Tbate: Resurgence

-Chapter 10 : Widow's Crypt III-

Arthur Leywin

“I think I’m strong enough to be here,” I said quietly, the calm of my voice a stark contrast to the bloodlust hanging in the air. The fear of death no longer weighed on me. The cold resolve of King Grey coursed through my veins once more.

This wasn’t the time for hesitation. If they thought I was just a child, then they were about to learn the truth the hard way.

The heavy atmosphere was charged with oppressive mana as my transformation left both the Lance and the witch startled. The overwhelming bloodlust I exuded wasn’t something they expected, especially from someone who appeared as a boy. Their hesitation, however brief, was enough.

I activated [Thunderclap Impulse], my reflexes sharpened, my movements accelerated by several magnitudes as sparks of black lightning flickered around me. I shot forward, my blade infused with not just lightning, but also ice and wind mana. The sword glowed with a dangerous brilliance as I closed the distance between myself and the witch, aiming to end this quickly.

The witch’s expression twisted into one of surprise, but her agility was something I couldn’t underestimate. At the last second, she evaded my strike, slipping away into the nearby corrupted plants as though they were an extension of her body. My blade struck the ground instead, sending a wave of cold and wind surging outward, freezing the nearby plants and shattering them in a hail of black lightning.

“That’s no way to greet a lady, little boy—” the witch began, her voice sickeningly sweet, but I didn’t give her the chance to finish.

I swung my sword vertically, sending a crescent slash of wind and lightning toward her. She barely had time to conjure her vines to block it, but the impact sent her skidding back across the cavern floor.

“Lance Alea,” I called out, not taking my eyes off the witch. “I’ll take the offense. You focus on protecting me from her attacks—and don’t use your plant magic. It’ll only give her more fuel.”

Lance Alea, bloodied and breathing heavily, nodded in understanding. She moved to cover my flank as we both surged forward, her stance defensive but ready to shield me from whatever the witch threw our way. Despite her own injuries, she stayed vigilant, trusting me to take the lead.

The witch’s sickly green vines lashed out once more, trying to overwhelm us with their corrosive energy. Lance Alea deflected several strikes aimed at my back, but even with her help, I could feel the strain of battle starting to take its toll. I wasn’t immune to the witch’s relentless attacks either.

One vine caught me off-guard, lashing across my arm before I could react. The corrosive magic burned through my sleeve, leaving searing pain in its wake as my skin blistered under the attack. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the injury as I pressed on, refusing to slow down.

"You're pushing yourself too far," Lance Alea warned as she stepped in front of me to block another strike. Her own armor was scratched and damaged, blood trickling from a deep gash on her side. Even so, she didn’t hesitate to shield me from the brunt of the witch's attacks, despite her own weariness.

But the witch wasn’t done yet. She snarled and raised her arms, summoning an entire swarm of thorned vines to converge on me. They moved like serpents, wrapping around my legs, attempting to immobilize me and pull me closer to her poisonous aura.

But I was ready.

As soon as I felt the vines begin to tighten, I released a surge of pure ice mana from deep within me. “[Absolute Zero],” I muttered, the words barely audible as the air around us dropped to sub-zero temperatures. In an instant, the vines around me froze solid, their sickly green hue fading as they turned brittle and lifeless.