Chapter 26: Courage and Transformation.
"What doesn't belong here, usually belongs in another world. Those with forbidden knowledge, they do not exist as well, for only the demons here can access the Library of Sharks."
I wondered what she was talking about.
I ignored her until the Baphomet arrived. By using [Spatial Investigation], I finally saw her.
She had 2 pairs of wings. Her arms and her legs had dark green stripes. I could sense a strong presence of Magic surrounding her.
"Gotcha!!! Vixen, go get em!"
I quickly understood and ran straight outside, jumping to the net where I entered the 5th dimension. A faint then reality took over my vision.
It was almost indescribable, extremely difficult to explain.
I couldn't see a thing. I knew that my enemy was right next to me, but I couldn't attack yet..!!
I must calm down... Even this, can easily be solved with a simple solution.
I can readjust, and reconstruct my entire body to move normally again.
The structure of the 5th dimension is alien... So I'll just have to avoid it then!
"Vampier...!"
An odd voice speaks next to me. Before I can think, a jab is thrown immediately.
Dodging was easy. It appears that the Baphomet is unable to see or even think properly.
"Blood Magic: Blood Hardening."
I cover my hands in hardened blood before striking my enemy.
A quick realization that I had, when she suddenly counterattacked.
"BLUAHH-!"
I expected my enemy to be strong... But not this strong...
We exchanged punches. A cross hits my nose so I launch an uppercut to her jaw but it only slips through.
She throws a jab, but I managed to block it on time.
"GAH-! HKK-!!"
I then landed a direct blow into her face, knocking one of her teeth out.
Another surprise attack hits me when she sends a devastating punch into my liver.
I couldn't block in time. Blood rushes out, spilling down below us.
"Blood Magic: Blood Storm!
Physical Enhancement III!"
"Avvysal Majik: Rivirb Lite!!"
The Baphomet casts [Reverb Light], meanwhile, I cast [Blood Storm] and [Physical Enhancement III].
It's supposed to bring the output of my physical strengths up to 1000%, but I still can't feel anything...
Is it not working?
At this state, I must worry more about dying by magical energy rupture or by depletion of blood, rather than getting beaten to death by the Baphomet.
"HYAA-HYAHYAHYAHYAAA!!!"
She laughed sadistically right before shoving her hand into my stomach, ripping it open and making an impalement.
"Kllhhruuaaghhkk!!!"
It hurts...
The pain is overwhelming, but this allows for a trap to be initiated.
I regenerate my body, catching her hand inside my stomach before sending an [Overhand Punch], but she simply pulls out, drawing my guts along the way whilst dodging my attack, proceeding to strike multiple fists at me.
"D-du yow reilly ffink thak vi-ving stunger tha me vill work?!"
My body heals again, taking this chance, I perform a [Discharge Uppercut].
Unexpectedly, the Baphomet decides to attack instead of avoid.
She shatters my skull by landing 2 slaps on my head.
"G-guuu...!"
My eyes roll back, and I pass out for a second. The moment I regain consciousness, another swing is already coming at me.
I block, but her sudden attack still sends me flying into the air.
"Ve lizets bi wiz yuu!!"
A dangerous blow slips past my head, giving me a chance to use [540 Corkscrew Punch].
My fist collides with her face, shattering my [Hardened Blood Glove] as she's sent tunneling into the wall.
"Avvysal Majik: Jiviyn lite!!"
[Divine Light] again. How many Abyssal Magic users will cast that? I'm tired of hearing that spell again.
She tries to get up. Meanwhile, I cast [Drone Prop Attack] and [Heaven's Model], but none of them works.
Why..? Almost everything in my arsenal becomes instantly deactivated when exposed to the air.
I've noticed that healing is almost impossible now.
I fly at her, punching the wall as she ducks.
The Baphomet realizing this, uppercuts my jaw, shaking my brain aggressively, and knocking me out again.
Whilst I was still asleep, she uses [540 Corkscrew Punch], striking me in the chest, crushing my ribcage.
Her attack woke me up. Seeing another attack incoming, I quickly counterattack, blasting her off the wall.
"Blood Imitation."
The Baphomet doesn't understand what I'm doing, which gives me more advantage.
The 5th dimensional net only works as a brain damaging trap. Because we're out now, I can finally move without problem, the same goes for her though.
"U-uukk..!"
It was done within seconds. The Baphomet regenerating her extremely damaged brain, became stunned. I, who took less damage however, didn't get affected too much.
I lunge at her, landing a perfect blow into her face.
The Baphomet then hits the Monolith. Her eyes tells me that she's passed out as well.
Is it unbreakable? I'm sorry Heart, but I must test it out.
"RRRHAAAGGHHH!!!!"
I perform a [Missile Dropkick], crushing her between my feet and the Monolith.
She's still knocked out, so I struck multiple jabs, hooks, kicks, and punches into her body.
A volley of attacks renders her unable to move.
As a deathblow, I throw my fist at her face, but then she regained consciousness, dodging my attack swiftly before sending a counterattack.
"AAAGGHHH-!!"
"HHHUAA!! HAHAHAAHAHAAA!!!"
Another blow to the stomach, followed up by a punch into the skull throws me back on to ground level.
I tried to get back on my feet, but to no avail.
The Baphomet landed on the ground, shattering it in the process before walking towards me.
"GHHRRUAAAAHGHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!"
Blood is leaking out of my body. My focus has diminished.
The brain damage was too severe. I can't even stand up without wobbling around, almost falling again.
"G-GAH!!-"
I fell to my knees, vomiting blood.
"BLLUAAGH..!!!"
Ah... This pain... When was the last time I've felt this pain..?
"Ready to give up, Vampire? My regenerative abilities are far better than yours. My brain will be fixed, meanwhile... Yours won't!!"
Huh..? Brain..?
I was still dizzy, but she still jumped forwards to attack.
A hook to my face sends me stumbling backwards.
"KHH!!!"
I stomped my feet in an attempt to remain standing.
Suddenly, I remembered that Blood Magic is my specialty. Healing myself will be easy. Though, the brain will still be unhealable.
Hmmm... No no no... I can use [Revitalize] while constantly recovering my blood and Magical Energy. This way, both brain and body will be fixed.
"HAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
She laughed maniacally, punching my face with the intent to kill.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 18, 30, her punches are getting faster each hit. At this rate, I'm going to be damaged faster than I can heal.
And then there was hope. Or rather, there was Heart.
"5th dimensional gate: open!!"
My vision goes dark again. Luckily, I've already expected this. Since we're on ground level, no way that my allies wouldn't help.
I punch the Baphomet with all my strength, sending her crashing into the ground.
"Aak-! AAHH-!! AAK-!"
I continued punching her in the face.
Blood splattered every punch, which only gave me more energy to use.
"Blood Hardening."
"DIFINE MAJICK: SHADOW FRACTURE!!"
I was caught off guard as a large spike impales me through the stomach before I could even throw another punch.
"Ah, shit... Vixen, Free will be here soon! Hold off the Baphomet for a while, until she arrives!"
I see... But why do I need to wait for her?
"You vools half really angried me!! You all shack repeat!!"
I'm losing blood each second. When will she arrive?
As Heart watches me trying to pull myself off the spike, another person breaks through the walls, holding a familiar object.
"Vixen!!! Your weapon is here!!!"
It's Fiya. She's holding Divine Intervention.
"Kekeke..!!! No matter w-what you do... Y-You're still gonna lose..!!"
Heart looks at the Baphomet. Her face clearly showing disappointment, and dissatisfaction.
"How did you recover from my attack? The 5th dimensional gates should still be active right now."
Out of nowhere, the Baphomet changes expressions.
"O-oh that..?!! Grr...!!! Impudent little bastards!! My only mission in this world is to save it from it's imminent downfall..!! Who in their right minds would try to stop me from doing so?!?!"
Actually, I've already figured out her plan right from the start. But first, I must focus on surviving and saving the rest of the demons here.
Fiya throws Divine Intervention at me, which I quickly use to break the spike impaling my body before shooting the Baphomet.
A large explosion occurs.
After a few minutes of coughing, a figure emerges from the flames.
"Cough cough cough..!! Is this all you've got?!! Hehehehe...!!! Perhaps I've overestimated you guys!!!"
The moment she reappeared, she immediately threw a punch, which I narrowly avoided.
"HRYYAAAGHHH!!!"
Multiple punches were sent, hitting Divine Intervention out of my hand. In an attempt to fight back, I began punching as well.
Suddenly, my regenerative abilities stopped working.
"5th dimensional gate: open!!"
Heart opened up another 5th dimensional gate, but the Baphomet still showed no signs of stopping.
She stared at me with intense bloodlust.
I thought that no one had evil intent anymore. But it seems that the Baphomet wasn't even on that continent.
Wait... This strength... No way that this is really the Baphomet...
She's Cat?!
"FGHHHRRRRRAAAAGHHH!!!"
A powerful punch tears off my arm.
"Toi Muay Imitation."
To counterattack, I swiftly move in between her punches to send a [Spinning Elbow] into her face.
She dodges it and punches my stomach, so I kneed her as she ducked.
Her skull caves in. The attack was better than what I've expected.
It's clear that we've been heavily weakened. There's only one way to win now.
"Dragging out this fight will be useless.
Highland Triangle Imitation."
I gained a sharp blade as a replacement for my lost arm.
The Baphomet seeing this, quickly charges forward. She throws a fist into my face, but I slash at her arm before she could do so.
My blades meant nothing however, when she just broke it by sending a [Chop], tearing off my new weapon.
Another [Chop] goes through my collarbone, stunning me for a few seconds.
"VIXEN!!!!"
Fiya rushes forward in an attempt to help me, but she is simply kicked away by the Baphomet.
"Blood Hardening."
With the last supplies of Blood that I have left, I create a sword.
The Baphomet quickly regains footing and lunges towards me, sending an uppercut, which I dodged swiftly, but then she hits me with a hook using the same hand.
I swing my sword into her stomach, but she effortlessly grabs it, crushing it bare-handed.
She throws a jab, followed up with a hook, and then 2 more jabs.
I narrowly dodge them, sending another blow into her stomach.
I perform a [Downward Jumping Elbow], breaking her spine.
Then, another [Chop] goes through my arm, cutting it off.
"Blood Hardening."
I've noticed that we're not even healing anymore.
I've casted [Blood Hardening] on my legs, my only weapon for now.
"Vampire... I never expected you to fight this desperately... Not to worry though, I'll get Free out of here. It seems that the Baphomet has already figured out my ways of attacking, so, good luck."
Says Heart, as she takes Fiya back into their house.
The Baphomet swings her hand from above, throwing a punch without technique.
Seeing this clear sign of exhaustion, I kick her fist, brutally crushing her hand.
Her eyes opens widely.
Looks like she failed to realize that one of my legs weren't even damaged this entire fight, until now.
"HGRRRRGGGGHHH!!"
I follow up my kick, hitting her in the face.
She steps sideways, struggling to even stand as blood leaks out like a fountain in her face.
I knee her in the stomach, but she grabs my leg, hugging it and putting me in a lock.
I kick and kick, but she wouldn't budge.
It wasn't long until my leg broke. The pain overwhelms, and I pass out for a second, but as I regain consciousness, she's already holding my other leg.
With the final kick, I crush her face, unrecognizable.
She loses hold of my leg, staying on the ground as I get up, before stomping her with a slight jump.
Blood splatters everywhere.
"Phew... Finally...."
I fall to the ground, victorious.
I can finally rest...
Or so I thought.
"HRRGHHAAAAGHHKK!!"
The Baphomet rises upright. Her body has regenerated in just a few seconds.
The battle's not over yet?
I cast [Spatial Investigation] to find out that the Magical Energy in the air has been reduced by 94%, probably by Heart. A strange, foreign particle is also present.
Soul Nullification..?
Did Heart put some of her Soul Nullification techniques in the air? How did she even do that?
"GRRRHAA...!!!! Hah.....!! You thought you've already won..?"
"Sigh... I didn't want to use this..."
"Our Goals don't even differ that much, Vampire...! May I ask a question before we get back to killing each other?
Why are you doing this? You wish to save the world right? That's our job as well!!"
"Your job is to keep this world still. I'll bring world peace, and raise humanity up into a new age... Or something."
Well. My actual goals are to save myself from the Holy Kingdoms, and bring peace into this world again.
I don't really care that much about the balance of this world, I just want to live peacefully.
"Well then. You don't have enough blood to fight back anymore. So just sit down and die peacefully. This place is the Heart of Heaven. It belongs to angels, not demons. So just know that the angels will be thanking you later..!!"
"But you're not an angel are you? Why are you even here? The angels are dead, Cat."
"S-surprised you figured it out..! The angels aren't dead however. This place is the first step in reviving them. This place is the Heart of Heaven, the sacred place for resurrections."
I've been casting a ton of spells and imitating multiple things while talking to her.
This whole conversation was a distraction, I can finally use it now.
"Alright alright. Enough talk. Time to die now."
"Heh. You've been blabbering on and on. Didn't you know that that's how most villains lose?!!"
The only reason why I never used [Blood Banishment] and [Blood Reformation] in this entire fight was so I could use my new ultimate spell.
"Six-eyed Avian. Banished. Bezalel."
Chanting was necessary for this spell, since it's just a mix of many imitations.
"Channel, Benevolent Blood Eagle."