Chereads / Devils Challenges of Integration / Chapter 90 - Struggled

Chapter 90 - Struggled

Surge of fear washed over me as I witnessed the devils closing in on Sally, but my hands were tied. I had my own battle to contend with as I desperately fended off the two creatures relentlessly attacking me.

I had learned from past mistakes, so I didn't allow myself to get lost in worry. I couldn't afford to believe that Sally was in more peril than we were.

After all, she had displayed remarkable prowess, dispatching the devil in mere minutes, while Jimmy and I struggled to even leave a mark on our formidable adversaries.

In the midst of the fray, I narrowly evaded a projectile hurled my way. However, the devil's saliva managed to find its mark, landing squarely on the wound above my ear. It sizzled and seared the injured flesh, inflicting a painful burn.

Though unpleasant, it paled in comparison to the physical strain we were enduring. The saliva could pose a grave threat to individuals with lower defense and vitality, but I didn't believe it would incapacitate me.

"Un!" A subtle surge of power emanated from Jimmy's direction. It appeared that he had advanced to the 3rd level of the Private Mark. I felt a mixture of happiness for his progress and a tinge of melancholy for myself.

Jimmy and I had both ascended to the 2nd stage just two weeks ago, but I hadn't observed any signs of leveling up from Johnsy.

Despite executing two additional moves in the exercise, my speed only showed marginal improvement. These elusive Coyotas continued to evade my attacks effortlessly, making it clear that my current capabilities were inadequate.

It was apparent that I needed to persist with the exercise for at least ten more rounds to see any significant advancement.

The urgency of the situation weighed on me; I had to dispatch these devils swiftly. The prospect of facing additional adversaries filled me with dread. A swift "Swish!" punctuated my thoughts as yet another attack missed its mark.

These Coyotas possessed incredible agility, rendering all my efforts futile. Not a single one of my strikes had found its target, not even a single hair had been grazed.

With no other recourse, I resorted to a strategy of evasion, hoping that luck might eventually favor me with a chance strike.

Amidst the chaos of battle, I caught a glimpse of Sally locked in combat with the three Coyota devils she faced; they were bleeding and grievously injured. It was only a matter of time before she could finish them off.

Glancing at Jimmy, I observed that he had made significant headway against the two Coyota devils he was confronting. His victory seemed imminent, and he would likely wrap up the battle in less than an hour.

However, instead of feeling relief at the impending reinforcement they would provide, an unwelcome wave of reluctance and sorrow washed over me.

I didn't want them to perceive me as a burden or to constantly come to my aid in every fight if I couldn't keep pace with them. The thought of hunting alongside them with that stigma gnawed at my pride, and I couldn't allow it to happen.

With my determination fueled by this emotion, I redoubled my efforts, committing to mastering the eight moves of the exercise. After several attempts, I finally succeeded in executing the eight movements.

While it did enhance my speed, making it more challenging for the devils to land hits on me, it also heightened the difficulty of connecting with my own strikes.

A resounding "Boom!" signaled another fireball launched by Johnsy, which struck one of the devils. However, it merely served to incite the creature's anger and annoyance. Johnsy had been hurling more fireballs ever since Jimmy and his Yellow snake had leveled up.

Her competitive nature drove her to outdo her peers, and witnessing the Yellow snake achieve this milestone before her had ignited her frustration and impatience.

It was a silver lining in the situation, though. Over the past ten minutes, Johnsy's fireball attacks had become more frequent. Frustration had compelled her to shorten the time required to summon fire.

A sudden "Bam!" echoed through the air as Johnsy enveloped herself in flames and launched an attack at the devil.

Yet, to my dismay, it had no discernible effect. I could feel her emotions, a tangible wave of frustration coursing through her. I understood her sentiments all too well.

In the past few days, she had struggled with her inability to aid me effectively against Specialist mark devils, except for serving as a distraction. Now, witnessing that her fireballs could even disrupt the devils, her frustration began to boil over.

Driven by that frustration, she ignited herself with her silver fire and hurled herself at the devil.

"Enough, Johnsy ! Calm down!" I called out urgently as she prepared for another assault. This time, luck was on her side, and the devil didn't manage to catch her mid-flight.

However, it only grew more irritated and succeeded in ensnaring her moments later. The creature could have easily devoured her in a single gulp.

"Chew, chew," she complied, calming down somewhat, but she refused to cease her relentless barrage of fireballs at the devil.

Meanwhile, the pace of my sword strikes had picked up. Successfully executing the ninth move, I managed to land a grazing blow on the devil. Recognizing an opening, I swiftly transitioned to the tenth move.

With a thunderous "Bang!" my blade struck the devil's head, inflicting excruciating pain and momentarily causing me to Yellow out.

However, the jolt from the impact swiftly roused me from my momentary stupor. I regained my composure and deftly defended myself against the devil's retaliatory attack.

"Slicing..." I gritted my teeth as I seized the opportunity to shift from defense to offense. Gathering my resolve, I initiated the eleventh move of the exercise, bracing myself for the searing pain that accompanied it.

"Slicing." "Laugh!" I couldn't help but cry out in agony as my sword found its mark, striking the devil's vital spots. With the eleventh move executed successfully, my attacks carried enough force to be lethal.

Sally and Jimmy were left contending with just one remaining devil between them. It was a matter of minutes before they could dispatch it.

"Laugh, laugh!" The creature emitted a mournful cry as my sword slashed across its neck.

While the wound might not have been immediately fatal, a gushing fountain of blood suggested that it would succumb to excessive bleeding shortly.

With the pressure easing as one more devil lay defeated, my focus shifted to the lone adversary that remained. It growled angrily at me, its attacks growing increasingly ferocious.

Nevertheless, no matter how fierce its onslaught became, I skillfully dodged its every move.

"Slicing..." My blade sliced through its back, carving a deep, agonizing wound. Enraged and in pain, it retaliated with relentless fury, launching one attack after another.

"Thrust!" Seizing a moment of vulnerability, I thrust my blade into the grounded devil. I couldn't afford any surprise attacks from it in its final moments.

Now, I could wholeheartedly engage in combat with the remaining devil. Witnessing me dispatch its comrade only fueled its fury, causing it to attack me relentlessly, with little regard for its own defense.

Dealing with such a furious opponent made the battle somewhat easier, as it focused less on evasion and more on its relentless assault.