blueteamnovel Chapter 81 Timer's Countdown and Sudden... Tripping? (edited)
Chapter 81 Timer's Countdown and Sudden... Tripping? (edited)
[00:20]
Marionette dodged to the side, avoiding the devastating blow that would've left her without a head.
Her dark arm flicked between solid and gas before eventually settling on its current form, acting as her arm.
She tightly gripped the hilt with both hands before swinging it arm diagonally.
The detailed illustrations etched into her silver blade depicted a vibrant sun with a spiky exterior that glowed a burning orange.
[00:17]
Lillian watched as Marionette's scorching longsword rose upwards, colliding with the Cockroach's shell-covered arm, which was missing a hand.
It bit deep into its dark shell and even managed to make contact with its flesh, igniting it and its crimson blood.
With a twist of her wrist and the turn of her blade, she tore through its arm, causing it to fly through the air in a trail of searing flames.
[00:15]
Lillian stared at the Cockroach's flaming stump that burned with a deep orange flame.
The flame then lost its colour as a black gaseous substance put it out, leaving behind evidence of severe charring around where the flame had previously been.
Then, with a bent of its knee, it quickly leapt and caught the gliding burning arm before putting it out as well.
[00:12]
Marionette watched as it fell back down, raising its detached arm over its head like a mallet.
She brandished her longsword towards it before feeling it dip a bit, the weight of the blade increasing.
She glanced down at her arm and saw it had flickered out, dissipating into the tense atmosphere.
Marionette narrowed her eyes, summoning back the longsword and retrieving a curved black dagger with jagged edges like it was forged out of obsidian.
Lillian's eyes darted back and forth between the two and their intense battle. She debated whether or not to join but ultimately decided that it would be unwise.
Lillian was far too slow to keep up if she were to join, and the attacking potency of her element currently wasn't enough to pierce through its tough carapace.
However, Marionette didn't seem to be on the losing side. The battle was like how Lillian had struggled at first against a Catacomb Brawler on the first day.
Except Marionette was doing far better than she could against this corrupted version.
[00:08]
Marionette's elegantly dodged the Corrupted Brawler's punches like an elusive dancer.
However, her face had got just a little bit pale due to the blood loss.
After stepping to its side, her obsidian dagger flashed in her hand, stabbing itself into the side of its head.
The Cockroach reeled back before lashing the fleshy, charred mace in its hand.
Marionette leaned back, narrowly dodging the swing as it skimmed the tip of her nose before acrobatically cartwheeling back.
With a bent of her elbows, she pushed herself off the ground, causing her to land on a vertical stone surface.
This time, with a bend of her knees, she shot off of it, rapidly approaching the Cockroach.
The Cockroach gripped the handle of the dagger and glanced at it curiously before throwing it away.
It then turned its head back towards Marionette, where it was met with a dropkick to the face.
BAM!
Marionette's heels dug deeply into its face, causing it to cave in slightly.
Lillian sighed in relief, and surprisingly, so did Marionette.
"You're tired as much as I am. Huh?" Lillian asked, to which Marionette briefly nodded.
"While it was an eventful and shockingly pleasing Trial. It is no doubt still a Trial. Harsh and tiring." she responded, taking slowly crooked steps towards the portal, avoiding the rubble around them.
"Eh? pleasing?" Lillian tilted her head with a cute and naive expression.
Marionette gave a short glance back before smirking, "Yes."
Lillian blushed slightly before turning her head away and making her way beside Marionette.
Lillian took in one last look at their surroundings. Most of the stone pillars have been shattered by the Violet Tree's sweep. The hole still continued to shine down its ever-so-bright light through the gaps in the nude canopy.
She then glanced towards the corpse of the Beetle she had killed before the frozen Cockroach.
Not only that, but she also took in the signs of her rigorous training with Marionette that took on the form of slash marks in the ground.
"I might miss this place..." Lillian murmered.
Marionette's ears twitched. She glanced at Lillian's sentimental face with a raised brow.
"Is that so... you have an odd preference then..."
"D-don't judge me!" Lillian grumbled.
She crossed her arms over her chest before feeling the outline of her necklace through her clothes.
She instinctually brought it out from under her clothes and stared at it.
The Lucky Necklace dangled in the air, bouncing up and down before going still.
"Quite the charming necklace, Lillian," Marionette commented, staring at the necklace.
"H-huh? O-oh, this thing? Thanks...! I recently bought this in a store, and I uh... had some money to spare." Lillian said.
The edges of Marionette's lips curved into a small smile, "You sure do love rabbits. Huh? How fitting..."
"Eh? What do you mean fitting?"
Marionette turned her head away, "Who knows~..."
"B-bu— huh...?"
What was this woman on about?
Lillian shook her head in defeat before thinking about her "Lucky" necklace, 'This thing hasn't gone off after the Beetle... hopefully it wo—'
In the corner of her eyes, she watched as Marionette's body tilted forward.
Her eyes widened, and she stared down at Marionette's injured foot to see that it had clumsily tripped over something.
It was a piece of stone.
Marionette also seemed to widen her eyes in surprise at her carelessness.
Lillian rushed towards her, wrapping her arms around her waist in an attempt to prevent her fall before coincidentally tripping over the same piece of debris.
They both fell, except this time, Lillian's body was going to be used as a cushion for Marionette.
But as soon as Marionette realised this, she twisted their body around, letting it so her back hit the ground instead of Lillian's.
Thud...
Lillian, who had her eyes closed, landed on Marionette's soft, slim body.
But that wasn't all. She also felt something pressed against her lips. It was soft and wet... and caused her to have a strange, suffocating feeling inside her chest.