Re: In My Bloody Hit Novel - Chapter 586

Chapter 586: Knight Sheyi Falls
Knight Sheyi stood at the edge of the Tesseract, the wind whipping around him as the airship hovered above the battlefield.

His sharp eyes scanned the chaos below, taking in the nightmarish scene he had just witnessed. With a deep breath, he steeled himself and leaped into the void.

The fall was brief but intense.

The ground rushed up to meet him, and with a resounding thud, Knight Sheyi landed heavily on the blood-soaked earth.

Dust and debris exploded outward from the impact, his knees bending slightly to absorb the force. The very air around him seemed to pulse with his arrival, a sudden stillness descending over the immediate area.

Beside him, a small figure landed with a softer, more delicate grace. Lily, his doll, stood by his side, her presence almost ethereal. She was a lifelike creation, her porcelain skin gleaming in the dim light, her expression serene yet unnervingly cold. Despite her appearance, there was nothing delicate about her. She was as much a weapon as the sword at his side.

The battlefield responded to Knight Sheyi’s presence. The eerie silence that had followed his landing shattered as heads turned in his direction. Manu, standing amidst the carnage, turned to face him, his eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and disdain. There was a moment—a fleeting, almost imperceptible moment—when fear flickered in Manu’s gaze, but it was quickly replaced by cold determination.

Manu’s lips twisted into a mocking grin as he dug his hand into his own chest with a sickening squelch, as if piercing through flesh and bone. His fingers curled around something deep within, and when he withdrew his hand, he held a wriggling, black thread. It squirmed in his grasp like a living thing, its oily surface gleaming ominously.

“You know,” Manu began, his voice carrying across the field, “Chiron wondered why he was so scared of you. Who would have thought you baptized your power using a Mirror Edge Curse Worm? A species of magic plant specifically designed to amplify the effects of one’s power within another’s soul.”

Knight Sheyi’s eyes darkened as he studied the writhing thread in Manu’s hand. His frown deepened, the corners of his mouth pulling down in a grim line.

Magic was an elusive force, one that few truly understood. Which in turn made the very nature of magic plants shrouded in mystery, their true potential known only to a select few. To use a Mirror Edge Curse Worm was a magic art, one that targeted the soul itself, feeding off it like a parasite.

The truth of Manu’s words gnawed at Knight Sheyi. The worm had burrowed deep into Chiron’s soul, acting as a silent invader that fed on his essence.

Every time Chiron saw the image of Knight Sheyi, the worm’s influence grew stronger, warping his mind and soul. Even though Chiron had healed his physical wounds, the curse still festered within him, unseen but potent.

Eventually, Chiron would lose his grip on reality, his mind crumbling under the relentless assault until only madness remained. And from that madness would come his inevitable demise.

Manu toyed with the worm between his fingers, watching it squirm as if it amused him. “Such a fragile little thing,” he mused, his voice dripping with contempt. He lifted his gaze to Knight Sheyi, his eyes glittering with a dark promise. “From Chiron’s memories, I can tell that you are very capable… Take a knee, swear fealty to me, and I’ll help you break the bounds that restrict your magic. Including that toy you carry around with you.” He sneered as he gestured to Lily.

Knight Sheyi’s jaw tightened, a flash of anger sparking in his eyes. Insulting him was one thing, but to insult Lily—his Lily—was unforgivable. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and his voice was a low, dangerous growl. “Did you just insult my Lily? You’ll pay for that.”

In an instant, he surged forward, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. The blade gleamed with a deadly edge as he closed the distance between them. Manu’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he quickly composed himself, his focus shifting to the weapon Knight Sheyi now wielded. This was new—Sheyi was known for his ability to manipulate his power through direct contact, but now he was armed with a blade. Something had changed.

Before the sword could reach its mark, the female Orc leapt into action, her cursed blade intercepting Knight Sheyi’s strike with a resounding clash of steel. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and for a moment, the two fighters were locked in a deadly dance, their movements swift and precise.

The female Orc was formidable, a peak bronze-level warrior whose skill and strength were evident in every parry and counterattack. She defended with ease, her cursed blade humming with dark energy. But Manu’s attention was on Knight Sheyi, studying the precision of his movements, the deadly grace with which he wielded his sword.

Their blades met again and again, sparks flying with each clash. Knight Sheyi’s strikes were relentless, each one more aggressive than the last. His movements were flawless, a perfect blend of speed and power. And then, in a sudden shift, he went low, his blade slicing a shallow line across the Orc’s thigh.

The injury seemed insignificant at first, a mere scratch on the surface. But then Knight Sheyi flicked his fingers, his voice cold and commanding. “Decay.”

The change was immediate, the Orc’s flesh around the wound blackening, rotting away with horrifying speed. The decay spread like wildfire, devouring muscle and sinew as it raced up her leg. But the Orc was a seasoned fighter, her reflexes sharp. In a single, swift motion, she brought her cursed blade down, slicing off the entire muscle area of her thigh with a decisive, brutal cut.

Her severed flesh hit the ground with a wet thud, and within seconds, it crumbled into dust, the decay consuming it entirely. The female Orc dropped to one knee, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood poured from the wound, pooling beneath her, but she placed a hand over it, channeling her bronze-rank energy to staunch the flow.

She was prepared to continue the fight, her eyes burning with a warrior’s resolve, but Manu raised a hand, signaling her to stand down. His lips curved into a slow, calculating smile as he stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Knight Sheyi.

“You are truly an exceptional talent,” Manu admitted, his tone almost admiring. “How long has it been? Five years, give or take? And you’ve already grown so far in skill and cultivation. You were a rank three bronze-rank warrior before, but now… a rank five… no, rank six bronze-rank warrior if you take back the power you’ve invested in that doll of yours.” Manu’s smile faded into a frown, his voice growing darker. “All of this with little to no encouragement from your Mistress of the Night.”

“Do not talk about my night Mistress. I’ll have your tongue and feed it to you…Vermin.”

However, Manu took a step closer, his hands open in a gesture of false magnanimity. “I’ll give you one more opportunity. Serve me, and I’ll let you reach your full potential. You will share your decay with the rest of the world, spreading your curse far and wide.”

Knight Sheyi remained still, his sword poised for another strike. His face was partially hidden beneath his helmet, but the tension in his stance was unmistakable. The sword at his side, the defiant set of his shoulders—it was clear that there would be no submission.

The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken defiance. And then, with a calm, deliberate movement, Knight Sheyi raised his sword, his grip steady and sure. The message was clear. There would be no surrender. Not now. Not ever.

Manu’s eyes narrowed, his smile fading completely. The air between them crackled with tension, the impending battle promising to be a clash of titans, one that would decide the fate of many.

With a burst of speed, Sheyi charged at Manu, his doll Lily mirroring his movements. But before he could strike, he felt an invisible force bind him, halting him mid-attack. His body was frozen in place, as if ensnared by invisible ropes.

Manu chuckled darkly. “A magician who hasn’t unlocked their magic eyes—a pity.”

With a wave of his hand, Manu peeled back the veil that had hidden the truth from Sheyi’s sight. Suddenly, the air was filled with snakes, their sinuous bodies coiling around him.

They had been there all along, their presence concealed by Manu’s superior cultivation. Now, a giant mamba tightened its grip around Sheyi and his doll, its scales glowing with a sinister golden light.

Sheyi’s heart pounded as he activated his power of decay, hoping to burn through the mamba’s hold. But the snake pulsed with golden energy, repelling his power. He screamed in frustration as his armor, blessed by the Seer herself, crumbled into dust under the snake’s grip.

Manu stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. “You refused my offer,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “Now, you will suffer.”

Knight Sheyi, kneeling and defeated, could only glare up at Manu. But what was to come next was a fate even worse for enemies…