Chapter 1434 - 18: Bloody Battle

The intense impact hit him through the wooden door and stone bricks, and in an instant, his body lost all sensation. Then, as the numbness receded, a sharp pain erupted from every inch of flesh, spreading like a venom throughout his body.

His body was hurled high into the air and violently collided with the wall, leaving a streak of blood on the gray-white surface before crashing to the ground.

He coughed up blood, his hands weakly clawing, trying to stand up, but it felt as if his bones had shattered from the impact, forcing him to helplessly writhe on the ground, enlarging the bloodstain beneath him.

The noise in his ears was relentless, torturing his consciousness as he struggled to lift his head. His vision was blurred by blood, seeing only large swaths of colors shifting before his eyes.

Golden, crimson, gray-white...

It was as if a lunatic artist was painting, blending countless colors into a twisted chaos, emanating waves of bitter malice.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

He coughed up blood forcefully, finally able to breathe a little smoother, taking deep breaths that forced his lungs to expand and draw in fresh oxygen.

His awareness had sharpened, and with it, the pain became clearer. Reaching out, he blindly grasped until he found the broken Nail Sword amid the rubble and filthy blood.

Leaning on the ground, he struggled to lift his body, but his strength gave way.

His right foot had been broken in the recent impact, his ankle twisted painfully, with the bone even piercing through the skin amidst the blood and flesh.

"Hey! How are you!"

He vaguely heard someone calling his name, but his mind was a chaotic haze, leaving him no room to ponder.

Soon the shouting faded, drowned out by another layer of twisted, evil anomaly sounds that flowed like water into his ears, evenly covering his eardrums, relentlessly shaking his nerves.

"Damn it!"

He cursed through the pain, attempting to cover his ears, yet he had no strength to do so, forced to endure the torment.

The evil anomaly sounds seemed like a grand symphony from Hell, beginning lightly, like a woman’s soft singing echoing under the night sky. But soon the sound grew louder, and as time passed, more instruments and musicians joined the performance. Scalding lava and piles of blood-soaked bones rushed forth.

For a brief moment, he even felt the illusion of being in Hell himself, followed by a few bitter laughs. No, it wasn’t an illusion—he was already in Hell.

A piercing, metallic grinding sound mixed with a tearing noise, like claws ripping flesh in two, reverberated, giving him the sensation of hot blood splashing against his face.

"Stand up!"

Someone shouted at him, and looking towards the voice, he saw a gray-white blur fiercely shaking, as if battling something.

The broken sword in his hand splintered under his body’s pressure, leaving a deep scratch on the ground. Then his barely lifted body fell again. He took a deep breath, released the broken sword, and wiped his face, removing the blood obscuring his vision, and finally saw everything before him.

Fierce flames burning, endless fires, as if the entire world was ablaze, merging with Hell, nightmare landscapes constantly turning into reality.

"Guard the gate!"

Anthony shouted, stepping forward, swinging the Nail Sword into the Demon’s neck. Logically, flesh should easily be severed, but this time the Nail Sword was blocked by bones as hard as iron, stuck in the flesh.

The Demon turned its head, scarlet pupils opening amidst countless folds, reflecting Anthony like a kaleidoscope.

"Fr. Anthony!"

Frightened by the sight, he shouted. Anthony glanced at him sideways but called out.

"I’m fine! Stand up!"

Pulling out the Nail Sword, wicked claws came fiercely. The thick arms embedded with countless metal fragments, barely restrained by scraps of cloth, looked ragged.

Anthony ducked low to avoid the blow, while the gray-white wall behind him broke in response, covered in cracks.

The Demon quickly retracted its fist, the broken armor clinking crisply with the body’s movement.

Silver bell sounds accompanied beastly roars; another punch struck, making the entire chamber shake violently, dust rising.

Anthony dealt with everything effortlessly. Every time those deadly punches aimed to crush him, Anthony evaded them like a gentle feather, dodging the fatal blow, while the Nail Sword chased openings, leaving deep wounds visible to the bone on the Demon.

Seeing Anthony so composed, the Demon Hunter sighed with relief but immediately worried about himself.

With hands pressing against the ground and supporting himself against the wall, he stood up with difficulty, Secret Blood surging within, gradually dispelling the pain. It grew increasingly agitated, hot, strong muscles began to regenerate, entwining the shattered bones, forcing the fragments back into place.

His pupils blazing with white light, the Demon Hunter could feel himself nearing the threshold, fully knowing the price of crossing it as a Demon Hunter. But now, he couldn’t think of any other solution, resignedly surrendering his mind to the darkness.