Volume 5, Chapter 31 – Opportunity

Obtaining the power of Sloth.

According to Tianyin’s original thoughts, if she wanted to obtain the power of Sloth, she ought to have to pay an appropriate price, or go through a process similar to what she did with Lucifer in Inferno last time.

However…

Things did not go as she wished.

Right from the start, she was inexplicably told that all she had to do was drink until the Fortress Emperor was satisfied.

Of course, something like that did not feel very reliable.

But…

Now…

In an open field that looked incomparably vast, Tianyin was standing there at this very moment.

Looking at the sword in her own hand and at the Fortress Emperor before her, weapon in his grip and ready to move at any time, Tianyin was inwardly crying.

“So… as long as I fight you and then defeat you, that will be enough?”

“That’s right, little one.”

In the face of Tianyin’s question, the Fortress Emperor looked completely calm.

“The first thing we Dwarves love is strong liquor, and the second thing we love is battle. As long as you defeat me, handing the power of Sloth over to you is nothing difficult.”

『Wuu… what do I do, Samael?』

Hesitating, Tianyin chose to ask Samael for help.

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If she said Fortress Emperor’s words did not tempt her at all, that would be a lie. But temptation was one thing; Tianyin still did not have the confidence that she could defeat the Fortress Emperor.

Never mind that the Fortress Emperor possessed Throne-tier strength. Just his past record of leading the entire Fortress to clash head-on with Inferno already made Tianyin feel guilty at heart.

Besides, Samael taking control of her body also had a time limit. Once that time ran out, what was she supposed to do after that?

So Tianyin did have these concerns in her heart.

「Pfft, Xiaoyin, for some reason I feel like this might be a good opportunity.」

『Eh, why do you say that, Samael?』

「Because Fortress Emperor said you only need to beat him, and he never said you have to defeat him in this one attempt.」

『Wuu… I understand now, Samael.』

Samael’s reminder instantly woke Tianyin up.

『I see, Samael, this really is an opportunity… The Fortress Emperor only said it would be enough if I defeat him, but he never specified that I have to defeat him this time. And if that is really how it is, then I can use this chance to fight Fortress Emperor as a way to temper my combat skills. Samael, is that how it works?』

「That’s right, Xiaoyin.」

In her mind, Samael’s voice became unusually gentle.

「All this time, every battle, you have had to rely on me, Xiaoyin. But you also need to learn how to fight on your own. So in this proposal from Fortress Emperor, I see an opportunity.」

『Wuu… Samael, I… I will do my best.』

Samael’s words made Tianyin’s feelings incomparably complicated.

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Yet even within that complicated mix, Tianyin’s resolve was more firm than ever before.

She wanted to grow stronger.

She wanted very, very much to grow stronger.

Because if she grew stronger, she could protect the people by her side. Because if she grew stronger, she would not have to be afraid of all those plots and schemes.

This was something Tianyin had always longed for but never dared to reach out and touch.

After all, her longing was, in the end, only an illusion. A loli with no physical strength to even truss a chicken, even if she possessed the Seven Original Sins, in front of certain beings was still not enough.

But this time Tianyin saw an opportunity.

So she would use the battle with the Fortress Emperor to temper her own combat experience.

After all, what could temper her more than fighting a dignified Throne-tier, Fortress Emperor, who had gone through countless battles?

“Little one, have you decided?”

While Tianyin was deep in thought and talking with Samael, the Fortress Emperor in the distance called out to her.

“Mm, Fortress Emperor… I have already decided~”

Coming back to herself, Tianyin answered in a tone that left no room for doubt.

And with Tianyin’s answer, her pupils slowly turned into a deep violet.

The power of the Seven Original Sins also began, in that moment, to slowly fill the surrounding space.

“Mm?”

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Sensing the power of the Seven Original Sins emanating from Tianyin, the Fortress Emperor’s brows faintly furrowed.

“This way of using that power…”

However, there was no time left for the Fortress Emperor to keep musing.

Because in the Fortress Emperor’s eyes, Tianyin, who was holding the iron sword he had forged, suddenly vanished.

“Such speed…”

Tianyin’s sudden disappearance made the Fortress Emperor pause for a heartbeat.

Even so, it only made him a little surprised.

In the time that followed, every attack Tianyin launched with her extreme speed was casually blocked by the Fortress Emperor.

“Is that all the strength you have, little one?”

Though those were the words Fortress Emperor used to judge Tianyin’s attacks, if an outsider were watching, they would see that while Tianyin’s attacks had not inflicted any real damage on him, the previously flat battlefield beneath Fortress Emperor’s feet had been blasted into pitted, uneven terrain.

“You have no combat technique to speak of. I can give you some credit for knowing to take advantage of your speed, but the way you fight is full of openings.”

Even though the Fortress Emperor was only defending against Tianyin’s attacks, he still wore a relaxed, effortless expression.

『Samael… the way this guy talks is really irritating…』

In her half-fusion state, she could not bring out the full power of the Seven Original Sins, and when it came to combat technique, Tianyin was nowhere near Samael.

So regarding the Fortress Emperor’s assessment of her, Tianyin knew in her heart that this was the truth.

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But even knowing that, she still felt a bit unwilling.

Why did he get to act so relaxed? At least show her a slightly serious expression, would you!

「Xiaoyin, the gap between you in half-fusion and Fortress Emperor is too big. If it were me, I might be able to fight him… but as things stand now, what you need to do is not let Fortress Emperor’s words affect you.」

『Not let Fortress Emperor affect me?』

For the current Tianyin, Samael’s words were guidance on how she ought to fight.

So she very obediently took Samael’s suggestion to heart.

『Calm down… breathe… I need to calm down…』

“Little one… I have already seen your opening.”

Just as Tianyin managed to steady her mind, the Fortress Emperor, who had been defending against her attacks all this time, suddenly struck.

Almost the instant his voice sounded, Fortress Emperor made his move. Before Tianyin could react, the weapon in Fortress Emperor’s hand had already smashed squarely into the iron sword she was swinging.

Clang—!

The sound of metal colliding rang out, and in Tianyin’s perception, an indescribable, immense force ran along the iron sword in her hand and surged through her entire body.

“Wuu…”

After taking that force head-on, Tianyin paused for a split second, and in that brief pause, Fortress Emperor very easily knocked the weapon out of her hands.