Chapter 21: Kill [3]
As soon as the door locked and Garry announced, the knight rushed towards Vaughn almost immediately, attempting to kill him right off the bat. With no weapons, he relied on his bare hands, aiming for Vaughn's neck and thrusting forward to strangle him after getting a good grip.
However, Vaughn refused to let it happen. He swiftly lifted his left leg and delivered a powerful kick to the approaching knight's chin.
Bam
The knight was forced back, his jaw trembling from the impact of the kick. Garry, witnessing the scene, clapped his hands and said, "Atta boy!"
The other guard beside him was equally excited, eager for the fight to continue. The knight didn't keep them waiting.
"Caught me off guard, but you won't be so lucky next time," he said, dashing forward.
This time, the knight lowered his body and rushed straight at Vaughn, attempting to tackle his abdomen with his head. However, Vaughn just smiled.
Initially, he contemplated placing the dagger in front, causing the knight to impale himself. But instead, Vaughn decided to make full use of the items he brought; he wanted to test them out.
He allowed the knight to tackle him.
BAM
"Argh!"
No…
The scream didn't come from Vaughn; it was the knight, who rubbed his head after taking a few steps back.
"Keke, perfect," Vaughn said to himself, smiling.
He had just purchased the item that cost him a full 100 SC, the "Dragon Scale Invisible Armor."
[Dragon Scale Invisible Armor]
[-> An armor made from a low-dragon.]
[-> Nullifies any damage below 50.]
[Grade: C]
[HP: 100/100]
[Defense: 50]
[Item Skill: Survivor - Defense stat will be doubled if Armor's HP drops to 10% of the original. Additionally, can withstand any attack only once when the HP of the item reaches 0.]
[Note: Attacks intended to reduce HP by 50 will have no effect due to the armor's Defense of 50. However, if the strength of the attack exceeds 50, the armor's HP will be reduced first, provided the attack hits the armor. Exceptions: Shockwaves; spiritual attacks.]
The knight rubbed his head once or twice before staring right at Vaughn.
"What sorcery is this?" he asked, clearly confused.
But Vaughn refused to answer. Instead, he provoked him, saying, "Why don't you try again? Perhaps you will get an answer."
The knight wasn't a fool and didn't allow himself to be provoked, but anger built inside him, evident from his increased breathing rate. His gaze remained fixed on Vaughn, resembling that of a predator eyeing its prey.
Cunningly, the knight hid his right hand behind his back, a move that Vaughn failed to notice. However, Vaughn had realized what the knight was planning, thanks to the thoughts feature.
[Darren: Looks like he has hardened his skin with some skill. But that won't stop this skill of mine…]
Although Vaughn didn't know exactly what Darren was preparing, he sensed the knight's confidence, urging him to maintain utmost caution. Yet, Vaughn couldn't help but smile; he understood the importance of being cautious, but he also had his own confidence to back him up. The second item he had bought was perfect for the situation.
Darren conjured a blue sphere in his right hand and rushed at Vaughn with great force. Being Lv.27, his agility stats were quite high, allowing him to cover the distance in less than a second.
Zwoosh!
In an instant, he was right in front of Vaughn, holding the sphere in his hand which he then revealed. He pushed his right hand forward, thrusting the sphere at Vaughn.
It was his second skill, [Mana Sphere].
BOOM
The collision of the attack with Vaughn's abdomen created a loud explosive sound and stirred up a cloud of dust, obscuring the view. A shockwave blasted away from the place, shaking the very bars within which they battled.
"Cough cough, what happened?" Garry asked, fanning the cloud of dust to the side with swift hand movements.
The guard beside him, though the dust got into his eyes, kept them wide open and stared intently at the area, eager to see the outcome. To him, losing an eye was a small price to pay if it meant being able to determine the result of the battle.
The cloud settled little by little, clearing the view. But while it still lingered, two shadows could be seen—one on the ground and one standing. Once the dust cleared completely, it was evident that Vaughn remained standing, while the knight was on his knees.
"What just…" the guard beside Garry expressed surprise and confusion.
Vaughn had barely made any moves since the start, yet he stood unscathed, while his attacker lay defeated on the ground.
Darren's eyes trembled, his gaze fixated on Vaughn's feet. Slowly, he raised his head, looking up at the towering figure of Vaughn, who wore a confident smirk.
Before he could utter anything, Vaughn swung the dagger he had been given by Garry from left to right, slitting Darren's throat. Blood gushed forth, and Darren screamed, but the sound was brief. He fell to the ground, losing his voice, writhing in pain. Despite his attempts to use mana to heal the wound, he was powerless, and consciousness slipped away as his life faded.
Vaughn's feet were now covered with blood, which formed a puddle as it seeped from Darren's lifeless body. He approached Darren with slow and deliberate steps, the blood rippling beneath his feet. As he crouched down near the fallen knight, a gaze of sympathy filled his eyes.
He stared at dagger, and his hand, which seemed bloody despite having no blood on them.
'Forgive me…'
'I hope, just like me, you will be reincarnated…'
'But to a better life…'
He sympathized with what had transpired and what he was forced to do, but there was no other choice.
Garry and the guard maintained an eerie silence, witnessing Vaughn's almost lifeless eyes as he stood up and stared at them.
It was the birth of a DEMON!
"…"