Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: Quick Battle (2)
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Feynol Lifek's consciousness was sinking deep into the abyss.
She could clearly feel herself gradually submerging into her inner world.
The deeper she delved, the more things she had always "buried away" began to surface.
Her hardened inner self. Twisted emotions. Memories that tore at her heart every time she chewed on them or reflected upon them.
“...”
To Feynol Lifek, the world had always been filled with nothing but pain and sorrow.
At least, every moment she could remember from her "living days" was steeped in that.
Her rural birthplace where she was first born. The mage tower where she had made her second home.
Everyone around her had met terrible ends.
“So that's why I'm helping you.”
As Feynol slowly sank even deeper, such a voice echoed through her mind.
She cleared her hazy vision and looked ahead.
There was a woman propping her chin up, staring piercingly into her eyes from right in front of her face.
A woman who seemed like what Feynol herself would look like if embodied as the image of "red."
Of course, not exactly the same. There were some differences.
If Feynol aged a few years, she might end up looking just like this.
“It's better not to feel anything. Deep down, you already know that.”
“...”
“Living in the world is suffering. If you accept nothing, you lose nothing.”
Sorrow. Regret.
Perhaps even pity. An atmosphere like that.
It didn't suit something called a "demon" at all.
“...Then—”
From beyond her faint consciousness, she barely managed to form the words.
“...Why... did you save me...?”
During the first Night Ya incident, when she died for the first time.
When she realized her very existence was cursed by others.
The one who saved her was this red demon before her eyes.
If it knew her past was filled with such painful memories.
Then just.
Let her rest easy.
Set her free.
Why.
What did this thing want from her, exactly?
What was the reason for keeping her alive, even stripping away her emotions and senses?
“...”
The answer didn't come for quite a while.
“...Rest for a bit, Feynol.”
Such a voice echoed repeatedly in her dazed mind.
“When you open your eyes next, a world where you'll never be hurt again will be complete.”
With those words as the last.
Feynol's consciousness fully sank into darkness.
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Terrifying.
If she had to sum up the word dominating her mind right now, nothing else came to mind.
Eliya Chrisanax gripped her holy sword with trembling hands.
Before her eyes was an image she had seen once as a child.
The "demon" existing within a massive pillar of fire.
Two horns protruding from its head. Slit pupils stretched long.
Feynol Lifek existed quietly inside the fire pillar, as if embracing her own body.
Her lightless eyes stared blankly at the sky.
As if searching for something.
‘...I was told I can't drag this out.’
She recalled the advice Dawood had given her before coming here.
The longer the red demon revealed itself, the more it would terraform and change.
If that vessel touched the void zone in that state.
The world itself might end.
“...”
In that case, what she had to do here was clear.
No matter what the circumstances, no matter who the opponent was.
Eliya took a deep breath and gripped her holy sword tighter.
Honestly speaking.
She didn't think she could do it.
This kind of thing was always something Dawood handled. She was closer to the support role.
Without any backup from him, there was no way she could pull this off.
Still, it was better to do something than stand still and watch the world end!
“Hup!”
With an inhale, she kicked off the ground and charged.
In any case, she wasn't someone who got the hero candidate title for free.
With the combat skills trained under Kwon Seong and the Eye of Truth besides, she wouldn't be completely outmatched no matter what.
‘...First, slice through the flames, then use magic to create a foothold behind and approach the main body, third, overwhelm in close combat...’
She had no experience clashing hands with a demon, but she couldn't even establish a fight without dragging it that far!
As she thought that.
The next moment.
Eliya's body was violently repelled.
It happened before she could even approach the flames forming the fire pillar.
“...”
Eliya's pupils dilated.
It took quite some time to understand what had just happened.
‘...Me, just now...’
Simply from the "pressure" emanating from over there.
Without any hostile intent, purely from the lingering demonic energy pouring out of the fire pillar.
She was pushed back without even getting close.
Feynol's body inside the fire pillar hadn't moved an inch. It hadn't even consciously acted to repel her.
In other words.
She couldn't even steady herself against the opponent's mere "breath."
“...!”
Bloodshot veins rose in her eyes.
There was no humiliation like this.
Then, she gritted her teeth and charged again.
Rather.
Rather, it would have been better if she were crushed under the opponent's strike because she lacked the strength.
This was.
To the point where it felt like she wasn't even worth acknowledging.
“...”
She couldn't do anything.
Couldn't even cope. Couldn't find a way to attack.
Even peering at the opponent with the Eye of Truth, she couldn't glean any information about it.
“...”
Eliya gritted her teeth and charged at the opponent again.
If it didn't work, she'd keep going until it did.
With that thought, she charged recklessly.
But.
Once.
Twice.
Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
“...”
She kept getting flung away.
Couldn't even approach properly.
A gap that denied her pride, self-esteem, and all her efforts.
“...Ridiculous... you...!”
At first, that emotion was probably the driving force moving her body.
How many times.
How many times did she charge like that?
Her sensations throughout her body were growing faint.
The opponent wasn't even interested in her from the start.
It meant she couldn't inflict harm on that level.
“...”
Dozens. Hundreds. A hundred fifty.
She didn't know how many times she'd been thrown in just a few minutes.
Her whole body throbbed. Even if it was just lingering energy, constant contact with demonic energy added scratches to her body. Minor wounds and pain accumulated.
Her entire body was covered in dust, blood, and bruises.
Two hundred. Three hundred. Three hundred fifty.
Had it even been an hour?
“...”
It hurts.
It hurts.
Her whole body felt like it was tearing apart.
Even after charging this much.
Still, she couldn't properly close the "distance" with the opponent.
An absurdly strong foe. A gap so vast she felt like an insect trying to oppose it.
To the point where resisting it seemed utterly meaningless.
“...”
But still.
Eliya took a deep breath and straightened her holy sword.
There were many psychological mechanisms supporting someone called Eliya Chrisanax.
‘...No matter how absurd the gap.’
Someone.
‘...No matter how much it hurts.’
Had always charged forward without fear, even against such overwhelming foes.
Enduring pain like her whole body was being pulverized, simply because there was something she had to do.
-It's okay.
And to such a person.
Not long ago, she had heard those words.
-You can do it.
“I know.”
Gritting her teeth.
Grabbing her trembling legs. Using her sword as a cane, she stood.
“I know, Teacher.”
That man had acknowledged her. He had affirmed she could do it.
If she couldn't endure even this, she had no right to stand by his side.
With that thought, vitality surged back into her body. She raised her battered form again.
“...”
She took a deep breath and gripped the holy sword.
Her arms felt like jelly from exhaustion, but still, she assumed a proper stance.
“...Hup!”
With that shout.
Eliya advanced forward without hesitation.
And, the next moment.
-!
For the first time, a portion of the flames near Feynol was "sliced away."
“...Huh?”
Eliya's eyes went wide.
It was minuscule.
But unmistakably, the first blow she had landed on the opponent.
Just the fact that Feynol twitched and looked her way proved it.
But what surprised her even more was.
“...”
The sharp gaze Feynol directed at the holy sword.
Did that thing just glow?
No.
She just thought about him a bit harder, and it awakens right away?
No matter how much she adored him, there had to be limits...!
[...That's because holy swords react most strongly when the user's will hardens the most.]
“W-Wah?!”
Eliya looked at the holy sword in alarm.
If she wasn't going mad.
A "voice" had just come from inside the sword.
“...”
That.
Did it just speak?
It definitely spoke, right?!
As she stared at the holy sword with that thought.
“...Who are you talking to?”
A familiar voice tickled her ear.
Startled, Eliya turned around to see Dawood looking at her with an exasperated gaze.
“As expected of a hero... candidate, I guess. Didn't think you'd handle this far alone.”
“...Teacher?”
Eliya spoke in a voice that seemed slightly choked.
She didn't know why it came out like that.
She didn't know why this man was here.
Didn't know how he'd followed.
Didn't know what happened to that Helgard guy.
There was a ton she needed explained.
“...”
But somehow.
The "anxiety" she'd felt when seeing Dawood before washed away completely, so that must be why.
“Yeah, it's your teacher. Came to help.”
Just hearing those following words was enough.
“But you still have to handle the finishing blow.”
Dawood said with a grin.
Eliya's eyes widened in an expression that couldn't be helped.
‘...This.’
This was the Dawood she knew.
The man who, no matter the dire situation, was convinced things would roll exactly as he envisioned.
“Your face looks better, Teacher.”
Eliya chuckled as she said it.
Even in her wrecked state, the moment she confirmed his improved condition, this reaction.
She realized her own state was pretty severe too.
“So, what's the plan?”
“Ah, I've got one.”
Dawood replied still grinning.
Then, he pointed a finger at Feynol.
His voice flowed out casually.
“I'm gonna eat it.”
“...Pardon?”
“I'm gonna, y'know, eat that thing. Deliciously.”
“...”
Eliya silently alternated her gaze between Feynol in the fire pillar and Dawood.
Hm.
Yeah.
Eat it.
Deliciously.
“...You really are a crazy pervert, aren't you?”
“...Why do I have to hear that?”
What she overlooked was.
In this state, Dawood always spouted crazy nonsense.
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