"Damn—it—"
The chill of death surged like a tide, and Natsuki Subaru's pupils suddenly constricted.
At the last possible second, almost instinctively, he raised his black dagger, parrying the fatal blow.
"Clang!"
The deafening sound of metal colliding made his eardrums ache.
They were inches apart, Natsuki Subaru could even smell the faint fragrance on Elsa.
"What were you thinking, little brother～" Elsa's stunningly beautiful face was right before him, her sweet voice like a viper's hiss, warm breath brushing past his ear,
"Getting distracted in battle... you could lose your life, you know..."
Before her voice faded, Elsa's wrist twisted, her curved blade moving like a venomous snake.
Clang clang clang—!!!
A series of ear-piercing metallic clashes exploded in the night.
Natsuki Subaru was forced back repeatedly, each step leaving deep imprints in the soft mud. The web of his hand was numb from the shock, yet he still forced a mocking smile:
"Don't worry, I'll outlive you!"
"Heh... Little brother is quite insincere, isn't he..."
Elsa's red lips curved into a dangerous arc, her black eyes glinting dangerously.
Immediately after, her figure, like a phantom, attacked again.
"Clang—!"
The jarring sound of metal clashing exploded in the night, the two blades striking fiercely, sparks flying as their tips scraped against each other.
In this life-and-death struggle, Natsuki Subaru keenly picked up on a crucial piece of information.
Elsa's speed was astonishing, but each attack prioritized technique over raw power.
This discovery sent a jolt through Natsuki Subaru.
Speaking of which, my strength is 46 points, several times that of an ordinary person.
Perhaps this is the breakthrough!
"Little brother, I really admire you." Elsa licked her lips, her eyes glinting dangerously, "But courage alone won't win this, you know～"
Just as she spoke—
"Now!"
Seizing the opening as Elsa spoke, Natsuki Subaru suddenly burst forward, his leg muscles tensing to their limit, his whole body shooting forward like an arrow released from its bow.
Swish!
The black dagger cut through the air, its sharp whistle aimed straight for Elsa's vitals.
However—
"Your swordsmanship is quite good, but your body's reaction is too slow."
Elsa's voice was terrifyingly calm, her figure drifting backward like a ghost, easily evading all attacks.
Her graceful and composed posture, as if she weren't in a life-and-death struggle, but dancing a waltz.
"This woman, she's too strong..."
Natsuki Subaru's nerves were stretched to their limit, his entire focus on Elsa's every subtle movement.
This Bowel Hunter, who had waded through countless mountains of corpses and seas of blood, possessed combat experience far beyond ordinary imagination.
She wielded the Kukri knife with one hand, her black figure gliding and weaving, easily avoiding all counterattacks.
"Unnecessary resistance might bring pain, you know."
Elsa's voice was soft as water, yet it sent a chill down the spine.
"Even if I don't resist, you still plan to kill me, right!"
Natsuki Subaru roared, sweat trickling down his cheeks.
Thanks to the enhanced perception from the system upgrade, he could barely predict Elsa's attack trajectories.
But even so.
This battle was still like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss; the slightest misstep would lead to eternal damnation.
"—A rather beautiful reaction." Elsa chuckled in assessment, "But, it's still not enough~"
"......"
But Natsuki Subaru had no energy to reply, all his attention focused on the life-and-death struggle before him.
Elsa's strength was undeniable.
Although his raw strength attribute was slightly superior due to the system's multiple enhancements, a true life-and-death battle was far more than a comparison of strength.
Speed, reflexes, combat experience, tactical application, and even psychological fortitude – every element could be a decisive factor between life and death.
Even with superior strength, it was useless if he couldn't hit his opponent.
Natsuki Subaru understood this principle better than anyone.
Ultimately, he was just an ordinary high school student who had transmigrated, and compared to a seasoned killer like Elsa, the gap in combat experience was simply astronomical.
"Compared to those Mabeasts that only know how to charge recklessly, this woman before me is the real nightmare."
Natsuki Subaru thought to himself.
Mabeasts, though ferocious, ultimately acted on instinct.
Elsa, however, was completely different.
She was cunning, cruel, and rich in combat experience; every move concealed a deadly intent.
Those black eyes seemed to see through all his intentions, giving Natsuki Subaru a suffocating feeling of being completely exposed.
Facing such an opponent, Natsuki Subaru had to raise his vigilance to the extreme.
In the original story, Elsa could even hold her own against Sword Saint Reinhard, though she later chose to retreat.
"This level of strength is simply cheating."
Thinking of this, Natsuki Subaru forced himself to calm down, began to adjust his breathing rhythm, and no longer attacked recklessly. Instead, he consciously adopted a defensive posture, fighting and retreating to gain precious breathing room.
Clang clang clang—!!!
With every parry, every dangerous dodge, he carefully observed Elsa's attack patterns, trying to find a flaw in her fluid offensive.
"I must hold on... As long as I can last until Emilia and the others arrive!"
Natsuki Subaru fought while his peripheral vision scanned the surroundings, consciously moving towards the denser parts of the forest. The terrain there was more complex, perhaps it could limit Elsa's speed advantage.
"Little brother, are you trying to lure me into the forest?"
Elsa, however, saw through his intention at a glance, her scarlet lips curving into a playful arc,
"Such tactical thinking... I'm liking you more and more."
"Stop being so full of yourself!" Natsuki Subaru retorted, "I have no interest in a pervert like you who enjoys disemboweling people!"
"My criteria for choosing prey has never been appearance, but the deliciousness of their insides..." Elsa said nonchalantly, a faint, unidentifiable flush appearing on her face,
"Little brother, you're really exciting. Those intestines must be very beautiful, right～"
"Exciting my ass! You crazy woman, can't you think of anything besides intestines in that head of yours?!"
Facing the blushing Elsa, Natsuki Subaru could only slow his breathing, striving to maintain his composure.
Elsa was indeed a hundred times more dangerous than mindless Mabeasts!
Just then.
"Little brother, you're really interesting... You're trying so hard, is it to protect them?"
Elsa's gaze suddenly shifted from Natsuki Subaru, falling on the unconscious Rem and Petra behind him.
Crap!
Noticing the change in Elsa's gaze, Natsuki Subaru's heart leaped violently, a wave of ominous premonition washing over him.
Elsa was going to attack the unconscious Rem and the others.
Rem and the others were unconscious now, completely defenseless.
Thinking of this, Natsuki Subaru hurriedly shouted: "Hey! Your opponent is me!"
______
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