Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 43: Esther vs Braun

Chapter 43: Esther vs Braun

The cave was silent, save for the low hum of the artifact in the end. Its glow pulsed faintly, casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. Water dripped from the ceiling, the sound echoing like a ticking clock in the tense atmosphere. It was as though the entire cave was holding its breath, waiting for the chaos to erupt.

Braun stood in front of me, his chopper resting at his side, chains coiled loosely around his muscular body. On the other side, Hina faced Yuri, both of them holding their swords with determination etched across their faces. For a moment, none of us moved. Our eyes locked, tension crackling in the air like a storm about to break.

A single droplet of water fell from above, hitting the ground with a sharp *plink*.

That was the signal.

Braun lunged at me with a roar, his chopper raised high, the chains snapping behind him like whips. I sprinted forward to meet him with my dagger. At the same time, Hina and Yuri charged at each other, their swords gleaming as they prepared to clash.

"You’re dead!!" Braun and Yuri yelled together, their voice echoing through the cave.

"In your dreams!" Hina retorted.

I said nothing. My focus was on Braun.

The sound of our weapons colliding filled the cave with a deafening *CLANG*, sparks flying from the impact. The force of the clash reverberated through the cave, a sound so loud it carried beyond the cave, reaching the ears of the elves who remained on the north edge of the island. Heads turned in their direction, the elves frozen in place as they listened to the unmistakable sound of battle.

Braun swung his chains in wide arcs, the metal slicing through the air with a sharp *whoosh*. I dodged and spun, my movements quick and precise, keeping just out of reach of his attacks. He grinned, his confidence growing with each passing second.

"Let’s see how long those legs of yours can keep you moving like that," he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I’ll shred you apart for interfering in our business!"

I didn’t respond. Words were a waste of energy. Instead, I stayed focused, watching the rhythm of his swings, waiting for an opening.

Braun’s grin widened, his confidence bordering on smugness as he continued to keep me at bay. In his mind, he had already won, convinced that my stamina would eventually give out. But he underestimated me.

Timing my moment perfectly, I leapt into the air, flipping gracefully between the gaps of his spinning chains. His eyes widened in shock as I closed the distance between us. At the last second, he raised his chopper to block my attack.

*Clang*

"Not ba—" he started, but I cut him off, landing a solid kick to his face. The force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground with a heavy *thud*.

"I have no interest in small talk," I said casually, my tone devoid of emotion as I stepped back, my dagger still at the ready.

Braun groaned as he rolled onto his side, coughing and spitting out blood. He wiped the crimson liquid trickling from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, his smirk replaced by a glare of pure rage.

"You’ll regret that," he growled, pushing himself to his feet. His eyes burned with fury, his grip tightening on his chopper as he prepared for the next round.

Across the cave, the clash between Hina and Yuri was equally intense. The air was thick with the sound of metal meeting metal, the grunts of exertion, and the occasional taunts exchanged between the two women. But I didn’t let my attention waver. Braun was my opponent, and I had no intention of letting him gain the upper hand.

"I’ll kill you...I’ll kill you for sure!!" The air in the cave grew thick with tension as Braun staggered back, gripping his massive chopper. His furious gaze locked on mine, veins bulging on his neck.

"You talk more than you fight," I said, suppressing a yawn. My tone was calm, almost bored, as though his anger barely registered in my mind.

"You motherfucker!!" he roared, lunging at me with his chopper raised high.

With a smooth side-step, I evaded the heavy swing. The chopper smashed into the ground beside me with a deafening *clang*, cracking the rocky surface beneath it.

Braun barely had time to react as I spun on my heel, my dagger gleaming in the dim light. I lunged forward, aiming for his face. At the last moment, he jerked his head to the side, my blade narrowly missing its target.

"Hmph." I smirked, gripping the chains still wrapped around his body. Before he could counter, I yanked hard, pulling him off balance.

"What the—!"

Without hesitation, I swung him around with the momentum of the chains and slammed him into the ground with a bone-crushing *THUD*. The force echoed through the cave, cracks splintering the rocky floor beneath him. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he gasped for air.

I stood over him, dagger in hand, my cold eyes boring into his as my hair covered my eyes. "Now," I said, my voice dripping with disdain, "do you still think you can defeat me?"

Braun groaned in pain, clutching his ribs as he glared up at me. His teeth were clenched, his bloodshot eyes burning with fury.

"Braun!!" a frantic voice screamed from across the cave.

I turned my head slightly to see Yuri, her sword raised, standing over Hina. Hina was slumped against the wall, her breathing ragged, sweat dripping down her temple. Her sword lay just out of reach on the ground beside her.

"You okay?!" Yuri shouted again, glancing at Braun, her voice laced with concern.

Hina’s tired eyes met mine. She looked battered, her chest heaving as she struggled to push herself up. The sight made me pause, my gaze lingering on her as I processed the situation.

"Oii... where are you looking?" Hina’s voice cut through the tension, low and guttural, carrying a weight that made Yuri freeze mid-motion.

Yuri turned her head sharply, eyes narrowing as she noticed Hina’s hand gripping the edge of her sword.

Blood dripped steadily from Hina’s palm as the blade cut into her flesh, but she didn’t flinch. Her grip was firm.

The air around her shifted. A radiant white aura began to rise from her body, glowing brighter with every passing moment. The light danced off the walls of the cave, illuminating her fierce expression.

"Hoooooo..." A small sound of amusement escaped my lips as I watched from a distance. A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. "She got it in her..." I thought to myself, intrigued.

Hina’s eyes burned with determination as she stared Yuri. Her fight wasn’t over—not even close.