Chapter 54: The White Haired Demon Slayer (Part-20)

Hold on. Hold on...

That's what I keep saying to myself.

Fuck! This is bad.

I knew this was coming... is what I would like to say. But I didn't. Would I have fought differently if I did? I don't know. But as my healing slowed down and my body started straining to use even basic light magic, I only wished I realised it sooner...

I was running out of mana.

How many years has it been since I last felt like this? Maybe during my days studying at Wintergrace Academy? Maybe never? I don't know... I can't remember.

Noooo! Stop! Fuck! Wtf is wrong with me?! This is no time for flashbacks!

My focus has been constantly wavering due to tiredness. My mind, wandering off to thoughts that don't belong in a situation like mine right now.

I want to slap myself awake, back into proper focus, but instead I'm too busy dodging this giant axe swinging straight for my gut.

I stumble back, barely avoiding the blade, and push another goblin into its path instead. Heaving heavily from even this small maneuver, I manage to regain my balance and send my sword flying right into the face of the axe-wielding goblin champion who just aimed for me.

Even as Lightbreak barely leaves my hand, my instincts force me to instantly sidestep, narrowly avoiding another giant sword from splitting me into two halves from behind.

Grabbing a spear from the ground, I turn to face the Goblin champion behind me and thrust the spear right into his eye, out through the other side of his skull.

I grit my teeth in pain as two arrows come out of nowhere and plant themselves right in my back. Not a single moment of rest for me it seems.

I turn towards the shooter's direction and call Lightbreak back to my hand. You want to die? Fine, let's do it.

Wait... huh?

It's not coming back.

I force my will for the sword to return. And suddenly, a wave of weakness crashes into me. My arm is hurting on the inside, I can feel my mana flickering to a stop.

And now, I can't feel it anymore.

Hollow. That's how I feel inside. My legs grow weak as I fall to my knees. The subtle pain in my arm can now be felt all over my body. It's nothing like the pain of getting stabbed or slashed. It's the pain of hollowness. A pain that exists only as a reminder of what used to be. It doesn't hurt, yet it's dreadful.

My head is dizzy, my vision is getting blurry. I feel no strength to move, as if it's all been sapped out of my body. My breathing has slowed down. I don't even have the strength to breathe heavily. Yet I'm struggling to even get air.

This is bad. Really bad.

I want to get up. But... can I even do anything? I have run out of mana. I cannot even use Light magic anymore. Lightbreak won't return, and spatial detection has turned off.

The only evidence of me ever having Light magic is its negligible attempts of regeneration to heal the arrow wounds. Even that will stop soon. I can't heal anymore.

I am sitting here, helpless like dead meat. I can't do anything. The monsters... they are cheering. They know they have won.

Are they right...?

The loud roars and the sickly laughter of the goblins are ringing in my ears.

All that's left is to go for the kill.

But... If someday I had to face myself. Will I wonder? Will I look back upon this moment and remember if I asked myself...

Is this the end...?

....

NO!

"AS IF I'LL FALL!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

So what if my sword isn't returning? The floor is strewn with weapons.

So what if I can't use light magic?

I can still fight.

So what if I feel no strength in my body?

I am still alive.

So what if there is no hope?

I AM STILL A DESCENDANT OF LIGHT!

My hate is my weapon, my duty is my soul, and my existence is my greatest strength.

Watch me.

I pick up anything my hand can reach. Any weapon I can find and push myself off the ground. I attack.

Hacking, slashing, stabbing, plunging, I strike out at every piece of flesh around me. Weapons shatter, but I just pick up more and continue. I don't even care what I use, as long as I can kill. The scene is no less than a hellscape of blood and gore. Dying screams and raging roars echo throughout.

I have to be very careful about my movement. I cannot afford to take any more damage. In my state, I am no different from a magic-less human. There is no coming back from a lethal wound anymore.

Anything to fight as long as I can. To get back my mana.

Yes. I may be enraged, but I'm no fool. I cannot keep up like this. I need mana. If maybe I can use Light magic again, I might still be able to do something... anything...

I have never tried to collect mana actively. It always just happens by itself. A good night's rest and I am usually all up to par.

But this... I don't know how to replenish my mana at will. I do feel it. I feel the mana all around me. The world is full of it. All I can do now is will for it to enter my body.

I have no idea if that will work. Maybe I am a fool, hahaha.

Dodging, jumping away, stepping back from what could have been obvious kills if I had my regenerative powers, it wasn't easy. My rage wants me to jump in and hunt them all, regardless of how I might get hurt, but thankfully my mind knows I cannot let that happen.

It's surprising though, I can no longer use Spatial Detection, yet it's as if my instincts have taken over the job of keeping me alive. I just know when to dodge.

Yes, I feel it. The mana, it's trickling in. Just a little longer.

Oh no!

AHHHH!!!

An extremely powerful punch caught me in the chest, threw me in the air, and slammed me back onto the ground. The fist digging into my chest as I clearly hear my ribcage cracking under the force of it.

The damage is immeasurable. My ribcage feels crushed. Shattered bones are puncturing my lungs. Blood is filling in. I don't even know what's going on inside my body. All I feel is pain... and something else.

NOW!

"LIGHTBREAK!"

The sword, brilliant and beautiful, incomparable to any that has ever existed... glides through the air, killing many in its path as it returns to my hand.

Glowing bright in my grip, unlike any to have ever glowed, light magic fills in through the crystal blade of the sword. From the base to the tip, enveloped in light magic, even as pain tore through my chest, I knew. I have never felt better.

Stabbing into the eye of the goblin champion driving his fist into my chest, in an instant the monster disappears in innumerable fragments of light.

My mana is back.

These monsters are intelligent, disturbingly so. They realized I couldn't use my magic before, yet now they step back in fear of it.

I don't know how, but even as I vomit blood all over the floor, I stand up.

The monsters are starting to recover their brutish courage. I can feel my mana again, but it's too little. Not enough to heal my crushed upper body. I don't have too long. I am going to die.

And if I'm going to die, I'm taking as many as I can with me.

I have always wanted to try this. A new technique I had been practicing. No weapon till now could take the toll of the magic required to pull this off. But if it's Lightbreak...

My final attack.

I plant my feet on the ground and close my eyes. Tune out everything around me. All I hear is my faint heartbeat. Extending my hand to the side, I prepare myself in the stance. Ignore the pain, feel deep inside.

Feel the mana.

Seek within. From the deepest depths of my gut, from the darkest corner of my heart. Feel the power. Seek it. Summon it.

Slowly...

Every bit of mana, every bit of my being. The essence of my soul, the will of my existence, and the fire of my hate. Flow everything into the sword.

Light magic...

I open my eyes. The goblins are charging, but it's as if everything has slowed down. I hear nothing, nothing except the small hum of power emanating from Lightbreak. Glowing bright, blindingly. Humming with power, gently.

My heart is at peace. This is my final attack...

Arclight.

In a single silent motion, I release a perfect circular slash all around me. The blade hits nothing. It doesn't have to. For the attack is done.

With the circular slash, an arc of pure light releases outward. Lethal, powerful, elegant. In a blinding flash, the arc travels swiftly, growing larger with every instant moment, stopping at nothing, cutting through everything, life or death.

The arc disappears. And there is nothing but complete silence.

Alone in the room that was a hellscape not more than a minute ago, I stand. I and I alone...

For every other life has been erased from existence.

Sigh...

This is it then.

...

The silence doesn't last too long. I hear commotion outside. Ah right, I forgot. There are more outside the room, right? There was never an end to this.

I can't summon any more anger or hatred or even the will to fight. I feel nothing inside me. All my mana is gone once again. I am standing still, barely holding on to my sword. But my legs won't move, my arms won't budge.

To just stand is all I can do.

The villagers... I failed to protect them, after all.

I can hear the thumping. I can hear the heavy footsteps, the clanking of metal, and violent screams getting closer.

The monsters are approaching it seems.

Hmm.

Blood trickles down my lip as I sigh. I smile.

They are getting closer...

Very close...

Right there. I can see forms approaching the entrance.

SWIIIIIISSSHH!!

A streak of blue whizzes past the goblins in an instant, dropping the bodies to the floor headless, and coming to a stop beside me.

A powerful gust of wind blows in through the room, throwing away the bodies to the side, clearing the path straight in. Fresh air fills in the room all around, like a breeze upon a flower bed, replacing the pungent odor of death and blood.

I am too stunned to speak. Suddenly, I'm not ready to die anymore. Happiness fills my heart, tears well up in my eyes. I can't believe what I'm seeing.

"So you do have emotions other than rage."

I look to my side. It's Luca.

The breeze whizzes around me as Elaina walks in.

And behind them, Ren and Sylvie!

The team, the team is here!

My team...

Confidence wells up in me. I can't stop smiling.

Elaina stands by my side as Ren walks up to me.

I am elated to greet him. "Ren! You guys are here. No way we can lose now. The villagers are right behind the door. I'll be right up in a few minutes. Let's do this!!"

Ren's response, however, is not what I expected. He turns his hand to metal and punches me point blank. Harder than any punch I have ever felt.

I crumple to the floor like a straw doll. Why...

My vision once again starts getting blurry. I see Luca, Elaina, Ren, and Sylvie standing over me.

As my eyes close and I slowly lose consciousness, all I remember are Ren's rage filled eyes and the words,

"You have done enough."

[Author's Note: And thus comes to end the longest sub arc till now. You reached till here, I think you are enjoying this story. And if you do enjoy the story, I hope you'll continue to support our beautiful little world as we go premium from the next chapter. Unlike many stories who leave you hanging in the middle of climax moments, I wanted my readers to completely experience the highs and lows I can deliver, in the free chapters themselves. As we head into the next sub arc 'Everhart vs Kaizel', I look forward to seeing you on the journey.]