Chapter 186: Insane Qi output
Zafron lay on the polished floor, the cold steel of Gustavo's blade pressing against his throat. The weight of Mordred's foot on his back kept him pinned. His mind raced, struggling against the haze of pain and the urgent need to escape.
Gustavo's taunting voice pierced through his haze. "Any last words, Zafron?" The blade nicked his skin, drawing a thin line of blood.
Zafron's response was a fierce growl. "Screw you!" His eyes blazed with a fierce red light. The anger within him ignited, and his muscles tensed with newfound energy.
[Heart rate increased. Qi output escalating. Host at risk of triggering emergency response.]
As Zafron's rage fueled his resolve, he focused on the red slime in his hand, the main reason behind his enhanced power. It pulsed with an almost sentient life, reacting to his emotional surge. With a guttural roar, Zafron used the slime to reinforce his strength.
His first action was a powerful twist of his body. He bucked and twisted, the movement causing Mordred to lose his balance momentarily. Zafron's back arched, his muscles straining as he used every ounce of his energy to wriggle free. With a final burst of strength, he pushed Mordred's foot off him and rolled to his side, narrowly avoiding the blade's deadly edge.
Gustavo's eyes widened in surprise. "What the—"
Before Gustavo could react, Zafron was on his feet, his movements a blur of speed and precision. He closed the distance between them in an instant, his right fist swinging with brutal force. The punch connected with Gustavo's jaw, sending him crashing into a nearby wall. The force of the blow left Gustavo dazed, his body crumpling to the ground with a painful thud.
[Increased combat readiness. Qi output rising. Host is nearing limit breaking potentials]
Mordred, recovering from his momentary disorientation, lunged at Zafron from behind. Zafron, still fueled by rage, spun around in time to see Mordred's attack coming. With a deft move, he sidestepped Mordred's clumsy swing, the spiked gauntlet narrowly missing him.
Gritting his teeth, Zafron retaliated with a swift kick to Mordred's midsection. The impact drove the air from Mordred's lungs, sending him staggering backward. Zafron didn't give him a moment to recover. He followed up with a series of rapid strikes, each punch and kick landing with precise, devastating force.
Mordred's attempts to block and counter were futile. Zafron's attacks were relentless, his body moving with a fluidity and speed that seemed almost unnatural. The red slime, now a swirling vortex of energy around him, acted as both shield and weapon. It formed sharp, whiplike tendrils that lashed out, slashing through the air with deadly accuracy.
With a sudden flick of his wrist, Zafron sent a tendril of the red slime snaking out toward Mordred. The tendril moved with an almost serpentine grace, splitting the air with a hissing sound. It struck Mordred's side with a crack like a whip, the impact causing the man to stagger backward. The slime seared into his skin, leaving a fiery, glowing red mark that spread from the point of contact.
Mordred's skin blistered and sizzled where the slime touched, the pain evident in his contorted expression.
Unperturbed, Zafron shifted his focus to Gustavo, whose smirk had turned into a grimace of concern. Zafron's eyes, blazing with a fierce intensity, locked onto Gustavo as he hurled another wave of slime. This time, the slime formed into sharp, jagged blades that whipped through the air, their edges glinting menacingly.
They sliced through the air with a high-pitched whine, aiming directly for Gustavo.
Gustavo's attempts to deflect the slime with his blade were in vain. The blades sliced through his defenses, tearing at his clothing and leaving deep, glowing red gashes on his flesh. He howled in pain, his movements growing more erratic as he struggled to keep up with Zafron's relentless assault.
The red slime continued to pulse and writhe, creating more tendrils that lashed out like living whips, each strike landing with brutal efficiency.
Mordred, attempting to regroup, raised his arms to block a new assault of slime. However, Zafron's control over the red substance was masterful. He willed the slime to form into a dense, shifting shield, absorbing and redirecting Mordred's desperate attacks.
Each punch Mordred threw met with a gelatinous resistance, and the slime seemed to ripple and twist, dissipating the force of the blows before they could land.
As he spun and pivoted, the slime coiled around his limbs like living armor, expanding and contracting in response to his every move. When he kicked out, the slime extended into a broad, flat surface that slammed into Mordred with a resounding thud, sending him crashing against the wall. The impact left a smear of red slime across the wall, marking the force of Zafron's strike.
Gustavo, still recovering from his collision with the wall, attempted to scramble to his feet. His eyes were wide with horror as he watched Zafron's onslaught. "Stop him!" he shouted, but his voice was laced with desperation.
Mordred, his face contorted in pain and fear, tried to push through the haze of his injuries. He managed to grab a nearby ornate vase and swung it at Zafron. The vase shattered against the red slime barrier that Zafron had conjured, the fragments scattering harmlessly away.
"Pathetic!" Zafron snarled, his voice dripping with disdain. He unleashed a powerful slime blast, a wave of red energy that slammed into Mordred. The force of the blast threw Mordred against the far wall, where he slid down, dazed and incapacitated.
[Heart rate increased. Qi output escalating. Host at risk of triggering emergency response.]
The room was filled with the chaotic sounds of battle—shattered furniture, guttural roars, and the thudding of bodies against the floor. Gustavo, now fully recovered, attempted to use his blade to launch a desperate counterattack. He lunged forward, the blade glinting dangerously in the light.
Zafron, however, was ready. He twisted and ducked under Gustavo's wild swing, his movements a seamless dance of evasion and aggression. As Gustavo's blade cut through the air where Zafron had been, Zafron countered with a brutal elbow to Gustavo's midsection. The blow forced Gustavo to double over, gasping for breath.
In a swift and fluid motion, Zafron grabbed Gustavo by the collar and hurled him across the room. Gustavo crashed into a large, ornate mirror, the glass shattering into a thousand glittering pieces. He lay there, stunned and bleeding, his body a crumpled heap.
Zafron turned his attention back to Mordred, who was attempting to rise with great effort. Mordred's eyes, once filled with arrogance, now showed only fear. Zafron's red slime surged around him, forming a protective shield and aggressive weaponry. He approached Mordred, who scrambled away, his movements panicked and uncoordinated.
"Mordred," Zafron growled, his voice filled with grim satisfaction, "you're next."
Zafron's eyes burned with unrestrained fury as he turned his focus back to Mordred. The once-proud man was now a crumpled heap on the floor, desperately trying to push himself up. His previous arrogance had evaporated, replaced by a raw, primal fear.