Affliction

[Name: Curse Breakor]—[Skills: Curse Destruction (MAX), Shade Step (RANK 0)]—[Attack: 5,000 (enhanced by users attack)]

[Durability: Infinite]—[Requirements to use: Disruptor Class]—[Level:41]

This was exactly what I needed. Even though it was the same level as me, it gave me more than enough power to compete with Jinzo.

The next time he lunged at me, this time with all four arms and swords, I decided to let him strike me directly and tried out [Shade Step].

His blades harmlessly passed through my body completely. It was like I went back to being a spirit. My body had a dark hue surrounding it—a little demonic, even. I backpedaled from Jinzo as he pulled his blades out of the ground at the same time my body returned to normal.

A ten-second cooldown? I can work with this.

The part I really wanted to try was that curse destruction shit. There had to be a reason why I had gotten this particular weapon.

I jumped backward to avoid another of the four arm’s attacks. I could easily spot the blood-colored crest above his head, sinking into him like a stain.

Could it be so simple? I asked myself.

Jinzo’s extra arms receded back into his body and he re-sheathed his two swords behind his back, his aura of bloodlust fading into nothingness. 

This sudden change in the middle of the battle threw me for a loop. Did he have another way of assaulting me or had he given up?

I was given an answer a lot sooner than I wanted.

“I thought this was a middle ages world! What the fuck!”

Jinzo’s right hand transformed into one of those robot blasters from futuristic movies and released a large blue beam of death in my direction. It could have been like my own scanner’s laser, but I didn't want to find out to be sure. Its azur wave seared the air as it came close, making it harder to breathe altogether. 

“That ability is rather annoying....” Basilisk bitch glared my way. “I might have to get involved myself soon…”

I phased through Jinzo’s attack and ran straight at him before leaping.

I hope this works!

The moment my body returned to the physical world, I slammed my scythe down with both hands onto Jinzo’s forehead.

The star crest shattered into many pieces before disappearing entirely. Jinzo blinked a few times, rightfully puzzled.

“Huh? Raze? W-wait! Why am I Jinzo?!” The mecha ninja may have sounded a lot different than the girl I knew, but I could tell it was Komoria who had returned to her senses.

I was about to make an awesome comment about me saving her when I caught something in the corner of my vision. Komoria can’t see it from her angle so I do something rash.

Her body dropped to the floor in the form of the flame thrower I used versus the Imp Lord in the past which made the large snake head that had been aimed at her fly toward me instead.

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! I raised my scythe up like a shield to block the attack and was knocked back with the force of a dump truck, the air forcefully expelled from my lungs.

“ACK!” I grunted as my body slammed into the crystalline wall. Blood flowed from my gaping mouth and my scythe scattered to the floor after impact.

“Hmmm....So you survived. That won’t be the case for long.”

I tried to give her a witty retort, but words refused to leave my throat. The sounds around me had been dialed up to 11 as well.

“Erk…” My body creaked and groaned with pain. The impact alone must have broken a few ribs...or worse. I needed healing.

At the same time my gaze had located Komoria, a hand swipes her off the ground. “Oh? So you transformed this girl to save her and take the blow yourself. Not something I expected from the infamous Savior.” She lifts up the wrist-sized object in her hand and unhinged her jaw like a snake planning to eat an egg, revealing a long forked tongue and—

“WAIT!” I pleaded. “STOP!”

—Clamped her now large maw around the machine and swallows Komoria whole.

My eyes glazed over as I see the large weapon struggle to pass down her throat. Why didn't she transform back? Couldn't she? I felt like my heart had been destroyed and this time I knew exactly why. I thought I was cool and didn’t really have one, to begin with, but after going on this journey and experiencing the fun of being with others I thought I started to gain one once more.

I never felt like there was anyone I could rely on in my old world and my ideals in that aspect held true in this world—that was until I met her—Komoria. I didn't realize it until now, but she is the most important person in this world to me. God dammit! Why couldn't I see that before?

My shitty attitude and reckless acts did not make life easy for her. Nor did I treat her like a person in the slightest because of my prejudice against others from my past. Why did it take me until now to realize this?

Was it because I was near death like before with the Imp Lord? The one time where I felt closest to her was when I almost met my demise at that fatty's hands.

It felt like I had gone through a loop in time and I was back inside the domain of the Imp Lord. This time it was different, though. I didn't have my loyal bat companion backing me up and putting her life on the line to save my own worthless one.

I never thanked her. I never really comforted her when things got bad—and losing your entire village is pretty fucking bad. I had been a terrible ally and friend. It was all clear as day now. She was...someone truly special to me. 

And yet... I slumped against the wall while my only friend traveled down that bitch’s throat and into her stomach, never to be seen again. Well in Little Red Riding Hood, her fate could be changed. There is still hope!

My entire body was aching with pain, but all I felt was a mix of sorrow and anguish.

I wish I could say this was the part when I went into my ultimate protagonist or demon lord form. You know...the one where my hair floats up on its own and I get a surge of magical power out of nowhere that allows me to obliterate my foe that is ten times stronger than I am at that point.

I wish I had something that OP and broken, but sadly this wasn't that kind of world.

“...Ahhhh. That device tasted a little strange for even me…” She patted her thin abdomen, around where the belly button would have been. “This isn't nearly enough to satisfy me.”

She burped before licking her lips and inspecting her nails. Her plump behind currently sat on top of the mind-controlled Lyra as if it was nothing.

Fuck! I can’t do shit! If I can only free Lyra...then maybe we can avenge her.

I wanted to let out a scream of defiance, but my jaw ignored all my commands. My legs were not in good shape either. It would take a good amount of energy for me to fight now; I couldn't waste any of it if I wanted to win. I need something special to carry me to victory. Then a specific person came to mind. 

That's it! He should be able to help me reach Lyra.

Basilisk bitch may have had her attention elsewhere, but her senses were keen enough to notice when something was out of place. She cast her glance upwards as a massive boar charged into her, blowing her study form backward a few feet. I couldn't miss this chance.

My trusty boar bent down and got me close enough to Lyra, that I could tap her and let the weapon do the rest.

Turns out that this thing only needed to touch its target to remove the curse. I wasn’t sure how mind control was a "curse", but as I was now, I had no room to bitch and moan.

"What in the...?" Lyra shook her head quickly back and forth as if to wake herself up from a daydream. She locked eyes with me and seemed to size up my condition. “What is the situation? Where is Komoria.”

I shrugged, feeling terrible at the mention of her name, and pointing my chin past her as if to say "All of our problems lie with that bitch."

“I see…” She pulled herself up and bashed her gauntlets together in a stereotypical fashion. “I will not be thwarted again.”

At the same time, basilisk-bitch recovered and stood tall, her eyes full of interest and anger. “So, you have saved your other precious comrade. It seems I will have to get a bit serious…”

Ahhh shiiiit. I don't like where this is going. Her body changed form, taking on scales and reptilian flesh as expected from her title. I guess she wasn't the ‘Basilisk Queen’ for nothing. Even if I haven't laid eyes on another basilisk in my life.

“Say your prayers, Savior.” She had transformed into a ten-foot tall—well you guess it by the name—basilisk. Her hard-looking scales were a mix of raven black and puke green.

“Time...for...round...two…,” I manage to croak out of my battered body from the high ground of my pet. My boar charged.

I was a fool to think it would work the same as last time. The moment we enter her vicinity, her massive tail soared through the air like a crackling whip, carrying the force of ten hammers with it, and smashed into the side of my boar pal. We had been fish-tailed.

“Gaaaah!” The boar and I are flung off the ground. I was sent into the air once more. I really am starting to become quite close with this crystal wall on the back left of this cave, huh?  We could have been great buddies under different circumstances.

On the bright side, my boar had absorbed the majority of the impact for me by smashing into the wall first. All that really happened to me was falling on my ass while watching my boar poof into thin air. I would have to wait at least a day to summon him again... There goes my ride.

I gazed up and nearly had a heart attack. The basilisk was slithering her way down to my position. She was coming in way too fast for me to react. FUCK! CREEEEPY! STAY AWAY! She lunged for over five feet away.

Protect me, scythe! I screamed internally, but I was well aware that wouldn't do jack shit. Instead, I close my eyes like a little bitch and waited for it to be over. Just what the hell was I supposed to do, especially after killing Komoria?

...Hm...? After 5 seconds, I’m still breathing. She’s taking an awfully long time to kill me...?

“I...can’t...hold her back forever…”

My eyes fluttered open. Standing before me, with her arms keeping the jaws of that she-beast away, was none other than Lyra the Soft.

Oh shit. She actually saved me… I can't let a pride-driven girl like her outdo me!

I willed my pathetic body to move and it actually obeyed this time. I pathetically got to my feet and tightly gripped my weapon.

“I’ll take it from here, my dear Lyra. You have done enough…,” is what I wanted to say but it actually came out like “Ir rake if her, me fear dyra, ooh av doonf enoof.” So cool, right?

Whatever! I lunged at the basilisk bitch while Lyra held her in place with her upper body and arms, aiming right for her exposed red eye. My tip sinks into it like slicing an orange. How sick!

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” she howled, rearing back in pain. Her form starts to change again. Back to something more pleasant on the eyes. 

Her right eye was swollen shut with yellow blood drooping down to her nose. However, there is no confidence in her visage, just a puzzled look just like my own. “I have returned to...my human form? Why? What trickery is this?”

Did my scythe do that? How the fuck does transformation even count as a curse!? I wanted to yell at the shady dark god, but this was actually a pretty dope plus. Gotta abuse bugs before they get patched, after all, right? I’ll give him a pass this time.

“It matters not how you stopped me.” Her carnivorous grin returned even with the icky blood flowing down her face. “I will just have to stoop to more ugly tactics.”

Lyra took a step back and stated, “I gained a good amount of attack from attacking one of the frozen kobolds while you distracted her allow me to keep up the fight so I don't lose my stacks. Let's end this quick!"

I nod in agreement, but it looks like taking her on with her hands would prove to be quite the challenge. 

Two more basilisk heads sprouted from her left shoulder while two others joined her at the right. Her hands did the same for a total of six, acid-spitting reptiles jutting out of her body like a hydra. Her form had also fused together below the waist like a mermaid tail. It was blanketed with the same scales as her basilisk form with a five-foot tail swishing from left to right at the end. Each of them had Alien-like acid dripping from their maw, melting small, but defined holes in the crystal floor.

“I'll try to hold her off while you escape.” Lyra’s confidence never wavered nor did she look back. I guess our plan from before really fell through fast, huh? Well....shit. 

I really wanted to manifest the same kind of strength as her, but I’m still a few steps away from knocking on death's door. And yet...I still wanted to fight.

I’m Raze Havok, after all. No one is better or tougher than me—especially not some insectoid princess! I can’t let both of my companions sacrifice themselves while I flee. That's what cowards do!

I deactivated [The Rabbit] and used [Wrath] to focus on defense. With ragged breaths and a battered body, I limped forward to assist the scorpion princess.

She scowled when she saw me. It was the first time I had ever seen such sheer disappointment in her stoic features. “Why are you still present? She’s too powerful and we have no healing now that Komoria is gone. Our best hope is for you to flee while I attempt to kill her with my Skill in a long and drawn-out battle.”

Yeah right, girl—that acid will melt you to a puddle long before you have enough strength to clobber her. We both know that. 

I coughed profusely as I opened my mouth yet I could still speak. “'Cough'...Not a chance, you're my companion, an annoying one at that. You know, I can’t think of a single guy that would leave a female to fight for him—no matter how difference in strength there is. That’s some beta shit!” I yelled, my lungs hurting like hell.

Her eyes narrowed, but I could see a small smile creep upon her face. She was totally happy—I think. “I see.” She turned away and kept her eyes trained on our opponent who was slowly working her way toward us, savoring our final words.

“So you two have made your peace, I presume?"

She prepared to lunge, but Lyra puts a palm up in the air as if to say wait.

Surprisingly, she halted her advance. “Oh? Last words? I’m a respectable queen. Get them off your chest, “ she chuckled.

“Well...it's more of a question that has been nagging at me since I ventured inside this cavern…”

Basilisk bitch and her six friends all titled their heads in unison. Each of their eyes reflected the same flash of curiosity that their master had.

“Very well, you may ask.”

“My thanks. Since we started on this journey to find your lair, my focus has been on recovering the princess of the human country that was stolen during your raids. I have looked all over and concluded that there is nowhere she can be...except for your belly.”

“Ha-Ha-Ha,” she bellowed. “I’m sure she would have made a superb meal. Sadly, I gave her up soon after she came into my possession.”

“By whom, if I may ask?”

“It matters not, but I assume you have heard of the Machine God King Emperor, correct? It’s a long and stupid name, but his power is the real deal.”

Lyra’s visage became rather grim at that moment, but she nodded. “I see. Thank you for that explanation.”

Wow, so polite as always. It's almost like we aren't in a death battle. But what the hell was she talking about with another princess? She never said anything about that to me! Bad time to ask now, though.

“It’s my pleasure, now it’s my children's turn to run the show.”

Lyra bolted towards her, aiming to strike her below the left elbow. I followed up in a less speedy fashion and aim at the biggest and closest target in my vicinity: her boobs.

Before Lyra could even land a single blow, the two snakes from her left shoulder rushed at her in less time than it took to blink. One dug its fangs into her chest while the other chomped down on the exposed part of her arm.

She doesn’t scream in pain or faint. Instead, she bore the pain for a few heartbeats before collapsing to the ground. The intense acid was slowly killing her if those injuries did not. The irony of a scorpion being poisoned was not lost on me, but that was a laugh I would have to save after we got out of this. 

I had my own problems to think about. My weak body got bashed away by her right hand before I could even get in a single hit. The two basilisks on her right shoulder took bite-sized chunks out of my left hip and right shoulder with great gusto.

My pain sensors were already in override. What I felt now was similar to being thrown into an ice bath on Mount Everest. Needless to say, I collapsed on the ground, too hurt, exhausted, and cold to even scream from the chilling sensation that spread pure agony coursing through my body.

That was it. I would die here. I didn't think of even trying to get my level up to fight such a strong enemy—and that was the basics of adventure games! All I wanted to do was rush through this as fast as I could and I paid the price for it. Komoria had been eaten and Lyra would be dead in minutes if Elenoira didn’t finish her off now. Not to mention, whatever was inside me was trying to infect and kill my heart right now.

I was foolish and stupid for thinking so highly of myself after killing the Imp Lord. Who was I kidding? He practically killed himself. I was just lucky that he had such a weakness in the first place. Even then, it was Komoria's fire that carried us through. 

I sat there, unable to move any part of my body. I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted it all to end. The craziest part is that I wanted Komoria to forgive me the most. Could you believe that? Me? Wanting forgiveness from a girl I only knew for like a week. Then again, a week is so short... Why didn't I get us more downtime? Because I’m a scumbag and a piece of shit that’s why. Man...why did I always think rationally when I was on the verge of death?

The Basilisk Queen loomed over me like an entity larger than life. She was the grim reaper, even though I was one with the scythe. Ain't that ironic?

“Let me free you from your suffering, young Savior. It was a valiant effort... Well, not really; you were rather weak. I hope the next Savior or Hero or whatever those pesky gods name you people these days takes us a little more seriously.”

"Huhhhh...?" I think I was hallucinating... It looked like she was pregnant.

She was surprised as well. “W-what is this?!”

Her half skin, half scale chest had swelled up to the point where there was a mega watermelon seeking to burst from the inside. It was rather funny in that sense. I guess I could die on a good laugh.

“My stomach... W-what is th—”

Her body exploded, yellow blood splattering me from head to toe. GROOOOOSS!

Whaaaaaaat? WHAT THE HELL?! What just...happened?

I somehow mustered enough energy to tilt my head up slightly. Then I saw it.

Standing before me, with only death and carnage in her stunning eyes. One half of her body was her normal self...but the other… I don’t even know what the fuck that was.

Her left half, cut straight down like Harvey Two-face was something truly bizarre. Her skin had turned ashen grey with black cracks flowing throughout as if magma was sealed under its hard surface.

 Inside the cracks, I could see red shards floating around—it really was like magma or something! That side of her hair had been bleached snow white similar to my own with two red horns jutting out from her forehead like a demon. 

She had a long fang glittering like the stars under her lip like a vampire. One of her eye’s had become dark red and snake-like as if she had mixed in the gene pool with our resident basilisk bitch. One of her wings bleached the same color as her hair, how bizarre. The scariest thing about her was the two metallic tentacles protruding from her back. They spasmed around her uncontrollably, almost as if they had a mind of their own.

She was straight out of a Lovecraft novel—truly eldritch. The reason for this swarmed around in my head, but I couldn't place it with my insides being slowly melted to sludge while I was still alive. Forgot that was still happening after taking in this jarring turn of events.

She glared down at me, her eyes full of hunger. As if to make sure I didn’t think she was my savior, she licked her lips, her voracious hunger oozing out of her even worse than blood lust from when she was mind-controlled.

Well...I’m fucked. Though this is kinda...hot.