It was Greed who first reacted upon seeing Rafal’s spear.
『This won’t do! This place is too narrow. Quick, get away from this place, Fate！』
But it was too late.
When I tried to dodge the incoming black spear’s stab, part of the spear disappeared into empty space, as if it was sucked up.
At almost the same time, the missing part appeared out of empty space, stabbing towards the right side of my head.
Ku! I missed the timing.
[How awful of you to forget that I am still here!]
Aaron came in with his holy sword in the pinch of time, deflecting the black spear.
It still managed to prick my cheek a little, before piercing the floor.
[Aaron, thanks]
[Safe it for later. It’ll be harder for us to fight in a place like this.]
As soon as he said that, Aaron and I immediately broke through the wall and escaped the creepy collection room.
And of course outside, there was Hado who’d been lying in wait.
[Faaaaaaateeeeeeee]
Calling out my name, Hado rushed forward.
His appearance changed and he had become stronger. However, the last remnant of human mind in him had also lost, as it’s evident from how monotonous his attacks have become.
Although I didn’t get a chance earlier, I won’t miss it anymore.
[Come, Hado. I’m here.]
[Fate!]
Fixing his blood red eyes at me, he jumped in with swords poised. The two holy swords were heading to my shoulders to crush me.
[Too bad, but your opponent is this way.]
I’m just a decoy. Aaron ran his holy sword through the neck of Hado who didn’t give a damn about anything else but me, and cut it cleanly.
Plop. An unpleasant sound could be heard as Hado’s head rolled onto the ground.
The headless Hado still standing there without collapsing. However, something was strange…..
There was not a drop of blood coming out from the severed neck. Normally such a wound would cause blood to erupt from the wound.
[What is this thing…..what a powerful regenerative ability….]
I also knew why Aaron said so. The stump started wiggling as we speak.
Even though Hado’s head was still rolling on the ground.
A jaw appeared, followed with a nose then eyeballs.
Could it be that, Hado has become an immortal….? In that case how do we kill it?
While Aaron and me looked at each other, from the building behind us――Rafal slowly emerged from the hole we created.
[What’s the matter? It’s only this level! Don’t you disappoint me now, Fate…..Sword Saint-sama]
[What in the world have you done to Hado?]
[Why, I simply gave him my blood. Because he’s been murdered so thoroughly, I had to implant some monster’s parts to make him serviceable once more. Who do you think I should be thanking to for doing that, I wonder?]
Rafal kept his eyes on Hado who was still twitching behind us, and spat it out.
[For killing Hado, I thank you.]
[!? Hado…..what do you mean? He’s your brother, right?]
[Fate might not know anything about it. However, Aaron-sama knew, isn’t that right?]
Hearing that, Aaron sighed and said.
[The Burix family originally didn’t have a heir, but the former head had an affair with a certain girl who bore a bastard childーwhich is Rafal. At first, the former head was extremely pleased for having a son. And then, that girl―― Lina, I heard that he married her afterward.]
[Yes, it was all good for a while. For some short period, me and my mother lived a happy life together. But that man still looked for more. Why, Fate? You should be able to tell why.]
[……because your mother was a commoner am I right?]
[Correct. That man was only attracted to my mother’s beauty. However, her background got in the way. Did he truly want a child to be born between them? As expected, he later still searched for another beautiful woman. Then Hado and Mimir were born from that other woman. The rest is as you can see. As my mother is only a commoner, I, who am a half blood, was treated merely as an insurance in case of something befell to Hado.]
[You seemed like you were on a good terms….]
The three siblings that I knew of, they seemed very close to each other when I was still just a gatekeeper.
Not only that, Rafal never showed any semblance of hate against Hado or Mimir. He always acted as a good older brother who led his younger siblings.
[You’re too nearsighted as usual. That’s why you didn’t even notice Roxy Heart’s feelings. You couldn’t see anything clearly, that’s why you’ve been pushed and swayed left and right.]
Rafal waved his spear, and again it warped space to attack.
From behind!?
I twisted my body to dodge it. But it still grazed my side.
[You have a good reflexes, I’ll give you that. But it’s nothing but a warm up. Let’s get this started…..by the Decree of Blood. Arise, my brethren!]
While grinning ominously, Rafal released unthinkable amount of magic power from his body. Hado who had stopped twitching, reacted to it and roared.
And more roars could be heard following that. It came from the research facility that I snuck into.
The sound of roaring became too numerous to count. The facility wall was broken through, and they overflowed through the opening.
[There are that many…..]
[Fuhahahaha. That’s right, if it’s this many, I should be able to lay waste on the capital instantaneously. The supremacy of those with proper skill will end here. You, you also hated it, didn’t you? This world ruled only by those with proper skill. Rejoice, Fate. For I will change this world that has made you suffer.]
[Rafal, you’re not one to talk like that! Even if, you laid waste to this kingdom, you still don’t care about what will happen to the commoners]
[Why of course. Why the strong me should even care about those weak people? I’ll crush this world ruled by those with proper skills, and fill the world with my brethrens, that way we’ll achieve a world where everyone is equal.]
This number, it’s not something only me and Aaron alone could handle.
Moreover, we were flanked by Rafal from the front and Hado from behind. While we were backing up to each other, Greed said through《Mind Reading》
『I’ve been observing that guy named Rafal, and I believe he’s the Nightwalker origin. I could tell from the color of his eyes. And, he said it himself that he gave his blood to Hado. Then everything become simpler. Kill Rafal before the capital is overwhelmed by the Nightwalkers.』
[So we must defeat Rafal!?]
『That’s right. If he dies, his connection to his brethren will get cut off. I must tell you this first though, even if he dies, those who have become nightwalkers will not be reverted back. They’ll only turn to ash.』
That’s good to hear. I was worried about Hado being an immortal.
Let’s focus on Rafal only.
I changed black sword into bow form. Then, I told Aaron.
[Information from Greed. Rafal is controlling those monsters]
[I see. So in order to stop all this, we’ll have to kill Rafal Burix?]
[…..Yes]
Aaron added more magical power onto his holy sword, increasing his attack power.
[In that case, leave Hado to me. Fate will take on Rafal. However, the number of the nightwalkers will inevitably keep increasing while we are fighting.]
[Understood. We’ll cross that line when the time comes.]
[So be it. Let’s go]
Nocking the bow, I released several black magic arrows toward Rafal, signaling the start of my offense.
After so long, my fight with the Burixes will finally reach its culmination here.
=====
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