Ghost vs. Ghost ③

Is this not excessive?

It's cheating, isn't it?

Red liquid rushes toward me.

Melting the surrounding trees as it advances.

Likely a corrosive attack—yet the speed at which the wood dissolves is abnormal.

Form disintegrates from the point of contact. By the time the liquid passes, the wood is completely dissolved.

Contact with something like that would be dangerous, even for my defense.

It assaults from all directions—unrestrained, relentless.

The liquid moves with total freedom, as it has no fixed form.

And its speed is unexpectedly high.

I evade the crimson wave while launching the Shattering Blade.

Five blades fired simultaneously strike the girl—halted just short by a thick wall of red liquid.

This is it.

An attack so difficult to counter, yet it can also serve as defense.

A portion of the explosive blade's force can be dispersed, but it replenishes almost immediately.

The explosive blade on my side has limited reserves. Overuse is not feasible.

The opponent, however, can continue indefinitely as long as MP remains.

Even that MP appears bottomless.

It recovers rapidly with each use.

To target MP depletion, a prolonged engagement must be anticipated.

I may need to forge new magical swords on the fly during battle, not just rely on stored ones.

That was my thought—yet the opponent shows no intention of engaging in a long-term fight.

The girl's shadow expands dramatically. From within, a crimson-black figure resembling a wolf emerges.

One of the vampire's abilities: Shadow Beast.

『Shadow Beast LV—

Status

HP: 3000/3000 (Green)

MP: 1/1 (Blue)

SP: 2500/2500 (Yellow)

HP: 2500/2500 (Red)

Average Attack: 3000

Average Defense: 2500

Average Magic: 1

Average Resistance: 1500

Average Speed: 3000

Skills

"Decimation Boost LV2" "Blunt Strike Boost LV1" "Slash Boost LV3" "Pierce Boost LV1" "Shock Boost LV1" "Corrosive Attack LV8"

Wait.

Is this not too strong?

This is far stronger than any monster I'd normally encounter...

The fact that it possesses even a single skill is surprising.

And yet, I thought it was only one—then shadows begin emerging from the darkness, one after another.

Eight Shadow Beasts line up before the girl.

At the moment she raises her hand, they launch forward as if repelled.

A crimson wave and the red-black Shadow Beasts strike simultaneously.

No. Avoiding this is impossible.

After barely evading the crimson wave, shadow beasts surge forward.

Unable to respond in time, a shadow beast bites into flesh.

Cut down the beast that lunged, then strike the remaining attackers with lightning.

At the next moment, water falls from above.

A simultaneous burning sensation across the skin.

Damage received after a long time.

But not unbearable.

No acid resistance, yet self-defense capabilities reduce impact significantly.

Release lightning and flame energy, repelling the red water clinging to the body.

As long as not continuously exposed, this will not result in a fatal injury.

The girl understands this.

That is why her gaze remains fixed on me.

On the eyes imbued with forbidden power.

Eyes of cursed resentment and frozen stillness.

The effect is that each cursed eye absorbs my HP, MP, and SP.

I possess a skill called "Cursed Resentment," which has a similar effect—but while their eyes absorb power merely by sight, my skill requires physical contact to activate.

Being able to absorb through sight alone—seems a bit overpowered.

In return, the amount absorbed appears limited; my HP remains largely unchanged.

The stillness eye induces paralysis—a status effect.

Both are problematic, but stillness is especially dangerous.

Paralysis renders one completely unable to act.

I’ve resisted so far, but over time, the effect may accumulate and trigger paralysis.

Worst case, as mentioned earlier, I could be subjected endlessly to that crimson wave.

Even so, I will die someday.

Die.

Wait.

I should want to die.

Yet I am thinking about winning.

Why?

Ignoring the confusion within, my body moves on its own.

I charge forward, accepting damage, cutting down the Shadow Fiend.

The Crimson Tide strikes as the Shadow Fiend occupies my attention.

My body is consumed, melted.

I blast it away with thunder and flame.

Hmm?

Output is weak?

I snap to attention, checking the Thunder Blade and Flame Blade.

Both blades are half-melted, their durability significantly reduced.

I’ve been defeated.

My body endured, but not the weapons I wield.

Whether it was intentional or not, weapon destruction is unfavorable for me.

Unfavorable, but not the worst outcome.

Channel MP into the Lightning Blade and the Flame Blade.

Repair.

The skill level of Illusory Weapon Forging has increased. I can now repair my magic swords.

This means the Lightning and Flame Blades can still be used.

But lost MP cannot be ignored.

Illusory Weapon Forging is convenient, yet consumes MP at a high rate.

Repeated repairs are not feasible.

In this case, prolonged combat disadvantages me.

To win without activating Wrath, I must close the distance before MP is depleted.

I must use other magic swords stored in the alternate dimension without hesitation.

She is that strong.

Holding back is not an option.

The girl summons Shadow Demon again.

She commits fully to long-range combat.

Then I must focus on how to close the gap.

Again.

Again I am thinking about how to win.

If the girl is strong enough, she will kill me.

That should be fine.

It should have been fine, shouldn't it?

Why am I still thinking about winning?

With conflict in my mind, I charged toward the girl.