Volume 5 Chapter 46 I'm Dazed, But...
"You're quite sensitive to the presence. I was certain you were dead at that moment."
Bael pulled his arm out of the ground, brushing off the clinging dirt as he gazed in this direction. Despite avoiding the fatal blow he was confident in, Bael doesn't falter in the slightest. If Gram didn't have a voice, it wouldn't be surprising if I had already died several times in this battle alone.
'You're really not a good match after all. The guy who resort to tricks are much easier to deal with. I can't seem to find the timing to push back with brute force.'
Gram seems to be trying to find a way out, but the tone of his voice doesn't sound promising. It's a clear sign of how dire the situation is.
'Hyahahahahaha!!! Shall I turn you into mincemeat for tonight's dinner table?!'
A jarring, unpleasant voice that felt like scratching the center of the head with claws echoed. The noise that disturbed concentration made me involuntarily frown.
"Hey Gram. Can you quiet down that noise? I can't get serious about this."
'I know, but...'
In the corner of my vision, I see Reed and Weiss fighting.
Reed swings his snake belly sword at Weiss, but it gets deflected by the high-pitched sound ringing out from his arms. His exposed arms, originally a grayish skin tone, now gleam black. Despite the blade hitting him, it only sparks off without causing any injury. On the other hand, when Weiss tries to use magic, it gets nullified by the split blades of Reed's snake belly sword.
Growing impatient, Weiss hardens his arm wrapped in swirling coils of the snake belly sword and forcefully breaks through, closing the distance. However, before getting into punching range, Reed swiftly pierces the ground with the tip of the sword, coils it, and disengages.
Reed not only uses his attacks but also his movements with his snake-like flexibility, giving off quite an inhuman vibe. It's probably due to the awakening effect of Stigma being exposed. The split tip of his snake-like body is moving just like a real giant snake.
...But seriously, Slay's voice is way too annoying.
Even Gram seems to be able to reach his voice over there (Slay).
'I've been telling him to be quiet every now and then, but I haven't heard a single word. It's not like my words aren't reaching him based on the sensation...'
Well, with that high tension, it's no wonder. Judging from their initial interaction, he's probably rarely allowed to speak freely, so he must be extremely excited to finally have the freedom.
On their side, they don't feel as cornered as we are, but they are struggling in their attacks just like us. Reed's snake belly sword is quick and sharp, accurately capturing his opponent. However, it's light against Weiss's hardened arms. Occasionally, Weiss forcefully close in and hit with magic. Not using that sneaky attack with the snake belly sword is probably because he fears being pulled in if caught by Weiss's arms. In terms of physical strength, it's without a doubt that Weiss surpasses Reed by a large margin.
Most of this information comes from Gram, who understands the situation. As for me, I'm already struggling just to deal with the numerous attacks from Bael.
I really need to do something about this soon, I can't maintain my focus. Especially with Slay's annoying voice, it's driving me crazy. Like Gram, this is probably 'Telepathy (channel),' and it's definitely only audible to me and Reed.
'From what I saw, Weiss's long-range magic is just a distraction, the real deal is close combat up close. It seems like Bael's partner is more compatible than Reed though──'
Not only Gram, but Bael and the others understand that. That's why he first separated us. Bael went after me first, and then the two of them planned to take on Reed together. Originally, Reed hesitated to interfere with the Kahlua Family because both Bael and Weiss were together. It's going to be really bad if we keep idling like this.
Initially, the plan was to face Bael and the others more evenly, but Slay's distraction shifted the initiative over there. I wish Reed had at least informed us about Slay's Snake Belly Sword in advance, but if I say that, I hadn't explained about Gram either. Besides, the fact that Slay's loud voice reached me in the first place was already beyond Reed's expectations.
In this area, it's pointless to argue.
If somehow I could swap places with Reed's 'enemy,' there might still be a chance of winning, but it's impossible to coordinate with a man I've hardly teamed up with and without exchanging a single word. If I raise my voice, Bael and the others will only intensify their attacks and come at me relentlessly.
If only there were a convenient way to convey my intentions to the other party without speaking, things would be different...
"Ah────"
'Watch out, partner!'
"Huh? ──Whooooa!?"
Letting out a strange scream that I'm reluctant to let others hear as the trajectory of claws aiming for my eyeballs, I desperately avoid them while turning my head away. My mind was too preoccupied, causing a delayed reaction, and if Gram hadn't warned me, Bael's claws would have pierced straight through from my eyeballs to my brain.
Completely losing my balance and falling backward, Bael mercilessly follows up with another attack. Without caring about appearances, I roll to the side, dodging the claw that easily pierces the ground even as I stagger to my feet. I forcefully sweep my spear to push Bael back.
"Wh-what a shock..."
When I touched my forehead, it felt like his nails grazed it, and blood started to flow slowly.
'Hey, come on, give me a break. Just when there's an enemy full of killing intent right in front of you, you suddenly dazed. It sends chills down my spine. ──Though, I don't have a spine.'
Surprisingly, this guy seems composed too. While I, with my nerves of steel, felt a chill run down my spine, it was not the time for that.
I just had a flash of an idea that might break through this situation.
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