As the bloody dance continued and the number of cuts multiplied, Lilith's counterattacks became increasingly feeble. The impressive part was not how Lilith still managed to avoid a death blow, but how the white mask girl managed to avoid inflicting a killing strike.
"She can't even use those bubbles of hers anymore," Olivia said in a somber tone. "They did no damage before, and at such close distance, she'd just kill herself. And for all the surprising 'boos' from the crowds, it's not like they achieved anything. Big surprise that the organizers could not care less!"
Yeah, so we'll just stand here and watch her die… Fuck! Beatrice's pulse rose. What's the big deal? It shouldn't be! It's not like she's any more special than any other of the sixty poor souls that perished here! So what that she got treated unfairly? The Fridge is right! Everyone that came here knew that it will be a fight to the death! And I came here just for training in combat!
"UAHH!" Lilith screamed after a particularly carefree attack on Ruby's part, grabbed the hand which held the dagger, and tackled the masked girl.
"Ah?" Ruby seemed surprised but a quick knee to Lilith's stomach bent the girl in half, followed quickly by a plunge of the dagger through her shoulder.
"GHUH-HYAAAH~" Lilith gasped as the air got knocked out of her only to scream out due to the sharp, deep, burning pain inflicted by the cold steel.
"Oh, I actually managed to avoid your vitals?" Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "You can't imagine how hard it is not to kill you instantly. With your back and neck exposed like this, there's hardly a spot left that wouldn't bleed you out in minutes like meat for slaughter!"
Unable to catch her breath while also in numbing pain across all her body, Lilith dropped to her knees. Her beaten and slashed body could no longer even summon the strength to stand. Ruby pulled out her dagger, leaving a gaping wound that proceeded to bleed profusely.
What are we supposed to do? Beatrice argued with herself. Listen to Olivia's complaints and fight the entire organization in their lair? That's stupid! Everyone would get killed anyway! And by acting so recklessly and foolishly, I'd condemn to death everyone I could have saved in the future! Isn't that selfish?
Beatrice looked at Olivia. You yourself only care about your sister! You're not rushing in to save that girl! Because you have your own priorities! So what that you're not 'The Savior'? What about being a decent human being and separating yourself from the scum you so despise?
Trying to save some foolish girl who willingly walked into this and risk failing an entire world? And why? Just because it's hard to look at injustice right in front of our eyes? That's the only reason! What about all the suffering that we don't see? No doubt demons are feasting on human flesh this very moment! Thinking logically, it is a no-brain course of action to ignore the poor fool and concentrate on the long game. On my goals! … Fuck!
"Hmm~ this is it then?" Ruby asked playfully as she circled Lilith while holding the pointy end of her dagger to her back, drawing a bloody line from one shoulder to the other.
Does it hurt? Felicia wondered she watched Lilith bleed out. It does, doesn't it? I hope you're in fucking agony! My eyes hurt like a hell! How dare you fucking scum attack me! My fault for not knowing that you were relatives with that old fucker. I would have thought up something special! I had thought that the 'team game' would take care of such issues, but I guess one of you was savvier than the average pig!
Having circled Lilith, Ruby slid the dagger under her mask and licked it clean while touching herself with her other hand. She then put the blade of her dagger right under Lilith's chin and raised her head to look the girl in the eyes, while threatening to slash her throat at any second.
"Ahn, aren't you happy?" Ruby asked as she moaned, aroused yet again after her bloody dance. "You'll get to see your old man soon! This probably wasn't the result you were hoping for when you challenged me, but you're also not the one that I came here to fight. So, you brought this on yourself really. Not like this wasn't a little amusing. Your blood is certainly a lot tastier than that old shitter's!"
While holding her dagger right against Lilith's neck, Ruby looked up to the announcer's platform. Finally, got what you wanted? Don't think I'll just let you off the hook for those 'special prizes' just because you're some—"GHAH!?"
Ruby suddenly felt a tight grip on her dagger hand, followed by a numbing, disorienting punch through her hood, right in her temple. For a second, Ruby lost her senses. The following punch straight into the forehead of her mask that pushed into her own forehead and transferred all the force, knocked her back several feet. Ruby fell on her ass while her head kept ringing.
Fuck, there goes my tournament arc! Beatrice thought as she stood next to Lilith, feeling a burn in her knuckles.
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