"Come… Kaiser! Let us corrupt each other!"
As soon as they spoke, they all attacked him.
Kaiser already anticipated this and bolted through the forest. His plan had worked well, too well, even. Unfortunately, he didn't anticipate that the Voidborne would have corrupted the others and made them its puppets. His original plan of letting the others kill the Voidborne for him had now backfired.
He was the one being hunted!
Boom!
He rolled to the side, just in time to dodge a fireball that scorched his former position. That was Sera's attack, a sight he was familiar with. He hadn't thought that attack would be used against him.
'Unbelievable… such intense bad luck.'
He smiled to himself, then hid behind a tree.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three arrows struck the tree, digging into its charred bark. Kaiser paused for a few seconds, then climbed up the tree. Thankfully, it was nighttime, hindering the vision of the Voidborne's puppets.
"Kaiser… Kaiser! Kaiser! Let us play!"
Their voices continued to echo, making him wince. Who'd want to play with such an abomination? From a tree branch, he looked down at the puppets. As they searched for him, he noticed a difference in them. Their movements weren't fluid, and it seemed to be robotic.
'Either they're resisting its control, or it isn't experienced in controlling a human's body.'
He noted, then unsheathed the Nameless Fang. The dagger gleamed under the moonlight, instantly catching Kara's attention.
"Up in the tree! Kaiser! Don't run from us!"
Kaiser shivered, then let himself fall. A series of attacks welcomed him. His eyes narrowed and he did his best to avoid them. Still, Sera's fireball sizzled a portion of his hair, while Elias's arrow grazed his arm.
He landed amidst the five Awakened, then spun. Using Miel's shied as a foothold, he lunged at Sera. His dagger slashed across her throat, instantly drawing blood. Her hands flew to her neck, though she was unable to stop the bleeding. In a few moments, she collapsed to the ground, dead. The expressions on the faces of the others turned to shock; stunned by his action, then turned to elation.
"Madness! Kaiser is mad too! Hahahaha! This is fun!"
Seeing Sera killed by Kaiser without a hint of hesitation, the Voidborne saw Kaiser as a kindred spirit, bringing it joy.
Kaiser bent ninety degrees backwards, dodging Lugh's spear that would have pierced his torso, then slid to the side.
Bang!
He dodged Kara's sword, but failed to dodge Miel's shield. The large metal smashed into his side, almost breaking his bones. Kaiser was sent flying for meters before he crashed to the ground.
He immediately sprang up, then spat a jet of blood. Wiping his lips, he watched as the remaining Awakened rushed at him with mad glee. Elias's arrows arrived first.
Kaiser parried them with the Unremarkable Sword, feeling his arms trembling from the force of the attack. Kara arrived immediately after. Her sword flashed towards him at blinding speed.
Kaiser couldn't see the attack, but raised his blade vertically.
Clang!
He blocked the attack, but was sent flying. His back hit a tree, forcing a groan from him. He didn't pause at all and rolled to the side. Elias's arrows struck the tree with sickening thuds.
When he raised his head, Lugh was already upon him. The guy's spear stabbed straight at his heart. Kaiser caught the pole, straining his muscles to stop the stab. The tip of the spear cut his skin, even reaching his ribs. However, it was stalled enough for Kaiser to act. He switched to the Nameless Fang, then stabbed Lugh in the heart.
The man's eyes widened, then dulled.
'Another one dead.'
Kaiser pulled the spear from his body, then hurled it at Miel. The tank raised his shield, blocking the attack effortlessly. When he lowered the shield, Kaiser was nowhere to be seen.
"Up here."
Hearing that fine voice, he looked up, only to see the tip of a sword a little bit too close.
Puchi!
The Unremarkable Sword stabbed through Miel's eyes and brain, while Kaiser's weight pushed the man to the ground. Life faded from his eyes.
Kara and Elias appeared a moment later, blocking off any path to retreat. Seeing that he had killed another two of his former companions, the Voidborne laughed through its remaining two puppets.
"Hahahaha! You're so cruel! Your soul! So chaotic!"
The voices sounded grating to the ear, but Kaiser ignored the sensation. He raised his sword stained with Miel's blood, then spoke.
"An assassin does not feel for their targets. I am free to be cruel, Voidborne."
The two puppets didn't attack. Instead, the Voidborne seemed inclined to speak with him.
"Is that right? Haha! You killed a lady who liked you! You killed the one who you admired his skills! You killed the one who cooked for you!"
The demented shout turned into a shriek.
"You're so corrupted! No hint of remorse! No hint of regret! Ahh! I want to infect you! Like no other, you're just like me! A human version of myself!"
Kaiser's expression remained unchanged at the accusations. Instead, he took this slight break to rest and ask.
"You tried corrupting me every night, though. Why do you think that didn't work?"
At his question, the Voidborne fell silent. Their expressions showed a bit of hesitation as they glanced at his shadow. Their previously elated voices turned into hesitant whispers.
"So strange… this shadow… so deep. It consumes even the void itself… annoying."
Kaiser's lips curled into a grin. "So? Frustrated? You failed to corrupt me, after all…"
Their expressions turned into confusion. "Eh? It doesn't matter, right? Soon, I'll be able to corrupt you!"
Kaiser shook his head. "That sounds like you're trying to convince yourself, rather than me."
The Voidborne hissed, scowling. "So annoying… you read me like a book. Hah! I want to touch your soul already! Let's not wait any longer!"
Kara raised her sword, while Elias knocked an arrow. Kaiser raised the Unremarkable Sword, then whispered.
"Then, come. Let us corrupt each other, Voidborne."