Dance with the Nightingale-Chapter 102 - 97: A Mighty Foe.

[City of Lueurre, the Slums]

[Rayne’s POV]

’It should be an easy match-up. It was 2 v/s 1, after all. I mean, just how hard could it be fighting against a magic user of the same rank 2 on 1.’

Despite my thoughts saying otherwise, I rushed out as fast as I could, towards the location that had popped in my head.

It was surprisingly close. Close enough that after three bursts of [Acceleration] I could see panicked people running away from a particular street, while city guards from adjacent district escorted those who couldn’t.

I, actually, pitied those guards. The last incident had already grounded their pride to bits, and now, two days later, it was blown to smithereens. Poor guys couldn’t do anything against the aggressors, lest they were able to decrease the causalities by clearing the streets.

’Are they planning to tie him down?’, I wondered as I heard some loud ’BAAM!’s two streets ahead.

Capturing someone could indeed be more difficult. But as twin brothers shouldn’t they be like… a seamless duo, two bodies with one mind with their power rising exponentially… or something like a martial soul fusion skill, maybe?

{Rayne’s source = Cultivation novels, specifically, Soul Land 2. So many martial fusion skills in it fr.}

’Whatever, let’s observe the fight first.’, I thought as I activated Peekaboo and inched closer.

’Huh? Where’s Jack?’

Was the first thing that came into my mind as I saw only one of the brothers fighting with the demon cultist, a beast-man with a crown of horns on his head and a huge build.

’Wasn’t it a 2 vs 1? And wait… Why is Mark fighting like that?’

Yes, the opponent looked tough with his huge build and threatening face… but he looked quite beat up too, and yet, Mark was just maintaining distance while doing half hearted attacks.

His attitude towards this fight was just way too passive!

It was if the role of hunter and prey were reversed…

Just as I was thinking that, my thoughts were interrupted-

–GRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

-by a bloodcurdling scream that rang in my ears.

Swiftly, my eyes turned towards the source, which was a dark alley adjacent the same street. Injecting a little mana in my eyes removed the veil of darkness, and I immediately regretted that it did.

The sight before me was just that harrowing and illogical.

There, amidst the shadows, I witnessed Jack, his face contorted in agony, as he desperately propped himself up against a building. The once strong and valiant Jack was long gone. His guttural screams of torment being stifled by two of his trembling hands, while his other two arms clung desperately to his right leg, now cruelly reduced to a mere stump. And yet, he couldn’t stop his blood from staining the floor.

Was it the horned beast-men who cut off Jack’s leg?

No. I could surely say he didn’t.

Why?

Because I saw it. Fresh crimson blood dripping down from a tautly stretched string, suspended horizontally just above the profusely bleeding stump.

As my brain numbed from the illogical revelation, my eyes which had been preoccupied with Jack, finally saw the entirety of the grotesque scene.

Just a foot away from Jack laid a wriggling, writhing mass of horrid flesh. The mass of flesh was an abomination. A convoluting mixture of all kinds of scales, furs, eyes, chitinous appendages, jagged teeth, and grotesquely deformed limbs as it crawled and tried to attach itself to Jack’s bleeding leg stump. If not for the few strings keeping it at bay, the mass of flesh would have even succeeded.

Before my numbed brain could start piecing things together, the culprit behind the harrowing scene opened his mouth.

"Hoh, you actually severed your own brother’s leg.", Gellain mockingly gasped as he turned and dodged a string aiming to sever his neck.

"Now, I’m curious! Will you be able to cut your leg decisively too? Or you just don’t care about your brother’s leg? Hm? Let’s find out, shall we?"

His words chilled my heart as a grim feeling of foreboding arose in mind. My gaze turned back to the writhing abomination, whose chitinous appendage was tearing at something as if playing with it. Something that got dropped because of its deformed limbs, revealing itself to be a chewed out right shoe. A shoe, disturbingly familiar to Jack’s left one.

"…"

My mouth opened, but no sound came out of it, not even a gasp, as I finally acknowledged the thing I didn’t want to: The abomination was Jack’s severed right leg.

I didn’t know how, when, or what… but I clearly knew the who.

And seeing that ’who’ running off his mouth like that tempted me to stab my sword in that bastard’s face!

It was only after I saw Mark’s countenance, which remained calm despite all the horror and provocations, that my head cooled down. More precisely, it made me realize how unexperienced I was as a magic user.

-Huu

With a deep breath, and a little thought elimination with the help of [Parallel Mind] I streamlined my thoughts and addressed the most important thing – just who was that horned beast-man?

Transforming someone’s leg into an abomination?

It was a terrifying ability that shouldn’t be possessed by any random goon.

So, as the author of this mysterious world, I searched my memories for every character whose powers could do this.

And it didn’t need a lot of thinking honestly.

A helpless expression appearing on my face as I became certain of the beast-man’s identity or rather his affiliation.

As if to prove me correct, Gellain finally managed to close the distance.

Using both [Mana Reading] and [Spilt Second], I carefully observed the flow of his mana, which first travelled into an object near his chest before it got redirected and accumulated on his fist.

And sure, enough it was just as I suspected – a grotesque violet-purple aura, wriggling like worms, that with a single exchange infected its targets like a plague. A plague that neither destroyed or killed, rather a plague that instead transformed everything into its most abhorrent form.

It was – [Corruption].

Gellain’s fist contained the aura of [Corruption].

The power of Satan of Corruption, also known as Convoluting Death, [Vyshareth].

Someone, who made death look like a pleasant experience.

Someone, whom I wrote solely to embody the concept the suffering.

They were the most twisted, cruel, mad, and yet cunning demon that I wrote.

An existence who was equal, if not stronger than the Empress, an existence whom I couldn’t even dare to think about.

Thankfully, or rather, just as planned Mark dodged Gellain’s fist by hair’s breadth.

Strings bound Gellain in place as Mark’s hair started defying gravity. Then, with a wave of his hand, a spear weaved out of his strings appeared in his hand which he stabbed into the beast-man.

The spear tip illuminated with vibrant spirit energy, which was probably Mark’s bloodline ability, stabbed into Gellian, immobilizing him for a second.

That was my cue.

Yes, it was a repeat of what happened with Claire, I was going with an ambush.

And Mark created one.

’Though it won’t be a perfect kill like before, let’s deal the most possible damage.’, I thought as acceleration circles formed before me.

’Wait! Young Master!’

That was when a familiar voice stopped me. A voice that I can’t not recognize. A voice that I was used to and, though it’s a little embarrassing to say, longed for.

It was Amy’s voice.

"…!!"

Honestly, it shocked the living daylights out of me.

Of all places and timings, I couldn’t imagine Amy being here all of a sudden.

And I would have dismissed the voice as an auditory hallucination if said person didn’t suddenly appear before me.

As if she flickered out of the void, my maid, Amelia Inari, the leader of Ellsworth Shadow Corps, the fastest Archmage and my mother, was standing before me as if nothing.

’She is here for real!’

My eyes widened for the umpteenth time today as I saw her maroon hair swaying in the night breeze.

Then, my eyes met hers. It was like we didn’t need words, just looking into each other’s eyes was enough to convey a thousand words…

It hadn’t even been 2 months since I left, and yet I missed her so much. So, when I looked and felt her missing me more, I felt warm… and satisfied.

Without even the exchange of words, it was already a rollercoaster of emotions, so much so that I almost lost myself.

Almost.

Clearing my throat, and averting my eyes, I looked back towards the battle.

The opportunity Mark created, had already passed by, with Mark himself having a betrayed look on his face as the hulking giant charged toward him.

So, to the cause of all this, I simply asked in one word, "Why?"

The rest she was more than capable to understand.

And understand she did, the question and my mood.

Like convincing a child who was sulking, she closed in the gap between us. Bringing with her, her soft swaying, almost hypnotic tails, that wrapped around me warmly and only then, did she speak, even though it was business not some sweet words of affection, the gesture itself being more than enough.

"Young Master, I suspect that [Icceguar] being a member of [Temple of Corruption]. You won’t know about it, Young Master, but it is a particularly perverse faction of the demonic cult, frowned upon by even it’s sister factions. So, you mustn’t engage with him or any other member of this particular faction directly atleast until you are powerful enough."

(A/N: Icceguar is Gellain’s race… figured atleast Amy shouldn’t call him horned beastman.)

’Unlike what Amy thought, I knew it, the [Temple of Corruption]. While consisting of few members, it is an elitist faction of demon cult having direct ties with Satan of Corruption. It also explains why she said I shouldn’t ’directly’ engage with him. Simply put, Amy, or rather the Earl, doesn’t want to expose me to a Satan’s gaze just yet.’

Which is quite right, if I say so myself.

But… "What about Mark then?", I asked, as I pointed at the fierce battle that was going on right in front of us. Though it was more of a struggle of survival rather than a battle.

"Well, your dutiful maid will take care of it, Young Master!", Amy giggled.

And while relieved, "So easily!?", I asked back in surprise.

Dispatching an Archmage to do my work shouldn’t be that easy, not to mention other factions would become restless if an Archmage of other faction simple showed her powers in their city in broad daylight.

Though Amy is an assassin and could hide her powers very well, so much so that I suspect no one in the city should be aware of her presence… but it still shouldn’t be that easy.

Archmages were strategic resources much like Britain’s RAF, not some child’s plaything to order as they please.

Before my thoughts could wander, with a slightly apologetic expression, Amy replied, "It’s partly our fault that someone from [Temple of Corruption] is dispatched here. So, I’ll clean it up."

"Our fault?", her words cause me to raise an eyebrow.

"Ummm, yes. I’ll tell you all about it later Young Master. Your friend looks like he can bite dust anytime, so I’ll eliminate that Icceguar first.", Amy said, as slowly her fur started to turn white.

"Wait! Wait! Stop! Onee-san!", I hurriedly called her out.

(A/N: Let’s see who knows the reference)

"What is it Young Master?", Amy asked tilting her head.

"I still want some information from him. Is it possible to capture and extract information from him?"

Giving an apologetic smile, "Sorry, but that won’t be possible Young Master.", Amy said.

Naturally, I knew that members of [Temple of Corruption] had an array similar to mine in their head. But it’s never wrong to ask.

"Wait here Young Master, it’ll be over in flash.", Amy whispered as her tails stopped embracing me and similarly turned white…

…And, she lied.

There was no flash or anything.

She along with her opponent, just vanished.

If not for her voice saying, ’It’s done Young Master’, in my mind… I would have thought otherwise.

***

[Mark’s POV]

What should I do?

What should I do!?

What should I do!!??

Mark kept asking himself that question as soon as things went south.

At first things were going great. Teaming up with his own brother, Mark naturally shifted to support.

Using his strings to catapult his brother, Mark gave Jack the momentum he needed, while also restricting Gellain’s movements.

Together, they were quickly destroying the bone armor enveloping Gellain.

Yes, Jack allowed a few hits in this speedy exchange, but always did double the damage. In one exchange he even almost bashed up the beastman’s face.

And yet, it was his brother who had lost his leg.

It all started when the beastman finally abandoned his bone armor.

Thinking that it was over, Jack rushed in to deliver the final blow. And while a little more cautious than his brother, Mark thought similarly, but still was ready to provide support at any given moment.

Deciding to go with a heavy blow, Jack did a full rotation mid-air to add momentum to his blow, as he swung his mace down.

-Thud…!

Naturally, his opponent dodged such an obvious strike. But before the dust could settle down, Jack was already on his tail.

Jack’s next few strikes were also dodged or parried, but he managed to stab his opponent’s stomach and push him back.

To prevent the next blow, the beastman shot several bone spikes Jack’s way as he backed away.

But Jack was already long gone by then.

By simply stepping on a string which launched him in the air.

Then, another string hanging mid-air launched him towards Gellain, who simply reinforced his right arm with bones.

-Bang…!

The reinforced arm and the mace collided heavily, Jack coming out on top as the beastman’s arm got crushed into the ground.

But he recovered quicker than Jack, and kicked him in the face as he escaped before the strings could trap him.

The kick almost made Jack drop his mace, which greatly angered the primate.

Next, he abandoned all caution and attacked in all kinds of reckless ways, but the beastman always fended him off as such, that Jack’s mace never ended up landing a decisive blow.

Of course, this alone cost the beastman quite a lot of broken bones, but it angered Jack even more.

Mark tried to calm him down, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Frustrated and angered beyond belief, Jack did something he would normally never do.

After the beastman dodged another attack, Jack charged up his leg with mana and did a movement which tore some of his leg muscles.

He kicked at Gellain, from an unnatural angle.

The kick landed heavily, and Gellain groaned, as he kneeled to block the kick.

"What! You thought I can only attack with my mace!!", Jack barked in satisfaction.

But the next moment the tables were turned on him.

"Heh, that’s why mace users shouldn’t kick!", Gellain remarked as he spat blood and grabbed Jack’s ankle.

A violet aura that looked like wriggling worms covered the beastman’s palms and attached itself to Jack’s leg. And using that ankle, he smashed Jack into the ground.

-Bam…!

Next, he rained punches on Jack with his palms covered in the violet aura… or so he tried, because Mark had already pulled back Jack from the pit.

But by then, the damage had been already done.

"Calm! Down! You idiot!", Mark shouted at his brother whom he had just rescued but instead of replying or retorting, his brother started screaming!

A scream of pain that he hadn’t heard from his brother’s mouth even once, shocked him to the core.

His brother, who never screamed even when a sword went through his stomach, even when a monster almost ate his hand, was screaming like that…

He was shocked… but when he saw his brother’s leg, when he saw the abomination, it was becoming, he couldn’t stay shocked anymore.

In utter desperation, he tried several things, but when none of them worked and the abomination consumed more and more of the leg.

Left with no choice, he decisively severed it.

Thankfully, the aura didn’t spread after that, or he would have really lost it.

As for Gellain’s provocations in the meantime, he didn’t even hear them, must less reacting to them.

All he was focused on was to keep him away from his brother, and to hold on as long as it took, for the reinforcements to arrive.

Things didn’t look good for him, but he held on nonetheless and his efforts were answered shortly as he heard Ray’s voice in his mind, asking to prepare an ambush.

’Ray is strong, if it’s him both us can team up and kill this bastard!’

He thought as he gave it all to prepare a suitable ambush, and even used his bloodline ability that he kept hidden as a trump card, to paralyse the enemy.

But the ambush, he hoped for, never came.

And his mind link with Ray got unlinked.

’What is the fucker doing!!’

He screamed in his mind, as his brain thought of the worst possibility.

’He is a mercenary after all. Maybe he left after the judging the situation as too dangerous.’

Not to mention his mind got sluggish after using [Trance] which consumed most of his mental power.

With all the variables against him, Mark made a small slip up.

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Nothing huge, just a small slip up where the strings he was using to dodge got tangled.

Normally, this wouldn’t happen, and even if it did happen, it was something that gets solved within a second or two.

Unfortunately, Mark didn’t have those seconds now.

Just as his brain processed his end, just as his eyes widened and hate rose in his heart for his unjustified end… the fist that was coming at his face vanished.

And not just the fist, the whole person who was after him, the horned beastman, Gellain Ramus, vanished.

There was nothing else he could say about it. The imposing beastman was here just a moment ago, about to kill him and now he wasn’t.

-Thud

"…"

Falling on his butt, Mark blinked his eyes slowly, trying to believe what he was seeing—or rather, not seeing. But no matter how many times he blinked, nothing changed. The huge beastman had vanished, and he remained gone without a trace.

"Mark~?"

"…!"

That’s when someone called out to him from behind, and for a brief moment, he feared that the beastman had approached from the rear. However, as he heard the overly cheerful tone and recognized the familiar voice, he felt a sense of relief washed over him.

"So, how did you like my ambush?", the mercenary whom he thought as a runaway walked in front of him as he asked, that cheeky smile plastered all over his pretty face.

’This credit craver!’, Mark wearily complained, as he got up, dusted his pants, before answering reluctantly, "Yes, yes, you were amazing. Though I almost died, you were amazing. Ray of trouble-seekers is amazing.", with a touch of sarcasm.

"Hehe~, don’t praise me so much.", the mercenary giggled so over exaggeratedly, that he almost punched him.

’This guy annoys me to no end.’

Then, while grumbling in his mind so as to not let his thoughts wander, Mark made a beeline towards the dark alley.

Thankfully, everything was as he expected.

The abomination was dead, on his own. It wasn’t a creature that should exist in the first place, nor could such convoluted body structure suitable for life.

His brother was safe, albeit with a lesser appendage count but it could always be healed later on.

As such, today’s incident came to a close or so Mark thought.