Episode(98) Those who refuse weakness
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~(98)
[Ack!...Sorry-]
Camilla felt that she had accidentally bumped into someone when she turned around.
She didn't even pay attention to her surroundings and she felt slightly embarrassed.
The other person must be incredibly angry, at least she would be.
But, wait a moment.
What other person?
Wasn't she alone in this space up to a moment ago?
Nagisa had gone a different direction and even if he came back already he would have probably launched a sneak attack, forget being so sneaky.
Then, was it the wall?
But, she should have been quite some distance away from the wall. Did the boss room's walls move then?
She looked to the side and the walls seemed to be in the same place having not shifted a single inch from the minute she entered this place.
So, it wasn't Nagisa and it wasn't the wall.
Surely, it couldn't have been her shadow materializing to play a prank right?
Gulp-
Surely enough, a shadow was cast before her but it wasn't hers.
!!!
Instantly, she leapt away from the spot, her heart thumping threatening to leave her chest as she immediately put up her guard that was down.
What was that?
How did it get behind her without her even noticing?
Why didn't it attack when her guard was down?
No, first she need to calm down.
Taking a few breaths, she managed to barely get the thumping of her heart down to a manageable pace but it still felt as if it would jump through her throat and run away.
The situation was just that horrifying.
Honestly, to let something get so close and not even sense a shift in the air. Camilla wanted to curse but recalled she wasn't good at perception type tasks.
Proof was even with Nagisa teaching her day and night she didn't even come close to learning.
In any case, with Nagisa the humanoid monster sensor around she lacked the motivation to even try realizing she had no talent for perception.
But, if she had tried harder perhaps she would have learnt it even if she wasn't as good as Nagisa.
Now, she had almost died just like that.
She felt like such an idiot for neglecting her training.
[If that guy finds out, I'm definitely gonna be scolded later!]
Camilla peered deeply at the monster before her trying to gauge its level.
It seemed like some humanoid locust, although from legs to hands everything seemed human.
Its fingers were knife like claws and so were its toes. At the same time the head was that of an insect and it had wolverine like claws extending from both its dorsum's.
Surprised? Why couldn't she just know its level just by looking at it?
For one, to see the level of creatures or items one needed an appraisal skill.
But Nagisa didn't have one right? Well, he wasn't exactly 'looking' at the level of things and creatures per se.
It was more like, with his high level of perception he could sense the level of any being he focused on.
Camilla didn't have Appraisal nor did she have perception, and even with perception if her level was not high enough she would not have access to this ability.
Still, she could tell.
Even a fool could tell from its menacing aura-
It's strong!
Gulp*
She was only level sixty something after leveling up on her way to the boss room.
Her strength had also improved leaps and bound compared to before since turning into a ghoul and she could confidently say facing monsters at least ten or twenty levels above her own would be difficult but not impossible.
Yet, the monster before her gave her a feeling that it was totally impossible.
She shouldn't even try to cross this gap!
Camilla trembled and thought.
What should she do?
Call Nagisa?
Logically speaking, yes, this was the right choice. Even so, she hesitated.
What was the point of training to get stronger if she just gave up whenever the challenge was too strong?
Wouldn't it all end up like before, losing everything she cared about because she was too weak?
Because she lacked the will to sacrifice?
No!
No more excuses. She already had enough of resenting her weak and pathetic self.
When it counts she also wanted to be the hero, to save the ones she loved and cherished!
Even if it was just for the sake of repaying her life savior-
These trembling hands of hers needed to stop shaking!
She gripped the sword with more force than before.
[I'm terrified!]
Her voice cracked with every letter and her breathing was way too ragged for someone who hadn't even fought yet.
[I'm insignificant and weak…I know better than anyone else]
Even if she was chosen by fate to live as an extraordinary Saintess, her mana pool was pitiful and her speed when learning magic was even more pathetic.
[Even when I tried to turn away from reality, tried to make up for the people that died fighting with a sword-]
Even then, her limits were only slightly better when compared to magic.
She couldn't even make up for the sin of having her family and loved ones massacred by killing monsters in return.
Yet still, that fire burned.
Right-
[I'll gain nothing if I just keep running away!]
So she would fight and never give up again.
Seeing her firm and fierce glare, the monster on the other side titled its head.
Then, to Camilla's horror it turned up the corners of its mouth in a wide ugly grin showing sharp jagged teeth.
Its body swayed and in the next moment-
Shu!
Fa-Fast!
Camilla just barely managed to move since the sword was already raised and blocked the slash from below.
But, the force caused her body to stagger and she lost balance.
At that moment, the monster swiped its claws through the air at her face.
Kh!
The monster was too fast and its strength gave her no time to react.
Luckily she was staggering and used the momentum to completely fall to the side just barely getting slashed on the cheek.
Rolling once to clear the distance she sprung up holding her guard.
The thin lines of blood on her face remained but she paid it no mind as it trickled down her cheek.
Another swift attack came but Camilla took a stance capable of diverting the power of force and struck against the monsters attack.
Clang!
The loud sound of metal colliding with metal reverberated as claws and sword met.
Camilla even felt her hands tremble slightly.
If not for the fact that her pain sensitivity had mostly been numbed she would have dropped the sword due to numbness.
But-
The force from its attack crack the ground and Camilla firmly gripped the sword engaging in a flurry of attacks scattering sparks like flower petals.
Right, left, up, down.
The attacks came in swift succession and Camilla was having a hard time keeping up with each one.
Not to mention the focus she had to place on holding the stance while using footwork to dart around from place to place.
If any one of these things were messed up the sword would have flown from her hands due to the overwhelming force of the monster before her.
It slashed to the side and Camilla performed a roll avoiding it, then it moved and struck down from above but once again she pressed of the ground with a somersault twisting and clearing the distance between the two.
This time, the locust didn't immediately attack and Camilla also stood far away glaring.
But the difference was stark.
Camilla was already ragged with cuts and bruises, yet the monster didn't even have a scratch and didn't look tired at all.
Strong, too strong.
Just what level was this creature and why was it so strong.
Camilla could even tell it wasn't even taking her seriously in its attack and she knew she wasn't its match at all.
Desperately hanging on to defensive and having a drawn out battle wasn't in her favor whether it came down to magical power or strength.
Mana wise, she had no doubts she had less mana than the creature before her.
And strength wise, even if her pain sensitivity was extremely low, accumulated damage was bound to cause a gap in her combat power.
Not even luck could guarantee victory here.
Yet, she gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.
Win, win here and overcome one wall blocking the path to becoming stronger.
Right, even the strongest shields have a weak point. As long as she could find it she could make use of whatever it was.
She refused to give up here and would fight to the bitter end.
Fuu!
Taking a deep breath, she settled her trembling body and took a stance ready once more for the battle to begin.
[Then, shall we begin?]