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-Mifune City.
3rd POV*
Shiki and Lawrence stared at Anastashia with dull eyes. "Why'd do that? He was about to say something important there" Lawrence asked. "Hmph, it was his fault! How could he think of slashing Lawrence! What will happen if your body gain a scar?! I won't be able to forgive myself if that happens!" Anastashia humped pretty annoyed.
Hearing that Lawrence has nothing to refute, she has done it since she is worried about him, how can he not appreciate such gesture? "Thank you Ana. Let's not waste any more time here. It would be bad if he gain even more time" Lawrence gave his gratitude to Anastashia smiling at her.
Shiki on the other hand just pinched his side. "How did you turn into a pushover?" Shiki sighed. "Well that doesn't matter rifht now, we need to follow Ara-" Lawrence wasn't able to finish his words as he felt anything itch from his back. "Ah? Don't tell me.." he muttered turning his head. There he saw Rio standing with another batch of holes on his body.
"You indeed do it.. do you not learn?" Lawrence asked giving Rio a deadpan. He can't fathom how someone suffer from something once and doesn't hesitate to do it again. 'Maybe this guy is a masochist? That would be really creepy' he thought shivering. "Bullshit! It is simply not possible!" Rio rejected his claim.
"Wait how are you even alive? Ana blasted you to bits right?" Lawrence realized it too late. Rio already reached his front as he stab the dagger at his stomach. Lawrence didn't do anything, he didn't even dodge or defend against it as the knife just broke on impact.
It simply cannot pierce his tough skin leading to its destruction. "?!" Rio widened his eyes at the scene. This was out of expectations! He never thought that this hateful man would be this tough! Rio immediately back down but it was already too late because another batch of spikes exploded on Lawrence's body.
The spikes pierced Rio's body amputating his limbs. He was left with only his torso that was also full of spikes. Lawrence, Shiki and Anastashia stared at wonder waiting to what will happen next. Well it didn't disappoint them as the next moment, Rio's body was being mended back into its previous state.
No, more like he was being reversed. His time was gradually returning minutes before his death, escaping death in real sense. Anastashia widened her eyes seeing such spectacular. It was stunning even for her who already witnessed many things on her life. "H-Heavens! I have never witnessed such phenomenon before!" she exclaimed.
"Ha, inexperienced" Shiki didn't forget to add an insult. "What did you say?!" Of course Anastashia will not let that slide, the two began bickering leaving Lawrence to handle the matter. "Hehe, are you afraid now? It is simply impossible for you to kill me! As long as you are within this place, I won't get killed no matter what!" Rio laughed.
He was unaware of what Lawrence is thinking, he just thought that he must be scared for it is not everyday where you can see a phenomenon like that. "Huh? Well it doesn't matter. Let me test something" Lawrence pointed his finger at Rio before casting 'Finger of Death'. A large light emerged swallowing Rio leaving nothing behind.
Even if a microscope is to be used here, there would be no trace of that person. 'Right, a kill using Finger of Death will be stacked making it much stronger the next time' Lawrence thought sensing the power up. He stared at the place where Rio was waiting for the next thing. It didn't disappoint him as the man reverted back again, even when everything was erased about him, he still respawned.
"I see, so? How big did he make the Bounded Field?" Lawrence asked staring at the horrified Rio, being able to escape death doesn't mean that he can't feel pain. He can still vividly feel the pain of being erased on existence. That made Rio's confidence falter a bit. After all, in his long time of killing people or even Magus, he never felt this helpless before.
Rio stepped back but when he thought about him being immortal, his confidence returned. "Hahaha! You won't be able to kill me! As long as you are within this whole block I won't die! And you won't be able to escape either! This will be your grave" Rio crazily laughed. He is losing his sane every second because his Origin is disturbing his thoughts.
For long, he has been chasing after Shiki because his origin of 'consumption'. He wanted to make her, the most special person on his life, a delicious meal which he will partake after savoring her. Now that Shiki is here, his origin is getting hectic wanting to execute the purpose. "That's why just give up and give me that woman! She is mine in the first place!" Rio shouted.
Lawrence ignored him as he just thought of what Rio said. 'Different from the original, he turned a whole block into that repeating madness instead of a building huh? He must have spent a lot of efforts building this thing' Lawrence thought staring at the bounded field that might look tough on the others but for him it was just a fragile thing. He could easily break it using any of his spell, or maybe even his hands.
He knows that anything on this area will just return to what it was previously is, because it was made with the thought of being repetitive in mind. Araya Souren made this thing to enclosed Ryougi Shiki from the world giving him time to take over her mind and reach ROOT.
Araya then would use other people to push away the attention of Counter Force leaving him alone to travel to the ROOT. This was a meticulous plan made in years, Araya Souren delicately manipulated many people so that he could use this single moment to overwhelm Shiki. Unfortunately Lawrence has appeared disrupting many of his plans, even the plan to convert Asagami Fujino has gone null.
Araya Souren could not even come close to the girl as she became too strong for him to handle. She could use her magical eyes to twist him and breaking his body. That's why Araya backed down from his initial plan. He can't do anything to Fujino leaving him with no choice but to use Rio as his pawn.
Lawrence, Shiki and Anastashia suddenly felt a change on Shiki's spot but before they could do anything she vanished. "Oh, he calculated even this too huh? How wary is he to even plan our arrival" Lawrence shook his head wondering whether he should be amazed or scared of Araya's moves.
"Lawrence? Aren't you going after that woman? She might be in danger right now" Anastashia asked tilting her head. "Heeh, Ana you're worried about Shiki? I didn't expect that" Lawrence teased the woman making her blush. "It is not like that! I simply find it hard to believe that you who loved her the most is calm at this situation!" Anastashia said.
Lawrence stopped his teasing as he felt she would really snap. "I call it trust. Besides, if she was just a weak woman I wouldn't have been interested in her anyway. I don't doubt her victory" he said smiled saying that. Anastashia stared at his smile as she could not help but become envious of Shiki.
She has never seen him smile reassuringly at her. This made her question whether she really matters to him. Lawrence seemed to sensed her thoughts so he just patted her head, "Don't worry, I trust you too. You won't disappoint me right?" he said giving her a grin. Anastashia felt her breathing became harder, her face turned red as she delightedly affirmed Lawrence's words.
"Stop ignoring me!" Rio who saw Shiki vanished immediately got enraged. He now looked like a crazed animal moving just by instinct as he attacked the two. Anastashia stared at him with utter disgust before grabbing some jewels to shield her from Rio. Rio's attacks couldn't even pierce her barrier leaving his instinct to choose Lawrence instead.
He rushed at Lawrence intending to slash his throat. Lawrence didn't even bother to dodge as his claws just broke on impact. Having 6 hearts as his item broke his defense through the limit. Probably only True Ancestors could do him damage. Rio wasn't fazed by the failure as he continued attacking Lawrence. Each of his hits broke his body resulting to meats flying all around.
Well that did nothing at all as Rio just reverted back to his previous form. "Hm? There is a time gap between your deaths?" Lawrence noticed something from that simple second of Rio's death. Anastashia got intrigued by his words so she also killed Rio using her magecraft. "Oh my, he is indeed .5 seconds late in reviving"
Anastashia commented to the fact. She seemed to be amused knowing that there is a slight error on the system. Lawrence and Anastashia looked at each other before a grin was plastered on their faces. They started doing various experiments on the already monster Rio.
He doesn't have any rational left on him making any kind of conscience Lawrence has gone. Anastashia as a magus doesn'5 have any of that so she just played with Rio happily observing the phenomenon. This is a great opportunity for her to learn more about this unique magecraft.
After 50 deaths, Rio now need 10 seconds for his body to conform itself. Lawrence was quite happy about the new knowledge, he can use this for the future's sake. "Lawrence isn't this great? We managed to learn many things!" Anastashia was elated about it.
Lawrence smiled happily at her enthusiastic comment, "Right, now we just need find Shiki and end all things immediately" he said patting her head which earned him a soft moan from the girl. He swiftly retracted his hands to not turn on the girl, he doesn't need a horny woman in this situation.
Anastashia pouted at his action regretting not taking advantage of it. "Nope, we will not do anything Ana. I haven't even earned the right to touch Shiki, I won't let myself be touched by others first" Lawrence firmly refused Anastashia's approaching eyes. "Are you still sticking with that old way of thinking? You will stay single if you keep that up you know?" Anastashia said.
Lawrence scrunched his face at the thought of being a sage. However he shook his head and made his firm stronger, he won't fall right here especially when Shiki might need him. "Sigh, fine. I won't seduce you today. Though if you do become single, I won't hesitate to take care of you~!" Anastashia smirked.
He raised his eyebrow at her words but didn't say anything to refute it. She was fairly devoted to him so there was no loss in keeping her by his side. Though he might need Shiki's approval with that. "Alright let's get going" Lawrence said before an idea emerged from his head.
He turned towards Rio who was already reverting back as a certain spell entered his mind. Since his death requires time to be nulled, he can use that fact to test this skill. He thought of Rotund'jere, the Pope of Pestilence. He who was sentenced to the plague ward, was hit by a pox then got immuned to it.
The person who walked to the boundary of life and death, he would bring plague where ever he go. He who now goes by the name Necrophos. His SS Reaper's Scythe prolonged any enemies respawning time once killed by it. Lawrence smiled as he raised his hand ready to execute the heretic.
A large green scythe suddenly appeared above everyone's head while Rio's body was gripped by same green bindings. He could not even move and only wait for the scythe to end his life. The scythe dropped extinguishing the life of the person that was deemed heretic by the Pope.
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