Chapter 167. Ugo (1)
Caron's vision kept blurring. He wondered if it was because he had lost too much blood. Gasping for breath, he assessed his condition. His right shoulder had suffered a grievous wound, to the point where his bone was exposed. Though he had barely managed to stop the bleeding using Pluto's darkness, even holding his sword was agonizing.
Caron had fought for far too long.
From the very beginning, the disparity in strength had been overwhelming. Just staying on his feet had been a struggle. And yet, despite it all, Caron had continued to drive Guillotine into Ugo, devouring the dark mana that infested his body. The price for that was his battered, broken form.
"...Commander," Ugo said weakly.
Ugo, who had charged at Caron with murderous fury, now stood frozen in place like a statue. The darkness that had shrouded him seemed to have receded slightly.
"Commander, is that really you?" Ugo's cracked, aged voice echoed through the cavern.
Despite the strain, Caron forced a smile and gave a slight nod, replying, "Are you starting to come to your senses?"
There was so much he wanted to ask, but now wasn't the time. Though Ugo appeared to have regained some clarity, his condition remained precarious.
A faint, sinister ripple stirred around Ugo's body—a massive surge of dark mana writhing beneath the surface. Ugo's wrinkled lips twisted slightly, and Caron realized he was trying to smile.
"You... really came back," Ugo managed to say. His words were fragmented, each syllable a struggle. With every word he forced out, the dark mana within him surged outward, spreading in all directions.
This was not good.