers and smoke from burning trees.

As Hikaru lifted Lavia up, he noticed her face was covered in some sort of liquid. His Mana Detection saw magic runes exceedingly similar to the Accursed Toxin.

“An enhanced version of the Accursed Toxin,” Ranna said, slowly stepping away from Hikaru. “I, the brilliant researcher Ranna, didn’t just stop at creating poison and its antidote. This one is imbued with even more complex sorcery, and I’ve made no antidote for it. Just like the Accursed Toxin, it can’t be healed with magic. The girl has only a few minutes left.”

Hikaru wiped Lavia’s mouth with a cloth, then discarded it. Nearby lay a vial likely containing the poison. Ranna maintained her distance from the discarded vial to avoid getting infected.

“…”

Hikaru fixed Ranna with a glare. He suppressed the rising anger inside him and reminded himself that now wasn’t the time to deal with her. His priority was to save Lavia.

However, the intense hostility he emanated made Ranna tremble.

“I-I don’t think you have time to worry about me! Look behind you!” Ranna pointed behind Hikaru, then made a frantic dash for it.

Hikaru had already sensed it with his Mana Detection. Even without it, the heavy footsteps approaching were unmistakable.

The chimera was closing in on them.

“…I-I’m sorry, Hikaru…”

“You don’t need to apologize. You did nothing wrong.”

He could go after Ranna later. Hikaru checked Lavia’s condition. Her breathing was labored, and removing the mask revealed sweat. Dark spots had already begun to form on her skin, resembling the same symptoms as the Accursed Toxin, except this one was spreading too quickly.

Hikaru quickly summoned Lavia’s Soul Board.

【Soul Board】Lavia
Age: 14 | Rank: 22 | 4

【Vitality】
【Stamina】1

【Magical Power】
【Mana Capacity】11
【Mana Principle】2
【Elemental Affinity】
【Fire】5

【Agility】
【Stealth】
【Life Cloaking】0
【Mana Cloaking】0
【Imperceptibility】3

【Willpower】
【Faith】
【Holy】3

Her Soul Rank had increased by two from the battles in the dungeon on Southleaf Island and their subsequent killing of monsters on their journey back, giving her four unused points. Hikaru unlocked her Immunity and put three points into Toxin Immunity.

Then, Lavia’s breathing became noticeably steadier. This should buy them some time.

“Gyuoaaaaaaaah!”

The chimera was getting closer behind them. Hikaru wondered what the knights were doing, but the fact that their formation had been broken earlier suggested they couldn’t deal with it.

“You’re… dangerous… Zuuaaaah!”

A mere synthesis of animals alone would not have the ability to speak. It must have adopted the intelligence of the knight it devoured.

The chimera’s roar shook the trees.

“…Shut up.” Hikaru no longer paid it any mind.

To the chimera, Hikaru seemed to vanish into thin air. Using Group Cloaking to retreat, he rested Lavia against a large tree and activated Stealth to the fullest.

Hikaru used his atlatl at close range, driving a spear into the chimera’s elephant-like left leg.

“Gyaaaaaah!”

The chimera was too massive for Hikaru’s Assassination. However, as long as he didn’t insist on delivering a single lethal strike, there was a way to handle it.

With no knights around, Hikaru could move freely, and the forest’s trees obstructed the chimera’s movements.

The chimera anxiously scanned its surroundings, but shortly after, let out another scream. Another spear had pierced its uninjured right leg.

“Aaa! Aaaah!”

The chimera’s colossal body fell to the ground, causing the ground to shake.

Three more…

Despite the trembling earth, Hikaru approached the chimera.

“Gii!?”

One after another, he thrust his spear into its back, thighs, and abdomen.

Just a bit more…

Hikaru pulled out all the suntetsu he had and plunged them deep into the creature. The chimera, aware of the danger to its head, shielded it with its clawed hand. Hikaru skillfully dodged its other arm as it swung at him.

The chimera was already bleeding profusely from its entire body and panting heavily.

This should do it.

Withdrawing his Dagger of Strength, Hikaru thrust it deep into where an ordinary animal’s heart would be.

“Gggh?!”

The chimera convulsed violently, and behind the arms it used to shield itself, the golden eyes of a lizard glared at Hikaru.

“I feel sorry for you, being toyed with by humans. But I have someone I need to protect.”

The chimera’s clawed hand swung at Hikaru, but by then, the man in the silver mask had vanished.

The creature was still alive, but in grave condition. Despite losing in close combat, there were still around fifty knights who could move well enough. They should be able to take down the chimera.

Hikaru’s form once again dissolved into the darkness.