Keir's POV:
- Tch, I can't believe the witch decided to run away into the forest.
The 10 blood swords return to me without having accomplished anything, I don't even know exactly where the witch is right now. If she decided to run away, it's unlikely I'd be able to catch up with her. I rush at full speed towards the direction the witch ran off in the hope of finding her. Before I get too far in, I hear a strange voice echoing throughout the forest.
- "Carnivorous Venus mode"
Faced with this strange phenomenon, I can't help but sigh in relief. It seems the witch of deception hasn't decided to run away.
"That strange voice... was it the witch?"
- Most likely, I'm not sure how she did it, but she seems to have projected her voice throughout the forest. Also, we can assume she's also changed her form, so we have to be careful.
"But Keir… how will we find her in this big forest?"
- Because of her injuries, I don't think she'll go very far. We have to look somewhere that-
Before I could finish my sentence, something green lunged at me from behind me. I automatically jump forward while using my blood swords to cut the attacking object.
- A root?
When I look at the object that was cut, it was a handful of roots that came out of some nearby plant. A palpable bad feeling begins to rise up my throat. As if to prove me right, the plants around me begin to writhe as if they were alive.
"Keir…. The plants?!"
- I know!
Before they can start moving, I wield my 15 blood swords to cut all the small plants around us. As I do this, my feet suddenly find themselves tied to the ground by some small flowers that were there and they quickly climb up my legs.
- Shit!
With Shi in his sword form, I cut the plants that are attached to the ground and jump into the air, where I stand on 2 blood swords. From there I watch as my blood swords cut all the minor plants until there is nothing left. Not fully trusting in it, I stay in the air while moving using 4 blood swords as if they were supports to walk on them.
- In the writings, there was nothing about this…
"Do you think she acquired it recently?"
- It's not impossible, but her powers are drawn from other people's abilities, if she has this kind of ability, that means that…
"She took it from someone"
As if finishing my sentences, Shi gives us a terrifying truth.
- Shi, in all the writings we've seen, do you remember anything about someone capable of controlling plants?
"No, we got all the records of the witches that existed in the time of Rishon, but I don't remember anything about someone capable of doing that."
- …That means… either there was someone with that ability who was lost to the annals of history or…
"a witch with that power was born."
Shi's words were undoubtedly terrifying. If there was currently a witch capable of handling plants in this manner somewhere, the world was in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.
- Shi, let's focus on our mission first. If we don't finish her off here. We don't know what will happen.
"Keir… I'm afraid I have bad news."
- Anything else?
"… I'm afraid we're losing blood."
- Huh?
I quickly check my entire body for any bleeding wounds but find nothing. Although my 4 broken ribs still hurt, there are no visible wounds.
"I don't mean that... look at the swords."
Following his suggestion, I draw the 15 blood swords in front of me to inspect them, although at first there is nothing that stands out, I soon realize that 2 of them are smaller than the rest.
- Were these 2 always smaller?
"No, the plants absorbed a part of those 2 swords."
- What?
The news shakes me strongly, if by cutting this section of plants I had lost part of my swords, it was only a matter of time until I was left without them. Huge drops of sweat fall down my forehead as I try to process the current situation. My face was painted with surprise at the situation.
"Apparently, the plants broke the swords and absorbed the blood before the sword came back together."
- Can plants do that?
"Normally not, but... it seems that the witch can even handle the speed at which plants absorb liquids."
A deathly silence cuts off the conversation. The situation became so desperate that I had no idea what to do. The situation was getting worse by the minute.
- Shi, I need your help.
"Understood, but Keir, I can't fight like you, what can I do right now to help you?"
- Are you kidding? You will be the key to the fight.
"Me?"
- Yes, you will be my key, and I want you to remember that what you do will totally depend on our victory.
As I said this, the area we were in was once again filling up with new plants that were growing at an unreasonable speed.
..............
- How much time has passed already?
I try to distract my mind while fighting the plants that surround me from all directions. Although I haven't moved from my position, the plants flooded the area from all directions and launched themselves at me. Although the plants themselves aren't a big problem, their roots constantly try to sneak under my feet to trap me. When I repel those roots, the rocks on the ground break parts of my swords, which are sucked by the same roots.
- Just die already!
I put 3 swords into the ground again to break the roots that get in the way, but when those swords come out of the ground, they are noticeably smaller. I've already lost count of how many times I've done this. Things seem to be calming down, but I don't feel like I can relax yet, I put my swords back in front of me. Currently I only have 10 blood swords left, 4 of them are whole and the rest are noticeably smaller, from the size of a small sword to the size where it can barely be considered a dagger. The blood loss is getting bigger and bigger. And if that wasn't the last straw...
- "Amazing!! You take blows very well Keir"
The transmissions become more and more frequent and mocking. She clearly knows that this has become a one-way fight.
- "But I advise you to be careful now, because from now on things will be even more fun!"
With that the transmission is cut off and immediately the plants overflow the place again, but this time there is one thing that surprises me. From the corner of my eye I see a new plant that is full of thorns. These brambles are much more dangerous and thick. It won't be easy to cut them like the others. But despite all that, I smiled and looked defiantly into the void.
- Then come!
Immediately afterwards, the brambles and plants that surround me launch themselves at me.
...
A heavy breath is the only thing that manages to come out of my mouth. A large number of scratches and wounds fill the gaps of my light armor. Even that armor is in pieces. The new brambles have reached me more than once, taking a piece of my flesh each time.
- "I have to admit that you are much more resistant than I expected, you are definitely worthy of being my new appearance!"
- ….
I no longer have the breath to respond, My wounds hurt enough to throw myself to the ground and cry, but I have to trust Shi. No matter what.
- "Let's start with the final action!"
From between the trees a huge bramble shaped like a hand appears and approaches me. I look at the 3 swords I have left and tighten my grip on the only sword that is big enough to be called a sword. Without any pause, the bramble launches itself at me. With everything I have I rise up into the sky avoiding the charge of the huge hand while the other 2 daggers I have left launch themselves at the base of it. Somehow they manage to cut the hand off, but it doesn't stop moving. It launches itself at me again, and although I manage to cut off 2 of its fingers, the others coil around me and begin to crush me. Blood begins to run down the thorns of the bramble as it tries to crush me, my consciousness begins to waver as its strength tightens a little more. It was then that a beeping sound could be heard in the distance. I couldn't help but smile at that longed-for signal.