Free Web NovelChapter 424: Lord of the Flies Beelzebub [3]
Belzebub turned around with terrifying speed. His living chitin armor creaked under the effort. He struck toward Klein with an arm reinforced by thousands of compressed insects. The blow landed. Klein blocked with his katana, but the force sent him flying back several meters. His boots dug two furrows into the vitrified ground.
Klein recovered immediately. He felt the painful vibration travel up his arms. Without waiting, he activated his < Dash > again and returned to the attack. His blade traced a blue arc in the air, releasing a wider cutting wave. Belzebub raised his left arm to parry. The impact tore away part of the fly armor which exploded into a black rain. Fine cracks appeared on the demon’s shoulder, just under the corrupted skin.
Nox did not stay back. He jumped from the broken pillar and landed near the Demonic Prince. His lightning crackled louder around him. He extended both hands. A new sphere of destructive energy formed between his palms, more compact than the previous one.
< Art of Babylon: Singularity of Blood >
The sphere shot straight toward Belzebub’s chest. The demon tried to avoid it by moving sideways, but Nox had anticipated. He detonated the sphere from a distance. The red shockwave swept the nearby swarm and struck Belzebub head-on. His torso caved in under the impact. A long crack appeared on his ribcage, from which thick black blood flowed.
Belzebub growled with rage. He raised both arms. The remaining cloud of flies split into two parts. The first formed a living lance that he hurled toward Klein. The second turned into a barrage of stingers that rained down on Nox.
Klein used < Aura Repulsion > to deflect the lance. The flies scattered for a moment but immediately returned to the charge. About ten managed to touch his left arm. The rot attacked his skin despite the aura film. Klein gritted his teeth and sliced the insects with a backhand of his blade.
On his side, Nox took several stingers. The tips pierced his coat and his flesh before exploding on contact with the lightning. He concentrated his mana in his fists and charged directly at Belzebub. Each step left a trail of red lightning on the ground. He struck the demon in the face with a series of rapid blows. Each impact sent sparks flying.
Klein seized the opening. He circled Belzebub from the right and aimed at the crack that had appeared on his torso. The blade sank deep into the wound. Belzebub screamed. The sound echoed throughout the room. His body trembled. A new crack appeared on his neck, then another on his right cheek. Akazel’s skin cracked like dry earth.
The demon retaliated with an explosion of energy. A wave of putrefied flies burst from his body in all directions. Klein and Nox were forced to retreat. The air became almost unbreathable. The smell of decomposing flesh invaded their nostrils.
"He won’t last much longer," said Klein as he caught his breath.
Nox wiped the blood flowing from his forehead and smiled.
"Perfect. We keep going until he explodes."
They attacked together this time. Klein positioned himself on the left and chained rapid Dashes to multiply the angles of attack. His black blade struck relentlessly at the already cracked zones. Each precise blow widened the crevices. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Nox, for his part, stayed in front and bombarded the demon with red lightning discharges. Each projectile made Belzebub’s body tremble. The cracks now spread across his arms, his legs and even his forehead.
Belzebub attempted a desperate counterattack. He concentrated all his remaining power into a single strike. His right fist, surrounded by a compact mass of flies, shot toward Klein. The blow was so fast that the air whistled. Klein parried with his katana. The force lifted him off the ground and sent him flying into a distant wall. He hit the stone with a dull thud. Blood flowed from his mouth, but he got up immediately.
Nox seized the moment. He accumulated a massive amount of energy in his right hand. The lightning became almost white with intensity. Then he launched the technique at point-blank range. The red sphere hit Belzebub squarely in the chest. The explosion was violent. Part of the demon’s torso was vaporized. Akazel’s body broke further. Long cracks now ran across his entire bust, his shoulders and his thighs. Pieces of black flesh fell to the ground sizzling.
Belzebub staggered. For the first time, his expression showed real concern. He tried to regenerate his host by recalling all the remaining flies. The swarm gathered around him like a second skin, trying to plug the cracks.
Klein returned to the charge despite the pain in his ribs. He jumped high and brought his katana down diagonally. The blade released a cut of pure aura that sliced through the fly armor and penetrated deep into Belzebub’s left shoulder. The demon’s arm hung, almost detached. A huge crack appeared along his spine.
Nox gave no respite. He followed with a series of direct impacts. His fists wrapped in lightning struck the belly, the chest, the face. Each blow widened the existing faults.
The Demonic Prince roared. He tried to create a new massive wave of flies, but his body could no longer keep up. The magical pressure was too strong. Dry crackling sounds rang out. A deep crack crossed his forehead to his jaw. Another opened his right leg along its entire length.
Klein and Nox redoubled their efforts. Klein now used faster movements, alternating Dash and precise strikes to target the weak points. Nox maintained constant pressure with his brute destruction techniques.
Akazel’s body was now nothing more than a cracked shell everywhere. Black veins pulsed through the crevices. Corrupted blood flowed abundantly onto the ground, forming steaming puddles.
Belzebub brought a trembling hand to his torso. He felt his mana escaping through all the openings.
"Miserable humans..." he growled in a hoarse voice.
Klein appeared behind him and tried to plant his katana in the demon’s back, right between two large cracks, but Belzebub exploded his demonic mana, sending Klein flying before gathering all the scattered flies around him, making him levitate. The demonic mana rushed toward him before exploding in all directions.
Belzebub looked at his cracked hand before turning his gaze toward Klein and Nox. Slowly, he descended until he was a few centimeters above the ground.
"Since I am in such a state, no need to hold back anymore," were the only words he uttered in his hoarse voice before disappearing to reappear on Klein’s left.
