Chapter 78: Lord Yan, Take Me Away

A shrill voice forced its way from her lips, though she already sensed the answer.

Oboro leapt high, raising her blade and bringing it down with all her strength.

“So noisy!”

A beast-like roar burst forth. The red ogre swung its massive right arm, and the enormous spiked club came crashing down, whipping the air with a violent gust.

Bang! Crack!

Blade and club collided.

The girl’s sword snapped in two on the spot; blood spurted from her mouth. The immense force sent her hurtling backward, like a kite with its string cut.

Mother… Father…

Suspended in midair, Oboro’s face twisted in pain, her eyes dull with despair.

The next instant, she crashed into a solid chest and then fell lightly into the crook of a strong arm.

Looking up, she saw Zhou Yan’s calm face gazing down at her.

“Lord Yan…” Oboro murmured, fresh blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. “Hurry… run…”

She struggled to rise from Zhou Yan’s arms, only to realize in surprise how impossibly strong he was. With the gentlest hold, he rendered her, stronger than most men, completely immobile.

“Rest now.” In Oboro’s astonished gaze, Zhou Yan offered her a reassuring smile, then set her gently on the ground. A faint red glow shimmered in his palm.

He brought the glow to the girl’s lips; it transformed into thin, luminous threads that flowed into her mouth, swiftly restoring her strength and healing her wounds.

Then Zhou Yan straightened and strode toward the red ogre.

The giant, crimson-skinned demon stood over three meters tall, belly protruding, its loins wrapped in ragged cloth. Its body rippled with gnarled, root-like muscles, and at that moment, both greedy eyes were fixed upon them.

“Two… young humans… tender flesh… kill! Eat!”

Howling, it charged at Zhou Yan. The black iron spiked club, nearly a meter long, seemed to it as light as a child’s toy.

It brought the weapon down in a brutal, crushing blow!

“Lord Yan, dodge!” Behind him, Oboro, bracing herself weakly on the ground, cried out.

As the ogre’s weapon neared its target, a crazed smile broke out on its ugly, vicious face.

He’s underestimating me—

A faint smile flickered across Zhou Yan’s lips.

Summoning material—

A black, oddly-shaped sword appeared in Zhou Yan’s grasp. He tightened his hold; black and red miasmic flames ignited along the blade.

At that moment, the spiked club crashed into the earth, sending up a storm of dirt and dust.

“No!” the girl shrieked from behind.

A deafening howl rang out, echoing for hundreds of meters.

Oboro believed it was the ogre’s triumphant roar after bludgeoning Zhou Yan to death. Despair flooded her face.

The next instant, a massive object hurtled from the cloud of dust, landing at the girl’s feet.

She looked closer—it was a huge, thick, crimson arm.

The ogre’s arm!

A rush of delight surged through Oboro. She looked up; the dust from the ogre’s blow had already settled.

Before her stood Zhou Yan, black-flamed sword in hand, positioned behind the red ogre.

The giant demon was staggering, howling in pain, its arm severed.

Before she could comprehend what had happened, Zhou Yan spun swiftly.

In the next breath, he leapt high above the ogre, his strange sword trailing afterimages.

Slash—slash—slash—slash—slash!

With precise technique and overwhelming force, he used the sword’s recoil to keep himself suspended midair.

Secret Sword Art—Swallow Dance!

Five successive strikes landed with pinpoint accuracy on the ogre’s shoulders and back, carving wounds deep to the bone.

The curse sword’s black flames burned fiercely in the gashes it left, inflicting searing agony beyond their razor-sharp bite.

The red ogre, slow and lumbering, howled in torment, trying to turn and strike back.

But it was too late. The final strike of Zhou Yan’s Swallow Dance was upon it.

Hovering above the ogre, Zhou Yan raised the curse blade high; miasmic flames surged along its length.

Eagle Cleave!

With a thunderous downward stroke, the flaming blade sliced through the ogre from crown to sole as effortlessly as a hot knife carving through butter.

[You have slain “Red Ogre.” Gained 203 Spirit.]

[You have acquired “Rune Factor: Spirit.”]

The gigantic corpse split into two and toppled aside, revealing Zhou Yan’s half-crouched figure, sword slowly returning to its sheath.

Oboro’s gaze met his across the parted remains of the ogre.

No wonder… Lord Yan never needed my blade…

The thought flickered inexplicably through the girl’s mind.

She struggled and managed to stand, then slowly walked to Zhou Yan’s side.

As she passed the ogre’s remains, she saw a multitude of pale blue lights drifting from the corpse. They spun and gathered, as if drawn by some invisible force, pouring swiftly toward her.

Oboro had not expected this at all. Panic-stricken, she staggered a step, trying to evade the swarm of lights.

To no avail.

The blue motes converged at last upon her right hand, drawn into the gleaming rune that had appeared on the back of it.

The next moment, she noticed something extraordinary about the broken blade in her grasp—

The shattered portion of the sword, under a gathering blue glow, swiftly reformed into a new blade, indistinguishable from the original save for its faint, mysterious light.

“Eh?”

Oboro lifted the sword before her eyes, voicing her astonishment.

Zhou Yan watched the entire process, thoughtful.

So this is the true power of the “Oboro Style”? Or perhaps… is this the common method of fighting demons in this world?

It seems this girl’s origins are anything but ordinary.

He crouched, reaching out to touch the ogre’s corpse.

[Red Ogre]

[Type: Equal-Suffering Hell Demon]

[Description: Due to the opening of the Gates of Hell, this demon escaped from the shallow layers of the Equal-Suffering Hell into the human world. Tall and powerful, its skin is tough as leather and its strength far exceeds that of ordinary men. It favors human flesh.]

[Rating: 0 Star, 2nd Rank]

[Attributes: Physique 29, Agility 14, Spirit 11]

[Note: Only a fool would go back—life in the human world is a thousand times more pleasant than in hell!]

Hmm… The attributes are rather lopsided; its physique is nearly at the limit for the second rank, but its control over its body is mediocre.

No wonder it was so easily slain.

Zhou Yan stood and composed himself.

He looked back at the girl, who still stared in wonder at her restored blade, and asked, “Oboro, do you… want to go inside?”

He hesitated, gesturing toward the teahouse.

At his words, Oboro looked at the teahouse and immediately began to tremble.

Then, her expression stricken, she stumbled toward the wooden house and burst through the door.

Moments later, as Zhou Yan waited outside, the wailing of profound grief drifted from within.

He sighed softly, uncertain what comfort to offer.

*

Hours later.

At the edge of the village, before a freshly made grave, Zhou Yan stood silently behind Oboro.

He gazed at the girl’s seemingly fragile figure and hesitated before saying, “Oboro, if you need, I can stay with you two more days before we set out…”

Oboro’s body tensed, then she gently shook her head.

She turned toward him, clothed now in a simple mourning kimono of plain black, her eyes shadowed and somber.

“Lord Yan, I… want to understand my own origins, and this power…”

As she spoke, she drew the sheathed blade from her left hand a little.

“Most of all, I… want to cut down every man-eating demon in this world.”

“Lord Yan… please take me with you…”

***