Summoned and Unwanted

[You could possibly move your body accordingly if you would have superhuman strength and reflexes. But that isn’t on the table for your weak self.]

[So, in other words, in the span of those four seconds, which would actually be one second for everyone else, you could anticipate and take advantage to dodge, block, or parry an attack.]

[However, good as this sounds, I might be able to pull you in your Soul Domain one last time before my body becomes unstable and possibly fades away.]

[Also, everything I just said is just a theory I racked my brain to find a way for survival. Blessed Retainer Bond seems to freeze the time instantly while this transition happens, unlike Soul Visit.]

“Now I understand your plan, but... don’t pull me again. If we have to die... we die together. I don’t want to lose you, my cute wisp.” Vincent warmly said.

He felt excited by hearing about such an overpowered ability, but using it too much had a cost he didn’t want to pay. The price for Soul Visit came from the mana sustaining Kasumi’s body.

.....

[Do you remember in chapter two hundred of the Green-Eyed Hero comic, the Hero says, “I will use any beneficial effect to protect, because the Hero is the one who will get the last laugh, even if the price is too much to pay.”]

“Yes, but unlike him, I will not pay any price if it involves you, Ester, or Lupa passing away. ” Vincent disagreed with the Green-Eyed Hero’s words from the comic he loved to read.

“One last question. Did you see if Lupa was injured before the Demonic Beast charged at us?” Vincent worryingly asked.

He left her alone while thinking the Demonic Beast was going to stay down and slowly bleed out. But it was a naive thought to think that such a fierce monstrous ape would stay down.

[I heard a loud boom. Then I saw a large cloud of dust enveloping the surrounding area hiding Lupa and the Demonic Beast from sight. Not long after, I saw the Demonic Beast rush out with a quickened pace.]

[I hope Lupa didn’t get hurt.]

Kazumi informed him of what her wisp eyes saw. She noticed how these words made his face contort a deep angry frown. But it was understandable as she unknowingly had an angered frown as well.

“I’m ready to go back. ” Vincent said with a pair of cold green shining eyes. He momentarily felt like a different person to Kazumi. She stared for a few seconds at his cold gaze and said her parting words.

[Let’s kill that bastard! I’m with you until the end!]

Kazumi stopped using Soul Visit. His surroundings quickly became engulfed in darkness as his vision turned dark. The next time he blinked, the Demonic Beast stood before him frozen in time.

Time however, waited for no one. Vincent noticed the two-second transition from the Soul Domain time to the living world time flow Kazumi explained about.

Vincent could clearly see the Demonic Beast’s right rocky fist begin to move almost at a frozen state, slow enough to react. Unfortunately, his slow human speed and reaction time couldn’t allow him to take advantage of this situation without a miracle.

Vincent had one option left in his arsenal to save himself from possibly getting crushed to death. He urged his body to move with all his might. His muscles soon followed the brain’s instructions, forcing his body to act while the time flow returned to normal.

*Clang

Time returned. The Demonic Beast violently crashed against the mudcrab shield, simultaneously impaling itself in the chest from the makeshift wooden spear planted in the ground.

Vincent twisted his body while moving to his side, leaving the shield alone without any resistance. The Demonic Beast was soon forced from the built momentum to tumble and fall.

The shield offered no resistance, similar to a person slamming against an open door with all their might.

The wooded spear impaling in the Demonic Beast’s chest broke when the heavy rock-filled body slammed on the ground with a loud thud.

Kazumi became bewildered after witnessing the best possible outcome Vincent could obtain from this exchange. It felt as if he knew the future and acted accordingly. But the truth was different. He could perceive one second as four seconds. A cheat of time.

Vincent hastily grabbed the short sword lying beside his feet and turned to face the Demonic Beast. He didn’t need to use Inspection to know that the fight wasn’t over as the Demonic Beast’s crazed eyes were brimming with bloodlust.

The Demonic Beast slowly pulled itself up. It gasped for air while blood and foam trickled from its mouth. Blood flowed from the spear lodged in its chest, quicking its death by the massive blood loss dripping on the red grass.

“Have a taste of my anger!” Vincent shouted with a cold murderous gaze.

Vincent held the short sword with all strength left in his uninjured hand. He jumped and shoved the sword down the Demonic Beast’s throat with all his might.

The sword’s hilt soon stopped the dying Demonic Beast from tasting any more of Vincent’s anger by getting stuck at the sides of the mouth.

The Demonic Beast took a few steps back with a pained contorted face, gasping for air. The Devouring clouded its mind, reducing its intelligence. With all the accumulating injuries and barely able to breathe, Demonic Beast suddenly wanted to run away as if the survival instinct to live suddenly kicked in.

“This is for Ester and Lupa!” Vincent shouted with the mudcrab shield raised in his hand.

Vincent could only use one arm to hold the shield as the other dangled like a dead arm. Momentarily, he jumped with the last bit of strength circulating in his body to deliver the finishing blow.

*Bam!

The mudcrab shield violently fell, slamming against the hilt of the short sword. The force from the impact broke the hilt in two as both sides went the opposite direction, removing any hindrance for the blade to shoot deeper inside the Demonic Beast.

As if hitting a nail with a hammer, the blade shoved down its throat with nowhere to be seen. A fountain blood gushed out from its mouth a second later.

The Demonic Beast retreated a few steps back before it fell on its knees. The large rocky hands violently scratched its neck, trying to remove the blade from its body, but it was already too late.

Vincent stayed on high alert, coldly glaring at the Demonic Beast at its final attempt to remain alive. It was gasping for air and suffocating from the last bit of blood remaining in its quickly drying body.

*Thud

After less than a minute later of excruciating pain, the Demonic Beast fell on the ground. Shortly, no sound or movement was made by the dead looking Demonic Beast.

Vincent wanted to make sure it was dead. He took a step back and cautiously used Inspection as only it could reveal the critical answer to their survival.

.

[Name] Nok Ape (Earth Demonic Beast)

[Description] Killed by impalement and bloodloss. Killer Vincent Agius. Assisted by Lupa and Ester.

[Loot] Pure Earth Core

.

“It’s finally dead. ” Vincent fell on his knees. The strength and adrenaline to keep him standing quickly waned.

Vincent turned his gaze at Ester to check if she was safe. A faint smile soon raised on his lips when he saw she was okay.

[Let’s check on Lupa, but I don’t like the condition you’re in. Heal yourself if she’s okay. Also, why don’t you inspect yourself?]

“I’ll check later. Lupa comes first.” Vincent ignored her plea to check his terrible condition. He stood up and limped over to Lupa with his exhausted trembling legs.

Lupa soon appeared in his sights; she was lying on the ground, but fortunately didn’t look badly hurt. Vincent quickly inspected her condition to proceed with healing her.

.

[Name] Lupa

[Condition] Injured, Minor Bleeding, Minor Concussion, Winded

[Soul Synch] 50%

[Class] Beast Shapeshifter

.

“Lupa, are you okay? The Demonic Beast is dead. ” Vincent gently lifted her head and placed it on his lap.

“I’m... alive... ” Lupa slowly responded with a low, trembling voice.

“I have just healed Ester, and now I will use the last of my heals for you. You two are important to me.” Vincent explained the situation in a few brief sentences.

“Take care of me until I see you again, my little wolf.” As Vincent said these words, Kazumi knew what his intention was. To use all his Soul Power for Lupa, leaving none for him.

[Don’t do it! Leave at least one for you... ]

Kazumi failed to persuade Vincent. He ignored her words and uttered the healing spell commands, “Soul Power Minor Heal, Soul Power Minor Heal.”

Vincent was severely injured, but seeing Lupa in pain made him feel responsible for her injury. The two people he trusted got injured just because he wanted to fight instead of running away and let the two soldiers Kass and Tula, be a distraction for their escape.

.

[-10sp used for Soul Power Minor Heal on Lupa. Blessed Retainer discount activate. 10sp Remaining.]

[-10sp used for Soul Power Minor Heal on Lupa. Blessed Retainer discount activate. 0sp Remaining.]

.

After uttering these words, the healing spell activated. Lupa became enveloped by a layer of green light; on each of her fingers, her ankle, her head, and multiple small places became enveloped by a brighter light, soon becoming spotted with light.

Lupa felt tired to the point of sleeping. Her nails grew back, and the pain she felt faded along with the fading light. Minor Heals soon finished their job and vanished.

“Vincent..” Lupa noticed Vincent acting strangely. When she tried to wake up from his warm lap and hug him, Vincent fell on the ground.

“Vincent!” Lupa uttered with a worrying frown. She became shocked after noticing the severe condition he was in and continued, “Don’t tell me you healed me instead of yourself... ”

“You’re bleeding... ” Lupa turned her head from left to right. Soon her eyes noticed Ester lying on the ground and the corpse of the Demonic Beast nearby.

*Smack

“You saved us, my mate... I hope Ester is alive... I need her help.” Lupa tiredly said after she slapped her cheeks to stay awake with both hands.

Lupa dragged Vincent and placed him with his back leaning against the massive tree. She noticed his shoulder had numb paste on it, and blood was still seeping from the covered wound. She ripped a piece of her white skirt and wrapped it around his shoulder.