Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Dreaming Angelfish
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Focus only on what needs to be done.
Deflect the attacks. Clear out anything in the way.
Han U-sol and Yoon Na-rin were just two more obstacles among them.
Han U-sol and I concentrated on the fight without exchanging words.
Pillars of light erupted once more from behind his back.
- Kwagagagak!
I deflected the incoming pillars of light with my gauntlets, then swung the two swords gripped atop them to shred the barrier blocking my path.
An attack devoid of holy power. Laughably feeble.
It was like charging in armed to the teeth with the latest firearms but forgetting the bullets.
He'd boldly declared he'd take me on, yet he wasn't using his holy power.
And yet he called himself desperate.
What on earth was he thinking?
A faint irritation washed over me again, but it was fleeting. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind.
But it went no further than that. I harbored the question inwardly for a moment, but it never escaped my lips.
My stomach still churned, and I had plenty I wanted to say, but I had no desire to waste breath bickering with Han U-sol.
"Anis!"
Only Yoon Na-rin was panicking.
She couldn't bring herself to attack me directly, so she stamped her feet anxiously from a short distance away.
"Na-rin! Don't hesitate!"
Han U-sol urged her on as she wavered, unsure what to do.
Her body twitched slightly, then she seemed to steel herself, chanting a spell under her breath as she aimed at me.
"Sorry, Anis…!"
- Fwoosh!
A flame spell launched from her fingertips toward me.
"………."
I stood still, carefully observing the incoming fireball.
Its lethality seemed close to zero.
The temperature was lukewarm, as if considerate of the target's well-being.
Of course, taking it head-on would cause some damage, but nothing fatal.
- Slash!
I swung my sword lightly to cut it down.
Both Han U-sol's and Yoon Na-rin's attacks were focused not on killing, but on incapacitating the target.
At this point, their intent was obvious.
They were trying to capture me alive.
- Kadududuk!
The grating sound of sword meeting barrier echoed out. Yoon Na-rin grimaced.
Her grimace wasn't just from the unpleasant noise. It stemmed from the agony of aiming magic honed to save people at her friend, Anis.
"…Anis."
Flames coiled around her hand from her chant as she bit her lip.
Until Anis had rejected her outright, Yoon Na-rin had believed convincing her to come back would be easy.
No, she hadn't even thought about convincing her. She was certain that as long as she could push past the magic beasts blocking the way and talk to Anis directly, she would return without fail.
Objectively speaking, based on the known facts, Yoon Na-rin's belief had some merit.
Breaking the contract binding Anis to the demon would be straightforward.
Just like with Camilla's contract—repeat the process once more, and it was done.
There was also a way to purify the demonic energy.
It had been uncertain before, but Camilla proved more capable than expected.
Her research yielded results in no time, and now a method to purify Anis's demonic energy was within reach.
For some reason, Han U-sol hadn't shared the full details with Yoon Na-rin, but it was clear they could definitely purify her demonic energy.
Once the contract was broken, Anis would no longer be bound to the demon.
Likewise, purifying the demonic energy would free her from the hallucinations.
Yeriel had no reason to turn a purified Anis into a puppet. Without demonic energy, she'd be an ordinary girl robbed of her power—weaker than an average adult male. There was nothing to gain from puppeteering her.
The demons would likely breathe a sigh of relief at losing their trickiest fighter, not go out of their way to target her specifically.
But.
[I don't want to. I'm not going.]
She refused.
Was it revulsion or vengeance toward Yeriel? That's what Yoon Na-rin thought at first.
In the tense, powder-keg atmosphere ready to explode at any moment, she desperately racked her brain for words to soothe Anis's anxiety.
But then.
[Who's going to protect Betty and Eun?]
That wasn't it.
Yeriel wasn't even on Anis's radar.
What mattered to her were the traitors driving humanity into a corner.
Something was off.
Anis was the girl who had overcome her dark side, yearning to live more boldly than anyone.
That's why she wanted to become a hero who saved people, to live with her head held high.
Yet here she was, worrying about—defending—the traitors.
Something was definitely wrong.
Brainwashing.
The word flashed through Yoon Na-rin's mind.
Yes, brainwashing explained it.
If they'd spent a long time gradually brainwashing her unstable mind.
"………."
Yoon Na-rin looked at Anis with worried eyes.
Even now, Anis's gaze was unfocused, staring into the distance, her body swaying unstably in kind.
I should have realized sooner that she was still alive. Yoon Na-rin bit her lip in frustration.
At the same time, hatred for Betty began to boil over.
The demons, the traitors, and three years of time had ruined Anis. They'd fanned the demonic energy eating away at her from the sidelines and brainwashed her to their liking.
With things come to this, the only option left was to subdue her by force.
Even if it meant wounding her body, even if it had to be rough—she had to capture her and remove the demonic energy.
"Anis, are you still thinking the same? No intention of coming back…?"
Flames wreathed her arms as Yoon Na-rin clung to this last straw. She might come off as pathetic after already starting her chant, but she truly didn't want to hurt Anis.
"Yeah."
Anis just nodded curtly. Yoon Na-rin decided to try one final persuasion.
"You might think you've gone too far, but I believe it's not too late. Just you switching sides reduces the enemy count by one for humanity. Sure, some might hold it against you, but no one will harm you. Even the angels will accept it. And if anyone tries, we'll stop them for sure. So…."
"…Still can't right now."
"Why not!?"
"Then Betty would be alone. If we're getting a happy ending, it has to be with her."
Happy ending?
Setting aside the cryptic words, it was that name again.
The one who brainwashed Anis. The one chaining her feet.
Kaduk.
Yoon Na-rin ground her teeth. Hostility and hatred toward that name surged.
"No, Anis. You're being deceived."
"……?"
For the first time, the murky hue in Anis's eyes sharpened.
Her head slowly turned toward Yoon Na-rin.
Anis tilted her head, as if not understanding.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. That bitch is… lying to you. So snap out of—!"
"Why would you say that?"
Blue eyes met after who-knows-how-long.
Deep ocean-blue pupils stared straight at Yoon Na-rin.
"Betty never lies to me. She always protects me. Just like you."
Anis's tone was calm and measured. But cracks were forming on her expressionless face.
"No, that's not true. Doesn't something feel off to you, Anis?"
"The one who needs to snap out of it is you, Na-rin. Nothing's off. What makes you say that?"
"I saw it!!"
Yoon Na-rin shouted.
She remembered the previous incident.
Betty clinging to Anis's side like she was taunting her, stroking her face while staring right at Yoon Na-rin.
And Anis's eyes, dazed and unfocused somewhere distant.
It was blatant provocation, mockery.
No lies? Always protecting her? Impossible.
Yoon Na-rin was convinced Betty had slyly brainwashed her during a moment of mental vulnerability. At the very least, based on what she'd witnessed, she couldn't think otherwise.
"Snap out of it, Anis! That bitch would never…!"
"She wouldn't!!"
Anis's face, which had seemed to maintain composure, twisted for the first time.
She smashed through the barrier and light pillars in her way and charged at Yoon Na-rin.
- Kwaak! Kwajik!
"Don't insult Betty!!"
The girl who had shown only flat, placid reactions like a still pond now bared her raw emotions.
Yoon Na-rin's voice rose in tandem. Anis wasn't in a state to be reasoned with now. At least, she had to make her realize the truth.
"It's not an insult, it's the truth…!"
"You…!"
- Puk!
Anis barreled into her. Yoon Na-rin flew back, tumbling across the ground.
"Ugh…."
Yoon Na-rin slowly pushed herself up from the ground, clutching her throbbing chest.
It was a mix of pains—physical and mental intertwined.
Her expression turned bitter.
With persuasion and realization both failing, now there was no choice but to subdue her by force, even if bones broke in the process.
- Kill her! Blast that side with magic!
- Kyaaack!
Glancing around, she spotted heroes from the front lines scattered here and there. They'd been in the rear moments ago but had rolled far back.
The front lines were hell. Magic beasts emerging from the fog clashed fiercely with heroes trying to hold them back.
"………."
Yoon Na-rin's heart raced.
The battle looked precarious at a glance; it could collapse any moment.
- Fwoosh.
Massive flames erupted across her body, far brighter and hotter than before.
The situation was deteriorating faster than expected. Before the front lines collapsed, she had to subdue Anis quickly and rejoin them.
…Maybe, even if it meant seriously injuring Anis, Han U-sol would have to use his holy power.
As she rose with those thoughts, Anis was suddenly right in front of her.
"Anis… Ugh!?"
Before Yoon Na-rin, scrambling to her feet, could steady herself, Anis dove into her embrace.
"…Rest for a bit."
Anis murmured softly, putting strength into her gauntlets.
"It'll be over soon."
- Kwaang!
A massive impact hit, followed by weightlessness.
Yoon Na-rin's vision went black.