Chapter 154 - Kill Steal
Chapter 154: Kill Steal
"I think we should go now," we said at the same time. We were shocked, not expecting to have the same thoughts. Looks like she wanted to wear her demon hunter uniform to cover her identity. Meanwhile, I planned to hide and attack the demon from a distance.
"C\'mon," she said and we started walking in quick paces toward the hospital.
As we had just taken a few steps, I could smell the stink stench piercing my nose along with a movement from her side.
"Look out!" I shouted as I pulled Tiffany away from a demon who pounced on us from behind the car.
We retreated slowly as our eyes fixed a Foul Imp who was grinning in front of us. The demon was still in his original form so I recognized him right away.
[A demon has been found.]
\'Okay, this is bad ...\' we were in a dilemma. As ordinary people, we should run to the hospital and rely on anti-demon doors to protect us. But running to the hospital was tantamount to luring the demon into the crowd and the demon may attack other people along the way. Meanwhile, neither of us could use our true abilities to protect our identities. I could pretend to be a pathetic coward and pretend to faint so she could take on the demon alone, while I could use my skills to help her in secret. But now that we were in the hospital, she would definitely take me to the doctor to check on me after taking care of the demon. And that was not a good idea. I dropped my bag.
"Go! I will hold it here!" I said as I took my attack stance. My eyes remained on that Foul Imp. I already said that I learned martial arts and she had known my strength since my grips left red marks on her wrists. I would just go along with that stupid excuse.
Tiffany gritted her teeth in annoyance since she couldn\'t leave me nor see another way out before she sighed and took her attack stance.
"I will help you. But we have to run if things get bad," she said.
"That sounds like a good plan," I said with a smirk. Foul Imp was a level 24 demon and his only long-range attack skill was Venom Spike lv 1. I just needed to kill him before he used that annoying skill.
"Graahhhhh!" That Imp suddenly jumped on us like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey. Tiffany avoided it to the side. Meanwhile, I ducked down and grinned.
\'Wrong move pal!\' Quickly, I rolled to the front and as the Imp was above me, I punched his red orb in his groin.
[Critical hit!]
[You have hit a Foul Imp for 180 HP.]
Tiffany looked surprised when she saw how I could land my attack on the demon that fast.
The Imp screamed in pain as he fell to the ground. Without wasting time, Tiffany took the opportunity to kick his red orb with all of her might.
[Critical hit!]
[The Foul Imp has taken 48 physical damage.]
Before she could pull her leg, the Imp grabbed it. I lunged at them but he waved his other hand, threw his Venom Spikes at me before turning his gaze back to Tiffany and standing with an evil grin. I dodged to the side, titled my head, shifted my body as the Venom spikes passed me and stuck to the ground behind me, followed by a hissing sound.
The imp raised Tiffany\'s leg, making her hang upside down and struggled helplessly. As the Imp opened his mouth wide, exposing his sharp teeth and almost ate her, Tiffany\'s hand started glowed in white, it seemed like she decided to use her demon hunter skill. But since the demon was not paying attention to me, I used that opportunity to approach him easily. I grinned as the demon only realized my presence after I was in front of him. Without further ado, I punched his red orb with all my might.
[Critical hit!]
[You have hit a Foul Imp for 182 HP.]
"Arrggggg !!!" That imp screamed in pain and released his grip. I quickly opened my arms and Tiffany fell in it.
She looked at me in amazement with my movement speed without being able to say anything as her hands hugged my neck. And I replied with a smile.
"You are welcome." I took her expression as a compliment since she never showed me such a face.
The Foul Imp opened his mouth and I knew he wanted to spat out his Acid Splash. I rolled to the side with Tiffany to avoid it. Our eyes looked at each other as we landed with my position on top of her accompanied by a hissing sound and a foul smell from where the Acid Splash landed. I could see her face flushed either from embarrassment or suprise, but since we were in the middle of the battle, I ignored it and returned my attention to the Imp.
Again, the Imp jumped on us. I grinned and moved forward. As before, as he was above me, I quickly raised my fist and prepared to destroy his red orb. But before my punch landed, a white chain tied him up from behind and pulled him to the ground. Followed by a white lance that launched at him, destroying his red orb.
[Critical hit!]
[The Foul Imp has taken 82 magical damage.]
And that Foul Imp turned to ashes.
*Ting!*
[The enemy has been defeated!]
[You have gained EXP!]
I turned to the direction where the Mana Strike came from and saw a male demon hunter standing proudly with his arm stretched forward. A proud smile on his lips. While I looked at him with a flat stare.
\'Did he just kill steal my prey?\' I knew he intended to help me and as an ordinary person I should thank him for saving me, but somehow I felt annoyed. I shook off my bad feelings. At least, with this, I could hide my power and said that I only could injure the demon a bit. Shifting my gaze nearby, I could see a female demon hunter hiding behind a nearby car, ready to help her friend if things got worse and I knew who they were.
As Tiffany got back into her senses, she stood up awkwardly. While I was also back to my feet.
That male Demon Hunter approached us with confident steps and stopped in front of us like a knight who had saved the princess.
"Are you okay, buddy --- I mean, kid?" he said in a voice full of dignity.
I was still staring at him with a flat stare.
\'Great! Not only did kill steal but he also called me kid. \' Also he just admitted that he was Larry by calling me buddy. Well, at least his uniform made him look a lot cooler than he used to be and I knew he intended to help me. I just opened my mouth to say \'I\'m okay\', but he raised his hand, asking me to stop my words.
"You don\'t need to thank me. It\'s my duty." His proud smile widened.
Tiffany facepalmed herself. While I could see Emma holding back her laughter. I let out a sigh. I remembered when I was watching him fight alongside Emma and Theo a few days ago, he seemed to be fighting seriously. But outside the battle, Demon Hunter or not, he was still Larry and his attitude hadn\'t changed.
"No. I still have to thank you because you have saved my life, sir." I decided to play along with his act and pretended not to know his identity.
"Ehem!" He cleared his throat elegantly.
"Of course. Next time you have to be careful, kid. There\'s a lot of demons hanging around these days." Then he turned as his hand pulled the edge of his hood, like a hero who tried to cover his identity.
"Now go back to your friends. I\'m sure they\'ve been waiting for you," he said cooly. He stepped away and waved his hand as a goodbye.
"Goodbye, kid!" And Emma followed him.
I looked at him with another flat stare.
\'He called me kid three times,\' I thought in annoyance.
"Ethan." Tiffany\'s voice returned my gaze to her.
She gave my bag to me with her head down and face the other side to cover her blushing face.
"Thanks for your help."
I was quite shocked by her expression, she looked cuter like this.
"You are welcome." I took my bag from her hand with a smile.
Slowly she turned her gaze to me.
"You know ... I\'m quite surprised you can fight against a demon."
"I only can fight them to defend myself just like you. If the demon hunter doesn\'t come, maybe I\'ll be in trouble," I replied. I purposely equalized ourselves to give her a suggestion that I was just an ordinary person who had the same level as her.
She frowned in disbelief and opened her mouth. But then she pressed her lips since she couldn\'t find the right words. Well, I was not too worried about this, even if she realized my abilities and reported to the association to recruit me, Mrs Clea would oppose it.
"You\'re right," she said. Then I could see her hesitation on her face.
"Um ... About your offer for dinner. I\'ll contact you if I\'m interested. So ..." She took out her cellphone from her pocket.
"Ca-Can I have your number?" Her face flushed in embarrassment.
"Of course." I took out my cellphone and let her scan my barcode.
"Thank you," she said as she put her cellphone back in her pocket. While I also put my cellphone in my bag.
I was just about to answer her, but a male voice accompanied by the sound of footsteps could be heard from our side.
"Hoooiiiii!"
We turned to look at the origin of the voice and saw Larry running towards us with a smile as he waved his hand at us happily.
I cringed.
\'Why am I feeling deja vu with this?\' I realized this was similar to the cliche scene of a superhero movie where the hero came to the person he was helping after he turned himself into an ordinary person.
"Are you okay? I heard there was a demon attack earlier," he said with a gasping breath and innocent face.
"We\'re fine. A demon hunter has killed that demon," I said as I tried to throw away my cringe.
"Really?" he said with excitement.
"Then where is he? I have to thank him for saving you." He swept his gaze around like looking for someone.
"He\'s gone, Larry." I didn\'t understand why he could do this without shame.
He sighed and shook his head in disappointment.
"That\'s too bad."
"Ethan, Theo\'s visiting hours will be over soon," reminded Tiffany in panic. Looks like she was trying to cover up Larry\'s identity since his acting was bad.
"Oh, you\'re right. See you later, Tiffany."
"See ya," she replied.
Then I turned around and walked towards the hospital entrance. While Larry followed me and started asking me about his heroic act earlier.