City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Barb Utsa

Rip!

The ripping sound rang out as her blade once more parted my fire like a curtain.

She wasn't able to do that until earlier, but since she had awakened the aura, she is now able to do it and is getting better at it.

I put my shield forward, with the flames of Flame Shield covering it.

I burned more liquor and pushed more aura to strengthen the shield.

Clang!

Her blade clashed against my shield, and for the first time, it had pierced through it. Earlier, there were only dents, but now, she had pierced it.

The shield is not weak; it is one of the best in its class.

An Lv. 30 could forget tearing through it; even the spells of the high mages couldn't destroy my shield, but she is not a common Lv. 30.

She has awakened the aura, which she is using to power that artifact in her hand.

"I have only pierced the shield, but soon, I am going to tear you whore!" she said, eyes filled with vengeance and glee. "Don't be too happy, assassin. It's just a shield," I replied and attacked.

Fire roared across my blade, and it became faster as it moved toward her. She reached fast and brought her dagger forward.

Clang!

It clashed, with her grinning. I wanted to breathe fire at her, but I controlled the urge. The fire is not strong enough to burn her through the mist covering her.

Earlier it had been, but it's not now.

It may not be able to breach through the protection of the artifact now, but it won't protect her forever.

She had just awakened the aura; she wouldn't be able to keep it active for long. So, I just need to wait and keep pressing her with my attacks.

Conserving the liquor, the one that my body makes.

She disappeared immediately, and I moved to the left and swung my blade toward her. It's a fantastic skill she has, but she could not hide from me in the domain of the legacy.

Clang!

She defended, and I moved for another attack, immediately with fire burning on my face and legs.

She might have the fire of vengeance burning in her eyes, but mine is seething in my heart. Like a volcano, that is ready to explode.

I kept my emotions calm, despite being drunk.

I want to kill her, and I won't allow myself to give in to my emotions because a mistake could cost me my life.

She is powerful than me, and with aura awakening, all the advantages I had disappeared. If it were not for the sensory advantage I have in the domain, I would be in trouble.

Artifacts shouldn't be underestimated. There is a reason they are so feared and desired.

Clang!

She defended once more before attacking. Her attack was faster; faster than she had ever done before.

I defended the attack, but she launched another quickly in response. She attacked again and again.

She had given up on stealth and was now coming at me with speed and power.

I defended, using liquor to burn the fire intensely to protect myself. That mist of the artifact is cold enough to freeze even my hand.

If I am not careful, that blade could freeze it completely, causing it to shatter like ice —it has that ability.

Now, with aura. It had become even more powerful, so I had to use everything I had to defend.

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Clang Clang Clang!

The blades kept clashing one after another without a stop. It is fast and powerful, so every parry puts a strain on my hand.

I gave up the shield, and let it fall.

Her blade had torn through it. Last time, I was lucky that it didn't pierce my hand, but it could next time; it would be foolish not to take precautions against that.

I am faster with just my sword. That is what I need, to deal with this woman's relentless attacks.

"How long can you defend, you filthy whore? I just need one touch, and you will be finished," she spat as she launched another attack. "I could say the same to you about the aura," I replied with the same grin.

She glared and came at me more intensely, coming at me from all sides.

She is swift. If I wasn't able to sense her every moment. I would have had a tough time defending against her attacks.

Her attacks kept coming, and I defended. I want to attack, but she is damn fast; she isn't giving me even a single opportunity to strike her.

I was defending against her attacks when I sensed awakening.

Immediately, I feared that it was from the undead. This woman in front of me, and another from the undead, had awakened the aura.

Though a moment later, relief flooded my heart. It's ours.

I know how dangerous the aura is; two undead powerhouses have awakened it, and they have already brought several with the aura, which our people are fighting with everything they have.

"An awakening won't change the fate of the battle. The fate of the city was sealed, the moment we brought out the horde to it," she said.

"You are absolutely right!" I mocked. Making her angry.

A minute passed, and another, and we continued with her attacking and not giving me even a single chance to attack. It is frustrating me, but I kept calm, no matter how difficult it had become.

Over a minute passed, and my expressions changed drastically.

"I have to say, you whores, are irritating vermin that refuse to die. One is finally crushed dead; the rest of you will die soon, including you," she said with a grin and came at me with another attack.

"I will kill you!" I said it in a barely audible voice and did something I hadn't planned to do.

It's too dangerous, but they did what they shouldn't have. If I didn't take the revenge for it, then I wouldn't be able to face my sisters at home.

I activated Power Brew. Mixed the liquor with alcohol produced through the Gut Alcohol, creating a powerful, unstable cocktail that is even with skill.

It produces my most powerful breath, but that is not what I want to do with it.

What I want to do is far more dangerous.

"What are you going t…" she was asking with a laugh, when suddenly her words froze.

The fire spread on my blade and legs, like never before. It covered the whole sword and became denser. So powerful that I felt the burns, even with the Fire Resistance.

This fire didn't just cover the edge, but also my entire sword.

My blade moved as the fire covered it. So dense that one couldn't even see it; the only thing anyone could see was the dense fire.

She reacted immediately, bringing her blade defensively from an attack.

Clang!

My blade clashed against the artifact, with my fire clashing against the icy mist.

I could see the shock appearing in her eyes as she took the steps back, but I moved forward with Gracefire Glide, with the same fire burning under my feet.

It made me so fast that I had instantly appeared in front of her and swung my sword, burning even more cocktail.

They have killed Nerissa.

That brave, sweet woman; she wanted to fight, not for the glory, but to protect her sisters. She had voiced that she never wanted anyone to touch her sisters.

She is dead. Killed by this woman's assassins.

Clang!

She defended, but I pushed forward with another attack, even burning more of the cocktail.

Her eyes widened as my blade became so fast that it avoided her blade and moved toward her chest.

Rip!

She is getting cut through her chest, but I cut through her armor. It is not a small cut, but not enough to incapacitate her, much less kill her.

So, I went forward and swung my once more. Pushing more aura into my skills.

Clang! Rip Clang!

She defended, but the next one, she was not able to, and my blade cut through her waist, giving it an extended cut, before clashing against her blade.

If there had been anyone else in her place. The fiery wounds would have burned them, but with the artifact powered by aura, she is keeping the worst of it at bay.

Seeing that, my anger grew once more. I pushed those thoughts away.

I am beyond furious, but I will not let those emotions consume me. I want to kill this assassin and that could only be done with a clear mind.

I launched attack after attack, focusing solely on her and nothing else.

I didn't even care when another aura awakened. I am so focused that I am thinking of nothing but killing the woman in front of me.

I attacked one after another, and many of my attacks hit her, but she always avoided the worst of the damage.

That damn artifact and aura are protecting her, but that only made me push myself even harder, burn more liquor, and push more aura into my attacks.

A minute passed, but she was still defending. There are burned cuts all over her, but she is not dead.

Rip!

My sword cut through her leg, but like all the cuts. It's shallow, and I moved for another attack when I noticed someone coming from behind.

The Gracefire Glade burned brightly under my feet, and I spun.

Seeing the assassin coming toward me, with a mask and a sword. It's fast and appeared beside me in an instant.

Whoosh!

I looked at him before opening my mouth and breathing out the liquor, not the pure liquor, but the powerful cocktail, which burned like wildfire as I lit it up with Flint.

His eyes widened, and he tried to retreat, but the fire swallowed him before he could do that. I didn't watch further and let the spin turn me while bringing my sword forward.

Clang!

I defended the attack before looking at the woman and knowing what she did.

"You are really something. You sacrificed him for a failed chance," I said. She had sacrificed that assassin for a chance to kill me.

"To kill you whores, I will do anything, sacrifice everything," she replied. Looking at her eyes. I know, it is the truth.

Seeing that, I didn't hesitate and dumped all the cocktail into my skills. She had shown the length of her willingness to go to kill us.

I have to kill her, or my sisters will never be safe.