Chapter 110

I clung desperately to my consciousness despite the weaponless piercing through my abdomen.

“Huh!”

Facing me, Dominus coldly chuckled and attempted to roughly pull out the weapon embedded in my belly. In that instant, I felt the fragile thread of my consciousness finally snap.

To pull out a weapon that had pierced an enemy was essentially to cut off their lifeline. It was an action accompanied by harsh movements, far more brutal than simply stabbing someone in the abdomen.

Given the circumstances, it was clear that maintaining consciousness was no longer enough to ensure my life.

“Ghh…!”

Despite the difficulty of standing, I struggled against Dominus, who tried to pull out the weaponless from my belly.

“Huh. Wherever you go, it won’t matter.”

It was nearly impossible for Andrymion, in his current state, to escape Dominus, who approached steadily.

Seeing Andrymion, pierced by a knife, Asulin’s face turned pale. She composed herself and tried to muster the strength to help him, but—

“If you come any closer, he will surely die.”

Dominus’ chilling voice stopped her in her tracks. Even if she could, saving Andrymion, whose abdomen was pierced by a black blade, was beyond her capability.

“…”

Asulin’s pale face turned into one of anger, yet she didn’t move further. Her rage towards Dominus remained.

“Good, that’s how it should be.”

Somewhat relieved, Dominus spoke with a slightly excited tone, seemingly not wanting to take the life of a blood relative.

The precision with which Dominus pulled out the weaponless was almost surgical, reminiscent of the exactness with which he sheathed his sword mid-swing. The menacing hostility that usually accompanied him was also absent.

Puuuk—!!

However, the unpleasant sound made when pulling out a weapon that had pierced flesh could not be unheard, no matter how delicate the movement.

Did he not strike Asulin on the back of her head?

“Ghhh!”

Even though the weaponless had pierced and been pulled out of his abdomen, Andrymion neither lost consciousness nor succumbed to death. Instead, he let out a faint groan, barely managing to stay on his feet.

Even if the weaponless had been removed with great care, the pain must have been intense compared to when it first pierced his abdomen. Yet, the moan that escaped Andrymion’s lips did not reflect such agony.

Pain, in itself, was a constant struggle. Despite enduring it physically, Andrymion fought to maintain his consciousness, keeping it from slipping away.

One who has experienced the excruciating pain of being slashed by sharp objects on a battlefield knows well the intensity of suffering when muscles, already taut with tension, are further damaged by blades. The pain of having such a blade forced into one’s body surpasses words.

Even with a mortal wound, many people lose consciousness or bleed to death from abdominal penetration.

“Don’t come any closer!!”

He waved his hand to stop Asulin, who was rushing towards him in distress, before shouting, “You can’t kill me with that!”

With gritted teeth, Andrymion assumed a fighting stance, his resolve both tragic and admirable. Any person would show some emotion, whether fear, mockery, or anger, towards a foe who still stood after being stabbed in the abdomen.

“Move aside. There’s no point in looking at you, a worthless opponent, any longer.”

Dominus dismissed Andrymion with a dry, unyielding voice, pushing him away with a simple gesture. This gesture was meant only to remove an obstacle from his path, nothing more.

In Andrymion’s condition, there was no way he could fend off such a gesture.

Dominus easily grabbed Andrymion by the neck and threw him into the icy snow.

Kwaaang—!!

Andrymion, already battered, could barely hold onto his consciousness as it flickered out with the sound of an exploding shell, rolling across the cold, hard snow.

The dust rose momentarily from the spot where Andrymion fell, but he could not rise from the shock of hitting the frigid ground.

Though it seemed he should have died, the faint movement of his chest under the dust indicated he was still alive.

Considering Dominus’ usual inclination to grant only death to those who faced him, Asulin’s plea not to kill him seemed like a mere formality. It would have been natural for him to end Andrymion’s life right there.

“Monster… I thought you’d twist your body to avoid a critical hit, but…”

After staring at the dust raised by his own actions, Dominus turned his attention away from the fallen Andrymion.

“But now, even if he doesn’t die, he won’t be able to interfere anymore. At least now, I can focus on my task.”

His eyes shifted to the only other person present.

“Hey.”

With a somewhat emotional tone, he called out to Asulin.

Her expression, filled with despair, grief, and anger, was a mix of negative emotions that could hardly be described. Seeing this, Dominus fell silent for a moment.

If seeing a child’s sandcastle crumble under someone else’s foot was like watching a fragile structure collapse, then watching Asulin’s face crumble bit by bit was akin to a more subtle, almost trivial comparison.

Regardless, Dominus, who had just shown a ruthless demeanor, now scratched his head with his left hand, his habitual gesture when deep in thought.

“I hate how the body works. Even when I thought I’d forgotten, it remembers and acts on its own.”

Dominus’ expression softened as he observed Asulin, who was still stunned. This rare moment of tenderness almost masked the disgust he usually exuded.

“Why do I feel this nostalgia from a man who went so mad as to slash others and nearly kill his own son?”

“Haha…”

Scratching his head, Dominus finally smiled, a smile tinged with melancholy.

Even though he was known for his ruthless nature, his expression changed drastically.

“It seems I’ve made a similar face before.”

His bitter self-mockery suggested he had experienced a situation like Asulin’s.

“How much more like this can I become?”

The calmness in his voice, despite his history of ruthless actions, was unsettling.

But then, Asulin, wielding Kaladbolg, moved towards Andrymion, thwarting Dominus’ plans.

“Aiyah!!”

With surprising speed, Asulin returned from her counterattack and struck Dominus with Kaladbolg.

“Keh, how careless. Did you really think I couldn’t predict that?”

Dominus easily dodged, taunting Asulin.

Despite her usual composure, she couldn’t tolerate his provocation.

“I’ll make you suffer the same fate!!”

Asulin, regaining her ferocious spirit, charged at Dominus with renewed vigor.

Kuung—!!

The air around them trembled as she unleashed her pent-up energy, her determination evident in every swing.

The sheer force of her attack was astounding, but what truly stood out was the electric blue aura that enveloped Kaladbolg, turning into lightning.

Driven by a desire for vengeance, Asulin poured all her hatred into the strike, even though the sword was not fully awakened.

“Yes, that’s right. The bigger, the better…”

Dominus laughed, welcoming the immense power surging towards him.

“Because the greater the force, the sweeter the taste when breaking and taking.”

He met her attack with both hands, his black blade’s ominous aura completely gone, leaving him seemingly vulnerable.

Yet, something about Dominus’ stance exuded a danger that surpassed anything seen before.

“Your father probably avoided direct confrontation with me for the same reason.”

With his cold declaration, Dominus deflected Asulin’s Kaladbolg once again.

“Aaah!!”

This caused her to cry out in agony as her own rage turned against her.

Their fierce exchange ended in a single, decisive blow.

“Now, I’ll take you to offer to my god. I need to reclaim my most precious treasure…”

Dominus’ cold declaration echoed, emphasizing the finality of the battle.

“A… aaah…”

Asulin, writhing in pain from the sudden surge of energy.

“…”

Andrymion, still unconscious on the cold, hard snow.

Life and death hung by a thread for both of them.