CHAPTER 51: DEATH’S MARCH

A wall of jagged stone burst from the ground in front of Xenos.

Indeed, it wasn’t good at all, but instead of slowing down, he went even faster.

Lightning roared as he punched straight through the wall, debris exploding outward.

The shards whizzed by, one cutting his cheek, though he didn’t care.

His grin was wide as always.

"You’ll never catch me!"

’Please...’

Eris’s voice rang in his head, worried as ever.

’Stop trying to enrage him; you’re only making it worse for yourself!’

As if waiting for Her words, another wall surged up, this one much thicker.

Still, it didn’t trouble him.

He jumped over it, sparks trailing.

Though that seemed to be on purpose, as the Priest’s next move was worse:

The very moment Xenos landed on the ground, the mud softened, grabbing at him.

His next step sank into what greedily pulled him in, hungry to devour him.

"You’re good!"

Xenos twisted, kicking off a tree’s trunk as another earth spike shot up, grazing his boot.

The thing could’ve skewered him from one end to the next if he had been any slower.

Unfazed by that, he didn’t slow.

If anything, he SOMEHOW grinned wider.

Because he wasn’t running aimlessly.

This wasn’t him delaying death.

No, his "GPS" was live—Eris.

’Northwest.’

’You’re close.’

’Through the ridge and down the valley.’

Through Her complaints, he heard directions.

On their way here, they naturally saw many a Divine Stair.

And so, using Eris’s God memory, they retraced their path to the closest one.

Though he didn’t ask Her to, he didn’t question why She chose that specific location, since well, it was the only way he’d be getting out of this alive.

Divine Stairs were sanctuary zones.

Neutral ones where the Priest would be stopped from attacking him.

Because yes, that difference between them was incredibly high.

Though he too became a Priest, their levels were far apart.

Xenos couldn’t best him by any normal means...

Too bad he couldn’t do abnormal now...

Not yet, at least.

The forest exploded again, another wall followed by a spear.

Each attack was big enough to kill an entire cohort, and every one missed him by inches.

It was mainly due to his skill, but also his Luck was greatly involved.

"I know where you’re going."

His Calamity was too.

"And I won’t allow it."

For bad news had arrived.

"You will die by the Will of our Lord."

The Priest stopped holding back, caring not for being noticed anymore.

Beneath them, the ground detonated, and massive pillars erupted, tearing the forest apart.

Roots and soil flew; the earth itself turned against him, leaving him barely any path ahead.

"Shitshitshitshit—!"

Xenos darted between them as similarly massive spears of rock stabbed down.

He dodged them all, though the last one only missed by a hair’s breadth.

The resulting shockwave of the impact flung him forward.

And that...

’I got an idea.’

Gave him an idea...

’Why run from him when I can run with him?’

A terrible one.

’I give up.’

And sure enough, he, seemingly without regard for the risks, started using each impact to launch himself, each wall, quake, and blast of shattered stone, throwing him farther and faster.

Many a spear slammed down behind him only for him to kick it midfall, using it as a springboard to rocket off into the air.

"Woooohhoo~!"

He was having the time of his life.

But, of course, the universe decided that was enough fun.

A chunk of earth exploded right in front of him, and he barely had time to block.

His blade took the brunt, but the impact launched him directly into a rocky hill.

Xenos hit the stone hard, the sound echoing all around him.

He coughed out blood, groaning heavily.

"...ah."

Eris sighed in his head.

’Are you alright?’

Xenos nodded, or at least tried.

’Maybe next time don’t ride the explosions.’

He chuckled a little.

’Hey~... It worked for a bit.’

She didn’t deny that, leaving him to focus on what was before him.

The Priest appeared right in front of him, as calm as ever.

"That’s the end, Kharon’s son."

Xenos’s muscles bulged.

"Yeah, sure."

The staff came down.

A sword blocked its path.

Clang!

[Wise Fool] activated, and a spark of Divinity clashed.

The hill shook roughly, and then...

Crack.

The Priest froze once more.

His staff split clean in half and fell from his hands.

Entirely shattered, its remains hit the ground.

"That’s a crit!"

Xenos pushed himself up and quickly rushed to the side, away from his hunter.

Meanwhile, the Priest’s face twisted with rage.

"You, you, you—BASTARD!"

He was truly enraged.

All of his Divinity began to move.

The ground trembled as he raised both hands.

Spears—hundreds of them—burst from every direction, blotting out his part of the sky.

Xenos didn’t wait for them to come down; he moved even faster, abusing his new Rune.

Lightning flared from his feet as he darted between the spears that missed by an inch, slicing through his cloak and ripping past his arms. Despite that, Xenos kept moving, zigzagging, rolling, sliding under one, and vaulting over another.

It was incredible how many he’d summoned.

Incredible enough for even Xenos to get caught off guard.

Exactly behind one spear was another, a spear that he didn’t see.

The tip grazed his shoulder, yet he managed to pull back in the last moment and deflect it with his blade before it completely pierced through, saving the entire right side of his body.

The impact shook his bones, but he remained alive.

Still, that one attack had him stagger back, and that...

"You are dead, boy!"

That was enough.

"I will rid this realm of you!"

Rushing behind him was the Priest.

There was barely a gap between them.

Xenos was now officially caught in his grasp.

"We’ll see about that!"

So now, with no other option than to fight, he turned around and rushed back at him.

One doesn’t fight a stronger enemy... they kill them.

A death march was needed.

That was Xenos’s plan.

March directly into his death in hopes of killing this Priest.

He did exactly that, charging straight in, ignoring the dozen spears stabbing his way.

Two pierced his side, and one tore through his arm, but he didn’t care.

He wasn’t going to pause; he had to reach him!

"No."

The Priest stepped back.

That alone sent him out of range.

Xenos, in that long moment, was fully exposed.

His death march had completely failed, and the Priest...

He summoned another spear—a massive one—right before him.

It gave Xenos a feeling he was familiar with.

’Death.’

Whoosh!

It went forth, and...

’XENOS, NO!’

Xenos struck it, shattering the spear.

BOOM!

It exploded, sending shards flying everywhere, colliding with others midair.

Fragments of trees followed, exploding in every direction.

Xenos was thrown back from the impact, nearly dead.

Yet his torture didn’t stop there.

His body was battered and shredded.

Most of his internal organs were damaged.

Never was he closer to death than now.

Indeed, His Calamity came.

But also his Luck.

Dual Fated.

The ground beneath them cracked fully, this time not by the Priest’s hands.

It roared, splitting wide open, the realm dropping out to an inescapable darkness.

A darkness that swallowed both of them whole.

For below, past the roots and stone...

Past the gaping abyss...

Was the crust of Tartaros.

Xenos, tumbling midair, facing the sky, spread his arms wide.

With his white hair whipping from the wind, his grin nearly tore his mouth open.

"Ah, this is so fun~!"

He fell.