Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win
Chapter 165: Infiltration and Servents of Skinless [5]

Chapter 165: Infiltration and Servents of Skinless [5]

...His claw dug deep into Luca’s body.

’Huh?’

The tall creature didn’t pause after sinking his claw into Luca.

With a jerk, it tore him away from the group, flinging his body against the cold stone wall.

Luca hit the ground hard.

Blood pooled beneath him, the impact of the claw still fresh through his chest.

He coughed weakly, his hand trembling as it reached toward the gaping wound.

The puncture had gone straight through his heart.

"LUCA!" Viros shouted, moving to run toward him.

The fat creature twisted its head toward him. With a grotesque grin, it grabbed the glowing chain looped around its belly and tore it apart like it was made of thread.

Mana shattered into sparks, falling harmlessly around its feet.

Akamir’s grip on the mana chain loosened, and in that brief second, the creature slipped free.

The two horrors regrouped, walking calmly through the trail of blood and corpses.

Their movements were unhurried, their expressions blank.

"You fight well, human," the fat one said, tilting its head unnaturally. "We are Garel and Thum, servants of the Skinless."

Garel looked like he had already taken an interest in Akamir.

He gave him a sharp smile as Akamir kept on staring at Luca.

"We were created for this," said the tall one, its voice a sick mix of distorted tones. "Our master gave us purpose."

"To complete the glorious task," the fat one added, arms spreading wide, his stitched face grinning. "To bring the flesh of Kros to its rightful use."

Akamir didn’t respond. His eyes stayed locked on Luca, who now lay motionless on the floor, gasping for air.

The tall one took another step forward. "You’re strong, human. Leave the elves. Join us. You can witness rebirth."

’....What the fuck, did he say?’

Akamir’s jaw clenched.

His heart pounded, but his breathing steadied.

"Don’t let your anger get the better of you," Nayomi said, her voice floating close by. "They will be using this against you."

Akamir drew in a deep breath as he stared at the two of them.

One was smiling but the other wasn’t.

His fingers curled around his sword.

Akamir’s grip on his sword tightened.

The air felt heavier now, thick with blood and something darker—something crawling just beneath the surface.

He looked up slowly, eyes cold. "Go to hell."

There was no hesitation.

He shot forward, mana surging through his body like a tide.

Lightning flickered violently across his limbs and blade as he charged the two abominations.

The fat one, Garel, opened his arms wide in welcome.

Akamir didn’t take the bait.

He blinked to the side and slashed at the tall one, Thum, aiming straight for his ribs.

The blade connected but not deep enough.

It scraped through layers of stolen skin and stopped at something dense underneath, like bone or armor.

Thum swung his arm, but Akamir ducked and rolled, avoiding the claw.

Garel was already behind him.

Akamir turned just in time to block the heavy swing of a malformed fist.

The impact sent a jolt down his arm, his feet sliding back over the blood-slicked floor.

He gritted his teeth and pushed forward again, lightning bursting from his sword with every strike.

But they were still too strong.

Their movements weren’t fast but they were precise.

Garel blocked a blow with one massive arm while Thum clawed at his side.

Akamir jumped back, blood now dripping from a fresh gash across his waist.

He panted, sweat rolling down his face under the mask. His vision blurred for a second.

’Dammit. I’m losing momentum.’

He needed to get to the others. He needed to get Luca out.

Akamir feinted left, then blinked to the right, appearing just behind Garel.

He didn’t attack. Instead, he ran.

He sprinted past the two, ignoring the tall one’s claw that grazed his shoulder.

Viros had reached Luca and was trying to keep him conscious.

Reagan stood guard, his small form shaking slightly but still defiant.

Akamir didn’t stop. He placed a hand on the ground, focusing.

Mana surged around him, flaring up in sharp blue waves.

The crown on his head flickered into existence and began to illuminate the place in a bright light.

A circle of light opened beneath their feet.

A portal.

Reagan turned. "Akamir—"

"Grab Luca. Now!"

Viros didn’t argue as he and Reagan pulled Luca’s body toward the center of the glowing circle.

Blood trailed behind them.

The portal buzzed louder, growing unstable with the amount of mana being poured into it.

Akamir stood guard at the edge, sword ready.

Garel and Thum didn’t rush.

They walked forward slowly, the tall one dragging one claw against the stone wall, sending sparks flying.

"You’ll regret this," Thum rasped.

"We would’ve made you eternal," Garel added.

Akamir didn’t answer.

He waited until the others were through the portal, then turned, stepping in last.

The instant his boot crossed the edge, the portal snapped shut behind him, cutting off the room, the blood, the monsters, and the death.

Darkness swallowed the temple once more.

— — —

The group landed hard on a stone platform in an abandoned ruin far from the village.

The portal hissed out of existence with a faint crackle of mana.

Akamir collapsed to his knees, gasping for air.

His sword fell from his fingers.

He didn’t even bother to catch it.

"Luca," Reagan said quickly, his voice trembling. "He’s not... he’s not breathing."

He was already moving, pulling out a pouch of crushed herbs, a glass vial, and a piece of cloth.

"Help me roll him," he ordered.

Akamir forced himself up and knelt beside Luca, tearing the cloth off his mask.

Luca’s eyes were open, but barely.

The hole in his chest was still bleeding. Slower now.

Akamir placed a hand near it, mana flowing weakly from his palm.

"...He’s dying," Nayomi said softly, floating beside him. "But you’ve bought him time."

Reagan poured the vial over the wound but despite all this Viros stood calmly on the side.

"...Guys," he said, his voice low. "Step aside and let him be in contact with the moonlight."

Akamir frowned as he looked at him. "What are you—!"

"Just trust me," he said, his voice soft.

Akamir glared at him but when he saw Reagan moving away... he did the same.

When the moonlight hit the body of dying Luca...

...It began to heal slowly.

Akamir finally got the confirmation about what race they were.