Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 45: Hina’s Determination

Chapter 45: Hina’s Determination

Hina’s trembling hands gripped Yuri’s sword tightly, blood streaming down her palms and pooling on the stone floor beneath her. With her other hand, she reached for her own sword, the shining blade trembling slightly as she forced herself to her feet.

All eyes in the cave fell on her—mine, Braun’s, and Yuri’s. The tension in the air was palpable, the humming of the artifact blending with the aura of Hina.

"Let it go!! You filth!" Yuri snarled, pulling on her sword with all her might.

But Hina held firm. The blade shook under the strain, vibrating against her iron grip, yet she refused to release it. Blood continued to trail down her fingers, staining the ground red, but she didn’t flinch.

Yuri’s frustration boiled over as she infused her weapon with her aura, the reddish-pink energy pulsing along the blade. "Arghhh!" she growled, pulling harder.

And then, Hina released the sword.

Caught off guard, Yuri stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance as she was forced to take five or six clumsy steps to steady herself.

"You bitch!!" Yuri screamed, her voice echoing through the cavern. Without hesitation, she leaped forward, her sword glowing with fury as she aimed for Hina in a deadly arc.

Hina twirled her sword and brought it between them just in time.

*CLANG*

The clash rang out, a sharp sound that reverberated through the cave. Their eyes met in the moment of impact—Yuri’s filled with rage, Hina’s void of emotion, her white aura pulsing around her like a barrier.

Before Yuri could react further, Hina drove her foot into Yuri’s stomach, sending her flying backward.

Yuri hit the ground hard, her body skidding across the stone floor for several meters. Dust and debris scattered in her wake, but she managed to stop herself by plunging her sword into the ground, using it to support her as she stood shakily to her feet.

The fire in Yuri’s eyes had dimmed, but only slightly. Hina, however, stood unwavering, her aura blazing brighter than ever, her expression cold and unyielding. The fight was far from over.

"Now you’re done! I will kill you!" Yuri roared, her aura flaring violently around her like crimson flames. Her grip tightened on her sword as she dropped into a fighting stance, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Hina with unrelenting fury.

Hina, unfazed, twirled her sword gracefully in her hand, the blade glinting with a faint white glow. Her movements were calm yet deliberate as she stretched her legs and shifted into a completely new stance. Her eyes, now shining with fierce determination, locked onto Yuri.

Without a word, Hina dashed forward, her speed almost supernatural as she closed the distance between them in an instant. Yuri, startled by the sudden burst of speed, swung her sword in a wide, desperate arc.

"Just die!" Yuri screamed.

But Hina wasn’t there.

In a breathtaking display of agility, Hina dropped low into a split, sliding smoothly between Yuri’s legs.

"What the—?" Yuri barely had time to process what had happened when Hina spun on her heels from behind, her sword sweeping in a circular arc.

*CLANG!*

Their swords clashed with a sharp metallic ring, the force reverberating through the air. Yuri turned her face just in time to see Hina looking at her coldly, her aura burning brighter with every movement.

"You really thought you could win agai—" Yuri’s mocking words were cut short as Hina spun again, her sword moving in a blur.

Each strike came faster than the last, Hina’s relentless attacks forcing Yuri to block repeatedly. Their blades clashed over and over, but with every blow, Yuri’s stance faltered. Hina’s strikes were heavier, more precise, each infused with the strength of her glowing aura.

The air around them seemed to pulse with energy as Hina’s movements became a whirlwind of calculated chaos. Spinning once more, she leaped into the air, her body twisting gracefully like a dancer mid-performance.

Yuri’s eyes widened in panic. "Oh, shit!" she blurted, raising her sword in a frantic attempt to defend herself.

But it was too late.

With one final, devastating slash, Hina’s blade cleaved through the air, and the sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed through the cave.

*SLASH!*

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!" Yuri let out a strangled cry as her arms—still clutching her sword—flew into the air, severed cleanly from her body.

Blood sprayed in an arc, painting the stone walls as her weapon clattered uselessly to the ground beside her.

Yuri stumbled backward, her face frozen in shock as she fell to her knees. Hina landed softly, her white aura still dancing around her, illuminating her figure as she stood tall, her sword steady in her hand.

Yuri’s agonized scream echoed through the cavern.

"Aaaaaaa!! FUCK YOUUUUU!!!!" she cried out, clutching the bleeding part of her arm. Her breaths were ragged, her face pale with shock.

Gritting her teeth, she pressed her trembling remaining hand to the wound, forcing her aura into it to block the blood flow.

"Arghhh... it hurts so bad... Damn it... Damn you!" she hissed through gritted teeth, her voice laced with rage and pain.

*Step.* *Step.*

Hina approached slowly, her expression as cold and unyielding as ice. The soft glow of her white aura illuminated her face, her blade steady at her side.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" Yuri spat, her fury boiling over despite her injury. "I’ll kill you... Look what you’ve done!"

But Hina didn’t flinch. She didn’t speak. Her determined silence was more unnerving than any threat she could have uttered.

In a flash, Hina dashed forward, her movements so swift they blurred. With a single, powerful half-spin, she delivered a crushing kick to Yuri’s face.

*THWACK.*

Yuri’s body slammed against the cave wall with a loud *THUD.* Her head lolled to the side, unconscious, as her body crumpled to the floor in a lifeless heap.

"Yuri..." Braun’s voice wavered as he stared at her motionless form. His anger flickered, replaced briefly by concern.

But before he could take a step toward her, I shifted my stance and raised my dagger, its sharp edge pointed directly at his face.

"Focus here, you loser," I said, my voice cold, cutting through the tense air like a blade.

Braun’s gaze snapped back to me, his eyes burning with rage. He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his massive chopper.

The battle was coming to its end or it was looking like.