"I want to kill the flaws in me and let alone the flawless things remain"
When I thought it'd be a little hopeless, something happened. I was surprised that I was holding a sword when the two of them attacked me. And without any hesitation, I was attacking unreluctantly and defending myself with great agility. First is doing great!
When it seemed like I couldn't handle them, I went to the window and was lucky because its grilles were broken, maybe this is where Zarod entered when he killed the three.
It is late in the evening, and the people here know how dangerous Zarod is, so no one is roaming around the streets. I just kept running as First guided me on every step and direction to take.
"You are now in Phantom Street." First informed me while still running. This is the so-called Phantom Street, the notorious place of Zarod's nest.
"S-Sorry," I whispered in a sad tone as I stopped running for a moment and struggled to catch my breath.
"For what?"
"I'm sorry..." I breathe in first. "F-For being reckless."
"You don't have to feel sorry. You actually outdid yourself." I pondered what he said. I expect him to be mad at me, seems like he's not. "Look out!"
I twitched when I saw someone approaching with a flying sharp metal thing. My right arm is wounded. I ran while the three of them chased me.
"There's another riddle," First reported.
"Again?" There's another riddle. I don't know if it's a good or bad thing since we're in the middle of an intense fight. This is no longer about fighting his clones but defeating his two clones and Zarod who's the master.
"It says: 'You shall know the spell to defeat the weaklings'"
"Is there a clue?"
"Yes, 'Landmarks'"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
First continued to control me as I looked for the answer. I can no longer run fast, so I faced the two. These clones are not like the first ones we fought. They're stronger and faster.
"Hmp," he scoffed. "I really meant for you to kill the thirteen first because they are useless to me, but those two? Don't ever underestimate them," Zarod retorted arrogantly. He is standing on a branch of a tree, watching me fight hard with the two.
It's sad that this happened to this person. He would have been a good man and looked smart because he was a serial killer without being caught by the police, but he used that for evildoings. The killings should end. He must be stopped.
I looked around as I continued to fight. I saw Merlion! Tonight's feature is in Singapore. This is probably what the landmarks mean. I immediately flashed back to the other landmarks I saw. If my memory serves me right it was the Big Ben, Eifel Tower, Pyramids, Great Wall, Leaning Tower, and Merlion.
"There's next: 'Letter capitals of the landmarks'"
Letter capitals of the landmarks? England, France, Egypt, China, Italy, and Singapore.
"A dialogue box appeared. It says, 'Riddle solved. Now, what spell did the system choose for the player to use? If answered wrong, the wrong spell will take a perilous effect.'"
Here we are again. Riddle solved, I don't know if it's right or wrong. Then if I choose the wrong spell, I can be ruined.
"There are three choices:
1 - es piartiel duobolyu
2 - jiyu owkyu eksey
3 - ee efeesi ayes"
What language is that? Even First got confused. He even checked the game settings to see if it was some sort of foreign language but none of it matched. An alien language? Knowing nth planet, it's not impossible at all.
"Argh!" My left leg got hit.
"Second!"
The cruelty of these two. The master hasn't even fought yet, it looks like I've lost. Now, my only hope is the riddle! Okay. That said, the letter capitals of the places. London, Paris? But it says 'letters'. England is E, France - F, Egypt - E, China - C, Italy – I, and Singapore - S ... Hmm...
"First, what are the choices again?" And he mentioned the three unknown languages to me again.
"There could be a relation about how it is pronounced," what First said gave me an idea.
"The third, that's the answer"
E/F/E/C/I/S - ee/ef/ee/si/ay/es - ee efeesi ayes
"Great! Now, cast the third spell."
I took a deep breath. "ee efeesi ayes!" And the magic that made my sword shine.
"Now, attack! That sword has increased its power abilities."
"Hya!" I screamed to increase the power of my confidence.
I commenced and clashed on the two that gave me a chance to give them a clean cut. The small fries turned to ashes. Now... this is the 'big fry'.
"Spectacular!" Zarod seems to be very much entertained.
I aimed my sharper and more powerful sword at him. I might gain confidence that my weapon upgraded but the level of difficulty has also upgraded—from fighting the 15 clones, now it's their master.
Zarod preceded me in attacking which made me shocked. My right cheek hurt. I touched it and it was bleeding. He attacked me on the right cheek with his sharp fingernails. I fight him with my improved sword case he is deliberately fast and even though his weapon is just his fingernails, I can feel the dark aura surrounding him.
"Second, there's another riddle. 'You shall know the weak point to defeat your opponent'"
"Clue?" I was encouraged when I heard that. We have a chance to beat Zarod!
"Only one clue but it's a long one. 'Know its strengths in English. Picture the two figures. The top will always be on top. The bottom is its weakness.'"
"Huh?!" I am puzzled. What kind of clue is that?
"Unfortunately, there are no choices."
Be calm. First is again in control while I am again solving the riddle. If I have already solved another riddle, this should not be a big problem.
'Know its strengths', there are so many. Zarod's strength is his deadly stare, and his fingernails are his weapon. So far, he doesn't hold or have anything in his pocket.
'In English', eyes and nails.
'Picture the two figures', and because there's exactly two because it said 'two figures', I imagined an eye and a fingernail.
'The top will always be on top. The bottom is its weakness'
I no longer understand this another complicated riddle.
"Ahhh!" His sharp nails touched the side of my stomach. I was not wearing steel or any kind of body protection but only a school uniform. First got worried again but I'm still going to answer the riddle. First bought some sort of a medical or healing element from my inventory that would temporarily numb my body that have been injured by the opponent. But in return, my speed will decrease. At first, it was a good deal but in the longer run, I am now needing more speed because I am fighting against a non-human.
"45% left. Hang in there, Second. Just a little bit more. You'll nail this!" First is cheering me on. I'm worried about my life percentage. It didn't even stay up to 50% which would at least give us more chances of winning. I am also staggering.
Eyes, nails, eyes, nails... ah! There are two meanings of nails in English. My eyes widened to a figure I have made.