The Price of Power and a Desperate Escape

“Hmph, you won’t escape.”

Watching the two figures flee in disarray, Liu Yu didn’t rush to pursue them. Instead, she raised her demonic sword, gesturing vaguely through the air.

While it was certainly surprising that the metal monster could withstand the demonic sword’s slashes, that was the extent of its capabilities. Had she employed ‘Eye’s Reach: Sever,’ a technique that cleaved through all, no matter its formidable defenses, it would have met the same fate as Titan.

‘Hmm…’

Influenced by Liu Yu’s thoughts, the Shadow began to flow into her left eye. Concurrently, her vision shifted, and the fleeing figure in her sight transformed from a blurred outline into a distinct, clear image.

The girl then raised her demonic sword high; with but a flick of her wrist, she could rend her enemy in two, leaving them no chance to rise again.

Yet, when the moment arrived, Liu Yu, who had always been fearless, uncharacteristically hesitated, her demonic sword remaining unsheathed.

This was certainly not due to a sudden surge of compassion, leading her to spare the two. Rather, it was because she suddenly felt… ‘it wasn’t worth it.’

‘Though Liu Yu had indeed found herself at a rare disadvantage in her recent clash with Fafnir, to waste ‘Eye’s Reach: Sever’ on him… a subtle reluctance lingered in the girl’s heart.’

She instinctively covered her left eye, the repercussions of her past unrestrained use of her abilities now beginning to manifest. Compared to her right eye, which had never and could never utilize ‘Eye’s Reach: Sever,’ her left eye’s vision was noticeably blurred; by an optometrist’s estimate, her myopia had worsened to at least 600 degrees.

While using the Shadow always incurred some degree of physical damage, ‘Eye’s Reach: Sever’ stood out among her few abilities as unequivocally the most detrimental and impactful. If she continued to employ it recklessly, without restraint, she would soon become a “one-eyed dragon,” able to see with only a single eye.

‘…Forget it. For the sake of a normal life in the future, I should probably rein myself in a little now.’

With a helpless sigh, Liu Yu decided to temporarily “seal” this skill, determined to avert such a grim future.

Then she flicked her hand, transforming the demonic sword into the Shadow. She then assumed an odd starting posture, one so unconventional and awkward that any knowledgeable observer would undoubtedly cover their face and wave their hands in dismay.

“Bang!”

As the air detonated, the girl’s form blurred and distorted. When she reappeared, she was already at the end of the road, mere steps away from the metallic evil dragon, which had inexplicably slowed its pace.

‘What an opportunity!’

‘[With this next strike, I shall pierce its body!]’

Having repeatedly failed in previous clashes and finally realizing that her own maneuvers couldn’t breach the monster’s defenses, Liu Yu decided to let the Shadow choose its own method of attack. She, meanwhile, would simply observe, patiently awaiting the outcome.

With her plan set, she accelerated once more, darting behind the metal monster with lightning speed and delivering a powerful punch.

“Clack!”

Perhaps it was the effect of the absolute command she’d given to the Shadow, for this time, Liu Yu felt only a slight resistance before her attack tore through the metallic hide. Immediately, a dense torrent of Shadow surged inwards through the wound, churning and wreaking havoc within.

Naturally, her demeanor couldn’t falter. Concealing the triumph of breaching the enemy’s armor, Liu Yu spoke with a low, ethereal tone:

“Game time… is over, you fool.”

“Ugh…”

‘It came so fast… and breached Fafnir’s defenses!?’

Reacting to the sudden assault, Fafnir rapidly initiated a [Phenomenon Analysis].

[Unnamed energy U59 analysis complete. Scales of Resistance generated. Load?]

“Load!”

Chongyun roared inwardly. There was no time for hesitation; the terrifying, strange energy had already infiltrated his body, and any further delay would lead only to death.

[…Load complete.]

The Demonic Machine’s electronic voice was always reassuring. No sooner had it spoken than the Scales of Resistance erupted from the Black Blood, forming an impenetrable bulwark both within and without Fafnir, completely repelling the surging Shadow.

“Hoo…”

Exhaling a ragged breath and stabilizing the situation, Chongyun was about to lash out with his tail to fling the girl away when he was suddenly interrupted by another alert from the Demonic Machine.

[Unnamed energy U60 analysis complete. Scales of Resistance generated. Load?]

‘What? Didn’t it already…’

“Load.”

Without bothering to consider what was happening, Chongyun urgently prompted.

[Load complete…]

But before he could even catch his breath, the Demonic Machine’s voice resonated once more.

[Unnamed energy U61 analysis complete. Scales of Resistance generated. Load?]

[Unnamed energy U62 analysis complete. Scales of Resistance generated. Load?]

[Unnamed energy U63 analysis complete. Scales of Resistance generated. Load?]

[Unnamed energy U64 analysis complete…]

“……”

The incessant alerts plunged Chongyun’s spirits into the abyss, for he knew this time, his survival was truly uncertain.

The Scales of Resistance possessed the ability to immunize against corresponding damage; even an attack capable of obliterating all things would fail to inflict the slightest harm upon Fafnir once understood. Yet, the energy now flooding his body was different. Despite the generation of corresponding Scales of Resistance, it continuously altered its properties, thereby circumventing the defensive mechanism. To illustrate, if Fafnir were imbued with Scales of Resistance against [Water], theoretically, nothing related to water could harm him. However, the Shadow had inexplicably created a substance, [Water] with the property of [Fire], thus breaching his absolute defense.

Moreover, listening to the ceaseless alerts, Chongyun became certain of one thing.

‘—This continuous alteration of properties likely had no limit; at least, he wouldn’t live long enough to see its ceiling…’

“Damn it… ah…”

His physical vitality seemed to drain away, leaving him utterly exhausted in an instant. Accompanied by the girl’s cold scoff, Fafnir’s massive body, deprived of its sustaining power, crashed to the ground.

‘No… not yet… I can’t die here yet…’

‘Think… think of a way… Demon… Hero… Vanguard… Human… Think of something…’

[Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. After all, you are my… kin.]

The scene from that day inexplicably flashed before his eyes.

‘Is this what they call a deathbed vision?’

He let out a bitter chuckle in his heart, ready to accept his fate…

‘Wait?’

Chongyun, as if grasping a lifeline, roared in his mind: “Demonic Machine, deactivate Fafnir!”

[Fafnir… deactivating…]

As the alert faded, the monster’s colossal form melted away like ice and snow, revealing a human figure within. The figure stumbled, collapsing to the ground, gasping for air.

Concurrently, the Shadow, which had clung to him like a festering ulcer, also receded with Fafnir. Once he regained his human form, that terrifying energy swiftly departed his body.

‘I… survived?’