Dysfunctional - An Assassin's Guide to Reincarnating in Another World

Chapter 477 476 - The Devourer(Part 6)

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　　"Hey, I really don't like this...we're heading straight for him, but he's staying exactly where he is. He has the sensory Support Magic technique, so he can probably sense us coming, which means...this could be a trap, no, it's almost definitely a trap!" I whispered sharply. 

　　"Or maybe he's just asleep, or awake with that power inactive," Pointed out Lily with an indifferent shrug. 

　　Damn it, not all of us are as indifferent to dying as you are! 

　　"Even if he is mentally older, his physical body is eight years old, and will not have anywhere near as much stamina as an adult," Added Druj objectively. 

　　"And besides, even if this is a trap, and he uses invisibility and intangibility to sneak up on us, we can use our crystal screens to keep track of his exact position," Said Lily, as she held up hers. 

　　These screens are linked to the detection barrier, and were currently indicating the position of the Reincarnator we were after. 

　　They're pretty compact, but it's still gonna be really difficult to fight while keeping an eye on it. They need to take this a lot more seriously, damn it! 

　　"That baseless optimism could get us killed," I sighed in exasperation. 

　　"So, what? If we die, we die, so be it. Now that I know what comes after death, it's really not something to be feared," Shrugged Lily in response. 

　　Regardless of whether or not reincarnation is guaranteed upon death, I really don't want to die. 

　　"And even if I lose my body, that will not be enough to kill me. I can simply find a new host," Added Druj, sounding unbothered. 

　　"Yeah, and what about your Light Magic? You'll lose it if you lose that body as a host," I pointed out in response. 

　　"It is not a big deal. Just because Light Magic is rare, does not mean that it is something all that special. It cannot really do anything that cannot be done by normal spells," He countered with a shrug. 

　　I mean, I guess that's true, but still. Wait, am I the only one here who's afraid of dying right now? Lily clearly stopped caring a long time ago, and death works differently for Demons like Druj. 

　　"Right, guess you could just take over this Reincarnator's body if he manages to kill you, huh?" I mused with a sigh. 

　　"Perhaps, it will depend on how likely I am able to successfully possess him. If my chances are low, I will not," He stated in response. 

　　"Not that I really care what happens if I die, but you should probably grab my trident before the Reincarnator does, it'll give him a substantial power boost," Lily reminded me. 

　　"Okay, stop, now it just sounds like both of you expect to die here," I groaned in exasperation. 

　　"No, not really...just preparing for the possibility," She responded with a shrug. 

　　"Indeed, while I do fully intend to succeed in this assignment, we must have clarity on what we should do if we fail," Added Druj with a nod. 

　　I give up...and you know what, once this is over, I'm retiring. I've got enough money saved up to live comfortably for the rest of my life, so I have no reason to continue being an Adventurer. 

　　"Looks like we're almost there...just forty meters up ahead," Remarked Lily, glancing at her screen. 

　　"Great...let's take this kid down and then go back," I sighed, as I glanced around nervously. 

　　It's almost time...I really want to just get this over with alr-...huh?

　　"What the...? He is heading right this way," Frowned Druj, as the blinking red light finally moved, towards our location. 

　　Crap, was it a trap after all!? Or maybe he just woke up or something and only detected us now...please let it be the latter. 

　　Right as the blinking dot closed in our position, one of the trees ahead of us rustled as someone landed on one of the branches, staring down at us with a smirk. A young boy, wearing slightly oversized clothes. 

　　"It's about time...I thought they'd never send someone after me!" He remarked, before turning invisible as he leapt off the branch, as our screens simultaneously stopped working. 

　　Oh, no...his Nullification, it affects magical devices too. This is bad, really, really bad... 

　　Suddenly, Lily let out a cry of pain as claw marks appeared on her left side, drawing out blood, before she gritted her teeth and rapidly swung her trident in that direction, a barely noticeable trickle of blood appearing on the tip of one of the prongs as she slashed. 

　　"Tch, he turned intangible right as I struck him!" She growled with a grimace on her face. 

　　I swiftly began to form several swirling, slicing streaks of water all around me, making it impossible for him to get close without getting torn ap-...but nothing happened. Huh? Oh...oh, right, the Nullification. And even if it wasn't active, he could easily have breached my defense with his intangibility. Well, shit. 

　　"Uh, guys, maybe we should retreat-...ahh!" I gasped in pain, as I felt claws pierce my back, before I swung my right foot backwards. 

　　The claws pulled out of my back painfully, as my foot hit nothing. Slippery little bastard, where is he!? 

　　Suddenly, a blast of water burst out and struck Druj, sending him rapidly flying back and slamming onto a tree several meters away, before he collapsed behind a row of bushes. 

　　"Where is he?" Growled Lily, wildly swinging her trident all around herself. 

　　She's awfully fired up for someone who's so indifferent to death. Me, on the other hand, I just wanna get out of here. Like, right now. 

　　"Is he gone...?" Groaned Druj, as he painstakingly walked over from behind the bushes. 

　　Oh, I thought he got knocked out, he hit his head pretty hard back there. 

　　"Huh? Did he really just leave?" I frowned, my gaze darting about...which I know is pointless, since he can turn invisible, but still. 

　　"Was he just fucking with us to have some fun and then just...left?" Responded Lily skeptically, as she stopped swinging her trident. 

　　As Druj approached her, my eyes then widened in shock and alarm...he just got struck with a water blast, but he's perfectly dry. 

　　"Oh, shit, get away, Lily, that's not-...!" I began to warn her, but it was already too late, as he grabbed her head and violently twisted it, breaking it and killing her with a smirk. 

　　"Did you say Lily? Then, this weapon must be...," He grinned, as he pulled the trident out of her grasp, a powerful shockwave bursting out from it as he took hold of it, his eyes widening gleefully, "Woah, I can literally feel my power surging, this is incredible! With this, I can-...heh, what incredible luck."

　　He then tore open her chest with the trident and reached down, ripping out her heart before frying it with some lightning and taking a bite, meeting my gaze with a smirk before turning invisible again. 

　　Oh, no...no, no, no...I don't want to die! Screw this, I'm out of here! I spun around and raced away as fast as I could, pulling out the Spell Card that'd teleport me back to the Rustlands, repeatedly running my Mana through it. 

　　I need to quickly get out of his Nullification range, and the instant I do, I'll-...suddenly, pain erupted through my back and stomach as I let out a sharp gasp, coughing out blood as I collapsed onto my knees...with the trident poking through the middle of my body. 

　　I let out an excruciating scream of pain as the weapon then twisted and wrenched out of my body violently, flying back with streaks of my blood splattering the grass and foliage, before abruptly halting and turning invisible, as the Reincarnator presumably grabbed hold of it. 

　　"Damn, that looks painful. You don't feel that strong, but you are above average. Plus, you've got Demonic features, so you're definitely worth consuming," He remarked, his voice getting closer and closer.

　　I...I can't move...I'm in so much pain right now, it feels like I'm about to pass out, my vision was getting dark and blurry, my ears were ringing, and my body felt cold and numb, the pain seeming to slowly fade. 

　　Am I dying? Is that what this is? 

　　You've gotta be kidding me...I survived through those hellish years of near-constant war, the battles against The Valaque Empire, the Vampires, the Demons, the other races...I survived all of them. 

　　And now...I'm about to die at the hands of a single person, and a child, at that? Talk about a bad punchline...I really should've retired a long time ago. 

　　I grimaced as I felt two hands on my head, before violently twisting across, everything going dark with a loud snap, as my consciousness faded for good...I want to...reincarnate in a...more peaceful world this time... 

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