The Contractor's Conquest

Chapter 8: The Cost of Survival

Sylas and the tall assailant stood locked in a tense standoff, the faint glow of their respective rings casting flickering shadows across the broken terrain. Sylas's breaths came quick and shallow, a faint trail of blood seeping from the wound in his abdomen.

The tall assailant grinned. "The effects of your father's ring are quite apparent," he muttered, his voice low enough for only himself to hear. "It equalizes the strength of those he targets. Clever. But for the woman to so casually reveal the function of her ring… there's something more at play here."

Without warning, the assailant lunged forward, his twin swords flashing in the pale light. The first blade arced toward Sylas's neck. Sylas ducked instinctively, but the assailant's movements were relentless. The second sword sliced upward, aiming for his chin.

Sylas reacted in a split second, bending backward to evade the strike. While on the ground, he twisted his body and delivered a fierce kick to the assailant's shin.

The tall man staggered, momentarily losing his balance. Sylas used the opportunity to stand and regain his stance, his gaze steady despite the pain in his side.

"You think I'm helpless without a ring?" Sylas said, his voice steady but strained. "This might be a backwater place to you, but here in Florence, every single person undergoes hand-to-hand combat training. It's a necessity to survive until backup arrives in emergencies."

The tall assailant scowled, brushing dust off his trousers. "Tch, clever boy. But you'll need more than parlor tricks to survive me."

With a growl, he raised his swords, the blades glowing faintly as he chanted, "Fury Blades: Laser!"

An indigo light surged from his ring, channeling through his swords and focusing at their tips. In an instant, a concentrated laser shot out, aimed directly at Sylas.

Sylas attempted to evade, twisting his body as the laser streaked toward him, but the attack was too fast. A searing pain erupted in his abdomen as the beam pierced his side, leaving a smoking hole just above his hip.

He grunted in pain, clutching the wound as he stumbled back. I anticipated the attack, but even then… it was too fast.

The assailant's eyes narrowed as he observed the wound. "That's strange, he thought. I aimed for his lungs. How did my attack land on his abdomen instead?"

His suspicion deepened as he recalled Sylas's earlier evasive maneuvers." Hand-to-hand combat", my ass. "For a brat this inexperienced to dodge my initial strike… there's no way. This has to be her doing. That woman's ability must be interfering somehow."

The realization didn't anger him; it amused him. A low chuckle escaped his lips, growing louder until it became a maniacal laugh.

"Hahahaha! To think I'd face such a bizarre situation here of all places. How amusing! You, your parents, all of you… I'll take my time killing each one of you."

Sylas gritted his teeth and pushed himself upright, blood dripping from his wound but his resolve unshaken. He glared at the assailant and spat through the pain, "Are you sure about that?"

With a sudden burst of speed, Sylas closed the distance between them and threw a punch aimed at the man's face. The assailant deflected the blow with the flat of his sword, grinning as he replied, "Yeah, brat. You'll see that scene soon enough. I'll start with your parents. Then, when you're alone and broken, I'll finish you off."

---

Meanwhile, with Arthur and the Shorter Assailant

Arthur remained behind his barrier, his once-steady posture faltering. His breathing had grown labored, and his complexion had paled, as if life itself was being drained from him.

"Well," he said, chuckling weakly, "that's one nasty ring ability you've got there."

The shorter assailant smirked, his crimson scythes glinting ominously. "You've figured it out, haven't you? My ring's ability is called Blood Siphon. Every strike, every scratch, every touch… it draws your life essence away and strengthens me. A perfect ability for a predator, wouldn't you agree?"

Arthur glanced at the cuts on his arms and shoulders, where faint trails of red vapor were escaping. The wounds stung, but the greater toll was the draining sensation that left him feeling hollow.

So that's it, Arthur thought grimly. Each cut weakens me and empowers him. If I keep defending, I'll die a slow death. I can't stall him any longer. I have to fight head-on.

Steeling himself, Arthur raised his hand and shouted, "Come forth: Knight's Aegis!"

His green ring flared brightly, and in an instant, his body was encased in emerald-lined steel armor. A hexagonal shield materialized on his left arm, and in his right hand, he held a gleaming broadsword.

The shorter assailant's smirk faltered for the briefest of moments before returning with renewed malice. "Finally, a challenge. Let's see if your shield can hold up against my scythes."

Arthur didn't waste words. With a battle cry, he charged forward, his shield raised and his sword poised to strike. The shorter assailant met him head-on, his scythes leaving trails of crimson light in their wake as they clashed against Arthur's shield.

The battlefield echoed with the sound of steel meeting mana-infused weapons, each strike shaking the ground beneath them.

---

Back with Sylas

Sylas's body ached, his vision blurred slightly from the blood loss, but he refused to back down. I have to hold out. I can't let him get to my parents.

The tall assailant, his confidence unshaken, raised his swords again. "What's the matter, brat? Running out of tricks?"

Sylas didn't answer. Instead, he tightened his fists and steadied his breathing. He wasn't done yet.