I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills - Chapter 38
[EP.38] The Underdog’s Victory
Breaths rushed from Kraush’s mouth.
Blood from his nose trickled down, wetting his cheeks.
His face was taut with strained blood vessels, a testament to the excessive use of his intuition.
“Bark, bark, bark!”
The sound of barking around him was disorienting, echoing inside his head.
The world, tainted red, provoked a bitter feeling.
It was his first time harnessing his intuition to such an extent.
He did not have much longer.
At this rate, his intuition would be severed.
The limit was slowly pressing down on him.
But Kraush gnashed his teeth against it.
‘Suffer through it.’
He had felt his limits keenly since early evening.
Weak and talentless, that was his self-assessment.
Thus, overwhelming opponents with sheer strength, like a genius would, was impossible.
Berkman was stronger than him.
T h i s w a s co p i e d f r o m k i n g mtl .o r g
Hence, Kraush had to hide his strength tenaciously until the very moment Berkman was certain of his complete victory.
T h i s w a s c opi e d f r om k in g m t l . o r g
Klang!
Finally, the limitations of his intuition revealed themselves.
In that instant, when Kraush’s sword, mistakenly splitting an illusion, faltered, Berkman’s eyes flashed, sensing victory.
His axe’s presence dissolved.
The aura-flooded axe of his boasted a presence grander than ever before.
As if pulling the very air into its grasp, Berkman’s axe tore through the atmosphere, swinging down towards Kraush with a chilling howl.
In Berkman’s mind, the only sight was Kraush’s head soaring off.
And then that moment.
Crack!
A blaze erupted within Kraush, surging through his body.
Ignis had ignited the world-devouring power that lay dormant within him.
T hi s w a s cop ie d f r o m k in g m t l. o r g
Combustion was akin to the driving force behind power.
The same held true for the world-devouring power.
T h is wa s c o p i e d f r o m ki n gm t l . o r g
A violent combustion of that power began with Ignis’s ignition.
Crack-crack-crack!
The force generated from burning the world-devouring power infused directly into Kraush’s body.
The fierce storm of strength momentarily broke through his limits with such intensity that it deformed his muscles and altered his bones.
His breathing changed.
The demeanor of his body transformed.
All information flooding his sight in that split second led to accelerated thoughts.
In that instant, Kraush, enveloped in accelerated contemplation, felt as if time had stopped.
The expanded perception even sensed delicate snowflakes slowly falling from a distant tree.
The surging heat from within him then reached the Illusionary Bind.
Crash!
The sound of breaking glass reverberated strongly.
Though the Illusionary Bind dissipated in the burning heat, Kraush’s eyes still reddened from the blaze.
Tears of blood and nosebleeds burst forth simultaneously.
This was the backlash of harnessing the world-devouring power to surpass his limits.
A combination of Ignis and Extreme Blood Poison, it was Kraush’s original ultimate technique.
‘Annihilation Erosion.’
‘3 seconds.’
He realized by sensation.
With his current capabilities, he could sustain Annihilation Erosion for no more than 3 seconds.
‘End it within that timeframe.’
In that moment, a black flame surged upon his blade.
T h i s w a s c opi e d f ro m k i n g mtl . or g
With newfound strength infused into his faltering sword, Kraush surged upwards, defying Berkman’s axe.
Kraush was faster than the axe could reach.
Like a hunting hound tearing at the neck of its prey,
Kraush’s sword rushed towards Berkman’s throat.
Up until the sword neared his neck, Berkman seemed oblivious to its presence.
T hi s w a s c opi e d f r om k i n g mt l . or g
Kraush’s blade was that swift.
In the interim, Berkman’s mouth, resembling a dog’s snout, inadvertently opened.
A purely reflexive action, where the body responded before the brain registered the threat.
Only then did Berkman’s eyes belatedly recognize Kraush’s sword.
‘When did he? I’m going to die. I’m dying!’
Under normal circumstances, it would’ve meant death by now, but in this split second, his reflex action created an opportunity.
“————-!”
‘Welcoming Sound.’
An inaudible explosion of sound shattered Kraush’s eardrums in the next instant.
One reflexive action spawned a lifeline, a variable that was crucial for Berkman.
Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
The ringing in his ears was followed by a disorienting sensation, twisting his vision.
Crash-crash-crash!
The aftershocks of the impact turned the fight on its head.
Due to the ruptured eardrums, Kraush’s sword, disoriented, sliced through Berkman’s right shoulder instead.
While the scorching blade wielded dreadful power,
the sword embedded in his shoulder was meant for Berkman’s neck.
It was Berkman’s reflex that had turned the situation upside down in an instant.
At the same time, the flames encasing Kraush were slowly extinguishing.
The effects of Annihilation Erosion were fading.
What followed could only be an extended retirement.
The scales of fortune and misfortune swapped places between Berkman and Kraush.
A situation reversed in an instant.
As Kraush swung his sword, he felt the ebb of strength due to the Annihilation Erosion’s toll.
With a shoulder cleaved by the axe and a shattered left hand, binding the axe was impossible.
‘Impossible?’
It surely was.
But that was a tale of the sword.
He still had another move up his sleeve.
Kraush released his right hand from the grip.
With that very movement, the remaining flames from the dwindling Annihilation Erosion ferociously indwelled his right hand.
So fiercely infused were they that the muscles and skin tore as the flames surged upward.
Kraush swung his arm with no hesitation towards Berkman’s axe.
Crack!
The moment they collided, the axe’s blade lodged into Kraush’s right arm.
Despite being reinforced by Annihilation Erosion, the muscles and bones were cleaved by the axe.
T h i s w a s co p ie d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
Ultimately, the axe would bisect Kraush’s right arm, then carry on to slice his neck.
Yet, in that moment,
the arm impaled by the axe bought a few crucial seconds.
Kraush’s eyes blazed a brilliant blue.
In this extreme situation,
his spirit dived into the realm of oneness in a flash.
His mental fortitude was such that even Crimson Garden would marvel.
Drip!
A droplet from his spiritual strength fell into the lake of his mind, rippling outward through his entire body.
The rising dragon from the mental lake scaled his arm and eventually, reached his sword.
In that moment, the sword plunged into Berkman’s shoulder became one with Kraush.
Witnessing this, Berkman bore a look of resignation.
Despite the lucky factor of his reflex, Kraush had tenaciously seized the moment until the very end.
His doggedness was such that it could have left even Berkman, the so-called Butcher, disgusted.
T h i s w as c op ie d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
‘I’ve lost.’
Realizing that every move he’d played had culminated in defeat, Berkman closed his eyes.
And then…
‘One Sword Strike.’
Crunch!
Along with the sound of Kraush’s remaining left hand bones shattering, his sword cleaved Berkman from shoulder to end.
Crashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrash!
The forest echoed with the sound of the aftermath from that one strike.
Bisection at the hands of Kraush’s strike, Berkman’s body, now cleaved in half, tilted past Kraush.
Seeing the life ebb from him, Kraush let go of his sword.
His left hand had failed to withstand the force and shattered.
Snap, click—
But the real concern lay elsewhere.
Kraush’s right arm, previously impaled by the axe, was hollow.
His right arm lay some distance away, rolling in a snowdrift.
Thanks to the Annihilation Erosion, his right arm seemed to bid farewell as it smoldered away.
Amidst the drip-drop of blood,
Kraush gasped for breath as he turned around.
Crimson Garden silently watched Kraush’s actions.
Understanding that he sacrificed his own arm, she could not attempt to stop him.
The strong prevail without wounds,
But the weak can only win covered in scars.
It was Kraush’s only possible form of victory.
“…Are you satisfied?”
Although that victory was rightly won.
Crimson Garden’s sigh escaped her lips.
She knew the wretchedness of Kraush, who had no choice but to choose a victory marred only with wounds.
But he had won.
For the first time, Kraush had defeated a real powerhouse, the kind he thought himself incapable of ever beating.
“Damn, so much for satisfaction.”
Twisted with irony, a smile hovered over Kraush’s lips.
Crimson Garden just shook her head, chuckling at his stubborn nature.
Just then, Kraush’s body crumbled.
It was the end of the line for his mental tenacity.
“Kraush!”
Ebelasque quickly emerged to support Kraush’s failing form.
Seeing him with an amputated right arm and a shattered left hand, Ebelasque bit her lip.
The smile that faintly lingered around his mouth left her speechless, even as she wondered if such victory was worth the immense damage sustained.
‘What kind of life has he been living?’
How could Kraush still manage a smile amidst such a disastrous victory?
“Let’s go back.”
Crimson Garden spread her wings and took flight with lightness.
Ebelasque, seeing this, stood, cradling both Bianca and Kraush’s bodies in her arms.
It was time to take care of the aftermath.
T h i s wa s c opie d f r o m k i ng m t l . o r g
***
Through the slowly clearing haze,
Kraush saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
He gazed at it vacantly for a while before feeling pain throughout his body.
‘It hurts.’
When was the last time he had felt such pain?
Even though he was accustomed to pain due to a curse, there was little he could do about injuries this severe.
He noticed the absence of sensation in his right arm.
No doubt due to it being severed.
But it was fine.
He could manage without a right arm; after all, it wasn’t the first time he’d lost a part of his body.
He slowly lifted himself up.
Worry for the little chick with white hair came to mind.
In the midst of that thought, he spotted snow-white hair beside his bed.
Seeing her laying on top of his bed, he couldn’t help but be flabbergasted.
She was weakened and wounded from her ordeal,
yet there she was.
Kraush lifted his bandaged left hand.
Fortunately, the pain wasn’t too severe, likely due to good medicine applied.
With that hand, Kraush gave Bianca a gentle thump on her head.
“Ah.”
With a short exclamation, Bianca’s head shot up.
Her sapphire-like eyes met his.
By her expression, she seemed to be alright.
“If you’re going to sleep, go to your own bed.”
Hearing Kraush’s words, the perplexed Bianca slowly looked at his now empty right arm socket.
Kraush turned aside, thinking she would blame herself.
“…Does it hurt?”
Bianca asked in the moment he moved.
Her emotionless face, caused by the snow doll curse, was as impassive as ever.
“Not much.”
Kraush replied curtly, signaling her not to worry, and Bianca clutched the blanket tightly.
She then opened and shut her mouth, seemingly struggling to find the words she wanted to say.
But Bianca couldn’t spit them out after a long moment since she did not know what to say.
Seeing this, Kraush spoke for her.
“Why did you go into the mountains?”
Lokal Mountains were treacherous terrain.
Especially in Hardenhartz, where there was perpetual snow, entering such a mountain was akin to madness.
At Kraush’s words, Bianca seemed to remember something and reached to the floor.
She then lifted a bottle which contained The White Snow Hot Yang Spores.
Kraush realized it then.
The reason Bianca ventured into the mountain was to find The White Snow Hot Yang Spores.
‘This fool.’
A quiet sigh escaped Kraush’s mouth.
Should he scold her, or should he praise her for the effort?
Though unsure why she had personally sought out The White Snow Hot Yang Spores,
he was aware that there must have been some circumstance compelling her in Hardenhartz.
That story could wait for another time.
Therefore, Kraush rummaged through his pocket.
Fortunately, Bianca’s snowflake pin was still safely inside.
Kraush took it out with his left hand.
Attempting to pin it to Bianca’s hair, he ended up grimacing.
“Sorry, I can’t seem to pin it.”
At those words, Bianca reached out to take Kraush’s hand away from her hair.
Then, maneuvering his hand herself, she properly affixed the pin to her hair.
Watching this, Kraush then patted her head lightly.
“Well done. Thanks to you, we can complete the elixir.”
After receiving Kraush’s compliment, Bianca quietly fell into silence.
T h i s w a s c o p i ed fr o m kin g mt l. o r g
Seeing her like this, Kraush withdrew his hand, only for Bianca to catch it again.
“Kraush, sir.”
Hearing her call him, Kraush looked at Bianca.
Despite her still impassive face, Kraush for some reason felt she looked sadder that day.
“…I can’t feel any emotions.”
Bianca looked at his empty right arm socket.
She felt a sense of responsibility there.
However, it wasn’t anger or sorrow, it was mere guilt.
Nothing more than guilt.
“…I can’t make faces, can’t cry, can’t even blush. I feel neither happiness, anger, nor sadness for you saving me in such a state.”
For the first time, Bianca painfully realized her curse.
That’s what curses are intended for.
To torment those burdened by them.
And torment, Bianca felt, bitterly and gravely, for not being able to express any emotion to Kraush who had tried so hard for her.
Kraush silently looked at her.
He remembered a past conversation with her.
‘I envy you. For being you.’
The voice of her, expressionless, looking at her own face, lingered in his memory.
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Novel_Reader2704
Tftc. But ngl, I’m upset he lost an arm