On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

Somersaulting to the back to dodge the attacks of the Corrupted Spirit, whom I have named Rocky, I smile wryly at how quick he moves. Although he doesn’t move as fast as I do, his longer reach has, from time to time, almost cost me my life.

When I stop somersaulting, Rocky has just finished swinging his sword. I immediately jump at him even before he can swing his sword again. I breach through his guard, catching him off guard as I swing Rexorem. Annoyingly, though, he can still do something about it.

Boom!

A fire jet comes out of his chest, forcing me to focus on blocking it instead of cutting him. The heat it produces is nothing to scoff at since I can feel my skin ‘tingling’ even after protecting myself with a fairly thick layer of Mana, which is unusual of me.

“He hasn’t revealed all of the cards up his sleeve, huh?”

Ten minutes have passed since the fight began and I have done nothing serious because I have been merely observing. I want to make Rocky reveal all of the cards he has up his sleeve, so I can concoct the ultimate way to defeat him.

I have thought that he has revealed them all; however, it seems I was wrong. I didn’t know he had a jet engine in his chest and it makes me consider if this is time to go all out.

I welcome challenges but I rather hate the unexpected. Because of that, I expect as many situations as I can, so I won’t be surprised when I am faced with them. Defeating Rocky is the same; although I don’t mind getting hurt, the fact that he may kill me is not something I am fond of.

“Jumping in and then doing my best doesn’t sound quite right when I am fighting an illiterate creature who thinks with his head, huh?” I muse. “This fucker must have realized what I am doing. Let’s see who can expose whom better then.”

Distancing myself, I stab Rexorem into the ground. Rocky doesn’t pursue me; instead, he spreads his hands and then summons Lost Souls from the ground. At the same time, I channel my Mana into Rexorem and then cast a Water Spell. When I discharge the Mana, hot springs burst out of the ground, shooting into the air.

I honestly expected it to not work because of the state of the land we are fighting on but, thankfully, it still works. The water is still hot but water is water: it puts out fire.

Using the water from the spring, I create a dragon-like structure and then send it to the approaching Lost Souls. They explode upon contact but my water dragon can contain the explosion within its body.

Since there is still much water, I create three more. Rocky is also creating as many Lost Souls as he can, so it is only right for me to do so. I have a feeling that he is mimicking my action but I don’t know whether he is doing that to mess with me or because he is just stupid. Either way, it is amusing and I am going to kill him for that.

As our minions are fighting, we dash at each other. We channel our Mana into our swords and swing them vigorously.

BOOM!

When they clash against each other, the ground beneath us is immediately disintegrated. A crater with a diameter of 60 feet and as deep as 20 feet swallows us when the shockwave of our clash finished sweeping the entire place.

Landing on the bottom of the crater, we stare at each other silently for a few seconds. I don’t know what Rocky is doing but I am focusing on my trembling hands to gauge the power Rocky is still hiding—from the clash, I didn’t receive any Power-ups even though he is stronger.

“Heh…he has gotten close to using his real power. I might break my bones when he does but it is not something I can’t handle.”

Swinging Rexorem to the side to stop my hand from shaking, I dash at Rocky without wasting any more time. Instead of dashing at me like he has been doing, Rocky, this time, assumes a stance and prepares to swing his sword like it is a baseball bat.

Casting a Spell that increases my speed dramatically for three seconds, I instantly appear in front of Rocky before he can swing his sword. I thrust Rexorem forward, using [Death Blow] at the tip of it.

Clank!

Much to my slight annoyance, another sword of the same shape as Rexorem emerges out of Rocky’s chest, blocking Rexorem. It is a tip against a tip and, fortunately, Rexorem’s tip, the real deal wins.

BOOM!

The sword that just comes out of Rocky’s chest shatters as [Death Blow] blasts it. Rexorem moves forward, instantly piercing through his chest.

Kroam!𝚘𝗏𝐞𝓁xt.𝐂𝑜𝗆

For the first time, I hear Rocky groan. I don’t want to spend much time listening to it since I don’t have the leisure to. He is 13 feet taller than me; dangling on my sword that is piercing his chest is not amusing, so pry it off and distance myself…at least, this is what I am planning to do.

Gawr!

Rocky growls at me as he puts his hand on Rexorem’s blade. He is powerful enough to hold Rexorem in place. Knowing where the story will end if I am being persistent, I let go of Rexorem and retreat. Rocky doesn’t seem to like it as he spits out lava onto the ground.

Pulling Rexorem out of his chest, Rocky roars indignantly. He holds Rexorem firmly in his hand, making his intention to come at me with it clear.

“Heh…his intelligence has a limit, huh?”

Watching the scene, I can’t help smirking. Rocky has fallen into my trap; he sees what I want him to see and thinks what I want him to think. Flicking my hand lightly, I summon Rexorem. Rocky turns his attention to Rexorem when it pulls his hand and fights it instead of letting it go.

My grin can’t be filled with any more mirth as I look at what he decided to do. I snap my finger and Rocky’s arm is blasted to pieces.

Boom!

Turning to his non-existent arm, Rocky stares at it in silent bewilderment. He then turns to me and looks at Rexorem that is already in my hand in puzzlement, which makes me wonder if he is more surprised at the fact that I have got Rexorem back.

The arm that he has just lost regrows in the next moment; he roars as he dashes madly at me. He creates a burning lava sphere in each of his palms instead of a sword this time. The production rate is mind-boggling, so he can throw more than two at me as he runs.

Swish! Swish!

Even though I am perfectly dodging the lava spheres, I still can feel their ‘prickling’ heat as they whizz past me. My ears and my hair are the only parts of my head that are not protected, so they feel the heat the most—some of my hair may have been burned.

Fortunately, I have something to counter his annoying lava spheres. My water dragons have finished their jobs, so I summon them into the crater where I am; they instantaneously appear on my sides, wrapping around me to protect me from the lava spheres.

p Hiss!

As the spheres hit my dragons, the hot water that creates their bodies boils up before evaporating. The sizzling sound is as pleasant as it is terrifying to hear.

When Rocky is right in front of me, I get out of my dragons’ protection and then swing Rexorem upward. Rocky managed to block it with his crossed arms but he is sent flying into the air. I jump into the air as soon as it happens. When I am already above him, I activate [Great Impact] and slam Rexorem into his chest.

Boom!

His body falls like a meteor. It hits the ground instantaneously, creating a dent on the ground, yet deepening the crater that was formed by our clash.

“Hurt, doesn’t it?” I smirk beneath my mask.

I am standing on Rocky’s chest with Rexorem half-submerged into it. The reason why it is not fully submerged is that he is holding it back splendidly with his hands. He glares at me but I can’t see hatred in his eyes. Contrary to that, I see encouragement.

“Come on, kill me and liberate me from my misery!” is what his eyes are screaming.

Those eyes remind me of Luxia’s eyes back when I met her inside the Earth Eater. Even though she was smiling at that time, her eyes were honest: she fully expected me to reject and kill her. Tormented by the hatred toward her corrupted self, every day was purgatory for her. Rocky must feel the same, so his desire to die is valid.

Unlike Luxia, he doesn’t have enough consciousness to be salvaged; thus, the only way to free him of his misery is by killing him.

“It has been short but…rest in pieces, buddy.”

Adding more power into Rexorem, I push it deeper. I discharge the Mana I have accumulated inside Rexorem in the next moment, blowing Rocky’s body up.

Burst!

At the same time, a raging fire surrounds us before engulfing us. My vision is colored in red; I feel a peculiar iciness and, at that moment, I decide it is not good for my wellbeing.