Chapter 785 Sacrifice
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"Maybe in a few more days we can get there... Hahhh... We'll sure do, Luck." Lara sighed with a hopeful smile. "We'll finally meet new people and make new friends! It's going to be so exciting!"
"Hahah, you're more pumped up than usual." Luck sighed. "I guess... I guess you might be right. I hope everything... goes alright."
"Yeah! Think positively! Now, let's eat some grilled fish-"
RUMBLE!
The forest floor below them crumbled apart and opened into countless cracks. Once more, Lara's spirits were unable to predict this out of the blue. Countless insectoid demonic beasts surged from within, Lara and Luck panicking.
TRUUUUUMMM...!
"W-Wait, again?! So soon?!" Asked Luck in horror. "D-Dammit! We need to get out of here, Lara! We aren't strong enough to defeat these things yet!"
"Ungh... Hahhh... I-I'm so tired..." Lara muttered. "L-Luck...!"
"Eh?!" Luck quickly realized Lara wasn't the only one tired.
His own body was also very exhausted. However, was this just provoked by walking several kilometers without taking a break? No... It was not just that, something else was draining away their Mana and Energy constantly, since they entered this forest.
However, his keen senses barely realized about this now, when the origin of this draining power emerged before them. A gigantic, humanoid insect in the shape of a large black beetle with a feminine, curvilinear body appeared.
Only her face seemed slightly humanoid, while the rest of her body, aside from its shape, was covered on a hard black exoskeleton that resembled an incredibly hard metallic armor, wings behind her allowed her to easily fly in midair.
Her sharp red eyes glanced down at the two kids, delighted to see them. From within her chest, a mysterious red jewel imbued her body with tremendous power, and allowed her to absorb energy from her foes... accompanied with an army of giant insects, she looked menacing, and all-powerful, like nothing the two had faced before.
This was the first time they faced a Demonic Insect Beast that could actually speak and act with intelligence.
"This is as far as you go, heroes~" She laughed. "I've been chasing you around for a long while now. Since you entered this region in specific... And finally, I can capture you two. Lady Arachne will reward me so handsomely! Uwahh~ I can't wait!"
"W-What? Who are you?!" Luck roared, his transformation quickly triggering as he exuded a golden aura of divine, beastly power.
"Oh, my bad! Sorry for not introducing myself beforehand, fufufu." Laughed the insectoid woman. "My name is Asarashk, and I serve my Lady, the Demon Lord of Gluttony, Arachne, as her loyal maid servant and guard! But now, she has finally given me the chance to prove myself as someone competent, you two better not run away, okay, beautiful children~?" Her smile grew more wicked as her power exuded a demonic aura, constantly sucking away the two's mana and vitality.
This seemed to be working specifically well against Lara, who fell to her knees while gasping for air. The worse part was that she was able to sense how all the Spirits around her were instantly dying due to the Miasma, each of their deaths was like a painful bullet piercing her chest.
"Ugh... Hahhh... L-Luck... I can't move..." Lara cried, tears flowing from her eyes like rivers.
"Lara!" Luck cried, quickly attempting to grab her and run away, having no time to listen to the Demon in front of them. n.o)VEL-u.s)B---C-o(m
However, the very moment Luck attempted to grab her, the Demoness acted, a gigantic slash of darkness reached the two of them, exploding.
SLAAASH! BOOOOM!!!
Darkness spread everywhere, as Luck and Lara were thrown away savagely. Luck coughed blood, his entire body was covered on wounds. Lara wasn't any better.
"I told you that you should not move." The Demoness said with an angered expression. "Lady Arachne only want you alive, it doesn't mean she doesn't want you with limbs or something, you know~?" She slowly walked towards the two, extending her long bug like arm and grabbing Lara by her horns.
"Uuggh... L-Let me go!" Lara cried.
"Hehehe, so cute... You're such an adorable little tiny girl." The Demoness giggled, over three meters of height, she was really tall.
"LET GO OF HER!!!" Luck screamed, rushing towards the Demoness with all his strength. His golden aura transforming into a gigantic, roaring golden tiger which helped him attack her.
"ROOOOAAARRRR!!!"
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLAAASH!
Several claw attacks reached her, but she carelessly swung her arms against Luck's attacks, easily intercept each one of them and blocking them perfectly.
"So weak! You're too weak, boy. Your attempts are cute, though." She smiled, kicking Luck in the stomach with all her strength.
CLAAAAASSSHH!!!
"Ugh...?!" Luck screamed in pain, vomiting a mouthful of blood and being thrown away, clashing over a tree and shattering it into two pieces.
BAAAAAMM...!
"Fufu, such a cute attempt." She laughed. "Oh well, dear, you two are coming anyways..." She smiled.
However, she suddenly noticed something as she gave Lara a last glance. Her entire body was overflowing with an energy she had never sensed before, golden tattoos glowing over her body, as her eyes turned as bright as stars.
"L-Luck... Y-You...! I won't forgive you! I WON'T!" Lara screamed.
"Huh?!" The demoness was shocked. "What the...?!"
Suddenly, pure Spiritual Power surged from within Lara's body, like an ocean of golden light, encompassing everything and everywhere.
FLAAAAAAASSSSH!
"UGRAAAAAGGH...!" The light was so strong the Demoness was forced to step back, as Lara managed to escape her grasp and run towards Luck.
"Luck! Please... live!" Lara cried, pointing her hands at the unconscious Luck as she channeled the power of the River Spirits, and generated an enormous wave of water, throwing Luck into the nearby river!
SPLAAAAASH!
"W-What is she doing?! Catch her at once!" The Demoness roared, ignoring that Luck was thrown down the river, as she went to catch Lara.
Too exhausted after using that power, Lara fell unconscious right after that moment, and was swiftly captured by the Demons.
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Author's Note: This is the last chapter of these side stories. Next chapter we're back with Sylphy.
