The Sword and The Shadow

Keep Looking at Me

"Leguna!" Leybecca cried, not caring about being seen by others as she used Shadow Blink to appear where he was.

Being a level-eight spell, Bigsby's Vajra Palm was rather powerful. Adding to the fact that it was used by humanity's most powerful magus, Nidhogg's palm could easily crush Annelotte's Bigsby's Crushing Palm. In terms of pure destructive power, Nidhogg's spell was akin to the orc wargod Kreighdon's full-powered strike. It was overpowering to say the least.

Leybecca hurriedly hauled Leguna up. His head was bleeding all over and his right leg and arm were snapped from the impact. He also broke several ribs. Her tears fell at the sight of him in that state.

"Cough… cough…" Leguna was heavily shaken from the blow and could barely maintain consciousness. Chunks of his innards came out with the coughs. He turned his head with great difficulty to look at Annelotte, who didn't seem too badly harmed thanks to his timely defense. However, she had fainted from the huge shock and didn't seem like she would be waking up anytime soon.

"Looks like it's still not enough," he muttered, "We… we can't win! Leybecca, take Annie and run! I won't make it!"

"No, you will! Snap out of it!" she said at the brink of tears as she wiped the blood off his eyes. "As long as you're here, we can win."

"I really don't know why you put so much stock into me!" He coughed out another mouthful. "I'm only a minor character… Even stray dogs are capable of giving me lots of trouble in my childhood…"

"No! It's not it! You don't understand…" Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed. "Don't die just like that, alright? Don't! I've waited for so long… I don't want to wait any longer. Live on! You must live!"

"What are you talking about, Leybecca?" He lost more and more blood as he wiped the tears off her face weakly. "Don't cry… I'm not worth it. I don't know why you're so nice to me… But… can you promise me something?"

"A… anything…" She looked up and saw Nidhogg in the distance with his arms crossed and not doing anything, seemingly quite curious about their conversation.

Leguna coughed as he used the last vestiges of his energy to point at Annelotte. "Take her… away from here! We've lost, and I can't move anymore. Leave with her. If Nidhogg comes for her another day, you can deal with it then. But at least… save her today! I beg you!"

"What about you?" She hugged him even tighter.

"I… I'm already done for! That blow caused my rib to pierce my heart. Even if you take me along, I won't survive. So, take her away from here… as far as possible."

Leybecca didn't say a word and hugged him tightly, before coldly looking at Nidhogg, who watched them with a complex gaze.

After some time, she finally spoke. She could feel his heartbeat fade away.

"Hey, Leguna."

"Huh?" He opened his eyes weakly. "Take Annie away. I really think I'm a goner. But I won't let you see how I die."

"What if I told you there was a way I could ensure you and Annie survive?" she asked, her eyes still trailed on the magus.

"Alright… let's do it then." He thought she was only trying to console him and cracked a forced smile.

"Are you… really willing to?" she repeated, her tears forming once more.

"Of course, if that sort of happy ending is even possible!" he groggily said.

"Okay…" She took a deep breath. "From now on, open your eyes. Keep them open and look at me."

"What are you doing?" It was now that he realized she wasn't just joking around. He shot her a curious look.

Leybecca didn't say a word. She closed her eyes and kissed him fiercely on the lips.

The sudden fragrance gave him a shock. It wasn't just plain arousal. He felt his body gradually recover. While it wasn't enough to get him back into top shape, at least he wouldn't be dying in a few more minutes.

"Hey, what did you do?" He felt his mind and body refreshed. She was looking at him, already standing.

"Remember to watch." She shot him a smile so beautiful that it froze his memory. "Because, this is the last time you'll see me."

"What are you doing?!" He raised his voice, but she ignored him.

Leybecca slowly approached Nidhogg. "Did you guess it?"

"Yes, a little," he answered the question that came out of the blue.

"Then, why don't you give up on everything here? Or entrust him with it?" she asked.

"Entrust? Hmph. I must see it first before I know the extent of his power. And even if it is enough, will he really help me? I must let him see something first to change his mind about it."

"What if his mind doesn't change after that?"

"Then that's just my luck," Nidhogg said, shrugging nonchalantly. "If he really makes the choice to go against me despite experiencing all this, then I wouldn't mind giving him a final showdown. I won't have anything else holding me back."

"Then…" She opened her hand and the transparent dagger appeared within it. A pitch-black layer of armor slowly formed from between her brows and spread throughout her body. Apart from her face, she was encased in the entirely black armor.

"If I were fighting your former true form, I might not be a match," he said, seemingly impressed at the impressive looking armor.

"Are you pitying me?" The air about her changed completely once she donned the armor. The woman who was helpless before the dying Leguna just moments ago now seemed like a razor-sharp queen. She knew that after putting that armor on, she would be the emissary and ambassador of that existence who showed not the slightest shred of weakness to others.

Nidhogg shook his head. "No, of course not."

She snickered. "I doubt you'd dare."

The next moment, she completely disappeared. It wasn't the result of stealth, but rather, incredible speed that allowed her to be undetectable by the naked eye.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Countless sounds of metal clashing rang out. While Leguna was heavily injured, he could tell that every single attack of hers was stopped by an airtight defense of solid air. Throughout the whole thing, all he could see was a blurry dark figure moving around Nidhogg at breakneck speed to the point he couldn't even get a clear sight.

She's actually that strong?! His mouth widened. While he had never had a clear picture of her strength, this was far beyond what he dared to imagine.

"Hmph!" Nidhogg grunted all of a sudden and a bone-deep slash appeared on his shoulder.