Chapter 448

Marquis Ashtner fell into a puddle of blood as his body was split upside down. Beside him, the tip of a pseudo fanatic sword that had also been severed fell.

I braced myself, thinking that the cannibalism would be triggered, but the freakiness didn't struck me yet. In other words, the fanatics parasitizing inside Marquis Ashtner must not be dead yet.

Isn't the pseudo fanatic sword his main body? If that's the case, doesn't that mean we have to stop the Marquis from breathing in order to defeat him?

『Fran, not yet!』

「Nn! Haaaa!」

The stiffness caused by the release of the sword king technique has ended and Fran began to move again. Next, she unleashed Sheaths of Wind. It was aimed at Marquis's head. The Marquis's lower body could be seen growing out in a flash due to instant regeneration, but this attack was faster.

「You piece of shiiiit!」

「Hmph!」

『Tsk!』

What a surprise, Marquis Ashtner put up a powerful barrier to block Fran's attack. He must have focused the barrier on a single point. She slashed his head deeply, but it wasn't enough to sever it.

No, normally a cut to the brain would kill someone instantly, but the current Marquis with his enhanced vitality still can't be defeated by this.

But even so, isn't it a little strange? It seems too strong for a barrier that was put up on the spur of the moment. I appraised the Marquis Ashtner again and found out why the barrier had suddenly increased in strength.

What a surprise, he had entered a state of Potential Release. The superhumanization skill had made him stronger, and now he had released his potential. His status was unquestionably rank S.

It would have been nice to be able to take away superhuman skills and such with a skill taker, but it was still impossible to use due to the fact that it was used to turn Asurasu (1) into a mad demon.

「You bitch, I'll kill you here! And I'll take that magic sword too!」

The Marquis tries to stand up while shouting it.

「This body will die here, but it doesn't matter as long as I have that magic sword and that little girl!」

Apparently, they can enter a state potential release, but they can't deactivate it. It's no wonder they haven't been used this much. Unlike other disposable bodies, they took 40 years to prepare. They must have regretted it.

『Don't give him a chance to stand!』

「Haaa!」

I tried to stop the Marquis from moving by unleashing a series of mid-level thunderbolt magic, but it had little effect. It is likely that his magic resistance itself has been strengthened.

『Tsk! A light attack won't do any good anymore!』

The Marquis who stood up concentrated a barrier on his left arm and thrusts it out against Fran, who was about slashes at him. The back fists of the Marquis and I collide.

A moment ago, Marquis Ashtner's arm would have been wounded. But now, the Marquis' power was overwhelming. My blade was easily flicked above and a pseudo fanatic sword was thrust into Fran's vacant torso. The shortened blade is covered with magic power to compensate for its lost length.

「Diieee!」

「Ghaah...!」

Thanks to the fact that she had twisted around at the last second, she had avoided being pierced through her heart, but the pseudo fanatic sword had pierced her abdomen deeply. The tip of the blade protruded from Fran's back.

In that state, I could sense Marquis Ashtner's hand getting stronger. I hurriedly made a short distance teleport.

「Oraa!」

It was just in time. Marquis Ashtner had swung his sword, which was still stuck in Fran's body, with all his might and was about to forcibly rip out her heart.

The pseudo fanatic sword wielded by the Marquis was cutting the sky in vain.

『Fran! I'll heal you now!』

「Nn....!」

「Hiyahahaha!」

「!」

Too fast! The next thing I know, he was right next to her. Now I know what it's like to fight Fran!

When she received the pseudo fanatic sword that strikes me, it alone reduces my endurance value significantly and blows Fran right out to the sky.

She must have been blown over ten meters. In addition, the Marquis had already moved to where Fran jumped and was waiting for her.

「Kuh!」

She leapt into the air, kicked her feet to get into position, and then accelerated to slash at the Marquis herself. This is the only way to escape from the situation.

The Marquis' eyes widened a little, as if he didn't expect Fran to attack him. Marquis Ashtner's sword was raised in a panic to intercept Fran and clashed again――but it didn't. Just before that, I teleported Fran.

In the blink of an eye, Marquis Ashtner had been outmaneuvered twice and was completely out of position. Her second sword king technique of the day was released on him.

「Haaaaaaaa!」

「Hyahaaaaa!」

However, there was a gap between them that could not be bridged by a little trickery. The Marquis had even reacted to the God Speed of a Sword King technique and dodged it.

I was going to smash his brain, but I only managed to slice off the Marquis' left arm, while the Marquis' left leg, swung up in the opposite direction, pierced Fran's right side.

I activated my telekinesis to reduce the power, but Fran still spat blood and blew over 20 meters. As her body slammed into the ground again and again, she managed to break through the wall of the Marquis' residence and somehow stopping.

「Kuh...Gefuh...」

『Use regeneration!』

Fran writhes around, spitting blood and gastric juices back into her mouth. Not only were her internal organs in bad shape, but the rest of her body was in bad shape as well. She is bruised all over from the impact of her continuous bouncing on the ground, and she has some deep cuts. Both of her legs are probably broken as well.

It was amazing that she didn't let go of me in this state. Her eyes weren't dead either. After recovering her legs through regeneration, Fran stood up dazedly, fighting off the pain. She still intends to fight.

But I couldn't agree more. I was able to heal her wounds, but at this rate, she would definitely lose. In addition to the overwhelming difference in ability, Marquis Ashtner's latent ability has been released, increasing the power of his life steal and magic steal. Even now, Fran's power was being sucked out of her at a fairly rapid rate.

In this state, I can sense a large heat source coming towards the room where Fran is. If it can't be decided with my sword, we'll have to use magic! While using magic to prevent the tsunami of lava from avalanching into the room, I suggested to Fran that we make a tactical retreat.

『Let's get out of here! and get some distance!』

He doesn't have space and time magic. If we keep our distance, he'll just destroy himself! But Fran didn't nod her head.

(No! Eliante and the others are going to be killed!)

『But, if this goes on like this, Fran will――』

(There's something I haven't tried yet! If that doesn't work, let's run away!)

『Something you haven't tried?』

(Nn!)

_____TLN____________

(1) アースラース Āsurāsu, i haven't came up with better name for him...send help

(2) To anyone who used google translate to re:translate this into another language, does my Translate! widget on the sidebar helpful? or do you prefer to use your own ways to translate it? (if it doesn't really helpful, i'll just remove it. cuz it prolongs my site load speed by a few second....like 1-3 seconds....well, every second matters rigth? lol)