Chapter 174: Azure Fire Burning the Moon, bl**d Stained Royal City (Part 8)
Boom! Boom! Boom——!!!
With a sound that shook the heavens and jumbled my insides, the ground ahead suddenly collapsed into a chasm.
The cellar is destroyed!
I was startled, quickly grabbing Rect by the collar and activating Moon Step to speedily retreat. My eyes widened as I surveyed the scene, where countless dust clouds swirled like a tornado, with the chasm stretching from the lawn near the bell tower all the way at least a hundred meters outside Cataloma.
Where the chasm passed, walls crumbled and houses toppled. The old street in the distance had been turned to ruins in the blink of an eye. Fiery infernos lit the sky, belching out vast tongues of flame from underground, turning the night sky a vivid shade of bl**d red.
A moment later, screams and wails echoed from afar.
“d*mn it—!”
Looking at the chaos in front of me, my anger flared to the surface, and I couldn’t help but shout in exasperation. I quickly realized I needed to think fast and turned to Rect, saying, “You’re hurt badly, don’t fight! Go save people and get the children out!”
“Sure.”
Rect understood the situation; continuing to fight would just be a hindrance. He wiped the cold sweat from his face and gave me a heavy look.
“Teresa still has her powers, they say her faith is stronger than the current Saintess. Be careful. If she uses a Divine Miracle… don’t get caught. And we can’t let her take Boswell!”
He wore a serious expression, giving me earnest advice.
“Got it.”
I nodded.
“Leave it to me.”
With a decision made, I sprang into action.
I dashed off to the side, carefully scanning for any sign of the nun while dodging the flying debris.
Just a moment ago, when the ground collapsed, I saw her retreating towards the right wall of the orphanage. Was she planning to take the bl**d Pearl and make a run for it?
Not happening!
Boom—!
A stout Ice Pillar shot up from beneath my feet, propelling my body into the air. As the wind howled in my ears, I looked down and scanned the area below.
The dust clouds still obscured my vision, and there were no signs of life… Not high enough yet.
Sensing I was about to drop, I conjured an ice platform beneath my feet and jumped again, soaring even higher.
Teresa… where are you…
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—
Suddenly, I heard the whistling sound of something barreling towards me.
Something… a rock!
The instant I confirmed the incoming projectile with my peripheral vision, my body reacted before my mind could catch up. I swung my frosty scythe to the side instinctively, creating a massive white mist explosion, while my body rapidly shifted sideways. The rock, nearly the size of my head, zipped by, barely grazing my shoulder.
I broke out in a cold sweat. Just as I thought I could breathe easy, a tremendous force slammed into my stomach.
Another rock…
“Ugh!”
I spun through the air, my body and mind disoriented, panic rising as urgency hit me.
Whoosh… bang—!
I smashed through several barriers before crashing down hard.
“Ugh… ugh…”
The impact left my mind blank, and my ears rang with the sound of debris scattering around, followed by a sharp pain in my back. After what felt like ages, I finally caught my breath.
Where on earth did I land…?
Struggling to lift my head, I glanced around… a wooden table… a small bed… It seemed like someone’s bedroom… I smashed a large hole in the ceiling…
“Ah—!”
A sudden scream startled me, and I instinctively raised my scythe in the direction of the sound.
A woman in her thirties was huddled in a corner, trembling. She clutched two small children close, their fearful little faces hidden in shadows.
“I’m sorry…” she muttered, her voice trembling from pain. “You should run.”
I need to stand up…
Just then, the wall in front of me exploded with a “boom,” and the nun burst forth from the rubble, wielding a massive axe, lifting her right leg—
Boom!
Her kick connected with my stomach, almost folding me in half. I felt a sharp pain, and everything went dark as I flew backward, crashing through the wall into a muddy alley.
“Ugh… cough—”
I spat bl**d onto my collar, feeling like my insides were being twisted by a sadistic hand.
Gotta get up…
I propped myself up on my elbows, struggling to rise, when… I realized I couldn’t feel anything below my waist.
It’s broken… this is bad…
Suddenly, the tattered hem of the nun’s robe filled my vision. My heart sank, and I quickly raised my head—there she was, covered in bl**d, swinging her flame-wreathed axe down towards my head with a menacing look.
Can’t dodge.
“Ah—!”
All I could do was throw my body to the side with all my might, flinging the scythe at her face while my right hand morphed into Captain Gray, transforming into an unstoppable spear that aimed for the nun’s chest.
Thud, thunk!!
The life-or-d*ath clash concluded instantaneously. The icy scythe penetrated her mouth and burst out the back of her head, while Captain Gray easily pierced her heart. At that moment, the axe struck my shoulder before exploding—
Boom, rumble, rumble…
I lost consciousness.
…………
Crack!
The sound of breaking ice jolted me awake, my eyes fluttering open.
…Can’t see out of my left eye… Looks like I’m leaning against some wall… it hurts… my rear end is muddy… Wait, I can feel my lower body again…
My vision was blurry.
Faintly, I saw Teresa before me beside the dull gray wall. One hand tossed away her shattered Ice Blue scythe, and the other gripped Captain Gray’s handle, slowly pulling the blade from her heart. As she did, her gruesome injury began to heal.
Thud.
The bloody scythe clattered to the ground, splattering mud.
“I’m sorry.” She walked towards me, uttering a sigh-like phrase, “I don’t want to k*ll you. If it were possible… I’d love to be friends.”
“Cough cough…”
I wanted to say something, but no sound came out… So, I shakily raised my hand, and slowly gave her the middle finger.
…Ah, she probably doesn’t get that gesture.
So, I thought for a moment, then spat bl**d at her… but I had no strength left, and it splattered across my shirt.
But she understood my meaning.
Boom——
The flaming axe was raised high before me.
“Miss Silvya… goodbye.”
Thump thump…
Thump thump.
My heart pounded clearly.
At that moment, when that maddening itching sensation hit me, I suddenly opened my hand that was still showing the middle finger, and with a “bang,” the ice mist exploded around me as I stood up.
My left eye regained its sight…
“Who are you—”
Teresa’s shocked expression hadn’t even fully formed when my right hand, glowing with blue light, slammed down upon her.
Boom——
Shining ice fragments mixed with the foul muddy water splattered across my face.
Teresa’s entire upper body was obliterated by the brutal icy current, her head smashed to pieces, frozen chunks of her bl**d and flesh flying toward the mud and walls, taking on a nauseating hue in the frost.
…Not enough.
I shook my left arm, clenched and released my fists… the wound on my shoulder had completely healed, and my left hand was mobile.
Thud.
I kicked Teresa’s axe far away and grabbed her frozen body by the calf, lifting her from the ground.
…Too many people here. Teresa, let’s fight in the sky instead.
Boom!
An Ice Pillar shot up from beneath, and I leaped into the air like a cannonball.
Ten meters… twenty… still so far.
Crack.
An ice platform emerged beneath my feet, and with a toe tap, I leaped another ten meters higher.
…Again.
Crack.
Not enough.
Crack, crack, crack——
I began generating ice platforms like I had when battling the endless Abyss back in the village, rising fifty meters… a hundred… one hundred fifty… two hundred… the speed was unreal.
Boom!!
Suddenly, blazing flames erupted beneath me, and an unbearable burning sensation shot through me as infernal fire clawed up my left arm, igniting half of my body.
“Ah!”
The flames crackled in the howling wind, and I screamed as I was burned, fully activating Frost Order. Brilliant blue light erupted in the night sky, dense icy white mist enveloping me, intertwining with the blazing red fire. The steam surged, freezing again in an instant before evaporating once more, the screeching sound piercing my eardrums, and the air grew thick, difficult to breathe.
“Ugh—!”
The furious roar escaped Teresa’s mouth, and her other leg transformed into a crimson whip, repeatedly striking my backside.
Bang! Bang! Boom——!
Flames erupted from her leg, the intense force nearly suffocating me as I gasped for breath.
d*mn it… it’s about to explode…
This won’t do… the freezing effect will fade… I have to get higher.
I bit my teeth, kicking upward through the air once more, finally unable to hold on any longer, my body tilted, and my foot missed the platform.
This is about it…
At the moment of weightlessness, I swung Teresa’s hand upward while my other hand spread wide… and suddenly clenched tightly.
Frosty world.
Whoosh——
The flames engulfing Teresa instantly extinguished.
Her expression, now slightly angry, froze in place as her right leg remained in a striking position, frozen in white frost.
The night sky over the Royal City swirled with extreme cold.
I closed my eyes as I plummeted.
This should be it…
Falling like this, she’ll shatter into pieces… hope it won’t land on anyone!
I prayed it wouldn’t…
Whoosh… rip—!
Her already ruined skirt couldn’t withstand the howling wind, tearing away, revealing a glimpse of the lantern pants beneath.
…d*mn!
But at this point, I couldn’t worry about that.
I fought to control my body, attempting to maintain balance in the air while trying to think of a safe landing.
Using the push of the ice mist… probably not enough; if I don’t tap into the Abyss’s power, I might just d*e!
Just a little… don’t panic… it’ll be fine…
Suddenly, I felt the speed of my descent slow.
…Huh?
It seemed like a gust was holding me up… before I could process what was happening, a heady scent swirled through the chaotic winds, enveloping me entirely. In an instant, someone grabbed hold of me.
“Reckless.”
A cool voice said with a hint of reprimand.
