The Duke's Passion

Chapter 871  Connecting worlds

"It is silly for you to think like that when, even in that form, you do not have a single horn." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Sloth!!!" the demon roared, swinging its arm to grab her tiny little body. "How dare you speak so boldly before me?!"

"Uncle." Tilly drew a deep breath, flinging her arm. The dripping blood from her fingertips suddenly turned solid. "You should've stayed in your sleep."

The moment the last syllable rolled out of her tongue, she disappeared from her spot. When the demon clasped his hand, his body froze upon realizing he caught nothing but air. "Say, Uncle. Regenerating takes a ton of energy, isn't it?" Tilly's voice caressed the demon's ears before the demon caught glints across its arm.

Tilly then reappeared on its shoulder, tilting her head to look at the demon's face properly. The demon's eyes slid to the side, and it didn't waste a second to slap her like a mosquito. However, just as the demon's hand landed on its shoulder, its arm fell apart into many parts.

RUMBLE!

Samael was almost in a deep sleep when the ground shook, waking him up in a panic. He looked around, only to gasp at the huge object falling directly at him. Samael raised his arm on instinct, eyes shut. When a second passed without pain inflicting him, he peeked from one of his eyes. "Right… I have this protective barrier." He heaved a sigh of relief before looking around to gain some enlightenment. What fell on him was huge, for sure. However, it didn't look like a boulder or a huge concrete. "This is…" Samael narrowed his eyes, studying the piece near him. Dark fluid was coming out of it and with the fogginess of his surrounding, it took him time to discern what it was. His eyes slowly went wide upon realization, looking heavenward on instinct. There, up above, was the tiny figure of Tilly floating before the demon. If he didn't know better, he would think the two hadn't engaged in battle since he slept and woke up with Tilly in the same spot. If not for the fact that the demon's entire arm was chopped up into many pieces, and those two red sticks connected by red chains in Tilly's possession, he would think nothing had happened yet. "Where in the world did she get that pair of nunchaku?" wondered Samael, fixing his eyes on the unique weapon in Tilly's possession. Samael never saw Tilly wield any weapon. Even if it was a wooden sword, she didn't bother carrying it because, according to her, they were heavy. But now, she was holding those pair of red nunchaku of an unknown origin. He had seen those types of weapons in the eastern part of the world.

"Those things…" Samael furrowed his brows, sniffing hard, as if that would give him clarity. "... it smells like… like her — like that of her wings."

There were myriads of questions that hovered over Samael's mind but accepted the answers would come afterward. Tilly was now facing the demon, the most problematic opponent they had ever faced. "Tilly…" Samael breathed out, only to arch his brow upon noticing the protective barrier. He peeked down to his body and the deep lines between his brows deepened. "My wounds… are healing," came out a mumble, confused. Samael had the ability to heal his wounds. His regeneration ability was far superior to his brothers, giving him an advantage in a fight. The only time his regeneration would slow down was if he got cut by a special weapon, like a divine weapon. His fight against the demon was the same. Only this time, his injuries weren't healing completely thus, the explanation for his total immobility. But now, just minutes after Tilly put up this protective barrier, Samael could sit up as if he couldn't even lift a finger moments ago. "My body…" Samael planted his palm on his abdomen, feeling his organs and bones within. "It's healing faster than it ever did."

He took a pause, lifting his eyes to the protective barrier between him. "But this barrier… is growing thin. Tilly — this jerk. She should've told me this protective barrier isn't just to keep me away from harm, but to recharge me."

His face turned sour as he gazed up once again. He should be grateful, but at the same time, he felt cheated. "Tilly, you jerk! You should've explained this barrier. Now I feel bad for badmouthing you!" he yelled, satisfied that he didn't feel pain in his lungs anymore. ***

Meanwhile…

"Tilly, you jerk! You should've explained this barrier. Now I feel bad for badmouthing you!"

Tilly pretended she didn't hear Samael, keeping her focus on the demon. Even from this distance, she could hear the audible low growl from her opponent and the stifling power emanating from it. "You shouldn't think twice whether you regenerate or fight just like that," she advised under her breath, eyes glinting menacingly. "Because if you don't, I will continue to chop you off until I do not need these wings to face you."

It didn't take a second for her to charge toward the demon, swirling the pair of red chain sticks from either side of her. As she spun her weapon, sharp spikes appeared around it. "You damn wench!" growled the demon, using his other hand to welcome Tilly with his open grip. With its size, Tilly swiftly dodged its drip. She flew around its arm, hooking the chain stick around the demon's gigantic arm. Her speed was akin to the speed of lightning, making any bystander miss how the red chains connecting her weapon mysteriously extended. CLANG!

Tilly stopped, standing on the demon's back with her hand gripping her weapon. Her eyelashes fluttered ever so slowly, gazing up to see the back of the demon's head. She maintained her stoic countenance, watching an eye suddenly appear on the back of the demon's head. "You —!" the demon halted as it tried to move, only to realize a red chain wrapped around his entire balloon body. "I told you." Tilly kept her gaze at one eye on the demon's back. "Do as much as you can to fight me, because a moment's hesitation might cost you your life."

As soon as her remarks rolled out of her tongue, she pulled the chains, warranting a squeal from her opponent. When she pulled even stronger, the squeal suddenly died down, and then countless body parts fell apart.