Renan grunted in pain as he stood up, cursed inwardly as he felt his insides rattle. The infected blowing up and so many of them at once did a number on him, but that was not even the start of his problems. He could feel the infection spreading inside him, and the end result was predictable.
Jayanta was in the same position, but at least he could contain the infection which acted abnormally, not letting it spread any further. His mind was occupied with something else entirely.
'Did he control them?' this question kept knocking at the doors of his mind, but the reasonability was proving a stubborn missus who wouldn't let him believe that.
'If that is true, then…'
"Oh, you seem to be thinking of something interesting."
Jayanta barely turned before Valcroy's leg swung at him like a pendulum. Instinctively, Jayanta raised his fractured arm, his armor already shattered and hanging off him in pieces. The explosions had left him in tatters.
BAM!
The impact sent Jayanta sprawling across the debris, his fractured arm hurting more than before. His mind reeled in disbelief at the sheer force Valcroy possessed. He could tell that Valcroy wasn't even a practitioner, then how was this possible? This question slowly overtook the earlier one.
Valcroy didn't waste time. His movements were swift, like a predator eyeing its prey. He dashed forward, the Abyssal miasma swirled around him, each step more steady than the other. His eyes, now completely void of light, were fixated on the captain.
Jayanta grunted as Valcroy's next strike came hurtling toward him. Once more, he raised his other arm to defend himself, but the power behind the blow sent him staggering backward. His fractured bones groaned under the pressure, and his legs buckled. Valcroy, relentless, kept coming.
BAM! BAM!
A series of brutal kicks landed on Jayanta's already weakened frame, threatening to break down at any moment. Parts of his armor broke down into small pieces and fell, metal plates flying off as he tried to regain footing. Valcroy was merciless, his expression holding a gleeful grin. He was really enjoying this.
Jayanta tried to fight back, but every attempt was met with another crushing blow. His legs wobbled, his breath came out in ragged bursts, but Valcroy's attacks never slowed. Kick after kick, each one calculated, striking with deadly precision. His body was becoming a rag-doll, tossed about with little effort.
With one final blow, Jayanta was hurled back into the boulder where Valcroy was resting, waiting for their arrival. The captain slammed against it with a sickening thud, a spray of blood bursting from his mouth. His vision blurred as pain consumed him. He felt the sharp edges of his broken ribs grinding with each breath, and the infection, though contained, gnawed at his insides. He was having trouble containing it because of Val's consistent beating.
"I have to."
Jayanta, through sheer determination, fumbled for the pouch strapped to his waist. His hand, trembling and bloodied, reached into the bag in search of something that could be his salvation. He fumbled for what felt like an eternity, his mind racing against time, knowing that Valcroy would strike again at any moment.
Just when he thought of him, Valcroy appeared before him, as if reading his thoughts. "Oh, what's in there?" he asked, amused.
Before Jayanta could react, Valcroy grabbed his hand and pulled it out of the bag, forcing Jayanta to reveal the red vial held tightly in his grasp.
"Healing, are we?" snatching the bottle from Jayanta's hand with a swift motion, his eyes gleamed with amusement as he smashed his fist into Jayanta's face.
CRACK!
Jayanta's head snapped to the side, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. He opened his mouth to say something, maybe begging for mercy, but Valcroy didn't stop. Another punch followed. Then another. Each strike was more destructive than before, the force rattling Jayanta's entire body. His head lolled, struggling to stay conscious as blow after blow landed.
Valcroy's fists were relentless, driving into Jayanta's skull, chest, and abdomen like hammers on an anvil. Each strike brought a fresh wave of agony, bones cracking under the sheer force. Valcroy's smile only widened, his Abyssal miasma swirling around him in sync with each punch, giving birth to an eerie atmosphere.
Soldiers surrounding the scene watched in horror, unable to move. Even Renan, still trying to fend off the infection inside his body, and had successfully used a healing potion, could only stare in disbelief as Valcroy broke the captain before their eyes.
Jayanta's breathing became shallow, labored. His vision blurred, and darkness began clouding the edges of his sight. His body was no longer responding, blood pooling around him. The sound of fists hitting flesh echoed in the eerie silence of the battlefield, but the sounds of resistance, the grunts, and gasps of pain had stopped.
Valcroy delivered the final, devastating punch, sending Jayanta's limp body crashing to the ground. A grotesque mixture of blood and dust marked the spot where he fell. There was no movement. No breath.
Jayanta, the captain of the Alliance forces, was dead. Just like that.
Valcroy straightened up, his black eyes glowing with malevolent satisfaction. "One down." He turned his gaze to Renan, whose heart raced with terror. The vice-captain was frozen in place. Other than him, the last intermediate realm expert was in no condition to even utter a word, much less move.
As for the 1st stage experts (Novice Realm), they were in no position or would even think of attacking him. The infection rapidly dominated them, faster than anyone had ever recorded. Other than Renan, everyone else was a spectator.
"You made a big mistake, boy," Renan said as he walked toward him, he was using everything he could to stop the infection from spreading any further, so he could barely spare any power against him. He just wanted to use the tunnel they came from to escape.
But Valcroy wasn't the one to waste time talking and pounced at him. Renan took a step back, dodging the fist, and responded in kind, but he was holding onto a blade. He swung it horizontally.
Val was still going with the punching motion, and the blade was just next to his waist. He used his arm to block the incoming attack. Renan thought of him as an idiot as his blade, even with 20% of his power, could easily slice through a novice realm expert, much less a non-practitioner.
Renan's blade cut through Valcroy's arm, but the vice-captain was shocked when the weapon slowed midway, stopping as if resisted by something unnatural. His eyes widened at the sight of Valcroy's wound, blood gushing but no screams of pain, no signs of weakness. Instead, Valcroy's grin widened, his blackened eyes gleaming.
"Is this all you can do?" Valcroy said, voice hoarse. His body trembled from the pain, but the Abyssal miasma that enveloped him pulsed, thickening. It spread erratically, like a fog, but not controlled—wild, uncontained, drifting in the air without a purpose. Although he didn't show it, the rage and pain clouded his mind, making his eyes become pitch black. And for the first time, Renan could see it, too.
Renan felt a shiver run down his sword as he ripped his sword from Valcroy's arm, stepping back as the dark energy floated unnervingly around them, oblivious to him. His expression betrayed the rising concern; the infection inside him was spreading even faster now. He could feel the dark rot growing in his veins. "You're going to regret that, boy," Renan said through gritted teeth, trying to maintain his composure.
Valcroy ignored his words and lunged forward, disregarding the blade's fresh cut across his shoulder. Miasma gathered around him, like it was trying to cauterize the wound. His eyes narrowed as he aimed a punch toward Renan's midsection. The vice-captain saw it coming and sidestepped, countering with a slash aimed at Valcroy's neck, but he moved a little. The blade grazed Valcroy's chest, tearing through his flesh, and blood spilled freely, despite that, Valcroy pushed forward.
Braving through it paid off as, with a low growl, Valcroy threw a kick toward Renan's knee.
Bam!
The impact was solid, and Renan winced as his leg buckled beneath him. Pain shot up his leg and he stumbled back, but not before responding with a wild slash. The sword glanced off Valcroy's side, leaving another wound, Valcroy's attacks didn't stop. His face still had that wild grin, somehow suppressing the pain. If one could look inside, they would've found the black miasma spread throughout his body and the Tiamat's curse working in full action alongside it.
Valcroy's strikes were unrelenting, though sloppy and driven more by fury than skill. His fists swung at Renan, but with every blow, Renan would parry, deflecting or absorbing the hits. It wasn't perfect though; Renan was already faltering, and each hit chipped away at his defenses. Valcroy's wounds weren't slowing him down, his expression growing manic with each passing second. It was like he was high on some substance.
Renan grunted with effort, blood trickling from his mouth, each breath harder to draw. He could feel his strength ebbing, the infection gnawing at him from the inside.
"You're a fool if you think this will be enough to take me down."
Renan struggled to keep his footing. But Valcroy wasn't listening, his eyes black and wild. As Renan swung his sword again, Valcroy moved forward, catching the blade on his injured arm. Blood sprayed, but Valcroy used the moment to drive his knee into Renan's gut.
Thud!
Renan gasped, the air knocked out of him, but he recovered quickly enough to slam the hilt of his sword into Valcroy's face.
Crack!
The blow sent Valcroy stumbling back, blood spurting from his nose, but the smile remained etched on his face.
Valcroy wiped the blood from his face, his breathing labored, but the grin was showing no signs of leaving anytime soon.
"You talk too much." He moved again, faster this time. He ducked, dodging the sword, and this time his fists found their mark—one to Renan's ribs, another to his side.
Renan grimaced in pain, the infection inside him raging as his control over it was slipping, but he was still holding on. He swung the sword desperately, catching Valcroy on his shoulder. Another deep cut, more blood. Valcroy didn't flinch. He pushed through, tackling Renan to the ground.
They rolled in the dirt, struggling against one another, fists and blades striking without grace. Renan landed a solid punch to Valcroy's side, but Valcroy retaliated by smashing his elbow into Renan's face.
"Enough!" Renan roared, shoving Valcroy off him with a burst of strength. He staggered to his feet, blood running from his mouth and nose, but his legs wobbled under.
"It seems someone skipped leg training."
Valcroy, on his knees, coughed violently, blood staining his lips as he rose slowly. The miasma surrounding him pulsed, thick and suffocating. His body was breaking down from the wounds, but his grin never wavered.
Renan could feel the infection winning inside him, but he refused to give in. With one last push, he charged at Valcroy, sword raised. "You're finished!"
Valcroy, barely able to stand, looked up, eyes locking with Renan's. With a growl, he twisted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade, and slammed his fist into Renan's chest with everything he had.
Bam!
The impact sent Renan flying back, his body crashing into the rubble with a sickening thud. He coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth, and lay there, gasping for air. The infection inside him had spread too far. He knew it was over.
Valcroy stood over him, panting heavily, his body covered in blood, nasty wounds and miasma swirling around him. His legs wobbled, barely able to hold him up, but he was still standing.
Renan, his vision fading, looked up at Valcroy one last time. "You… won't… survive this…" he said, the words barely audible.
Valcroy didn't respond, only watching as the light faded from Renan's eyes, his body going limp. The vice-captain was no more.
Valcroy stumbled back, exhaustion finally hitting him like a wave. His body was broken, bleeding, and the miasma was uncontrollable. But he had won, barely.
"Two down."