Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Battle, Awesome!

Chapter 270: Battle, Awesome!

Until the moment he died, the Fire-Clad Believer wore an expression of disbelief.

He truly had not expected Asagiri to take his life so decisively, using such a ruthless method of trading injury for death.

Perhaps it was exactly as the other party had said.

Compared to the abdomen, which was easier to hit, he should have aimed for the more vital head.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the White Suit Man and the martial artist were doing everything they could to delay the remaining Fire-Clad Believer, but it was clear that the two of them were at a disadvantage.

After activating Pre-borrow, the martial artist’s physical abilities had indeed risen close to Asagiri’s level when empowered by the Human Asura. It was a terrifying level of strength, worthy of being called a humanoid monster.

But he was not Asagiri.

He had no resistance to fire.

The blue armguard equipped on his right arm had already formed fine cracks under the burning heat of the flames, and large areas of his body were covered in burns. Every attack required him to endure intense pain.

Even after doing his utmost to pierce through the enemy’s defensive flames, he still could not deal a fatal blow to the Fire-Clad Believer in one strike.

When the White Suit Man realized that he and his martial artist teammate could not kill the Fire-Clad Believer quickly, he immediately changed his battle strategy.

Rather than rushing to kill the enemy, he focused on limiting the believer’s movements as much as possible, buying enough time for Asagiri.

And now, that opportunity had arrived.

Seeing the Fire-Clad Believer’s body sway, confusion and pain flashing across his face, the White Suit Man and the martial artist did not need to observe Asagiri’s side to understand what had happened.

Asagiri had killed the other Fire-Clad Believer.

Under the pain of that death, the enemy before them had become mentally shaken.

"Willow Dance!"

A dozen stark white bone spurs pierced out from the White Suit Man’s body, making him resemble a sharp hedgehog. The intense pain of bone spurs forcibly breaking through his skin distorted his expression, but his gaze remained exceptionally firm.

His martial artist teammate immediately understood his intention. Gritting his teeth, he looked at the fire snake shooting from the Fire-Clad Believer’s hand and blocked it with his own body.

"Hmph. Seeking death..."

The Fire-Clad Believer’s face showed disdain.

To him, the martial artist daring to block his flames head-on was nothing but suicide.

But in the next instant, a stark white bone spur shot out from the martial artist’s side, piercing into the Fire-Clad Believer’s body at a speed impossible to react to.

After the bone spur penetrated the flames and pierced his flesh, fine barbs immediately grew from its surface, hooking into the Fire-Clad Believer’s body from within and making it impossible for him to break free.

At the same time, Iwanaga Kotoko, who was watching from a distance, realized this was an excellent opportunity and immediately ordered her two IBMs to firmly restrain the Fire-Clad Believer’s body.

Trapped in such a predicament, the Fire-Clad Believer’s face twisted hideously. The flames on his body surged even more violently, trying to incinerate the bone spurs embedded in his flesh and the two IBMs restraining him.

However, the White Suit Man would not give him that chance.

The dozen bone spurs within his body rapidly extended, piercing directly into the Fire-Clad Believer’s body. Like the first bone spur, countless fine barbs grew along their surfaces, hooking into the enemy’s flesh and blood.

"You heretics..."

Unable to move or even lift his arms, the Fire-Clad Believer seemed to make some kind of decision. The flames on his body began to expand, and he shouted in a fanatical voice,

"I’ll blow up with you..."

"Bang!"

Before the Fire-Clad Believer could finish speaking, Asagiri took advantage of the moment his body was restrained. Completely ignoring the raging flames surrounding him, he punched the Fire-Clad Believer’s head and sent it flying.

The head spun through the air and struck the wall, splattering into a red and white pattern.

"Phew..."

Seeing the Fire-Clad Believer killed, the White Suit Man finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Because more than a dozen bone spurs had forcibly grown out of his body, he had lost too much blood, and his face had turned slightly pale. Even so, he still forced himself to look at Asagiri, revealing a smile as he said,

"We succeeded..."

"Kings Gambit."

Before the White Suit Man could finish speaking, Asagiri had already activated his skill.

...

Meanwhile, in the Hotel lobby on the First Floor.

"Tch..."

Yuuki Asuna’s right wrist, which held Gleaming Light, trembled slightly.

She looked at the Priest, whose body was completely encased in heavy flame armor, wielding a blazing zweihander and exuding a crushing pressure like a medieval knight. She bit her silver teeth lightly and tightened her slender fingers around the sword hilt.

In less than two minutes, she had realized something.

Although this Priest’s mind was as abnormal as those Fire-Clad Believers, that did not mean his combat intelligence was low. On the contrary, unlike those believers who could disguise their true forms as "fireballs," this Priest possessed extremely rich combat experience and could maintain a high degree of rationality in battle.

After realizing that Yuuki Asuna’s role was to delay him, the Priest turned that fact against her.

Sometimes he pretended to observe his surroundings, searching for the Player who had cast the barrier. In reality, he was trying to prevent Yuuki Asuna from continuing to escape, forcing her to attack him proactively.

The most important issue was that even if Yuuki Asuna realized this, she could only continue responding.

After all, she could not tell when the opponent was truly observing and when he was deliberately baiting her.

And once she was dragged into close combat, Yuuki Asuna’s advantages in speed and agility were limited to a certain extent, while the Priest’s advantages in strength, defense, attack power, destructive force, and weapon hardness all became apparent.

Even though Yuuki Asuna’s physical abilities were enhanced with every attack through the passive effect of Class: Flash Blade, her attacks were not fatal to the Priest.

In contrast, the Priest only needed to swing that great flaming zweihander, and she had to use all her strength to block it.

At this moment, Yuuki Asuna already felt tightness in her chest. She had accidentally been struck by the great flaming zweihander earlier, causing intense pain in her ribs. Even breathing required her to force herself through the pain.

"Where is Lelouch?"

The Priest held the greatsword formed from flames, anger clear on his face.

"That man... I must kill him!"

The moment the Priest’s voice fell, Yuuki Asuna, who had been standing there, vanished.

In her place appeared Asagiri, dressed in his hunter’s windbreaker.

"Hmph. You’re here?"

The Priest looked at Asagiri standing there.

The right sleeve of his black windbreaker had been completely burned away, and his arm was covered in severe burns. Blackened fragments of clothing had even fused into the flesh.

But the truly severe injury was in his abdomen.

There was a blood hole the size of a football there, and even his internal organs had been devoured by the searing flames.

"If a normal human suffered injuries that severe, they would have died long ago."

The Priest stared directly at Asagiri’s face, hidden behind the dark gray mask, and looked into the opponent’s calm, unshaken eyes.

He spoke slowly.

"Indeed. You are the Cursed product created by Black Watch."

At first, the Priest had still been suspicious.

After all, his mind was linked to the three Fire-Clad Believers, so he knew what had happened on the Third Floor of the Hotel. He also knew the members of Black Watch very well.

They were a group of monsters with willpower at the absolute limit. No matter what they faced, even without special powers, even when trapped in an absolute dead end with no hope, they would never show the slightest weakness or fear.

The Players’ behavior was clearly worlds apart from the Black Watch members in the Priest’s memories.

However, the willpower far beyond normal human limits shown by this Blackwatch Commander, Lelouch Lamperouge, standing before him now convinced the Priest of one thing.

The other party had to be the Blackwatch Commander.

"Persona, Human Asura."

Asagiri had no intention of wasting time and directly summoned his Persona, Human Asura.

"Hmm?"

Seeing the towering black shadow appear behind Asagiri, the Priest was first startled, then suddenly understood.

"So that’s it. Your summoned creature’s ability to affect the mind does not distinguish between friend and foe. In order for your companion to maintain the barrier, you couldn’t summon it here. Then..."

"Bang!"

Asagiri gave the Priest no chance to finish.

Under the dual enhancement of Blood Burst and Human Asura, his physical abilities had reached an extremely terrifying level. The moment he fully unleashed his strength, the air itself seemed to tear apart.

The Priest’s speed and reaction were not that fast. Even Yuuki Asuna surpassed him in speed, let alone Asagiri in his current state.

He could not respond effectively at all. The orange flames surrounding his body suddenly condensed, first transforming into a fluid-like substance, then solidifying in an instant into a thick layer of armor.

Asagiri delivered a side kick to the Priest’s chest.

However, the Priest’s body was not sent flying. His feet merely slid back less than half a meter, and then he raised the great flaming zweihander in both hands, bringing it down toward Asagiri’s head.

"Bang!"

Asagiri directly raised his hand and blocked the Priest’s wrists before the greatsword could fall.

"Creak..."

The armor covering the Priest’s wrists was forcibly deformed by Asagiri’s grip, and the sound of bones gradually cracking came from within.

But like Asagiri, both sides endured the intense physical pain without retreating.

"Divine Grace!"

During the stalemate, the Priest suddenly roared.

Asagiri felt the opponent’s strength surge instantly. Without hesitation, he let go and retreated, allowing the heavy flaming greatsword to smash into the ground.

At the same time, the Cursed Rope Dart appeared in his right hand. Taking advantage of the moment the Priest lost his balance, he thrust it toward the center of the opponent’s brow.

"Thump!"

The Priest quickly raised his foot and kicked Asagiri directly in the abdomen.

Not only had his strength increased, but his speed had also risen significantly.

Asagiri used the force of the kick to pull back. The wound in his abdomen, which had been sealed by burns, burst open again under the impact, and blood immediately poured out.

"Interesting."

Asagiri slowly raised his head. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The Priest had expected to see fear, panic, or caution in the other man’s eyes. But instead, in Asagiri’s gaze, he saw an emotion he almost could not believe.

Excitement.

This man was enjoying the fight.

.....

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