The hero quickly rolled over and stood up, clutching a throbbing forehead, but her eyes remained locked on the Depraved Hero, her face full of vigilance.
Just then, the weary voice of the Ancient Hero came from the side:
"I've done all I can, now it's up to you, my successor."
The hero nodded slightly, a hint of determination in her eyes.
"Damn it, how could this happen, it wasn't supposed to be ..."
The Depraved Hero wiped the blood off her face viciously and looked at the hero with a twisted expression, her lips twitching.
"Hmph, it's too late for regrets now."
Seeing the opponent in such a miserable state, the hero couldn't help but wrinkle her nose, but her clenched fists did not loosen in the slightest.
"Whether it's doing good or committing evil, if you can't bear the possible consequences, then you shouldn't even start."
The hero spoke slowly, a flicker of depth in her eyes.
"Killing goblins is the same. It's not like I didn't think about it before becoming a hero."
As someone who had witnessed the tragic state of her closest friend, she knew all too well the price failure might bring.
If she were defeated by goblins, what kind of misfortune would she face? Just imagining it made her heart shiver.
She didn't dare to say she could definitely bear such destiny, but at the very least, she didn't hold the naive thought of "I won't fail" when she set out to defeat goblins.
"Acting without conviction is wrong, huh. Hah, a fool's words, but they make sense; that's the leisure of a winner, I suppose."
The Depraved Hero was silent for a moment, then slowly curled her lips into a sinister smile.
"But do you think you've already won?"
Realizing she was already on the brink of defeat, the Depraved Hero stopped blaming herself and instead roared fiercely.
"In that case, I'll let you taste defeat! Let's see if you can still look afterward!"
[Depraved Hero's Critical Success!]
2. Devouring Curse Demon
3. Unity Self-immolation
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
The Depraved Hero kicked the book beneath her, sending the pages fluttering and falling,
Though her form was half-transparent, her movements were unprecedentedly swift, with red eyes drawing two streaks of light as she moved, passing through the curtain of pages to attack the hero.
The hero's expression changed slightly, preparing to put up a defensive stance when she heard the Ancient Hero's exclamation from the side.
"Successor, look out!"
But the warning came a half-step too late. The Depraved Hero's bloodstained lips twisted into a sinister smile as a blood-red gash appeared on the inside of her wrist, as if caused by jagged teeth, and hot blood gushed out like liquid flame.
She swung her arm abruptly, and the droplets of blood turned into sharp arrows, shooting toward the hero's face.
The searing blood hit the hero's eyes directly, the scorching sensation causing her to cry out in pain.
Her vision was shrouded in red, but she still swung a punch by feeling, and the impact was felt clearly, accompanied by a dull groan—she had struck the opponent.
But it wasn't enough to stop the fierce enemy's advance; the hero was knocked to the ground, her mind almost shattered by the heavy impact on her face before she could react.
"Ha—ha, I told you I'd let you taste defeat as well."
The Depraved Hero headbutted the hero below her in retaliation, panting heavily, her face flushed an unnatural red, while blood dripped from the wound on her wrist, staining both their skins and spreading across the ground, forming a ghastly sight.
She pinned the hero's arms with her knees, restraining her struggles tightly, while her other unharmed hand clamped down on the hero's throat with a vice-like grip.
Though her form was phantom-like, the bulging veins on her arm were visible to the naked eye, the force ruthless and merciless.
The Ancient Hero beside them watched anxiously, yet powerless to intervene.
[Depraved Hero HP 7/127]
The increasingly transparent Depraved Hero paid her no mind, simply looked down at the hero whose struggles were waning, then leaned in, her scarlet pupils just a palm's distance from the hero.
The hero stubbornly opened her eyes, her vision blurred long ago, her throat nearly crushed, coughing up a bit of blood and incoherent words.
"You're talking about next time? Haha, interesting."
The Depraved Hero's lips curled.
"You're right, truly falling to the abyss requires voluntarily diving in. Those who end up drowned at sea are merely drowning dogs."
Red eyes reflected green ones, one flickering brightly, one dim but not extinguished.
"So I'm looking forward to it, looking forward to our next meeting."
Her grip tightened further, causing the hero's pupils to dilate.
"Well, allow me to introduce myself again, dear 'me.'~"
The Depraved Hero whispered softly, a voice like a curse lingering near the hero's ear.
At that final moment, she suddenly dipped her head, her sharp teeth tearing into the hero's lips, colliding violently with her teeth.
The hero's consciousness abruptly sank into darkness.
[Hero acquired Depravity Skills—]
0. Only retain Heartbroken
1. Pristine Beginning: sensitive to foreign objects
2. Hollow Honey Temptation: strong allure to all creatures when hollow
3. dirty heart language: particularly perceptive to malicious thoughts♛
4. Life Stealing: steals surrounding vitality when recovering
5. Curse Fusion: fuses curses to transformation
6. Depravity: attributes reverse when used, special attack against kind existences
7. Depravity: mind flips when used, special attack against rational existences
8. Depravity: strength can be added to charm (analogy, not reversible), ineffective against goblins
9. Sacrificial Ceremony: only when protecting, sacrifice one's benevolence for strength
[Curse of the Devouring Curse Demon was successful]
[Hero was corroded by the curse, applied status: Profound Degeneration (considered curse*2, unable to act before damaged)]
[Devouring Curse Demon activated skill: Demon Eyes, Nail Head Arrow, Hatred Chain]
2d10=d10(4)+d10(10)=14
2d293+d194=d293(1)+d293(241)+d194(150)=392
[Demon Eyes' lock was a critical success, the Devouring Curse Demon dealt 14*20+392+30=702 points of damage to the hero]
[Nail Head Arrow's outcome was a Great Failure, restraint failed, hero received (702-80-41)*2=1162 points of damage, Beast Spirit Magic Power: 2735/6414]
[Due to skill: dirty heart language, hero countered malicious targets]
[Hero activated skill: Sacrifice]
2d69+d412=d69(50)+d69(20)+d412(283)=353
[Hero dealt 353 points of damage to the Devouring Curse Demon]
[Devouring Curse Demon received 353-128=225 points of damage HP -140/279]
[Devouring Curse Demon died]
[Hero killed the Devouring Curse Demon R6 LV63, experience +315000]