Life and Death Battle II

"Arghhh!!!"

Feeling the searing cold on his back, Regis let out a groan as he flew forwards.

Despite the pain, he didn't stop and still crawled towards the manor.

'Just a little more!!!'

Determination flashed in his eyes.

He couldn't even feel his back anymore as it experienced severe frostbite.

Nevertheless, he used his hands as pivot and stood up with difficulty, continuing to run with all his strength.

This action of his brought a frown to the Count's face.

"Just what is he planning to do?" He muttered under his breath as he waved his wand once again.

"Although I can rely on the mana in the surroundings through my magic field, I must be careful not to break the barrier with my own magic spell…."

Pointing his wand towards the running Regis, Count Orpheus channeled his mana again.

"...So I need to finish this in the next attack!"

[High Rank Magic]

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Regis repeatedly cursed as he heard the majestic voice behind him.

Fortunately, as he took a few more steps, an invisible barrier suddenly stopped him from moving forward.

"Yes! I'm right!"

A smile bloomed on his face as he activated his third gift once again.

Seeing the red point that had appeared in front of him, Regis mustered all his remaining strength and thrusted his shortsword towards it repeatedly.

TINK! TINK! TINK! TINK!

"Hahahaha!! Impressive! To think that you would be able to determine where the wall of the barrier is!!!"

Count Orpheus's laugh resounded from behind.

Still, Regis continuously stabbed that specific part of the barrier where the red dot was.

The thing about his gift was that the created weak point wouldn't disappear until the target was either killed or destroyed.

'This shit's too tough!'

He cursed in his mind as he couldn't even see the slightest crack despite his attacks.

"I commend you for being skilled enough to notice and take the opportunity. If you had been successful, then you would've exposed this area to the outside world. It's a pity that you're just not strong enough."

The Count's eyes shone in interest as he later asked, "By the way, how did you notice the border of my barrier?"

"Haaaa…."

Sighing, Regis stopped stabbing the invisible barrier and turned his head towards the Count instead.

'I'll just need to buy some time to think of a new plan…'

He stared Count Orpheus in the eye and said, "When you casted your magic spell earlier, I just remembered where the large magic circle in the sky ended."

"Just from that?" Count Orpheus's shock was apparent in his voice.

He tilted his head in confusion and asked, "But it could have been just a coincidence, right?"

"That's what I thought too at first, but it doesn't really hurt to take a risk, right?"

Regis smirked before throwing his shortsword on the ground and raising his hands in the air.

"I give up."

"Huh?" After a momentary pause, the Count lowered his wand and clapped, "What a smart decision!"

Regis shrugged, "Well, I can't really hurt you while you can just hide in your barrier and attack me, kind of unfair I must say so."

"That's one of the advantages of being a mage. Honestly, if not necessary, then I would love to keep someone as talented as you as my subordinate."

As he walked towards the Count, Regis also dragged the unconscious Killian with him as he replied, "May I ask what do you really want to do with us and the children below? It's not like I'll survive this, can't I at least know the reason behind my death?"

The distance between them was now about ten meters.

"Hmmm, what you say makes sense."

Count Orpheus nodded, "Very well. First of all, your death won't be in vain. I'll use it to get back what they stole from me and punish them for what they did to my wife."

"Ohhh?" Interest appeared on Regis's face and asked, "Are you going to ask the priests for miracles?"

"Hahaha! Those hypocrites? No, I won't"

"Then perhaps…"

"Well, I was able to contact a great being. The only thing he wanted in exchange for reviving my wife is the youthful life of the innocent."

'This confirms it. He's either already contracter or only planning to contract a demon. But since I can't sense demonic power from him, then it must be the latter."

It had been obvious since he locked up the children in the dungeon, but he still needed that one last confirmation.

Currently, they are only about 5 meters away from each other.

At this moment, Regis threw the unconscious Killian towards the Count, "Here."

Catching the unconscious boy with his hand, Count Orpheus looked at Regis, "Ha! Don't worry, if I'm able to get you a subtitu–"

He couldn't finish his words as he saw that Regis wasn't where he stood earlier.

"I'm here."

Count Orpheus looked down and saw as the boy's punch landed on his stomach.

THUNK!

However, just as his punch connected with his stomach, a small translucent hexagonal shield manifested and blocked it.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I commend you for not giving up until the end. To think that you'll use your companion to make me unconsciously turn off my barrier."

Regis gritted his teeth. He had tried materializing mana strings in the area, but found out that he couldn't control it.

'It must be because of his magic field…'

As such, he could only launch a desperate punch.

Of course, he was also able to instantly create a weak point on the hexagonal shield, but it was continuously being supplied by mana, making it impossible to be instantly destroyed with his current strength.

Count Orpheus shook his head, "I thought you were smart… Anyways, after my son had his fun with your sister, I'll sacrifice all of you."

"Oh?" 

A smirk appeared on Regis's lips as he spoke, "You must really love your son, huh?"

"Of course, he's the only one I have left after my wife died. So I made sure to always spoil him."

"Then he must have gotten that rotten attitude of his from you. He was so annoying that I just had to kill him."

"What?"

The atmosphere seemed to shift as Count Orpheus tried to make sense of what he heard.

Seeing his reaction, Regis continued adding fuel to the fire.

"Yes, I watched as those goblins ate him alive. His screams were really so nice to listen to."

His times as a demonic human seemed to return to him as he smiled sadistically.

This was quite effective as the Count's eyes widened in pure shock.

Seeing the hexagonal shield that was now flickering, Regis smirked and punched again.

This time, he was able to destroy the shield.

Not wasting even a second, he created a weak point on the Count's stomach and punched him.

As mages were inherently weak physically, Count Orpheus flew a few meters away due to the strength of the punch.

Regis immediately took Killian and went to Pandora.

"Brother!"

"Let's go now!!"

Regis said urgently as they immediately ran towards the main gate.

When the Count casted Rain of Fire earlier, he noticed that it encompassed the area in between the main gate and the manor.

Therefore, he surmised that if they could get past the barrier and exit the main gate, then they would have time to call the church.

However, just as they were only a meter away from the main gate, Regis felt chills down his spine.

He could feel something he was deeply familiar with; demonic power.

And this wasn't like the ones that the demonic human leader had- No, it felt much darker. 

As if he was feeling death right before his eyes.