Apocalypse Saga 64

Chapter 64 The Fierce Tiger Approaches

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Edited by: Kanaa-senpai

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 The roar of the fierce tiger shakes not just the eardrums but the very diaphragm. The pressure from that roar crushes the hearts of those who hear it, making them forget to breathe. The trees sway as if trembling in fear, and even the sun hides behind a veil of white clouds────.

 ”Grroooaarrrr!!”

 The fierce tiger leaps out from the bushes. The angry beast, with her fur standing on end, bares her fangs and draws a golden arc, swinging her deadly claws down towards the slender neck of the female vampire.

 A loud, metallic sound echoes.

 ”…So, the boss cat has arrived.”

 The female vampire catches the sharp claws, which could easily cut through bone, with her longsword, creating sparks as they clash in a tense standoff.

 ”Vice Commander!”

 One of the teammates rushes over to Totomes, who has been turned into a motionless doll after having his limbs cut off. The female vampire’s eyes lock onto Totomes, but she can’t move. There’s no time to pursue.

 Totomes, being picked up by his teammates, opens his eyes wide in surprise. He was shocked that the female vampire, who had never shown any intention to talk to them before, had finally spoken.

 However, just a few seconds later, he understood. There’s a saying that the eyes can speak more than words, and in battle, they communicate things that go beyond mere words.

 Melissa, with her fangs bared and throat rumbling, looks so young that you can’t help but want to pat her head. But there isn’t a single fool here who would judge strength by appearance. Totomes knows better than anyone how reliable that small back is.

 The female vampire stared coldly at Melissa, her expressions sharp like a finely honed sword, completely different from when she fought the Beastars soldiers.

 Melissa, not underestimating her opponent, bristled her black and white fur, showing her caution. They both understood they were strong. As seasoned monsters, they could feel it with just one sword. They were equals.

 That means,

 ”Big sis!!”

 No extra words were needed. There was something more important to convey than “Be careful” or “Thanks for the help.”

 ”[Vampire] level 200!! Weapon is one sword, no magic confirmed!!”

 Before Totomes finished shouting, Melissa instantly jumped back. As her feet pushed off the ground, the female vampire’s sharp kick barely missed her nose, slicing through the air.

 As Melissa soared through the air, a weapon appeared in her hand.

 The platinum-colored weapon sparkled divinely in the light filtering through the trees, like a holy relic of the church. But it wasn’t a gentle ceremonial sword; it was a brutal mace, capable of crushing a head like a fruit with the beastman’s powerful strength.

 With Melissa now armed, the female vampire understood the range of the attack and lowered her long sword. The distance between their weapons was almost the same.

 They locked eyes, not looking away, probing each other’s intentions.

 ”From the looks of it, you seem to be level 200 too, female cat.”

 ”No way? I’m a level 100 [Catman].”

 ”Don’t talk nonsense.”

 In the sunlit forest stage, 2 performers faced off.

 The soldiers of the “Beastars” gathered one after another, keeping their distance and watching the situation unfold. However, it wasn’t just a casual observation; they were definitely concerned.

 They wanted to support Melissa. It was difficult because their opponent was about the same size as a human and a bit smaller, but the “Beastars” was skilled in teamwork tactics.

 The reason they kept their distance was that they sensed there were more enemies present, not just the female vampire. It was invisible, but their sharp beast instincts confirmed the presence of other enemies… probably allies of the female vampire.

 That’s why they were watching. The unseen enemy served as a deterrent to prevent attacks from behind Melissa, allowing her to focus solely on the female vampire.

 ”You’re feeling my fear instinctively, aren’t you?”

 Melissa swung her mace around with a confident smile.

 ”I don’t care why you’re so energetic in the middle of the day. But no matter what tricks you have, my attacks are especially effective against dark creatures. Especially against vampires, who take double damage from holy attacks.”

 ”If you’re so sure of victory, why not charge in? Are you just saying strong words because you’re scared?”

 ”You’re quite impatient. Don’t you like foreplay?”

 ”The princess who complains about the mood can keep dreaming of her prince on a white horse. Of course, in the afterlife.”

 Both fell silent. From somewhere, the sound of swallowing echoed in the dry throat. The foreplay, a test of wills, had come to an end────.

 Both of them kicked off the ground to attack at the exact same moment.

 ”Groooaarr!”

 ”Shiiiii!”

 The hammer and long sword clashed, creating a flash of light, followed by a loud metallic sound like an explosion. But this time, there was no measuring of strength in a blade lock.

 ”[Helm Crusher].”

 Melissa took a step back as the hammer drew a fierce arc aimed at her head. That strike was the embodiment of violence, capable of shattering peaks. Melissa’s slender arms swung with a powerful force, her muscles bulging like a dwarf swinging a hammer.

 However, the female vampire twisted her body to dodge, using the momentum to swing her sword in a diagonal slash.

 ”[Mautavent: Celestial Slash].”

 The returning slash shot out sharply. Melissa also dodged, but a red line appeared on her cheek.

 It was like exchanging business cards of battle skills. With little time for greetings, both fighters closed in simultaneously, and the fierce combat began again.

 The sound of their metal strikes continued without interruption, like a single note, at an incredible speed. Each clash of black and white blades sent shockwaves, transforming the surrounding trees into a pitiful sight.

 ”Raaah!!”

 Melissa put her weight into the hammer, pushing it deep. The tense sound of their blade lock echoed sharply.

 It felt like an eternal struggle of strength, but the first to move was the female vampire.

 She skillfully maneuvered her long sword, deflecting Melissa’s hammer while raising her own blade.

 But in that moment, she showed a slight opening… Melissa’s counter knee strike hit her in the solar plexus. A gasp escaped the female vampire’s lips as air was pushed out.

 However, it wasn’t a blow strong enough to incapacitate her. The female vampire grabbed the leg that kicked her and threw Melissa’s body with a powerful motion.

 Her strength was comparable to a dragon, but her body was young and light. The small frame flew effortlessly through the air──just as the female vampire took a step forward to chase after her.

 The long sword of the rushing female vampire shines like gold. The divine sword, wrapped in a heavenly ring, sparkles in despair as it draws a path toward Melissa in the sky.

 But Melissa is not one to be easily cut down.

 ”Tch!!”

 With a loud click of her tongue, Melissa raises her hammer high in the air. Throwing away any thoughts of defense, the moment she thrusts the hammer upward, a pale blue lightning breaks through the white clouds and disappears into the blue sky.

 ”[Holy Lightning Strike]!!”

 Thunder roared in the sky. Immediately after, a rain of lightning spears poured down on the female vampire. The deafening sound of thunder struck the ground, carving it out and burning the trees in the forest.

 However, the scream of the female vampire, hit by the terrifying rain of spears like divine punishment, could not be heard. And it wasn’t because it was drowned out by the thunder.

 The female vampire burst out from the storm of thunder. From her burned and charred body, white smoke rose as if she were evaporating, yet her stance remained the same as before the lightning fell. She completed her skill motion without dodging any of it.

 And then, the flash of the sword sparkled.

 ”[Sorestudi: Holy Sword Dance].”

 A storm of slashes pierced through Melissa’s body this time.

 ”Big sisss!!”

 Totomes’ scream echoed in the forest where the thunder had stopped. Melissa’s body, which had taken the chaotic slashes that turned the soldiers of the “Beastars” into rags in an instant, was being cut apart.

 Countless merciless arcs sliced through her steel-like beast skin, and fresh blood bloomed like a cluster of red spider lilies.

 Melissa’s body rolled on the ground. Her tube top armor and hot pants, which looked almost like a bikini, made the sight of her numerous wounds all the more painful for those watching.

 ”Hmph.”

 However, the female vampire took a sudden brake and stepped back from Melissa, who was lying on the ground. It was clear to anyone that Melissa was wide open, so there was no reason to chase her. Without a hint of hesitation, she jumped back out of range and glared at Melissa, using her sword like a staff, planted firmly in the ground.

 ”…What a pointless invitation.”

 ”What? You figured it out?”

 Melissa jumped up with a slightly irritated voice.

 The countless wounds on her body were real. They were oozing and bleeding painfully, and the white tiger fur growing on her wrist was stained red like an apple.

 The female vampire’s combat skills had dealt significant damage. But it wasn’t a fatal blow. In fact, thanks to her passive skill that allowed for gradual healing, her wounds were starting to mend little by little.

 ”[Overbleed] doesn’t apply, huh?”

 The female vampire muttered with annoyance as she looked at Melissa’s body. The female vampire had also taken damage from Melissa’s lightning attack.

 The term [Overbleed] she mentioned is a unique debuff that only the highest rank of vampires, known as [True Ancestors], can acquire.

 There are certain piercing and slashing magic or combat skills that can inflict a constant damage effect called [Bleed] with a certain probability. [Overbleed] is an enhanced version of [Bleed], which guarantees a 100 percent chance to inflict [Bleed] while also increasing the power of the attack and the amount of constant damage, making [True Ancestors] one of the strongest types.

 However, both [Bleed] and [Overbleed] are considered debuffs.

 ”Debuffs are ineffective. The attack is holy attribute. So, the countermeasures against [True Ancestors] are perfect. Truly a difficult enemy to fight.”

 [The vampire] is the strongest but has many weaknesses. Not only does its status drop significantly in sunlight, but it also takes double damage from holy attacks. This means that while it is incredibly strong, there are clear ways to counter it, making it a tricky monster that people have mixed feelings about.

 Melissa’s race is [White Holy Tiger]. Whether it’s magic or combat skills, all her attacks have holy attributes.

 And she has complete resistance to debuffs. She was born from the creator’s strong hatred for debuffs, giving her even stronger resistance to them.

 ”But for me, debuffs are just a bonus.”

 ”Even so, I definitely have the advantage in this matchup.”

 Melissa described her probing as foreplay, but even after all this fighting, neither of them is going all out. They are engaged in a fierce battle, but not with their full strength. They are trying to read each other’s moves while fighting.

 ”Is that so?”

 ”What did you say?”

 ”I think… you seem a bit slow. In that regard, I have the upper hand. Simple opponents who rely only on strength are easier to deal with.”

 ”Chit-chat all you want, then let your guard down!!”

 With a roar, Melissa closes the distance. The female vampire also takes Melissa’s charge head-on, and their weapons clash again.

 2 strikes, 3 strikes, 4 strikes, 5 strikes… a whirlwind of swordplay unfolds in the blink of an eye. Each blow feels incredibly heavy, making it seem like half of them is sinking into the ground.

 If they relax even a little, their head could fly off, or their skull could be crushed.

 ”Ugh!”

 ”Hmph.”

 Melissa braces herself to avoid losing her balance. It seems like a clash of strength, but the female vampire’s swordsmanship is exceptional. If she puts too much power into a single strike, her weapon will slide off the blade and throw her off balance. And losing balance means death.

 However, Melissa is not just being attacked without a chance. The fierce onslaught may look simple because it’s so fast, but she is expertly changing her timing and the force she puts into her moves.

 ”────.”

 Once again, wounds are carved into Melissa’s body.

 A sharp upward slash from the vampire’s weapon, deflected sideways. She definitely showed a gap, but she thought she had avoided it with her beastman agility.

 Yet, the long sword cut into Melissa’s body. Blood splattered again as it grazed her side.

 The swordsmanship is undoubtedly among the top 5 she has faced so far. But she doesn’t think she is lacking in skill. Not in strength or speed.

 However, the distance feels strangely off. It’s more noticeable in the heat of battle. It’s as if the sword is stretching and shrinking, making the range feel variable.

 Even though the matchup should favor Melissa, she can’t be sure of victory.

 …

 ……

 Melissa was considering the female vampire’s skill set during the fight. A one-on-one battle is a war of information. In that fight, she needs to understand the enemy’s race and skills. Then, she must measure the distance according to the techniques and magic learned from those skills… This is a basic skill for a great warrior.

 Melissa believed the female vampire had the skill [Sword Saint]. There was no contradiction in wielding a long 2-handed sword, and she was convinced after seeing the whirlwind of slashes that cut into her own body.

 The female vampire’s sword shone again. With her right foot stepping forward, the longsword was raised high. Its motion was so noble and graceful that it seemed to imagine the proud knight’s oath of loyalty to his lord.

 But as Melissa recognized that the female vampire’s supporting leg moved slightly differently, her body was already in motion. Almost simultaneously, the motion of the [Sword Saint]’s battle technique in Melissa’s head matched the motion in her vision.

 Melissa, who was raising her mace, stopped abruptly while slightly arching her upper body and aimed for an effective strike. She aimed for a counterattack at the moment the longsword swung in the air, outside the range of the predicted battle skill.

 The longsword was swung down. Melissa’s one flash, which was supposed to release a blue light in her mind, cut through the air without reaching her body.

 ”[Loyalty Slash].”

 Melissa’s eyes opened wide in surprise. The female vampire’s longsword had indeed extended beyond the range she had anticipated. However, by the time she recognized it, the longsword had already sliced through her torso.

 ”────.”

 The tube top fabric that had been covering Melissa’s chest fell off, exposing her entire proud, upward-facing swelling to the air. Even the slightly shy pink bud at its tip.

 But in the battlefield, the gaze was not on Melissa’s breasts. It was on the single line carved from her cleavage to her navel, where a slight yellow fat was visible, and soon fresh blood overflowed, covering the wound with a sticky mess.

 The wound was not deep. About one centimeter, for Melissa, it was like a scratch.

 But she was shocked by the pain of the wound, which she had not imagined in her mind. She predicted the battle skill that was about to be unleashed, and the same skill motion as the battle skill was executed.

 Melissa thought she could avoid it, of course. So her body jumped in surprise, and she instinctively stepped back.

 And that became the trigger that broke the balance.

 Deep within the eye sockets of the mask, the female vampire’s eyes glimmered.

 Her eyes were like those of a beast. The sinful creature that sucks the living blood to maintain its soulless body opened its jaw. The skull mask also opened wide, revealing the mouth of the female vampire inside.

 Sharp fangs extended. The spider and skull tattoos on her swaying tongue reflected in Melissa’s eyes.

 ”Guwaaaahhh!”

 The fangs sank deep into Melissa’s shoulder. The sound of bones creaking as the beast’s jaw tried to tear through flesh, along with the blood-curdling scream that seemed to seep from her own body, pierced Melissa’s eardrums.

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 Author: Skills ≒ Think of them like jobs. I feel it might be confusing to write, so I might change the name to class or job.

 When you acquire a skill, you can learn battle techniques and magic specific to that skill, and your stats will increase based on the skill.

 Also, skills have strength ranks like [Sword Saint] ‘ [Swordsman]. This means the proportion of unique techniques for battle and magic increases, and stronger battle techniques and magic become available. The higher the skill’s strength, the greater the increase in stats.

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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.