Chapter 8

this is a fictional story by realTensai

The medium-sized white house was now in sight, and Alvis came to a halt. Before he would continue to march towards his sweet sweet home, he would use the first thing he bought.

Alvis rummaged in his bag and took some garlic out.

“I hope this isn’t just a mythos.”

Well, he had read about it in books and also checked it on the internet so it should be true.

Alvis wrinkled his nose as the pungent scent of garlic reached his nostrils.

“If even I don’t like this smell, it better have to knock out a vampire!”

He gulped before he closed his eyes, grimacing as he rubbed the cloves vigorously against his clothing, the coarse texture lingering on his fingertips. The foul stench clung to him like a persistent shadow and vomit pushed its way to Alvis’ throat. Yet he didn’t stop there. Holding his breath, Alvis poured some garlic sauce over himself and as soon as he inhaled again, the vomit almost left his mouth, but he gulped it down. However, his twisting stomach and the awful smell were small sacrifices for the imminent battle.

“This was the easy part.”

He shook his head, ready to go on. Instead of heading towards the front entrance, he opted to go around to the back of his house. He turned his head left to right, swung his eyes to observe everything and anything, yet he caught no one.

“Good.”

After he was sure that none of his neighbors were watching, Alvis took out another thing he had bought.

It was petrol.

Alvis couldn’t even laugh, thinking about what he was about to do. No matter how one saw it, it was insane. Just thinking about his parents’ reaction had every hair of his stand-up. But thinking about their death had his heart in shambles. Through those restarts, Alvis’ priorities had shifted tremendously. He had no right to restrain himself and think about damage minimization if his and his parents’ deaths were on the other side of the scale. That was why he didn’t even blink an eye to carry out his plan.

Alvis was about to set his own house on fire!

He already weighed off the pros and cons and concluded that burning off his house was the best thing to do. It was the best way to force the assassin out and also damage him. It would also turn the attention of the neighbors to his house and not make them notice the other things he was about to do. So he saw no reason not to do it. Of course, his house contained valuable stuff like his inventions and was the place they lived in, yet this didn’t stop him.

We’ll only have to pay a skilled mage to repair it.

Alvis poured the petrol on his house, still swinging his head left to right every few seconds. After pouring several liters of petrol on his house, he now only had to set it on fire. But before that, he sent his parents a message stating that he was safe. He didn’t want them to think he was in the fire if they came back early again.

After he sent the message, Alvis began. He closed his eyes, turning his gaze within on his mana, feeling its strength. Only now, when he focused on it, he felt how the energy filled his entire body with life. Since the start of the time loop, his mana had grown by ten stat points. Together with his endurance, it grew the most. So he would use it to the fullest!

All it took was for him to imagine it, and roaring flames appeared. Even Alvis gasped at how easy it went.

The leveling of my basic mana manipulation skill already shows.

He didn’t need many flames to set his entire house ablaze because of the petrol he had spread. The flames danced voraciously, consuming his sanctuary. The crackling inferno painted his home in shades of orange and red. Embers whirled into the night, a fiery spectacle fueled by Alvis’ determination. The acrid scent of burning wood and melting possessions assaulted his nostrils, a bitter reminder of the sacrifices made for the coming confrontation. It was with the smoke causing him to cough that he got out of his daze and remembered what he had to do next.

Not wasting more time, he sprinted off.

Alvis ran as fast as he could to get to his destination. Only in that abandoned alley could he fight the assassin with no problems. It was also the spot where he would meet with him.

Because of the restart in which he went to Dane, Alvis knew the assassin had some kind of tracking ability. That was why he knew he would follow him.

And as soon as Alvis entered the alley, the mighty pressure of the assassin weighed down on him. Even though Alvis had felt his malicious killing intent so often, his body reacted the same. He started shaking as cold sweat formed on his body and his knees almost succumbed to the pressure. It was as if an icy hand gripped his heart and squashed it with no remorse. Alvis didn’t have to turn around to know that he was standing behind him. Yet he still did it so they could settle this one and for all.

Turning around, Alvis saw the man who had killed him three times. His red clothes had more than a few burned spots on them and his hat didn’t look nearly as clean as last time. He had visible brand marks, but Alvis also saw how they slowly started vanishing.

Damned regeneration abilities!

Judging by his expression, it was safe to say he didn’t quite enjoy the flame party Alvis invited him to. Just that put a smile on Alvis’ face. Though he shouldn’t rejoice too soon, with the hard part still before him.

The assassin locked his yellow eyes on Alvis, not hiding his frustration. It was obvious that things didn’t go as planned for him. Never would he have thought that Alvis would come prepared. However, Alvis thought he would be even more surprised.

“I see. Someone must have leaked the information to you. But even though you know I want to kill you, you are here trying to fight me. How foolish! You think this little fire and your disgusting stench would be enough to defeat me?”

So he noticed the garlic smell.

“Well, I hope so. But the fire was more so to get you out of my house and let the neighbors have something to worry about. I don’t want someone to interrupt our little date here.”

The assassin just laughed. His shrieking laugh resounded through the alley, but no one but Alvis heard it.

“You arrogant human! Even the Devil won’t be able to save you now!”

Suddenly, the pressure emitting from him increased. It was as if a switch flipped and he turned on the killer mode.

Ah shit, here we go again.

Before the assassin could attack, Alvis forced out the remaining garlic he had and threw it around. He heated them a bit so that their smell was even stronger. The assassin halted in his steps and was visibly shaken. No matter how strong he was, garlic was something that attacked his very genetics.

“Y-You bastard!”

However, it seemed like he had done a lot of resisting training because even though the garlic stench was so strong, he could still move. But Alvis already knew garlic would not be enough to defeat him.

That was why he took out the last two things he had bought. It was a wooden pole and a UV flashlight. Those two things were his key to victory.

When the vampire saw how Alvis took those two things out, his expression turned cold, his eyebrows knitted.

“You are a threat!”

With the UV flashlight, Alvis had something that could overpower the vampire’s regeneration ability. Just like garlic, sunlight was something that attacked a vampire’s very genetics. Back in the day, thousands of years ago, sunlight was enough to kill a vampire. Nowadays, through evolution and mana abilities, vampires sort of became resistant to sunlight. They wouldn’t die if sunlight hit them, but it still weakened them.

But what about highly concentrated UV light?!

With a haughty grin, Alvis stared at the flashlight that would be an indispensable tool for him. But even though it seemed like the assassin was at a disadvantage, his confident look didn’t waver once. He seemed surprised about Alvis’ preparation, but not afraid.

So you’re still confident about beating me.

As if to confirm Alvis’ thoughts, he let off a wave of pure mana.

It was as if gravity increased, as he had to face this incredible power. Alvis felt the weight of an invisible force pressing down on him, his knees trembling involuntarily. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, each drop a testament to the immense strain of the uncontrollable surge of energy.

But Alvis gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

“As if I would give in!”

Confident, he matched the assassin’s gaze and also started radiating mana. With his mana at 71 stat points, he didn’t have to worry about wasting it. He just let the violent beast within him free.

The air crackled with electric tension as their mana clashed. Dust on the street got picked up and even the bag Alvis had kept his stuff in flew away.

Their fight was about to start!