Show Me Your Stats!-Chapter 119

"Haha, now what the hell is this?"

In a world with virtually no advanced technology, this would’ve been the first time Janus had ever encountered an attack like a laser. While one cube was charging its beam again, the next continued the assault in succession.

"Kh!"

When two cubes fired back-to-back, Janus couldn’t avoid it—one beam pierced through his ankle, and a short grunt escaped him. No matter how fast he was, it was nearly impossible to dodge light itself. Still, unlike an ordinary person who would’ve been instantly incapacitated, the dragon was something else entirely. Even on just one good leg, he kept moving, and even while limping a few steps, the wound was visibly regenerating.

A red beam barely missed as Janus ducked behind the cracked wall of the ruin. Ayra collapsed the building he’d hidden in by shaking the ground beneath it. The bas-reliefs depicting dragons and humans were smashed to pieces. As this was a historical ruin, she hadn’t wanted to damage it—but this was no time for such concerns.

This time, the attack didn’t stop at a single burst. The laser swept across the area in a long trajectory, igniting everything it touched. Smoke and fire trailed behind the beam’s path.

Ayra persistently targeted the injured leg. If she couldn’t kill the dragon, then she would at least cripple him. However, in that short time, Janus had already figured out a method to block the attack. His crimson eyes lifted to the sky.

Two cubes aimed at him simultaneously. Just before the lasers fired, Janus raised one arm to take the hit and swung his sword to deflect the beam targeting his leg. Though destructive, light was still light—one beam reflected off the blade and struck elsewhere. He had even tracked the movements of the black cube’s ejection port—nearly indistinguishable from the night sky.

"...Goddamn it!"

Ayra’s temples beaded with sweat. As powerful as the spell was, it also drained a massive amount of mana. Light-based magic wasn’t even her specialty. But among the few spells that could affect Janus, this had been the best option. Four beams sliced through the air in all directions. Janus narrowly dodged three, but the last one grazed his shoulder. As long as his legs were intact, he didn’t seem to care.

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Then he flicked his sword tip toward a shard of brick on the ground. Clang! The fragment struck one of the cubes, warping the ejection port.

In a final act of desperation, six cubes fired at once. Irregular beams of red crisscrossed over the ruins—but only two hit their mark. As one laser passed just in front of him, Janus’s shadowed face broke into a crooked grin.

"...Well. That’s three minutes up."

"...!"

Ayra quickly reached out to retrieve the remaining cubes floating in the air. But she was a moment too late—three of them were caught in the pressure of Janus’s sword slash and fell to the ground. In the next instant, shrrk, Janus sliced the metallic devices apart with his battered old blade.

[Warning! Incoming Attack!]

Pebble’s alert window flashed just before Ayra’s vision filled with crimson light. The spirit embedded in Janus’s body had signaled the incoming strike range. Ayra barely rolled out of the way before the sharp arc of Janus’s sword swept past the spot she’d been in.

No sooner had she dodged than the area was bathed in red again. This time, there was no escape. She threw up a barrier in panic. Krrang!—the ferocious blade shattered it. Though not gravely injured, a flying stone fragment nicked her cheek, leaving a red line.

"Not bad. Thought mages would be slow, but you dodge better than I expected."

Janus laughed, slashing through a cube before it could fire. Ayra didn’t have the breath to answer. She forced her exhausted body forward. Clearly, Janus could have ended things instantly—but he was toying with her, like a cat with a mouse.

It was the situation Ayra had hoped for, but she couldn’t help the rage boiling in her chest. Pain throbbed dully across her body. Swallowing the emotions rising to her throat, she cast another defensive spell.

"...Ghh!"

She didn’t even see the sword strike. The moment the barrier shattered with a heavy thud, she stumbled and fell backward. Shing!—a moment later, a deep slash scored the ground where she had stood. The impact flung back her hood, revealing a flutter of silver hair. Ayra, now sitting on the ground, braced herself with a hand and scrambled toward another ruin.

From one ruin to another, her robe fluttering, Ayra fled. Janus followed with long strides, then suddenly tossed his sword. The blade speared through her robe and pinned it to the ground, causing her to collapse in mid-run. Janus strode forward and pulled his sword free.

Ayra, gasping, stared up at him. He had chased her down to kill her, yet there was unmistakable amusement in his expression. Desire shimmered in his blood-red eyes, brighter than usual.

"Can’t run anymore?"

"Nngh..."

The sharp tip of his sword lifted her chin. Smiling lazily, he ran the blade along her skin, gliding wickedly and skillfully. Without leaving a single scratch, the sword slipped down to slice through her robe.

‘This... sadistic freak...!’

Ayra trembled. How was he even aroused in a moment like this? No matter how she looked at it, Janus’s lower half was undeniably reacting—swelling with visible arousal. The sadistic dragon teased her with his sword, only to let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment.

"Tch."

He raised his arm and swung. This time, not just her robe—his ruthless strike slashed deep into her chest. Janus calmly watched as his lover clutched her bleeding chest and collapsed to the ground.

"Ah, I see. Now it makes sense."

He stabbed down again with his dull blade, mercilessly cutting into the fallen figure. But instead of blood, a wriggling, mucous-like fluid oozed out of Ayra’s body. The form couldn’t hold its shape anymore—a slime slithered across the floor. Janus stomped on it.

"For someone who cares so much about her territory, I was wondering how she could stay so calm while I was slaughtering people left and right."

Ayra bit her lip from her hiding spot behind the building. She had prepared every trick she could to face Janus, yet one by one, they all failed.

This... is what a dragon is.

Despite the fear, a strange thrill ran down her spine. Even as death loomed, Ayra desperately sought to observe and understand him. Her mana was nearly depleted—there was almost nothing left she could do.

Almost.

Quietly, she pulled out her final trump card from subspace. She stroked the object—smaller than her own fist—and chuckled. Even now, she was wondering: would this thing let her see Janus’s true form?

But it couldn’t be helped. That red, alien scale Janus had revealed while tearing apart her labyrinth—it had haunted her thoughts ever since.

"Now then, where’s my cute little ex hiding?"

As Janus dragged his sword, it scraped over shattered stones with an earsplitting krrrk.

"Guess I’ll have to burn every damn flower in this place. Can’t find her with no scent."

But even as he said that, he steadily approached the ruin where Ayra was hiding. Her nerves stretched taut, and ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) her palms were slick with sweat. Just then, something caught her eye—the favorability alert window, still updating.

She assumed it must be dropping like mad—but when she glanced at it instinctively, Ayra’s eyes widened.

‘Wait—what is...?’

At that moment, everything went still. His footsteps stopped. Silence fell over the entire area.

‘No...!’

Suddenly, everything turned red. The low stone wall she’d crouched behind exploded. The shock sent her flying forward. Janus lunged from the blind spot with claw-like hands.

Ayra barely managed to shove herself away with a burst of magic, narrowly avoiding his grasp. He caught the edge of her robe, but it tore away. Without hesitation, she raised a hidden cube and fired a laser—straight through his hand. The intense heat seared his flesh, and Ayra broke free.

"Gasp... gasp..."

Panting as she ran, she turned back—and Janus, unfazed by pain, was calmly opening and closing the hole-ridden palm, examining the wound. Then he grinned.

"You should’ve hidden better. Even if I pretended not to notice... I could hear your heartbeat from here."

He kicked a pebble toward her. The jolt of impact to her heel made Ayra stumble and fall. She had no strength or mana left to dodge. She had tried so hard her fingers were numb from the cold, yet sweat trickled down her brow, leaving round marks on the snow.

She turned again—and there he was. The merciless dragon now stood right in front of her. As she shuffled back, Janus stepped on her ankle.

"Sweetheart, this is the end."

He said it gently, pressing down hard. Whether it was from twisting it earlier or from being stomped now, pain throbbed in her ankle. Mustering her last strength, Ayra smiled. Janus paused, staring blankly at her bright smile.

"It’s the end... for me too."

She hurled the object in her hand to the ground. The orb—infused with mana—glowed ominously and began to vibrate. Janus reflexively swung his sword to bat it away, but that was the fatal mistake. The moment the blade made contact—

BOOM!

"Kh—!"

For the first time, a groan of genuine pain burst from Janus’s mouth. The orb had contained Artrugfuss Reagent—a highly acidic substance whose potency increased with lower magic resistance. Ayra had always wanted to test it, but never had the chance—until now.

"Ey... Ayra...!"

Clutching his face, Janus growled, his voice seething. Through his fingers, his red eyes writhed violently. Ssshhh!—his flesh sizzled as it melted and fell away in chunks.