"What pain..."
Enrico was lying on the floor, his clothes almost completely torn and his body consumed by intense pain. His breathing was heavy, and even the smallest movements seemed to require an absurd amount of effort.
He had survived the explosion thanks to the pact ability, Skin Beyond Iron, which had increased his resistance enough to prevent that final attack from killing him. Even so, surviving did not mean escaping unharmed. His entire body protested against the effort, and he could barely gather enough strength to stand up.
'My percentage increased so much... Then the effect of this pact must be a disaster.'
His concern was not limited to his injuries. Enrico knew that the absurd increase in his evolution percentage would have consequences, especially after he had forced his own body far beyond what it should have been able to withstand.
Before he could think more carefully about the matter, he noticed several blood blades descending toward him.
Enrico's eyes widened, and he hurriedly stood up, ignoring the pain that shot through his legs. The blades struck the ground where he had been standing an instant earlier, but instead of remaining motionless, they changed direction and began chasing him through the area.
"Wait... Is he still alive?"
With difficulty, Enrico took a step backward and felt his legs almost give out. His body was in no condition to continue fighting, and those blades were the last thing he needed at that moment.
While looking for some way to protect himself, he noticed an abandoned chair near the wall. Without thinking twice, he grabbed it and placed it in front of himself.
The blades struck the chair and shattered.
Enrico remained motionless for a moment, watching the blood fragments fall to the ground. Then he lowered his eyes to the chair in his hands, trying to understand what had just happened.
"Angela's magic is simply absurd. Seriously, a mere chair can be used as a shield?"
Despite the situation, he could not help making the comment. The result was so unexpected that it seemed ridiculous. However, he had no time to investigate why the chair had been able to destroy the blades. He needed to make sure Vladimir was really dead.
Still holding the chair, Enrico looked toward the place where the vampire had fallen. His body remained stretched out on the floor, showing no signs of movement. There was no longer any perceptible life energy, and not even the vampires' extraordinary regeneration seemed capable of bringing him back this time.
'The magic came directly from his body...'
Enrico let out a slow sigh. Apparently, that magic had been Vladimir's final attempt to kill him before dying.
"Even until your last moment, you hated me... I guess that's something I can at least respect about you."
He walked toward the corpse, dragging his feet and doing his best not to lose his balance. When he got close, he raised his hand and enveloped Vladimir's body in flames. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the flesh, bones, and everything that remained of the vampire until there was nothing left that could be recognized.
Enrico did not intend to take unnecessary risks. Even after everything that had happened, he did not trust the possibility of such a persistent vampire remaining dead if any part of his body was left behind. If there was any chance of Vladimir returning as a zombie or in some other way, he preferred to eliminate it immediately.
(So, this was your judgment.)
The sentence appeared in his mind without him knowing how to explain why.
"A voice?"
Enrico turned his head and looked around. The area was empty, and there was no one nearby who could have spoken to him. Even so, he was certain he had heard those words. It did not seem to have been merely his own thought, but a distinct voice, as if someone had commented on the outcome of that fight.
He frowned and examined the place once more. Nothing changed. There was no perceptible presence, and silence returned to fill the area.
Even so, Enrico was not willing to ignore it. If someone was hiding or something strange was happening, he needed to find out before the problem became bigger.
'Did you hear anything?'
\[If you're asking me, I think you're crazy.\]
Enrico remained silent for a few seconds, staring at the system's message.
'If I asked you anything really important, it would be a disaster.'
\[How inconsiderate, after everything I've done for you.\]
'You literally just said I'm crazy.'
\[I'm simply considering the possibilities.\]
Enrico let out a tired sigh. He did not have the energy to argue with the system. For now, he needed to leave that place and find the others. Any investigation would have to wait until he was in a condition to think clearly.
However, when he tried to take another step, his body finally gave out.
He fell to the floor, exactly where Vladimir had died moments earlier. His hands trembled involuntarily, and even more intense pain spread through his limbs.
The effect of Skin Beyond Iron was becoming increasingly evident. The ability had allowed him to withstand attacks that should have destroyed his body, but the effort required to remain standing during the fight came at a terrible price.
'I already felt this when I fought Danyana, but it still hurts more than before.'
Enrico gritted his teeth, trying to support himself against the floor to stand up. His arms could barely support his own weight, and his legs seemed incapable of responding to his commands.
He had forced his body to continue fighting even when he should have fallen. Now, every movement seemed to remind him of that.
"Damn it... My body isn't cooperating."
The door suddenly opened.
Yumeha, who had put on Corvina's mask to hide her identity, quickly entered the area.
"Master!"
As soon as she found Enrico lying on the floor, her eyes widened. She ran over to him and knelt beside him, checking his condition before helping him stand up as carefully as possible.
"Thank you... We have to go see how the others are doing."
Even with his body in that state, Enrico did not want to waste time. The battle against Vladimir had ended, but he still needed to find out how the others were doing. He did not know whether all the enemies had been defeated or whether anyone needed urgent help.
Yumeha put one of his arms around her shoulders and supported him, preventing him from falling again. She looked at Enrico's injuries with concern, but also realized that he had managed to surpass yet another limit.
"Yes, Master. And, as always, you've become stronger again. That's amazing."
Enrico managed a small smile. He did not have the strength to respond properly to her enthusiasm, but he was grateful to have found her at that moment.
Supported by Yumeha, he began walking slowly toward the exit, using her as support because his body could no longer bear his own weight.
Before leaving the area, he looked one last time at the place where Vladimir had died. The resentment that had bound them together for so long had finally come to an end. Vladimir had chosen to turn his pain into hatred, and that path had led him straight to death.
Enrico closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh of relief.
'Goodbye, Pedro. And please, don't get any ideas about reincarnating again.'