[Author's Note: For bonus chapters, the goal is
25 Power Stones
50 Power Stones
Every Week]
Volume 1 Chapter 74: Getting The Hemisphere
Eve inquired.
Eve: "Master, then how will we obtain the hemisphere?"
Pepper asked.
Pepper: "Yeah, Master, what should we do?"
Carmilla explained.
Carmilla: "I have a plan that might just work. First, we need to activate the two flying swords, then also activate the two statues. We'll wait for the two statues to wield the two flying swords, and the two of you will have to stop the sword-wielding statues while I retrieve the hemisphere. I'm sure the statues will do their best to prevent me from leaving with the hemisphere, so the two of you need to keep the statues occupied to ensure I can leave their range. That's the essence of the plan. Do either of you have any questions?"
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Pepper raised her hand like a student, and Carmilla, who noticed this, asked.
Carmilla: "Yes, Pepper, do you have a question?"
Pepper: "Master, is it really necessary for you to obtain the hemisphere yourself? Can't it be me or Eve who gets the hemisphere?"
Carmilla: "I would have preferred to let either of you two get the hemisphere if it wasn't necessary to leave the range of the two statues and to fly while carrying the hemisphere in mid-air. But, since I can put it in my inventory, I am the perfect fit for the job."
Hearing all of the considerations Carmilla put into the plan she proposed, the only thing Pepper could say was.
Pepper: "I see"
Carmilla: "How about you, Eve? Do you have a question?"
Eve: "I'm good, master."
Carmilla, who heard the brief reply from Eve as usual, let it be and started to stretch her body to get ready.
The three of them proceeded to carry out Carmilla's plan.
The three of them passed the halfway point of the cave, and the two flying swords activated, and start flying toward them. As planned, Eve and Pepper kept the two flying swords away from Carmilla as soon as they approached.
Seeing that everything was going according to plan, Carmilla transformed into a bat and began to soar upward and fly forward.
Carmilla passed 75% of the cave, and the two statues activated, heading toward her. Without wasting much time, she quickly started to fly back toward where Eve and Pepper were located.
Now that the two statues were activated and walking towards them, the three could only wait and hope for the two statues to wield the two flying swords once again.
While waiting for the two statues to arrive, Carmilla began to help Eve and Pepper from time to time in blocking the two flying swords attacking them.
Eventually, the two flying swords were pushed back near the two statues. As Carmilla had anticipated, the two statues went straight toward the two flying swords, and like the two statues, the two flying swords also flew towards them as they walked.
When the two statues were near enough to the two flying swords, both of the statues grabbed the two flying swords and began to wield them again, just like the first time the two statues activated.
Now that the two flying swords and the two statues have fused together.
Carmilla transformed into a bat and flew straight in the direction of the hemisphere.
While Carmilla was in the process of moving towards the hemisphere to retrieve it.
Eve and Pepper engaged the two sword-wielding statues, who were attempting to go after the flying Carmilla.
As they blocked or parried the attacks of the two sword-wielding statues, Eve and Pepper realized that the sword attacks of the statues were much more powerful than the attacks of the two flying swords themselves.
In the middle of the fight, Eve and Pepper suddenly received a telepathic message containing four words.
Carmilla: "I got the hemisphere."
After receiving that message from Carmilla, the sword attacks of the two statues became much more powerful and frequent.
As the four of them clashed with each other, the blood swords wielded by Pepper and Eve began to develop cracks, growing increasingly brittle with each clash, despite the cracks starting small.
As soon as Eve and Pepper noticed their blood swords were getting cracks, both of them had to divert some of their concentration to repair the swords by pouring mana into them. They continued to do this while simultaneously battling the two sword-wielding statues.
Due to not fully focusing on the battle with the two statues, Eve and Pepper occasionally got hit and slashed by the statues they were fighting. However, they considered this a better trade-off than having their swords broken and potentially getting killed by the statues.
Even though they can create other blood swords as a replacement for the broken blood swords in a instant 1 or 2 seconds even though that sounds fast enough but that was only in a normal time since a second or two in a middle of a fight especially in a close combat that 1 or 2 seconds means a lot.
Indeed, the risk of being heavily damaged or even killed by the two statues in the brief moments when Eve and Pepper didn't have a sword to block or deflect the sword strikes was a constant concern, making their quick sword repairs crucial for their survival.
With each exchange of blows in the ongoing sword fight, their health continued to diminish, bit by bit, as they sustained injuries from the hits they couldn't entirely avoid.
That's when they finally received a retreat order from Carmilla.
Carmilla: "Hey guys, you can retreat. I've already passed the 25% mark of the cave, but just in case of an accident, I'll be making my way closer to the exit. See you there."
The telepathic message from Carmilla slightly interrupted Eve's and Pepper's concentration in the fight, causing the two statues to almost hit them.
Luckily, the two of them managed to block the two swords and then swiftly pushed back the two statues. After a quick exchange of glances, they transformed into bats and rapidly flew towards the exit.
The two statues, having been pushed back by Eve and Pepper, saw the two transform into bats and start to leave. They attempted to catch up, but the weight of the heavy armor they were wearing severely slowed them down to catch up.