Volume 3 Chapter 8 Difference In Strength
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Serena’s movements were distinctly unique.
And incredibly fast.
It was common knowledge that there was a clear disparity in physical abilities between Beastmen and humans.
More often than not, when a human warrior clashed with a Beastman warrior, the latter came out on top.
This was largely because human combat techniques often fell short against the superior prowess of the Beastmen.
A feline Beastman would leap at humans with a flexibility and explosive power that were simply unattainable for them, while boar Beastmen combined their agility with an astonishing level of brute strength.
They could overwhelm human warriors without relying on magic, simply using their ‘beastly’ nature.
Serena, being a wolfwoman, was no exception; her physical abilities far surpassed those of Kian, the human.
Particularly when it came to speed, she matched or even exceeded Kian’s ‘Leap’ state.
Without even needing to cast precise enhancement magic on herself, she could easily hold her ground by just being ‘adequate’ or ‘somewhat skilled.’
Considering that she could maintain her top speed without tearing a single muscle, the only ones in this world who could hope to rival her speed were the leopard or tiger Beastmen.
”────”
With a swift maneuver, Serena jumped from a good 15 meters away, closing the distance in an instant.
What would take a human 2 or 3 steps was no problem for her; it was a single bound.
With the intent to slay, she thrust the blade of her longsword toward Kian’s shoulder.
(Gotcha!)
However, thanks to Serena’s clumsy attempt at stealth, Kian accurately sensed her position.
In the split second of her leap, he effortlessly evaded the downward slash by sidestepping.
”────!?”
Shock washed over her.
The timing had been flawless.
Kian was the first opponent to dodge her strike with that kind of fluidity, unlike the mercenaries, adventurers, goblins, or ghouls she’d faced before.
In a fleeting moment, the memories of her deceased brother and the pack leader, her father, flashed through her mind, but she shook her head, pushing the unwelcome thoughts away.
No matter how much he trained, he was still just a fragile human.
His muscle mass might have increased, but he didn’t possess the monstrous physical abilities of other beings.
(That’s right, it’s not over yet!)
Serena activated her physical enhancement ability.
It was a raw, forceful enhancement of her cells, fueled by an overwhelming amount of magical power.
But as a Wolfman, her body could withstand the transformation without falling apart.
She focused her strength into her legs.
Muscles rippled and etched themselves into her skin.
”Hraah!”
With a sweeping motion, she swung her blade down and then horizontally.
Though her strike was dodged, she pressed in and unleashed a third blow.
”――――.”
Kian’s eyes narrowed sharply behind his glasses.
”…What!?”
Just as Serena was about to fully swing her sword, a sudden, unsettling feeling prickled at her senses, and she instinctively halted her arm.
Without thinking, she leaped back, making a wide jump.
In the next moment────
A splash of bright red blood splattered into her field of vision.
”……?”
Huh?
What?
Panic surged within her.
(Did I get cut?)
Blood?
Her cheek.
It felt hot.
Around Kian, something transparent and shimmering with a rainbow hue hovered in the air────
(An invisible ‘Wall’? …Did he slice my cheek? And threads…?)
Landing ten meters behind Kian, Serena rose to her feet, feeling cold sweat bead on her brow.
When she touched her cheek, it was indeed smudged with blood.
Gazing again, she saw that Kian was standing calmly, surrounded by a web of thin, thread-like strands.
In front of him was an invisible wall.
Although it was normally unseen, there was no question about it──a wall existed.
In other words, even if her sword had made contact just now, it wouldn’t have reached him; instead, she had been shredded by those threads.
”――――.”
If she hadn’t relied on her Wolfman instincts and jumped back just in time, she’d be in a world of trouble right now.
(What on earth is happening? What is Kian doing? Azrael’s warrior monk techniques…?)
There was no time to dwell on it.
Kian pointed his hand in her direction.
Trusting her Wolfman 6th sense, she leapt, rolled, and dashed to escape.
The unseen threads sliced through her hair, and she felt the pressure of an invisible wall targeting her feet as she jumped.
Threads surged from all directions, perfectly surrounding Serena.
With no other choice, she had to use her sword for defense.
She slashed through the threads closing in from the front and spun in mid-air to evade the invisible wall approaching from behind.
But she had dodged it, that explosion beneath the wall ── the ground suddenly blasted, and Serena was flung back by the blast, thrown high into the air.
Before she could even scream, her body was slammed against an invisible wall.
”Aghh, ah…”
Clang, clang…
It was the sound of something rolling.
Her long sword.
She couldn’t afford to lose her weapon.
Her brother had drilled it into her a thousand times: If you lose your weapon, we’re finished.
Even though pain clouded her thoughts, she somehow rolled and reached for her sword.
Just then, a sharp pain shot through her finger, and Serena stopped.
(‘Thread’….An invisible thread)
Wrapping around her, tightly strung from the ground, to her surroundings.
If she moved, she’d be cut.
She couldn’t do anything….
Just as she decided to try casting a magic spell, she noticed the threads and the invisible walls around her disappear.
Gasping for breath, she stood up.
Her long sword was rolling 15 meters away.
She had 2 spare long swords strapped to her back.
”……”
”What are you waiting for? Come at me!”
Kian said, turning his back on her again.
Serena felt her blood boil.
All the strength she’d honed, the magic she’d studied.
Her power, that had grown so strong, seemed useless.
Just a few months ago, she had been stronger than this man.
”…! UAAAAAHHH!”
Roaring with anger, Serena charged.
She drew a long sword from her back and swung it high, launching herself in a straight line.
Technique, strategy, none of it mattered.
She would unleash her fury in a swift and powerful strike against Kian!
”────!?”
But Serena’s full-force attack was blocked by a sudden appearance──a monstrous creature that resembled a giant praying mantis.
Two of them.
”Sword-Cain!?”
Her long sword was deflected aside, her body thrown off balance.
Two Rank 6 Bloodsucking Kinds, the notorious party-wrecking monsters,
Serena’s long sword is unable to break the blade of her opponent.
(Kian’s magic power is enhancing them…!?)
With the white moon as his backdrop, Kian stood with his arms stretched wide open.
Before him, 2 slender Bloodsucking Kinds clashed their blades together, producing a cacophony of metallic sounds.
Their blades sparkled with the essence of ‘Impact,’ while wisps of ‘Leap’ swirled around their feet like eager shadows.
At the same time, Serena’s acute hearing picked up the countless screeches coming from above, overwhelming her senses.
Glancing upward, she saw a massive swarm of bats, darkening the starry sky, diving down in a chaotic rush toward her.
”────っ!”
Hiiu──
Despite being a fearless Wolfman, an embarrassing squeak escaped her lips.
Serena desperately tried to push off the ground, but before she could, a Sword Cain appeared out of nowhere and sent her flying.
She hit the ground hard, rolling uncontrollably.
Just before she could recover, another Sword Cain kicked her away, and a pained gasp slipped from her mouth, “Geh!”
(Ugh…)
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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