Parallel Memory

Chapter 13 I Am Zero [2]

[ ”Zero huh. You are strong but do you think you would be able to defeat us?” ]

The person then attacked with his Claw weapon. He rushes to attack me without waiting for his comrades.

-Clash! Clash!

We fought for 30 seconds. The power behind his claw was strong but not unbearable for me. I could defend against his claw attack with my sword.

[ ”Attack him!” ]

Three more Devil Contractors join in the fight while the Mage Devil Contractor was preparing to fire his magic.

I pushed the Vice-leader using the sword with all my strength. He was only pushed away 5 meters but still, I got time to use my Magic Art.

[ ”Ground Freeze” ]

All the Devil Contractor who was going to attack me froze on the spot.

[ ”Kale, Attack them” ]

I canʼt move while I am using my ground freeze. I needed somebody to kill them while they were still immobile. It took a huge amount of mana to just keep dozen Rank E fighters frozen. I needed him to quickly strike them while I still can keep them frozen.

[ ”Coming” ]

Kale quickly ran towards me. It was a golden opportunity for us to defeat all of them. They were all caught in my attack because it was a surprise attack and had their guard down. We will not get another chance like this. This was the deciding moment.

[ ”Oh, no you donʼt” ]

[ ”Fire Bomb” ]

The Mage was not frozen because he was outside my attack range. He seem to realize that I couldnʼt finish them myself, so he interrupted Kale from coming.

-Boom!

Kale was blown over. The last hope was also gone with it, the Devil Contractor was freed from my attack since my mana was about to be exhausted.

[ ”Hah Hah Hah… Dammit” ]

( I was already at my limit when I froze those Devil Contractors, I donʼt think I can last much longer with my strength.)

[ ”KeKeKe I didnʼt think that you could stop all of us with your power. You really are strong but you are going to die nevertheless.” ]

[ ”Poison Claw” ]

I tried my best to dodge but with my exhausted body, I couldnʼt move my body in time. I was hit on my stomach with the poison claw attack. The cut was quite deep and its poison was quickly spreading in my body.

I quickly use Ice Magic to freeze the part where the poison attack was hit. Poison will not spread if I freeze it with my Ice Energy.

They didnʼt give me chance to rest. Another Devil Contractor used his sword to attack me from the side. I quickly dodged it by rolling to another side.

[ ”Fire Bomb” ]

[ ”Ice Wall” ]

I blocked the attack of the Mage with my Ice Wall.

( We will be annihilated if I am defeated. )

Sylvia and Misha canʼt escape with their injury, three other students were knocked out in the distance. Kale was blown over, I donʼt know if he is dead or not. And I have to fight them all.

[ ”Zero, we could help you.”]

[ ”Zero, we will fight with you” ]

I held out my hand to stop them from coming forward. They canʼt help with their injuries and what I am going to do may cause friendly fire.

[ ”Ha.huuuuuuu.”]

I didnʼt want to use it because it was still incomplete and it takes too much mana and damages my body but I have no choice.

[ ”Dual Art: Ice Sword” ]

Dual Art, an Art discovered by one of the top SS heroes in a later stage of the novel. It was new Art that was introduced to humanity due to which humans could have the advantage over other species during the war. The concept of technique was to combine two art and use it. The concept was simple but very difficult to execute because you will need to control two types of mana and use them simultaneously as one.

This Art was something that I tried to imitate before during my training in the hope to be able to use it. I always tried to use it but the Art was never shown in my Status indicating that this Art was incomplete and I didnʼt have enough capacity to use it.

Even if this Art was incomplete, still the power of this Art is incredible. Thatʼs why even if I may suffer a backlash, it was worth the shot considering the crisis I am facing.

I injected my Ice energy into the Sword. The Sword edge was covered in ice. If the Art was complete then the Sword would have been fully covered in ice.

[ ”Glacial Shadow Slash” ]

[ ”What!” ]

-Shhhh!

The Attack hit the three Devil Contractor who was close to me. Considering the distance, they had no time to dodge. They blocked the attack with their body.

Considering they were Rank E fighters, they had high defense and could survive against an attack of Rank E - by blocking the attack with their body. The attack hit them but the cut was too shallow. But what I needed was only the cut.

[ [ [ ”Ahhhhhhh!” ] ] ]

Since my shadow slash contain the Ice energy even if my attack didnʼt take their life directly, it could still freeze the parts which were in contact with my attack. And considering that my Ice energy made contact with their blood, their blood is being turned into Ice.

They immediately fell down. They were dead. One attack to take three Rank E fighters. Quite a powerful attack if I say so myself.

[ ”What! How did you kill three Rank E and what was that attack” ]

( That Art contained Ice Energy but he was clearly using a Sword Art. How is it possible to use both Sword Art and Magic Art? This is impossible. )

The vice-leader stared at Zero and then at the dead body as if he couldnʼt believe what he had just witnessed.

[ ”This is impossible! How did you do it? Really who are you.” ]

[ ”Humph. You are next.” ]

I point the edge of my sword to the vice-leader. My mana will soon become empty which could be quite life-threatening. My body canʼt handle both the mana type. The conflict between the mana in my body is tearing my veins. I need to finish this soon.

[ ”Zero was it? Donʼt think I am weak like them. I am more than enough to kill you.” ]

[ ”Fury Slice: Maximum Strength” ]

[ ”Peerless Ice Strike” ]

-Clash!

I was cut like a hundred times on my body. My hand, leg, chest, and face was full of cut. Even after bleeding from every part of my body, I remained standing because I know I canʼt fall when my enemy is standing.

[ ”KeKeke….. I will be waiting for you in hell, ZERO!” ]

-Splash!

The blood was splashed out before it froze. His upper body was cut deeply and frozen my attack. The slit was so deep that his body was only in one piece thanks to his body being frozen.

[ ”I Wo…”]

Just as I was about to say that I won. I felt my strength leaving my body and my whole body becoming sore. My whole felt as if a thousand sharp knife was poking at me.

-Blarrrgghh!

I spurted blood from my mouth. Most of the internal injury was due to using my incomplete Art. My vein feel like popping and my connection with my joint was losing with every second.

I was kneeling with my sword supporting my body.

[ ” Hah Hah hah ha…”]

[ [ ”ZERO!” ] ]

The girls came over to support me. Just when I thought that it was over.

[ ”I WILL KILL YOU” ]

[ ”Fire Bomb” ]

( Dammit, I forgot about the Mage. )

[ ”Ice Wa...”]

I fell down. I had no more mana to use my Magic Art nor strength to remain standing. I looked up to see the attack making its way towards me.

[ ”Zero” ]

[ ”Miah, take him out of here. I will block the attack with my body.” ]

[ ”Sylvia, itʼs no use. We have no time.” ]

( I was about to survive. With all odds against me, I had eliminated 5 Devil Contractors. Only if I had more power. )

I was just about to resign to my fate when…

[ ”Gigantic Fist: Fist Barricade” ]

Kale suddenly appeared in front of them and used his Skill to block the attack. He seems to have recovered from the earlier attack. He is quite a tough guy.

( You are late. Why do you have to do a late entry like some hero? I would have preferred it if you had come earlier. )

Kale has no idea that I was cursing him for coming late like some hero.

I had no more strength to even keep my consciousness alive. My consciousness kept on fading. And I couldnʼt hear properly.

[ [ ”Zero. Zer…..