73. OutMission (12)
"Even if it means I had to lose limbs and life, I will protect this cave!! So COME AND GET ME IF
YOU DARE!!!" Lex roared. He once again takes a stance.
"… Let's see if you had the strength to back that words!" along with the other Undead The Skelton King charged towards Lex.
(Damn it! I did say that, but how the hell should I face them!?)
(the other Undead wasn't a problem, but The Skeleton King was! I can't even injure him!)
(I don't think
like with Livia before?)
(but can't I handle the recoil from it? What about blood loss? What about the Lich?)
(Damn! in the first place, is it even enough to kill him with only that?) Like before Lex started
to parry, avoid, and counterattack The Skeleton King, but…
"Guha!" Lex let out a pained voice. He was struck from behind by the other Skeleton, which made an opening for The Skeleton King to attack, "Damn!" he cursed
"KA KA KA, What happened? We've just started!" The Skeleton King roared as he attacked Lex like a warrior in the war. If Lex focused his attention on the Skeleton King, he would be struck from behind by the other.
Still, he can't focus his attention on the other Undead, too, as The Skeleton King would aim for him.
(Fuck! I'll sacrifice one palm and think about my plan after seeing the result!)
(Mana Skin as a boundary, so I didn't get into Explosion, it can't help much, yet it's better than nothing!) then Lex started to accumulate his Mana inside his Left palm
after he made up his mind and….
*Boooom
(What happened!?) Lex was shocked. That's right; it wasn't Lex who caused the Explosion. Unlike when he faced Livia, where he could focus on accumulating his Mana, he was simultaneously attacked by multiple enemies. As a result, Lex can only gather his Mana bit by bit, or he would be dead before accumulating that Mana.
Lex was The one who wanted to cause an explosion, but suddenly there was another explosion. Of course, he would be shocked rather than the one who doesn't have that kind of plan.
Lex closed his eyes to protect it. At the same time, he strengthened his other senses to avoid any strike coming at him in this vulnerable state. Even after the dust from The Explosion receded, there's no sign of someone attacking him. Lex slowly opened his eyes in confusion.
"huh?" Lex blurted out stupid voice
Under the moonlight of the full moon, there was no longer a sea of trees around them. Instead, the Undead, The Skeleton King, The Ground, and The trees are all covered encased by crystal clear bluish Ice. In the middle of it was a girl with long silver hair, crystal-like blue eyes, snow-like white skin. A small crown is floating a bit away and slanted from her head, and the Ethereal air around her.
(I finally understand why they were called 'Ethereal Body') Lex thought Aria, who looks three years older, with long silver hair and white skin, was in front of him.
The Moon Goddess… Aria slowly turned her head toward Lex "...Thank you," she said softly with a small smile.
***
('"buy me some time" that's what I said, it was an unreasonable request, but somehow inside me, I believed that he could do it even after his shameful appearance just now. I still believe in him. I always feel I can always depend on him in critical situations')
('it might be because even if he sometimes did something stupid, he sometimes acted like he was older than all of us too, I'm sure it wasn't me alone who thought like that, Mio and Arthur must have felt the same thing')
('it was funny, we, I, Mio, Arthur, and Lex, we four met for the first time on that day inside the ship, and became a team by random coincidence for only one day, but we somehow had this inseparable bond')
('I can understand Mio, her family wasn't the best, and Arthur had his Justice tendency. He wouldn't betray anyone. He can be kind and befriend anyone. on the other hand, Lex was… I felt he was like me… alone in this world')
('Anyway, I can't waste any more time, The secret art of the Spirit race, I have to do it if I want us to survive') Aria then ended her thought. She felt the connection with her Ethereal body and focused on it.
***
"Fuck! Damn! Shit! Bastard!"
('!!?') Aria was shocked by the abrupt curses. ('what happened!?') Aria almost lost her concentration and wasted all the time Lex had bought for her ('phew~! I almost lost control… still, what happened outside?'). Aria can still hear Lex's unceasing curses.
('I can't hear anything from here… I need to do this faster!') Aria knew Lex talked something with their enemy before Lex's snapped out like that. She couldn't hear clearly because of the distance, so she knew nothing, but she believed in Lex. He won't do something that is a disadvantage for her.
That's why she decided to do her job faster instead. Because, unfortunately, even if Lex is being tortured or something, she can't do anything to help right now.
(….) After Lex stopped cursing, Aria finally heard a fighting sound outside the cave. However, Aria still focused on her job, 'Assimilate' The secret art of the Spirit Race, only a few among the Spirit Race that can do it. And Aria was one of them.
"You didn't understand a thing what it means to be human with a feeling."
"she sacrificing me? I abandon her? Are you joking? Because if you were, That's too hilarious!!"
(….) now that Lex talked closer in a louder voice, even Aria can hear it clearly
"It might be correct as a King to choose the best choice, but as a friend… as a family… it was the worst choice to make, I wouldn't hesitate for a single moment to choose it!!"
('!!') Aria felt a tinge in her heart when she heard Lex' as a family….'
"even if it means I had to lose limbs and life, I will protect this cave!! COME AND GET ME IF YOU
DARE!!!" Lex roared ('No! I won't let you! not again!') Aria's body changed. She became taller. Her hair grew, her skin became whiter, a small crown on her head. She knew she had succeeded just like that time.
"I WILL NOT LOSE IT AGAIN!" Aria said as she quickly flew out of the cave. Once she saw a swarm of Undead, with a wave of her hand, she froze them.
'Assimilation' to combine the Spirit Race own body with their Ethereal Body. With that, they can control Mana without needing in-between like Ethereal Body. They become the real Spirit of their attribute. Aria was Ice's Spirit Race. After her Assimilation, Ice will obey her. Ice was Aria, and Aria was Ice itself.
After she froze and encased all of the Undead inside Ice crystal, Aria turned toward Lex behind her, looking at his battered state, "…Thank you," Aria said with a smile.
***
(Lex and Aria won the battle and survived, happily ever after… yeah, something like that can only happen in the story) Lex thought, he stood a step behind Aria, it's like Aria was protecting him yet (it wasn't wrong…) they both stared at one of the Undead trapped inside the Ice Crystal,
*crack
The Ice Crystal started to crack from a tiny crack into a small crack into a medium crack and finally cracked all over the Ice Crystal
*Crack *Crack *Crack *Crash
The Ice Crystal shattered, The Undead… The Skeleton King inside started to move again.
"KA KA KA, This one ashamed to think This one underestimated this caliber of Spirit Race, This one really become arrogant," The Skeleton King said remorsefully. Yet, Lex and Aria still feel that their opponent still had a leeway against them from his tone.
Without wasting any time, Aria resumed her attack. Above her, Ice spike like a spear was created one by one and started to fly toward the Skeleton King one by one.
*swoosh *swoosh
"KA KA KA, you're an impatient one, not even a word to this one," The Skeleton King said as he intercepted all the incoming Ice Spike.
"I don't have anything to say for you," Aria replied before she increased her Ice Spike speed and quantity.
"KA KA KA" The Skeleton King laughed and started to run to avoid the Ice Spikes. Left… right… Left… Right… he ran in a zig-zag way, Aria was focused on attacking her opponent, The scale of battle dumbfounded lex. This would be his first time looking at this level of combat.
But Aria and Lex failed to notice one thing. When they saw it, it was already too late. The Skeleton King charged toward Aria at once. It's because the Skeleton King's extraordinary movement made them unable to percept his intention.
"Aria!" Lex shouted. He tried to protect her, but it was too late. The Skeleton King already swings his sword. He definitely won't make it. Aria was surprised too. She didn't expect a counterattack.
Aria took a step back immediately defended with both hands, but… it wasn't enough. The Skeleton King slashed toward Aria both hands
*Crash!!
"Aria!!!" Lex shouted once again, he kicked The Skeleton King, but The Skeleton King was able to guard it with his Longsword. Nonetheless, Lex didn't care about it. He quickly made his way toward Aria. He saw… there's no blood… Aria both hands shattered like a block of Ice struck by a heavy force.
"don't worry," Aria said. She made eye contact with Lex before turning her focus toward the Skeleton King again.
"wh-"Lex was about to protest with her reply but stopped mid-word when he saw Aria both hands. The shattered hands started to gather back toward her hands and slowly became her hands once again like a rewind time. (….) it was too unbelievable for Lex that he became speechless
"hoh~" While The Skeleton King didn't look surprised at all, "It looks like it's true Spirit Race become invincible when in this state…" he said softly.
On the other hand, Aria didn't reply to him anymore. She started to plan her next move. It's Aria's first time to get injured when she's in this state. There's a rumor that Spirit Race can't get hurt in an 'Assimilation' state. Still, she didn't dare risk herself to find that out ('that's a happy coincidence, with this I don't have to defense anymore') Aria thought.
The Skeleton King stared toward Aria, who was preparing her next move. "KA KA KA you really an impatient one, this one attack won't affect you, but how about this one…" as he said that. His Longsword started to burn in black flame. A black flame and black smoke are swirling and coating around it.
The Skeleton King made his move once again. At the same time, Aria made a sword made of Ice. and Ice grew from the ground under The Skeleton King's feet, trying to impale him from the ground. He would be pierced at once if he stopped for more than one second. He kept running like before and approached Aria from the front ('it's okay, I didn't need to defense anymore') Aria thought as she planned to strike back when The Skeleton King struck her.
Ten meters… five meters…. three meters… two meters…
('!!??') Aria canceled her strategy when she felt something ominous. Aria instinctively felt that something bad would happen if she touched The Skeleton King's sword. Still, she's a bit late in her judgment. The Skeleton King longsword clashed with Aria's Ice Sword, losing strength against the Skeleton King. The Skeleton King's Longsword slipped and scratched her right hand.
"ARRRGHHH!!!" Aria screamed in pain. she made a step back while looking toward The Skeleton King in disbelief, then one reply from the Skeleton King cleared her doubt
"Maledictio, Black Sword, This one's Curse Magic," The Skeleton King said