Chapter 157: Beings of the Ancient Era (3)
“—-Death Scythe.”
The signal for the start of the battle was Pluto’s death scythe.
The scythe of the reaper swung with a heavy shockwave, charging with a force that seemed to cut through anything.
Kwaang!
The blue mist that wrapped around the scythe spread out, and a huge scar was created above the cave where Philrun was standing.
A straight line that crossed the entrance of the cave.
A massive amount of soil poured down from below, and dust settled everywhere.
‘I couldn’t cut through it.’
Thud thud thud.
Even as the soil that supported the cave fell down, Pluto was able to guess the enemy’s life or death.
The sensation that came through the death scythe told him the enemy’s condition.
He didn’t manage to inflict any wounds with this attack.
The death scythe was still starving for human blood.
“Haah, ha…”
Beyond the thick dust, a human figure faintly appeared.
Thump. Thump.
Behind the footsteps of the enemy, a pair of wings shone brightly.
The wings, which had one less than before, emitted light neatly and scattered the dust.
A rough coughing sound reached Pluto’s ears, who was holding the scythe.
“Cough, cough… You’re too much, all of a sudden.”
The one who came out of the dust that Pluto had created was Philrun, who was frowning and coughing.
The divine tool that Philrun was holding, Clawsolas, was emitting a stronger light than before.
Pluto felt more and more uncomfortable as the light from the divine tool grew stronger.
It was an energy that was hard to get used to, no matter how many times he faced it.
Pluto covered his nose with his fingertips and spoke to Philrun.
“You’re tougher than I thought.”
“I’ve become quite sturdy since I became a hero.”
“I see.”
Heroes were those who were chosen from among humans as the peak of their kind.
It would have been ridiculous if they had fallen to such an attack.
Whirr.
This time, Pluto thrust his death scythe forward.
The density of the mist that surrounded him became thicker than before.
“—-Clawsolas.”
Philrun also had no intention of sitting still, so he lifted his divine tool and aimed at Pluto.
Ziiing.
A brilliant light gathered at the tip of Clawsolas, and soon produced a beam of light with a threatening size.
It was Clawsolas’ ability to compress and release the overflowing divine power.
It was a blow that would purify any corrupted being in an instant.
“Hmm…”
“Take this, apostle.”
Philrun released the divine power that he had condensed and aimed at Pluto.
Kwaaaang!
A clear trail of light drew across Pluto’s position and passed by.
The holy trail that contained heat and light burned and judged everything below it.
Except for one of the oldest vampires who was standing there.
“…”
Philrun’s Clawsolas strike ended, and smoke rose from the aftermath of the attack.
Even then, Pluto was walking towards Philrun in a fine condition.
Pluto, who had returned to his original state without any impact, slowly stretched out his death scythe and approached him.
Pluto’s relaxed walk made Philrun look at him with a puzzled expression.
“What…?”
“It seems like it didn’t work. Too bad.”
Squeak.
Pluto’s body, which had been scattered like mist, returned to normal as he released his mistification.
Mistification.
It was a privilege granted to vampires who inherited the blood of their progenitor deeply.
And Pluto’s mistification was incomparable to those of his descendants.
Pluto Astria’s mistification could easily pass through low-level attacks without any resistance.
Pluto returned to his place without any shock and walked towards Philrun while measuring the distance between them.
Philrun realized the situation and his expression became more serious.
“How can you be fine without dodging that attack?”
“Low-level attacks don’t work on me.”
“Are you saying I’m low-level after seeing me, a hero of order? Don’t talk nonsense! Clawsolas!”
Kwaaaang!
Philrun’s divine tool once again emitted light and shot an attack at Pluto.
But Pluto still moved his steps leisurely as before.
The flash that passed by Pluto melted all the snow on its path and exposed the soil underneath.
Pluto’s footsteps also walked on the road made by Philrun’s attack.
That way, the distance between them narrowed quickly.
When they reached a distance where it was not easy to project power, Philrun swung his sword wildly at Pluto.
“Don’t come near me!”
“Are you scared? You’re a hero?”
“I told you! I’ll kill you if you come closer!”
Philrun’s face darkened as he looked at Pluto who was approaching him.
His face contrasted with the thick smell of blood that surrounded him.
It was a sight that did not match at all.
He had taken many lives himself. But he had not grown himself.
He had been fighting against those who were weaker than him until now.
He had never fought a battle where he risked his life.
“How pathetic, you coward.”
Pluto looked at Philrun’s frightened face and started to run towards him.
Tadadadak.
A light step crossed the snowfield, closing the distance to Philrun.
Philrun gripped his sword and took a stance as the gap narrowed quickly.
A bright burst of light erupted from the clumsy Clawsolas he held.
“Shut up! I’m a hero!”
The sword, imbued with pure white light, swung swiftly at Pluto.
The strength from his enhanced body made even a simple attack look extraordinary.
Pluto’s eyes, starting to glow red, measured the distance between her and the incoming sword.
Three steps ahead.
The slanted sword strike was aimed at her.
It was a sloppy move for a hero’s sword.
“You’re the lowest level among the heroes.”
Just before the sword touched her body, Pluto dispersed into black mist and passed by Philrun’s sword.
Whoosh!
The sword that sliced through the air missed its target and stabbed into the ground.
Bang!
The Clawsolas that hit the snowfield scattered snow in all directions.
Philrun tried to follow Pluto’s figure in the dizzying snow.
“Damn it…!”
Pluto, who had passed by Philrun in an instant, reformed behind him.
She had already returned to her original form and moved a beat faster than Philrun.
Spin.
Pluto’s Death Scythe, after spinning half a circle, aimed to cut off Philrun’s head.
Beyond the five dazzling wings.
Blue sparks converged in a parabola toward Philrun’s head.
The moment the swung strike hit Philrun’s head directly.
“Ugh…! Clawsolas! Protect me!”
Boom!
A clear light burst out and one of Philrun’s wings on his back disappeared.
Something intervened forcibly and blocked Pluto’s attack.
It was not a feeling of being pushed back by the collision of forces.
She had anticipated the possibility of being blocked from the beginning, so Pluto continued her attack.
‘One more time.’
Just before landing, Pluto’s Death Scythe swung behind the enemy again.
This time, she aimed for his abdomen instead of his head.
Pluto’s Death Scythe pierced through Philrun’s abdomen.
Unfortunately, this attack was not very satisfying either.
Boom! Crack.
Something blocked her approach and protected Philrun.
Then one of Philrun’s wings fell apart without light.
“Whew, ha… What, what is this? I’ve already died three times?”
Philrun stepped back a few steps and muttered as he looked at his wings.
He had only three wings left out of the six he had at first.
Pluto understood the situation as she looked at Philrun’s half-gone wings.
One of his wings disappeared every time her attack hit him.
Even though they were both apostles, it was something that would have killed him if he had taken it directly.
There was no doubt that those wings on his back were contributing to protecting him.
Something would definitely change after all six wings fell off.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take off the remaining wings soon.”
She declared that and pointed her Death Scythe at him.
Her eyes, reddened by boiling blood, fiercely chased his movements.
Even with the power of miracles, Philrun’s movements were still clumsy.
If only the unknown force that protected him disappeared, it would be Pluto’s victory in no time.
She could use blood magic to incapacitate him with just a small wound on her scythe.
“That won’t do! Clawsolas!”
“What a pathetic struggle.”
“I’m talking… talking right now! Clawsolas! If this goes on, hero Philrun will die…!”
With Pluto in front of him, Philrun showed his last desperate attempt in a frantic voice.
He hoped that something would come down to save him.
He didn’t seem to have any intention of accepting his inevitable end gracefully like a hero.
He was trash that wasn’t even worth remembering his name.
Pluto gripped her Death Scythe and approached him.
Philrun repeated his meaningless plea for salvation even as Pluto swung her scythe at him.
“Who will protect Lady Order if I die–!”
“Farewell. Pitiful hero.”
Swoosh.
The scythe I tilted emitted a cold aura as it traced its trajectory.
I was sure that this attack would kill Philrun.
I would knock off two more wings with consecutive attacks and then finish him off by cutting his throat.
No one would think that Philrun had any way to survive this situation.
With that thought, I was about to continue my final strike when I sensed something and hastily dispersed into mist.
“…!”
Something was falling from high above, aiming at me.
It smelled of intense divine power.
I continued my attack while in mist form.
