Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: That Woman (2)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You've been struck by an unknown skill. Invisibility has been dispelled. For 10 minutes, damage taken from 'Shadow' increases by 50%. You are isolated from your surroundings. Piing-.
"Urk."
-Chu, Chu-nyong!
"Grgh. Wh-what the hell. What is this?"
The moment I heard the woman's voice, my head rang like a bell, and my legs gave out.
"Kuh?"
My body wouldn't move. Looking down at the suffocating pressure in my limbs, I saw black tendrils sprouting from the floor, wrapping tightly around my arms and legs, binding me.
"Th-this! Urgh!"
I forced strength into my half-bent knees. Managing to twist my body around, I looked toward the direction the voice had come from. Far off, a woman glared at me with eyes full of murderous intent.
It might sound a bit chuunibyou, but a black aura rose around her like she was steeped in darkness.
"Grk. Who... who the hell...?"
The moment I barely managed to force the words out.
"Die."
Her cold reply came back.
Shwoooosh.
The shadow, kneeling on one knee just like its master, burst from the floor, leaping from 2D to 3D. As the darkness shot into the sky, my gaze followed it upward.
When the darkness faded, it revealed a woman with pale skin. And in her hand, a massive scythe. Without any warning, it swung toward my body.
"Jun-youngaaa!"
Pomi screamed and dropped her ethereal form, throwing herself in front of me.
"You bastard!!"
It was reflexive. Instinctive.
The instant Pomi appeared before me and spread her arms wide, I don't know where the strength came from, but I snapped the shadows binding my limbs and hugged her tight, twisting my body around.
In that moment as I turned, I caught the woman's eyes—the ones attacking me. Her pupils shook as she stared at the suddenly appeared Pomi, giving me a flicker of hope. But that was it.
Her scythe swung through anyway, cleaving my torso in half while I held Pomi...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Life-threatening danger detected. Skill Invincibility automatically activates. 50 Vitality will be consumed per second starting 10 seconds from now. Pang!
Krreeeeeen!
A sharp sting hit my back, followed by a horrendous screech like nails on a chalkboard. But no further pain came.
"Hahk. Hahk."
Am I... alive?
I hurriedly looked down at Pomi in my arms. She'd passed out from fear, limp as a rag.
I was touched for a moment that she'd thrown herself in harm's way despite being terrified herself, but then I felt a hot liquid soaking me from top to bottom!
"This little shit pissed again?!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Vitality consumption begins in 7, 6... This isn't the time!
I carefully set Pomi down and turned. A transparent barrier blocked the scythe from advancing further, and the woman holding it looked flustered.
She pulled back her extended arm and swung down hard again.
Kwang!
"Eek!"
Whoosh, pang! Swing, pang!
"Tch, urgh! Hngh!"
I watched her swing the scythe relentlessly at me through the barrier, glaring daggers. Then my eyes fell on Pomi sprawled pathetically nearby, and images of my parents and the girls flashed through my mind.
"Hoo, hooo."
The thought that I'd nearly died for no reason made the fear filling my chest drain away, replaced by injustice and rage. A single phrase slipped through my gritted teeth.
"You... fucking bitch."
Krik.
I ground my teeth and glared back at her.
"Do you even know me? Why the sudden bullshit?!"
"Eut!"
I roared with fury that nearly tore my throat, preparing my counterattack. The Invincibility skill definitely had a reflection option.
"You're fucking dead."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You can reflect accumulated damage received. Remaining time until skill ends: 9, 8... Accumulated damage.
If that terrifying scythe's worth of piled-up damage erupted all at once, she'd be torn to shreds for sure.
Even in my rage, I hesitated for a second, but if I didn't, we'd die.
"Grk."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 5, 4, 3... Time ticked by even as I hesitated.
"This sucks, fuck! Refl-..."
As I started to shout "reflect," the woman's hand suddenly froze mid-swing against the barrier.
"Hah, hah, haaah."
Ragged breathing.
The woman, who had been full of energy moments ago, now looked exhausted, gasping for air. Cold sweat beaded on her eyelids, and though her eyes were still fixed on me, her pupils shook unfocused, darting around.
In the sudden lull, I froze.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Vitality remaining below 50. Skill usage ends. A death sentence of a system alert.
The translucent barrier between us vanished like a mirage.
"Fuck?! Reflect! Reflect!"
I shouted desperately too late, but the ended skill wouldn't reactivate.
"Potion. Mana potion."
I frantically opened my inventory, searching for the Vitality Recovery Potion from the achievement reward.
Twitch!
The woman's halted scythe tip trembled slightly. Mistaking it for the fight resuming, I froze solid, but soon watched the black scythe shatter and scatter into the air like broken glass.
"...Pffft!"
At the same time, a fountain of blood erupted from the woman's mouth.
"Ugh! Pfft. Ptui."
As I recoiled in horror from the red spray splattering her face and top, she staggered toward me and collapsed into my arms by accident. The metallic stench of blood and a sour reek assaulted my nose.
"Ugh, the smell. What the fuck is this."
The foul odor made me practically hurl her onto the floor. Mixed with Pomi's piss, the stench was unbearable.
Anyway, what now? ...Just leave her and run?
What if she chases again? No escape this time. She couldn't see Pomi's ethereal form, but my Invisibility doesn't work on her. And I'd shown her my last resort, the Invincibility skill, including how it wears off after time.
Plus, she'd heard me yelling "Reflect! Reflect!" so next time, she might just wait out the barrier.
"..."
I placed my hand on her slender neck. Her warm pulse made my hand tremble. Just squeeze here...
Yeah, self-defense. I can hide the body in my inventory. Fuck, gonna puke.
Dying to reflection feels less guilty than strangling a living person! I'm losing my mind.
I put both hands on her neck, then pulled away, frozen in indecision, when suddenly black energy billowed from her shadow on the floor, forming a shape.
Shoooooo.
Fuck, what now!
Doesn't look good at all. Definitely a bad omen!
Forgetting my earlier whining, I started strangling her neck without hesitation.
"Die! Die!"
"Kgh."
"Ah, shit."
Seeing her choke out in agony, my grip weakened.
"Hah, fuck. Can't do it. Wanna cry."
I flopped back, and moments later, the black mist escaping her body fully formed.
"Oh my god!"
"Grrr."
What appeared was a massive wolf! Honestly, couldn't tell if it was a wolf or a dog at a glance, but something that bull-sized doesn't exist!
Intimidated by its enormous body, I reached for her neck again, and the mutt(?) bared its teeth with a growl.
"You dog bastard, stay put. Move and she's dead. Yeah, good boy. Stay right there. Hooo."
Finally catching my breath, I threw out a question.
"You her contracted demon?"
"Grrr."
"What, can't talk?"
"Grr."
"Don't 'grr' at me. You're scaring me into squeezing harder."
"..."
Was the mutt mad, or trying to say something? No way to tell. Doesn't even seem to understand me. To resolve this...
"Hey! Pomi! Wake up, you pisshead!"
Poke, poke.
I nudged Pomi, sprawled piss-soaked over there, with my foot.
Not because it's gross. I just had to watch the beast and couldn't turn!
Poke.
"Pomi, wake up. Time to eat."
"U, uuung? Bwaap?"
Said it as a joke, but it actually worked.
"Hey, Pomi."
"U, uuu. Chu-chu hurts."
Yeah. That's your piss.
"Get up already!"
"Kng. ...Uhek!"
Pomi shook her head and rose, then spotted the woman in my hostage grip and flopped back down. Ugh, gross.
"Sniff, sniff. Wh-what is this?"
"What else? Your piss."
"N-no way! I didn't piss! Succubi don't pee!"
You pissed yourself in front of Yu-ra last time out of fear! And that's not all. You eat so much every day, you must pee like ten times.
"Hey, just translate for this mutt. I'll believe you."
"Grrr."
"Mutt? Ah! Shadow Wolf!"
"Shadow Wolf?"
"Yeah. Wolves from the demon world. They're nice!"
"That thing?"
I eyed the wolf. Harmless at that size?
It looked at Pomi and lowered its head. Demon beast bowing to demons? Now that Pomi mentioned it, it did seem a bit docile.
"Fine, it's nice. Now translate quick. It's been saying stuff."
"Woof! Woof!"
The mutt, head lowered, suddenly lifted it and barked at Pomi. Translation began.
"Uh, um... Hello."
The moment Pomi finished, the mutt shook its head violently.
"Hey, what? Bad translation?"
"N-no! Mutt! In the human world, nodding up and down like this means yes! Got it?"
Stiffen.
The mutt paused at Pomi's words, looked up at her, then quietly bowed its head again.
Something's fishy...
"Hey. You translating right?"
"Y-yes!"
"Grrrng!"
As I pressed Pomi, the wolf growled again.
"Attacking you was a mistake. Wrong person."
Hearing that, I was so dumbfounded I dropped the interrogation. We were dancing on death's door, and it was just a case of mistaken identity?
"You dog fuck. Hey, 'wrong person' and that's it? People don't come back if you apologize after killing them."
"Grrr."
"Sorry. Please show mercy."
"...Fucking around."
"..."
"Please. Anything."
"Ha! Anything? Easy words."
"Whine. Whiiiine."
It cast aside all pride, groveling pathetically. That overlapped with Pomi throwing herself to protect me earlier.
"Hoo."
I stared down at its head, sorting my thoughts. Decision made, I spat coldly at it.
"Don't forget you said you'd do anything."