Slam Slam Slam
" Fuck... "
Ramiel watched as his exquisite blades shattered into a fine poppy seed. His weapons turned out not to be as great as he thought.
With weary eyes, he escorted away the shards of unspecified metal disappearing in the din of battle. Blades that he thought reliable turned out to be failing
" This is pointless... "
Deprived of any desire to continue fighting, he prepared to take a sweeping cut with his claws.
Rasp
The monster's paw stopped on Ramiel's ice-covered hands, knocking the man back several meters. It left behind only flimsy pieces of shattered ice.
This scenario repeated itself for two hours. At first, Ramiel destroys weapons in an attempt to wound the Night Deuce. But the monster's fur proved too tough for his swords.
Then, he tried to survive at all costs. Without proper weapons, this was difficult. Often, millimeters were missing, so several times, he would lose an arm or a significant part of his stomach.
The problem didn't lie only in the monster's statistics. Above all, he thought about what he was doing, and his magic stood at a high level. More than once, Ramiel thanked the gods for his exquisite instincts. If it weren't for him, he would have been lying dead or devoured by the Night Rippers long ago.
The final stage was to replenish the blood and batteries... I mean monsters in Azazel's domain.
Unfortunately, even that had to come to an end. With each successive round, Ramiel had more and more trouble finding new victims.
The monsters either treated him like fire, or the Night Deuce effectively prevented him from doing what he wanted. Of course, there were individuals who disobeyed the ruler and fell into the man's snare... but this was definitely not enough.
Ramiel couldn't shake the impression that he was fighting a seasoned war veteran. It was his first time encountering something so strong in the abyss.
The monster read him like a book. It knew exactly what it would do or where it would be in the next two seconds. Of course, it managed to surprise him a few times. Nobody is omniscient... but such instances can be counted on the fingers of both hands.
Ramiel wiped a bit of blood from the corners of his pale lips with the back of his hand. Instead of helping, the scarlet liquid only smeared more.
" Avi, are you all right? "
Ramiel was more concerned about the fairy than his safety. After all, she had her whole life ahead of her ... and him? He had a few measly days of existence left.
Avi would have bitten him to death if she knew his thoughts. Fortunately, she could only sense his emotions and mood swings.
" Everything is fine, don't worry about me. You should focus on surviving, not talking to me! "
In a way, Avi was right. There was only one small and insignificant problem. Ramiel had no clue how he should do it. One thing came to his mind, but he was afraid to even ask about it.
But does he have any other choice? If he doesn't do it, he will die anyway.
A heavy sigh escaped from Ramiel's lips.
" Azazel, how much. "
' How much what? I'm not clairvoyant to know what's going through your forged head. '
" Don't play dumb, you know what I'm asking. "
' No, I don't. "
" ... "
As with children. - Ramiel thought
" How much does it cost to reverse the flow of time in the domain? "
The simple question echoed in Azazel's head. It's not that he didn't know what Ramiel was asking. He just couldn't afford it.
' Kid, give yourself a break. You would be too poor even if your soul were in one piece. '
There was a deal that Azazel should have agreed to without hesitation... However, it was extremely selfish and hurtful...
Ramiel struggled with his conscience for a while, but did he have anything to think about?
" Azazel, think about it. You have the one and only chance to free yourself forever. When I die, I will destroy the oath that binds you. "
A slow and steady laugh rang out in Ramiel's head, making his hair stand up on end.
Azazel licked his lips, showing the world a blue and hideous tongue. He liked the suggestion very much... but very, very much.
' How low have you fallen, Ramiel? You condemn to certain death millions of innocent people whom you protected at all costs. And in the name of what? Two hens you have known for less than a year? I knew the disintegration of your soul could affect you, but I didn't think it was that bad. Where is your conscience, kid? '
It's not that Ramiel wasn't tormented by any so-called conscience remorse related to the decision he made. They simply died when the memory of a smiling Samantha, standing in the midst of the people he once called family, popped into his mind.
" Conscience? You can send my greetings to Arthur as you destroy his home village. Is such an answer enough for you? "
' HAHAHA, you don't have to worry about that. I'll kill that bastard with my own hands. I never liked him. If you had listened to me and killed him, you wouldn't be here now. '
" ... "
Half done, now it was time for the hard part. - A brief thought crossed Ramiel's mind.
" Azazel, when you appear on earth, promise me you will not touch Lily. "
The demon tilted his head slightly with interest. From what he remembered, she was Ramiel's sister. She had similar potential to her brother but wasted it by leading the life of an ordinary person.
A waste of talent...
As far as the demon knew, she was one of three people the immature child cared about.
' Oh... How sweet... A brother worries about his sister. ' Azazel's words were bathed in scorn and derision. So-called family ties, he had always considered a weakness.
' I can promise you, but how can you be sure I will keep my word? '
Ramiel didn't have to think twice about the answer.
" You always do. You despise and abhor lies. You don't break your word once given, no matter how unfavorable it is to you. At least that's what I know about you after so many years. I hope I wasn't mistaken... "
Azahiel remained silent. Ramiel's words reminded him why he liked him so much. Although he looked like a child in his eyes, there was something about him that attracted people.
He would have laughed at any other host's request but not his. Ramiel was the first to try to get to know him and learn about his past. He was the first to treat him as a true friend. For Azazel, this was something new, something... that he had never experienced.
' Fine... you don't have to worry about it. Lily won't fall a hair from her head as long as I'm on earth. I, Azazel, ruler of hell, lord of wrath, promise you this. '
' Now, get ready. I don't know if you've noticed, but I've dragged you inside the domain. '
Ramiel snorted, pushing back his blood-stained hair from before his eyes. Get ready? He couldn't be more ready. He already had a plan prepared.
" I have to prepare? Then you better be ready to replenish your mana four times. "
Azazel remained silent, looking at Ramiel as if he were crazy.
' Kid, admit it. Have you come to terms with your death? '
" Who knows... I won't know the answer until I meet it. Besides, after a hundred times, it stops impressing you. "
After these words, Ramiel felt the world before his eyes blur like a sheet of water. He was impressed by Azazel's skill. In fact, if the demon hadn't told him he was in his domain, he wouldn't have known it until the end. His respect for him doubled.
His respect for him doubled.
" Let's get to work. I'm tired of playing cat and mouse. "
" Frost Nova "
Ramiel's eyes shone with a cool glow. In a split second, he became the epicenter of a frosty blast.
Everything that came into contact with the frigid air instantly transformed into a sculpture made of
Two seconds. That was all it took for the monsters surrounding Ramiel to die on the spot. Once Azazel reversed the course of time, there was no point in playing hunt. He couldn't get them into the domain anymore anyway.
Their value, from a priceless resource, suddenly dropped to annoying obstacles.
Ramiel didn't say the name of the spell like an idiot because it sounded cool. There was a deeper meaning behind it. Just as pianists practice day in and day out to develop muscle memory, hunters do something similar.
Casting multi-level and complicated spells takes too much time. People have managed to shorten this process by learning certain patterns by heart and assigning them to gestures or words.
Quite useful, right?
The exception occurs only when transforming a spell into a skill. Then, all you need is a simple thought that bypasses most of the complicated processes.
Although the Frost Nova used by Ramiel in no way resembles the one he used in his heyday, it was still one of the more complicated spells.
Night Deuce hid inside the dark barrier, avoiding most of the potential damage.
Ramiel didn't know why, but the monster was sensitive to the Dark Spectrum element. When he thought about it more deeply, he came to the conclusion that he didn't need to know. It is enough that he knows its weakness. Why would a mechanic need to know how a key is created when he only needs it to replace parts.
" Azazel. "
' I know what to do. '
Ramiel's mana reserves immediately returned to peak levels.
The man immediately went into action. The remaining Infirnyt crystals appeared in his hands, along with a flower of Frost Touch Lily.
The plan was simple and also brilliant. Ramiel needed a suitable weapon to kill the Night Deuce. Theoretically, he could draw such a one from the ring, but this entailed certain costs, which he preferred to avoid. Against all odds, he wanted to say goodbye to Asme and Caera.
In that case, he had to make one. It wasn't as complicated as it might have seemed, not when magic comes to the rescue.
Almost all the mana that circulated inside Ramiel's body gathered around the Infirnyt crystals. They served as the core of future weapons. As the energy particles took the desired shape of the spear, Ramiel placed an exotic flower at the point where the spar would become a spearhead.
Suddenly, the chaotic energy transformed into a beautiful weapon made of coined ice. The black spear shimmered with a soft glow, characteristic of the Dark Spectrum element. The spearhead occupied one-sixth of its size, and its shape resembled a frozen flame that had a close encounter with a road roller.
The whole thing was perfectly balanced and fit perfectly in the hands. The weapon created seemed to be a true masterpiece, but there was only one drawback: It was too fragile, but Ramiel found a solution.
He coated the weapon additionally with a layer of Dark Spectrum as Azazel replenished his supply of missing mana.
Ramiel looked at the work of art with appreciation. Even with his immunity to ice, he could feel his hands going numb. To keep from losing feeling in them, he had to protect them with a thin layer of mana.
" Co - Cold... " Avi bared her teeth. The sudden temperature change gave her a blunt look. Her petite body wasn't adapted to such extreme conditions.
Ramiel smiled under his breath. The sight of the shivering fairy amused him.
" If it's cold for you, think what he will feel. "
Avi's offended voice, interspersed with a characteristic trembling, reached the man's ears.
" Very funny ... "
" Hold on a little longer. It should be over soon. "
Ramiel wanted to lift the fairy's spirits... however, he didn't know how wrong he could be.
The Night Deuce left the barrier. The monster's gaze immediately stopped on the man's creation. His instincts warned him of potential danger.
Even from this distance, he could feel the cool breeze emitted by the spear.
It moved with a confident stride, baring its chilling teeth in the process. Its tail was teased so that it could crush the annoying insect at any moment.
Night Deuce didn't have to wait long. Ramiel was the one who took the initiative to make the first move.
The intricately crafted spear pierced the air with a few simple sweeps and thrusts that missed the target by a small margin.
This time, the Night Deuce had to be really careful. The little man had gotten a toy that could cause serious wounds.
Seeing the perfect opportunity, the monster flexed its limbs to jump. With a quick jump, it shortened the distance separating it from the stubborn man. Its pitch-black claws were waiting in readiness to tear the flimsy insect to shreds. He had already spilled enough blood on him.
" How naive. Maybe I overestimated you? "
Loosening his grip around the spar, Ramiel repositioned the spear. In an instant, it turned 180 degrees in the air, and the solid spar slammed into the monster's hideous maw.
Under the force of the impact, the Night Deuce slumped backward. This was the beginning of its troubles.
Ramiel didn't let the monster rest. Holding the other end of the spear in his right hand, he made a vigorous sweep.
The spearhead of the weapon lit up, releasing astronomical amounts of mana in the process.
Night Deuce had to immediately go on the defensive as soon as it stood on equal footing. Its tail whipped through the air with a sharp crack, facing the sea of sharpened icicles of the Dark Spectrum.
The monster gave its all, but it wasn't enough. In an instant, it was overwhelmed by the destructive force of Ramiel's attack.
Some of the ice shards escaped its defenses, penetrating the fresh flesh.
" I got you! "
Lily's Ice Touch flower shone with sky-blue light. At the same time, the ice shards inside Night Deuce's body exploded, freezing cells on a molecular level.
Ramiel used a simple trick that Asme and Caera had caught on to not long ago. With small gestures, he managed to fool the monster regarding its future movements. All the while, he kept it hidden, waiting patiently for the right moment. As you can see, it paid off.
A muffled growl of pain filled the seemingly empty space. Blood boiled in the monster's veins.
How lousy man dared to raise his hand against him... Such a hurtful insult had to meet with appropriate punishment.
Ramiel kicked the ground, bringing out an elongated cut. His eyes carefully followed Night Deuce's posture. Even the trembling of the muscles hidden under the thick fur didn't escape them.