To Be A Female Eminence in Shadow

Chapter 37

The two of them stares each other down. After a moment, Lutheran let out a sigh as he straightened his posture.

"I got into the apex of swordsmanship in my heydays, so I know that I am no match to you." He raises the completed Eye of Avarice that he is wearing. "But with this artifact-" Then he takes a red pill from his breast pocket before swallowing it whole. "-and this red pill, I will be reborn! Behold!"

The artifact shines brightly on his chest, and then it sinks into his skin. Slowly the whole atmosphere becomes oppressive as his body undergoes a great change. His figure pulses with immense power, as ancient letters slowly appears on his face and limbs like a tattoo. A light ring with engravings of runes floats above his head as he opens his glowing eyes, the sclera of his eyes becoming black.

"I can feel it! I am healed!" He exclaimed full of excitement, before slowly turning to Shadow. "Let me try this it on you!"

In an instant, he vanishes. Sherry blinks for a bit and already saw the transformed Lutheran already done with his swing. His sword already passed through the whole neck of Shadow.

"It's an afterimage."

Though like a painting that slowly becomes a blur, the image of Shadow vanishes in a dark smoke. Her voice echoing behind the transformed man.

"Hoh? So you dodged that? How about this!"

He vanishes once more. This time, the air ripples as four sharp noises slices through the air, approaching the calm posture of the little girl in a dark hood.

Her figure simply vanishes when those light speed slashes arrives at her position. Causing Lutheran to look in amazement, before turning on the desk. From there, Shadow is sitting on the edge of the desk. Her legs crossed as she stares down at him.

"I see. So you also saw that!"

"It's impossible not to see something so slow."

Lutheran wryly smiles at that. "Arrogant, but strong. I can relate with that." Then he takes a new stance, this time causing the air itself to freeze and tremble as he gathers a stupendous amount of magical power. "As a form of respect, I will show you my true power!"

"Feel proud on the afterlife, as you can proudly proclaim to have met your end at my strongest technique!"

With that, he charges at him with all of his might. The air cried as the blade filled with the savage amount of magical power pierces through the distance between them. Striking true on her body.

Though, this time, she simply parries it with a single swing of her blade.

"What!?" Lutheran is surprised before jumping back at her. Frowning at that with a look of rejection. "You even dare block that...?"

"At that kind of strength, I simply have to tap it away..." Her voice didn't sound so mocking, yet the effect might as well be the same.

His eyes sharpened for a moment as his fist trembled in anger, before he stood up and then takes a stance. Without saying any words, he screamed as he charges at her. Moving at speeds impossible for the naked eye to register.

Multiple lines of slashes occurs on the space, trying and failing to hit the small dark robed person who simply disperses like a smoke. Her body moves as if the darkness itself is her true form.

Another clash of blade has been heard, before suddenly, Lutheran's body appeared. Being blown away to the desk and then tumbling on the floor.

"Gahah!?" He coughs up some blood, the ancient text's glow dimming on his body as he tries to sit up with a tremble. "Tsk... it doesn't matter if you are strong. It is still the end for all of you!"

"... What do you mean?" The form of Shadow simply appears in front of them as she steps forward. Her head tilted.

Lutheran glances at Sherry before turning his attention back at Shadow. "We have already planted everything to cause your downfall. All of this will come down on your name. You will be the enemy of the world!" Feeling as if he won, he laughs merrily at him.

Though his laughed is contested by her own laugh. Surprising the two of them.

"Why are you laughing...?" Lutheran gawks.

"It is laughable that something so simple will cause our downfall." She simply shakes her head beneath her hood. "We don't walk the path of evil or justice. We only walk our own path!" She said that with mirth.

"Your only afraid to admit defeat!"

"Am I?" She shrugs her shoulders as if mocking his existence. "Even if we bear all the sins of the world, we will still do what we must!"

"Are you saying that you don't fear the world? Mighty arrogant of you, Shadow!"

"Why don't you try breaking this arrogance, then?"

Denying that confident stance she has, Lutheran lunges at him with his sword bare. Intent on destroying the arrogance from that small girl.

Though as he passes by her, she saw the golden and chilling glow of her eyes beneath her. Her head simply moving to the side to dodge his thrusts as he glances at him. That gaze is like an abyss. There is no anger in there, only the distant coldness that seems to look at the future.

He didn't noticed that his body is feeling immense pain as his limbs were slices, and then going to his extremities. He only manages to process it as he fell on the floor with a gasp. Finally losing his focus on those eyes that doesn't even focus on him.

Then he noticed that the barrage of attacks stops. His body slowly becoming incredibly weak as the burst of magical power disperses from his pores. He looks up, seeing the golden gaze of Shadow looking down on him.

"I am an outsider to this affair..." She said, before simply vanishing.

He can't muster any of his strength, feeling as if he was drained of everything he has. He is confused why she didn't end him, when he widened his eyes as he saw the pink haired researcher stepping forward until he can see her looking down at him.

"... Sherry..." He muttered. He felt his throat becoming incredibly dry. His body losing it's regeneration factor as all the magical power the artifact stored has been used up.

She silently raises the sword she is wielding. Her hands trembling as she did so.

"... Are you truly going to stain your hand? Do you really have the heart to do that?" He simply said as she saw her eyes tearing up. "You can't do that... your just like your mother after all..."

As those words left his mouth, her eyes widened before she trembles. Then, in a quick movement, the tip of the sword falls mercilessly on his exposed chest. Causing his eyes to widen as he chokes on his own blood.

"... No..." She simply says. "I will change... and take my revenge...!" She says as she looks at her foster father. Her face looks like a mess as she sobs uncontrollably.

He chokes a bit more on his blood, before smiling at her.

"Good... welcome to the dark side of the world... Sherry..."

His eyes rolled over after saying that, his breathing stopped after coughing his last blood.

In the middle of this burning building, a cry of a girl echoes.