BBYW Vol. 4 Chapter 43 (WN)
Chapter 43 – Dried Flesh, Decaying Beliefs
“Haah!!”
“Mph! Too weak!!”
I shouted and swung my blade.
The slash was too fast for the human eye to follow — or so I thought, but Valon parried it with ease. My sword was repelled, so I took a step back. However, I had no intention of stopping my offensive. I crouched low and spun on the spot, to attempt a wide swing.
Normally, it would have been strong enough to cleave flesh and bone together, but Valon’s curved blade deflected it away.
“I can see through your every move! Dyngir Maxwell!!”
“Is that so…HAAAHHH!!!”
I left no opening for Valon to use. Right, left, up, down…I attacked without pause, from all directions.
I put all my power and killing intent in certain slashes, hid it and struck like a snake from the shadows in others. I mixed in feints as well, to not leave the mummified Valon any respite.
“Heh..hehe…HEHEHEHE!!”
However, every single attack of mine was parried or swayed by Valon’s godlike sword arm.
A wide grin appeared on his lips: he clearly was still far from his limits.
“Haha…HAHAHAHA!!”
On the other hand, while all my attacks were being neutralized, I too found myself laughing loudly.
In the barely lit room, the sounds of laughter and clanging metal echoed.
After a few minutes, or maybe just a few seconds…
We were glaring at each other, just outside the range of each other’s swords.
“I see your skill has not diminished one bit…as expected of my rival!”
“Your blade is as solid as ever as well. I suppose dying once was not enough to fix that hard head of yours, Valon.”
After such a mix of praise and sarcasm, I pointed my blade to the floor.
The foe before me had to be buried at all costs. Even so, there was something I needed to ask him first.
“What in the world happened for you to turn like that? It is a pretty daring change in fashion, I dare say.”
Valon’s parched lips twisted into a grin.
“Hahaha. Your eyes tell me that you see this as hideous…this body, gifted to me by Her Majesty the Queen!!”
“Her Majesty…?”
“She gracefully rescued me from the netherworld, and granted me this splendid new body!!”
I frowned at Valon’s words.
If he was to be believed, there was someone, or something, behind the creation of the “Terror Armies”.
(So this “Queen” turned Valon into a mummy too…?)
I thought I should draw as much information as possible, while I still could.
“Heh, it seems she granted you a nice new brain too, together with the body, huh? Loyal like a puppy to your new queen, or whatever?”
“Say what you will to me, but I shall not tolerate any slander to Her Majesty!! Our Queen has embarked on a noble mission, to save this wretched world from inequality! Our most merciful overlord will deliver a just, equal death to all living creatures!”
“By equal death…does that mean that your sister and fiancée are included too? Do you truly understand the extent of what you are saying?”
“Naturally!!!”
Valon answered without hesitation.
“I could ask for nothing more joyous than Naam and Mist joining our undead horde! We shall construct an eternal realm, free from the bounds of mortality! A timeless paradise! What an honor! What glory!”
“Don’t speak…another word.”
So I hissed, then pointed my blade towards Valon once again.
I glared at the man before me, ready to destroy him, as nothing but an enemy.
“You may still possess Valon’s sword arm…but your head is wilted and dried already. Looking at you makes me feel more and more irritated.”
“…I thought you might have understood the high ideals presented by the new world Her Majesty wishes to build…it seems I expected too much.”
Valon readied his sword and shook his head, disappointed.
“This body, gifted directly by Her Majesty…is not something a mere mortal can hope to cut down!!”
Valon kicked the ground and rushed towards me.
It was almost as if he was flying: nevertheless, I faced his offensive head on.