Blood Assimilation

358  Holy Knight Randy's Fear

As expected, but just as the fiery claws made contact with Liena, her form abruptly dissolved into a shadowy mist, disappearing. Unbeknownst to Flame Claws, her true form reappeared behind him, emerging from his own shadow with her dagger poised.

"Predictable." She whispered, her voice cold and detached.

Flame Claws, alerted by her voice, began to turn his head, but it was too late. Liena had already driven her dagger into the base of his spine, paralyzing him for a moment.

Flame Claws collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Liena stepped out of his shadow and stood before him, her eyes cold and indifferent as she gazed down at him like he was an insect.

"You're too slow." She said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You never stood a chance against me in the first place. But, with how reckless you were, it made it easier for me to defeat you."

"You witch!" Flame Claws growled, attempting to stand. But Liena stomped him back down, forcing him to sprawl helplessly on the ground. He struggled to rise, but it was futile. The flames surrounding his body flickered weakly, their luminosity fading. Having exhausted all his mana in that desperate, last-ditch attack, his transformation could no longer be sustained, and he reverted to his original form, lying prone and defeated.

Weakened and on lying flat on the ground, Flame Claws forced his head to look up at Liena, a mixture of fear and defiance in his eyes. She stared down at him, her expression unreadable.

"H-How...?" Flame Claws, on his last breath, muttered in rasped voice. He could barely utter this single questioning word. His disbelief was palpable — how could he have lost to this human woman when he was clearly stronger?

As if sensing his thoughts, Liena scowled before responding.

"You muscle for brains. Did you think I won by chance? Let me break it down for you so that you can understand." She said, her tone sharp.

"I won because I fight using my brain. And, more importantly, I adapt to my enemies. You, on the other hand, relied heavily on brute strength, one of the blessings of your race, a natural ability you inherently possessed rather than one obtained through rigorous training. Unfortunately, you never truly mastered your inherent ability. Finally, your overconfidence in your physical strength made you complacent, and that's why you lost."

Swish! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

In one swift, fluid motion, Liena activated her technique, extended her Shadow blade phantom on her dagger, and struck Flame Claws through the heart, ending the fight. She severed their connection, preventing any potential future dangers.

Meanwhile, Flame Claws's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. His body slowly went limp. Then, he slumped lifelessly to the ground. Liena stood over his fallen form for a brief moment, her face impassive, then turned away.

She headed toward Brawler Randy, who was approaching her with a matter to discuss —something to do with the dead bodies of the Flame Werewolves they had dispatched. They needed to figure out how to deal with the remains of Flame Werewolves. Otherwise, it might attract attention or bring disaster to them with the corpses littering the roadway to the outpost city.

…

Imperial City, Residential Street.

Holy Knight Randy's eyes fluttered open as he awoke on a simple but comfortable bed. His eyes were dazed and unfocused, his mind clouded in a lingering state of reverie. He blinked a few times, as if waking from a long yet fleeting dream.

As he slowly regained some clarity, he gradually took in his surroundings. The room's unfamiliarity was his initial observation. His thoughts were too chaotic to be certain about his own assessment.

He pushed himself upright, feeling the cool, soft linen against his skin. The room was dimly lit, with soft sunlight filtering through the curtains. The light reflected off a set of metallic golden armor beside the bed.

'That's my Holy Knight armor... Who took it off me?' The thought crossed his mind briefly before he dismissed it.

"Wait... This isn't my estate… This isn't Zolat Grant's estate on Aristocratic Street. Which means..."

Randy gripped the edge of the bed, feeling the smooth, sturdy wooden frame beneath his fingers instead of the familiar metal frame as he confirmed his suspicions. Sitting up, he donned his Holy Knight armor with a contemplative look. Afterward, he decided to survey the room. As he walked around the room, the clinking of his armor echoed in the silence. Regaining full clarity at some point, his mind drifted back to the strange experience he had experienced through his original body's perspective.

'So, it wasn't a dream? That cosmic being... The Grand Librarian? Such an entity actually exists in this universe?' He thought, his brow furrowing in concern.

Recalling the memory of the overwhelming and dreadful presence of the Grand Librarian, Holy Knight Randy scowled as he felt a sense of trepidation wash over him. The more he recalled the experience, the more he felt a shiver run down his spine.

Although he hadn't been the dominant consciousness during the encounter, he had experienced everything through his original body's perception, making it seem as though that was his own experience.

While most of the pressure exerted by the cosmic being was focused on the main consciousness, Holy Knight Randy, along with Brawler Randy, and the latest incarnation, also felt the residual force weigh on their consciousness. The force became more potent particularly when the Grand Librarian peered into Randy's existence.

At that moment, they sensed the cosmic being's gaze momentarily brush against them, deep within Randy's consciousness, before shifting away. That brief glance carried an unsettling animosity, leaving Holy Knight Randy feeling as though he were teetering on the edge of life and death.

The experience shook him tremendously. Holy Knight Randy, whose consciousness was weaker than that of Randy's original consciousness, felt utterly exposed. Had they not shared the same essence as the original consciousness, he feared the cosmic being might have erased him and the other consciousnesses within Randy from existence altogether.

Suddenly, Holy Knight Randy snapped out of his spiraling thoughts, shaking his head to clear his mind.

'Now isn't the time for this. I need to confirm my location, though I have an inkling of where I am.'

He pushed aside the lingering fear gnawing at his mind, refocusing on his present situation. With his mind cleared, he stepped toward the door to the room.

Reaching for the door, he grasped the doorknob and swung the door open. Stepping out, he found himself in a long corridor lined with doors similar to the one he had just exited.

'As expected. This is an inn.' Holy Knight Randy concluded in his mind, scanning his surroundings.

At that moment, a noise caught his attention. Turning, he saw a young woman in what appeared to be a maid's uniform, carrying a mop and bucket, exiting the room adjacent to his. She seemed to be the inn's room attendant. Startled by the sight of him in full Holy Knight armor, the young woman stiffened but quickly feigned relaxation when she recognized him.

"Oh, sir Holy Knight, you're awake. I hope the room was to your liking."

"Which inn is this?" Holy Knight Randy ignored her words and demanded, his tone firm but not overly harsh.

Realizing the inappropriateness of holding onto the cleaning tools, the attendant hastily leaned the mop against the wall and set the bucket down, wiping her hands on her apron before replying.

"This is the Luxurious Inn, sir." The attendant replied hastily, wringing her hands slightly under his continuous sharp gaze.

Holy Knight Randy frowned, processing the information. This was the inn where Brawler Randy had stayed.