I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 15 The Unchanging One

If it was Charlottes secret technique, maybea thought that kept surfacing.

However, something gnawed at him from deep within his heart.

Thump!

Another sound of the Thousand-Faced Demons footsteps didnt give him any more time to ponder.

If we fail, its the end for both of us.

Yes, thats why I need you to attract its attention until Im ready.

Damn it.

In the end, Belorkin decided to take a gamble on Kraush.

Forgetting everything else, he focused solely on surviving.

Thump!

At intervals that seemed to shorten, the sound of footsteps approached.

Now, the Thousand-Faced Demon was almost upon them.

Im getting ready.

At that moment, Kraush withdrew his sword.

His eyes closed, and after a brief pause, a glow of aura began to rise from Kraushs entire body.

Kraushs mind fused with his sword, reaching a state of unity known as Shin-Geom-Hap-Il.

Seeing this, Belorkins pupils quaked fiercely.

Despite the downpour, the swamp risen to their waists, and the oppressive presence of the Thousand-Faced Demon,

Kraush managed to enter a focused state in the midst of countless distractions.

What concentration.

How can it be this intense?

Belorkin suddenly felt the pounding of his own heart rough and rapid.

It was a bad premonition creeping up from his stomach.

And shortly after, his gut feelings proved correct.

A blue aura began to shimmer on top of Kraushs sword.

Initially, there was just a palmful of aura.

But as the aura blanketed the sword, it drove Belorkin to amazement.

The quantity of aura wasnt significantly large.

It was merely at the lower Expert level.

Yet, its quality was on a completely different plane.

An aura of such translucent quality, seemingly unachievable to him even after decades of training, was now contained entirely in Kraushs single sword.

This realm was so exalted it could almost blow away Belorkins mind altogether, confounding him even further.

Even if Kraush learned a secret technique from Charlotte, how could this be possible?

His heart began to beat violently again.

No, this cant be.

This cannot be happening

Brother.

As he felt his limbs grow numb and his face drained of blood,

Kraushs voice reached him.

Only calmness filled Kraushs open blue eyes.

Please.

Upon belatedly understanding his request, Belorkin raised his hand.

Alright.

The moment Belorkin infused his Ignis into Kraushs aura, a blue flame roared to life in stark contrast to Belorkins own flame.

The burning blade of the sword seemed like it could scorch anything it touched, making Belorkin feel incredibly small before it.

Thump! Thump!

Meanwhile, the Thousand-Faced Demon began to take shape through the wall of pouring rain.

Even a glance confirmed that the demon had swelled to an absurd size, its mere approach stirring enough fear to chill the bones.

Could he really buy any time?

It was at this moment.

Brother, its okay.

Kraushs voice reached the tensed Belorkin.

It seems we have more time than expected, so you dont need to distract it.

Hearing the following words, Belorkin felt something inside him drop heavily.

Kraush must have spoken out of concern, but his words felt as though they meant Belorkin was completely unnecessary.

All Belorkin had done was to bestow a divine skill upon Kraush.

Even that power wasnt truly Belorkins; it was divine.

Then what was he doing here now?

That thought filled Belorkins mind.

Kraushs sword slowly lifted above him.

Belorkin looked up following the sword.

Even amidst the torrential downpour, the sword, infused with Ignis, did not lose its brilliance and blazed spectacularly.

The flames that burned more fiercely than when Belorkin wielded them made the drenched Belorkin seem all the more pitiful in contrast.

That sword would undoubtedly cleave the Thousand-Faced Demon.

Such mighty power was definitely enclosed within it.

But at the moment the sword cut through the Thousand-Faced Demon, what would become of him?

Belorkin hadnt managed to do anything to confront the demon.

Instead, he was pitifully tumbling and running away.

But here, Kraush was cleaving the Thousand-Faced Demon with his own power.

That meant

That meant

I am inferior to Kraush, arent I?

The half-penny youngest, trapped in the Cheongsongwan.

If he was beneath even that youngest, then what was his significance in Balheim?

Aah, aah.

Belorkins lips, turned blue from the rain, trembled faintly.

Rather, rather dont make the cut.

Dont defeat the Thousand-Faced Demon.

Forsaking even the thought of wanting to live, Belorkin wished desperately.

In a moment that seemed destined to crush his last hope, despair fell from the heavens.

One Sword.

For a split second, as Kraushs sword slashed down, the rain paused.

Tick, whoosh!

And then the rain began pouring down again, belatedly.

Rumble!

A clear sound of something ripping apart echoed around them.

As Belorkins view stretched out in front of him, he saw the Thousand-Faced Demon split diagonally.

With no sign of resistance, trapped in the flames that began at the slash, it crumbled away.

The moment he witnessed it, Belorkins heart crumbled simultaneously.

Thud

Belorkin slumped down unconsciously.

It was because the whole world seemed to point out that he was beneath Kraush.

Brother, its safe now.

Right then, Kraushs voice rang clearly in his ears.

As if recognizing the death of its master, the rain began to taper off gradually, and the swamps size started to shrink.

Soon after, the sunlight peeking through the clouds shone upon Kraushs face, revealing his radiant expression.

This was no longer the face of a lowly half-penny; it was the bright face of someone who is moving forward.

And in contrast to such Kraush, Belorkins face was hidden beneath his own small shadow.

Ha, haha.

A hollow laugh escaped his lips for a moment.

Before long, Belorkin started to slowly lift himself up.

His mind was a tangled mess of thoughts.

But he could recognize one fact.

Kraush had surpassed him.

And in Balheim, the true rubbish was himself.

Realizing that, Belorkin grasped his sword.

Kraush was exhausted from the strike he had just delivered.

It was a full-powered strike, and even Belorkin could easily tell.

Die.

Therefore, with no hesitation, Belorkin swung his sword towards Kraushs neck.

His twisted face, eager to slay the younger brother who had brought him to ruin, was awash with a maddened smile.

Clang!

However, what his sword felt was not the sensation of cutting through his brothers neck but the sound of steel clashing against steel.

Ha ha, kuh.

At that moment, Belorkin heard a laughter that sounded forcibly repressed.

As his eyes belatedly turned toward Kraushs face, Kraush was looking back at him with a tragic smile.

Belorkin, thank you for not changing at all.

Although Belorkin couldnt comprehend those words, he realized something.

A black energy was rising from Kraushs body.

What.

Startled, Belorkin attempted to retract his sword and trigger his Ignis too late.

No flames arose from his blade.

As one of Belorkins eyes widened in realization, Kraush looked at him with a sneering smile.

Looking for this?

In that instant, a dark flame surged along the black energy from Kraushs sword.

Recognizing it as Ignis, one of Belorkins eyes bulged in shock.

What, you, what have you done!

As Belorkin cried out in confusion, Kraush shook his drenched hair and then casually swung his sword toward Belorkin.

Whoosh!

Startled by the fact that Kraush had used Ignis, Belorkin failed to anticipate the attack.

AAAAAGH!

Having his chest slashed, Belorkin writhed on the ground amidst the dark flames.

Belorkin, do you know? I really wanted to get along with my brothers when I was incredibly young.

As he screamed in pain, Kraush started to walk somewhere sluggishly.

He was heading towards where the Thousand-Faced Demon lay.

But no matter how much I tried to get along, you hated me viciously just because of that petty pride.

Then, Kraush sliced off one of the fingers from the Thousand-Faced Demons cursed hand and stabbed it through with his sword before starting to make his way back.

I always had a little hope since we shared blood, that maybe you would eventually come to acknowledge and embrace your younger brother.

Even amidst searing pain, Belorkin clearly heard Kraushs voice.

But, thankfully.

When Kraush finally arrived right in front of him, he looked at Belorkin and smiled as he did at the beginning.

You never chose to do that.

And as Belorkin opened his mouth to scream something, a finger from the Thousand-Faced Demon was thrust into it.

Ugh, gurk!

As the finger was forced into his mouth, Belorkin let out a scream.

However, Kraush looked down on him coldly.

Shortly thereafter, Belorkin realized the last of his sight was disappearing.

As he became aware, he flailed even more desperately, but it was too late.

His eyes, and soon his nose and mouth, were completely gone.

Guh, gurk!

A choking sound vibrated through his throat.

Desperate for air, he started to roll on the ground.

Does it hurt?

Kraush said this to the suffering Belorkin, now without even a hint of smile.

When you burnt my face, I rolled around just like you.

On that day when Belorkin burned his arm, and eventually his face, Kraush couldnt even open his eyes until the saintess healed him.

Thats why Kraush didnt offer any help to Belorkin.

As Belorkins breathing sounds faded with a gurgling noise, and the last of it stopped,

Kraush exhaled lightly and looked up at the sky.

Regrettably, even if the clouds cleared, his own heart was unlikely to ever see such blue again.