Nero broke cover in a blur of motion, the Silver Blade flashing with cold light as he surged toward the nearest of the four.
The creatures were still feasting, their dark eyes murky with avarice and unfathomable hunger.
With their jaws grinding the blood-red fruit into pulp and their blackened gums dripping with the crimson juice, they didn’t react until his boots crunched the purple leaves underfoot.
By then, it was already too late for the first one.
Nero’s eyes widened. Even he was surprised by his sudden burst of speed.
The Silver Blade cut a clean diagonal line across its chest, from shoulder to rib, the enchanted edge biting through white flesh like water. A gout of crimson blood sprayed across the tree trunk.
The blood slowly slid down the dark bark before it was absorbed, leaving no traces behind.
The Abomination bellowed in pain as it staggered backward, clutching at its chest. The sap coating on Nero’s sword mixed into the wound almost instantly, turning the creature’s bellow into a strangled cough. Its limbs trembled violently as paralysis spread, its wound erupting with a spurt of blood.
{Rejoice, Heretic. You have slain Wild Goliath}
{Seals of Sin: 16/1000}.
The malford faces of the other Wild Goliaths twisted even more, making them look rather frightening.
The let out deep bellows as they rushed forward, swinging their long arms violently.
The second creature swung its arm like a club, catching Nero across the ribs. He twisted, lessening the blow, but the impact still made him wish he had his armor.
Pain flared white-hot as he groaned and dropped into a crouch, letting montum carry the strike over him, and stabbed upward with his sword.
The Silver Blade, still slick with the Purple Evergrowth sap, plunged into the monster’s armpit with a sickening tear.
Its roar broke into a bubbling choke as its blood turned sluggish. It staggered back, but Nero twisted the blade free and slashed its hamstring, dropping it to one knee.
Nero brought his sword into a horizontal swing to lop its head off, but he sensed danger in the last mont.
Abandoning the attack, he geasoedhis speed with both hands and braced for impact.
The hit took the air out of his lungs.
’These guys might be slow, but they sure do pack a punch.’
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Nero couldn’t help but think he had underestimated these things.
{Seals of Sin: 17/1000}.
He stared down at the sword in his hand and couldn’t help but click his tongue,
"Isn’t this too unfair?"
The toxins of the Purple Evergrowth worked extrely fast. For the trees to occupy such large swathes of forest ant they had a lot of nutrients to absorb.
Many Abominations fell victim to their alluring sao everyday. Once it entered the bloodstream, there was little hope of salvation.
’I’ll make sure to gather even more later.’
The third lunged, swinging wildly at his head.
Soft golden runes appeared in the depths of Nero’s eyes. For a mont , ti seed to slow down a bit.
The creature’s swing was wild and reckless, revealing far too many openings.
Nero rembered one of the many lessons he had had with Peter.
"A sword is dangerous, but if its used was death, it would beco useless. So before offense, one must learn defense."
It was obvious that these creatures seed to have no idea what defense ant as they kept wildly swinging at him.
He ducked beneath the swipe, pivoted, and carved a savage line across its spine. The Silver Blade slid between vertebrae, severing bone and muscle in one smooth arc.
The thing spasd violently, fell to its knees, and collapsed face-first into the leaf-litter.
{Seal of Sin: 18/1000}.
Nero let out a heavy sigh.
’That was... easier than I thought.’
His gaze shifted to the last one.
The Abomination took a step backwards, its eyes filled with deep malice and hatred scanning him with an uncanny light.
Nero frowned and took a stance again.
He couldn’t allow himself to relax until the battle was completely over.
He rushed forward.
The final Wild Goliath was faster than he expected. It barreled into him with all its weight— eight feet of twisted alabaster flesh slamming into him like a charging bull. Nero’s face paled as he felt himself soaring through the air.
Regardless of the effectiveness of his weapons, it was still a given that the Abomination was much more powerful than he was. Without the toxic sap, he would be having a much harder ti than he currently was.
The impact hurled Nero backward, smashing him into the trunk of a Purple Evergrowth. The air blasted out of his lungs, causing his vision to swim erratically.
The creature lunged forward and pinned him there.
Nero let out a cry of pain as his body was almost reduced to a stain on the tree bark.
Rotten teeth snapping inches from his face, Nero could already feel death’s frigid fingers trying to wrap around his neck. He placed his sword between them to keep the ferocious Abomination at bay.
Its breath stank of the blood fruit and decay.
The disgust in him roaring to life, Nero forced his knee upward, slamming it into the beast’s gut. The thing snarled but didn’t budge. He tried to drive his sword forward, but its massive hands caught his wrist and squeezed until his bones scread.
They both struggled there for a good minute, neither wanting to give way.
The Wild Goliath, perhaps having seen the way its brethren has been slain, was unwilling to give him even the slightest bit of breathing room.
It was trying to smother him to death.
The runes in the depths of his eyes flared up again.
He shifted his weight, twisted his trapped wrist just enough to loosen its grip, and ramd the Silver Blade upward into the creature’s chin. The Abomination staggered backwards, dazed for only a mont.
That was all Nero needed.
Freeing himself from its vice like grip, Nero stabbed the Abomination through the chest.
It roared and slamd its arms against his shoulders, producing a sickening thud.
With even more determination, Nero swallowed the blood in his mouth and pushed himself forward even more, the force causing the Wild Goliath to stumble over backwards.
Twisting his blade, Nero buried it deeper into its flesh.
Soon after, Nero couldn’t feel any more movent beneath him.
{Seals of Sin: 19/1000}.
He let out a sigh of relief.
Then his eyes widened as he coughed up a mouthful of blood before falling over to the side.
’T-that was...’
"That was close." He said in a hoarse voice.
His chest heaving heavily, he couldn’t help the smile that sprouted from his lips.
With blood-stained lips, lying in a pool of fetid blood and surrounded by the corpses of Abominations, Nero’s smile looked rather frightening for so reason.
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