It’s totally cliché for me when I see a character in a movie suddenly have a great surge in strength. But in this world where life is taken very lightly, it’s a common thing.

***

“It reeks of blood!”

“Well, it’s because you over did it!”

Sora and I walked in the valley of corpse of the Hounds I killed, one-sidedly. Since everything went too well than planned, I ended up overkilling them to the point that their bodies are barely recognizable as Hounds.

Meat, eyeballs, teeth, blood, etc., are all over the place.

I picked up the [Vampire’s Reach] which the blade is bathed in blood. It’s quite surprising to see the handle NOT covered in blood despite the blood fest.

“Wait, I can feel something from the sword.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think the [Regeneration] function is activated.”

“Ah… it’s probably because of the blood.”

Then I looked to where Trevor’s group at. Two of the three men are wounded while the other one has burns. It looks very painful.

“Hey! Hold this. It’ll recover most of your wound if you touch the handle. If the healing stops, just let it touch the surrounding blood and it’ll come back. Although it won’t give a full heal, but it’s better than nothing.”

I handed the sword to the man nearest to me. After that, he was like: “The pain in my leg is disappearing” and started thanking me. He was about to take a prostrating position if it wasn’t for the blood on the ground. They passed it to one another and got most of their wounds healed.

After that, Sora and I proceeded to direction where we last heard of the thundering howl.

“Where are you two going?”

Trevor asked us while looking a bit worried. No, he’s just surprised.

“We’re going to kill the leader of the hounds. It sounds pretty troublesome if we don’t exterminate the remaining hounds for my business.”

“Do you even know where it is?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already found it, looks like it’s in the village.”

Sora affirmed Trevor’s question and pointed its direction. Since he’s activating his Magic Eye without looking at me, he can use it to track enemies. I’m envious of that.

“Dude, I’m opening a gate for a shortcut. Since I’m opening it to a place I’ve never been before, we might get separated along the way, so-”

Without finishing his word, Sora suddenly grabbed my face and pulled me to a shadow portal. And in an instant, we arrived behind a tree where there’s a village on fire.

“Why did you have to grab my face?”

“It’s because you’re not a girl. No homo bro.”

This guy, I’m surely going to give him a taste of his own medicine next time.

“Jokes aside, there are ten Hounds, and their leader is behind them. The Leader feels stronger than the rest so it’s easy to spot it with its size. Also, don’t take the ten hounds lightly. I also feel that they’re not like the ones earlier.”

While hiding behind a tree, Sora scouts and counts the number of the surrounding enemies. Sadly, the Ashen Wolves they were talking about were all dead. Even though they’re only corpses, I can tell that their furs are really valuable because of its grey color.

“Hey, Sora, can you tell me about that guy’s technique earlier? It was pretty bad ass. I want to do that too.”

Sora looks at me with a perplexed expression.

“Are you seriously thinking about that when we are currently going into battle?”

“Come on, just tell me. If you tell me, it might help me learn how to use swords.”

“If you put it that way… it might really help you, because you suck at using swords. Anyway, let’s leave that aside for now. It’s not something that can be immediately learned on spot.”

“I don’t suck, you just terrible at teaching.”

Because we we’re busy talking, the tree we’re hiding got shot with numerous fireballs.

We separated from each other and barely dodged the explosion.

“Damn it dude,you almost got us both killed!”

“You’re the one who made the loudest voice so it’s on you!”

Still, because we we’re busy arguing with each other again, one of the fireballs managed to hit me.

“Key, are you alright!?”

“I’m fine. My barrier was still on effect.”

Good thing I casted > before coming here. It totally saved my life.

After that, I cast another > in three layers without minding the approaching Hounds.

One of the hounds tried to pounce on me, but it miscalculated my falling trajectory since I’m still under the effects of > making me float.

“>”

Sora shot few fireballs at the Hounds behind that are still attacking me.

However, the fireballs didn’t have much an effect and taunted them instead.

“Key! Prepare the accelerator while I take their attention.”

“Got it--”

While half of the hounds went chasing Sora who’s running around the trees away from me, I kept on defending myself from the hounds that is attacking me.

“>>”

I decided to macro the spell I used earlier since it was really useful. But maybe I’ll combine these two spells in the near future since it makes a good combo.

When I casted two spell, the daggers I summoned shot the hounds. It’s supposed to blow their brains out when it hits. “Supposed”

*Cling!*

Just like that, the daggers broke like a piece of glass when it landed on the Hounds’ heads.

No fucking shit. These guys are way sturdier than the ones before.

I jumped up to dodge a fireball shot by the hound and grabbed onto a branch.

[Element Row: Lightning (Wind), Effect Column: Electrocute, Target: Area, Mana Output: 200%]

It rained lightning on the Hounds that tried to shoot fireballs and burned their mouths instead of releasing it. I didn’t actually expect that to happen.

As I release my grip from the tree, I kicked the air in front of me to thrust myself backwards. It can be called an Air-Kick if this was a game.

Suddenly, I can hear a loud explosion behind the trees in front of me. Just then, Sora jumped out behind its shadow and we grabbed each other’s arm while I’m still mid-air.

“What was that?”

“It’s the pack leader. It suddenly started going after me.”

“I also have some bad news, these batch of hounds’ skin are harder than steel. My daggers can’t penetrate.”

“You don’t say.”

Sora then swung me towards a certain direction. Then, two of my three barriers suddenly broke together with an explosion and threw us away. Apparently he turned me into a human shield.

“Are you trying to kill me!?”

“My barrier broke earlier.”

“What a lame excuse.”

“### #### ### >”

A tree branch’s shadow extended out like a whip and grabbed Sora’s hand while his other hand supports me. Next, we go around the tree imitating Tarzan swinging back towards the Hounds.

“Use >. It will go through the Hounds’ tough skin.”

“What makes you sure of it?”

“Because it’s magic you dumbass!”

And you still have time to badmouth me huh.

When Sora let go of my hand, I pull my sword from its sheath and activated > making it glow in red.

Then I remembered what the old man Trevor’s technique in slicing the Hound’s head.

Since there’s no footing in the direction I’m heading, I made an Air-Kick again and I rotated towards the targeted Hound.

As expected, the sword sliced the Hound’s head. However, it didn’t go through and got stuck on the hound’s neck. Thankfully it died or it would have been dangerous—it’s too soon to say such things.

“Watch out!”

Before I could respond to Sora’s warning, another Hound jumped towards me while opening its jaw widely.

Since my reaction time is too slow, I didn’t have enough time to think and invoke a spell.

Even though I have a barrier protecting me, I don’t have confidence that it’ll protect me perfectly.

I raised my arms to guard against the huge hound’s attack. However, something blocked my vision. This something was Sora.

“Sora!”

*Gofu!*

Sora didn’t get bitten, but blown away instead since the Hound’s nose hit him. After getting a strong solid hit, he gets blown towards a tree and got dug a bit under it. He then coughed a little blood after that.

Because of the chance he gave me, I was able to create a spell and managed to invoke it.

[Element Row: Earth, Effect Column: Impale, Target: Multiple, Direction: Random, Mana Output: 100%]

I touched the ground to put my spell into effect. After that, the ground shook and uncountable number of 5 inch wide stone spikes appear and skewered the Hounds around. There was some slight resistance, but since the number of spikes was too many, it finally penetrated them.

I immediately rushed towards Sora who’s trying to stand on his own. His left arm is bent on a weird direction.

“Dude, are you still alive?”

“What’s with that question? Of course I’m alive.”

I put his right arm around my back and supported his posture. He made painful sounds while he tries to move his hand. I bet he didn’t notice his broken arm.

“Shit.”

“What? What is it?”

Sora made a grim face and looked in front of us.

There, a huge Black Hound with two dreadful looking heads is facing us. Its eyes are full of hatred and madness while it looks directly at us.

“It’s the pack leader.”

“You don’t say.”

Even if I calmly replied sarcastically, I froze on the spot while inhaling the stinky breath of the Two-Headed Giant hound.

“Dude, listen to me. On my count, jump backwards with all your strength.”

“What? I’m not going to leave you.”

“Who’s leaving who?”

I don’t know what this guy is planning, but a plan’s a plan. It’s better than nothing.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

“3… 2… 1… GO!”

When I jumped back while carrying Sora, the Two-Headed Hound tried to bite us whole. However, I didn’t expect Sora had already set up his plan beforehand. We suddenly sunk inside a shadow, again.

When the light came back to our eyes, both of us is breathing heavily while putting our backs on a tree. This is because there’s no air inside a shadow.

“I didn’t hear you chant, how’d you do that?”

“I did chant, but I used my thoughts for the chanting and invoking. Honestly, I didn’t think it would actually work. After all, chanting using the mind only creates half-assed magic spells.”

“I didn’t know about that.”

“Then you need to study more.”

While joking around, Sora kept holding his broken arm and endured the pain. I admire his courage despite facing death head-on.

“God it hurts! Listen up Key. You have to run away yourself. Because I only have small amount of mana left, I only managed to put a small distance between us and that Dog-Breath. I’ll try to hold it off. You go back to the capital and call soldiers for a subjugation mission. ”

“What are you talking about? I’m not going to leave you.”

“Don’t be stupid! You’ll die with me if you did!”

Just then, two explosions suddenly came out of nowhere beside us. Apparently, the Hound immediately found us faster than we expected.

After that, the Hound itself appeared pouncing in front of us.

““Shit!””

The Hound growled joyfully like it finally found its prey. Oh wait, we are the prey.

“Sora, remember what you said a while ago to the old man?”

“I don’t. Why?”

“Well, you said that I was a Great Magician. Maybe I should make that a reality. After all, I have unlimited power like an Overpowered Main-Character.”

Sora looked at me dumbly. Next, he started giggle with turned into laughter.

“I can’t believe you actually took it seriously.”

“I didn’t. I just had to make it real. By the way, didn’t you notice? I just said a cliché line earlier.”

“Now’s really not the time to laugh though…”

What Sora said was true to the current situation.

I mean, the giant hound is starting to charge its breath. Wait, it can charge?

“If you really want to fight it, use your sword.”

I listened to Sora’s advice. However, I forgot that my sword was stuck on a Hound’s skull earlier.

“I have to go back to that place to get the sword. But I can’t leave you here.”

“Don’t worry. I still have mana to spend just enough to hide.”

The Hound suddenly shot its huge fireball from the two heads from the same direction. But since I’ve already predicted this, I already made counter measures against it.

“>”

A half meter thick semi-transparent wall appeared after I invoked the spell. It is made from my very durable barrier Sora taught me long ago and piled then compressed it to defend against magic and physical attacks.

It stopped the Fireball. However, it now has a crater where the fireball hit. Just how powerful was that attack?

“If you want to hide, do it—”

When I turned my sights so Sora, he suddenly disappeared from behind me. Or so I thought.

“Sora, where are you?”

“I’m using > magic. Use this chance to go back to where your sword is.”

I immediately ran after confirming Sora’s whereabouts, I rushed behind the tree and go to where I left my sword. Seriously, just how did he manage to turn into a tree?

I can hear the hound’s heavy footsteps while I run with all my might.

The barrier I made earlier had weight, so it’s staying there to protect Sora. Because of that, I had to summon new barriers every time it attacks. Since each attack is too strong, every time I summon one, it immediately shatters when it get hits.

--I need to find the rune for flight magic. Running’s too tiring.

A stray thought crossed my mind. I can’t believe I’m too lax even in a life-threatening situation.

The hound got itself running beside me now. The head that’s facing me tries to bite me, but I stopped running immediately and dodged it. Its saliva is left sticking on my face though.

“Eww.”

I tried to wipe it off, but it’s too sticky.

The hound came back running towards me again. I looked around the area to see which way’s good to go. Luckily, I found the landmarks I made earlier. And by landmark I mean the spikes and the impaled corpses of the giant hounds.

When I Hound pounced, I jumped towards that direction. Because of the > and the explosion from the Hound’s pounce, I’m currently flying and got my face hit by numerous branches. I regret wishing to fly earlier.

After walking off the pain from my hard landing, I ran again and started looking for my sword.

The Hound started running again. This time, I managed to hide behind a tree.

“Where’s this sword when you need it?”

I kept looking around. I can also hear the hound’s heavy breathing.

Just when I found my Sword stuck on a hound’s head, a huge ugly face suddenly appeared in front of me. The hound found me.

“Oh shit! >”

I invoked the barrier just in a nick of time when I saw the other hound’s head chewing fire. This time it’s not fireball, but breath of fire.

The other head tried to bite me, but I managed to grab the tree and pull myself out of that position.

I ran again. I go straight for the sword. The hound is chasing me from behind.

Everything seems to have turned into slow motion. This must be the thing they say when a human mind’s in a panic state.

It hurts.

My head hurts more than my aching muscles.

I looked at behind me.

A large ball of fire is quickly approaching.

--Just when was that there?

In panic, I erected a barrier. But it was too weak and immediately broke when it received the impact and the shot went through it. However, it lost its momentum and dropped close behind me then exploded.

I got thrown again. This time, the effects of the > already disappeared and I dropped hard on the ground.

The sword is standing in front of me.

But my whole body is aching in pain and doesn’t respond to me when I tried to reach for it.

“Damn it!”

The hound behind me slowly approached while staying on its guard carefully.

I finally made my body move and forcibly tried to walk off the pain.

I managed to grab the handle of the Sword. Since the sword is bathed in blood, the regeneration effect removed the pain slightly.

The hound pounced.

Immediately, I casted > around me and deflected the giant body of the hound.

“>”

The sword bathed in red light, coupled with the blood around it, it looks like a crimson crystal sword.

I suppressed the Barrier and turned it into an armor-like coating around my body to protect myself. Then I casted > again on myself to enhance my speed.

I ran towards the Hound that is preparing to fire its next attack by opening its mouth inhaling large amount of Air.

I erected another set of barrier, but it’s the type that’s the same with the one I used against Cherry except for its triangular shape.

The other head started spewing fire at me while the other kept charging its breath. Thankfully the barrier withstood the breath of fire and deflected it to another direction.

I jumped high in the air and lifted the sword high in the sky.

Cancelling the effects of >, I dropped towards the ground with thrice my weight while slashing down the sword.

The other Head released its charged breath.

My barrier broke. The two of it to be exact, but I reached the Hound without stopping.

--GRUAAA!!!

The Hound let out a pained scream. I say it’s exaggerated since I only managed to scratch the part between the two heads and that is a bad thing.

“Tsk! Dang it!”

My legs hurt from my hard drop. Because of that, I staggered when I tried to stand properly.

The Hound charged and pushed me back. And once again, thanks to >I instantly casted, I managed to remain balanced despite getting thrown.

“>>”

Invoking two spells at one, I shoot the Giant Hound. But its skin is too thick—probably thicker than the ones earlier because it didn’t even flinch.

While charging at me again, the other hound’s head started inhaling large amount of air again.

--Think! What can beat this monster of a dog?

Just then, light hit my ring and reflected on my eye.

--That’s right! Use the ring.

I transferred the sword on my left hand to my right. And then,

“Activate >”

Runic characters glowed out from the sword.

[Rune Reading] is an ability of my ring, [Rune Reader]. It can expose the magical script of any magic weapon or book and duplicate it. Since it can read Runes, it translates scriptures before it can be used.

I copied the script on my sword which creates the >. Next, I enhanced its effects to the limit and recreate its rune composition.

After modifying it, I released—

“>”

The light around my sword bursts and red water-like fluid which is my mana wrapped around the sword’s blade and crystalized. Now, the sword’s length is thrice its original size.

“>”

I take a forwarding stance and run towards the hound that is running towards me.

I didn’t use > the same as what I did earlier. This time, I stretched the magic and coated my whole body.

The Hound jumped towards me with the other head inhaling large amount of air.

I forgot casting barrier around me, but I ignored the thought since my mind is saying to attack.

Just then, a small sound suddenly reverberated in the forest.

-Umwoo!

A sound similar to a puppy’s cry echoed into my ears.

The Hound got distracted by the sound and turned both of its head towards where the sound came from.

I didn’t let that chance slide. With a side slashing form, I jumped into the circle of lightning. I swing the sword like a baseball bat towards the Hound. And—

“RA!!!!!”

--Without any resistance, the crimson bladed sword cut though the Two-headed Abysmal Hound’s think skin.

The Hound that got its body slashed into two dropped on the ground, lifeless.

I looked up the sky.

My body finally felt the tiredness.

The Crystal formation on the sword breaks and turns back into my normal sword.

“That was fun.”

Then I noticed that my hair grew twice longer than before and flutters along with the cold breeze.