Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Translator: Penny
Episode 58: The Final Battle [End]
Episode 58: The Final Battle [END] (Fixed the Plot Hole)
Crack...
Ugh.
A sudden, intense pain shot through my leg, but... it wasn't a serious issue.
HP: 88/100
So, about 12 points of damage.
Snap, crack!
As I watched my leg return to its original position with grotesque sounds, I reinforced it with psychokinesis.
I had judged that drawing constellations against Seo Jian, a close-combat specialist, would be impossible unless I had formally mastered Constellation Magic. That's why I opted for a close-quarters approach myself. For a hastily improvised strategy, it's proving surprisingly effective.
Staring at my restored leg, I glanced at the cloud of dust rising from the impact site.
I won't fall this easily.
The protagonist's skills, even when considered as a whole, were all overpowered, bordering on cheat-level abilities. But if I had to choose the most broken skill, it would undoubtedly be Path of Victory (UR).
In the original game, this skill revealed the trajectories of enemy attacks, slowed down time in critical moments to make unfavorable situations overwhelmingly advantageous for the protagonist, and even came with a ridiculous secondary effect: if there was even a sliver of possibility, it could make the impossible a reality.
So... even if my attack had landed just now, if the secondary effect of Path of Victory (UR) activated...
Crack!
"Hwaaaah-!"
Yeah, this is exactly how it would go. What, did he have some kind of friendship necklace on his leg for support?
Seo Jian burst through the smoke, looking nothing like someone who had just been sent flying by a devastating attack.
Thwack!
Thwack!
Cross punches exploded, each aimed at the other's jaw.
Crash! Bang!
As Seo Jian, with her balanced B+ stats, couldn't match my technical output, she predictably failed to withstand the impact and rolled across the ground, kicking up dust.
Crack...!
I quickly reset my slightly dislocated jaw and began tracking Seo Jian's movements through the swirling dust.
She's really persistent.
Seo Jian was the embodiment of the Player.
When playing a game, encountering an impassable wall would normally lead someone living in ordinary reality to either meet their death or give up.
But gamers, controlling the protagonist from a third-person perspective, never gave up. They smashed through the wall, shattered it, and, before long, were climbing over the debris to scale it again.
Whether it was due to their gamer's drive and pride, I don't know. But I, too, had gone to absurd lengths to try and save Yun Se-a.
Anyway, the reason I'm bringing this up is...
Once a technique is used, they almost always find a way to counter it. Just like... players in a game.
The movements were truly bizarre and terrifying, leaving me speechless.
Is this what happens when growth is too rapid? Was Sweatdrop of the Hard Worker (UR) really this broken?
I knew that experiencing near-death situations could exponentially increase stat growth, but I never imagined it would happen this quickly.
Thwack!
".........!"
As I instinctively turned around, sensing imminent danger through the smoke—
Wham!
"Guh...!"
Seo Jian's fist slammed into my abdomen from the opposite direction.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Ugh... Ugh, Aaaah!"
It seemed she had internalized all my martial arts techniques. Without exerting much effort, she effortlessly deflected my attacks while swiftly striking my defenseless body.
Haa... This is driving me crazy.
The anime that popularized ice cream with detachable heads and ice cream split in half to share reminded me of a monster with incredible adaptability, constantly rotating its Magic Array to counter any situation.
How did they defeat that thing again?
If I recall correctly, the strategies were either overwhelming it with sheer firepower before it could adapt, or simply bombarding it with such a massive, relentless barrage of attacks that it wouldn't have time to adapt at all.
I racked my brain: Is there any way I can subdue Seo Jian with a single strike right now?
The only thing I have is Maximum Output Void. If I don't use a technique of that caliber, Seo Jian will fight to the bitter end without even losing consciousness.
But there's no time to prepare Void. I decided to settle this with close-quarters combat because I knew I wouldn't have time to cast magic in the first place.
How am I supposed to use magic when I'm getting pummeled like this?
That means I have to win this decisively with close-quarters combat.
Damn it, I can't even use my Demonic Eye of Suggestion... This elemental disadvantage is really annoying.
If I target my opponent as they close in, I'll be caught in the attack range too. And unlike fragile Magicians, most enemies who rush into close combat have decent defenses...
I should have just removed the Earring and fought without it.
I was needlessly scared by that morning's nightmare and decided not to use the fragments, but even with just the Demonic Eye of Suggestion, I could have easily defeated Seo Jian.
Just as I was debating whether to dismantle the Earring immediately,
Thwack!
"Gah!"
My vision flipped in an instant.
"Ugh...!"
When I regained my senses, I found myself neatly embedded in the outer wall. Seo Jian, leaping into the air like a Kamen Rider to deliver the finishing blow, was hurtling toward me.
No time for anything...!
If I wasted time removing the Earring, that attack would land squarely.
There was only one option: strike Seo Jian with maximum force!
I immediately channeled every ounce of strength in my body, manifested psychokinesis, and altered the trajectory of Seo Jian's attack.
The kick aimed at my abdomen was now redirected toward the Out-of-Bounds Area. By adding a Psychokinetic Orb, I could secure my victory...
...?!
Suddenly, the mana twisted violently behind me.
My mana control was perfect...!
I had precisely altered the trajectory to send her flying into the Out-of-Bounds Area, and even launched a Psychokinetic Orb as a backup in case the initial force wasn't enough...
No, the output was sufficient.
Even with the slight mana distortion, I should have been able to send Seo Jian flying into the Out-of-Bounds Area...
So why was she standing there, completely unharmed?
"Ah! Cadet Seo Jian barely manages to withstand Cadet Yun Se-a's strike, clinging to the edge of the Out-of-Bounds Zone!"
"This is truly remarkable! She took that devastating attack head-on and emerged unscathed. Her health gauge is already in single digits, yet she's radiating even more intense fighting spirit than she showed at the start of the finals."
Seo Jian stood calmly right at the edge of the Out-of-Bounds Zone, her expression suggesting that this level of power wouldn't be enough to defeat the Protagonist from the original work.
.........
Ah.
Whoosh!
I'm airborne right now, so I can't react to that kind of movement immediately...
BOOOOOOM!!
"...Ugh... Aaaah!"
How many times did I roll? My vision is shaking violently.
Something surged up from my throat, and I unconsciously spat it out, only to realize an enormous amount of blood was gushing forth.
Seo Jian was slowly approaching.
Her school uniform was tattered, and blood streamed down her body, yet...
Her golden eyes gleamed like those of a predator eyeing its prey, and her short white hair, though stained with dirt, absorbed the sunlight and shone brightly.
This girl was slowly advancing to finish me off.
The staff...
I frantically tried to retrieve the staff I had hastily shoved into my pocket, but it was a fatal misjudgment.
By the time I regained my senses, I was slammed against another wall. The hand that had gripped the staff was twisted 360 degrees, bent at a grotesque angle.
"No."
This was dangerous, truly dangerous.
No matter how fast my regeneration was, if things continued like this, I was destined to become an infinitely regenerating punching bag.
Clearly, in terms of overall power output, I had the advantage. How could I be losing so pathetically?
I had surpassed him in every aspect—stats, abilities, even weapons. That's why I'd even questioned whether I needed to go all out. To keep some cards hidden for the upcoming Student Council President Election in my third year, I'd decided not to use my full strength from the start.
Initially, Seo Jian had been completely overwhelmed by our stat difference, taking a one-sided beating. But now, she was closing in, determined to completely drain my stamina gauge.
Watching Seo Jian slowly approach like the Grim Reaper, intent on claiming my life, I realized there was little I could do.
I lay collapsed, barely managing to gasp for breath.
My body... feels so heavy.
My remaining health bar hovered around 57%. The fact that it was still so high despite the beating I'd taken meant that even now, the gap between my stats and Seo Jian's remained overwhelming.
If I used my full power right now...
If I shattered my earring and unleashed the Demonic Eye of Suggestion... I might stand a chance against Seo Jian. After all, her remaining health bar was in the single digits. I could win this easily.
But I couldn't.
I wasn't in a state calm enough to even entertain such thoughts.
The original story had been twisted from the start, and the anxiety that I wouldn't be able to fully utilize the Hidden Pieces I knew loomed over me.
I had one clear chance to win, but my arrogance and carelessness had squandered even that single opportunity, leaving me with only self-pity and regret.
And then, Seo Jian began walking toward me...
...Huh?
Terror.
The scene around me began to transform into the nightmare I had experienced earlier that morning.
The once-crowded stands had become a junkyard filled with corpses. Seo Jian, standing before me, was no longer wearing her school uniform but was instead fully equipped with all the Hidden Pieces I had intended to deliver to her.
Her blood-stained greatsword seemed ready to sever my neck at any moment. Her eyes burned with hatred, as if I were the worst kind of trash.
This is clearly an illusion. This isn't the final chapter; it's supposed to be the Student Council President Election day...!
Don't come any closer...
Why does this feel so real?
I don't want to die like this! I refuse!
"Don't come any closer!"
KWAANG!
Using psychokinesis, I hurled Seo Jian away as she approached, barely managing to stand.
Huff... pant...!
How am I supposed to resolve this situation? Can I possibly defeat Seo Jian, who has already obtained all the fortuitous opportunities?
That's right, Azathoth was here.
"...Azathoth, come out."
"...Azathoth?"
Why isn't he appearing...? Ah.
After reaching this point, there's no way Azathoth would be here.
In that moment of despair, the same sensation returned.
In the stark white room, a black hand slithered toward me like a snake.
Even when Yu Eun-ha kidnapped me, I had grasped that hand and saved my life.
"...G-God... Rige!"
Someone seems to be muttering something. Am I just imagining it?
Seeing the black hand reappear, I must be hearing things.
If I grasp that hand again, could I break free from this situation?
I wanted to grasp that black hand—the one that had held mine so gently before—and beg it to somehow resolve this situation. But...
KWAHHHHH...!!
Unlike before, the black hand began to tighten fiercely around my throat.
"Keh... Gghh...!"
Whether it was due to the overwhelming pain or the already tattered state of my body, I was utterly powerless to resist. I could only submit to the black hand's grip.
Soon, my vision darkened.
The last thing I saw was Seo Jian, her body pierced by shards of black crystal that I suspected I had created. Her head exploded in an instant from an unknown attack, and she died.