"Cretin?" Amelia's eyes widened in disbelief, then she threw her head back, laughing wildly as Felicity was crushed under the hooves of the dark stallion.
Sam glanced at her, his body tense and eyes focused as he dismounted the majestic steed while zombies held back the other Beyonders of the Indulgence Faction.
"What's the situation?" he asked urgently, his expression icy and eyes piercing.
"Uncle Yuri..." Amelia snapped out of her delirious laughter, her expression crumbling as she looked back with lost eyes. A wave of sorrow and desperation washed over her as she watched Yuri leaning against a tree, blood pooling beneath him.
Sam's expression tightened, his eyes trembling as he rushed to him, grabbing his clothes and shaking him with wide eyes. "Yuri! Yuri! Answer me! Shit shit shit shit... Damnit!"
He gritted his teeth, slapping his cheek to get any response, for him to say something, anything. At this moment, Sam's heart was filled with a sense of helplessness. It was such a foreign feeling, so alien and unnatural, that he felt like he couldn't take another breath. He had never felt this sense of loss and desperation before. He was a devil, cold and unflinching to the suffering of the world, so why did this hurt so much?
Why frigid air went into his lungs, and heavy vapor full of sorrow came back out?
He bit his lip, fingers trembling as he tried to stop the bleeding, only to feel a warm palm on his head. Looking up, he saw Yuri staring back at him with a gentle smile, his eyes hazy and face drained of color. "I can wait... Do what you need to do..."
Sam cursed under his breath, his heart beating wildly, as if clawing its way out of his chest from worry and regret. His golden eyes, glowing with soft luminous light, turned watery as he dropped his head, gritting his teeth. His fists were clenched, knuckles whitening as his nails sank into his fkesh, barely managing to give a faint nod.
"Amelia, help him." Slowly, he stood up, his face turning cold and impassive, yet his eyes were blurry, blood dripping from his palms.
She nodded wordlessly, dragging her body toward Yuri, her hands shaking as her pale skin was covered in his blood.
"Now..." Sam exhaled with a bloodthirsty sneer filled with hatred, picking up a dagger from the withered grass that one of the Prisoners had dropped. He spun it in his hand as he looked up at the Hunter and the Cold-Blooded.
The Hunter was a young man with an arrogant grin. He was tall, with soft features and a slender body that gave off a laid-back presence, as if none of this was his business. He might even be a Provoker considering how his words were affecting the other Prisoners. Based on that, Sam deduced he'd been hired rather than being a true member of the Indulgence Faction.
As for the Cold-Blooded... Sam could see it in the depths of his eyes, the chilling intensity of one who had left his humanity behind, embracing the fall into the abyss of depravity. He had dark eyes and hair, his skin pale, his face devoid of any emotion, bleak and hollow.
Can I win against two higher-sequence Beyonders? I don't know. Depends on how experienced they are. Beyonders in general don't bother to enrich their skills and knowledge outside of the specialties their pathways offer... No. Stop thinking about losing. That's the mentality of fucking cowards.
He closed his eyes, calming his wildly beating heart. His trembling slowly stopped as he inhaled and exhaled, his eyes opening, wide and drained of any fear.
I'm sorry, my Lord... Please forgive me, for I'm about to sin. At this moment, all I want is to massacre everyone in sight, rip them apart and butcher them like pigs...
"You... Why do you smell..." The Cold-Blooded opened his mouth, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
"Huh? What's wrong? You know this kid?" The Hunter glanced at him with a mocking grin.
"Keep your mouth shut." His eyes dimmed, losing their luster, getting lost in thought. Slowly, his eye twitched. A smile of disbelief spread across his face.
"You... You're a devil. Not just a Criminal, but a true devil, carrying the lineage of a noble house."
Sam snapped out of his thoughts, his brow furrowing as he eyed the man with wariness. He figured I'm a trueborn devil just by smell? How... That doesn't make sense, unless...
"Normal Criminals aren't aware of that. Whose blood are you carrying?"
"Of Hunger." The Cold-Blooded answered with an emotionless voice, unsheathing his sword.
Sam remained motionless, his muscles tensing. Shit... That's bad news. However, it's also an opportunity. His blood might be diluted, and he may not be from a direct lineage. But he's still a devil...
Slowly, a dark smile split Sam's face, his teeth gleaming under the light of the sun as he held his cheeks, barely containing a laugh as he looked up. "Lovely..."
The Cold-Blooded tapped his forehead with a bored expression, his posture lifeless, then snapped his fingers as if arriving at a conclusion. "Ahh, of course. Laws of Devils, Section 18: Devils are prohibited from murdering one of their own until becoming an Unwinged Angel."
His expression grew colder. "Many devils lost control because they failed to obey this rule. I can see it in those golden eyes of yours. You wish to consume me, using my Beyonder Characteristics as the main ingredient and my heart as supplementary, in order to become an Unwinged Angel."
"You filthy beasts really are gross." The Hunter grimaced, shaking his head with a shiver and spat with a disgusted expression.
"Stay out of this, brainless monkey who can't comprehend the gravity of the situation." The Cold-Blooded raised his sword abruptly, its sharp edge pressing against the Hunter's neck. A drop of blood flowed. Though he remained indifferent, a seed of irritation had taken root in his heart as the Hunter laughed, raising his hands in surrender.
That answers it... He's really a Provoker. Sam thought, licking his lips as he took a stance. "At the very least, I'm not an appalling bastard like you who eats his own mother."
Hearing Sam's voice, the Cold-Blooded raised an eyebrow, rolling his eyes with a small smile. "Oh? You're aware of the ritual? That's surprising. I wonder whose blood you're carrying. But alas, I doubt you're as generous as me and give the answer. So why don't you just show your tru-"
Before he could finish the sentence, a dagger was hurled toward him, spinning in the air and shining under the light. The devil's eyes widened in disbelief as he swung his sword and deflected the ruthless strike that came without warning, sparks flying at the contact and the dagger spun through the air.
Sam followed immediately from behind, running across a tree and kicking off it, ricocheting his body to catch the dagger. He twisted mid-flight, turning to descend with his blade raised, intending to pierce the Hunter's skull while grinning wildly.
"With pleasure."
The Hunter leaped back in alarm, his arrogant expression crumbling as the dagger fell and penetrated the ground.
Sam didn't waste a moment, dashing forward and clashing against the Cold-Blooded. They exchanged numerous strikes, both experienced and skilled, but it was clear that Sam held the advantage in pure technique.
Sam ducked, falling to his knees as the sword flashed above him savagely, cutting his hair and slashing the air overhead.
Sam's eyes went wide, his legs tensing as he launched himself forward, raising his dagger to block another blow, then kicked him off, avoiding a direct clash because of the gap in strength.
Then, He delivered a crushing blow of his own, and the devil's head snapped back from the brutality of the punch. Sam's knuckles started bleeding as he manoeuvred, turning around and dropping his dagger, catching it with his other hand and throwing it at the Hunter, who raised his revolver.
It pierced his hand and forced him to drop the weapon while Sam pulled the devil towards him, slammed his forehead into his face, then grabbed his hair, pulling his head down and driving his knee into it.
At the same time, the Hunter picked up his revolver and aimed.
Sam's eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty gleam as he smiled maliciously, raising his elbow to block the strike and seizing the arm that was about to pierce his stomach. He turned around quickly, rolling onto the devil's back and wrenching his arm behind him as a gunshot rang out and tore through the devil's shoulder.
However, at the end of the day, the Cold-Blooded remained cold-blooded, his face expressionless and eyes cold even as he bled.
Haaa... So that's how it is... Sam thought as his fist connected, a vicious strike landing on the devil's back while the Hunter continued shooting with precision.
Sam licked his lips, his expression cold and eyes focused as he slid behind a tree, splinters of wood exploding around him as the Hunter continued firing with a hateful sneer.
That durability, those martial arts, that enhanced physique... beyond what a normal Cold-Blooded could possess. He most likely consumed a Warrior.
The Hunger lineage is peculiar. When a devil of this lineage becomes a Cold-Blooded, they normally receive three spells: [Consumption], [Digestion], and [Assimilation]. Simple and effective, they consume other Beyonders, digest their Characteristics, and assimilate their traits and spells. At Sequence 8, they can only take a single ability and trait from a consumed Beyonder, and can only digest one set of Beyonder Characteristics at a time; any more and they'll lose control. Of course, as they advance in sequence, they can consume more.
That makes them problematic opponents... but not invincible.
Sam sighed, drawing the revolver from his holster and returning fire to force them into cover. In an instant he leaped from hiding, dropping to the ground and rolling, retrieving his dagger and firing back as he ran, retreating deeper into the woods.
As he ran, his thoughts drifted back to his past, recalling everything he knew about the Hunger Lineage. He used a giant tree as cover and started reloading, pressing bullets into the cylinder, spinning it shut and firing back as his mind worked.
If the Beyonder is Sequence 9 or 8, the traits and spells they obtain from them may be crippling rather than advantageous. He consumed a Warrior, gaining enhanced durability and mastery of martial arts... That means, at Sequence 8, if a bearer of the Hunger Lineage won't consume higher-sequence Beyonder Characteristics, they might become inferior to even the most mundane devil, depending on the pathway.
As for the other... He's a Provoker, but he hasn't used it on me yet. He doesn't know much about me, that's why he thinks provoking would be useless, with little to no effect on a Criminal. So he's hiding the fact that he's already a Provoker, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make me lose composure and commit a fatal mistake.
But I'm aware of it. That means I can prepare. [Ghastly Requiem] will help with that too. All I need is to remain cold and analytical.
He cleared his mind, raising his dagger and using it like a mirror to observe the battlefield. Standing up, he spun the blade, drove it into the bark, and crawled upward before they could spot him, reaching the top.
Good. I can use this as a sneak attack... Oh, now this is surprising even for me.
The Hunter and the devil glanced at each other, nodding as they spread out to surround him. Sam had dashed and retreated deeper into the woods, leaving behind Maric and their elder who had turned a sunny day into an icy hell, lustrous greenery withering under creeping frost.
The devil raised his hand, signaling the Hunter to move closer. The Hunter nodded, walking slowly as his partner circled the giant tree. Then both moved forward, firing with ruthless precision.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Huh? Where did he disappear to?" The Hunter raised an eyebrow in bewilderment, glancing at the Cold-Blooded, who furrowed his brow.
"Do it." He said coldly.
"If I'm wrong, I'm showing my cards for nothing." The Hunter groaned with an irritated look but still complied.
"Hey! I know you can hear me! Was that woman your whore?! Don't worry, after I'm done with you, I'll take care of her. First, I'll rape her, then I'll butcher her like a lamb! Hahaha!" He laughed, licking his lips with an perverse grin.
But slowly, he paused, his laughter dying completely as he looked around in confusion. "Eh? It didn't work? That's stran-"
Crack!
A crushing blow descended on his jaw, shattering it as teeth flew from the Hunter's mouth. Wood exploded from the tree, shattered bark and splinters bursting through the air as Sam punched through it, grabbing the Hunter's arm and yanking him back. His dagger flashed, its edge gleaming coldly, and slashed across his throat.
A geyser of blood erupted, drenching his face in red as the man fell to his knees before him, and then onto the cold ground, choking.
The Hunter's eyes were wide with shock, his expression contorted in agony and disbelief as his hands clawed at his neck, eventually drowning in his own blood.
Sam wiped blood from his eyes, crimson drops leaking from his thumb as he glanced at the Hunter with a sneer. "It works, you fucking dick."
The devil stood frozen in place, staring as Sam unzipped his pants and pissed on the corpse, giving him middle finger and looking up with a malicious smile.
The devil cursed under his breath, dashing forward while reloading his revolver, about to aim but Sam, whose revolver was already reloaded, fired first, forcing him into cover while Sam pulled his pants up.
"You cruel bastard..." The devil grinned darkly, shooting back as bullets flew through the air.
"Huuuh? Nonsense, I aspire to become a proper gentleman." Sam threw his head back, laughing wildly, his expression twisting into deranged glee after killing the Hunter.
Soon both of them ran out of bullets, and as their revolvers clicked uselessly, they came out rushing towards each other with expressions filled with bloodlust.
Malice of the Devil will never die.
Sam slashed down, intending to strike his leg as the devil leaped back, putting distance between them and using the advantage of his sword's long reach, thrusting forward. Sam slid down, rolling across the ground and delivering a brutal kick, his boots finding purchase and launching his body forward, closing the distance and slamming into him. Both fell to the ground but Sam was kicked away, his only advantage being a refined and superior level of skill when it came to weapon proficiency and combat.
Looking up, he felt an unnatural chill coming from the south. The grass had turned white, snowflakes falling and frost spreading like a plague.
Nodding to himself, he hurled the empty revolver at the devil, hitting him in the face as he tried to stand, then turned and ran back towards the battlefield.
But Sam still wasn't aware of who was on his side. Because battles between high-sequence Beyonders are chaotic and at a level unimaginable to lower-sequence Beyonders, Yuri hadn't been able to accurately point out which one was ally. And Sam hadn't bothered to find out, his heart too full of malice and raw murderous will. That mistake came back to bite his ass now.
His eyes sharpened. He put his thumb and pinky fingers to his lips and whistled, calling for assist as he pushed back toward the battlefield.
However, before he could reach the fight among the zombies, his instincts screamed, sending alarm signals. Turning around, he raised his dagger as the sword descended, slamming against it as sparks flew through the air.
Sam's legs buckled, inferior to the devil in raw strength. Gritting his teeth, his grip on the dagger tightened. He pushed the sword to his left and deflected the strike, only for the devil to sacrifice defence entirely and deliver a ruthless blow to his diaphragm, sending Sam flying back and crashing against the roots of a tree, air leaving his lungs and his vision growing hazy.
He was already exhausted from the long travel and the previous fights. In his prime condition, he was confident he could defeat them. But now... he was simply reaching his limits.
"You're strong and skilled... but you can't overcome the gap in strength. I'm Cold-Blooded while you're still a beginner Criminal." He sighed, then looked up, watching his elder and Maric fight.
Then the elder leaped back, twenty metres away, and spoke coldly, evading Maric's icy fist. "Orion, finish quickly and assist me."
He exhaled a chilling breath, his hand draining of colour and taking on a bluish hue, frost covering his arm and slowing him.
"Yes, Elder Raymond." Orion said, raising his sword to deliver the killing blow.
Seeing this, Sam laughed, blood leaking from his mouth, the crazed look never leaving his face. So that's how it is! Haha... Hahahaha! So you're not on my side... Well, whatever, this can work!
He thought with a malicious grin as the loud sound of hooves hammering against the ground echoed through the trees, followed by a savage snort.
Orion looked back coldly, trying to turn in time but he was a split second too slow. The dark stallion crashed into him with barbaric force, its eyes bloodthirsty and fierce, blasting Orion toward Sam, whose eyes snapped wide open, his grin turning sadistic.
He rolled across the ground and delivered a ruthless kick upward, hurling Orion's body like a ragdoll toward Maric, whose eyes flashed with recognition. His nails grew longer and sharper like obsidian blades and he slashed viciously, blood erupting in a geyser, and the white surface of the frozen ground was swallowed by red.
Then Maric looked up at Zombie Raymond with a chilling smile, holding the severed heads of both the Werewolf and the Devil.
"You're next."
***
[A/N: Damnit, it's so much harder to write when fighters aren't superhuman. Seriously, it is such a chore because I have to follow logic, keep the fight grounded, know what each attack does, and be familiar with combat techniques. Maric's and Zombie's fight took ten minutes to write, that's it, no more no less. Meanwhile, Sam vs. the Hunter and Devil took two hours, two FREAKING hours! that's how big the difficulty difference is.
Haaaaa... So, what do you guys think about the fight choreography?
Tell me your thoughts here:
And I'm also curious what you think about Sam as an MC too. I know he still isn't fully fleshed out as a protagonist, but I promise this volume is meant to introduce him as a character, so it will eventually happen.
Tell me your thoughts about Sam here:
Lastly, I'm glad you're enjoying it, my bruzzahs and sizzahs. If there are girls reading this, that would be surprising but welcome one as well. However, I would also like to apologize for my foul language, so
Please forgive this alcoholic, weed addict bum, my fair ladies.
Anyway, thanks for all your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. That's it for now. Enjoy the meal, and if you have any suggestions or advice that can help me improve, I'd be thankful.
That's it, I'm out, brrr!]
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