Reborn Regress Return: I Am the Heir of Shadows!

▼ Battle Ended

You have slain 60 Nightmare Hounds (Lv.6): + 3000 EXP

—

▼ Julian Pendragon • Shadow Mancer (SSSR)

• Level: 13 (6,500/13,000) -> (9,500/13,000)

• HP: 780 + (500)

• MP: 300

• Attack: 6

• Defence: 15 (+7)

• Speed: 7

• Magic: 25 (+2)

• Total: 50

• Command Points: (15/20)

• Bonus Attribute Points: 0

• Bonus Talent Points: 2

—

A shocking number of monsters died in that single explosion. However, the lingering aftershock and swaying ground made Julian a little reluctant to use it in an enclosed space again.

"Umbra can you sense any monsters close by?"

"No... wait."

He watched the red eyes of Umbra shine through the mask, her lips transforming from a calm smile to a slight grimace, her face twisting as she bit her lower lip and started rushing in the opposite direction from Julian.

"Master be careful—"

Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked Julian back against the wall.

A hulking creature rushed past, but he couldn't see it. The moment he slammed against the wall, his throat became tight as he gasped, choking for air, damage to his windpipe from the sheer force of the attack. His vision dimmed, black spots appearing in his sight, and he felt like he would cough up blood.

'Damn it... this shadow protection can't stop damage from this kind of thing.'

"Urk..."

THUD!

Before he could relax, the sound across the room made his hair stand on end.

"Sena!"

He called out her name despite it not being her... but seeing Umbra was in danger, his mind turned blank and he didn't bother to correct himself.

The hulking beast, with grey skin and spikes protruding all over its body, held the shadow woman in a chokehold, pressing her against the wall. The sharp claws dug into her neck, and she gurgled, coughing blood. A monster over three metres in height with bulging and deformed muscles along its arms and legs crushed Umbra against the wall with saliva and drool oozing from its mouth.

This was the monster that destroyed the first floor!

Its appearance was terrifying and strange. Its body resembled an ape mixed with a gorilla but covered in spikes and horns. A long tail swished around like a whip while disgusting muscles contorted and protruded from its back.

'Shit... what's with this thing?!'

The beast turned and glowered at him, revealing two red eyes with no iris or pupil.

However, seeing its face reminded him of a monster... the first beast he struggled to fight with Sena!

'Why is such a thin appearing now?!'

"Damn it!"

Julian grunted his hand reaching out, calling to his mana... summoning four of the same claws that decimated the hounds. The shadowy hands grabbed the muscular ape's arms, piercing its flesh with their sharp claws.

But the Gorilla shrugged off the damage, letting them bore into its muscles and flesh, while he lifted the limp Umbra and smashed her against the wall, once, twice... the third time...

"No..."

A terrifying scene unfolded before him.

When the ape raised Umbra again, Julian's body leapt from the platform, both hands buzzing with purple claws, his eyes shining with a purple aura.

Julian dashed forward, cutting the ape's legs, ripping apart its tendons.

The blow disturbed the monster enough that Umbra dropped from its claws and fell to the ground before turning into pure shadow and darting away to the second floor.

However, the white flesh, or what seemed to be flesh, started to bubble and swell, healing its wounded tendons, allowing the ape to continue walking.

"Grrr!"

Julian narrowed his eyes while gathering shadow bolts on each fingertip, using the gauntlets to their maximum efficiency as his mana dropped rapidly.

"Fight me!" He growled.

There wasn't a plan or a method.

His spells wouldn't immobilise them like in the game, and he couldn't revive like in the game... Even knowing this, he jumped into the fray.

Because... He just couldn't see Umbra wounded like that.

She was too different in reality, and Julian noticed something had changed in her.

But facing off with this beast that resembled Dreadpaw, the monster he had first killed with Sena, made his chest palpitate.

Nothing like this had happened in his last life.

Monsters of this grade couldn't travel until the devils awakened and started their invasion!

***

Meanwhile, back at Sena and Maria's apartment complex, the situation became complicated. Suddenly, Sena's body started to convulse, and she vomited blood. Two thick bruises in the shape of distorted hands appeared around her neck, causing Maria to panic as her friend struggled to breathe.

"Sena!"

No matter how much she grabbed at the illusory hands... and the cuts and bruises that appeared on her arms.

"Damn it!"

Her hands trembled as she bit her lower lip.

After listening to Sena, she learned they could use the powers from the game in real life, but she didn't quite understand.

In a moment of desperation, she removed her jacket and shoes, gasping and panting.

She closed her eyes, trying to remember the feeling from the game, how the warmth flowing through her helped heal Julian and Fran.

The sensation was like a slow buildup of heat, similar to a kettle heating in her stomach. Mana bubbled and surged from her abdomen to her chest, then into her veins.

Different from Sena's fire or Julian's purple aura.

It was like a greenish-white glow that spread throughout her body. A calm breeze or a trickling lake... the energy turned into a swirl of translucent water that appeared on her hands, around her form, dancing like ribbons of liquid.

When she looked down at herself, there was no armour.

She was only wearing casual jeans and a bra, with her stomach and arms exposed, but it was fine!

"SENA, WAKE UP!"

She danced like a vibrant Squall to heal her bleeding friend, the blue stream from her hands pouring into Sena's lips.

The bruises gradually fading along with her pale cheeks returned to colour.

Exhaustion built up in her body, but the comfortable sensation of using her mana also filled Maria with relief as Sena's eyes flickered, her eyes moving beneath her eyelids, and a moment later they snapped open, revealing her beautiful opal eyes that scanned the room before her face became strange.

"Julian is in trouble!"

Sena shouted, her eyes filled with a sense of fear.

"Eh... how do you know?"

"I... I felt it!"

She couldn't explain the emotion, feeling or reason, but when she lost her focus and conscious.

Sena could see things from another point of view something that lingered around Julian, faithful and devoted to him, even in death. But she also shared the feelings of that existence and understood those feelings, thoughts and emotions and realised it wasn't just something from the game.

"We have to help him... that monster is something that shouldn't exist yet!"

"Sena..."

Maria gasped, her breathing still ragged, even though she wanted to help her friend and boyfriend... her body collapsed, unable to stand after using everything to bring Sena back from near death.

'It's nothing like the game... a mere bruise and broken bone almost killed her!'

"I know, but I love him and I have to go back..."

Sena nodded before grabbing a shirt off the floor, her hair flicking past her shoulders as she dressed. She put her shoes on and then wore a leather jacket, Julian's jacket. It was too big, but it felt warm and soothed Sena's rapidly beating heart, even if just a little.

"I'm taking your car..."

"Sena, I'll come with you."

Maria staggered to her feet, but Sena pushed her back onto the bed. Her friend looked tired and drained of energy. The power used to heal her must have exhausted Maria's mana.

"Please stay here, recovered your strength in case we need it... eat something greasy and unhealthy. That is what makes mana come back fastest."

"..."

With a weak gaze, Maria's eyes looked on as Sena rushed out of the apartment with the face of a determined woman.

"Is this why I am just an afterthought...?"

She quietly whispered, reaching out for a chocolate cookie.