Villain's Valor: A Noble Fantasy Resurrection

76  Chapter 76: Victory

In another unknown place, there was another agent dressed in a black suit like the night. On his chest, he had a dragon emblem, obviously, he was an agent of the Dragon House. House Noah's chief entrusted him with a reconnaissance mission in Zone 7. 'Impacable Buzzing the Ancient' is supposed to be a creature of Base-Ancient rank, which is perfect for me since I am one level above that creature. I shouldn't have any problems, but the bad thing is that each zone ruled by one of the Ancient creatures is next to the other, connected with the other, but the environment in which they live is different. Each place has its own characteristic, which is generally defined by the owner's aura, thus deforming the landscape with its power at will. In this case, I am in the territory of "Nigrothor the Ancient".

A swamp stretched out like a vast and sickly wound in the earth, a desolate spectacle unfolding before me. A heavy, fetid air enveloped the place, laden with the penetrating scent of decay and decomposition that seeped into my lungs with every breath. It was as if the very breath of the swamp was imbued with the putrefaction of centuries.

The trees, twisted and deformed, stood as mute witnesses to the desolation that reigned in that place. Their skeletal branches intertwined in a macabre embrace over my head, forming a dark canopy that barely allowed the passage of light. Their trunks were covered with damp moss and lichens of a sickly green hue, and at times they seemed to twist as if they were alive and suffering in silence. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The swamp floor was a viscous mass of mud and stagnant water, dotted here and there by puddles of a dark and malodorous liquid that emitted putrefactive vapors. As I walked, my feet sank into the mire with a sticky and unpleasant sound, as if the swamp itself were trying to trap me in its muddy jaws.

The vegetation surrounding the swamp was equally desolate. Twisted and tangled shrubs pushed through the undergrowth, their withered leaves and fungal-covered surfaces seeming to whisper ancient and dark secrets. Twisted vines clung to the trees like famished serpents, sucking the life out of everything they touched.

The sky above the swamp was blanketed by a mantle of gray and ominous clouds that blocked out the sunlight, plunging the landscape into perpetual gloom. The sensation of claustrophobia intensified with each step I took, as if the very weight of the sky were crushing my spirit and drowning my hope.

In the air, the sound of buzzing insects and crawling creatures mingled with the screeching of birds of prey lurking from the treetops. It was a cacophonous chorus of life and death, a constant reminder of the relentless cruelty of nature.

In this horrible and shadowy swamp, time seemed to stand still, as if the universe itself were holding its breath in anticipation of some catastrophic event. It was a place where dreams withered and hopes were lost in the darkness, a realm of desolation and despair where decay reigned in all its forms.

The odor is unbearable wherever I went, it was always impregnated around me. Supposedly, "Nigrothor the Ancient" is found in the depths of this place, so I shouldn't have any problems with that creature, I hope...

*****

Clank!

I watched as Elsa engaged in battle, she was still of Maximum-Bronze rank; her opponent was Base-Silver, practically one rank above her, but apparently, it's not a big problem for her. Elsa had her aura activated; her hair and celestial eyes turned black, completely changing her appearance and presence.

Clank! Clink!

Elsa was fighting against a single opponent. Its fur, a light and discolored gray, seemed to be covered in a layer of dust and dirt, making it even more disturbing to look at. Every tuft of hair was standing on end in all directions, as if the very essence of the creature was imbued with chaos and disorder.

But the most unsettling thing of all was its face. Deformed and twisted, it seemed like a grotesque parody of the human form. Its eyes, small and sunken in deep sockets, gleamed with a cold and ruthless malevolence. Its nose, barely more than a shapeless protrusion, twisted upwards in a gesture reminiscent of a pig's snout. And its mouth, wide and torn, opened in a grotesque grimace that exposed a row of sharp and yellowed teeth, like those of a predator lurking in the darkness.

But the most horrifying thing of all was the appearance of its skin. As I observed it more closely, I realized that it seemed to be in constant motion, as if it were alive. Ripples and protrusions ran along its body, as if there were worms writhing beneath the surface of its skin. The flesh seemed to be in a perpetual state of decay, rotting and twisting in a grotesque dance of putrefaction.

Every time the creature moved, its skin stretched and contracted in nauseating ways, revealing the outlines of something writhing and wriggling within. It was as if it were possessed by a dark and twisted force seeking to escape from its prison of flesh and bone.

Its presence was an affront to sanity and the order of the world, a reminder that in the darkest and most forgotten corners of creation, unimaginable horrors lurk that defy all explanation.

Without a doubt, it was extremely ugly, no, calling it ugly would be an insult to the true uglies of the world, that creature was several steps beyond that.

Bang!

Elsa had a furrowed brow as she battled with that thing, her movements were fluid and precise, although there was doubt in her eyes at first, it gradually disappeared, and that's how we reached this point.

Clank!

Elsa dodged one of the creature's attacks, her agile and graceful figure moving with surprising dexterity, as if she were dancing in the midst of battle. Every step, every turn, was calculated with millimetric precision, and every movement flowed with a supernatural elegance that brutally contrasted with the grotesque deformity of her opponent.

As the fight continued, I could see how Elsa deployed all her skill and cunning in combat. Her attacks were quick and accurate, always seeking out her enemy's weak points with fierce determination. Her movements were a dance of death and destruction, a symphony of blows and evasions that left her opponent staggering and confused.

"Those movements are very familiar after all; I taught her my sword handling techniques as well as my footwork. Obviously, our attacks and center of gravity will be the same. In fact, she has talent for the sword. How fun it will be the reaction of her family when they find out that a family of mages produced a swordsman."

But the creature was not easy to defeat. Despite its deformities and repugnant appearance, it was a formidable enemy, with a strength and resilience that every beast creature must have. Its attacks were fierce and brutal, and every blow it struck was like a hammer pounding against steel.

Overall, beasts attack in a brute and ruthless manner; it doesn't matter if they manage to land a blow, they won't rest until they kill you. It's as if you're literally fighting with a beast that only follows its instincts.

Even so,

 Elsa did not falter for a moment. With relentless determination, she pressed on, facing her enemy with a bravery that was admirable. Her eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity, and her spirit was not bent by the monstrosity before her.

And then, in a flash of quick and precise movement, Elsa unleashed her final attack, descending upon her enemy with incredible force and ferocity.

Slash!

And in an instant, the battle came to an end, with the creature falling defeated at her feet, its twisted and disfigured form collapsing on the ground in a shapeless heap of flesh and bone.

Elsa stood there, panting and soaked in sweat, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

"You took your time, but for a being that is a rank higher than yours, it's not bad at all. Well done," I sincerely congratulated Elsa. I never made any moves to help Elsa, I was just an observer, of course, if things had gotten complicated, I would have entered the battle to help her. After all, we've only been in this forest for, as I recall, 3 days.

Looking at Elsa, who was silent, I see something that surprised me. In her eyes shone a fierce light, a determination that knew no bounds. Because even though the battle was over, I knew that in this forest, wherever you went, there was a creature lurking, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

I didn't expect this expression from her, I thought she would be happy to defeat a powerful enemy and jump for joy, but it wasn't like that.

"Hey, she's growing, good, keep it up, Elsa, and silence the mouths of all those bastards who mocked you..."

With a smile on my face, I approached to pick up the orb and put it back in my ring, after a few minutes, we continued on our way in search of another creature to kill.

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