100

Duke swung his sword, Yuusha evaded the attack. He retaliated and punched, Duke Obata's face crumpled but it quickly healed. The distance between them closed when Yuusha punched. This gave Obata a chance to slash him. Yuusha was sliced on the chest. 

He groaned, surprised that Obata easily regained his focus. He was sure he gave him a good hit on the face. 

Obata didn't stop there, he lifted his sword and slashed him. Yuusha went full force, he would die if he didn't. His Arua Blade spun and Obata's weapon cracked defending the attack. 

Yuusha put distance, his enemy was a Master. Obata's face bled but all of his wounds closed. He was like an immortal warrior. 

He looked at the entrance to the basement.

"Did you touch it, my masterpiece!?"

His teeth were gritting because of hatred. He stared at Yuusha. His weapon broke but he could still use the blade attached to the hilt. It was short but not that he cared. 

Yuusha panted, the cut on his chest healed. He recalled the monstrosity that he saw in the basement. He believed that that thing was Obata meant by saying masterpiece. He shivered, that thing is not a masterpiece, it was an abomination. 

He gulped, his throat dried because of too much moving and he even puked earlier. 

"Are you the one who did that?"

Yuusha asked the Duke.

"So you really know. Yes, I did that masterpiece, isn't it lovely? The bodies of people attached to each other. It's like the creation of Goddess. I heard the Woman of Abomination was the most disgusting creature, but I believe my creation beat her in that aspect!"

Obata smiled, a disturbing smile. This man was crazy. A lunatic.

Yuusha made a decision, no matter what happened, he must kill Obato here and now. Or else he would spread nightmare to the whole Continent. 

Yuusha dashed, his body covered with white. Obata dashed at the same time, their speed was the same. They got close and attacked each other. 

Yuusha gave a spinning kick, Obata was struck on the cheek but he quickly recovered. He stabbed Yuusha's leg.

"Kuck!"

Yuusha stumbled, this lunatic was numb to every attack he did, he put a great strength on that kick but the Duke quickly recovered. This was his first time fighting a Healing Mahikero. Now he knew the reason why many people were afraid of fighting them. Their wounds and injuries healed, making them immortals. 

Thankfully, Yuusha had the same ability as him. His healing capability was slower compared to Obata but it was enough. 

He endured the pain in his leg because Obata was coming. The Duke slashed him, Yuusha got nothing to do except use his arms to defend. His arms received a slash. It was fortunate that Obata's blade was short so he didn't cut his arms off. 

"Gah!"

Yuusha endured his wounded body and held Obata's feet. He grasped it tightly, his other hand formed a fist, he hit his ankle. The attack cracked the Duke's bones, Duke Obata screamed, he felt that one. 

He couldn't control his balance and fell. The bones in his ankle would take a minute to fully heal. 

Yuusha didn't let this chance go by. He slowly stood, his arms glowed charging power for another Aura Blade. 

"Fuck it!"

Duke Obata cursed, he couldn't escape this incoming attack. He didn't have a choice but to use the artifact he got from the Temple of Light. He was frustrated, he wanted to save this artifact cause he needs its energy to awaken his masterpiece. 

He closed his eyes and took a small cube out of his pocket. He cracked the cube. The light shone upon them, everything the light touched disintegrated. 

"Aaaahhhhhh!!!!!"

The two men, who were closed to the light burned. Their skin melted and their flesh visible. Part of the room was destroyed because of the light. The Duke forced his mana to circulate. 

He fought the burning sensation and grabbed the light. He grunted but he endured it. He didn't let go of the light even though it was burning his palm. 

He stood and saw that Yuusha was toasted by the light. He was breathing but gravely injured. Duke Obata didn't care about him, his masterpiece was more important than killing this man. 

The path to the basement cracked but not fully destroyed. His hand shuddering, the light was burning his hand. But he persevered because his goal was near. His creation would be realized if he put this light inside. 

'I gave my soul to the Apostle just to make an artificial life. It's my dream since I was a child. Time by time I failed but not this time, my experiment was completed. This will be the last pieces to awaken my creation.'

He thought. The group who funded his experiment was the followers of the Apostles. He heard the voice of the True Apostle once, she tinkered his body and made him a Healing Mahikero. 

Duke Obata put almost his time into killing and healing people. He studied their body and touched their anatomy, dead or alive. 

He found an answer and realized that soul was an important part of a human. The body would die and rot but the soul would never be destroyed, it would go to the Underworld and face judgment. 

Duke Obata got an idea because of this and he started to study the soul. At last, his years of experiments and analysis came fruit. 

He attached each people alive into one. He received an artifact from the Apostles and used it to bind the souls together. Sadly, these artifacts weren't permanent, it was destroyed when he used all of its energy. That's why he was eager to get the Stolen Soul. HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF SOUL WERE INSIDE THAT ARTIFACT. Imagine how great things could he create if he had it. 

But there was one problem, he didn't have the battery to reanimate it. The body was completed together with the souls, but he didn't have the energy to awaken it. 

That was why he got this light, this light could make his dream come true.

The lump of flesh was still not mature the souls inside weren't fully merged but the Duke didn't have a choice. He knew that this was the only moment he could awake it. 

Duke Obata dragged his body, his healing fought the light that burning him. He reached the thing and smiled sweating. 

He punched and penetrated it, he felt the group of flesh clumping. He released his hand and the light started to shine inside the attached bodies…

Duke Obata hysterically laughed.