Ash Swamp Fortress Arc, Section 7

'Zheng ——!'

The dwarven sword shattered inch by inch, and fine pieces of metal slashed through. In Alice's disbelief, he was scarred.

After all, Franster was not able to kill his former comrades. And this difference in thought led Alice's success to fall short!

The degraded half-metal flesh is as strong as the degraded dwarven sword. Although it itself was hinged out by Alice's stabbing and a hole large enough to stop it from functioning. But its mission has been accomplished.

It bought Gerd time to cast spells.

That's enough.

The metal-reduced whip swept sharply, pulling a diagonal streak of blood on the girl's body, and Francher heard only a slight muffled grunt before he saw a dark shadow slam against the steeled door. He rolled on the ground and did not move.

"It's dangerous, it's dangerous. Gerd turned his gaze to Franster, who was struggling to get up.

She actually saw it, and almost planted it here. The Dark Wizard waved his hand slightly, and more metal turned into tentacles to guard him. "I have to thank you, if you hadn't left me room for that, I wouldn't have been able to force a dead thing. Gerd clapped his hands lightly and said with appreciation.

"How does it feel to kill your comrades? ”

Franst's eyes cracked, and the corners of his mouth were even bitten and bloody. Remorse and anger swept through him in an instant, and he roared and rushed forward with his greatsword.

And that's exactly what Gerd wants to see.

An angry enemy is better than a calm one.

…………………………

Chaotic, cloudy, and as indistinguishable as a dense fog in twilight.

Fall, fall.

Alice felt like she was sinking.

Countless crystal-like fragments of crystalline shards also flowed upward.

What is that?

The girl threw her will into it, and suddenly a string of disconnected arcane runes flooded into her mind.

Is it memory?

Or is it just pure knowledge?

When she began to think, the whole world came to a halt.

Billions of fragments radiated outward in concentric circles, the margins of which reached the end of the girl's will.

[Where is this?]

[Did I fail?]

[No, there hasn't been a failure yet. 】

Alice jerked her back, and behind her, another Alice was quietly watching her.

Her eyes were bright pale yellow, and her pupils were elongated and narrow like diamonds.

【Are you ...... Another me, another personality, another soul, are you here trying to take my body?]

Alice, with dragon-like eyes, shook her head slightly.

[The inference is all wrong.] 】

You are a part of me, and I am a part of you. The only difference is that you are more inclined to the human form, while I am the other. 】

What do you mean?】

Alice of the dragon pupil sighed, "It would be nice if you could calm down and think about it. It's obviously the same person, with the same knowledge, the same memory, and the same experience, why don't you understand such a simple question until now?]

I don't understand what you're talking about. 】

[Anyway...... Since it's you, it's normal to not think about it. Do you know what it means that we're inseparable, but now we're able to see each other?

【What?】

[It means we're going to die.] 】

………………………………

Alice opened her eyes.

The blood flowed violently, and the heart was pounding as if it were overloaded. The entire horizon was dyed with a thick layer of red.

[Six ribs were broken, and the spleen and stomach were cut.] The rest of the internal organs were also shocked. 】

[If you are not able to get enough treatment, you will completely stop your body functions within one-third of an hourglass.] 】

[Gerd cannot manipulate metal while leaving the metal circle.] 】

[Then ......]

Alice stood up.

Meanwhile, Franster was once again repelled by the tempered tentacles, and he was unable to stop until Alice was at Alice's side, suffering several penetrating wounds.

"Alice, you're still alive," he said incredulously, his words full ......of surprise.

But Alice didn't have time to talk nonsense with him. She just glanced at him quickly. Something came out.

[Hold it.] 】

She took a step forward.

The human body has limits, and if every muscle is used to the extreme, then the collapse and death of the body will follow. But it also means a powerful and terrifying force.

Abandoning elves, or orcs have a special talent for spontaneously controlling this extreme state, albeit at a high cost, often requiring several days of recuperation in a single battle. But for a fierce battle, every drop of strength can mean the difference between life and death.

And Alice is in this state.

By her own will, by her own strength.

By the time she took the second step, the steel touch that Gerd had stabbed at her in a panic had been thrown behind her.

And in the third step, she was in front of Gerd again.

Not long ago, she came to Gerd in this way.

"Don't think!"

The net of dozens of fine steel wires unfolded rapidly, laying a sharp defensive line in front of Geld, and dozens of steel spears immediately poked out from the wall and stabbed towards Alice!

This was what he had secretly prepared for after the first defeat of Alice - he would never be defeated twice by the same person in the same place!

It's just that he didn't expect to be able to use it himself.

………………

Alice lowered her eyes, and the passage of time slowed down.

She could even see Gerder's gaze gradually change from horror to hideousness, and she could see the steel spikes under the thorns rippling through the air at high speed. I saw all kinds of traps and loopholes left in the iron net.

[Condense the will on the right hand......]

Then, like a fluttering butterfly, Alice's figure continues to move forward in the dance.

One wire settled, followed by a second, then a third......

The finger bones cracked with a brittle crack from the out-of-bounds torque, and the flesh rolled with it, and the power was harnessed by the maiden to direct her in the direction she needed.

Gerd's eyes were almost falling, and he could clearly see that the girl's eyes gradually turned from light blue to light yellow, and then pulled into the shape of a thin shuttle.

These are not the eyes that mortals can have, and the burning passion that was still in them has long since faded completely, replaced by endless indifference and emptiness.

He regretted it, and it seemed that such precautions were not enough.

But a step too late.

With the crushing sound of the metacarpal bone of her right hand, a huge crack was torn open in the steel net, and at the cost of her right hand twisting into a mass of flesh and bone, Alice broke through the layers of Gerd's defenses.

Immediately, Alice moved on. The outstretched left hand touched the tip of the dark wizard's nose.

【…… Searing Touch. 】

In the midst of the great light, the last spell enchantment on the dark wizard's body also shattered. Now, even an untrained adult strong man can kill him lightly.

It only takes a little bit of force......

'Poof-' The muscles in the girl's legs exploded in unison, and the scattered blood stained Gerd's whole body.

Immediately followed, sharp steel spears and iron spikes.

It was like inserting a toothpick into a tomato, and there was a mixed and accented 'poof' sound, and the front half of her body was covered in a jungle of steel, and then red blood poured out from dozens of piercing wounds on Alice's body.

She's not dead yet.

The outstretched left hand was still pointing straight at Gerd.

But death is not far off.

The dark wizard's spirit relaxed. There was a mocking glint in his eyes—"You're still a little close, brave girl. Your shell, I'll reshape it well. 】

[No, I've succeeded.] 】

“！”

If you slow down time tenfold, you can probably see how Alice's left shoulder was sliced open by the Sky Forge Greatsword, and how the blade of the greatsword traveled through her flesh, splitting her left arm into two symmetrical halves.

It was the only corner that wasn't defended by Gerd. The only place.

But it doesn't matter.

The important thing is that the crimson tip of the sword has sliced open bones, has torn tendons, has pierced through the girl's palm, and the cold cold and terror have infected the dark wizard's brain.

Gerd couldn't help but take a step back.

The entire circle collapsed.

[I don't owe you ......]