Student To King: The Transportation To A New World

Chapter 45: Protect

VUL!

Before the bullet could reach Aria, Olivia intercepted its path just in time. The bullet had pierced through her body causing Olivia to fall on her knees. 

"OLIVA!" Aria shouted out.

"...I'm still fine. I'll heal in a quick moment." Olivia replied covering herself in a white flame. Her wound eventually closed but for some odd reason, she struggled to stand up.

"Aria forget about me. Just help Olivia take down that thing!" Caspar exclaimed. 

"No... not yet! I'm close to closing your wound." 

"...Careful it's coming. I have to stop it now..." Oliva eventually stood up but grasped her recent wound. The wound she had closed up was simply to stop herself from bleeding out, her body struggled to naturally repair itself. All she could do was stall out the pain, coursing every bit of mana above her waist where she previously got shot.

The Fallen gazed at the wounded Olivia, its arms trembled but then it drew out a fan of knives once again preparing to finish everyone in one single attack.

Caspar gasped at the sight of its throwing knives, immediately throwing his axe towards the Fallen's direction. He poured everything in this single throw and gasped for air the moment the axe had lifted from his hand. His axe travelled so quickly that it disappeared mid-flight before appearing right in front of the Fallen. With only a split second to act it shifted its arm upwards to somewhat deflect the desperate attack receiving heavy recoil. It fell on its back and then aimed its wristbow towards Aria.

Aria tried to activate the last bit of her mana but nothing came out. Her only choice was to try to block the arrow with her spear, something she was currently incapable of doing in her given state.

Olivia held out her arm in an attempt to fire the first projectile. Flames channelled through her hand unleashing a ray of flaming petals. They travelled at lightning speed actually damaging the Fallen as it tried to guard itself. 

This gave a small breather for Aria as Olivia acted just in time before she was about to get shot.

'[Utility Arts: Overdrive] [Quick Step]'

Aria dashed forward, activating her arts. After just one step, a sharp mental strain pierced her mind, but she pressed on. The Fallen noticed her approach and sped toward her with great speed, as if it had activated the same abilities.

Sparks can be seen between the two from a distance exchanging attacks one after the other. The Fallen dashed around her throwing attacks to break Aria off guard. 

'[Offensive Art: Quick Strike!]'  Aria aimed for its chest trying to land a decisive blow however her head became much more cloudy, beginning to throb after using a single ability. It was only a matter of time before she reached mental fatigue. 

The Fallen dodged the strike leaving a living shadow in its place. The real body circled behind Aria unleashing an attack happening on both sides. 

"I gotta get out there..!" Caspar says trying to stand up but his body backfired forcing him to sit back. "Unghh!"

"You still haven't recovered enough. You've been wounded enough already." Olivia said to him. 

"I can still fight...! Aria's gonna die!" 

"We'll handle this." 

In a split second, Olivia had already disappeared in Caspar's field of view. He looked up to the distance to see a ray of flames sparking in the distance.

"Alright... I just have to believe in them..." 

Aria twirled her spear around, parrying the incoming strikes. While she successfully blocked the Fallen's attack from behind, the living shadow's shortsword phased through her spear. Suddenly, a flaming spear appeared, intercepting the attack just in time.