Seeing me charge at them, the Fallen Angels scoffed.
"Ha! There was another crazy human! Is he dying to die?"
"I was getting bored anyway. This is perfect. Deal with him first."
Their eyes were filled with arrogance.
Well, it made sense. A human charging in with his bare hands, without even a proper weapon, couldn't possibly look sane.
One of them reached out as if annoyed, and light coalesced in mid-air, instantly transforming into a spear.
He threw it lightly.
I had no intention of dodging.
No, to be precise, I lacked the ability to dodge in the first place.
Thwack—!
With a sharp piercing sound, the spear of light struck true, impaling my heart.
"Gah...!"
My body was flung backward, accompanied by immense pain that felt as if every nerve was being incinerated.
My consciousness faded into the distance in an instant.
But it was fine.
I was used to this level of pain.
"Moron."
I muttered through a mouthful of blood.
The light spear that pierced my heart, having exhausted its energy, was slowly turning into particles of light and scattering away.
Before it could vanish completely, I dashed toward the Fallen Angel who had created it.
Naturally assuming I was dead, the Fallen Angel had let his guard down, allowing my approach.
I didn't miss that opening and grabbed him by the throat.
As if I would never let go.
"W-What...?"
Confusion washed over the face of the Fallen Angel who had attacked me.
A human who not only survived having his heart pierced but withstood the attack and grabbed him by the neck.
It was a sight that defied common sense.
"You... What are you!"
"A beast that will devour every last one of you."
The Grail pulsed madly, beginning to repair my torn heart and flesh.
At the same time, I pulled his arm.
The distance closed in an instant.
Crunch—!
I gripped his neck with my bare hands and snapped it.
"Kah... ah..."
The sensation of a thread of life snapping.
And in that moment.
[Grail of Death (Qlippoth Graal)]
The Grail opened its maw greedily.
The essence of the soul flowing from the dead Fallen Angel's body—all of it regurgitated into me like a storm.
"Arghhhhh!"
It felt like my head was going to split open.
The bastard's memories of hundreds of years, his combat experience, and the knowledge of how to manipulate Light Magic.
A massive flood of information ransacked my mind.
But simultaneously, power overflowed throughout my body.
It was a potent strength, incomparable to the tattered state I was in when fighting the Mid-Class Devil.
This is... the power of soul predation.
It was euphoric.
The sensation of surpassing human limits was more thrilling than anything else.
"W-What is that crazy bastard?!"
"Nemeel... died? Killed by a mere human?!"
The remaining two Fallen Angels couldn't hide their shock.
Their faces, once filled with arrogance, were now dyed with fear.
"Two left, then."
I slowly raised my right hand.
Based on the knowledge and Light Power I had just absorbed, I mimicked their power.
Vwooom—!
Particles of light began to gather above my palm.
And in an instant, a spear of light, identical in form to the ones they used, was held in my hand.
"Y-You... How can you use Light Power...!"
"Who knows?"
The situation was now reversed.
My body felt light.
I could see their movements clearly.
No, it wasn't just seeing them.
I could predict them.
Because I possessed the memories of the comrade they had spent hundreds of years with.
One of them, enraged by his comrade's death, charged blindly.
A predictable attack.
I lightly ducked to avoid his spear and drove my own light spear straight through his abdomen.
"Gah...!"
"One."
The other one, terrified, tried to take flight into the sky.
Where do you think you're going?
Without hesitation, I reached out into the empty air.
A spear of light, identical to the one before, formed instantly.
And I threw it with all my might.
Leaving my hand, the spear became a streak of light and pierced the back of the fleeing Fallen Angel with precision.
I didn't even glance at the falling corpse.
I approached the two fallen enemies and placed my hands on them.
The Grail howled greedily once more.
Again, with terrible pain, two more souls flowed into me.
It was all over.
The stench of blood hung heavy in the air.
Savoring my newfound power, I returned to where the fight had begun.
The human Sacred Gear possessor was still standing there blankly.
It seemed she had watched the entire spectacle from beginning to end.
Looking at me with terror-stricken eyes, she barely managed to open her mouth.
"Th... Thank..."
"You don't need to thank me."
I cut her off.
"I didn't do it to save you."
I just wanted to become stronger.
I simply needed prey to gain power.
"What's your name? And what is your Sacred Gear?"
At my emotionless question, she trembled and answered.
"M-My name is Sein... My Sacred Gear is... Blade Blacksmith..."
"Is that so."
A good Sacred Gear.
Having heard the answer, my interest vanished.
I didn't need to know anything more.
Without a word, I turned my back to leave.
"W-Wait!"
Sein called out to me urgently.
"W-Where are you going! I must repay this debt...!"
"Debt, my ass."
I looked back with a sneer.
"If you want to repay me so badly, then get strong first. And survive. Then, maybe someday you might be useful to me."
Leaving her behind, I walked away.
After walking for a while, I stopped to check what I had just obtained.
The lifespan of three Fallen Angels and their accumulated experiences.
And most importantly, Light Power.
"...Hahaha!"
Laughter bubbled up.
If I could have used this earlier, could I have saved everyone?
No.
I didn't even realize I was being attacked back then, so what use would it have been...
Under the ashen sky, I began to walk through the wasteland again, empty-handed.
It feels like I'm finally standing at the starting line...
Let's go.
To tear this world apart.