(Author's rant: And here's~Ch 19! Chapter 20 is in progress! Enjoy!)

Though her field of vision was hazy after hitting the pillar, Eliza could make out the ball of black mass as it approached her.

However, her body had not recovered enough to move and so she sat there while staring at the black mass that symbolized her imminent death.

Is this..how I die..?

Eliza’s mind erupted with numerous thoughts of dying and wanting to live as she closed her eyes, unable to witness her own death.

Just as she braced herself for the temporary pain she would feel before passing from this world, the ball of black mana exploded.

………..huh?

However, Eliza did not feel any pain.

...Wait, this smell...

Instead, she could detect the familiar scent of someone she had not seen since he had fallen into a black hole.

Its the scent that makes my chest feel tingly...but that person is...

After waiting a few moments, she timidly opened her eyes.

Replacing the swirling black mass--was a man holding a glowing red sword.

When her eyes gradually focused enough for her to identify the man, her heart began to beat wildly in her chest.

Though he was missing the twin swords on his back as well as the gauntlet on his left arm, the man’s appearance remained exactly as it did in her mind.

“Phew...Looks like I made it in time.” (-)

The man sighed in relief while lowering the crimson sword in his hands.

Bewildered beyond the point of thinking clearly, Eliza spoke the name of the person in front of her.

“Kris…” (Eliza

Hearing his name, the man turned his head around to the White Wolf girl he had protected.

As soon as Eliza saw his face, all of the emotions within her fell into turmoil, but she could only stare at the man with a blank face.

The man then gave her a smile as he spoke.

“It’s good to see you again, Eliza. I’m glad you’re okay.” (Kris)

*****

“Warp?”

Kris parroted the unknown spell that Stryfe had just said.

“Yes, it’s a variation of Teleportation that does not require a long chant. This spell is the fastest way to get to your friends.” (Stryfe)

“So how long does the chant take?” (Kris)

“Normally, it requires a chant lasting two minutes, but because your mana capacity is connected to mine, all you have to do is imagine where you want to go and say the activation word.” (Stryfe)

“Is that really all I have to do?”

“Yes.” (Stryfe)

“...Well, if you say so.” (Kris)

Since Kris lacked the knowledge to ponder the fundamentals of spell chanting any further, he could only believe in his new partner.

“Where do I need to go?” (Kris)

“Your friends are still in battle with the Basilisk Queen in the same room that you first met her in, which is fortunate for us because Warp will only work if you have been to the other destination previously.” (Stryfe)

So that’s the catch, huh. That is fortunate.

“!!!” (Stryfe)

Suddenly, a gasp came from Stryfe, and Kris asked the sword alarmingly.

“What’s wrong?” (Kris)

“It seems the Queen has gone out of control. Your friends are holding their own for now but--wait, she’s cornered the White Wolf girl!” (Stryfe)

“Eliza!?” (Kris)

“Your comrade is about to be hit by the Queen’s Obliteration spell! Quickly, say the activation word! I’ll handle the coordinates of where we arrive this time!” (Stryfe)

“Right!” (Kris)

Kris closed his eyes, and the face of his Demi-human friend flashed across his mind as he exclaimed the spell’s activation word.

“Warp!” (Kris)

Following his words, black haze surrounded Kris’s body until his figure became unnoticeable.

When the haze cleared, he was no longer there.

Once Kris felt a change in atmosphere, he reopened his eyes to see a ball of black energy hurling towards him.

Kris gritted his teeth and instinctively slashed at the black mass, which exploded upon impact with the crimson sword.

Covering his face from the blast with one hand, Kris looked back at where the attack had been, only to find it had completely vanished.

He heaved a sigh of relief.

“Phew...Looks like I made it in time.” (Kris)

Just as he said that, a voice shakily called out his name.

“Kris…” (-)

Kris turned his head to find the blank face of Eliza looking directly at him.

Though she was bruised and bloodied with most of her armor torn apart, she was otherwise unharmed.

I made it...I made it...I was able to save her....

The fact that he was able to protect his comrade incited Kris to give a smile as he responded to her.

“It’s good to see you again, Eliza. I’m glad you’re okay.” (Kris)

After hearing his words, Eliza’s blank expression broke down and all of her emotions flooded to her face as she pounced on him.

“Kris!? Kris! It’s you! It’s you! You’re alive! I knew you were alive! I knew it!” (Eliza)

“Yeah, I’m fine Eliza...so please stop clawing me! Ouch! Careful! *lick* Hey! What did I say about licking me! *lick* Stop it! We’re in the middle of a fight! *lick* I said stop it!” (Kris)

Kris smacked the hysterical White Wolf girl to stop her antics.

Though it was not overly forceful, it was enough to bring his comrade back to her senses.

With teary eyes, Eliza looked up at Kris while rubbing her head.

“But...it’s you, right? This isn’t a dream..?” (Eliza)

“No, I’m here Eliza. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to get back to you guys, but now it’s my turn to fight, so please leave this to me.” (Kris)

After patting her head and giving her a reassuring smile, Kris turned his attention to the rest of his comrades who were still in a state of shock.

“...Kris? Is it really--” (Sylvia)

“I know you all have many questions, but they’ll have to wait until we leave here. As I’ve just told Eliza, I’ll finish this fight by myself so please wait until then.” (Kris)

Kris interrupted his friends before they could ask him any questions and ordered them to stand-down.

He then faced the reptilian woman he assumed to be the Basilisk Queen.

“I presume you’re the Basilisk Queen? It seems that you’re form has changed a lot since we last met. Do you remember me?” (Kris)

Kris asked the Queen in order to verify her identity, but she was staring at Kris with an even more dumbfounded expression than his friends.

{How...you’re supposed to be...master was suppose to...master…!!!} (Queen)

After speaking incomprehensible things, the Queen gasped when she noticed the crimson sword in Kris’s hands.

{That sword belongs to...master...but if you have it...then master…you...YOU!} (Queen)

…....Uh oh.

Kris felt the air chill as the Queen seemed to recognize Stryfe.

{YOU KILLED MASTERRRRR!!!} (Queen)

The Queen screamed in anguish as she lunged at Kris with her clawed hands.

“Woah!” (Kris)

Kris quickly raised the red sword and parried the attack away from him.

However, her other hand jabbed at his head from the opposite side, forcing him to duck.

The Queen continued her barrage against the hero with strikes almost too fast to see with the naked eye--but to Kris, this felt like child’s play.

Parry left, parry right. Duck from the attack coming from above, dodge the attack coming from below.

Kris could comprehend each and every one of her moves before she would even make them, and he defended against each attack with minimal effort.

In addition, even though he was the one defending, he found himself advancing against the Queen who had to retreat in order to keep him from getting inside her defense.

Everything’s too slow...is this because Stryfe and I are connected?

Stryfe answered Kris as if he had read his thoughts.

“The Link allows me to synchronize with your five senses so that I can accurately perceive all attacks against you and in return, you can defend yourself before they can hit with ease. Just think of me as an extension of your will.” (Stryfe)

“I like the sound of that!” (Kris)

Kris replied energetically as he began his counterattack.

In the split second between one hand attacking and other hand retracting, Kris would take small slashes at her arms.

These were not meant to deal significant injuries, but to test the durability of her scales after being hit by Stryfe.

Eventually, emerald blood emerged from the cuts he made and dripped onto the floor.

However, the armored scales of a Basilisk proved too hard for even Stryfe to break through completely in his current state.

{Tch! Just die already!} (Queen)

The Queen changed tactics and used her tail to strike at Kris while he was preoccupied with her claws.

“Still too slow!” (Kris)

As the sharp tail was about to hit--Kris disappeared from view.

{What!?} (Queen)

Startled, the Queen tried backing away, but it was too late.

Kris, who had leaped into the air to avoid the strike, flipped his body in midair so that it was parallel to the ground.

Using the momentum he gained from the spin, he delivered a vertical slash with the Queen’s hand as his target.

Though most of her hand was armored, Kris had surmised it’s weakest point was located at her wrist.

With that in mind, Kris swung Stryfe down on the Queen’s left wrist, slicing through both flesh and bone with ease.

The severed limb landed on the ground and the Queen screamed in agony.

{Gah! My hand! Damn youuu!} (Queen)

The Queen clutched the stump that used to be her wrist as it began gushing emerald blood while retreating a few paces away.

Black haze started forming around her hand as she tried using Instant Regeneration.

“She’s trying to use Instant Regeneration to regrow that hand. I suggest you stop her before she does.” (Stryfe)

“Already on it.” (Kris)

Kris placed both hands on Stryfe and closed his eyes as he attempted to access his newly increased mana quantity.

When he opened his eyes, crimson irises stared directly at the Basilisk Queen.

Red aura formed around his body and he pointed Stryfe at the reptilian woman.

{No! Stay away!} (Queen)

Panicking after seeing the crimson blade directed at her, the Queen stopped healing her injured hand and used her remaining hand to erect a barrier between the hero and her.

"Let those who sin against me feed the unyielding hunger of the Void!” (Kris)

Raising Stryfe above his head, Kris shouted the spell's activation word.

"Wrath of the Abyss!" (Kris)

With those words, Kris swung the curved sword

Black flames enveloped the blade, creating a hellish appearance as it arced towards the ground.

As soon as Stryfe touched the floor, the black flames surrounding him exploded into a massive wall made of fire.

The wall of black flames rushed towards the terrified Queen.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the fireball made contact with the barrier.

The barrier could not hold off the intense pressure and the black flames smashed the defensive spell apart before continuing on their destructive path.

The expression of anger and hatred she had on moments before seemed like an illusion as she watched the approaching black fire with fear and terror spreading across her face.

The flames reached the immobile Queen and she screamed as the searing heat burned her skin.

{AHHHHH!} (Queen)

Though Basilisks have high tolerance to magic, her exposed skin could not handle Stryfe’s black flames.

Her eyes remained shut as she tried dispersing the flames with her only good hand.

Unfortunately, because of her lack of visibility, she could not defend herself when scorching metal pierced through her bosom.

Opening her eyes, she found the figure of the Human Savior standing before her, with the crimson sword covered in black flames impaled in her chest.

She stared at Kris with an expression only he could witness as the light faded from her eyes and her body became limp.

Kris pulled the sword out from his defeated opponent and her still corpse fell to the ground.

After canceling the black flames swirling around him, he remained motionless, gazing at what would be the first of many to fall at the hands of the Savior and his new partner.