My preparations were made. And as soon as I finished them, I dashed out the house once more. The moon had already made its way into the sky in the time it took for me to get ready, so I wasted no time in abusing Leap to get closer to the church.
What would have normally taken around 45 minutes of running only took me about 15 minutes of jumping. And with a heavy thud, I found myself at the entryway to the church.
Thick foliage marked my way as I entered the sea of trees. I clung to the shadows in order to mask my presence as best I could after I heard a few voices up ahead. After making sure I wouldn't be seen, I peaked my head out in order to see what was going on.
"Why the hell are we standing guard out here? It's not like anyone is gonna come out here to stop us. I'm bored!" A high pitched feminine voice complained about their station. Most likely Mittelt.
"It's because you two kept toying around with that human. Had you just done your job properly and killed him on sight, we wouldn't have to be out here." Kalawarner, ever the serious one, snapped back at the blonde girl who simply huffed and turned her head to the side.
"Still though, that brat was tougher than I expected. What kind of human can stand up to four light spears launching towards him at once? Most devils would turn to ash from the aura they produce alone." Dohnaseek grumbled as he tipped his hat downwards on his face. Whether it was to hide his shame or for something else, I don't know.
"Exactly! If he weren't so stubborn we would've been inside right now. If anything it's all his fault we're out here!"
"Make all the excuses you want, it won't change our current predicament..." The trio continued to aimlessly talk about me as I steadied my breathing.
This was my first obstacle in order to save Asia. I needed to get past them and into the church to put a stop to this plan. I was about to jump out the bushes and attack them, but I stopped myself. I needed to be careful here.
I summoned my bokuto from my inventory and gave it a once over. It was battered and chipped in numerous areas. An endless seam of scratches, dents and a few bullet scars littered the body of the weapon. It wouldn't last much longer. I can't rely on this weapon to beat them, so the only option I have left...is my fist.
My weapon was discarded back into my inventory as I looked at their positioning next. They were all high up in trees, perching there like actual birds. Without the reach of my sword, dealing actual damage to them would be a bit troublesome. I need to somehow get in close to throw down with them, but how?
I racked my brain for different ways I could get into close quarters combat with them, when I had a flash of inspiration. I should play to their pride.
In all my encounters with Fallen Angels, the most noticeable thing about them was their abundant pride in their status as a so-called "superior race". I'm pretty sure it's like that for any of the other races out there. They underestimate humans and look down on them from up on high. Quite literally sometimes. If I can anger them and make them get in close to take me down, I might stand a chance.
This is a gamble, just like earlier. There's no telling how they'll actually react to my taunts, but at this point, I've got nothing to lose.
...No, I've got a number of things to lose actually. I'll have to give this everything I've got!
With my resolve strengthened, I stepped out from the bush I was hiding behind and stared the trio down from below. The first to notice me was Mittelt who's eyes squinted in anger as she stood up from her branch.
"Hey! You're that damn human from before. The hell are you doing here?!"
"Birdwatching. I found a murder of crows, but one of them is loud as hell..."
Her face became flushed with anger and embarrassment at my comment, but soon vanished completely. Her lips curled into a devious smile as she conjured a light spear in hand.
"I was about to say something about how your presence here is revolting, but I've changed my mind. I needed something to help pass the time, and torturing you seems to be just the thing I needed!"
Mittelt seemed all too eager to fight me, and instantly dashed to the sky above. Her silhouette gained form as she rose in front of the moon above me, and a pink sheen illuminated the night sky as she threw her light spear towards me.
Her attack was easy enough to dodge, but soon Dohnaseek and Kalawarner joined in as well.
"For once I agree with you Mittelt! I'll use this chance to exterminate you like the vermin you are, boy!"
"Don't you mean you'll make up for your colossal failure from earlier?" I shouted back towards him as I danced in between the trees. Wooden splinters flew past my face as dust particles filled up the air.
"The fact four fallen angels needed to gang up on a single human to take them down really shows how incompetent you are!"
"We took you down before, and we'll do it again." To my left, Kalawarner suddenly appeared. Her calm voice made me jump slightly as I barely dodged her light spear. A second too late, and my neck would have been gouged out.
"You should've done a more thorough job! I'm still alive after all!" My left arm shot forward like a whip as I chucked a rock at her. She managed to deflect it with her light spear, but I could clearly see the agitation on her face.
"The only reason you escaped is because we needed to get back to the church to finish the ritual. Don't get ahead of yourself, human!" Mittelt shouted out from behind me as she began charging up another light spear in hand. A line of light shot my way, but with my increased agility stats from my new title, I managed to catch it mid flight.
"Oh sure, it definitely wasn't because you all are completely incompetent!" With the spear in hand, I launched it back to the pint side angel.
"Wha-?!" Shocked, she tried to dodge, but the explosion that manifested from my excessive strength managed to catch her slightly. She got tossed back into the woods with a loud thud.
My body feels lighter, my senses sharper. I can feel a well of power surging out from within me, but I need to stay focused. I need to get them all within range for me to strike.
"Your constant yapping is getting on my nerves!" From seemingly nowhere, Dohnaseek raised his light spear high above his head. Enraged by my words, he charged towards me with his weapon, as if he were trying to impale me into the ground.
I stopped his advancements with my bare hands, and began to fight back against his downward force. Dohnaseek seemed to be confident in his physical strength, but I could see the shock growing on his face with each second as I pushed him back. I was about to continue to push him off me, when Kalawarner came up, ready to save him.
She kicked me straight in my ribs, most likely trying to push me off her ally, but my body hardly budged. My feet continued to stay rooted in the ground as the two struggled against me.
Kalawarner leapt off my body and tried to attack from a distance, but I took hold of her arm before she could get too far. Both of them were kept in a deadlock with me.
"You damn brat! Let us go!" Dohnaseek was struggling against my grip the hardest, but my hands clamped down on his forearm, refusing to let go for even a second.
"You weren't this strong before. No human could ever be this strong! What the hell did you do?!" Even Kalawarner, who was the most level headed of the trio, started to panic some as she was held back by a mere human.
"I didn't do much...I just decided to stop holding back." Seizing this moment of opportunity, I summoned the Boosted Gear to my left forearm. One look from it, and the two knew it was a Sacred Gear, and that lapse of judgment would be their undoing.
Boost!
Another surge of power, much greater than before, flowed into my body as the sacred gear's ability activated. The two fallen angels' bodies felt lighter than a sheet of paper as I chucked them both into a tree.
A sickening crack could be heard as their backs bent in ways they shouldn't before they started to slump to the ground. I dashed after them, and wrapped my hands around their throats, and started to squeeze with all my might.
The two started to gag and flail their legs around as the suffocation started.
"H-How...?! Why...is a simple human...?"
"L-Let us go....scum!"
"Human this, human that. Just shut up already!" The tree that supported both of them started to shatter as I pressed more force onto them.
"You all act so high and mighty and wonder how you get taken down by someone else. It's because you underestimated me...just like I underestimated you all. All those times you managed to defeat me was because I was over confident. And now, the shoe is on the other foot."
Their eyes began rolling into the back of their skulls as they gasped for air. They clawed at my exposed arms, punched and kicked me. They did everything they could to try and get me to loosen my grip, but my fingers only tightened around their necks. Spittle and froth came from both their mouths as their struggle weakened over time.
"As my parting gift to you, I'll show you what a human with 68 strength can do!" With a final shout, I clenched my hands as tight as I could, until finally, I felt a snap.
[You have defeated an enemy]
[You have defeated an enemy]
Their limbs fell limp at their side as they looked aimlessly up at the sky. They didn't move, or flinch. They simply died in my hands.
I breathed heavily and let them go, their corpses slid to the ground without much effort or struggle. The forest was silent once again, but I couldn't stop. Mittelt was still out there.
After turning on my heels, I ran through the dark woods until I found her very obvious gothic lolita clothing. She apparently hit her head on a fairly sturdy tree and was knocked unconscious. Finding her completely defenseless like this was a blessing, and so, I didn't waste this chance.
Her body was light enough as is, and was easy to carry. I wrapped both my arms around her neck and placed her in a chokehold. My arms flexed to their full extent as I put my all into this next task.
She started to strain ever so slightly before jolting her eyes open. She panicked after finding herself in this position, and like her friends, did what she could to escape, but it was too late at this point. Her movements became weaker with each passing second, but before she went, she looked me in the eyes, fear evident in her own.
"You'll have to forgive me. I don't have magic like you guys, or sharp weaponry, so your death won't be painless." I watched as the light slowly faded from her eyes, along with a single teardrop.
"Wait for me Asia...I'll get you out of there soon."
SNAP
[You have defeated an enemy]
[You have leveled up!]