16. Decisive Blow

Zerd showed no signs of mercy nor pity towards Newt, who was currently down on his one knee. Despite the impending danger to the kid's life, 

Newt forced a grin on, which gave Zerd the thought that: "How irritating!" Fritz and Newt should stop angering Zerd more. The more he gets worked up, the more he becomes stronger due to his skill.

"Die!"

Zerd's raised hand began descending down to Newt. The latter looked up to him.

'Idiot. You fell for our provocations.'

Before the fight broke out between the two sides, Fritz and Newt had constantly been exchanging words with each other. They were slowly executing their plan against the lizardmen. Though some of it had changed with the traps laid out everywhere inside the room.

Minutes before Newt was hit by Zerd, the two had a conversation.

"I'll get hit! Fritz, I can't dodge this." Newt said through the telepathy skill he uses.

Fritz, who has currently leaped back to avoid Zerd's wrath, thought of a plan: "Will you be okay after getting hit?" Fritz asked first.

"I-I think so... I can manage."

"That's good then. Pretend that you're unable to move and have his attention focus solely on you."

"O-okay, I'll leave myself to you."

Fritz browsed through the magic imbued arrows he received earlier as a reward. He scrolled down, reading each and every content the arrow had. And then, when he's about to hit rock bottom, a bow with a passive piqued his interest.

'Hope this works...'

[Magic Imbued Arrow]

[Passive Attribute: This arrow has the ability to negate all regeneration ability. If the enemy has a high regenerative skill, the arrow will only slow down the ability to regenerate.]

"Here goes nothing!"

Just like what he was told, Newt's forced grin on his face made Zerd focus its attention only on him. 'That's all I can do. I'm leaving it to you, Fritz'

Newt really wasn't feeling good. He wasn't pretending that he was hurt. He really did take a heck of a lot of damage from that, even with his bane blocking Zerd's arm for him. He might have even heard a few ribs cracked.

Zerd's clenched right fist accelerated down to the poor kid. Only to stop halfway as he felt like he was stung. He glanced down his and found out that his artery was nicked.

"I've totally forgotten about you." The intimidation he felt earlier had completely faded away. In fact, he was the one looking more intimidating than before. But, it doesn't have an effect on Fritz. "You're good at your weapon. To think that you would hit right through my artery. I'd praise you for that."

'Phew! I-it hit! Gah, I thought I would miss after holding the arrow wrong!'

[The enemy has high regenerative skills. Therefore, the arrow's passive was slowing down the regeneration.]

The arrow planted to Zerd's body was pulled. Blood flowed down his scaly body, and it wasn't stopping.

"Don't think that such a mere arrow won't stop me. You should have at least aimed for the head, the head." His one finger tapped the middle of his forehead. "See, the wound's closed no--?!" Surprised was written all over his face.

"What did you do?! Why is my wound not healing?!"

The arrogant tone he was imposing earlier had vanished, and a confused tone replaced it.

"First, it's Fritz. Now, it's me you're ignoring." Newt placed his right arm to 

his last sword, about to unsheath his sword. "Don't you have a habit of letting your guard down?"

Ack! Zerd inadvertently took a single step backward. His eyes locked on Newt's hand that had halfway pulled the sword from the scabbard.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere."

As soon as Newt had unsheathed his sword. Its power activated, the surge of immense strength exploded inside him.

"Th-this power! You, why do you have the hero's sword?! Ugh!!!"

If he had not taken another step backward, he would have been split into two. Newt swung his sword upward. He made a straight line of a wound to Zerd. The ability to regenerate was slowed down. Zerd was given no time to mind his wound as Newt made another swing, a downward one.

"

Uh-oh, you can't take another single step, or you'll reap what you sow."

Behind Zerd was the trap he made. The sharp tip of the tree branches he polished was patiently waiting for him to fall down and meet his demise.

"I guess it's you who'll die." Fritz found that Newt was totally different when he was wielding the holy sword. He was still able to retain his consciousness. He's like a real hero. That's what it looks like for Fritz.

"D-don't think that this will be the end, 'they' will avenge me!"

Newt lunged, his sword placed to his waist. He intended to thrust his sword and pierce Zerd's heart, but...

Aaahh! He was cornered and had nowhere to go but still decided to take another step. Newt's thrust was inadvertently dodged by Zerd only to fall down his demise. He was pierced multiple times from everywhere his body; his arms, body, and his legs. If that was the only place he was pierced by the sharp tree branches, he wouldn't have died. What killed him was a wound from the back of his head to the middle of his forehead.

"That must have hurt. Well, you reap what you sow."

Fritz picked up the spear stuck on the ground. "You wouldn't mind, right?" Since Newt was the one who defeated Zerd, the loot would belong to him. But, he sees no reason for him to keep it. He nodded, giving Fritz the go.

"Oh, thanks! Wait, you've used the holy sword, so that means you're-- oh, there it is..."

As if Newt was a wilted vegetable, he loses all of his strength and falls flat to the ground. They would need to wait another hour to proceed to the next level.

"Since you let me have the spear, I'll give you..." Fritz brought forth the 

Blemish Dagger and the Double Edge Karambit. "Which one?" The dagger on the right hand and the Karambit on the other.

"Uhh, I'll just take the dagger. But, I'll gladly accept both if you're willing to give both to me." Speaking through their minds became a habit for both of them.

Fritz put the dagger down beside Newt. The latter was lying face flat on the ground. He had Fritz change the way he was lying.

"There you go. While we're at it, why don't I fix us something to eat. But before that, I'll explore the first floor a bit more." Hoping that there's a treasure hidden somewhere. Fritz began searching everywhere the room first. After finding nothing, he strode back to where they first came and started all over again. Whilst on his way to the door back to the room, the system rang louder than it would always do.

[The system has been updated. You have received a notification.]

'Eh, so the system would automatically update itself without giving me a notice.'

Excitedly, Fritz opened the notification.

[You are slowly gaining the strength and power you'll need in the future. To further improve your strength, the system's offered you a path, which your life will lead to.]

[Choice number 1, the Hero path.]

[Become a figure to those who have lost their will to fight. This path will lead you to become a hero. This path will grant you the power of the first Hero.]

[Choice number 2, the Demon King's path.]

[Feared by both humans and monsters, the Demon King has been wreaking havoc since the very first day. This path will grant you the power of the previous Demon King.]

[Please choose wisely...]

'Please choose wisely... that's...'

Displayed in front of him were the choices presented to him by the system. Once chosen, he can't undo it. That's why he has to choose wisely. If he's any normal human, he would immediately choose the Hero path. But he's different.

"If I'm going to choose the Hero path, won't I be sharing the glory with Newt? And, if I choose the Demon King's path, I wonder if I will ever be able to retain my will. Won't I succumb to the demonic power I'll attain?"

Fritz does not even need to think of it that much. He began inside the room and saw Newt, who was still lying on the ground.

"Right, I have Newt with me. Maybe, us meeting at that time was set in stone. Fate must have thought that I would need a companion that wouldn't let me go astray. Okay, I'm choosing the Demon King's path."

[You have chosen the Demon King's path. Are you sure about this? Once confirmed, the decision can't be undone.]

'Yes, I'm sure as hell.'

[Creating the path to properly become a Demon King... Laying out the missions... Distributing new attributes upon reaching 2nd rebirth. 

Contents of the Demon King's path will be unlocked after reaching level 21.]

"Tch! I need to raise my level again. But wait, at first, it was level 10, and when I leveled up, I chose rebirth. So, as I raise my rebirth, the level capacity increase by 10..."

~