Chapter 22: A Real Threat
Kyouka, however, wasn't close to the level of real poison masters, and neither were her skills. With the fatal mistake of being unable to change her location weighing on her, it was only a matter of time before the two black-robed enemies would stand over her.
One of the two emerged first from the dark mist.
His hood fell off, revealing his face. He appeared to be in his early thirties, but his twisted expression, along with the blood, reversed potions, and poison flowing down his furious features, added several years to his appearance.
He glared at the pink-haired woman who had opened his wounds and piled even more pain on him.
In response to his murderous stare, Kyouka instinctively hurled a vial of potion at him. Though the man sliced it in half before it could reach him, the contents spilled onto his face and arm, scorching his skin.
"You bitch…" he growled.
Moments later, the second man stepped into Kyouka's earshot, where he could see her and his ally despite the dark mist's best efforts to obscure his vision. Of the same age and with similar wounds, he glared at Kyouka with the same intensity.
Their eyes seemed to tell her that they would devour her. And that much was true—they intended to eat her alive. Literally.
"This damn cauldron is producing something that… hinders us. Let's get it over with," the second man said, his intuition spot on.
Feeling their hostile intent, Kyouka took a few steps back while throwing potions at them. There was nothing else she could do. Her gravity magic skills wouldn't help her now and would only waste her mana.
As the vials shattered under their slashes, the men closed the distance between themselves and the alchemist, their towering frames growing larger in her eyes.
Her heart sank into a cold lake of fear, freezing Kyouka's bones. She didn't regret coming here, but she blamed herself for being so weak that she had to rely more on Nith's poison than on her own talents.
Which wasn't entirely true, as Nith wouldn't have gotten this far without her alchemical potions. Nonetheless, Kyouka blamed herself more and more, hating that she hadn't taken the final step and sealed the deal with Nith.
Perhaps, he would have even rejected her.
That was when a roar, which only sounded familiar to Kyouka, boomed across the marble arena. It was so loud that even the two men stopped in their tracks. Was he close, or was he just that loud?
[Nith has obtained a new title!]
[Kyouka has obtained a new title!]
As the status window opened before her eyes, Kyouka read the new title she had received.
[Venom Virtuoso's Soulmate (SSS)]
[You've received a new skill—Venom Amplification (SSS)]
Not only had she received a new skill, but it was also her seventh title! A sudden wave of strength swept through Kyouka as she ranked up to the Second Grade!
Feeling much stronger, both physically and mentally, Kyouka raised her hand and pointed it at the duo, calling forth her newest skill.
"VENOM AMPLIFICATION! VENOM AMPLIFICATION! VENOM AMPLIFICATION!"
Her expanded mana pool allowed her to cast skill after skill, increasing the potency of the toxins circulating within her opponents. The first man to emerge was also the first to collapse under the weight of Kyouka's new skill.
She amplified the tongue-twister toxins so much that he felt like a boulder was pressing down on him. He couldn't move an inch, and his sword clattered to the floor.
The other man fared better, though even he didn't believe he'd survive. Instead of going down alone, he shoved his sword into his stomach, using his unique power to devour the venom from within his system.
Aware that he wasn't proficient enough to focus solely on the foreign entities within him, the man bitterly smiled as his flesh and blood slid into the sword's edge, as if invisible hands were pulling it in.
"All I need… is a little power to behead you!" he screamed, suddenly taking a huge step forward and pulling the sword from his stomach.
As the blade curved to strike the defenseless alchemist, a hunched man scattered the black haze with his presence alone. His left hand shot out toward the man's forearm, grabbing it tightly.
In the next second, he ripped the man's forearm off.
"Hands off my bitch," Nith threatened, his black eyes deeper than the abyss.
-
As the sword rattled against the marble floor, Nith kicked the man away. Eclipse Venom drenched them both from head to toe, sealing their fate.
Realizing the struggle was over, Kyouka's legs gave out. She collapsed onto her rear and closed her eyes, wishing for nothing more than a warm bath and a bed.
Nith sat down beside her. Her trembling silenced him, not allowing him to utter a word. Just his presence mattered the most to Kyouka.
'You know… I don't think it's really over,' Nith thought.
To Kyouka's dismay, the arena trembled. Her eyes flew open, and she looked to the side, gawking at the stone toad walking toward them. What had seemed like nothing more than a monument until now was marching toward them.
Each of its steps shook the arena and the entire cave. Pebbles fell from the ceiling, and dust covered the place. Kyouka and Nith jumped with each of the toad's steps, much to their dismay and pain.
"Did you really believe I'd let you have dominion over this danger zone?" the old voice asked, coming from the animated monument.
While Kyouka despaired, her face betraying her fear, Nith smiled.
He replied, "Nope. Not for a second did I think your voice was kind."
As the monument cast its shadow over them, Nith clenched his left hand and gritted his teeth, thinking of his next move.
What could he even do now?
A/N: Thank you for your support! The novel is officially contracted, and it has received gifts already! Thank you so much, everyone! Please, review, comment, gift, and drop powerstones if possible! It helps more than you think! I appreciate everything!