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Apocalypse Healer - B1 Chapter 45
🕑 Added 2024-11-19 11:00:04 +0000 UTCDavid had yet to see the other Mini-Bosses, but maybe that was for the best. One step at a time.
A dozen defenders charged, their hands clenched tightly around their weapons, their movements betraying hesitation as they pushed through. David tensed, ready to push ahead, but his eyes caught on the advancing Darkai.
The ordinary demons pressed on, their focus divided between the defenders and the Mini-Boss. David hurled the Obsidian Blade again, its edge biting into a demon’s calf. The demon toppled over and fell to the ground instead of tearing a young elven warrior to shreds. David appeared beside the Darkai as his soulbound blade vanished into the mind space. In one swift motion, his dagger slashed cleanly across the demon’s throat.
He released a minuscule trace of [Holy Touch] on the blade’s edge as he slit the demon’s throat, which worked wonders. The Darkai writhed on the ground as dark blood gushed in all directions, but David had already moved on. He conjured the Obsidian Blade again, cleaved through another Darkai’s claws, and rammed the steel dagger in its left eye.
The thin coat of [Holy Touch] around the blade’s edge seeped into the Demon’s body, killing the demonic creature near-instantly.
Too much!
David gritted his teeth. He was using too many crimson motes. Even if he’d used [Holy Touch] with the least energy, it had consumed quite a bit of his crimson motes reserves. That wasn’t what he’d planned!
Still, he pushed forward, spun around his axis, and beheaded one Darkai with the accumulated momentum. His soulbound weapon’s blade was deadly sharp, capable of things others could only dream about with their standard weapons. He weaved through four razor-sharp claws and was struck square in the chest by a small, hastily cast fireball. His skin burned to ashes, and his chest felt like it had been set on fire, but the exploding fireball did not burn him. It destroyed him.
David pushed through the explosion, teeth clenched as agony surged through his chest. He couldn’t stop—not here, not now. He lashed out with a kick, driving his soulbound weapon deep into the demon’s chest. A second later, his steel dagger pierced the eye of another Darkai, striking true.
The steel dagger pierced deeper, through the creature’s eye socket, landing a killing blow. But its blade cracked as David yanked it out. The demon collapsed, dragging the steel dagger with it.
He was down to one weapon. It could have been worse, but the situation could have been much better. He eliminated the last few Darkai in the immediate surroundings and breathed heavily. David was in immense pain. He bled from several deep gashes and had been badly burned as well.
The Recovery Serum has to be enough.
More demons surged past him and the other defenders, avoiding the massive Darkai. Maybe they had learned the lesson after seeing what David did, or perhaps they were too afraid to take away their superior’s prey. David picked the latter.
Three defenders attacking the Mini-Boss lay motionless. Another pair twitched on the ground, their movements weak and faltering.
Another defender received a quick claw swipe from the Mini-Boss. He tried parrying the incoming attack with his massive broadsword, but his blade was pushed aside, and his chestplate pierced. Yet, instead of crumbling, the Warrior continued moving. He acted as if the massive Darkai had never pierced his chest. His broadsword swung through the air in a beautiful arc and dug deep into the demon’s shoulder.
The Mini-Boss didn’t seem to like that. Its massive wings flapped and crashed into the Warrior, hurling him through the air. The Warrior landed hard on the bloody ground but jumped to his feet in no time. He swayed, the color in his face disappeared, and he seemed to struggle to focus on the large demon.
David emerged beside the man and used both [Cure Wounds] and [Bless] on him. This drained him a lot more than he would have liked, but a single glance at the battlefield had been enough to tell that the Warrior before him was the strongest among the batch. He was most definitely at the Bronze Rank and must have undergone his First Class Advancement.
There was another Warrior like that, but the broadsword-wielder before David was stronger…and more fearless. The man didn’t even look at him. His eyes remained locked onto his target. David could see the man’s desire burning in his eyes and could resonate with him. He felt similar. David had yet to give up.
The Warrior retrieved a small object – a crystal David recognized immediately – and put it into his mouth. He crushed the crystal and swallowed the shards in one go.
What are you doing?!
David watched the Warrior as his skin burst, a gruesome sight that made hm flinch. Blood spurted everywhere, splattering across David’s arms. He flinched but couldn’t tear his eyes away from the terrifying transformation.
The white in the man’s eyes turned red, and more blood gushed out as his muscles bulged. It almost felt like the man was expanding, like an unknown power surged through him.
“Felix swallowed the Fragment,” someone near David commented. He recognized him as one of the few Mages who’d decided to join the Mini-Boss raid.
David caught a curse.
“Fuck. He’s as good as dead then.”
The words stuck with him, gnawing at his mind.
As good as dead?
The Warrior’s veins turned purple, and his most grievous wounds started regenerating rapidlyDavid didn’t need to be a Cleric to feel the shift in the man’s presence. The vigor in his eyes intensified significantly while his posture improved. An overbearing sense of confidence and rage surged out of the man. It almost felt like David could touch it.
The broadsword-wielder was much stronger than before. His feet pressed deep into the ground, leaving behind a mark as he burled forward. Each step carried him much farther than before.
“Let’s not waste his sacrifice. Attack that damn demon!!”
David’s heart skipped a beat as confusion and excitement mixed. The scenery unfolding before him was exciting, but the words ringing in his ears were confusing.
As good as dead? Sacrifice?
The man reminded David of Melach. They weren’t of the same race, but their veins and presence looked and felt similar. Melach wasn’t as bad as the guy, but it was similar nonetheless.
Did Melach also use a Fragment of Power?
That was when David recalled the chat with Torb and Melach. Melach must have used the Fragment of Power, but before the fight started. That’s how he grew so much in such a short time.
But he said he wasn’t going to die. It didn’t feel like he was lying, either.
David shrugged. That wasn’t important right now.
He watched the Warrior sever one of the Mini-Boss’ wings while the others bombarded him with mana bullets, slashes, and deep cuts. The wounds weren’t too bad, not even losing a wing seemed like a big problem, but it was all owed to the shift of power. That was the important part.
David leaped forward and disappeared behind the remaining Warrior, catching sight of Felix, the broadsword-wielding Warrior, as he parried a claw sweep and large fireball simultaneously. David emerged, shot forward, and trusted the other warriors to block or parry the other claw coming their way. He didn’t see what was going on, but a resounding screeching rang in his ears. It brought a smile to his lips as he lowered his body to pass through underneath the demon’s arm.
The Obsidian Blade slashed into the Mini-Boss’ flesh, carving through its tough skin with ease. David dashed around the creature, forcing the blade deeper as he circled to its back. David’s wrist hurt as he kept the blade from falling out, and it got even worse as he pushed the soulbound weapon even deeper once the massive Darkai’s back was all he could see.
The Darkai’s remaining wing struck David frontally, and a crack swept through his body, causing him to be whipped from his feet.
Broken nose – probably some ribs as well. It could have been worse.
David pulled back, but he kept the weapon where it was: Stuck deep in the Mini-Boss’ back.
His heart was racing. Did his plan fail? Nothing happened for a moment. The Mini-Boss turned to David and was about to blow him into oblivion when several mana bullets crashed simultaneously into its face. The Warriors didn’t slow either. There was no time to stay idle.
They attacked the massive Darkai and inflicted light to mild wounds all over its body. However, no more serious wounds were inflicted for a good minute.
But that wasn’t necessary. David’s lips curled upward.
“It’s growing weaker!” Someone shouted, their excitement palpable.
It works!
The Obsidian Blade was still stuck in the demon’s back, and David felt grim satisfaction.
It was working, draining the demon’s blood like he’d planned.
Comments
Edward Essary III
Any more of these coming out?
small_brain_boy
Did he stop collecting the floating red balls of whatever they are? Kinda seems like he could absorb it and keep it with him like he would with his Holy Sea
