"Shing!" Its bladed tail clashed against my shield and next moment it pierced through the protection of my shield like butter, though it pierced through the protection of my shield, it still lost some of its power my shields were able to stop some of its piercing momentum. After bypassing the energy layer of the shield, it clashed against the white layer of my defensive skill. The power of my defensive skill was able to stop its tail for fraction of second before the blade snake tail pierced through my defensive skill but It also whittled away lots of power of the attack. Next, the blade of the reaper went against the layer of my fire layer while it directly pierces through as it was the weakest of my defense. I had just cover my head with it so it could whittle away some power of the attack if other defenses could consider varies the type of pillows then my fire layer could consider a cotton sheet. Compare to others its defensive power is very less but it still has some defensive pitr which will help whittle away some force of the attack. Finally, the blade of the blade snake crashed against my knight grade mask, It stands still for a fraction of second before piercing back of my head directly. It started to dig deeper and deeper while I kept resisting it with my Strengthening skill. Uploading all the vitality I have stored in the eight seals in my strengthening skill, so, it could slow the down the piercing of blade. The blade kept entering my head slowly while I was wholly concentrated on strengthening my head with strengthening the skill. the blade is piercing back of my head, so, I can’t see how much deep it got but feeling extreme pain that I am feeling, I think it’s going pretty deep. Ashlyn cry out inside me feeling that but I stopped her doing anything stupid, she can make things only worse by coming out. As the blade is going inside me, I felt both helpless but also resolve to live, my resolve became so strong that I felt something awakening inside me but just as that feeling came its gone. "Clank!" "Spur!" A sound clank rang across my ears and next moment, The Reaper plunged away by my sword and I took stright jump high. It felt like minutes had been passed but barely two seconds had passed since I spotted the snake and prepared the offensive-defensive measures. My plan was divided into two parts first is offensive, other is defensive, this plan of mine required both offensive and defensive to work in sync, even mismanagement of a fraction of second would have cost me my life. The first part of the plant is put the the the the the idea dea defensive even measure, that is I used all the defensive artifacts, skill and other things in defense, I could have also put my sword before shield after and that would added anther layer to defense but that would have been a grave mistake. The notes of the realm that jill and Jim provided me were the best intelligence their organization has about Minerva realm and in which they have a quite detailed description of Three banes of Minerva realm. I have read them quite well and especially about Three banes as these monsters ability match that of Upper ’A’ monster which have the power to beat those who are two or three grade above them easily. Seeing This Initial Corporal stage Blade Snake, I knew I had no chance to live if even if I added the layer that y much able to pierce my head. That is why I had decided my plan in two parts, The defensive part is just a distraction while my sword was a thing that gave me hope to live. While the snake is busy with piercing through my defense, I was ready with me to strike it away. I couldn’t be too early and but couldn’t be too late also, if I attacked too early the blade snake could easily change the attack of its direction and that time my sword my not be able to reach it while I was late then there is no question swinging sword as I will be in embrace of angel of death by then. The key is perfect timing and the best timing is when its tail started piercing my mask at that, the reaper will be sure of my death that won’t able distracts itself and that Hiltunen to launch an attack at it. The plan was successful but received a grave injury, the blade of reaper went quite deep so, that when it came out, a fountain of blood started to spurt from the back of my head. Its good thing that I had drunk the life potion, it stopped the injury next second and even started to heal the bone of skull of that had been pierced by its blade. As for The Blade snakes condition, I am sure nothing happened it as It had the stellar defense, that sword strike of had not even left a scratch on its much less injuring it. I am currently concentrating my all to running, trying to put maximum distance between us as I am sure it will follow. The nickname bloodhound it got isn’t without a reason! While running, I thought about the feeling I got when The blade of the reaper had pierced through my head, It felt like cracking of some shell or awakening of some sort but It was gone before I can sense it more carefully. While the feeling I got for a fleeting second but I am sure, It is feeling of braking of limit. Till this past year, I know the general the genal direction on breaking the limit but now I got the glimpse of the map which is enough. With this clear direction, I’m confident in breaking the limit. It’s just that I will have to embrace the death at a much closer distance than I like to, I thought with a laugh. Twenty minutes passed by and that is when I caught the shadow of the green snake below me as it is following me with its blurring speed. This time, I am little more vigilant ready to jump using sky steps if I see the single sign of climbing the tree. Last time I noticed too late but this time I will not make that mistake as I’ve personally experienced its ripping blade and If possible I’ve never wanted to experience it. The sun is started to go down and in fifteen minutes the darkness will cover the entire forest. As I was running, I heard the faint fighting sound in front of me and from the sound, I can guess a group of people is fighting. Their luck is bad, it was any other monster I would have changed my direction a little to go around their fight but what is following my reaper. Even little turn would slow down my speed which could give chance to reaper to launch an attack at me. Compare to unknown people, my life is more important and I would not risk it for them, I thought as I dived in their fighting field.