Page 283 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

Sniveling bastards, all of them.

The attack pushes me backward.

I put my blades together in the shape of an X to stop the tendrils, and just as they retreat, I flash myself at the half point and slice through them.

Sure enough, in the next instant, they regenerate.

I nod to myself, filing every bit of information away. Regular weapons are unlikely to help.

“Bitch,” she spits at me before she launches another attack. This time, instead of two tendrils, four more that extend from her back join in.

“Says the bottom feeder,” I retort, quickly flashing myself between her tendrils and snapping them, this time closer to the base. “You might be used to eluding deities to get to this level, but you can blame today’s misfortune on the fates.” I smirk at her.

“Who said I’ve been eluding them?” She laughs. With a snap of her fingers, she opens her blouse to reveal her neck. Hanging low down her chest is a necklace comprised of small crystals that seem to shimmer in the darkness of the night.

For a moment, I cannot comprehend what she’s showing me. But as the energy inside the crystals swirls in a familiar pattern, I realizehowshe managed to get to a level eleven.

She killed deities. Many of them, by the looks of it. Perhaps some were novices, and thus easy prey, but to have defeated that many deities is nothing short of impressive. What is infuriating, however, is the way she’d trapped their energy in those orbs to keep them as spoils of war—after consuming their souls.

Her lips tug up. “One more and I will fully ascend,” she drawls.

And that’s when I realize she’s not here for those poor human souls.

She’s here for me.

An ascended demon’s power is similar to that of a Son of Tenebreis. Though I’ve never personally faced one since most if not all of them are trapped in Tartareia, the rumors say that only a Supreme could previously defeat a Son of Tenebreis.

My lips flatten and my nostrils flare as I regard her. She has a smug expression on her face, likely thinking she’s already won this battle. Well, she’ll have a mighty surprise on her hands. It’s not just my reputation on the line here—and I’m quite partial to it—but Mine’s safety also depends on me.

“I’ll have a little fun with you before I eat you,” she murmurs, smacking her lips together.

“You’re welcome to try.” I roll my eyes.

Her tentacles spring from her back, coming toward me with a speed ten times the one from before.

My eyes widen, and I react right on time to manifest a shield and place it in front of me. As the tentacles hit the surface of the shield, I use my sword to cut through them, infusing particles of enteral ice at the tip of the blade.

As they touch the black tentacles, the particles quickly move forward, freezing the length of the spare appendages and making their way toward her body.

She startles when she realizes what my eternal ice is capable for, but she’s smart enough to know it will kill her should the particles reach her main body. Her claws extend and she slices all the tentacles at the root before the eternal ice can reach her. They fall to the ground and a dark mist envelops them as the matter starts to slowly dissipate.

Her mouth twitches in annoyance.

Her tentacles regenerate, but she doesn’t direct them toward me again. They float above her head, twirling in the air as if they had a mind of their own.

Hovering one palm over the other, she moves them in a circular motion to create a blast of energy.

Before she can send that flying my way, I flash myself behind her and strike. She, too, swivels, and her right hand turns into a lance, blocking my attack. The energy blast she’d been trying to create dissipates.

She swings her lance at me, aiming for one of the few spots that are not covered by my armor: my upper neck and my face.

I move from side to side, narrowly evading nicks of her blade: who knows what poison might reside inside it. She advances on me, and suddenly we’re back in the same familiar dance: she attacks and I defend. Yet to win this fight, I’ll have to switch the dynamics.

The demon steps closer to me, her lance making contact with my sword. She uses her entire strength to push me, but I stand my ground. When she moves close enough, I lean in and blow cold air toward her, which immediately turns into frost when it meets her skin.

She lets out a loud shriek that the ice enveloping her face soon mutes.

I flash myself away from her and take a deep breath. My body is starting to feel the effects of exhaustion after everything I’ve done. I must end this soon, otherwise my abilities will start to weaken.

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