Chương 427: Chapter 400. Anticlimactic

"Haah... Haah..." I could hear his breathing after the explosion. It sounds like I made the right decision about attacking him. The smoke caused by the explosion was beginning to fade, I could start to make out his figure." Haah... Haah..."" A... A scratch?" I was surprised by what I saw, he was breathing somewhat intensely, but all I could see was a bloody scratch on his cheek from the explosion...

"!" No... I'm wrong, the tonfa on his left arm... It's gone. He must've defended himself against my claws with it." Yes... A scratch, but it did knock the wind out of me. Really clever, Ms. Garrett. Instead of blocking or dodging, countering while I was sure I'd be able to land an attack. You humans always do have little tricks and schemes, don't you?"" Well, we're not the only ones with little tricks, you think I haven't noticed your missing tonfa?"

"?" / clack. / He lifted his fist to show that he still had the handle in the grip of his hand. He wiggled his hand before throwing the handle on the ground." Yeah, well, it was needed. That attack would've really hurt. But don't feel bad about it." / zhoom! /" It's not like I don't have more." He smiled and summoned another tonfa to his hand. This one though, instead of pale-green, was light-yellow." Do they all come in different colors? Or is that one just special?"" All weapons are special to their users.

In fact, losing one of my tonfa is like having one of your hands or feet crushed."" Well I'm not going to let that happen!" I retook my stance and activated Mana Claws again." Yeah... Those claws, they're quite a problem. Let's see if they'll still serve you well moving forward!" / Thump! / / thump! / We both jump, only he's chasing me now. I need to stick on the outside of his range and look for a moment to strike. I can even launch my claws again, but I need to time it right.

He'll be able to dodge if I don't time him right." Running away are we?"" Why would I just stand still when someone's chasing me while using weapons!?"" Well, even with that!" / Rumble! /" What!?" As Sarn was talking, he quickly changed his footwork to chase me down! He's gaining on me!" Even with that, your footwork is lacking for a hand to hand combatant." / Clunk! SWOOSH! CRASH! / pain... I was able to get my guard up before he smashed a tonfa into my head. The power of the swing sent me flying again.

I couldn't stop myself from flying into a tree... And then another tree. And then another. On and on until the momentum died off and I landed on the ground on my back. My back was hurting, but I knew I could still move. I quickly stood back up, it was then that I was surprised by how far I was sent flying away. I'm back where the kids and the old dead Demon are. I could see the trail of broken trees and squashed bushes from where I came from.

I could see Sarn beginning to walk through the forest and make his way to me. / CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANK! /" AH!" Just as I was thinking about what to do next when Sarn made his way to me, the sounds of metal clashing against metal filled my ears, they were coming from my right side. I looked around to see if I could find what it was that was making that noise, it wasn't long before I found the source of the sound. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road.

Please report it. / CRASH! /" Hah!" The Demon that Laura was fighting had just come crashing through a tree, I saw that he was somewhat bruised and covered in dirt and mud. He kept his focus on the direction he just came from. Eventually, I could see Laura walking out of the forest clad in Mana that looked like a white robe that a member of a church's clergy would be wearing. Floating above her head was a thin halo that was shifting from one color to the next.

It was rotating and gaining speed, to the point that it looked like Laura would start a tornado above her head if the halo spun any faster." You acted so confidently, Dale. I thought you'd be able to offer me more of a challenge."" Relax, girl. I'm just getting started!." Laura's opponent stood back up and gripped his scimitar tightly. He was posed to pounce and try and attack Laura, until he was distracted by a different noise. / CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

/ Another frenzy of metal clashing against metal rang out, only this time to the left of us. I looked and saw that it was Lucy and the Demon woman she had chosen to fight. They were going back and forth in a frenzy of daggers and what looked like tomahawk axes. They were moving quite fast and I couldn't tell who was winning, however, Lucy was clearly being pushed back, most likely from the strength of the Demon woman more so than anything. / CLANG! /" That's more like it, human!"" Shut up, spider freak!"" Hahaha!

You're a fun one!" Lucy and the Demon were insulting each other with each swing of their weapons. Eventually, Lucy jumped back away from the Demon to catch her breath. It was in this moment of reprieve, I realized that the Demon woman wasn't using that staff... I wonder what that means? My thoughts were interrupted though, by none other than the Demon woman, she began to mock Lucy again." What? Tired already? I'm barely getting started!"" Magda, I see you're still not taking this seriously."" Hm? Oh, Greg.

You look dirty. Is the Human really giving you that much of an issue? Want to switch? That Mana Robe looks interesting! I bet I could make a replica with some time."" No, She's mine."" Hm... Oh! Magda, Dale. Good to see you're doing well... Except for you, Dale."" Oh really? Am I just imagining the blood on your cheek, Sarn?"" Well I'm not covered in dirt, Dale. Looks like we're both having a good battle. To think Greg thought this assignment was going to be boring... Speaking of which...

He's the only one missing isn't he? I wonder what he's doin- / THOOOMMMMM! / Everyone looked away from their enemies as we looked to the North where a big black tower of smoke could be seen in the forest. And not just that, but I can see something in the sky... It's coming towards us! No! It's coming towards me! / thump! / I quickly moved out of the way of the object. I quickly put myself side to side with Lucy. Before long, I could see that it was going to crash in the exact spot I was in.

Lucy and I simply looked at each other for a moment before the sound of the object startled everyone present. / CRASH! /" Ah.... Ah...."" Oh, speak of the devil, Sarn. Here he is."" Is he alive?" I asked the question on everyone's mind... Except for that Demon woman. Our answer came quite quickly. / Thump! /" That fucking hurt, GIRL!" The Demon jumped up onto his feet and let loose a scream filled with rage and pain to the North of where we were.

Now that I get a good look at this one, he was the most damaged Demon. Skin was missing on his forearms as blood seemed to be staining the metal armor he was wearing. Looking at his head, I could see that his hair looked as if it was burned off. Jaime's been busy. / Rumble! Swoosh! / Just as I thought about her, Jaime came flying down towards us on top of what looked like a cloud. I could see her eyes darting as she seemed to be piecing together the current situation." I'm going to kill you for that!""

No, you won't." To the Demon's rage filled scream, Jaime calmly responded to him." You won't be so calm, when I pull your intestines out of your stomach, girl!"" You've already seen what happens when you get close, are you sure you want to try that again, Demon?" Again, Jaime just calmly responded to the Demon. What the heck did she actually do? I mean, I guess it must've been some kind of Fire Spell... But I've never seen her use it before. / Whack! /" Ow!"" Calm yourself, Greg.

If you get lost in your rage, you'll only make mistakes that get you killed." The Demon listened to what Sarn had said, but he looked as if he was asked to swallow some kind of bitter food." Sarn? Wha... Oh... Right... I got sent flying didn't I? She... She led me into a trap... She set a Spell to-"" That doesn't matter! Get yourself together! We can't afford to lose ourselves!" The Demon went bug eyed as he was reprimanded. At the very least, this all gave me a moment to catch my breath.

Jaime quickly dismounted her cloud and stood next to Lucy and I. Laura and her opponent weren't all that far from the Demons. We need to get over there quickly. Before they do something to her." Enough of this! You want to list complaints!? Do it after we're done here!" The Demon looked away from Sarn and focused back on Jaime. I could already feel Jaime beginning to channel her Mana to cast some manner of Spell. But what came next was a somewhat strange turn of events. / BOOM!

/ A loud sound, like a firework, took our attention again. We looked up to the sky to see black and red smoke coming from the East." Dammit!" The Demon Jaime was beating screamed to the heavens as he saw the smoke." Well, I guess that's the end of it! / / WOOOSH! /" NO!" Kick! GRIP! The Demon woman made a comment and then she threw the 2 tomahawks she had in her hands at the kids in the Magic Circle. All 4 of us Humans quickly rushed to stop them.

By the time Lucy had hit one of the tomahawks out of the air with one of her daggers and I caught one in midair, we all looked to where the Demons were, and they were gone..." I can't sense them... How can I not sense them?" Jaime spoke up, We've been guided here because of her Mana Sensing Abilities, and I know at the very least that Sarn has some Mana, seeing as he was teleporting those tonfa into his hands... But she can't seem to find them anymore? How could they cloak themselves like that?

There's so many questions that we have no answers to. The only thing we did know the answer to, was what was next for us. One turn of our heads and we saw them, the kids still trapped in the Mind Magic Circle. And the body of the Demon that trapped them there.