No Time-Outs in Battle

Azu spat out the blood pooling in her mouth.

She hadn't taken a hit from the Blood Knight.

She was getting used to the strain of the power, but that didn't make it any easier.

The more she pushed the output, the more she felt something vital draining away.

Yet at the same time, the more it drained, the more her strength drew closer to the Blood Knight's.

She was finally no longer being overpowered.

Azu put everything into a full swing, and her sword knocked the Blood Knight's blade aside.

"Ngh!"

For the first time, the Blood Knight took a step back.

Before his deflected sword could return, she thrust at his face.

The Blood Knight tried to block the thrust with his left hand, but it didn't stop. It pierced straight through and reached his helmet.

Now. She poured every last drop of power into the Sealed Sword Grungaus.

She extended her right arm to its absolute limit and released the energy there, blowing off the Blood Knight's left hand and helmet together.

The force sent the Blood Knight flying. A cloud of dust rose and obscured him.

She pulled the power back and suppressed it.

The strain had pushed her body dangerously close to its limit.

A violent cough wracked her, and when she raised the back of her right hand to her mouth, it came away bloody.

Her breathing was ragged and wouldn't steady.

Her legs gave out, and she sank down, using her sword for support.

Still gasping, she watched the Blood Knight.

She'd felt a solid hit. That strike should have packed serious force.

The dust cleared, and there stood the Blood Knight.

He'd driven his sword into the ground and was dusting himself off with his free right hand.

His left hand was gone from the wrist down.

But that was the extent of the damage she'd dealt.

The Blood Knight's helmet was shattered, exposing his face.

It was a black, shadow-like face.

Where his eyes should have been, there were red circles.

"Splendid. That was a fine blow."

She couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, but she could hear it.

Azu mustered what strength she had left and stood.

Her legs were trembling. If she used the power one more time, it would endanger her life.

"Oh, it seems my shadow has been defeated. Your companions are quite skilled. Even though I gave it a fair amount of strength."

With that, the Blood Knight walked toward Azu.

The spiked armor that had covered him was almost entirely destroyed by Azu's attacks.

"Good grief. Not even on a battlefield has my armor been this thoroughly demolished."

The Blood Knight shed what remained of his armor.

She hadn't been able to tell at first, but like his face, his entire body was made of shadow.

He held only a sword.

The armor had never meant much to the Blood Knight in the first place.

It was a plaything, mimicking the form he'd worn in life.

His left hand, which Azu had blown off, had already regenerated.

"Ah, this? Ever since this body became what it is, boundaries ceased to matter."

New arms sprouted from the Blood Knight's back.

Each new arm already gripped a sword.

"Something like this. Amusing, isn't it?"

Azu didn't answer. She had no strength to spare for that.

She endured the ache in her lungs and drew a deep breath.

A little strength returned to her hands.

She exhaled.

Her whole body hurt. But she could still fight.

The color of Azu's right eye shifted to rainbow.

"You can still go? Magnificent. You will surely become a fine warrior. If you survive this!"

All four arms raised their swords.

Ironically, the figure resembled the corpse of the Sun God's apostle she'd seen in the Ruined Heim Catacombs.

But she felt no fear. Azu's mind had drawn infinitely close to the realm of no-self.

She traced the Ash King's stance.

Even her thoughts were growing hazy.

Still, her body reproduced the movements it had memorized.

One step forward.

Four swords descended upon her.

Optimal. Minimal.

The movements the Ash King would have made. The movements the Black Knight had hammered into her.

She deflected the first slash.

Parried the second.

Met the third with her blade and neutralized it, then closed in before the fourth could reach her.

"Oho!"

It was a cry of admiration.

The Blood Knight moved to follow up immediately, but Azu swung even faster.

Had that blow landed cleanly, combined with the Sealed Sword Grungaus's power, it would have felled the Blood Knight.

In exchange, every last drop of Azu's strength would have been drained, killing her in the process.

Azu's consciousness gave out a fraction of a second before the strike connected. Her body followed through, but the Sealed Sword Grungaus didn't respond, dealing only moderate damage as Azu crumpled to the ground.

"Magnificent. So close. Though, had it connected fully, you would have spent everything and died. We met a bit too soon for you."

The Blood Knight said this as he aimed his sword at the unconscious Azu's neck.

He brought it down.

But the blade never reached her.

"This is… water?"

A membrane of water blocked the Blood Knight's sword, shielding Azu.

The Water Elemental appeared.

"Beloved by a spirit. The power of a Creator King's Apostle and a spirit's protection on top of it. How enviable."

Four swords battered the water barrier over and over.

Little by little, the blades crept closer to Azu.

"But it seems fate has not chosen you."

One sword finally broke through.

A pale hand shot out from the side and seized the blade.

The edge sliced into the hand, staining it with blood, but the sword was stopped.

Held fast by brute force, frozen in place just in front of Azu's head.

"That was close. And ow."

The one who'd saved Azu at the last possible moment was Elza.

"A priestess of the Creator King."

The remaining three swords swung toward Elza.

"Ah, this is bad. Could you hold on a sec?"

"What fool calls for a time-out in the middle of a fight?"

"She has a point!"

Alexia's battle-axe smashed away the swords aimed at Elza.

"I'm impressed you made it in time, Elza."

"Y-Yeah. But this hurts, so can you do something about it soon?"

Alexia severed the Blood Knight's arm, and Elza released the sword.

Her hand was slashed and covered in blood.

Half in tears, Elza healed herself.

"How did you get here? I sealed the path."

"Don't underestimate adventurers."

Kazusa called out from where she'd hidden herself at a distance.

After defeating the Blood Knight's shadow, they'd found it suspicious that Azu hadn't returned. Kazusa had scoured the area inch by inch and discovered a faint distortion.

The instant they arrived, Elza had sprinted to shield Azu from danger.

"Now then. It seems our dear little leader has been put through quite the ordeal. Allow me to return the favor."

"How entertaining. Today is a good day."