SWNOVELXO Chapter 388: Painful Realization
"Good, it would be boring if you just gave up," the female hunter giggled.
"As a reward for your courage, let me tell you my name. I'm Tiara, a Tier 1 hunter," she revealed.
Nobu broke a sweat after hearing it. Though he wasn't from the West, he knew that Tier 1 hunters were a different breed altogether.
"Don't be too nervous. I can smell your fear from here," she added, her lips curling into a smile.
"Shadow Veiled!" Nobu whispered , and his presence began to fade. He wasn't completely invisible, but he became much harder to track, especially in the darkness.
"Interesting technique, but—" Before she finished her sentence, she vanished from view with an advanced use of timed blinking.
"You're too slow," she whispered in his ear.
Nobu swung his short katana but only hit air. When he turned around, Tiara was already back in her original position.
'Impossible,' he gulped hard. She could have killed him in that very moment. 'She's toying with me.'
"20% is enough for you, " Tiara declared, her voice calm and confident.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of the shinobi, but instead of drawing her katana, she used her hands, which were coated with a swirling orange aura.
'I need to block it, ' Quickly, he swung his blade.
CLANG!
The impact was intense. The powerful force knocked him backward, making him lose hold of his one katana. He was thrown through the air, unable to keep his balance.
THUD!
Nobu hit the ground hard, pain shooting through his body. He fought to stay awake, struggling to keep his senses from fading.
Tiara watched with an amused smile as her opponent struggled to regain his footing.
Nobu struggled to stand up, wincing with every movement. He was in pain, and it took a lot of effort for him to get back on his feet.
STEP!
STEP!
STEP!
Tiara walked toward him slowly.
She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. Her expression remained insulting, almost bored, as she spoke. "You're really disappointing me right now."
"Nobu-san!" Seki yelled, her voice filled with worry.
A bright green aura started to surround him, glowing with a strong and powerful energy.
The pain from his earlier injuries started to fade, and his body felt lighter, more powerful.
'I can still win this,' he thought to himself , knowing that she still had Seki's support.
Her ability, though not suited for direct combat, was invaluable in supporting those around her. Her power to enhance and heal others was a force multiplier, and right now, he could feel its effect.
His strength doubled under her influence. Muscles tightened , his reflexes sharpened, and even his focus intensified.
However—
Tiara watched without concern, even though she could feel Nobu's strength increasing.
"So that woman isn't just for show," she mused, a hint of excitement lacing her voice.
Her eyes flicked briefly to Seki, acknowledging her presence and the strength she provided Nobu.
"But even with that power-up, you're still no match for me."
Her words cut deep, and Nobu could feel that she was not lying at all.
Gritting his teeth, he refused to give up. He held his remaining katana tighter, the green aura around him glowing brighter.
He knew he had to keep fighting and find a way to get past her defenses.
"Shadow Step!" he whispered and quickly closed the gap between them.
SLASH!
SLASH!
SLASH!
Each of his strike was filled with desperation, his only goal being to land a hit.
But his opponent barely moved.
She just sidestepped or leaned back, making his attacks miss by inches. It was like she was playing a game, not even breaking a sweat.
"Is this all you got?," Tiara said, her voice filled with disappointment .
"URGH" Nobu grunted, pushing himself harder as he tried to outmaneuver her.
He added kunai to his attacks, throwing them in quick succession.
Each one was meant to catch her off guard, but it was useless. Somehow, she always knew which one were real and which were just distractions.
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
The deflected kunai clattered against the walls, exploding on impact.
"You can't win with just this," Tiara taunted, her voice dripping with confidence. "You're boring. Time to die."
Finally, she raised her hand, and Nobu felt a sudden surge of danger.
Instinctively, he jumped back, trying to dodge whatever was coming.
But what happened next was beyond anything he could have imagined.
THUD!
His right dropped to the ground.
For a moment, he didn't even realize when it happened.
It was only when he landed back on his feet that the pain hit him, sharp and overwhelming. He looked down, seeing the blood pouring from where his arm used to be.
'ARGHH!' He gritted his teeth, biting his lips hard to stop himself from screaming. The pain was unbearable, but he refused to show weakness.
"Nobu-san!" Seki screamed, rushing to his side. Her hands glowed with a healing light as she worked frantically to close his wound. The bleeding slowed, but the pain still throbbed through his body.
Seki-sama, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can win this fight," Nobu admitted, his voice filled with defeat.
The pain from his missing arm was bad, but realizing how outmatched he was hurt even more.
He had thought that Tier 1 hunters from the West were just copying breathing techniques without truly mastering them or understanding their real essence.
But now, he had seen it for himself.
Tier 1 hunters were closer to the Demon Slayers than he had ever wanted to admit.
Seki's face went pale, her hands shaking as she kept healing him. If he gave up now, they would all be doomed.
"Nobu-san, don't say that. We still have a chance," she urged, her voice shaking with worry.
She, too, saw the huge difference in power. But she refused to give up, holding on to the hope that they might still find a way to survive.
"That's right, why give up when you have me?"