The ratman swung it's tail towards Corvin's chest. He could see it's movements now that he was prepared to fight. So he hardened his grip and blocked the attack.
Clank!
'Seriously, what is this tail made of?'
The ratman swung it's tail again and again, but Corvin blocked them all without relying on his magic. This was partly because of his training and partly because of Noah's magic. However, that didn't mean he could keep on defending, as his hands started to hurt.
'I need to find an opening or I will never get a chance to attack.'
The ratman swung it's tail once again, Corvin blocked it. It swung towards his chest, and he blocked it again and again. It came swinging once again.
'Now!'
Corvin stepped to the side and tried to evade the tail and counter attack at the same time. He swung his sword towards the ratman's chest. The ratman changed it's tail's course to both deflect his sword and hit him in the left arm.
Instinctively Corvin used magic to push the tail away, but it still scracthed his arm. His sword also didn't reach the monster.
Noah was getting exhausted, soon he wouldn't be able to use magic, so he speeded his violin up. It would be a lot more demanding, but it would help Corvin break the stalemate in his fight.
As Noah's music got faster, Corvin's actions and thinking got faster. While bocking another swing, he saw a small cut in the middle of the monster's tail.
'Huh? How did I cut this tail? It is as hard as a metal...'
Corvin tried to think more while fighting and came to a conclusion. He watched the tail's movements, and how it bends.
'The tip of the tail isn't bending, and it always uses that part to attack. Is the rest of the tail weaker?'
He decided to test his theory.
Once another swing came towards his chest, he used magic to push himself towards the side and slash the middle of the tail with his sword.
Fwish~
"Haa!"
Shwing!
Splurt!
The tail was cut of clean. Blood started to gush out from the cut and the monster howled in pain.
'Blood?'
Seeing blood come out of a monster Corvin remembered that this thing was once a human, unlike normal monsters. That didn't mean he was going to stop fighting, but it made him hesitate for a second.
Whack!
"Khak!"
Thud
And that second was enough time for the ratman to kick him in the stomach and send him flying towards a tree.
While getting up, Corvin realized that Noah's music sounded off from time to time. He glanced at Noah for a second. He was on the ground because he couldn't stand up anymore, and was sweating heavily. His hands shook while playing.
'This can't go on...'
Even though his only injury was a cut in his arm, they both were pretty tired. He needed to end this fight fast. Thankfully, he did already neutralize the enemy's strongest weapon. All he had to do was swing his sword more.
He got up, and hardened his grip on his sword again. The ratman had walked towards him, and was in his strike zone.
"Noah! Give everything you have right now!", he shouted.
Noah looked at him, and forced himself. Despite all that pain and tiredness, he started to play his violin accurately and fast. His melodies gained their liveliness back as he forced himself more, even though his eyes started to darken and his mind started to weaken.
"Aaaagghhh!", he shouted because of the physical and mental pain.
Corvin's body strength increased like never before, the world around him slowed down because his senses and thinking got faster. He swung his sword, not caring about the punch that flew towards his face. He cut the arm that was throwing the punch itself, and swung his sword back for a second strike. Using most of his capacity as well, he swung his sword towards the monster's neck.
Swish!
Thud Thud
The monster's arm and head fell to the ground. It's body collapsed and more blood started to pour from the cuts.
"Ugh... Better get away from here."
Completely exhausted, Corvin walked away from the corpse and towards Noah, who was still playing the violin.
"Noah, thank yo-"
Thud
"Noah!?"
Before he could thank him, Noah lost consciousness and fell. No, he was already unconscious when Corvin killed the monster. He was playing it unconsciously, just on reflex.
"Good, he is still breathing. But we are all drenched in sweat, in this cold. I should prepare some hot water and fire. How hot can his painting get, I wonder?"
He took the painting out of the storage and placed it on the ground. He strained his mind and injected mana into the signature and heat started to spread from the painting. Corvin took out his extra clothes and washed himself with warm water before sitting next to the painting to heat himself. He also warmed up some water fot Noah, and covered him up so that he didn't get cold.
Noah woke up after three hours, and washed himself like Corvin. After he changed his clothes, he asked.
"Where are we going to search for the colossus Corvin? Are we going to follow where that one came from, or are we going to look somewhere else?"
"Hmm... Let's go check where it came from. It may lead us to their nest or something."
"Hopefully, there aren't too many minions there."
"Well, we have Amy's pills for help, one or two ratmen wouldn't be unmanagable I think. Most patients don't turn into minions after all."
"Minions... Say, Corvin. Do you know why so many colossus' has appeared lately? There has been one every year since I met you. Are you like a calamity magnet or something?"
"How should I know? We are just living in an unlucky time period, I guess."
"Right..."
*****
The Plaguehorn lifted it's head and looked towards south. It swung it's tail and woke up a bunch of minions that were sleeping near it. When all the minions got up, it growled while pointing it's tail towards a bunch of different directions.
The ratmen nodded their heads and seperated, each going towards a different direction that the Plaguehorn pointed.
In the following day, without anyone noticing, the ratmen that spread all around Piscea would go into hiding near hospitals and other places where the patients were gathered. They remained inactive for the time being.