Takumi didn't know whether The Count was still here or not, but right now, all he could do was continue forward.
Suppressing the throbbing and fear in his body, Takumi, who seemed to have suddenly lost a lot of spirit, reached out and put his hand on the cell door.
Gasping heavily for two breaths, as if leaning on the cell door, he slowly pulled it open.
Ignoring the ghost-like cries coming from deep in the darkness, Takumi walked along the route identical to before, heading towards the upper level.
'The cell doors are all closed...'
In the long corridor, only his own breathing and footsteps echoed, making Takumi involuntarily observe the surroundings and think unconsciously.
Unknown why, not only was the door of his cell closed, but the doors of the cells on both sides along the way were also closed coincidentally.
In the previous repetitions, no matter which time, these doors were open.
Takumi seemed to have forgotten.
At the very beginning, the door of his cell was also closed.
The "living room" at the corner.
Takumi cast his gaze into it.
What he saw was not the customary abstract scenes from before.
A slender figure shrouded in black mist, whose appearance couldn't be seen clearly, was standing in the very center of the room.
Red eyes in the black mist emitted a faint light. Unusually long fingers, looking like they were wearing sharp mechanical claws, flickered with strange luster.
'This place is different too...'
The opponent waiting here was no longer as abstract and funny as before.
And although not obvious, Takumi could tell that the opponent's hands were his weapons.
Takumi stood at the door, silent for a while. The hand holding the flag secreted sweat during this time.
Taking a deep breath, Takumi wiped the sweat off his hand clean and gripped the flagstaff tightly.
Then—rushed out instantly!
Takumi ran into the "living room." The black shadow standing alone and beautiful in the center also instantly locked onto Takumi's position, rushing over with red light in its eyes.
Takumi ran around the edge of the room, his peripheral vision always watching the black shadow's movements.
The black shadow's speed seemed slightly faster than Takumi. Plus, Takumi ran around the edge, which was naturally more strenuous. So in a few seconds, Takumi was about to be caught up by the black shadow.
Whoosh——
It was also at this time that Takumi suddenly swung the flag-spear backwards, swinging towards the black shadow's position like using a club.
The black shadow jumped instantly, jumping over Takumi's sweep, pouncing towards Takumi like a crow taking flight.
Seeing this, Takumi rolled on the spot, dodging the pounce of the black shadow's extended claws.
The black shadow landed heavily, shoes creating two traces on the ground.
Simply and unpretentiously unloading the force, the black shadow turned around instantly, extending claws to slash again at Takumi who had just gotten up.
Seeing this, Takumi aimed the tip of the flag-spear at the direction the black shadow rushed from.
Facing the gleaming spear tip, at the moment of impending collision, the black shadow paused, then slid its feet slightly, tilting its body to dodge the direct attack of the spear tip.
Without hesitation, Takumi let go of the hand holding the flagstaff, throwing it forcefully towards the black shadow.
Simultaneously grabbing the long and flowing flag cloth on the flag-spear.
The black shadow, slightly affected by the thrown flagstaff, had its vision covered by the flag cloth.
Just when it wanted to slash open the cloth with its claws, it suddenly found the flag cloth rushing towards its face rapidly.
Unable to react in time, it was entangled along with its shoulders by the excellent quality cloth.
Takumi, pulling the flag cloth, saw the trick succeeded. Without saying a word, he quickly wrapped the flag cloth around the black shadow again.
Until tripping the struggling black shadow to the ground, Takumi pulled the flagstaff fallen nearby, jamming it horizontally on the black shadow's neck.
Then used all his strength to press on the flagstaff.
A long while.
Until hearing a crack from under the flagstaff, and the black shadow turning into black mist and disappearing.
Only then did he let go of the flagstaff in his hand, panting.
Defeating this black shadow monster, whose every move aimed at his vitals and was no longer as stupid as previous opponents, in just two or three moves.
It sounded simple, but if asked to replicate it again, Takumi might not be able to.
This set of movements more or less contained elements of coincidence.
Resting on the spot for a while, Takumi picked up the flag, walking silently along the stairs to the next floor.
Stepping into darkness.
'Back again...'
Familiar cell, familiar everything.
Takumi stood silently on the spot, his breathing suddenly becoming rapid for a short while.
A few seconds later.
Takumi pulled open the closed door somewhat weakly, setting off again.
Walking through the long dark corridor.
The "living room" at the corner.
'Didn't change this time either.'
In the center, still the black shadow with a slender figure and strangely long claws.
Takumi gripped the flag tightly, rushing into the "monster living room" like last time.
...
...
The first black shadow.
The second black shadow.
The third... fourth... fifth...
The black shadows' actions would also evolve. Moves used last time might not work the second time.
So much so that at the second black shadow, Takumi got injured.
Every time the state would refresh. No matter what injury, it would disappear without a trace after defeating the black shadow.
So Takumi simply changed his combat strategy. With only one hand, it was difficult for him to gain an advantage. Trading injury for life became Takumi's main strategy.
Second floor, waist and abdomen scratched; third floor, chest scratched; fourth floor, stabbed in the kidney...
Every clearance would incur different injuries.
Finally, after spending unknown time, Takumi climbed to another seventh floor again.
But inexplicable fatigue still accumulated on Takumi after repeated clearances.
Thus, the flag-spear, already unsuitable for one-handed use, seemed to become a "dagger" in Takumi's hand after the fifth floor. Only by holding near the spear tip, almost dragging it, could Takumi use his only weapon.
Clang...
Struggling to block a claw of the black shadow with the "dagger" in hand, the other claw slashed across Takumi's face fiercely.
Warm blood splattered on the ground. Burning pain struck.
"Ah!!"
Takumi, almost blinded by the scratch, closed his eyes, roaring in pain and swinging the flagstaff dragging on the ground fiercely towards the black shadow.
"Hehaha..."
The black shadow laughed strangely, casually parrying the sweeping flagstaff with its arm.
The other hand slashed fiercely towards Takumi.
Blood entered the eye socket, bringing a strange sensation. Takumi wanted to open his left eye but couldn't reflexively.
Could only close one eye, staring at the black shadow's movements with the other.
Seeing the black shadow attack like this, Takumi gritted his teeth, let go of the "dagger," and rushed forward fiercely.
Before the claw attack arrived, he slammed headlong into the black shadow's embrace like throwing himself into arms.
Then thrusted upward forcefully.
Thud!
His head hit the black shadow's chin.
The black shadow's movement stagnated instantly, staggering back several steps in a trance.
Takumi, finally getting breathing time, wiped the blood off his face, picking up the flag-spear on the ground.
Stabbing towards the black shadow's chest with full force.
But Takumi's speed was too slow. The recovered black shadow ahead grabbed the incoming flag-spear backhandedly.
Then exerted force with both hands, pulling the flag-spear directly from Takumi's hand.
Threw it forcefully into the distance.
Unexpectedly, Takumi used the force to close in, smashing his forehead onto the black shadow's face again.
"Ugh—"
Nose hit heavily, and due to his own force, the black shadow became unstable and fell directly to the ground.
Takumi also fell on him. But using the black shadow as a cushion, he got up as soon as he hit the ground, then straddled the black shadow, smashing his head fiercely towards the black shadow's face.
Again and again...
Squelch!
It was the reacting black shadow stabbing his claws directly into Takumi's back.
—After all, the black shadow here wasn't the unarmed "Gilles" or "Caligula"!
Blood gushed from the wound, soaking the clothes on his back.
Sudden pain from the back also made Takumi's movement pause for an instant.
But subsequently, Takumi's eyes were filled with ferocity.
He grabbed one of the black shadow's arms with one hand, barely controlling it, then recklessly smashed his head towards the black shadow's face again.
Bang! ...Bang! ...Bang!
Again and again...
The black shadow also frantically stabbed Takumi's back and waist with the remaining claws.
Flesh flew, blood soaking a large patch of ground.
Under blood loss, before long, Takumi's strength began to weaken, and the speed of smashing also began to slow down.
While the black shadow, whose state was much better than Takumi, finally reacted, grabbing Takumi directly and throwing him to the ground nearby.
"Heha... he..."
After the black shadow got up, it continued to make strange laughter.
Looking at Takumi who found it difficult even to get up, the black shadow kicked him directly, sending him flying several meters.
Only then did it step with a slightly drifting pace, walking towards Takumi's position step by step.
Sharp claws looked dazzling under the movement of its fingers.
"Ugh..."
Lying on the ground, Takumi could clearly perceive the loss of strength in his limbs. His whole body was cold, trembling instinctively.
Under a blood curtain blurred to the point of double vision, Takumi endured the pain coming from various parts of his body, watching the black shadow's movements. His feet rubbed against the ground a few times, palms pressing on the ground, wanting to get up.
But the dizzy brain made it difficult for him even to lift his head, let alone other movements.
'Ending just like this...'
Takumi, struggling for a good while but failing to stand up, stared blankly at the claws already attacking towards his neck.
He could even feel the strong wind carried by its movement through his skin.
Bang!
Sound similar to a blunt instrument hitting flesh.
Watching the claws about to pierce into the skin, the black shadow's eyes suddenly bulged, and the expression on its face froze instantly.
"Wuah——"
Accompanying a meaningless cry, the whole person flew backwards.
Smashed heavily on the wall behind.
In Takumi's vision.
He blurrily saw a foot wearing a boot intruding into the bloody field of view in an instant, kicking the black shadow's chest without slowing down at all.
Kicking it flying like a human cannonball.
"Heh!"
Putting down the raised foot, the Count sneered, looking coldly at the black shadow attempting to stand up again.
The next second, under the flickering black flames, the Count's figure appeared in front of the black shadow.
Ignoring its fierce and resentful eyes, he kicked it down again.
Then aimed at its neck, stomping down heavily!
Crack!
The black shadow's struggling movements instantly petrified, turning into black mist and disappearing before the Count's eyes like before.
Obviously, a black shadow of this level had no power to fight back in front of the Count.
Black shadow disappeared.
The originally dying Takumi also finally recovered to the original unharmed state.
Just that fatigue increased by another point.
"Cough cough..."
Coughing twice, Takumi, noticing this situation, touched his face which had recovered to its original state, breathing a sigh of relief imperceptibly.
Then stood up from the ground with slight difficulty, looking joyfully at the Count who hadn't moved since killing the black shadow.
Sensing the gaze, the Count also looked silently at Takumi.
One second, two seconds...
Unknown why both sides looked silently at each other, not speaking.
"I..."
Feeling the atmosphere was a bit strange, Takumi just wanted to speak.
But the Count spoke first, interrupting Takumi's action.
"You! Are you an idiot?!"
"Climbed more than a dozen floors, didn't you realize your condition gets worse each time? Or do you just f*cking like climbing this broken tower so much?!"
The Count pointed at Takumi with eyes full of anger. His voice, originally containing a bit of madness, now carried a bit of craziness driven by frustration.