The ambush from the last floor was felt throughout the crowd.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOV0lnn7vY
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqjcARgTWK
Even though Juke and I weren't affected, the other's faces were considerably downtrodden. Some members were now left without a partner and had to team up with people they weren't very familiar with. Morale was low, especially since our leaders were missing.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoFg4trzOv
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRqF7A1cwM
The remaining group was small, too. Only about eight people were left, meaning that, with the five remaining floors, some were simply required to take them alone. There was chatter of moving as a single unit, taking on each room as a whole rather than having forces split from the group, but others countered that doing so would be abandoning an order and that we had to "trust our other members."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXo1ihTxlCm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHj696TgSF4
As for me, my nerves only spiked. The image of all those fallen bringers was engraved into my mind, and I desperately tried to keep the word "corpse" out of my head. Over and over, telling myself that they were simply unconscious when the right side of my mind constantly told me otherwise–
**SLAP**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktQ3BT9KbQ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm4geyqhnI
"Ack!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWaWEaGJyr
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9nAmWD1Gc
I wasn't prepared for the strength I slapped myself with. My muscles were incredibly tense, and I hadn't even realized.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjs65JeSjSt
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEgmIDSkKi
"No use in thinking about it. No use in thinking about it! Come on!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aY8tHX1rV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vhIsl9KkG
I steeled whatever I had left of my resolve and kept trudging through the stairs. I had a complete vision of the crowd, and it made it apparent just how thinned out it had become. To my great dismay, I could even see Rover.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBnm2KPNz9
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtmv6qcdA1
"...Useless–!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iy9Tn2ozz
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9JoOTeTbv
I tried not to think about anything that. I knew I couldn't suspend it for long, but every second I could force my legs forward was valuable. So I ran and ran and ran and ran and–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIH3mM50f1V
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhOG0n4Smz
Suddenly, I noticed something. Though I naturally hadn't been paying much attention to her, the person beside her had changed.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4HJPTwkQw
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON3KgWlJpx
And it was someone I recognized167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNoUaVAiqr
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKkat67wnH
–
–
–
The most grueling part of this siege hadn't been the laborious running. It hadn't been the various enemies, the threat of death or even seeing allies fall like flies in the previous ambush. No, for Rover, it was restraint.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MFoRIAocO
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxgOvk8iWx
To do nothing in the face of Hard-Bringer gave her near-uncontrollable rage. Those she swore she'd see crumble, running amok and stealing lives as they always have, unable to even point her weapon at them. If it weren't for those looming words by that wimpy child, resting in the corners of her mind like spiders, she would've caved in.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEnAcnj8pg
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbL9YrP6Qi
Especially now that her surrogate partner was a completely new face.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvcEEVOIP4
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxsyedRdpe
"Hi."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kyNy6r6c7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiYPZpndIA
As she raced up the steps, a man in glasses only a little taller announced himself. She could see him facing her in her peripheral, and though her habits urged her not to, she matched his gaze.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIILp3KbbH
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEn3kZYHS9
"What!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKMntJrGAT
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbpEdQZMGn
Though, perhaps, she should've spared an extra second checking her tone.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYBNAnUJFm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQvVkNc03T
"S-Sorry for the intrusion, ma'am! I just thought we'd familiarize ourselves."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TzatQymtC
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVv4cvAut6f
His nervous expression didn't loosen one bit. When Rover tried a softer face, the sweat on his brow multiplied. Rover gave up appearances, quickly discarding dismissive dialogue before her introduction.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse3sF4VtUd
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjT8o1ZWww
"I'm Nigel. You're the volunteer, aren't you?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tlErLyUYw
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r5cqss45v
"Volunteer makes it sound lame! I'm Rover! L-Let's work well together, alright!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxkUBzU511
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSb7UHBkPId
Nigel's tense expression eased a little. He worried about a sudden reassignment just as much as Rover did.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgbOVKPO0w
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK5MicQu5O
"I know this is a bit impromptu, but my partner perished on the floor below. Thank you for bearing with me."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsgnQUnAHW
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgHk9LqBSV
He raised his right hand, one that clutched a metal collar with a tag. Rover knew immediately who it belonged to, and the unusual idea of consolement entered her mind.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuJZJf5k9H
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHSuGBxykA
"That... that's really bad. I'm sorry for–"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Mg88mcMMD
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDMxDXaNTP
"Don't worry about it. You've suffered a similar fate, haven't you? We're in the same boat."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPQB3Hkrnx
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4TKxRetj8
He kept a smile with those words, but his eyes lacked the light to convince her. He turned his head away, and the two of them kept running up with their usual worries.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtxKW0cGwX
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RWJfD7CwA
And then, finally, they hit a flat surface.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbErIG391h
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNuBMH93d6
"The next room's up ahead!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FxO9vgHqV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVdGs2rZK1
She had been in this scene nearly a dozen times already. And each time, she dreaded it. Sprinting to that door, knowing that there would be a monster in man's skin. She swallowed that dread like before, and each time, it poisoned her blood further and further.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfRAvaOnJq
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0fEJG0mw3
The crowd made it to the room. It was relatively small, but an immediate feature was the giant stained windows, granting a tinted view of the city outside. Rover gave minimum attention to the stature of the room, however, because there, by the exit, sat a man who could only be described as–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvu7NsPDAc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXv7tMS5Khi
"Holy shit! Are ya a titan!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYFgzru4Cw
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpKT6TWdfB
Rover glanced behind her, realizing that Juke was the one to yell that. She saw Kenny near him, huffing with his hands on his kneecaps.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDPIPI6JdN
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEanx1ftxJ
A titan. It was a familiar word. She heard it from the stories her mother told her. But, of course, there were no titans in King's Peak, only tales of them.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgyJSPHyQP
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTR6DMtrrAu
But, even if it was only in name, the titan a man was. A member of Hard-Bringer with such size, and his head nearly reached the ceiling when he stood. Such monstrous height intimidated nearly everyone, but for Rover, it was the opposite.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J2ifMbIhU
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb1qrvewrr
Rover recognized that height. Rover recognized that build, even though it was concealed by robes, and as the man went to pull his hoodie down, the face that appeared only confirmed her intuition.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpflR1yK3S
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG7rbOIRxb
"This is where your advance ends– huh?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaWl7WEUTV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaW2gr21G5
The towering man stopped his speech, compelled by the dashing girl with a rapier in hand. She leaped forward and stuck her foot out, but the man blocked the kick by raising his arm. Rover then thrust her blade, and the man narrowly dodged by tilting his head. However, his angled head was grabbed by her free arm, and through a feat unexpected of her size–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWpNiGoO2V
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdQkU5UpfN
**THUD**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIFcHrnmpm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSnN22gRzS
She shoved the man down to the ground. She immediately followed with a thrust, but she only caught his robe, and the man scurried away.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VADcvOfDc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2YACeiLo2
"...Same tricks as always."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMCjCI00jo
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDXBgESn0l
Though her snide remark was entirely unperturbed, the rest of the room stared with mouths agape, as if they had just witnessed alien life.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DGKzwTVF8
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAX5et5MCgS
"Hoh– it is you. You!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawE82MYwdc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU5jCt2Tos
Because, the once hulking, monster of a man, was now suddenly the size of a teenage boy.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYbhc4JHFY
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaqGCYsZDq
"I never expected to run into you today, Rover! Hahaha!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva9Upo4kqy
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJc2mW5Huf
The crowd was stunned. Only one member moved through the shock, and everyone stared to find it was Nigel.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfcvFFmRW6
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LYwsJ6prY
"Everyone," he shouted. "Move on, we'll take care of things here!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIOiWte06m
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCmJN2J48C
Rover pointed her weapon at the man, a clear warning to stay in place. The man obliged without much resistance, and Rover turned her head to make sure everyone would leave. But then she noticed how Nigel didn't move one inch to that door, and his use of 'we' only just registered in her mind.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWB46FhuqJ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbUsI2L3VR
"Nigel."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGILPWycNz9
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZAH0eiT1k
"Yes?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRixVGYcN1W
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6RjtpLvzm
"Leave. I'm fighting this one alone."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8x88vi09Z
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gFbfTL0Fy
"...You're kidding me, certainly."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bc31VxzEI
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn88jgVxY65
Rover shook her head back and forth.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCaIGT3PcL
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5Vc1aHX3N
"Do you honestly think you can take him alone? You saw what he did, didn't you?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr5KYhRNtd
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEi4rlhNpj
"Of course I did. And I know how it works."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSDTP9nvYu
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCJ5AnAWJp
"You fought him before, then?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic8eAgz391
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3JDvKtz10
Rover quickly nodded. Nigel looked at the man with a constrained face, balling his hands into shaking fists. After an irritated, almost hopeless sigh, he complied. But not before one final word.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUNjnlWsGp
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ieC0DR9eN
"Aren't you and I a team? Are you absolutely certain?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLRkfsNXFE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN89SBHKtH2
Operating on instinct, Rover nodded, but then his opening question computed with her, and her eyes suddenly constricted.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZRzYvOvUz
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG2sKhJi6s
"Very well! Don't die on me!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrYNBuvZWi
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgOkPN7t6M
His opening words caught Rover like a chain. It reminded her of that moron's scolding, forced her to consider her vow– her earnest word that she'd cooperate –and inquired why she didn't abide by them. But Rover answered that inquiry easily.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeYt3kjBfZ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwuYhAYOTr
This man wasn't just a Bringer. She had a history with him. This man was an enemy. A bipedal wretch, barely human, who boiled her blood and furrowed her brows.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUiXvWH2N5
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2EU1GvYNx
No, now she was certain of it. This monster had to fall to her hands; anyone else would just be a hindrance. So she would take him alone, as she always had.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmon8Ia4Ebq
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9GrGdN1qn
She looked back one last time, making sure that only she and the man were in the room. Nigel was gone, but to her surprise, there was still another member of the crowd there. He drew particular attention. Standing between the exit, not quite leaving it, with clear indecision festering within.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnbpyLyWGe
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJsJWSHZnY
"Rover," Kenny suddenly shouted. Her eyes moved to his face, constricted and complicated. She was compelled to call it a scowl, but no scorn was in Kenny's face. Only concern, and disappointment.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiaknfWZuR
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjh1L1lDeg
Even without hearing it, Rover knew his words. It suddenly was difficult, to see his face like that. Now, the embodiment of that vow was staring directly into her. Not just at her eyes, no– she felt the observation of her soul.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR09kJzbJEe
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHR0ewNddN
"..."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1Qz1Llcys
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQidR57RBv
It was suddenly difficult to do anything. And yet, the feelings that burned within her formed too great an inferno to douse. If that boy took two steps further into this room, or even one, she felt like she would lash out. She felt like– she knew she would yell at him not to butt in, to mind his own business, to go fuck himself, and to leave her alone. Words that she had slung candidly before. Words that she knew better than family.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcPmgJEMer
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HNyYPOe3J
And so, she communicated with a stern nod, and Kenny's biting mouth chipped his nail.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjzqu5aOPp
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0Oa80XC0o
"Fine. Good luck!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ10Gcy7YwZ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b6cqVZcjL
And then, he was off. His bidding of good fortune completely stunned her. However, she quickly recovered–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUivgxcajd
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7vqCT5pTL
**THUD**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0tKS9iczK
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhdPqmHBqC
"Sharp as always! I'm a fool to think that would work!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTW2cxEvk2
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZJN9xsBQQ
There came a sudden strike from her front, but it was one that she blocked. She freed her rapier from the struggle and backed away, brandishing her weapon and sliding a leg back into a stance.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuAERQ9xEb
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsauikU0No4
"Are you ready," the man asked, a boorish smirk on his face. She could almost see the swirls in his eyes, the way they lost any reason, seeing only combat and carnage as they always had.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMEAmPe2Mp
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtuVz3Dare
She tried to ignore the uncertain, guilty way her stomach formed a pit.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5R8JZwSNj
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JY3mMA7VJ
"Come at me, Boris!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5iXWxda6E
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4TFp1Ecn7
–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG27jhah7my
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlPIgLymYH
–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMFb9ZZpJ7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJqrb7NC9i
–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKjO55VAK1
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHBHdaRYJB
Right before she charged forth, her stalled thoughts sprung into action.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqeOqw4zbW
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTKOCiD1Ok
Rover knew of their volatile unpredictability. But she was always prepared for it. Even on that street, when they made their audacious announcement, Rover hadn't a shocked bone in her body. But to see Boris utterly defied expectations. She wished she had more time, maybe a moment to sharpen the tip of her rapier, to check the grip on her dagger. But it was too late now, and as she took her first step into battle, she lost all leeway to care.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBjfDJbDHP
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUAvFmQmJr
Boris contested her dash. As he charged forth his smaller stature expanded slightly. He leaped forward, but it wasn't to tackle or to grab. He swung his hips and turned ninety degrees, unbending his legs for a sudden drop kick.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFODCRi5btm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Oorb2angA
Rover blocked it with her hands. His increased size made the blow harder to cope with, but she still only slid a foot back. Now on the ground, Rover seized the opportunity to stab at the man. She thrust once, and her sword was met with the sole of his boot.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiHn4NgWd8
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkJhTpGztv
"Huh!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3gA8KJCQ8
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3m19ARmxs
He spun onto his belly, catching himself with his hands, using her rapier as a borrowed axel. He pushed himself off the ground with enough force that, even with his lack of leverage, he flew as a battering ram toward her. Rover's rapier nearly snapped under the pressure, but she moved it away before its steel blade turned into a wobbly tube. She ducked Boris' charge, but he grabbed onto her rapier, swinging back around and destroying Rover's balance. Rover, however, had only one hand on that Rapier.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh0fqjnMLm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNKSTvSEfa
"Hah!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oL1UPhrat
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlJBpvlCMo
She used her other to grab her dagger and stabbed at the man. He took the blow unceremoniously, even growing to lessen it, and she was sure it hurt by the subsequent grunt. He flew off her rapier a solid few meters away, taking Rover's dagger with his body.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpo8ZoJ6XOg
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XcOuj3Gnd
But she didn't let up, because she knew that if she waited any longer–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqDkuVrw6y
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96MYKozsQ1
"Here!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSuiBnsqdr
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDfsm9DvLQ
Boris dislodged her dagger and he chucked it like a throwing knife. Rover caught it at one of its crossguards, but as she was distracted with doing so, the man performed mana spinning.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllqiJU5oqH
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfLjI71akL
"Good thing that dagger's so thin. Otherwise, this wound wouldn't be so easy to heal."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlW16vhyhw
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnbVJwsi3Q
"Tch."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20x65Gf96b
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlDcfocb9s
Boris returned to his former size. He stroked his chin, tending to his thoughts as he stared down Rover. She afforded him no time and charged forth. She thrust her rapier once, met with a jerk away, and thrust it again. She repeated her thrusts, each of which dodged but less comfortably each subsequent attempt. Rover knew him better, however. She knew that right as she thought she'd get him, he would pull an underhanded trick. So she assumed the eyes of an analyst, narrowing them and gazing at Boris like a hunting cat.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4O8c8na29
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0HEG90B8W
**CLANG**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqNAx73J5b
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNP1Gl6Wo0e
And that trick came. Boris caught her thin rapier between his hands, clamping it so fiercely that the metal would snap any moment. But Rover's stance suffered no blow, and poised to strike back, she slung her leg from her side. The blow struck Boris right under the rib, and from his obvious wince, the damage wasn't meaningless.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLate11mDEi
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZwBuLAOlV
She struck again quickly, sliding her rapier out and using the butt of its hilt like a rock, smacking Boris square in the face. Boris reeled from the blow and took a few steps away, but Rover swung her arm back and straightened her Rapier, honing in for a vicious thrust.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmhhpQNZSf
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkh3hWHQIS
That thrust, however, had been dodged. And the force Rapier stockpiled only sent her tumbling to the ground. She never landed, though, because a sudden fist to the face replaced her embarrassing fall with a punitive flight. She soared across the room, disoriented, anchoring herself on the floor with her Rapier right before colliding with a wall.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ajzRuus63
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tnXrd0PTb
As she gathered her bearings, she saw Boris charging forth with a puffed chest. Only, it wasn't puffed, but swollen to inhuman degrees. The image of a bull came to her mind, and for a moment she was paralyzed. But she shook the intimidation off and stepped away, missing a blow that–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdeigpP7Vq
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvSQm2M9xw
**SMASH**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4ral7MCta
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVNcjXc4W7
–shook the room as it ruined the wall.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IS4UhyinT
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPalY3LgM2r
"Ack. Shit!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lnLreEv7X
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolBMf6U6nA
Rover realized his reckless gesture was an attempt at an early victory, but she was too energized to fall prey to it, and now Boris was only more hurt.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOcEZjGrpF
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFXjPXJSpy
"These tactics don't work how they used to. You've grown. Haha, you've truly grown!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjJ4i0T6WF
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAyO7hYwr7
Boris deflated his comical size, returning to a more reasonable stature.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfHl7WewtN
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FtDY7aasG
"But not enough."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f1G23CSLY
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvyAblZBwi
"--!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93P3MlgaMk
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mzxrMPeO5
Those words, unlike anything prior, brewed steam within her head.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JbewgR8O7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QiRXaEr8H
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm kicking your ass!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8H1wlhKLE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8GtGAi4uW
He wiped some dirt off his shoulder.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIiHNX7Tex
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmycjqfPPqX
"Your intellect hasn't improved one bit, has it? Can't you tell I'm still toying with you?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjy4QjcorE1
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwdOQvA1Sr
Her jittering mouth couldn't open to respond. So badly did she want to deny it, to call him out for being coy. But to do so, would just be to lie.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHav0M1BkA
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeitbM2k9Y7
"I remember when you and I first met. Back in those ivory fields, when I offered you a home, you scowled at me and called me scum. That a bringer like me ought "167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29e1udx28X
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EsKwTQbEm
"...So what? What are you getting at, shitface?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc7ME8yPzW
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlNwTTBFkg
He smirked. He placed his hands behind his shoulders, closing his eyes. Rover didn't understand what he was doing, and that worried her. That worried her deeply because she thought she knew every trick this monster could pull. She thought she knew every ace up his sleeve, every nook and cranny of his capacity.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9k07tELBQ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxZWIfqFG0
But, as she was proven yet again, keeping expectations like that was for fools.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH2Ehj8fLG
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqEidxGmjs
From the back of his shoulders, cylindrical masses of earth formed, taking shapes and morphing as his hands moved outward. His arms stopped just above his chest, and as he lowered his arms, Rover's eyes blew open, her clenched throat vomiting a gasp.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7W1WX2iFGR
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUKcI376pe
"You talked so much of this goal of yours. Of how you'd beat me. Of how you'd prove yourself to me and all of my colleagues."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwOo9DjhI4
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQZKcu19rW
From the back of his shoulders, a new pair of arms found home, and they pointed their fingers with snappy girth.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdgiqTH7Wp
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtqX6aGKcO
"Hahaha! Come! Show me that this time, you'll do just that"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DsAs4bSo0
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmmzhGzVFG
"--Fine!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosPQSIVe9G
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzDuCUcnTc
Though the doubling of his limbs was obviously intimidating, Rover tried not to be dissuaded by his appearance. She charged forth, dagger now firmly in hand. After all, if she fought the new Boris with a stale arsenal, she'd be crushed.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKjGPcHPJl
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lZ0g2Wsr2
She began with a thrust, and immediately it was caught by one of Boris' earthly arms, not budging an inch. He bent his legs and threw a regular punch at Rover, one she avoided with a backstep. Her rapier was now confiscated, and she watched Boris raise it with his earthen arms.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThH6r11Sm7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgjkQI7jmu
Something inside urged her to scream in defiance. To yell at that man not to do it, but she pushed that unburied temptation down with a commanding glare. Gazing at Boris as he snapped the rapier like a twig.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H01AKrP7J
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7R0OdSr5Gt
"Well," he asked, "what now?" He threw the split rapier to the side and taunted Rover, daring her to come closer. Rover didn't fall for the taunt, because what she had was not rage– at least, not at the man before her.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9sDDPiFLc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG6Y6iwU8t
Rather, her shaking fists were directed at herself. She raised the dagger and looked at it. Despite its needle-like blade, the curved cross-guards made it a poor tool for thrusting. This was her only weapon. This and her fists, anyway, but if her past had taught her anything, it was that fists were a futile tool against him.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7GiB6yeGY
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jFoO8unAR
"Completely still. But, of course, you lost your only way to kill me. Will you give up?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mt1FCipfd
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS0Xj6IfWP
"...You're counting me out already. It's pissing me off!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3dMmnbxS6
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6LlGk5ejc
Yes, her remaining weapon was better suited to defense. Yes, she was physically weaker than Boris. But if her kit made it so that she lived and died by the presence of her rapier, she would've gone all those years traveling King's Peak for nothing.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYdhBtxXrQ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9RJCRRASi
"You've learned nothing, you overgrown oaf!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMC3r9L96z
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZJoRBh9At
Her free hand latched onto the strap around her waist, turning it and revealing the satchel that had gone unnoticed by Boris. Unzipping it and reaching for its contents, Rover pulled out an item that made his eyes widen. A thin, elongated, but sturdy vial, one that fits comfortably into Rover's palm.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu8NxgMRUT
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yaf3yFXqX
"...I see. Hahaha, I see! And what kind of exotic mana does that hold?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlToXa8KdK
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFU7Iximstn
"Come and find out!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7q0pY5z6E
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJKyUobttA
And for the first time in the battle, Boris broke the neutral state, dashing at Rover with arms blazing. A result that came at the worst time possible. Because, although Rover revealed her condition for victory, not a single thought of how to use it came to her mind. And thus, she panicked.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtBiyi1sHx
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdU90ZsgO9
Fortunately, she was always a better runner than Boris.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcFsNByq1y
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMa2wXstzF
"Get back here! Come on you coward!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f2Dvs6z30
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWF8YWfpw39
Rover dismissed those venomous words. Or at the very least, she tried to, but its potent bite was felt throughout her body like the mountains of sweat her brow was producing. She had no idea what to do. For a moment she doubted that she remembered what the vial even contained. But one look at it, at its orange hue that signified distinct divergence, assured Rover that much.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjF52mp0Lf
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqhisOgiyo
And then, the answer came to her. The wave of panic crashed with the gentle grace of summer water. She stuck the dense vial in her mouth and turned around.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wvsvse1we
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsehKB5ZVZ
"Finally!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijGK6YCTQ6
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPXaVVN9Hi
Boris threw his earthen arms directly at her, which Rover dodged. In a bent position, Boris brought both his arms up to uppercut. Rover blocked one fist with her palm and stabbed through the other.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oYOQu1SiI
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA1jyHDyQ2
"--Ack! Shit!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpz6uu0Jh8
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIEj3d5mxr
The parrying dagger slid smooth like silk out of the wound. Rover dashed back immediately, anticipating some kind of reaction.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcTXQLO3By
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62v0aFzkt8
"...My fingers are broken. Just what is that dagger made of?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpP2WJUjvTC
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2j1mmqq9s
And then a profound smile found itself on her face. He backed away to perform mana spinning potent enough only to close his wound. Those broken fingers were just what she needed.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSBP5ZoPhR
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRBednCjMF
She performed a swift dash, closing the gap between Boris and her. He immediately put his earthen arms up as a guard, disjointed just enough from his body to make an attack impossible. Rover thought this sudden focus on defense as suspicious, even as the mana spinning on his hand gave her a reason, so she dared not approach without caution. After all, with how volatile his size changes were, he could–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZjCuvi5gn
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG8iH38CHO
"...!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOSlyOrykp
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOkzVmIbPR
Her past experience came to the forefront of her mind, and now she observed her reality with a perplexed perspective. He barely altered his size throughout this fight. He stopped only when–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLGoO4WC1L
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7bY0cnQcV
"Ah-ha!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLU6ZCELCD
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z4JwigztA
Though her profession of understanding was muffled by the glass between her teeth, it made the rise of her confidence no less explosive. She seemingly threw all caution to the wind, charging forth directly into his earthen arms. Boris dashed away, keeping Rover at a distance, but to no avail. Her speedy struts caught up to his back peddling quickly, and instead of attacking, Rover grabbed the earthen hands.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FzPmGRQQf
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAHZ3fSk53
The gesture alone confused Boris for a moment, just enough to stun him for what happened next.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEqPHppgtv
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KP1BAV8bf
**THUD**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqjnYQVBks
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTSiNrS2QY
"Urk!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOKUXKMhYc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcGNSDqWch
Using those arms like a swing, she propelled her feet into Boris' gut. But she didn't stop there. Because there was no better opportunity to do this than now. She pulled the glass right out of her mouth and popped the lid open, throwing it at Boris as she fell to the floor and rolled away.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9auXLraVO
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgqB3sGJgX
Now at a distance, Rover observed the magic. But no magic came.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uRP3SeiA8
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ctaZUFpYp
"Huh?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jOTHWizDc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6MqzAMfOD
There was a fluttering cloud of orange dust before Boris, permeating through the room like any ordinary gas would.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa81OIIM4e
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPiO6B6lER
"Haha! What was I afraid of!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH68kd7MRe
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0sYZQPInm
Boris broke into a bellowing laughter. He held his gut not only to soothe the pain but to hold back his chuckles. Rover knew he would've pointed at her had one of his arms not suffered damage, and though that made her bitter, she kept herself composed for the moment.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbmg7UdN9j
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrdp1HrkdM
Boris quit his laughter, wiping a few tears out of his eyes. The orange cloud permeated slowly, so it still was rather thick, but that didn't dissuade Boris from sticking his head in and smelling it like morning air.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6s5pRK4W3
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDC05kf6oJw
"What's this? Doesn't smell like anything. You crack me up. At least you put on a good show!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXvPmgtSRS
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI50CFnhNJ
Boris threw his arms wide.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7wddUbuu2
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GWX2MkcM2
"But I like fights more than performances. I'll do both of us a favor and end this–"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0zWCWAK2C
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNsMhtFyFs
In a flash, as he spoke, as the spit flew out of his face, and as the lids of his eyes closed to blink, he raised his leg one step forward. With that leg, his body followed right after, crashing into the dust of orange, spreading it just far enough that it contacted the earthen arms.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzjws8DJPu
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡja6DDt5SSp
And then the magic happened.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlY0b7AQcJ9
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nJDtbLFyb
**BOOM**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0JavbdcU7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyY04MrYOpo
That cloud of dust erupted with volcanic ferocity, an explosion so small, yet so extreme that Rover struggled to keep her footing. A great cloud of smoke took the place of Boris' body, and Rover looked on with the slimiest grin she had ever worn.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSMwAcw0JV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90RbCf28un
"Heh. And I even figured out your actual size."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBkh27cRvi
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQNEvjR0x7
She stood up and wiped whatever junk found itself on her shoulder. She approached the site of the explosion, and just like in her memories, it was near heatless. She didn't get too close, however. Just close enough to see Boris' crisps, when that cloud of dust would eventually fade.
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwmmLRKHkl
"Hmmm? This is taking a while–"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt82VpEEx13
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc47oouDqEl
And indeed, that cloud of dust faded. It faded rather fast. But then Rover realized it wasn't that the dust faded. Rather, something had stolen its spot.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ4v6e08vU
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwKKd8yIq6
The arm of a titan, reaching out for her, with its open palm like a claw. Rover's instincts forced her body to dash away. Then she stood and watched. Watched as a hulking mass exited the site of the explosion.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZ3EsZM3EN
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8P0XbZafu
Then, it shrunk.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9al7KW02m5
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSQXzG1mux
"Oh ho ho, you marvelous beast."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFR3LTQOpz
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPGi71jFBw
Boris' robes were gone. Cinders, undeniably. Then was the leather armor Rover knew he always wore. That was gone too. The only article of clothing that remained were his pants, and even they were hardly intact. He was covered in burns blistered the likes of which she'd never seen, and his earthen arms were now missing. By all strings of reasoning, Rover should've dashed in and dealt the final blow. But she couldn't.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtSt94e88R
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFt1IZZke5
Come to think of it, it was the first time she'd seen a part of his body aside from his face. And now she felt as if she just discovered a new man. Because all around Boris' torso was a carpet of gaping, sporadic holes.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gGmUDad5a
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1k5g46RKn
"I can see it in your face. Your disgust. But I know that there's awe in those eyes. How couldn't there be?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGB43yARMV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUpH5Lp5wE
Rover snapped out of her trance and brandished her dagger.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPTczGq6RJ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoXHLo2I23
"What you're seeing is my Endowment. Many have called it a curse, but I'm not so ungrateful to insult it like that."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJbueT18vA
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpyS3fCbs6
Boris raised his unbroken arm. He began mana spinning, forming a brick of earth in his hand. And then, from the large hole centered at his navel, the very same brick spewed out and plummeted to the ground.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBALJyE6KTS
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbX1MV31Ce
And then, a few seconds later, another brick spat out a different hole.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FtBqqINny
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhqFw7f7fH
"Those arms I formed made for a dandy shield, wouldn't you say? Though of course, you hit me in the last place it spawned. Lucky you."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMjiSNSuXi
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVHobO0HZk
Another brick spewed out. It came from his shoulder.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2qcVpea3z
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchPv9ha8KD
"Well, you've certainly made a mess of my face. But I don't need good looks anyway."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiWVjE0jmE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGxIIHY7tc
He dropped the brick in his hand right as another spewed out. He wound his arm, as if to stretch it, then gazed at Rover with the eyes of a monster.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYhg5ixluk
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGcFWvrvF4
"You're not done fighting, are you? Come on."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5LxNtZjkr
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINOOQ5yRIC
"...Freak."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3pOBRncDm
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp7S2L4OW9
"Oh yeah. You loved calling me that before, didn't you?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEd9Jcz7Lk
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGE46ggU8nV
"And just look at how right I was."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aKk9p7GEc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVD1rWKrxs
A hearty chuckle came from him.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oKljAlh9J
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVC9odGVfEP
"Well, that won't do you any good."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2obMbstKW
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVfbcUzNPC
Boris entered a stance, taunting Rover yet again.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBxg0hdpci
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBdXl2xddL
"Come on. My legs are scorched. Your marvelous plan gave you this opportunity."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMyhb18lIn
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncsdUwztxj
She put one leg forward.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeQsQJap0S
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5As2KwVpZ
"You've got brains since the last time we met. At least, more than I expected. You used them well. You're still worth keeping around."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSoG2J0p9y
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Then another. Boris' grin grew wider.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclWLFjrIdU
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"A helpless dog like you shouldn't loiter around! Come on, Rover! Don't you have something to prove!?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eDedUv4lZ
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgrXPbjGqO
And even through his manic glare, Rover sprinted. She sprinted with energy to finish, the will to see that monster put down.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwWQQjQR18
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–
–
–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7QNP7lWRs
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFcbJBF6eN
–From an onlooker's perspective, Rover could see why she'd get concerned stares. Even though her body locomoted tactfully in the fight, the windows to her mind made contorted, bemused shapes. And the removal of her dagger compounded that contortion.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53U0U04JdL
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctO3idBSSu
She threw a fist forward. It was slapped away by Boris, and he attempted a counterattack. Rover tucked her head just in time, and with the tiny space between her skull and his arm, she jumped. Boris avoided a dislocation, but Rover kept the assault with a kick from the side. It was blocked by his other hand. She slipped away just before it got caught, and using her right leg like an anchor, delivered a flurry of kicks at Boris, who went to block them.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhierCLfEV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4N902IO9E
–Rover's kicks were laced. Whether it hampered or bolstered them wasn't something she knew or cared about. At some point, she forgot all about the process of kicking, her mind wandering to holes in her gut. The oozing pastries behind the glass, unable to snatch that gilded stash.
Boris quit his consecutive parries, realizing that such a task was a fool's game. He backed away, which took a moment to compute with Rover, and Boris used that moment to charge in and deliver a quick blow. Rover fortunately blocked it, and as she didn't slide across the room, she had ample leverage to pull a maneuver. She spread her arms and wrapped them around Boris, turning around and putting it over her shoulder. Boris was bigger than her, but that mattered little with her strength. She threw him onto the ground, and his back's unceremonious clash with the floor made its effects apparent on his face. However, Boris pointed his vacant hand at her and out came a burst of wind. Rover didn't have the reflexes to dodge at such a short range and went flying across the room.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4zXYbHtnf
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDj4p1JNI1
–Those morphing cakes reeked of red. Its verdant smell commanded her to smash the glass, but she was smarter than that. She knew that if she broke the shield, she'd lose on the spot. And that couldn't happen. Her blood boiled to steam. Her teeth ground themselves to powder. It was inevitable, seeing as that's how it always went.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFnyxsqM2v
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeW5CAdZsrV
Boris jumped up from the floor right as Rover landed on it. She struggled to get back on her feet, as the blow from his spell sent her head into a frenzy, but she made do with her wobbly knees. Boris charged forth and tackled with his shoulder. Rover tried to block it, and though she avoided any serious damage, she was swept off her feet yet again. Boris followed with a kick, but right as his foot was about to connect, another gust of wind blew from his chest. It saved Rover from a painful blow and sent Boris soaring away, but the edges of the gust still connected, and she was back on the floor.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUCMAN5ADV
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXoJXhP7BW
–When things get at arm's length, they become untouchable. But the obstacle isn't always a protective pane of glass. Sometimes it's a shelf, one just high enough so it's out of your reach. Rover jumped for years, but every time her legs grew stronger, or her arms grew longer, the shelf grew with her, but always a little more. Eventually, her fiddling fingertips couldn't even brush it.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4urrDiEps
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrHAbi1dJm
Rover fought yet again to get her feet to the ground. She wiped her mouth with her arm and spat out blood-infused spit. She must've cut her inner cheek.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9EJ6siv8y
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbtEgtekTW
Boris was far away from her, but charing with full awareness. His pace slugged from before, it was clear to Rover that the explosion still affected him. She used that thought to muster her remaining strength and met Boris' charge head-on. The two entered a series of throwing and avoiding fists, and Rover's superior speed gave her an edge. She landed blows square in the chest, and as she hit his pores, they immediately constricted. Rover cared little as to what that meant and kept bashing, but then Boris landed a fist into her cheek. She rolled with the hit as well as she could before rounding back with her strongest punch yet. It landed right into Boris' palm. He twirled his arm, a clear attempt to break Rover's own, but she had experience with such tricks. She put her free hand onto Boris' and jumped, countering his rotation with her own, and kicking him in the head. But Boris didn't release his grasp, and instead threw Rover up and punted her gut.
–There was almost no doubt in her mind of what would happen. It was inevitable, in spite of her struggle. She was going to lose. Would she die? She knew Boris well enough, and so she knew she wouldn't. But to her, no future existed beyond the time of her loss. No prospects are had at the precipice of failure. It was like the blackness of recollecting one's memory as a fetus. But if these rotten thoughts were all that were within her, then maybe she could've squeezed out a tie.
Rover fell to the ground, wheezing and panting, remnants of her stomach escaping from her mouth. She expected an immediate attack and braced herself, but such an attack never came–
**THUD**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6jPn9YS94
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Rover ate a kick to the face. She rolled across the ground but stopped herself quickly. Her right eye was covered in red, but she could see Boris even through a blizzard. He stomped to her, but Rover didn't move. She reached into the sheath and grabbed the hilt of her dagger, and right as Boris was in range to attack, she threw the weapon at her.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrbQc7MpW5
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6cP73vhFr
–There were chains around her arms, doubts in and out of hiding, pouncing and making escapes with military expertise. There was guilt in her limbs, the ones she used to seal the oath she carelessly shattered. There was anger in her stomach, the one that was always there, residing like a parasite but pulsing now as if it was bound to burst. There was sorrow in her heart, the one she used to fuel words about things she just didn't understand. The one she used to hope. But one affliction was chief among them all.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNV6mMKdF4
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRCrnG0svu
Boris was caught off guard, but not as much as Rover hoped. He just raised one of his arms and let the dagger pierce right through. Boris' screaming was nearly musical to her. Blood leaked from the edges; it was clear the dagger was like a clog. But even so, Boris pulled the dagger out of his arm and sealed the blood-spewing hole with his fingers, performing mana spinning.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0SoWKkIrW
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWis2tib0f
"You have gotten smarter. Or maybe I've just gotten dumber."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSg9lC7aMc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV6uMy9HVc
Rover tried to get up and attack. After all, he was right in front of her, making himself vulnerable. She tried, and she was able to get her upper body off the floor, but Boris kept her down with another kick to the chin. Any strength to rise departed, and all Rover could do was watch as Boris approached.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNAxdQV8QS
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgm0RxuFrL
"What a shame. For you, of course. This is the closest you've ever gotten, but you didn't have that extra push."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLihUxklgmt
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE4h0MzJjk
Rover balled his hands into a fist, scowling at Boris with daggers for eyes.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPAg8DTnFE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hG2gkRnxV
"Relax, now. Twisting your face won't kill me. Might as well save the energy."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjnOElvijt
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iwpQ7nU7E
"You... ass."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGVkrw359z
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMf6L4i3Ha
Boris stopped before her legs, staring at them while pinching his chin. Rover couldn't begin to imagine what was going on in his head. But she kept on scowling, even hissing at him as if the action would deter him at all.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwfkkFAslS
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YxQYwnRF9
"You're not crawling away?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfHqBapxOc
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ox4PLTSG5
"...I'm not a damn worm."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaziubn2O7
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC35WY1uNKD
"Right. You never were the type to do that. But your insults are missing. Well, not that it matters."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1N0ClRCKar
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zT3wiT8O1
Boris crouched down and gazed at her legs. A shiver crawled up Rover's spine, one that left tingling dread in its wake.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx02NfyXek1
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"I'm spent, but I can't let you run around either. So how about I do, this?"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtYKfo1YlE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZH9PvqxT6L
He grabbed her left leg by the ankle, and as he did so, he began mana expulsion. He formed a great club of earth in his hand and walked over to her hip. Immediately, Rover knew what was going to happen. She moved her arm in an attempt to slap it away, but her hands couldn't reach him.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPE8XZzkw5
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nVIWQv9Lv
But, she still tried. As Boris raised the club above his head, the corners of her eyes were taken by darkness. More and more area, subjugated by black until only the very center of her pupils had the ability to look. They stared at the club, as it stood motionless above his head, and she knew any second it would come down, and she knew any second she would be made a fool.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYCkn3NR0k
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And she couldn't do a thing.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5yqECcyGZ
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–Frustration. It was her frustration. The object of her long-lived hatred, its ambassador stood right there. But she was being beaten down like a dog. An injured mutt who had to limp on all but one of its legs, even unable to beg. At the edge of achieving her dream, her ultimate goal, she was forced to watch it slip further and further away. And then she realized, she couldn't destroy Hard-Bringer. And then she realized, she couldn't even scratch it. And then she realized, she'd have to wait again, and then train again, and then search again, and then despair again. And as the final blow of the battle came, only two words sprung from her mind:167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIM9meaG8Io
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2qbec07IL
Sorry, mom–167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUUwKICiQg
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**CRACK**167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiyKNYkPiR
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"AG– AAAAAAAAAAHCK!"167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSREbQtOEEH
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Her nearly six years of combat experience couldn't have prepared her for this.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCp5z61MD1B
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"And there goes your leg."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEajm6l4PVI
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3WsY9RMW0
She knew of no word to describe the sensation. Seething, writhing, pounding, shocking,
burning, aching, twitching, pulsing, churning– nothing came to her mind to describe it. The shattering of her femur, shooting fragments of bone like shrapnel to the lining of her skin, but not enough to pierce it. As if dozens of bugs drilled through her flesh, as if an entire home landed on her leg– that's what it was like.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29f4OZ1ee6
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0svyoD2tO
"It's funny. If it hadn't only been you, I'd probably be dead."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglL3zPRhWE
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRD8P4s2Ttw
She couldn't even move to clutch her leg, to soothe it in any way. The most she could do was groan and yell and grit her teeth, but none of that was possible at once, and when her focus got captivated by his words the way it did, the pain exponentiated.
"Dogs like you– they like to hunt alone. But the moment they face something threatening, they bite just short of drawing blood. Maybe then, you're a defective wolf."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniFuPXr4eN
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBMGaClN4z
Boris uncrouched and stepped away as a club of earth spat from a pore. He was clearly haggard, limping as he walked away, hardly able to move one leg before the other. That was the only consolidation Rover was afforded; a tiny solace within the sea of agony.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ifUI1L0wN
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But those words of his stole it away.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3Pd48G34l
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp1pp6xgbX
"Raw strength wins yet again. You got close, but I am still undefeated. Until we meet again, Rover."167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcy2sYfcaWI
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1Nqe0KXQN
Boris continued limping away until he reached the wall. Then, reeling his fist back, he smashed the glass panes open. He looked down and whistled before turning around and looking at Rover.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6dSLzEzv4
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2NGDqXEG9
She wanted to scream, but all the efforts of her throat and lungs were channeled to ease her suffering. And oh, how she hated it. How she hated the grin of his face, an arrangement of his teeth and mouth designed for eating feces. He waved her goodbye and jumped off while cackling like a witch.167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHWUSo1oUF
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No strength to draw, no will to push. All Rover could do was lay there and cope, lamenting her loss and that wretched monster's words.
