Chapter 51: The Fall Of Dawnbreak 2

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Fall Of Dawnbreak 2

"...What about a C-Ranker?"

Victor’s eyes flicked behind Paul, toward Mira’s still body.

The pendant around her neck flared to life, a soft translucent glow spreading from the chain.

Paul’s head snapped around. Hana’s followed a half-second later, both of them staring, caught completely off guard.

"You were so focused on your plan for revenge on Mira," Victor said, "that you did not notice an armament sat around Mira’s neck, all these time."

It was the same one from Rook’s shop. Victor had slipped it to Mira earlier that night, back when Tobi was boiling water in the kitchen.

He had called it a ’Temporary wedding gift’

It was just Common grade, but paired with a C-Ranker’s natural resilience, it was more than enough to purify most of the poison from her system, and give her body what it needed to make a come back.

Mira tore through the ropes binding her to the chair legs in one violent motion, landing in a crouch on the table. Her eyes blazed with pure fury as they locked onto Paul and Hana.

"I. TRUSTED. You." That stern look Victor had first seen on Mira’s face had returned.

Hana’s eyes went wide. Paul’s jaw tightened.

"Fuck this," Paul snarled. "If we don’t finish this now, we’re done."

He lunged for Mira.

Neither of them had weapons, but it didn’t matter. Mira moved like water, fast and precise, slipping under his first swing and putting distance between them before he could recover.

Paul wasn’t fast, not like her, but every hit he threw carried real weight behind it, enough that even a graze would’ve done damage.

"Forgive me, Mira." He swung again, missed. "You brought this on yourself. If you’d just said yes back then, it could’ve been us. All of it. You and me."

Mira’s eyes sharpened. She ducked under his next punch, drove her heel into his ankle, and followed it with a sharp jab to his jaw.

"You’re not my TYPE."

She wound up for another hit—

Hana’s voice rose behind them. It was low and melodic. A hymn that carried through the room.

Mira’s limbs went heavy almost instantly, strength draining out of her mid-motion. A

"It’s a debuff," Victor realized.

Hana had turned her Grace into a weapon against them.

Even worse, she had retreated to s safe distance.

Victor thought of attacking her first. After all, if she was gone, then the debuffs would end.

However, seeing as Mira was poisoned a few seconds ago, Victor knew that she would not be able to give out her best in a fight.

If he strayed too far, and Paul took advantage of this, Mira could lose her life.

Victor had only considered the possibility, but then it happened.

Paul saw the opening and took advantage of it, driving a fist straight into Mira’s chest.

Victor came from behind before the blow fully landed, swinging hard. Paul caught his fist without even looking, "I told you kid, you are not in my league."

He turned slamming Victor back —

Victor frowned, but luckily, he twisted out of the grip at the last second, pivoted, and drove a kick into Paul’s side.

Paul staggered, air driven from his lungs. The gap in power between them was obvious even through that single exchange, Paul was simply stronger, more trained, years ahead in every way that mattered in a one-on-one fight.

But it wasn’t one-on-one.

Hana noticed what was happening, and instantly, she backed further away, chanting again, this time aiming her debuff at Victor.

"Fuck!" His limbs went sluggish. It felt he was being dragged underwater.

But Victor was not going to leg this hold him back.

If Hana was going to load him with rebuffs, then he would lean in the one skill he had that could cancel that out.

He gritted his teeth as he let the fury of his emotions take over.

[BERSERKER INSTINCT — ACTIVE]

His eyes changed color, as something wild and violent bleed into his expression.

Unlike last time, Victor knew that this would not last. Even worse, there was the drawback of using the skill.

Once his Forty-five seconds were up, he would be out of this fight.

That was all he had. It would have to be enough.

Mira staggered back toward the corner where her torn gown lay, scooping up the small dagger she always carried with her in case of emergency situations, and lunged for Paul.

But Paul was not to be underestimated.

He caught her wrist mid-strike, twisting the blade out of her grip with practiced ease.

"Nice try." He drove a knee into her stomach, sending her sprawling as her dagger fell.

"I know every move you make, Mira. I’ve studied you for years. Did you really think one rank difference was going to save you? I closed the strength gap with skill a long time ago."

He surged forward, fists flying.

That was when Victor hit him.

Berserker-fueled strength crashed into Paul from the side, blow after blow landing clean, finally staggering the man who’d spent the whole fight dominating every exchange.

For the first time, Paul was losing.

He hit the ground hard. Just then, Paul’s hand closed around Mira’s fallen dagger.

He surged up, blade aimed straight for Victor’s exposed side.

Victor, still riding the wild edge of Berserker’s tunnel vision, didn’t see it coming in time.

"NO!"

Hana threw herself between them.

SLUSH...

The blade sank into her back instead.

Everything... stopped.

Hana looked down at the knife that had protruded from her back, and out her chest.

Blood spread across her chest. Her gaze on it was slow, and almost curious, like she couldn’t quite believe it belonged to her.

Then her eyes lifted and found Victor.

"Didn’t I tell you..." Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "I don’t forget a favor."

She crumpled to the floor.

(Author’s note: Well... that was Urh... unexpected. Sigh... Heartbreaking. Still, please remember to send Golden Tickets and gifts. It’s all greatly appreciated.)