Lewd System: Every Scream and Moan is EXP Chapter 325 : Sword Saint Clarice

[Half an hour earlier]

Jax sped towards the prison tower, guided there by the hypnotized guard. From afar, he could discern the structure, accompanied by the sounds of combat magic erupting from within and shattered glass showering down from its upper levels. These signs confirmed he was on the correct path.

However, as he approached, an elegant figure materialized in his trajectory, compelling him to halt his advance.

A stunning beauty, adorned in lightweight armor that clung to her form with an almost unfair perfection, made ordinary combatants seem disadvantaged.

Her lack of a helmet immediately identified her race: an elf. Her face suggested a woman in her mid-twenties, though attempting to ascertain an elf's true age was a futile endeavor.

Their kind possessed an ageless, unchanging youth, capable of concealing centuries of existence behind an unblemished facade.

Before Jax could enact his pretense of a loyal soldier directing her away from the palace's turmoil, she leveled her weapon directly at him.

"Who are you? And what is your goal?"

Jax experienced a novel sensation as her voice alone sent shivers down his spine—an unprecedented event. Regardless of the overwhelming power of his past adversaries, he had never before felt true fear from an opponent standing before him.

He recognized instantly that she was not someone to be trifled with.

He attempted his charade one last time. "I am merely a soldier of His Highness Damian, sent to relay news of the current situa—"

She interrupted him softly. "Cease your pretense. I am not so easily deceived by your words. I can sense the power you wield and the darkness that surrounds you. Answer me truthfully. Who are you?"

Jax chuckled and removed his helmet, letting it clatter to the ground. "My, my, it is rather impolite of you to jump to such hurtful conclusions so swiftly. 'Darkness'? That seems a bit harsh, wouldn't you agree?"

Placing a hand over his chest in mock offense, he continued, "I'm unsure where you formed that impression, but I am, in fact, a saint dedicated to performing good deeds across the world. No, more accurately, across various worlds. Even across different eras of existence. Perhaps you mistook my profound holiness for darkness?"

Clarice, the sword saint of the Heutrian Empire, remained unfazed. "So, you prefer a direct approach where I dismantle you first and ask questions later. Very well."

She lunged. Jax grinned, unsheathing his sword to meet her charge, but his senses shrieked a warning that came too late. Clarice closed the distance instantly, already unleashing her sword art, Petal Draw.

Jax hadn't even registered her footsteps before she was upon him, his vision filled with slashes from every conceivable angle. Her blade's intricate dance left no opening for evasion, with multiple sword strikes making it impossible to dodge without dire consequence.

His only recourse was to click his tongue and protect his vitals.

Clarice walked past him after her assault, the air around him perfumed with cherry blossoms, as if she had merely completed a leisurely stroll rather than an assassination attempt.

She stood gazing toward the distant civil war engulfing thousands of warriors. Meanwhile, Jax felt the impact of each slash registering across his body. His stolen steel armor began to fall away in pieces, its joints and fastenings precisely severed by Clarice's masterful aim.

Jax stood exposed, his armor shed, bearing fresh cuts and blood from confronting the most formidable woman observing the chaos he had orchestrated.

She stated, without turning, "So, you have already initiated your scheme to corrupt the empire."

Then, she turned, her expressionless eyes conveying only unyielding resolve. "Let us conclude this swiftly. I am eager to understand your rationale for instigating a bloodbath that threatens the lives of millions of soldiers and innocent citizens."

As she advanced, Jax was prepared, his dual swords drawn and positioned. Each of her swift movements left behind a phantom image, making it exceedingly difficult to discern the true Clarice.

Jax felt genuine frustration; he had no time for an interference, especially one of this magnitude.

His objective was to check on the two students within the prison tower and secure Tempris before sunset for the demonic cult, or ideally before that mysterious woman arrived and left without her.

Yet here he was, locked in combat with a formidable opponent who showed no signs of yielding easily.

Consumed by mounting frustration and a stark need for a swift conclusion, Jax executed a formidable sweeping maneuver with both his blades. The swords sliced cleanly through her illusory afterimages, yet instead of blood, the phantoms dissolved into a cascade of innocuous cherry blossom petals, swirling around him as if marking his own demise.

Before he could even regain his footing, the true Clarice glided past his defenses with fluid grace. She leaned in close, her breath a mere whisper against his ear. "Now, let's talk."

As she passed, a sudden, blinding agony surged through his gut. He glanced down to see a deep, precise gash carved into his abdomen. The exposed flesh was already rapidly discolored, dark, venomous veins spreading with alarming speed from the wound.

Jax crumpled to his knees, teeth clenched, spitting curses as the searing pain engulfed his entire being.

[HP: 1,600 / 80,000]

He gasped through the torment, "What have you done to me?"

Clarice responded with a casual flick of her wrist as she sheathed her sword. "Just a specialized poison. It will soon paralyze your entire body and strip away your conscious senses. It makes extracting information with magic much easier. I know fanatic cultists like you rarely confess their sins willingly."

Jax found himself utterly lost, with no time to even formulate a strategy. It was at that precise moment a familiar, irritatingly smug voice echoed within his mind.

"My, my, it seems it's finally my time to shine. Humbled so swiftly by a mere elf, are we, my boisterous host?" Echidna's excitement was palpable.

Jax managed to grit out through his pain, "Wait, are you implying you can actually help me escape this situation?"

Echidna scoffed. "Please. A mortal wielding a piece of metal is child's play. However, as I am without my physical form, the best I can offer is to channel my authority through yours."

Jax retorted sharply, "Then hurry before I die listening to your bragging. And spare me the part where you try to make me beg; we haven't got the time. I'll thank you later and officially remove that 'useless' tag from your name."

Echidna huffed. "Fine, fine, I understand you're running on fumes. I'll be quick, but listen carefully – this is important. Flooding your mortal vessel with my authority comes at a significant cost."

Jax didn't hesitate. "I don't care. Just do it."

Echidna sighed, the exasperation of a babysitter long past the point of reasoning with her charge evident. "Don't come crying to me later claiming you weren't warned. Now, let's see, how much of my strength shall we unleash?"

A brief pause followed as she assessed Clarice from Jax's fading perspective.

"Against this little twig with a butter knife? Yes, five percent should be more than adequate to utterly toy with her."

Her tone then shifted, acquiring a genuine gravitas. "Brace your core. My mana is about to flood in, and it will burn. But you will survive... Probably."

-x-X-x-

A/N: Quinton_Thrasher, Jared_Zimmer, Leo_Muhammad, Chris_Heil_0135, Outsxder, Nicholas_Nelson_6506, tony_adams_4787, Martijn_Wiersma_1870 and Matthew_Decker_4219 coming in with the golden tickets, genuinely grateful for each one of you 🙏🔥

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