Translator: Haruto.

Over one hundred enemies stand before me.

Normally, that would mean certain death.

No one is coming to my rescue…

I’ll have to get out of this by myself.

It’d be impossible under normal circumstances.

But fret not, I’ve got a plan… Hahaha!

And my plan is…

Obtaining this forest’s mythic-class item!

It’s known as “The Talisman of Regeneration.”   

As its name implies, the talisman is capable of regenerating the wearer’s stamina, vitality, etc., when any kind of energy is poured into it.

The regeneration rate depends on the wearer’s ability level.  

Albeit, even novices can regenerate a severed arm in no more than five minutes.

Needless to say, scratches are healed in a heartbeat.   

So, basically, its main features are as follows:  

1. It can restore your stamina.
2. When regeneration is used, it strengthens your body.
3. It’s extremely cost-effective since it can use any kind of energy; malice, life energy—you name it.

Its only downside is the fact that its regeneration features are not instantaneous.

Anyways, now you know why I want to get it.

And to do so, I just have to set five small shrines scattered around the map on fire.

When all five have been ignited, they form a sort of star, and all the calamities inside it are instantly purged, becoming a Safe Zone.

Hopefully, it’ll wipe out at least half of them.

Alright, let’s get to it. I break into a run.

An hour later, only one shrine remains.

The rank-three calamity appears in front of me.  

Crap!

I’m sent flying over a hundred meters away.

“Ghaa…! Cough!”

You’ve got to be kidding me. That thing is way too strong and fast!

The good thing is that it threw me straight to the shrine.

That’s the last one.

I set it ablaze.

The flames sway back and forth, and a light extends in a single line.

Time to be purged, you bastards!

As expected, the rank-three is still alive, but at least half of the rank-five calamities disappeared.

Disregarding the pain, I muster up the strength to walk forward.

I grab the Talisman of Regeneration, shining still.  

Then, I pour life energy into it and it activates.

My body regenerates rapidly.

My muscles get stronger, and my bones get sturdier.

Alright, let’s fight.

I’ve got a Safe Zone now and I don’t need food thanks to the talisman.

Let the boss rush of hell begin.

With both blades firmly in my hands, I break into a sprint.

Facing the rank-three would mean instant death.

So I avoid it while purging as many rank-five calamities as I can.

Although, defeating rank-five calamities isn’t exactly a walk in the park either.

Still, it’s not like rank-five spirit calamities are impossible to beat.

You just have to wound them enough so that they’re incapable of healing.  

There are two ways to accomplish this:

1. Defeating them with a series of hits.
2. Defeating them with one strong hit.

The first method is a pain considering how time-consuming it is.

The second one will be hard to pull off unless I somehow manage to unlock the LV2 dual-blades skill.

Shoot, I’ve got no time to daydream.

Swarms of calamities approach me.

Alright, let’s focus on what I can actually use right now.

I’ve got Divine-Blood Strengthening, and the LV1 dual-blades skill, Circular Slash.  

Only those two.

They’re here.

The calamities swing their arms high and attack me.

I dodge, moving ever so slightly, and counterattack.

Again and again and again.

The clashing of metal echoes through the forest, accompanied by the shock waves it produces.

Whenever I sense the rank-three calamity near me, I flee.

And when I find myself surrounded, I use Circular Slash.

It allows me to reach my highest speed for a brief moment, and strike my enemies in a circular motion. Thankfully, I can use it fairly often.

However, it’s not strong enough to be a one-hit-kill attack. The calamities I wound heal right away, and while they’re progressively losing more stamina, my life energy will run out first.  

What’s more, the Talisman of Regeneration restores my fatigue but it does not suppress my pain. My mental fortitude is beginning to crumble.

I defeated many of them already, but they number over one hundred again.  

Agh, damn it. I’m trapped.  

More importantly, though…

“What the hell are you doing there, damn general?”

I sense the rank-three calamity behind me. I never once lowered my guard, and yet…

It’s too close to escape now.

“You sure had your fun, damn brat.”

Calamities who are ranked three or higher possess a certain level of consciousness and intelligence—similar to that of humans.

“Hey, you wouldn’t be so kind as to let me go, would you?”

Hiding my fear, I put on a brave face.  

“Sorry, kid. You’ve made a mess of things around here. I want you to experience a little despair before I send you to the afterlife.”  

“I’ll pass!”

Clink.

“Look at the little rascal. I suppose I’ll have to show you the difference between us.”

Without even flinching at my all-out attack, the calamity knocks me off my feet.

I go flying through the air before I even manage to register the sound of the impact.

I look at my right arm, only to find it completely severed.

Intense pain spreads throughout my body.

I restrain myself from screaming.

My vision is blurred, and all I see is red.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!!

I stop the bleeding with the Talisman of Regeneration and my arm begins to regenerate.

The pain subsides little by little.

It’ll take some time before my arm regenerates completely. How’s the rest of my body? Crap, I’ve got a few broken ribs and I can’t even lift my left arm.

I won’t be able to move right away. This might be the end.

“That’s all you’ve got? I was just getting started, though. Oh well, I must admit you may become quite a little menace later on, so I guess I’d better kill you now.”

The general raises his arm.

Imagining the pain that’s about to come, I close my eyes.

But no matter how much I wait, the pain never arrives.

What’s going on?

“Hm? An emergency meeting, you say? Can it wait until I finish this brat off? No? We must leave now? Oh well, fine.”

“Hey, make sure to kill this brat.”

All of a sudden, the general vanishes from sight, alongside the ebony calamity that must have arrived at some point.

I’m saved?

Not really, I’m still in hot water.

A flock of rank-five calamities encircles me.

“Fine, let’s do this.”

Slash, dodge, hit the ground, stand up, slash, slash, slash.

The battle rages on for three more hours.

And then, a skill pops into my head. My proficiency level rose!

Being the first time I experience this, I feel a little disoriented, but…

Dual Blades LV2 Skill, Demon Dance.

Finallyyyyyyy!!!

Demon Dance elevates the speed and power of your attacks.

With it, you can fight like a demon, and move as if you were dancing.

The problem is, when the skill is interrupted, its effects are lost, which means that if I want to make it out of here alive, I’ll have to keep fighting non-stop.

Thankfully, the Talisman of Regeneration allows me to do just that.

And its regenerative abilities are constantly improving my body’s strength and resistance.

I don’t know when this battle will finally end.

But, even so…

This experience will undoubtedly help me prepare for what’s to come.

Eventually, I’ll have to surpass and defeat that rank-three calamity general.

For the sake of rewriting the future… for the sake of protecting Amane…

Previous Chapter – Contents – Next Chapter

Consider supporting me on Buy Me a Coffee!