Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 46: Desperate Run Towards Power

Chapter 46: Desperate Run Towards Power

The tip of my dagger hovered just inches from Braun’s neck, while he clutched his massive chopper, glaring at me with unrelenting fury.

"I won’t let you get away with this," he groaned, his voice dripping with defiance.

I exhaled deeply, feigning boredom. "Sure, sure. Don’t let me get away. But for now, why don’t you tell me—what’s the purpose behind killing elves like that?"

He hesitated, his jaw tightening as his thoughts churned. I could see the conflict in his eyes, weighing whether to speak or stay silent.

"I—" He started, then clenched his fists, rage overtaking reason. "As if I’d tell you that, you motherfucker!" Braun roared, his aura flaring violently as he swung his chains with ferocity.

The chains lashed through the air, but I blocked them with ease and leaped forward, delivering a precise kick to his face. The impact sent him tumbling to the ground, rolling like a rag doll.

"I can’t lose..." he growled, his voice a mixture of desperation and raw fury. "I won’t lose to a brat like you!"

With a guttural scream, he lunged again, swinging wildly. His attacks were erratic, his movements fueled more by anger than strategy. I sidestepped his blows effortlessly and, with a quick spin, planted another kick squarely in his chest, sending him skidding across the ground.

Braun grunted, coughing as he scrambled to his knees, reaching desperately for his chopper. "I won’t lose... I can’t—"

His voice cut off abruptly when I pressed the sole of my shoes firmly onto his hand, pinning it to the ground.

Braun froze. His breathing came in shallow gasps as he slowly lifted his gaze. His desperate, pleading eyes locked onto mine—cold, unyielding, and calm, like the stillness before a storm.

Silence filled the air, broken only by the faint sound of his labored breathing.

Braun clenched his teeth, his glare burning with anger despite the weight of my boot pressing against his hand.

"So..." I began, my tone steady and firm, "my question remains. What’s the purpose behind killing elves here?"

"That is none of your concern!" he barked, his voice laced with venom.

I leaned in slightly, my eyes narrowing. "It is...my concern..." I said, my voice heavy with an unmistakable authority that made even the air around us seem heavier.

For a moment, silence hung between us until I shifted my to the glowing orange artifact nearby. Its eerie luminescence caught the light, casting faint shadows on the walls.

"That’s an enervating artifact," I said, the words coming out slow and deliberate. "It drains life energy from its target—and here, it’s clearly designed to target elves." I gestured towards the white markings surrounding it, intricate patterns etched with precision. "Those markings are giving it direction...Now, where did you get it?"

I pressed my boot down harder on his hand, grinding it into the dirt. Braun winced, his body twisting in pain. "Tell me. Now!" My voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Arghhhhh!!!" he growled, his scream echoing off the cave walls as he writhed beneath me.

"Fast!" I barked, increasing the pressure. His screams grew louder, his defiance faltering with every second.

Behind me, Hina stood silently, her presence unyielding. She held her sword tightly, its blade resting against her leg, the faint glint of blood still visible on her lips. Though her body had the marks of her battle—her movements little slow, her breathing uneven—her gaze remained sharp, focused, and unflinching.

She didn’t speak, didn’t move, merely watched the scene unfold with a quiet intensity, her resolve as steady as ever.

I lifted my boot off his hand, letting him catch his breath.

"You’re stubborn," I remarked coldly, watching him writhe in pain on the ground.

"Huh...ahh..." Braun groaned, his voice barely audible.

"And boring as well," I added, my voice laced with disdain. "You cowards are all the same. You even killed your teammate just to enjoy your little sweey time here."

"You don’t know anything," he muttered, his voice hoarse, his pride refusing to let him stay silent.

"That’s why I’m asking," I said, crouching slightly to meet his eye. "So I can join in on your little activities."

He glared at me, but said nothing, his silence grating on my nerves. My patience was wearing thin.

"Well then," I said, rising to my full height, my voice darkening. "I’ll just use a different method." I clutched my dagger, the blade glinting in the dim light as I took a step closer.

Braun’s eyes widened in fear, and with a sudden burst of energy, he scrambled to his feet and started running behind.

"Oye..." I muttered, my voice bored and unimpressed as I watched him run.

He ran toward the artifact, his breathing heavy and erratic. "What’s the point when there’s no escape for you here?" I sighed, beginning to walk after him at a leisurely pace.

Braun’s muttering reached my ears as I approached. "It’s all his fault...why should I die here because of him!" His voice was desperate, filled with anger and fear as he reached for the glowing artifact.

The white markings around the artifact faded the moment his hands touched it, and his face twisted into a wild grin.

"Hahahahahaha! Now it’s mine!" Braun laughed menacingly, lifting the artifact above his head, the orange light casting eerie shadows on his bloodied face.

"Bwahahahahhahahahaha...It’s here!!!" The loud laughter echoed through the cave, and from side, Yuri’s eyelids flutter as she began to regain consciousness and looked at Braun laughing holding the artifact.

Braun’s crazed laughter stopped abruptly. His eyes gleamed with madness as he slowly lowered the artifact.

And then, before I could even speak, he opened his mouth wide "AAAAAAAAAAAA...." and shoved it into his mouth.

"Arghhhh...!" His coughs filled the air as he pushed it down his throat.

I didn’t flinch. My expression remained blank, watching the grotesque scene unfold.

Hina, on the other hand, gasped audibly, her eyes wide in shock.

Braun’s body convulsed as blood began to gush from his throat, the artifact tearing him apart from the inside. His veins bulged and darkened, his eyes turning a vivid, bloodshot red.

He raised his head, his bloodied gaze locking with mine. His teeth were smeared with blood, his mouth open to take in the air.

—And then he grinned, wide and unhinged, a terrifying expression of pain as he smiled menacingly like demon himself looking at me.