Chapter 86: The Most Evil

Where’s Mimura?

When the Allied Forces launched a coordinated attack, I completely lost sight of her.

I used ‘ping’ to locate Mimura. A red mist appeared in the direction where Arthur was.

Then, I targeted Mimura with ‘router’ and pursued that woman.

Strange. There should only be Arthur and me ahead, right?

Despite it being an empty place, the red mist suddenly became denser.

I swung my lightsaber towards the red mist.

…I felt a response.

“Hehehe. Ahahaha. Impressive, Takumi-san. This isn’t just a skill for recognition interference; it makes me invisible. How did you manage to find me?”

Mimura, her body bearing a large scar with burn marks on her back, suddenly appeared.

While her armor and clothing had tears, her skin rapidly healed, and the scars vanished.

“I was surprised by your barrier earlier, but you also knew exactly where I was, didn’t you?… I consider myself lucky. In games and stories, when you defeat a strong enemy, you often get rare items or skills, right? This time, Arthur-san and Mary-san are the ones I’ve hit the jackpot with. As for you, Takumi-san…”

Mimura looked at me with a sly grin.

“Is this where the secret boss appears? I won’t let you get away. I’ll take everything from you.”

I understand her feelings since I also play games, but… I never thought I’d be looked at with such eyes.

Her skill is the deadliest one for stealing an opponent’s skills.

However, showing me how she steals skills from Mary was a mistake. Thanks to that, I can see a glimmer of hope.

There must be some conditions for stealing skills. Probably, she needs to make the skill’s owner do something willingly.

Otherwise, she could just abduct Mary and forcefully take the skill.

The moments when she spent the most time with Mary were when the two of them were riding a horse together.

In that case, there might be certain conditions like ‘riding the same vehicle,’ ‘allowing oneself to be touched,’ or ‘engaging in a conversation.’

She’s dead set on taking my skills.

So, in this situation, there’s no vehicle, so I can eliminate the choice of riding the same one.

Afterwards, she stabbed Mary but deliberately spared her life.

I felt a great sense of incongruity in that.

By doing that, it’s as if she’s telling Mary to use her immortality skill.

So, ‘making the opponent use the skill she wants to steal.’ I think this condition is almost certain.

Therefore, I won’t engage in any more conversations with her.

I’ll also try not to use my skills as much as possible and wait for a chance.

I’ve leveled up to 71, after all. I’ll somehow manage.

Mimura starts walking toward me.

I stay on guard, making sure I can deploy my barrier in any direction while watching out for Mimura’s skill.

“Why are you so wary? It’s written all over your face. You don’t want to be stolen from!”

Mimura draws a mithril sword and swings it towards me.

But it’s futile. With a lightsaber, I can cut the sword in two.

“Uryaa!”

I aim not for Mimura but for the blade of the mithril sword. Weapon destruction!

However, the mithril sword remains intact.

“What’s wrong? You look surprised. I’ll attack first next time.”

Mimura came at me with a slash.

Don’t underestimate me! I’ve been through many practical experiences up to now.

Even without skills, I won’t lose.

The remnants of green and red light were seared into my eyes.

I just kept slashing relentlessly. As our swords crossed, my sword speed increased.

Mimura… You and I are of the same generation.

But my level, trained by the Demon Lord, should be beyond yours.

I’ll push through with my basic stats!

—Strange.

Mimura’s sword speed is gradually surpassing mine.

Damn it… I had to step back.

“What’s wrong, Takumi-san? You don’t look so good.”

“What’s your level?” 

“I wouldn’t say that outright. …But since it’s Takumi-san’s request, I’ll answer. My level is 90.”

Mimura smirked triumphantly.

No way…

“Can you take not only skills but also experience points?”

“You should ask Mary-san. Well, you probably won’t have the chance anymore.”

Mimura raised her left hand, and a large orb of light appeared above her.

Then, the orb emitted a powerful light and headed towards me.

It’s too bright… is it a flashbang?

At that moment, the red mist suddenly thickened. Mimura had lunged at me.

I tried to counter with my lightsaber, but a sharp pain shot through the top of my right foot.

A Mithril sword had pierced my right foot from below, moving upward.

“Surprised? It seems your barrier can’t defend against close-range attacks, right?”

Damn. It’s a shadow. That light ball wasn’t to blind me; it was to extend Mimura’s shadow towards me.

I tried to escape from this place, but Mimura closed in faster.

With ‘heart’s barrier,’ I repel Mimura, but her shadow engulfs my left leg.

Blood spurts out from around my left Achilles’ tendon. I lose balance and almost fall, but somehow, I manage to sit down using my right foot.

“Takumiiiii! You! I’ll never forgive you!”

Arthur’s shout. Mia and Kuzuha are with Arthur too.

It seems the treatment has been completed safely.

“Everyone, get away from here now. Please, just move away,” 

“Don’t mess around! We’re going to help you now!”

When Arthur shouts, Mimura comes over to where I’m sitting and uses her left arm to strangle me around the neck.

“Arthur-san, please wait a bit longer. I will fight with you properly,”

Guh, I can’t… My voice…

“Everyone, hurry and get away from here. I can’t fight with you around.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t just abandon you, Takumi!”

My body stiffens. I can’t breathe. I grab Mimura’s arm with my left hand and try to release her grip on my neck, but she doesn’t budge. Wait, can I breathe a bit now? When I try to release her arm, her grip tightens around my neck again. There’s no doubt about it… the activation condition for her skill is… to make contact with her willingly… 

“Hurry up! If we stay like this, we’ll miss our chance. You guys are my comrades, right? Trust me!”

Arthur glares at Mimura, then runs towards Karla and the others with Mia and Kuzuha in tow.

“Well, well, it seems Takumi-san has been abandoned. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to clear up your grudge for you.”

That’s fine with me. If they had been a little slower, things could have gotten really bad.

“Ba…ba…”

“What’s wrong? There’s no helping it, you know. I’ll make it easier for you to talk.”

The pressure around my neck lessens a bit.

“Old hag…kill me.”

“My apologies. I’m not that old yet. Besides, I can’t kill you until I receive something in return.”

“Heh heh heh. Nah, that’s not it. The ‘old hag’ he mentioned is me.”

I put strength into the hand holding the “Storage Bangle” on my right hand and drew the “Demon Blade – Condemnation.” In an instant, the scabbard was blown away, and black flames spewed from the blade. The black flames extending from the blade were uncontrollable by my will.

“Tch…”

Mimura came to her senses and tried to escape in a panic, but I didn’t release her arm.

“L-let go!”

“Old hag, hurry up!”

Perhaps in response to my voice, the black flames rapidly expanded with even greater force, approaching Mimura with a sinister radiance. 

Mimura, with a desperate expression, attempted to sever my left arm with the Mithril Sword, but the black flames enveloped her in an instant. She couldn’t even scream as her face contorted in terror, and she was consumed by the flames.

The battlefield fell into a momentary silence. I was out of breath, and when I looked at my left hand that had been gripping Mimura, it had turned to ash and crumbled away. Then, I lost consciousness.

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