* * *
Hell Savior’s mentor-like figure, Short Warp, was a bold and battle-crazed man, but from his many years of experience as an assassin, risking his life, he clearly recognized the flaws in his own personality.
Therefore, he had repeatedly told Hell Savior… back when she was called Knife Hand… who had a similar temperament, the following, until he was blue in the face.
‘If you encounter a strong enemy, retreat if you can retreat’.
In other words, it’s better to live to fight another day.
And after saying ‘if, by any chance’, he also gave her guidance on how to deal with an opponent who uses the true ‘Grim Reaper Style’… not a derivative, but the original.
‘Kill them in the early stages. Otherwise, run away.’
That seemed to be the answer Short Warp gave to Knife Hand, after considering various factors.
How cowardly!
Back then, Knife Hand had never despised this man more than when she heard the words ‘Otherwise, run away’.
She glared at Short Warp.
Seeing that, Short Warp sighed, saying, “You never listen when you make that face, so I won’t say anymore”, and then.
‘Never forget.’
He said that and resumed his training.
* * *
Now, in the present.
Hell Savior was in the ‘by any chance’ situation that Short Warp had warned her about.
In other words, she was fighting the girl, Emi, who was likely the successor of the true ‘Grim Reaper Style’.
One-on-one.
She was in perfect condition.
Her opponent’s special ability, including 【Body Strengthening】, was sealed.
That’s the situation.
(‘Kill them in the early stages. Otherwise, run away’?)
Exchanging hand chops at high speed, Hell Savior recalled her former mentor’s words.
(There’s no way I can do that, Master!)
She grinned ferociously, showing her teeth.
(Because this is so much fun!!)
Every single one of Emi’s moves was beautiful.
Every clash of hand chops and fists was a learning opportunity.
The more Hell Savior fought Emi, the more she felt her own movements becoming refined.
“Now… show me more…”
Right hand, left hand, right hand, left foot, right hand.
Unleashing attacks one after another, Hell Savior shouted.
“Everything you’ve inherited! Show it all to me!!”
“No, Hell Savior! There’s no need to take risks! Pope-sama will be here soon! Until then, retreat, retreat!”
Church Bell was yelling something from the side, but she couldn’t hear him anymore, absorbed in the battle.
She finally encountered the one she had given up on finding.
This was a precious opportunity for growth.
She had to savor it to the fullest!
She kicked with her right foot.
The girl dodged it with a slight step to the left, aiming for her side with her left fist.
She blocked it with her right arm, and at the same time, aimed a hand chop at the girl’s neck with her left hand.
The girl leaned back, placed both hands on the ground, and jumped backwards like a spring, creating distance.
She immediately closed in on the girl and raised her right hand…
Such high-speed combat, Hell Savior and Emi continued endlessly.
Emi’s fighting spirit had not yet waned, but…… beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.
Hell Savior, on the other hand, was still at ease.
To begin with, it would be strange to lose to an opponent whose powers were sealed.
Fire Pastor is smart and eloquent, but he’s not that strong.
He’s different from Hell Savior.
In this fight, Hell Savior was holding back a little.
To prolong the fight as much as possible.
To learn as much as possible.
Unlike Fire Pastor, Hell Savior had the ability to do that.
That’s what she thought.
But to put it bluntly, that was her arrogance.
“RAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
It happened suddenly.
The girl, Emi Rune, who had been exchanging blows with Hell Savior, suddenly screamed.
The next moment!
Emi’s movements…… became several times faster!
“Wh-What!?”
(She wasn’t serious until now!?)
Hell Savior, who had been accustomed to Emi’s previous movements, was forced on the defensive by the sudden increase in speed!
Right fist, left fist, right fist, left fist, right fist, left fist!
She barely managed to block all the punches Emi threw.
(But, too bad! I can see them, if it’s just this much!)
She focused on Emi’s fists and captured their movements.
Hell Savior quickly adapted to Emi’s increased speed.
She regained her composure and grinned.
But!
Shuuuu!
A light impact struck both of Hell Savior’s feet.
Emi suddenly crouched down and unleashed a roundhouse kick, barely above the ground.
This girl, actually, hadn’t used any kicks in her fight with Hell Savior.
She deliberately only used her fists.
To divert attention from her kicks.
……For this moment!
(Oh shit!?)
Hell Savior had fallen for such a simple attack.
She panicked, but what she felt was a sense of floating.
Her legs swept from under her, she was momentarily airborne.
Immediate countermeasures were impossible.
Such a Hell Savior.
Emi, with all her might… kicked her high into the air!
“Agh!?”
Intense pain shot through Hell Savior’s back!
Blood overflowed from her mouth!
(Seriously, no 【Body Strengthening】 with this power!?)
Gritting her teeth, enduring the pain, spinning in the air, Hell Savior glared at Emi.
That brat is a monster, after all.
Hell Savior finally remembered that.
When she lands, playtime is over.
She’ll kill her.
She has to kill her.
She decided that.
But that was.
……A decision that came too late.
Because Emi.
Had no intention of letting Hell Savior stand on the ground again.
“RAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
The next moment, Emi screamed again.
And towards Hell Savior, who was forced to fall through the air defenselessly, with her monstrous strength, she ripped several pebbles from the cobblestones and began throwing them at super speed with 【Stone Throw】!
“Ah, ah, ah!?”
Just an ordinary stone throw, without any magical enhancements.
But each one, thrown by the monstrous girl, Emi, with her extraordinary strength, was a terrifying bullet!
Wounds appeared one after another on Hell Savior’s body, which should have been protected by 【Body Strengthening】!
And that wasn’t the end!
“Haa…..”
Hell Savior, narrowing her eyes, noticed that while continuing with 【Stone Throw】, Emi was moving towards her landing point.
In other words, when she lands, what awaits her is.
That monster’s fatal blow.
“Ahh!”
What should she do!?
How can she survive!?
Hell Savior’s mind raced!
She instantly reviewed all the movements and techniques of the ‘Grim Reaper Style’ her Master had taught her, but there was no answer there.
Then, she changed her way of thinking.
What would Master do in this situation!?
Thinking that, the answer she came up with was.
Escape with 【Short-Range Teleportation】.
It was an option that Hell Savior naturally couldn’t take.
At that moment, for the first time.
Hell Savior thought she understood why Short Warp called his own ‘Grim Reaper Style’ ‘mimicry’.
Because he had 【Short-Range Teleportation】.
Therefore, he had incorporated that premise into his ‘Grim Reaper Style’.
He couldn’t help but incorporate it.
No matter how much he tried to eliminate it, unconsciously.
He had incorporated it.
And he realized that.
Therefore, ‘mimicry’.
That must have been what he meant.
(Ah……)
And one more thing.
‘Kill them in the early stages. Otherwise, run away.’
The guidance on how to deal with the true ‘Grim Reaper Style’, which she had been given.
The meaning of those words, now that she had failed, she understood with her entire being.
He knew.
That in this situation, Hell Savior would surely intentionally hold back, prolonging the fight to learn more.
That’s why he said ‘Kill them in the early stages’.
Indeed, if she had been serious from the beginning, Hell Savior might have been able to kill Emi.
But she didn’t.
Truly, the epitome of arrogance.
That’s why she’s going to die now.
(Master’s words are truly precious, aren’t they……)
Well, it’s too late to realize that now.
The last thing she saw, mocking herself, was….
The monster’s fist, approaching her face at tremendous speed, to reap her life.