Vol3 Chapter 35 Threat

The creature moved.

So did Amos.

BOOM!

The two figures clashed in the center of the chamber. Amos’s sword arced upward in a flash, but the creature twisted unnaturally, dodging the strike by a hair. One long finger flicked toward him, and Amos instantly move away.

SHIIIIING!

Another unseen slash ripped through the air beside his head. He moved in close, slipping past the creature’s reach, and his sword down.

CLANG!

The blade hit its shoulder, and for the first time, the creature flinched. Its body lurched to the side from the blow, leaving a thin cut across its pale, stone-like skin.

Amos noticed.

It can take damage.

The creature lashed out instantly, its arm whipping toward him. Amos dropped low just in time.

SHIIIIING!

The invisible attack passed over his head and carved a deep line into one of the pillars behind him.

He didn't look back.

His eyes remained fixed on the creature.

Its physical body can be damaged.

Magic doesn't seem necessary for its attack.

And its own attacks aren't producing any detectable mana.

Is it not using magic then?

Amos stepped back again. The creature vanished once again.

Fast.

He felt something behind him.

That won't work against me.

Amos twisted.

CLANG!

The creature’s hand smacked his sword, shoving his arm down. It had already slipped inside his guard—too close. Amos let go of the sword with one hand and thrust his palm toward the creature’s chest.

Mana erupted.

BOOOOOOM!

The creature was blasted backward.

It smashed through chunks of broken stone before coming to a halt. Amos didn’t hesitate. His fingers wove a spell, the air around him shimmering as space itself began to twist.

That's enough. Time to wrap this up.

He had gathered enough information. The creature was dangerous. Its attacks were difficult to detect, its movements were fast, and its body is weird with magic. He wasn't going to spend time figuring out every detail while fighting it. He would simply end the battle.

Amos lifted his hand, and the space before him seemed to fold in on itself.

KRRRRRRR—

The chamber twisted and warped, debris scattered across the floor. The creature stood still in the wreckage, unmoving. Amos’s gaze fixed firmly on it.

"Die."

The spell activated.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

Space folded in on itself around the creature. The stone floor beneath it splintered as the air warped inward, crushing anything trapped in the distortion. Pillars splintered, ancient walls groaned, and clouds of dust burst through the chamber.

Amos remained completely still, sword held low at his side as he watched the center of the destruction.

Nothing stirred.

He waited.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Then, slowly, the dust began to settle.

Amos’s expression shifted as he realized the creature was still standing—no wounds, not even a scratch.

...What? My specialized magic didn't do anything?!

The spatial distortion was powerful enough to crush a typical A-rank monster, yet the creature stood unharmed. Amos stared as it slowly lifted its head—no blood, no broken limbs, nothing at all. His grip tightened around his sword.

My magic doesn't work.

He immediately changed his assessment.

No.

It's not that my magic doesn't work.

His eyes moved over the creature's body.

It's specifically magic.

He had already hit it physically.

That attack had drawn blood.

Magic had done nothing.

Amos's gaze hardened.

So there is a difference.

The creature suddenly vanished. Amos's body moved on instinct.

SHIIIIING!

An unseen slash sliced through the space where his neck had been. Amos whirled around. The creature was already at his back. He lifted his sword.

CLANG!

Their weapons clashed—steel against stone-hard flesh. Amos’s blade sank into the creature’s forearm, leaving a thin crack in its surface. The creature jerked back, and Amos caught sight of it.

There.

He moved in closer, swinging his sword in a horizontal arc.

SLASH!

The blade sliced across the creature’s torso, this time leaving a deeper gash. Dark fluid oozed from the wound as it stumbled backward.

Amos didn't pursue immediately.

The creature glanced down at its wound, then back at him. Its movements shifted, becoming more cautious. Amos understood.

It knows.

It knows my sword can hurt it.

His eyes narrowed, the creature’s fingers twitching as the stone beneath Amos’s feet cracked. Without a second thought, he jumped.

SHIIIIING!

Three invisible lines crossed beneath him. Amos landed on a pillar, immediately pushing off again.

BOOM!

He surged forward as the creature lifted both arms. The air around Amos crackled with unseen deadly lines, but he didn’t pause. His sword swept into motion.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Each invisible attack was redirected or narrowly avoided.

Amos closed the distance.

Then—

SLASH!

His sword pierced through the creature's abdomen.

The creature froze as Amos locked eyes with it, his expression calm and free of anger. With a steady motion, he twisted the blade, and the creature’s body shuddered violently.

Amos yanked the sword free and took a quick step back. The creature still stood, unfazed. Blood dripped steadily onto the ancient floor as Amos kept a wary eye on it.

Physical attacks work.

Magic doesn't.

Its attacks don't appear to rely on mana.

And it has enough intelligence to recognize what can hurt it.

His eyes narrowed further.

This isn't a normal monster.

The creature shifted suddenly, prompting Amos to lift his sword. Neither made a move. Silence hung heavy in the chamber for several long seconds. Then the creature tilted its head slowly. Amos’s eyes narrowed—whatever it was, he couldn’t risk underestimating it, not for an instant. He tightened his hold on the sword.

I'll finish this with my weapon.

The creature crouched.

Amos lowered his stance.

They vanished from sight.

BOOM!

Amos and the creature met once more. He swung his sword, but the creature twisted away.

CLANG!

The blade scraped across its ribs, carving another shallow wound.

At the same instant, its fingers moved.

Amos immediately withdrew.

SHIIIIING!

Three unseen slashes ripped through the space he’d just vacated. He landed a few meters away, neither he nor the creature making a move. They simply watched one another. Amos eased his sword down a fraction, his breathing calm and steady.

Don't chase it.

That was the first adjustment. The creature was quicker in short bursts, but speed alone wasn’t everything. It had to move, had to set itself up. And right before each attack, there was always a tiny tell flick of fingers, a shift in the shoulders, the tilt of its body. But now Amos was watching for it. When the creature vanished again, he stayed perfectly still.

SHIIIIING!

A line appeared on the floor right in front of him. Amos stepped back, only for another to appear. He shifted left—then a third line. Right—then a fourth. Amos froze.

There.

The creature emerged behind him, but Amos was already facing it.

CLANG!

His sword caught the incoming blow. The force drove him back, but this time Amos stood his ground. He moved in. The creature’s eyes widened. Amos twisted his wrist.

SLASH!

The blade cut across its arm.

The creature immediately attempted to withdraw.

Amos followed.

One strike—the creature dodged.

Second—it darted left.

Third—it leapt back.

Amos shifted his attacks, guiding it toward the chamber’s center.

Then, the creature raised its hand.

Amos froze.

SHIIIIING!

An invisible blade passed directly between them.

Its range is limited.

He’d noticed it before, but now he was sure. It never attacked from too far away. Whenever it struck with those invisible cuts, it always kept within a certain range.

Which meant—

I can force where it will attacks.

Amos shifted his, intentionally revealing his left side. The creature caught on and began to move. Amos held his ground, watching as the creature’s fingers gave a slight twitch.

SHIIIIING!

The invisible attack came toward his exposed side.

Amos moved just an inch, and the attack sailed past him, slamming into the pillar behind.

CRACK!

The pillar fractured.

Every movement he made now was designed to force a reaction.

The creature began attacking more frequently.

SHIIIIING!

Amos ducked.

SHIIIIING!

He stepped sideways.

SHIIIIING!

He twisted.

Each invisible slash missed by centimeters.

One.

Another attack.

Two.

A third.

Three.

The pattern was starting to make sense. It was sending them along fixed paths, and those paths shifted based on where he stood. Without warning, Amos dashed toward the creature.

The creature reacted.

Its fingers moved.

Amos abruptly stopped.

SHIIIIING!

The attack swept harmlessly past him. The creature was locked into its prior momentum. Amos felt a flicker of satisfaction inside, though his face stayed perfectly blank.

Got you.

He lunged.

BOOM!

His sword struck the creature's chest.

SLASH!

A deep wound split open, and the creature staggered back. Amos didn’t give it a chance to recover—he stepped in and struck again. The creature lifted its arm in defense.

CLANG!

Amos's sword struck its forearm.

A crack spread across the pale stone-like surface.

The creature attempted to retreat.

He deliberately shattered one of the nearby pillars.

BOOOOM!

Stone collapsed across the chamber.

The creature jumped aside.

Amos immediately followed, driving it toward the debris.

The creature tried to move through the gap.

Amos's sword was already there.

CLANG!

It's running out of options.

The creature dropped into a crouch, its whole body tightening in an instant.

Something different.

The creature vanished.

Up.

Amos looked toward the ceiling.

SHIIIIING!

A massive invisible slash descended.

Amos crossed his sword in front of himself.

BOOOOOOM!

The blow sent him crashing to one knee, the stone beneath cracking under the impact. His arms shook, muscles straining as he steadied himself. Amos clenched his jaw, then lifted his gaze to see the creature clinging to the ceiling.

So that's your escape route.

His eyes scanned the chamber. The creature stirred. Amos moved first—not toward it, but toward the wall. He pushed off the stone, changing direction in midair. The creature followed, just as he’d anticipated. Pushing his body using wind magic, Amos avoided the invisible strike aimed at where it thought he’d land. Instead, he dropped straight down, and the attack slammed into the wall.

BOOM!

The creature’s focus wavered for just a split second—more than enough. Amos sprang upward, driving his sword straight into its torso.

CRACK!

The blade drove through, making the creature convulse. Amos yanked the sword free and kicked it aside. The creature hit the floor with a crash as Amos landed several meters away.

He kept his sword raised as the creature struggled to rise. Its movements had slowed, arm dangling uselessly at its side, while cracks spread across its body.

Amos's expression remained cold.

Physical damage accumulates normally.

It simply doesn't respond to magic.

The creature lifted its head, fingers twitching, and Amos quickly adjusted his stance.

"No."

SLASH!

His sword sliced cleanly across its neck.

The creature went still.

Amos held his stance for a moment longer.

Then the head toppled from its body.

THUD.

 chamber went still. Amos didn’t rush to put away his sword. He waited—five seconds, then ten. Nothing happened. Only then did he ease the blade down, his gaze fixed on the corpse.

Threat neutralized.