5He heard a voice—feeling the fear radiating from Number 102. The situation was far from simple. It was a perilous, potentially fatal scenario, yet it also presented an unexpected opportunity. There was no guarantee that a convenient distraction would emerge to divert the Klaur's attention when he approached Number 102. If he failed, it would all be over.He had no way of ensuring that the Klaus would eventually move away from the area, and success might simply be Blur narrowly escaping its grasp.Holding his breath, Blur gently began to move forward, hoping not to squander this momentary advantage. Just a little bit further—Suddenly, a distinct sensation on the back of his head brought him to a halt. Turning his head cautiously, he realized the source of the unsettling sensation had been the provocative gaze he felt earlier.The Klaus had emitted some kind of mist from the slit in its mask, and ashes were falling from its back. Number 102 had warned him about this, signaling that he should be cautious.Of course, if he chose to ignore her warning, it could have dire consequences. It was as if she was holding herself hostage to ensure that he would come to her aid. Blur couldn't risk having the weight of a conscience burdened by the thought of inadvertently harming a girl.Recognizing her concern, he acknowledged her intent. She had effectively communicated her message, making it clear that he needed to keep his wits about him.He knew he hadn't been as composed as he should have been. Nonetheless, they had gained valuable knowledge about the Klaus, particularly that it could burn out if not handled carefully. His best course of action was to create a solid plan, and right now, that plan was to distract the demon beast and make his way toward Number 102.Blur selected a larger book from the shelf, tossed it in the opposite direction from the Klaur's head, hoping to divert its attention. He walked cautiously, searching for the quietest path.But just as he moved forward, a sudden gust of wind pushed against him, causing him to release a faint grunt. As he looked up, he noticed tears forming in Number 102's eyes. He silently urged her not to cry.In response, a mass of ash flew right in front of his eyes, a soccer ball-sized ball of ash that unleashed a wave of heat as it soared past him and crashed into a bookshelf a few yards ahead, erupting into a violent burst.—Blur's body was almost broiled by the heat, and he managed to suppress the cry that almost escaped his lips. If it weren't for Number 102's tears momentarily stopping him, he would have suffered a direct hit from the ashes. He wasn't sure if it was strong enough to kill him, but severe burns seemed almost guaranteed. The thought of burns covering a third of his body, potentially fatal, sent shudders down his spine. And there was no one around to treat such injuries at the moment.Intriguingly, the Klaus focus had shifted back to him, despite the feint with the book on the other side of the room.It was as if it knew he was there, and a disconcerting hum emanated from the beast.Blur cautiously grabbed another book and prepared to throw it. He felt Number 102's anxious gaze on him but couldn't focus on that at the moment. The book arced gracefully through the air and fell far from the Klaus.As expected, the Klaur's attention shifted toward the book, and it lunged at the apparent feint. The ashes erupted again, accompanied by the eerie cries, masking the sounds of Blur's hurried steps as he scrambled toward Number 102.One, two steps, he made his way across the marble floor. But just as he started to move—"Ngh!"A black ball grazed his body, and the ensuing explosion sent him tumbling. The impact felt like his entire body had been pummeled. He couldn't suppress a groan.Gritting his teeth, Blur managed to steady himself on the marble floor with his hands, and as he looked up, he saw the demon beast crackling with ashes, gazing down at him.It was clear; the Klaus had located him. How did a Klaus that relied on sound locate him while screeching? —Echolocation! Blur's suspicions crystallized just as the black ashes on the centaur's back grew. The inferno swelled explosively, revealing the true force of the creature."[System] command!"—initiate command sequence. "Piiiiiii!!!"[Invoke] galeA violent wind struck the Klaus massive body at the exact moment it swung its flames down. The unleashed heat caused the ground to explode as the Klaus was blown to the side by the wind."Guoooo?! Gaah! Damn ittt!"Blur, doused by the smoky explosion at close range, rolled across the ground. He used the momentum to leap to his feet and started running without looking back.—"Ngh! Run, run, run, run, run, ruuuun!!" Blur intentionally shouted loudly to draw the Klaus attention as he sprinted through the library. The Klaus hooves echoed as it chased after him relentlessly. He hadn't thought through what he was doing, but he had to protect Number 102, and he couldn't afford to die."Piiiiiii!!!"The eerie chorus of bird-like cries taunted the meaning of death into Blur's soul. The creature's upper body raised its arm, and there was a nasty sound of ashes bursting. The Klaus arm had transformed into a lance, the same ashen bone lance that had grazed him earlier, and it wielded it mercilessly as he tried to escape."Damn it!" [System] command Howling, Blur's eyes glowed blue as he chanted the command, a change rippled through the air. —initiate command sequence. [Two-layer command] ——layering command[Invoke] metal [Shape] Sword!Summoning the very essence of metal with a subtle force. The once shapeless metal coalesced into a sleek and lethal sword. A subtle hum filled the room, as he conjure a sword from thin air and using the newly crafted weapon at his disposal to strike the Klaus. It didn't do any damage, but it grazed the Klaur's arm. The beast's intense arm strength easily lifted Blur off his feet."Ugh, whoaaaa?!"Swinging through the air, Blur spun around the Klaus. Unable to see what was happening, the Klaus was confused by the speed of the voice, and ironically, it lost track of Blur.With the advantage gained, the Klaus began throwing blackballs of ashes in all directions."Gwhoa?!"Releasing his grip on the sword embedded in the Klaus arm, Blur fell to the floor just in time to be caught in one of the fireball's explosions and sent flying. He covered his face reflexively, but the hot air and debris still seared his face, making it painful to breathe.Rolling wildly on the ground, Blur looked up with teary eyes. The mouth in the center of the hive-like mask opened wide, and the Klaus unleashed an ear-splitting cry that resembled laughter."No, it's laughing."It was laughing at the weak human who had lost in a test of knowledge and was now being toyed with by its overwhelming strength.
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