Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 5 - Ch. 237

A force of dark and white clashed. White prevailed, and dark got pushed down.

For several seconds, Hai had his hands full of avoiding Tenji's onslaught, dodging the offence with paper thin margin.

"Haaaaaa!"

"Hihiii!! Fast, fasttt, fasssstttt!!"

Expression akin to the demon out of hell, Tenji sharply slashed with his white Demon Executioner Blade.

Along with the sound of air itself burning, the white flames sliced the right arm of Hai as easily as a hot knife running across the butter. The black right arm danced in the air before falling to the ground several metres ahead.

The next moment—the right arm melted into the darkness of the world as the time approached dusk. Nothing was left behind, not even the real, blood-soaked arm.

It had disappeared completely, leaving behind no traces.

(It wasn't his real right arm?! No wait, there's no way my attack would have left without leaving any damage. Right, I just need to persist—)

A slight expression of anguish flashed on Hai's face, barely dodging the attack. He was sure he had been avoiding attacks, yet damage from scorch marks out of nowhere had been accumulating.

Just when, and where, or what was the trigger was a mystery for Hai. But he recalled one moment; a burning sensation assailing his entire body ever since Tenji had transformed into his demon form.

"Go to hell! Time to fight like normal, alright?"

In the next moment, Hai was behind Tenji, emanating a killing intent. Gathering threads of darkness, he aimed to pierce through Tenji's heart with a single thrust.

A different world—Shadow World, akin to Tenji's hell region, had been associated with Hai's calling 'The Man of Shadows.' Hai in his current state had been capable of manipulating it like his own limbs. When a set action takes place in a shadow world, Hai's body would teleport in reality, in the present world.

It was a feat that should have been impossible for Hai in the past. But in the aftermath of compensation, it was a piece of cake now, having increased assimilation with the darkness.

"—«Beheading Demon - Eightfold»!"

"Tch, aren't you tired from using thaaaaat?!"

Tenji responded to faster-than-eyes-could-perceive attack by producing a storm of white flames out of his body, countering Hai's backstabbing with force.

It was reflex, not defence, that had been the key to handle Hai right now.

"Naive boy, you're still wet behind your ears! Must be hard to kill someone with that simple brain of yours, eh? When you go for a kill, you strike with full power!!"

"Perhaps, you're right I may not have killed anyone. But will it change the fact that how my flames are precisely eating on you? Your dull movements are proof of that."

"Frick you. What's the deal with these flames? They're so abnormal. I should've dodged them all. When did this start happening?"

Hai smacked his tongue and soon, white hellfire smouldered on his cheeks. He had been playing cool, but he was letting out screams of anguish inside his mind.

There were multiple types of hellfire.

The basic one, which was Ibuki Douji's favourite, granted an anguish beyond required. While the fire Tenji had used just now was the fire that burned the sinner.

The flames in later cases were peculiar; their intensity of pain and type depended on the target's sin. And even among them, the most odd fire was the one that shared the effect to all the living beings in the area.

In his half-oni form, he had access to this fire. Plus, it was unavoidable within its range, there was no escaping from it.

Hai Ukai was the black explorer, someone who had his hand dirtied with various misdeeds. Consequently, his body must now have been wrecked by the constant stream of innumerable kinds of pain.

It started with abdominal pain, then a severe headache, burning sensation as if fire was directly touching his lungs, and the pain akin to eyes being hollowed out—and many more that assailed him.

(His movements are getting duller. It'll just be a matter of time before he meets his fate, but......)

Tenji suddenly looked up at the sky. Its orange hue from earlier started to be replaced by the dark veil.

The origin of Hai's calling was dark. The more the night deepend, the blacker the tint darkness would assume.

It was common sense about callings. Just as Tenji had found it much easier to fight in hell than in the real world, every calling had a battlefield suited to it, like water to a fish.

There was also one thing Tenji was falling short at.

(If only I can take that decision—)

There had been one reason why Tenji was still struggling in the battle, despite releasing a part of his strength—and it was the determination.

It might appear to be a question then—what kind of resolution? Well, the answer was simple—the resolution to kill people, to injure them.

Hai would have long been turned into dust if he had been a monster. This was Tenji's distinction.

He had no qualm in using all his power against monsters. He would have unleashed the torrent of his flame at once, and wiped the monster from the face of earth.

However, it was different for people.

The world had the rule where it let sinners atone for their sin.

Even the baddest of villains often do not receive the death penalty. The chance of atonement was equal for everyone.

(No, no need to think that far. I just need to think how to neutralise Hai.)

Tenji shook his head to change the pace, and to rebuke himself.

"What the hell are you thinking in the middle of a deathmatch?!! We're here to kill! Let's depart for the netherworld togetherrrr!!"

Hai closed on to him, taking advantage of Tenji's momentary hesitation, using subtle feints with his body.

He was inches away, when—

"«Mirror Lake Domain»!"

At Tenji's feet, a beautiful pool of water spread at an abnormal speed.

The water reflected the sky as clear as a mirror does. Its translucent beauty mesmerizing all. It was a fantastical scene, like stepping into the famous Uyuni Salt Flats.

At the sudden expansion of the translucent water body, Hai found himself short of reaction and had his feet stepped onto the water. This sealed his fate

And, a moment after.

Hai suddenly found himself kneeling on the ground. 'Ugh, what now?' A groan then escaped his lips as he looked at the just appeared shadow behind shadow.

"Sorry, I am late."

The voice had been ever so familiar, hearing which Tenji's corner of mouth slightly curled up.

It was like a hero's entry, rushing up knowing his friend was fighting an urgent battle. And with the reliability you would expect from him, he unfurled his ability at full force, for he knew the nature of Tenji's calling.

That said, Tenji also had a complaint to make—he could have made his entry sooner, instead of spectacting the situation for a while.

"Aren't you running quite late?"

He decided to tease him a bit.

Though nonchalantly skipping the question, he—Katsunari Mizue took his spot beside Tenji.

Mizue carried an air of seasoned battle experience, much more than during the entrance exam.

He was like a polished gem now. His stride, the range of his ever-alert senses, where he first checked on the battlefield, and which part of the enemy he kept an eye on—all of it burned quietly within him.

He peered into the unsettled expression of the enemy.

"He sure looks like a handful to deal with."

"I know, right? I had been truly in a pinch, with how unfit my abilities were to quietly deal with him."

Perhaps it was the words he wanted to hear, or maybe he just wanted to play the role of dependable senior—Mizue, with his usual stoic expression, took the two weapons strapped to his waist and assumed a combat stance.

"Rest assured now. He's already...trapped within my technique."

Seemingly reflecting his words, Hai stood up, a look of grimace contorting his face. He roared toward the moon, as if venting his frustration, "Gaaaaaaaahhh!"

"Who the fuccccccck are youuuu?! Undo the ability nooooowww! Battlefield is the place to bash head on you godddammmnnn!!"

It was just a step, just getting back to his feet from the kneeling position caused intense pain to shot up in Hai. The burden on him now, combined with Tenji's hellfire, appeared to be overwhelming.

Amidst that, Tenji questioned Mizue abreast him in a whispering voice.

"Seriously, what did you do? It's the first time I am seeing him this much angry in our scuffle."

"Oh, right, you don't know huh. The calling I had awakened is—weakener type. Well, quite a special one as well."

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