novelraw Chapter 95: Switching Places
Chapter 95: Switching Places
[Maya's POV]
"201!"
"207."
"202! 203!"
"208."
Numbers echoed through the dimly lit hallway, punctuated by the clashing of steel and the snarls of demonic monsters.
The two of them were battling with fierce determination that I was stunned by.
Screaming out numbers, it didn't take long for me to understand the numbers represented how many demonic monsters they had individually killed.
Both of them, Asano Ichiko and Diana, had their hair whipped around them, sweat poured down their foreheads, and their eyes fixated on their next targets.
I could see that both of them were pushing themselves to the limit.
Ichiko moved through the chaos with an almost balletic elegance, her borrowed monster-like sword cutting through the air, heads falling in its wake. Lava spells erupted from her mouth, turning her into a walking disaster — a living volcano.
Can't you just relax for once? How is she even doing this much damage while maintaining such a proper posture? Relax!
Diana, on the other hand, glided through the hallway, her body almost parallel to the floor, unleashing ice spells with each graceful motion.
It was like the lower half of her body was trying to catch up to her torso that was leaning so far.
Her normally dark blue hair had lightened into this icy blue color, a few shades away from turning frosty white.
I assumed that this had something to do with her vampirism.
A question lingered in my mind.
Why are they competing?
As the hallway cleared, both stopped, disdain and disgust in their eyes as they locked onto each other.
It was like they were looking at someone who had killed their family.
But neither of them had met each other prior to this day so there was no need for this much animosity.
"I guess that makes me the winner," Ichiko said, stretching and yawning as if it were child's play.
Diana retorted, "Aren't you getting ahead of yourself? Who said the competition was over?"
"What else is there left to do? We cleaned out the entire building," Ichiko responded, rolling her eyes. "Don't be a sore loser. Be honorable even in defeat."
It was like she was in disbelief that Diana had the audacity to not admit that she had lost the competition.
Diana pointed to a back door, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Shall we take this outside?"
"Are you suggesting that we continue our competition out there?"
"Yes. Since this could go all day, how about we say the first one to three hundred?" suggested Diana.
"...Fine. But let's increase the duration from one week to two?" asked Ichiko.
"Ha! That's even better. Two weeks without your third wheeling sounds like heaven right now."
Ichiko let off this smile that was so beautiful that if I wasn't trying to remain hidden, I would've taken out my phone and snapped a picture of it. It was like a moment of serene beauty amid the chaos.
Diana's smile was far from gentle and serene although it was beautiful as well; it resembled the hungry gaze one might have when eyeing a succulent, juicy steak.
It sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in its presence.
Perhaps that was just the fact that I knew she was a vampire and it was affecting my emotions.
"Diana, prepare to have lunch alone for the next two weeks," Ichiko declared as she headed towards the exit. Along the way, she reached down and retrieved a massive claw from a defeated monster, wielding it alongside her sword.
She looked like a warrior from the old age.
Diana's response was resolute. "We'll see about that. Don't come crying to me when you stare at me and Bell from afar like a stalker."
So they're competing to see who can have lunch alone with Bell? What a dumb competition. What's so good about that ugly man? I mean sure he's pretty strong and... cool but like, he's also two-faced as fuck.
I was torn.
If not for my binding oath, I would've exposed Bell's deceit, a charlatan leading them astray. I wanted to shout, "He's deceiving you two! Run away! Run away from that actor before it's too late!" but my oath silenced me.
I trailed them outside carefully, not wanting to expose my presence, silently observing their competitive showdown continue elsewhere.
Their childish rivalry seemed frivolous, but the unintended consequence of their battle was that it kept weaker individuals safe from the relentless monsters. For that, I couldn't help but be grateful.
I watched Diana's swift action as she conjured an ice wall to shield an elderly woman who appeared to be a long-serving staff member of the academy. The barrier intercepted the incoming monster's assault, giving Diana the opportunity to close in.
With a deft movement, she thrust her icy fingers into the creature's head, instantly extinguishing its life.
Turning my attention to Ichiko, I marveled at her power as she unleashed a torrent of lava that splashed across a group of monsters. They had grouped up, closing in on a student who, by the looks of it, was likely my senior.
The scorching pool didn't dispatch the creatures instantly, but it certainly seized their focus, providing the threatened student with a window to escape the impending danger.
Gratitude echoed through the air as the relieved student shouted, "Thank you!"
Glancing back at the building, where a surge of mana indicated an intensifying clash between Bell and the demon, I debated whether to investigate it.
Should I go check it out?
But then, my attention returned to the two girls valiantly protecting others on accident.
With a sigh, I retreated indoors, entered a nearby room, and deactivated my invisibility.
Emerging back outside, I clenched my fists and slammed them against each other, watching as rock-covered gloves formed around my hands.
While I possessed a hidden ability known only to Bell, I remained a First Class student even without it, admitted solely for my earth magic talent.
"Let's finish this as soon as possible so that I can go and see the conclusion of that battle," I muttered, my attention still drawn to the intensity of mana behind me.
.
.
.
[Arthurr-Moon's POV]
How thick is this damn demon's skin?
None of my attacks appeared to have a significant impact but I was hoping that the quantity would add up to make up for the lack of quality.
Even my other half had unleashed one of his most powerful spells, leaving only a small hole in the demon's back. If it was any other monster, they would've turned into a pile of ashes.
This battle was proving far tougher than I had expected. Not saying that I didn't expect it to be tough.
I'm not foolish enough to believe that a battle with the demon race would be easy by any means.
And you're telling me that Bell Agnus defeated a demon by himself?
Either that demon was much weaker than this one, or Bell was holding back right now. If it was the latter, I wouldn't appreciate that.
But his life was on the line in this battle so he must have a reason to be holding himself back — if he was holding back.
"Nope," I muttered as I quickly placed my left palm in front of my right arm, slowing down the encroaching tentacles. Bell seized the opportunity, swinging his sword to free me from my precarious situation.
Noticing a surge of energy behind me, I lowered my head in a slight bow, avoiding the fiery spear that had been thrown.
It pierced the demon and I channeled my magic to drive it deeper.
I tore some more lockers off the wall, using them as makeshift shields to deflect the demon's poisonous attacks while delivering as many blows as I could in the in-between frames.
That cut was a little deeper. But still not good enough.
Although Bell and I didn't have the same synergy as my other half, at least we weren't getting in each other's way.
One of us would also cover the other's mistakes on a few occasions.
"Moon, switch with me!" Sun yelled, noticing that I was getting overwhelmed by the numerous tentacles targeting me.
More specifically, targeting my right arm.
Hmm...
Sun assumed my position, and because his movements were less mechanical than mine, I anticipated him making a mistake sooner due to his fighting style.
However, his exceptional speed and raw power more than compensated for the difference in technique between us.
I just needed to help cover as much of his recklessness as possible and let him do the rest.
Staying out of the immediate danger range of the demon, I positioned myself at the back, focusing on enhancing the attacks of our front-liners. Whenever Sun and Bell swung their weapons, I quickened their movements, hurled objects at the demon to disrupt its timing, and pulled them out of harm's way when necessary.
Because I didn't require a saber at this distance, I kept both hands free, harnessing versatile spatial magic, and the output was doubled.
It sounded like I had an easy job being out of danger but the role of support was far from easy, demanding an innate understanding of your partners' needs, often without the need for verbal communication.
One mistake on my part could easily jeopardize their safety even if my intention was to help.
"Shit!" Sun exclaimed, his mana-coated saber dismantled, and the blade melted. He hurriedly retreated, prompting Bell to increase his attack rate to divert the demon's focus for the moment.
From my inventory, I retrieved a new saber and propelled it forward using my spatial magic.
Sun, anticipating its arrival even though he never looked backward, raised his arm, and with a deft swing, the saber entered his grip midway down.
In one fluid motion, he carved another cut into the demon's chest.
Bell and Sun continued their relentless assault, chipping in on the demon's durability one small cut or burn at a time.
As I sensed Bell growing weary from his prolonged frontline battle, I decided it was time for him to catch a breath.
"Bell, take my place," I instructed before dashing forward.
In an instant, I reached into my inventory, extracting a new saber. Boosting myself into the air, I executed a swift spin, aligning myself with the demon's back, and swung with precision as I was falling toward the ground.
Because we were one and the same, Sun and I operated in perfect sync even without the need to verbally communicate. Still, our synergy, while technically flawless — it wasn't unbreakable.
The demon's physical strength and speed exceeded ours. In a split second of diminished reflexes, one of the tentacle-like wings struck my right arm. Instantly, it began to dissolve, and the saber I was wielding clattered to the ground, ringing through the chaos.
"Damn it!" Sun exclaimed, struggling to fend off the unrelenting barrage of the demon's attacks on his own end.
With no weapon in hand, I reached for the nearest object to shield myself from the impending strike of the other wing. I also used magic to propel myself backward, attempting to create some distance.
But it was too late.
The tentacle was a mere half-inch from me.
In all my sixteen years of life, never had I experienced such an overwhelming sense of dread. It was as if the very walls around me were closing in, suffocating me.
Nervous sweat trickled down my forehead, each droplet a testament to my escalating fear.
A shiver raced up my spine, and every hair on my body bristled, acutely aware of the impending danger lurking just a short distance away.
If time had allowed for it, I would have swallowed hard right then and there, the dry lump of fear caught in my throat.
Oh no.