The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound
chapter-469

Chapter 469: The Dawn of the Counterattack (5)

"Get out."

In the darkness.

Figgy found himself in the same environment once again.

The difference this time was that Figgy was aware that this was an illusion.

"...Ah, is this a childhood memory?"

Figgy looked at his younger self and the middle-aged man standing in front of him.

The man's face seemed familiar, but strangely, Figgy couldn't recall who he was. It was just a blurry image, like a fog.

"This trash isn't my bloodline."

A distant memory that even Figgy himself couldn't remember began to replay.

It was the same illusion he had seen when he almost died while taking a midterm exam after first enrolling in the Colosseo Academy.

"It seems I have a knack for seeing illusions."

It was the same during his academy days, when he was imprisoned in Abyss tree, and even now.

He had grown somewhat accustomed to experiencing strange hallucinations and illusions whenever his life was in danger.

...However, the sound of his mother's crying that followed always left a lingering ache in his heart.

And then, the scorn and hatred directed at his mother.

"How dare someone of such low status not know their place."

"Throw him out of here immediately."

"...Kill him."

The whispers around him swirled and followed the sobbing.

Figgy's vision shifted several times after that.

His mother running away, the forest and mountains, the pursuers, the steep cliffs, the rough river, the hungry wolves, and the startled faces of passing merchants and mercenaries.

As time passed, the memories flowed too.

His mother, who never smiled and always looked at him with a sorrowful expression.

By her side was his stepfather, who always offered gentle comfort and unwavering love to Figgy, becoming a steadfast support for the family.

Thanks to his father's devoted efforts, his mother gradually began to smile.

Then came the entrance ceremony for the Colosseo Academy, the empire's top university.

Figgy wanted to show something to his mother, who had only known misfortune, and to his father, who had dedicated his life to making his mother happy.

...But things didn't go smoothly.

Upon entering the school, Figgy was bullied because of his timid nature.

Despite his brilliant mind, his relatively weak body led to many frustrations during various tests.

The Abyss tree incident followed his academy days. The fierce environment where peers killed each other.

And then, the scene shifted to a world engulfed in flames.

Rampaging monsters, the ongoing civil war, and the world gradually becoming desolate.

...However.

Figgy was bravely overcoming all these challenges.

Despite all the hardships and adversities, the reason Figgy could steadfastly hold onto his attachment to life was...

"It's okay now."

It was because of the voices of his friends who always stood behind him.

The friendships that always supported Figgy and prevented him from seeing the world in a distorted way.

Hearing the blunt yet warm voice from behind, Figgy couldn't help but smile and mutter to himself.

"A good person."

At that moment.

"Huh? Come to think of it..."

It was the same voice he heard when he fought the 5th Corpse Amdusias, the 4th Corpse Chimera, and the 3rd Corpse Andrealphus.

"A good person."

It was a hallucination that had baffled and weakened countless demons.

It was heard by the demons as well when his blood got in contact with them.

At that moment.

...Whoosh!

A face suddenly popped out in front of Figgy.

"Can't you hear? I said get out."

It was...

* * *

"...Hah?!"

Figgy opened his eyes.

The first thing that came into view was a face.

Vikir.

Vikir was looking down at Figgy's face.

"It's okay now, Figgy."

That voice was identical to the one he had heard in his hallucination.

Figgy struggled to smile with his dimming vision.

"...You’re a good person. You always have been."

"Figgy! Stay with me! The bleeding has stopped!"

Vikir shook Figgy's body.

However, although the bleeding had stopped, Figgy had lost too much blood.

The seeds of Abyss tree had spread like shrapnel, embedding deep into Figgy's body and tearing his internal organs apart.

Figgy swallowed the blood welling up and responded.

"Closing Abyss tree is my only strength. I can't do much, but... I wanted to be of help."

"Don't say such foolish things...!"

Vikir started to speak, but Figgy shook his head.

"Go."

"...."

"Go and kill the demon. Save the world."

Figgy put all his strength into his eyes and looked at Vikir.

"Even if I can't be a hero, if I can remain a friend of a hero, I'd be satisfied. Now go!"

Vikir gritted his teeth at Figgy's plea.

In front of him, the Reaper still stood tall, wielding his scythe.

Behind him, the 5th Corpse Phlorosya was activating a long-range magic circle.

"Move!"

Vikir laid Figgy on the ground and swung his sword at the Reaper.

Clang!

The Reaper willingly met Vikir's strike, as if content to engage in a delaying tactic.

...Clang!

Vikir's blade clashed with the Reaper's scythe.

As they stood in brief stalemate,

"...I know who you are."

Figgy's voice made the Reaper's body tremble for a moment.

The dying Figgy's eyes held a contemplative gaze.

"...That man is a demon. You are being deceived."

"...."

"And you have the power to see through it."

Figgy coughed and spat out a few gulps of dark blood.

With difficulty, he continued speaking.

"I don't think you're a bad person. We are friends..."

However, Figgy's words did not reach the end.

As he uttered the word 'friend,' Figgy smiled painfully, and his hand fell weakly to the ground.

"Figgy!"

Tudor and Sancho ran over, crying, but they were blocked by the poison humans.

The Reaper lifted his scythe and parried Vikir's sword.

Thwack!

Blood spurted from his chest and limbs, but he had already achieved his objective.

Phlorosya had completed the teleportation magic circle.

[Come here, my proud son—]

Phlorosya smiled and called the Reaper over.

For some reason, even in defeat, losing all his poison humans, Phlorosya wore a broad smile.

He remembered the conversation he had with the 1st Corpse.

[Can I ask you a favor?]

[A favor? From you? What is it?]

[...It's about killing a man. If he's alive, he would look like this now.]

Reflecting on a moment from the past, Phlorosya shouted in a satisfied tone, as if he had made a great deal.

[Our mission here is already accomplished! Everyone retreat! Get out alive as best as you can!]

Phlorosya's shout shocked everyone gathered in the reservoir area.

"......!"

Vikir noticed the immense satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in Phlorosya's voice.

He also realized the true reason and purpose behind why Phlorosya, a master of deception, had brought his entire force to the reservoir area.

'Damn it!'

When Vikir turned his head, he saw Figgy lying on the ground, bleeding.

Phlorosya's smiling gaze was fixed on Figgy, who was growing cold with his eyes closed.

The demon's goal in coming to this fort was not to kill the demon hunters.

His goal from the beginning was to kill Figgy!

[Demon hunter, our confrontation will have to wait. I promise it won't take long. You will soon realize that today was just a preview. I have far more and stronger poison humans than this.]

Phlorosya shouted from within the brightly shining magic circle.

...However.

"Figgy will not die."

Vikir's words were, as always, brief.

"Only you will."

At the same time, eight powerful fangs tore through the magic circle, surging forward.

It was an attack more ferocious and deadly than any before.

Vikir's lethal determination and resolve made even Phlorosya break into a cold sweat.

[Son! Stop that attack!]

At Phlorosya's command, the Reaper immediately raised his scythe.

But.

"...Weren't we 'friends'? Trusted each other."

At Vikir's words, the Reaper's body froze.

For a moment, the Reaper's face, hidden under the hood, was briefly revealed.

Vikir met the Reaper's gaze with a piercing look.

And that momentary hesitation brought about a significant change.

...Flash!

The ferocious fangs clamped down on the pillar of light emanating from the magic circle.

[Krr-aaaaaagh!?]

Phlorosya screamed in shock and pain from the unexpected impact.

Simultaneously, the magic circle violently trembled.

Paaat—

The red toxic mist and light engulfed both Phlorosya and the Reaper.

......

And then, an astonishing silence fell.

The place where a fierce battle had just taken place became as quiet as a tomb.

The demon who had just escaped, and the comrades who had lost their lives.

Everyone who had gathered later could not say a word in front of this devastation.

In the distance, the sounds of the allied forces exterminating the remaining poison humans could be heard.

Camus, Aiyen, Dolores, Sinclaire, Kirko, and everyone else stood behind Vikir, saying nothing.

......

Then.

Vikir's lips moved heavily, like solid lead.

"Now, the real battle is about to begin."

At Vikir's words, indicating that the true fight had not yet started, everyone's expressions hardened.

A time of greater, more immense sacrifices was approaching.

The final chapter of this entire stage was soon to come.