Chapter 138
Translator: Lizz
Proofreader: Xemul
Lapis knew that Loren’s black greatsword had been granted some special abilities . She didn’t know all of them, but she knew that one was the offensive power against magic . In short, Loren could defend against and intercept magic attacks with that sword . Lapis had never thought that there would come a day when she found that ability so reproachful .
“This is quite dangerous . ”
The blade of that greatsword was currently right above Lapis’ head . Her magic-coated arms were protecting her against it, but the sword was cutting into the protective magic layer by layer . In addition to the weight of the sword and the strength put into it, the pressure of the blade pushed down on Lapis and made her unable to move .
She tried to push back but couldn’t at all, as the strength of a berserk Loren surpa.s.sed that of Lapis, who was trying to keep her power in check . If she didn’t handle this well and let herself continue to be pushed like this, it was not unlikely that the blade would split her head . Lapis had to give Loren’s true strength an upward revision .
Of course, Lapis had no plans to just obediently let her head be split, so she switched to a more powerful spell and loaded a large amount of magic into her arms . This stopped the blade from cutting into the magic layer and began to push it back .
Loren didn’t seem surprised at that . During a rampage, his mind only thought about fighting; there was no room for surprise . Instead, he pulled the sword back and struck down on Lapis’ head again in a second, even more powerful blow .
If Lapis received it directly, she didn’t know if she would be pushed back this time . So, she gave up defending and used her magic-clad right arm to fend the blade off . She could still feel the weight of the blow, but was able to dodge the sword as planned . Making use of the opportunity, she stepped into Loren’s s.p.a.ce .
“It’ll hurt somewhat, but please bear with me!”
A dull pain coursed through the right arm she had used to ward off the blade earlier . It probably couldn’t be used properly in this state – Lapis gave up and extended her left hand to hit Loren’s torso .
At the same time, she forcefully stomped her right foot and let the impact run through her body while twisting to amplify it . She let the force pa.s.s from her shoulder to her left arm, then struck Loren .
Lapis’ palm strike was loaded with enough power to break a normal man’s ribs and if it was taken directly, to make him writhe in pain . Loren didn’t put up any defense, so that was what she had expected .
“This…”
But after that decisive blow, Lapis immediately jumped backwards to gain some distance and cautiously stood in a fighting stance while scowling at Loren .
Her strike had contained enough power to make an ordinary man faint, but the sensation from her palm had told her that the force hadn’t struck Loren at all .
“I know that an armor gifted by the Elder, the highest ranking vampire, must have its own defensive power, but I didn’t think that it’ll be this strong . ”
Lapis’ blow had hit the leather jacket Loren was wearing . This jacket was a reward from a being called Elder, the highest ranking vampire in their previous mission . It was made from three layers of Pegasus hide, with ultrafine chain mail and shock absorbent materials inserted in between . It had nullified Lapis’ moderated blow .
“Isn’t it too effective?!”
Lapis complained in a scream . But the berserk Loren didn’t understand her circ.u.mstances at all, and didn’t take a break from his attacking frenzy .
He hadn’t received any damages from Lapis’ blow and immediately went for a counterattack . His blade came in at a wind-cutting speed, and Lapis twisted her body to dodge it .
“No, really, I’ve come to not wanting to become your enemy, Loren . In a lot of ways . ”
Lapis muttered while looking at Loren, who immediately pulled the sword back after that strike and returned to his a.s.sured stance . Be it emotion-wise or ability-wise, Loren had become someone Lapis didn’t want to make an enemy of . That didn’t mean this battle could end here though .
“Really, what should I do now? What a pain . ”
A pursuer whom Loren had missed killing earlier crept up on Lapis from behind without notice . But his head suddenly shot up into the air, and it was Lapis who had hurled it away . Thanks to the spells, she now had the stamina and attack power to kill normal humans with ease, yet it didn’t work with Loren .
As his ally, she would think that his armor being able to nullify her attack was a good thing . But in the case where she had to stop his rampage like this, Lapis just wanted to spew venom at the so-called Elder that had given Loren the armor . But there was only Loren in front of her now, so there was no one to direct the venom at .
“If things go wrong, do I need to be ready to kill you…?”
Lapis wasn’t willing to . But if she wasn’t prepared to do it, she herself might be in danger; the rampaging Loren did have the power to endanger her .
“There is… no other choice! If you die, please don’t blame me!”
An unprecedented amount of magic surged up from Lapis’ arms . Unlike the heat haze from before, it burst into a flaming white light while her ponytail and priest robe fluttered . The earth and wood blocks under her feet were blown away . Her eyes shone with violet light as if they were artificial . Her face, which usually emitted a calm aura, now carried a stern and razor-sharp look .
Loren didn’t seem faltered at her changes at all; he just rested his greatsword on one shoulder . Lapis expected the blow he would strike next to be stronger than ever . She clenched both of her fists, ready to catch it directly and crush the blade .
“I can’t believe that Loren will be the first opponent I fight in earnest with!”
It was not that bad, Lapis thought and laughed .
In contrast, Loren just kept silent . Even the part of his mind that had originally been reserved for conversation now only focused on the fight . He charged forward without so much as a battle cry .
Lapis had raised her fists, ready to rush in to meet Loren’s strike when something so golden that it was almost white suddenly blocked her vision .
“What?”
Lapis reflexively stopped, but Loren didn’t .
He charged on without losing momentum, but when he was still a distance away from Lapis, he suddenly stopped and flopped down to the ground .
Lapis didn’t think that he had used up his strength . From his state, she could see that he was still able to go on for quite a while .
He would have exhausted his strength much earlier had Shayna stopped supplying him with power . Basically, it seemed like Shayna didn’t try to look at the outside world while she synced with Loren’s senses . She had answered Lapis’ call earlier because Lapis had touched Loren’s body and directly addressed her . If one spoke normally, it almost never reached Shayna .
Whatever it was, Lapis turned her eyes to the being that had interrupted her vision for a moment .
Appearing right between Lapis and Loren was a woman with almost-white blond hair, which she let flow freely down her back . A bright red tube top hugged her voluptuous chest, and the hotpants she was wearing fully exposed her belly while barely reaching her thighs .
She was quite tall, and her line of sight was somewhat higher than Lapis’ . She looked down on Lapis and immediately grinned .
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Do you remember me?”
Strange quirky tone, frank aura . And above all, the purple eyes that were looking at her . Lapis did remember .
“You…”
“Eh? Why is your aura different from last time? Are you getting serious? Being two-faced is so cool! Or something like that?”
“I-it’s not like that!”
As Lapis unintentionally blushed and raised her voice in protest, her tone returned to normal .
“Oh, you changed back? It was you being serious, right? Well, whatever is fine, I guess?”
The woman facing her totally suited the word “grinning” . Lapis muttered her name with a weary and confused tone .
“Gula Gluttony, the Evil G.o.d of Gluttony…”
“Why don’t you call me Gula-chan?”
“There’s no way I will address you so intimately . ”
Seeing Lapis being so guarded, Gula looked a bit sad . It was not the kind of sadness that came from the bottom of one’s heart; Lapis knew it was just for show .
“I’m sad . I’ve gone through the trouble to help you, and yet…”
“Help?”
“That boyfriend of yours . Loren, isn’t it? He seems strange, so I help a bit . ”
Lapis’ eyes widened slightly at Gula’s words . She had even had to make up her mind to face the berserk Loren, but this evil G.o.d had quietly and easily neutralized him . Lapis couldn’t help but feel surprised .
“How the h.e.l.l did you…?”
“It’s a s-e-c-r-e-t . If you are friendlier to me, I’ll tell you, but… You, what’s your name?”
“…It’s Lapis . I’m a priest . ”
“Priest?! Are you lying? Huh, what a strange child . ”
Gula said, a hand on her forehead as if she was recalling something . Lapis relaxed her stance and asked while still keeping an alert eye on Gula .
“What did you come here for?”
The woman called Gula standing before Lapis looked like a normal human but bore the same eye color of demons . She was a being called an evil G.o.d, and had even been sealed .
Lapis had asked, thinking that such beings would never come for nothing . But Gula kept silent for a while, then turned her eyes towards Lapis and clapped .
“You see, I said before that I wouldn’t forget Loren’s favor, didn’t I? If you get into any trouble, I’ll help . ”
“So that’s the reason you’re standing here? That’s the reason you came?”
Gula claimed that she had somehow known that Loren was in a dilemma after seeing him going berserk, and had come to intervene . There was nothing wrong with that; whether it was trustworthy or not was a different story though .
But it didn’t explain why Gula had come to this forest .
“A too-smart child is not very charming, you know?”
“I won’t be discouraged that easily, so please stop . ”
Lapis’ shoulders drooped miserably . Gula seemed to find it amusing and laughed loudly . She stopped after a while and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes .
“Actually, I sensed the presence of an old acquaintance around here . So I wondered if I should come to collect them . ”
“That is…”
“I didn’t expect much, but it seems like I’ve succeeded in attracting their attention somehow . ”
Gula licked her lips and turned her eyes to their surroundings .
Noticing her glance, Lapis once again got back into a fighting stance .
From the shade of the trees outside the area Loren had wrecked destruction upon, a fresh group of human figures began to appear one by one as if they had been lying in wait .