Chapter 171 Chapter 171- Operation: Behemoth (Part 12)

Taylor's speed increased as she bit down the pain she felt throughout her body. Her bones shook violently under the pressure, threatening to crack at such a high-intensity pressure.

However, for better or worse, that pain kept Taylor's mind sharp and awake even after losing a huge amount of blood. It also helped her aim a little bit.

*Swish*

Pulling an arrow, she pulled the string while still on the move, dodging every attack that the Executioners tried to aim at her, and then released the arrow. Cutting through the air, the arrow latched into the left shoulder of one of the Executioners.

"Ugh!!"

Then, she quickly followed it with another arrow and then another one after that. Her speed was surprisingly faster than that of a gun. In fact, Taylor loathed guns and saw them as inferior yet technologically advanced objects.

What guns lack, bows and arrows have since the beginning of history. Not only that, but she found that arrows teach the individual patience, focus, dedication, and will to wait for the right moment to take their targets down.

'I'm not the best… But I'm sure as hell I'm way better than you, fools!' She thought to herself as she fired another shot that luckily pierced one of the Executioners in the eye.

However, that's when something unexpected happened. Because she was completely focused on shooting down the Executioners, when the castle shook violently due to the fight occurring deep into the corridors of this ancient fortress, Taylor lost her footing and found herself stumbling forward, losing her balance completely.

'Shit!' She cursed as she tried to adjust her position. However, by the time she did that, the Executioners had long used that opportunity.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

Three shots pierced through the air and hit her side and left leg. The pain from the hit almost knocked Taylor unconscious but with sheer will, she was able to adjust her position and land on her feet.

Her gloomy eyes were now brimming with life, a life that was slowly dwindling with every passing second she wasn't getting treated.

The two enemies then followed that attack by dashing toward Taylor at top speed using their close-range weapons, they tried to land the critical hit.

"Goddamn you!!" Channeling her Origin to the extreme, Taylor moved her body away. Even though her speed diminished considerably, it was still very impressive. Then, she jumped in the air before she aimed her bow and then shockingly pulled out two arrows.

"Chasing Piercer." She murmured as her eyes shone with a bright light. The arrows then blasted from her bow at top speed.

'Tsk, is she trying to hit us again?! Not so soon! I can see her arrow!' The two thought at the same time as they sidestepped the arrow. But, right when they thought they were safe, the arrows suddenly turned around and flew back, hitting each one of them in the back, right where their hearts were.

The two looked back with shock as a crimson fountain gushed out of their bodies. Then, with disbelieving looks, they fell down, dead.

Taylor landed on her back as she heaved up and down, looking at the ceiling. Her vision was growing hazy and her body was feeling colder and colder by the second.

"I'm… taking a vacation for 10 years…" She murmured quietly before closing her eyes.

***

While Elvi and Taylor's fights were brutal and a near-death experience for both of them, the same thing can't be applied to Lola's, Zero and Arthur's fights.

For Zero, who was a battle junky through and through, the more he sustained injuries, the more powerful he became.

"Hahahahahah!!! Come on, idiots! Let me have some fun, would ya?!" He shouted as he threw his hands forward, launching the chains around his arms toward the two Executioners.

The chains, akin to horrifying serpentine, flew through the air as they lunged at the two Executioners.

*BOOOM*

Hitting the rough ground, debris exploded everywhere.

"It's not over!!!" Zero yelled as he moved his hand and the chains rose up before they followed after the Executioners as if they gained consciousness of their own.

"What the fuck is wrong with this guy?! Are all Archangels completely insane like him?!" One of the Executioners who was an older male, yelled as he ran at top speed while shooting Zero with his gun.

Both Executioners lost count of how many rounds this man's body ate up. His chains had already turned completely red from the sheer amount of blood he lost. In fact, Zero's injuries should've been lethal for him. Yet, by some kind of magic, he was still as vigorous as ever.

"Don't stop attacking him, L! Even he has a limit to how much he can sustain!!"

"Yeah, hit me! Do it!! Hahahahahaha!! I love it! Test how much my body could go!! I'm invincible, assholes!!" Laughing maniacally, Zero swung his arms around frantically, creating a huge maze of interconnected chains that had one sole aim, to destroy the two Executioners.

"Chain maze!!" He yelled.

"Shit!!"

Before the two could even react, the chains had already wrapped around their bodies and in a shocking sight, the chains squeezed the two Executioners violently.

Howling screams and mind-numbing shrieks echoed in the shadow prison followed by the sound of popping and the sound of something wet hitting the ground.

"Eh… that's it? Tsk, what a boring bunch. You barely did anything." Zero's happy expression faded as he looked at the two lumps of meat squeezed by his chains.

"Tsk, I hate this… Where is the challenge?!" He yelled. "Where is that fool Grey or whatever his name was? Come here and fight me!" He yelled as he pulled his chains and aimed them at the dark prison walls. However, none of his attacks worked, they simply bounced off the walls.

On the other hand, and in an exception that the others didn't know of. Lola and Arthur ended up being in the same prison against two executioners. One of them was none other than V.

The fight was rather equal. No party was able to take advantage of the other one. However, Lola and Arthur's coordination seemed very off, which was one of the main reasons why they couldn't take advantage of V and Q's horrible injuries.

Lola was indeed selfish and liked to work alone but she was adept at working with others since when she became an Ascender, she had to go on countless missions with other people. If the situation required it, she was ready to work with someone.

However, that's where the problem lies, the person she was trying to team up with was Arthur. The handsome Archangel, albeit being a very humble and kind person, was excruciatingly selfish in his fighting style. No, it wasn't even as simple as that, it was almost as if he wanted to push Lola into her own death with his fighting style.

With his long spear in his hand, Arthur's footwork and fighting style used everything to his advantage, even Lola.

In countless attacks from V and Q, he would move behind Lola, letting her be the meat shield that needed to stop these attacks.

"Oi, Arthur, you retard, stop your dirty methods and fight like a normal person for once!" Lola yelled as she glared at Arthur, finally having enough of his bullshit.

"What do you mean, Lola?" Arthur feigned ignorance.

'This bastard!'