I could feel immense power coursing through my body.
For some reason, I could now grasp the energy flowing around Tyranus.
It was immense...but I could knock it down to size.
Vengeance could weaken him enough...
Tyranus stood there shouting and yelling at Cassandra when suddenly, Arvild stepped forward.
"MIZIK, YOU BASTARD! GUARDS! KILL HIM!!!" Arvild screamed.
Immediately, every single guard raised their weapons and ran straight at me.
As I raised Vengeance, I could now read the runes on the blade.
Then I took a deep breath and recited the words.
"VENGEANCE! HEAR MY CALL! HE THAT SLAYS THINE ENEMY IS THE VENGEFUL ONE!!!" I shouted mightily.
There was a burst of power and it caused the guards to stumble. Then I extended my free hand. A second sword appeared in it. Completely identical to the first.
I now understood another reason why Vengeance hated shields.
He truly wasn't meant to use one.
{New Ability Unlocked!}
{Vengeance Form Two: Dual Wield!}
{Class Up! Magic Knight > Arcane Executioner!}
The guards recovered and charged.
Once they got closer...
"Full moon slash."
I spun with both of my weapons and struck twice on each enemy. Effectively slicing them into ribbons.
These men, who would have each been an obstacle, were now a joke.
At the same time, Arvild stepped forward. His eyes full of dark rage. Arvild was now also just a joke to me.
I saw Tyranus turn to me just before what happened next.
"ARVILD, YOU FOOL!!!" Tyranus said.
Arvild charged straight at me and...
"Assassinate," I said.
I teleported behind Arvild and severed his head clean from his body before he could even realize that I'd moved.
{New skill gained! Skill name: V.Double Strike}
I was being flooded with all sorts of new abilities.
In fact, I hardly noticed or felt a thing when Arvild's head rolled across the floor.
{Vengeance Prey Slain!}
{Exp gained: 13,500,000}
{Level up!×5}
Tyranus stepped forward in anger as he saw my power surge.
He raised his sword and Isabella stepped in front of me.
I saw her raise her sword in the same way that I had mine. It was a wonderful moment.
"BRAVERY! HEAR MY CALL! SHE THAT FACES THINE ENEMY IS THE BRAVE ONE!" She shouted mightily.
Immediately, I saw her shield crack and shatter. In its place, formed a new shield made of pure silver. Glowing pink lines spread out upon its face.
"Don't forget about me, Mizik. I have just as much stake in this fight as you do now!" Isabella said.
"Keep Cassandra busy. Once she's subdued, we can kill Tyranus. After that...I want to take my time with her."
"Understood."
"YOU DARE STAND AGAINST ME!? I WILL DESTROY YOU BOTH!" Tyranus shouted.
He raised his sword and released it.
Spiked chains appeared and wrapped around both of his arms. He gripped them in his hand.
"I can't think of the last time I used this. LET'S MAKE THIS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!"
I pointed my sword at Tyranus.
"VENGEANCE DEATH CURSE!!!" The glowing purple wind shot out at light speed and impacted him.
He gritted his teeth and glared at me.
Tyranus shot towards me like a bolt of lightning. Isabella blocked it and bashed him away. Right after that, I was upon him and Isabella attacked Cassandra.
"JUDGEMENT THRUST!" Tyranus said.
Justice was cloaked in red energy and Tyranus stabbed at me with incredible force. I parried the blow with one of my swords
"FLAMES OF RAGE!" My blades became cloaked in crimson flames and I crossed them to strike him.
Tyranus' eyes went wide as he tried to prepare for the attack.
I struck with both swords at the same time and he blocked with his rapier. The impact sent him flying through a wall with its incredible power.
Then I raised my swords and unleashed a blazing explosion that followed him and set the mansion ablaze.
A moment later, several chains shot out of the burning pile of rubble at me. I deflected them with my swords and fired another blast of flames.
Then, instantly, Tyranus appeared in front of me.
He wildly slashed his rapier at me and threw his chains around me. The spikes on the chains dug into my armor and flesh.
Tyranus planned to pull the chains and turn me into mincemeat... But then, Isabella shot towards him and slammed her shield unto him.
As soon as she did, there was a flash of light, and Tyranus was sent flying backward. The chains loosened and I was free.
Tyranus stood up and readied himself.
"You damn nobody! How the hell can you keep up with me!? HOW!?" Tyranus screamed.
Isabella stepped forward and aimed her sword at him.
"With the death of Walter, our power has increased. Now, we can stand against you!" She said.
"FACE JUSTICE!!" Tyranus roared again.
He rushed towards me, but I didn't move an inch.
Isabella blocked his attack. He began striking rapidly and even throwing his chains, but not a scratch appeared on her shield. She moved it rapidly to deflect every singly blow. Almost as if it was being done on instinct. Her guard was perfect.
I leaped over her and struck with both swords at once in mid air. Tyranus tried to dodge the attack but was slashed on his back.
I saw Isabella raise her shield and winked at me.
"BLAST NOVA!!" She shouted. I jumped out of the way as the ensuing explosion nearly blew out a huge portion of the mansion's walls. Tyranus was sent flying back and slammed into the ground.
He had already taken a beating, and I thought it was time to finish him off. I charged straight at him as he tried to stand.
"RAGE OF IRATUS!" I shouted.
He blocked my first strike after I was filled with rage.
"JUSTICE STRIKE!!!" He shouted.
His rapier shot towards my throat and I narrowly avoided it as a chain tried to wrap itself around my arm.
"SUNLIGHT BLADE!!!"
Isabella came to my side and blocked the attack just before slashing at Tyranus with an extended sword of light.
After that, it was time to test my theory.
"WRATH POSESSION!!!" I called out the skill and was once again filled with the spirit of Vengeance.
So it worked!
[YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MY PREY!!!]
"WHAT!?" Tyranus shouted as I threw both of my swords at him. They spun like saw blades and he desperately tried to avoid them and block.
Tyranus was just narrowly able to escape and I shot forward to grab my swords.
I began rapidly slashing at Tyranus with skillful strikes that I didn't even possess normally.
{KILL THEM ALL!!!
BURN IT DOWN!!!}
We exchanged blows back and forth between my swords, his chains and his sword. We struck back and forth, parrying each blow and attacking when possible.
Like this...my offense was completed.
My attacks continued to get faster and faster. He couldn't keep up with me, anymore.
Eventually, Tyranus stopped attacking me and focused on protecting himself. His chains sparked and some even broke from the fury of my blows.
My strikes continued increasing in speed until he reached his limit. I began slashing him little by little until blood began gushing out of his damaged body. Tyranus jumped back and launched several chains at me. I unleashed the flames from my swords at him and blew him away in response.
An instant later, Tyranus lunged out of the flames surrounded by chains.
"LIGHTSPEED SLASH!!" His sword shone brightly and he swished it around several times.
"AEGIS BARRIER!!!" Isabella shouted.
Just before the attack from Tyranus could finish, Isabella appeared in front of me with her shield raised.
She blocked it effortlessly.
From the fear in his eyes, I now saw terror.
["VANGUARD STRIKE!"] I shouted as I rushed forward and slashed several times at him with both of my swords. I felt his blood splatter on my face as he jumped back.
"You...crazy bastard... What the hell is that damn sword!? Why am I so slow!?" Tyranus said while panting.
"It's called Vengeance. And it will be your undoing!" Isabella said.
"It wouldn't be a problem if he weren't hiding behind your damn shield!" Tyranus shouted.
"I'm not hiding, she's just protecting me. Like she promised she would," I said as wrath possession wore off.
I glanced at Isabella and managed a smile. She returned it gladly.
"You two disgust me. I've had it! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU BOTH RIGHT NOW!!!"
Tyranus raised his sword and the chains began circling around rapidly.
"PAY FOR YOUR SINS!! RIGHTEOUS EXECUTION!!!" Tyranus screamed as he lowered his sword. The chains formed a solid line as they shot forward with incredible power.
I smiled. That attack was a joke compared to Isabella's defense.
"AEGIS BARRIER!" Isabella shouted as the chains impacted her shield.
I felt the heavy impact from here.
The ground shook and the floor cracked, but Isabella didn't move.
The shockwaves by themselves would probably have been enough to hurt or even kill a normal person... The chains would have ground anyone to dust...
But Isabella was an unbreakable wall of steel.
"MIZIK! NOW!!!" She shouted.
I lunged forward at Tyranus as he kept channeling his attack.
Tyranus glared at me and several heavy chains shot in my direction. I dodged and weaved between them as I charged at him.
And a moment later, I reached him with both swords poised to strike.
Tyranus looked at me with both fear and anger in his eyes as I readied myself to attack.
"DOUBLE STRIKE!!!" I shouted.
I crossed my swords and unleashed them at Tyranus.
Effectively slicing him to pieces.
His bloodied, mangled corpse fell to the ground and so did his sword.
[Be free, Justice. Someday, I will find you a proper wielder.]
I made sure to pick up Justice and placed it in my inventory.
{You have slain one of the Thirteen Legendary Magic Swordsmen. You have slain: Tyranus Iratus. Wielder of 'Justice'}
{Calculating exp value based on enemy strength...}
{Exp gained: 45,000,000}
{Level up!×25}
{Vengeance prey slain!}
{Exp can no longer be gained. Additional power will be stored in case of true limit break.}
{You have reached level 150. The maximum level for mortal kind. All life shall quake before your ultimate power.}
{New ability gained: Vengeance Form Three: Shapeshifting Weapon.}
I could feel the extreme power coursing through me at this point. I would make an effort to sort through all of the new messages and skills later. But for now...
I looked over at Cassandra who had been trapped in some kind of barrier.
"All for you, Mizik," Isabella said.
I slowly approached the barrier and it went down as I reached it.
Cassandra saw the look in my eyes and backed away in terror.
"W-wait! I was being forced to do what he-"
I grabbed Cassandra by the neck and slammed her into the wall.
She tried to pry my hand off of her, but I was now fifty levels higher than her and fully powered by Vengeance. She was helpless.
"M-mizik...I...I'm sorry...for hurting...gah....you... I w-wanted to talk! I...I'll do anything...hah... I could m-marry you! I'll be your plaything! Your toy! Any...thing... PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE!!! DON'T HURT ME!!! I'M SORRY!!!" Cassandra screamed.
"Music to my ears. I recall a time when I begged for you to stop hurting me but my cries fell on deaf ears. You're pathetic. Subhuman garbage. A demon in human skin," I said.
Tears began streaming down her face as she looked into my eyes.
"I'M SO SORRY!!! I-I'M SO LONELY!!! I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU!!! WAAHHHHHHH!!!!" She wailed.
"Never meant to hurt me? THEN WHY DID YOU TORTURE ME!?!? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" I shouted at her.
I was still holding her by the throat, so she was having trouble breathing.
"I just...haah...haah...wanted to be...l-loved...but I...gah..."
Cassandra looked at Isabella.
"My...wonderful big sister... I love you so much... Can you...please get...your handsome hus....gah...husband...off of me...?" She managed as I kept choking her with my hand.
Isabella smiled warmly at Cassandra and tapped me on the shoulder.
"Mizik, would you let go of her? I have a few things to say."
I let go immediately and Cassandra fell to the ground clutching her throat and breathing heavily.
"Thank you...my beloved si-"
Isabella kicked Cassandra in the face.
"You...YOU DECEITFUL BACKSTABBING MONSTER! HOW DARE YOU OFFER YOURSELF TO MY HUSBAND AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE!? I HATE YOU! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE!?" Isabella screamed at her as she repeatedly kicked Cassandra.
Cassandra lay on the ground weeping and holding herself to prevent further injury.
Once Isabella calmed down somewhat, she spoke normally again.
"I'll have you know, that you stopped being my sister the day I found Mizik in your filthy dungeon. Rot in hell, Cassandra!"
Cassandra slowly picked herself up and grabbed onto me. She was shaking like a leaf.
"I'm sorry... I know I'm messed up... I made mistakes! I know that now! I don't want to die... I don't want to get eaten by the Black Ooze! Please save me! PLEASE! I'LL DO ANYTHING! M-mizik...you find Isabella beautiful, right? I look just like my sister! You can have two of the same girl! I'll act just like her too! I'll be an obedient slave! I'll...l-love you... PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! PLEASE DON'T ABANDON ME!!! I'M SO SORRY!!!" Cassandra begged as she held onto me and cried.
And I mean to say she wailed loudly.
She cried harder than I've ever seen someone cry in my entire life. She was a complete mess as she held onto me tightly.
I gritted my teeth in rage and kicked her off of me. I spent the next minute or so kicking her in the stomach, chest, and face.
After I stopped, she had her face covered and peered up at me in terror while whimpering.
Seeing her like this should have made me happy...but...
It felt hollow.
Considering the circumstances and our doomed world...
It almost hurt.
Why...why do you look like her...? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK LIKE ISABELLA!?!?
It almost felt like I was beating up my own wife...
"After everything you've done...seeing you this way makes me feel sorry for you. Was it all worth it, Cassandra? Look around you. None of your titles and nobility mean shit in the real world. You're not even a Princess anymore. That makes you a commoner. Just like me," I said as I looked away from her.
I could feel tears flowing down my face. My voice trembled as I spoke to her.
Her face and body were bruised and she was bleeding from her lips and nose.
Her arms were terribly bruised as well from all of the kicking.
Cassandra slowly and shakily pulled herself up and clung to my legs once again with tears in her eyes. She looked up at me desperately.
"I...I'm sorry... I was wrong...I made mistakes... I hurt people. Hurt them for no reason... I hate myself and I want to change! And if I can't change, I want to die... Please...let me make it up to you! I have nothing left! I don't want to be alone! I hate being alone! I've always...been so lonely..." She said fearfully.
Tears were still streaming down her face.
"I'll give you the same treatment you gave everyone else that begged for their lives before you. They begged and begged....and you just laughed at their suffering. You laughed at my suffering," I spoke to her as I once again picked her up by the throat.
Just die! Stop looking at me with her eyes! STOP IT! I HATE YOU!
I glared at her as I pressed her against the wall.
I held the point of Vengeance against her neck as tears streamed down her face.
"Ahh...please...nooo... Not like this...I'm so...sorry...!" She begged.
Unfortunately...the flames of rage within my chest had dimmed.
I once had a burning anger that could have swallowed her whole. But time...even if it had been less than a year, had caused it to dull. I wanted this woman dead. But it wouldn't have been satisfying.
The things she kept saying...the fear and desperation in her eyes... It honestly made me pity her.
What sort of life had this girl lived to end up this way? Loneliness? Was that enough to drive someone to commit such atrocities?
And what about me? About the things I had just done? About what I was planning to do?
To just end her life so suddenly...was that really enough?
Wouldn't that just make me feel empty inside?
Killing her couldn't erase what she had done. Not just to me, but to everyone. To Walter.
But it was because of Walter that we survived...
And I almost felt like thanking Cassandra for that...
As I held Vengeance ready to strike, I could begin to hear the sword protesting.
It knew what I was about to do.
I put Vengeance away and just looked at Cassandra.
Even though we had mercilessly beat the shit out of her, she still was the spitting image of her sister. My beloved wife. At this point, I wasn't sure I even felt right about continuing to hurt her.
She just seemed so miserable... If it were possible to feel someone else's sadness, Cassandra's soul-crushing despair would have suffocated me completely.
I had never seen someone look at me with such sorrowful and miserable eyes in my entire life. I was certain that despairing gaze would haunt me forever if I continued...
I could easily have killed her, but I wasn't a monster. Not yet, anyway...
I wouldn't be like her.
"Grand Heal," I said.
Healing power poured from my hand and healed most of her wounds. Her bleeding stopped and her bruises disappeared.
Although the remnants of her wounds remained for now, they had been healed.
Her expression softened and I dropped her again.
This...leaves a sour taste in my mouth...
"Wh....what?" Cassandra said suddenly.
"Mizik...are you sure it's a good idea to let her live?" Isabella said.
I looked at Cassandra's bloodied and teary face.
"She...looks too much like you. I can't do it. I won't kill her. She's a monster. A merciless and horrible demon... But I'm not. I won't end up like her," I said.
"Mizik, don't be ridiculous. This girl killed Walter!"
"No...I killed Walter. Because he asked me to. She just made it easier. I can't kill Cassandra, Isabella," I said as I looked away.
"I'm so sorry about Walter! I didn't mean to hit him! I was aiming for Tyranus!!! I swear!!! I came here because I wanted to talk! But he forced me to work for him until we could speak! I didn't think he would betray me like that!" Cassandra said.
Well...that makes sense...
Isabella simply glared at Cassandra and turned back to me.
"What about her crimes!? What about the horrible things she did to you!?" Isabella protested.
"ENOUGH!!! You can't seriously expect me to kill someone that looks exactly like my wife, can you? Look at her! Have you ever seen someone so miserable in your life!? She might be a monster...but she's the only family you have left. That either of us have left... I don't want to forgive her, but I won't kill her," I said.
"M-mizik...is so merciful!!!" Cassandra said.
"SHUT UP, YOU DEMON!!!" Isabella screamed at her.
Cassandra instinctively covered her head and face.
"Ehhhh...p-please...no more...please don't hurt me again..." She cried.
She cowered in fear.
And then scooted closer to me. As if she were hiding next to me.
"Look, Isabella. Does it even matter anymore? This world might very well be doomed now because of that bastard Tyranus. As far as I'm concerned, letting her live changes nothing. The Black Ooze will probably kill us all anyway..."
"Mizik..." Isabella began.
"I can be useful! I promise! I'll be good! Mizik was merciful to me! I'll serve you! Forever! Despite my crimes against you...you spared my life, Mizik! I'm yours!" Cassandra cried hysterically as she grabbed onto me. "Please! Let me follow you! I-I don't want to be lonely anymore! I don't want to get eaten!" She cried desperately.
Suddenly, I started feeling a sense of impending doom.
Isabella felt it too.
"Mizik...what is this feeling?" She asked.
"I don't know...but I think It's like a warning that the Black Ooze is nearby. We need to move right now."
I started to walk away and Isabella followed. Cassandra fell to the floor as I left.
"Wait! Are you going to leave me here!?" Cassandra said.
"I spared your life, but I don't really want you around. Just go away, Cassandra," I said.
Cassandra looked somewhat hurt by the statement.
"But I...what am I supposed to do!?" She asked.
"Go away! I can't kill you because you look like Isabella. That doesn't mean I like you."
The feeling of impending doom was becoming stronger.
"I can't just...stay here!! Let me come along! I can help out!" She protested.
"What would you do, exactly? Kill me in my sleep?"
"Of course not! I...I've already hurt you enough... I left horrible scars on you... For the first time in my life, I truly regret what I've done! Besides...I...want to be near you..." Cassandra said with tears in her eyes.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at her strangely.
"D-don't take that the wrong way! I-I don't...love you or anything... But I want to atone for my sins!"
When I thought about it... Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have the extra strength in our party. Even if it was...her...
"Ugh...look, Cassandra... If you truly want to come with us, and if you really won't cause any problems...I guess having a level 100 Illusion Master could be...useful... And...if it makes you feel any better, I'm sorry for kicking the crap out of you..." I said reluctantly.
"Mizik!?" Isabella said.
"The Source is really powerful, Isabella. I'm willing to give her a chance. We need allies, don't we? Beggars can't be choosers... The united front is gone anyway..." I said.
Isabella sighed and looked at Cassandra.
"Fine...I guess you can be my sister again... You're the only family I have left, right...? Ugh...maybe...we can even be friends again. But only if you promise to never hurt Mizik ever again!" Isabella said.
"I promise! I won't hurt him! We can be friends! I won't be lonely anymore!!! Y-yes!!!" Cassandra said.
For the first time ever, I saw a look of genuine happiness spreading out on her face.
Not from hurting others, either.
But...the feeling of impending doom was growing stronger by the second.
I looked around.
"Cassandra, get up. Hurry. We're leaving. You can come along if you really want to..." I said.
Cassandra's face lit up even more as she struggled to her feet. She brushed herself off and stepped forward.
Suddenly, I felt a heavy pulse of impending doom.
Then the ground at Cassandra's feet turned pitch black.
"Wha-" (Cassandra)
"WATCH OUT!" I shouted.
I lunged forward to grab her arm.
The look of happiness on her face turned to pure terror as the ground split open below her.
As she fell into the hole, she stared back at me in horror. She reached her hand up towards me, but it was too late. My extended arm only just barely missed hers...
The hole closed before I could grasp her hand and we were met with only the sound of the burning and collapsing mansion around us.
Not so much as a scream was heard. No blood...nothing.
The floor turned back to normal and the feeling went away.
I slammed my sword into the floor and cut it open, but found nothing. Not even a trace of her presence. Just wood, dirt, and stone.
"What just...what was that!?" Isabella said fearfully.
"I don't know...but we should go," I said.
"After all that, we're going to just leave her!?"
"Where is she then!? The Black Ooze got her! Who knows what might have happened! It might have been nice to have an ally, but we don't have that luxury! We need to move!" I said.
She looked at the floor where Cassandra disappeared.
"Cassandra...I'm sorry... I wish I could have been a better sister to you..." She said.
I didn't say anything. I had a grudge against her, but now wasn't the time to think about it.
After that, Isabella and I escaped the estate.
We watched from a distance as it continued to burn. We did nothing to stop it.
That place needed to burn. It had so many horrible memories...so many bad things...
Most of the people made it out alive, thankfully. Isabella and I made our way to an Inn as the morning sun began to shine. We checked into a room and got ourselves cleaned up.
After that...we slept for a long time.