53. K: Aerial Step and New Hidden Piece

Widening my smile and standing in place, I look at the mole’s disgusting aura spreading and polluting the surrounding, as I then...

ZzZZSshZshS.

Lightning intensified.

As I then take a step, and another, while feeling my new skill. And is this how it works?

Thinking that and looking at the lightning sparks this time not originating from my sword, but only surrounding my legs, I then try taking another ste-...

Crackle.

Air exploding sound.

“!!??!.... haA?”

“Gyeaaa???”

Confused beastly sounds.

SMACK.

“!?... Gha... Ugha... Pffu...”

Booom. Baaam. Crash.

Human bouncing sounds.

“Gyeaa?”

.........

......

...

“..... Ughh, t-that hurts...”

Saying that and looking at the cloudy sky above, I... shed some tears. Of pain, that is. Before then slowly standing on the ground and...

“Seriously... Aghh”

... And groaning from pain. But seriously...

“To think it was this...”

“Powerful...”

Saying that and touching my face, I feel the mole’s slap before then glancing at my feet still surrounded by some sparks as I...

Shiver.

“Damn it, that was scary...”

Saying that and looking forward at the still stupefied mole, I once again shiver. I mean, seriously...

“I almost died...”

“Even though my determination was only formed a couple of seconds ago, I almost...”

“... Died.”

Shiver.

W-well, guess I was at least lucky the mole just slapped me from surprise then. Otherwise, if it had used its teeth or claws instead...

Shiver.

“... Dammit. Just how many near-death experiences a day will I have to go through?”

Saying that and feeling my heart still beating madly, I... once again shed some tears. Before then, suddenly freezing as I...

“!!… Shit.”

As I finally notice. My sword...

“Gyeaa...?”

“Again?”

Saying that, I look at the curious mole poking my sword as if it’s some interesting toy. Still, to think once again I would lose my sword... Ah, thinking about it, even that time was filled with painful bouncing, but...

“... But, ha? The same again? Could it be...”

“... I am not learning from my mistakes? But doesn’t that...”

“... Make me seem like an idiot?”

Suddenly saying that and feeling my self-esteem plummeting, I... I ignore the heat rising in my eyes and turn around as I...

“GYEAAAAAAAA!!”

Triumphant Roar.

“DAMMIIIIIIT.”

As I then run forward like my life depend on it. No, wait...

“IT REALLY DEPENDS ON IT... MY LIIIIFE.”

“GYEAAAAAAAA!!”

Realizing that and sweating buckets, I ignore my exhaustion, my pain, and also my bleeding injuries as I...

“RUUUUN.”

Screaming that and forsaking my sword, I throw aside all my thoughts of defeating the mole head-on, and just...

“RUUUUN....”

“GYEAAAAAAAA!!”

Triumphant Roar.

But apparently, the mole is not so intent on letting me do so. And as such, here I am in this landscape of green, wobbling plains, running through the tall grass and escaping from an ugly, disgusting mole. Seriously...

“What weird play is this? Ha, Hahaha...”

Dry laughter.

Nevertheless, the scene aside. It seems it was true, ha?

Thinking that and running forward, I glance behind me at the mole of undetermined distance, and weirdly enough... it seems it’s drawing closer to me, but at the same time...

“it seems far...”

It’s just like the time we were fighting before... at that time, wherever I or the mole draw closer to fight, or one of us tries to move suddenly, a weird phenomenon will start. As if sudden waves on still water, or fluctuating air current changing their flow... Something like that. And as a result, either the distance between us will start changing, or the flow of time will get distorted instead. And though, I say time, but weirdly enough...

“I could still think and sometimes move, even though most of my body felt...”

“Stagnant... as if pulled down in deep water...”

It’s weird, and a little frightening, but... For now, I have some understanding of the reason for that to happen... and that reason is...

“Aura”

Saying the word and running, I quickly turn to the side and then focusing my mind, I once again try my new skill...

ZzZZSs.

But this time, I do it a little gently, as I...

“GYEAAA.”

Crackle.

Air exploding sound.

Booom.

As I step to the side, instantly avoiding the mole’s black-stained claws digging through my previous place. Nevertheless...

“... This is hard.”

Saying that and feeling pain and numbness invading my body, I ignore it. And instead, focus on running once more as I... jump in the air and...

Crackle.

And walk. With purple light and sparks surrounding my feet, I walk. Ignoring the pain, ignoring the numbness, and even the sound of air crackling below my feet as I... Run.

“But guess my choice was a good one.”

Saying that and feeling some relief, I glance at the mole still chasing after me, as I then increase the speed and height of my aerial movement.

“Giving up on using aura manipulation for my body, and to just get a movement skill instead...”

“... Even though it was a little expensive, is still hard to use, and almost cost me my life, b-but...”

“It was nevertheless a good choice.”

Saying that and feeling my beating heart calming down a little, I quickly change my direction of movement as I then avoid the pouncing mole’s claws, but...

“Try better next time, LOSE~R.”

But this is really hard to control. Thinking that and feeling my headache increase, I do my best in controlling my skills, then avoiding another attack of the mole, while also...

-Conditions have been met

Skill: Pain Tolerance Lv1 has become Lv2-

While also spending my remaining points. Hopefully, this will let me last more.

“But seriously, just what’s wrong with this skill’s difficulty...?”

Feeling mildly annoyed and saying that, I really can’t help but question this skill. I mean, I am already having it this hard even though I am not going all out, so seriously...

“Just what kind of reflex will I need to fully control this damn skill?”

Saying that and feeling more annoyed, I suddenly... Feel a chill.

Fuuuush.

Black wind flowing.

And so, glancing below me what I saw was... The ugly mole, concentrating all its black aura and then imitating my skill, it suddenly...

BOOOM.

It suddenly pierced through air, with its maw once again reaching me. And seeing that I...

“GYEAAA….”

Opening mouth wide.

I smiled, then with lightning exploding around my legs, I quickly strengthened my aerial step skill. And so... With the mole’s mouth reaching me, the thing I was waiting for happened.

Its concentrated black flame and my strengthened lightning drew close to each other, and with that... Once again, the world fell into stagnation... No, wait. It’s not the whole world actually...

After all, my mind is not, the mole’s ferocious eyes are not, and also... My Sword Mastery and Aura Manipulation that I fully dedicated to bringing my sword back are also not stagnant... And so...

Looking at the ugly yellow teeth slowly drawing closer to me, I move my feet creating a foothold in the air, then straighten my back while releasing my all, as I stretch my hand above and... Hold it.

“Sword Art”

The sword from a world beyond stagnation.

“Last”

Then calmly muttering the words, I feel the rebound from the high amount of aura around my sword. And then as that rebound breaks the stagnation around us, suddenly... the distance between the mole and me instantly stretch... Nevertheless, not objecting to that, I remember the oblivion and how my sword cut it, as I...

“FIRMAMENT”

As I instantly lower my sword, then following the flow of aura I saw, my sword instantly cut through the distance, toward the mole’s open mouth, tearing its lower jaw, and even...

Slash. Ssssh. Splash.

Cutting its neck open. All in one fleeting, distorted moment. Then feeling that, I...

“Haaaaaa...”

I lower my eyes looking at the ground suddenly revealed below my feet, before then spinning in place and looking at it...

Baam.

A dead, giant, and ugly mole’s falling corpse, that is.

Looking at it, and tightening my hold on my sword, I then slowly walk toward it, but...

“Fuuu, Haaa, Fuuu... T-that was... Haaa, close...”

Muttering that and feeling my numb arms, I don’t let go of my sword and instead observe the mole’s corpse, but...

“Fuuu....”

It seems it died. Seeing its black aura dissipating, and judging that, I lose my strength and fall. All, while also looking at the mole’s corpse...

“Disintegrating, ha?”

Ignoring my Level-up notification and saying that, I look forward to some of the mole’s flesh breaking to dust, and then relax my tired body, feeling relieved, but...

What a mistake that was...

Feeling relieved and in the Oblivion at that.

Nevertheless, not realizing that yet, I just sat down there feeling my tired body, when suddenly...

“Huh?”

When suddenly the flow of wind changed. And with it, as if a Black Vortex sucking the surrounding mist...

“Nooooo, Save meeee...” “Don’t wannaaaaa...” “No, leave me aloooone, nooooo...”

“Heeeeelp meeeee...” “Aaaaaaaah, Aaaaaaah...” “Whyyyyyyyy, Whyyyyy...” “Pleaaaase, Anyoooooooone...”

“Nooooooooooo...”

Something stood. From the heart of the vortex, surrounded by black curse and clad in black lightning, it stood.

“W-what is t-that?...”

That previously dead beast stood, and then as its crimson eyes shone...

I for once saw it...

-Congratulation, you have found a Hidden Piece-

In that pulsing mass of twisting flesh, I saw it...

-Hidden Piece: Eternal Denial of a Reject’s Death-

And, Oh how I wish I never did. Because what I saw then was...

“AAaAAaAaAh....” “OoOoOOoh...” “GhaAaAAah....”

“KhAaAaAaAA...“ “WhAaAAaAaA....”

... was The Accursed Oblivion’s Eternal Damnation.

-Corruption Mole lv9: ??? ??? ???-