Chapter 111
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: 29. Graduation Ceremony (7)
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Seeing Ellie get kidnapped, I chased after them at full speed.
The fact that they'd nabbed her meant Diana and Ellie must've been separated at the time.
In other words, Diana hadn't noticed the kidnapping.
'Should I tell her?'
Even if she wasn't her biological daughter, Diana's love for Ellie was the real deal.
Could someone like that stay in their right mind after hearing Ellie had been taken?
I doubted it. Whatever the academy and Professor Mangkostil wanted—a quiet cleanup—this would blow it all to hell.
But screw that. What really worried me was the mental blow Diana would take.
No matter how tough you are, how many parents could keep it together hearing a kid they'd raised like their own got snatched?
Orphan that I am, I don't know jack about parents or kids.
But I could guess it'd scar Diana deep.
'What the hell should I do...'
My head was spinning, no clear path in sight, but my body was already moving on pure instinct.
I'd gotten the rough escape route from Assistant Gelsia.
The carriage was parked in a dark alley just off the academy's main gate.
Word was, they'd bolt through the gate once the kidnapping wrapped up.
But that plan was toast now.
'Professor Mangkostil's heading to the main gate.'
Not every prof's a fighter, but Mangkostil could solo the labyrinth's eighth floor solo. No worries there.
Even if Diana didn't show, the Blaz Clan was done for here today.
Slish—
The familiar feel of a throat parting under my blade sharpened my senses.
I shook my head to scatter the distractions and locked in on the moment.
"U-Uncle... how...?"
Hic.
Ellie's tear-streaked face twisted as she hiccuped mid-sentence.
Tears soon beaded at the corners of her pretty eyes.
I wanted to pat her back nice and slow, but no time for that.
Clank—
A nasty sound came from the curtained driver's seat.
'They noticed.'
Duh. With all this blood in the air? Blind idiot wouldn't.
"...Kallino. Don't make a huge fuss. Beat 'em half to death and get back quick. I'll head to the gate and clear the way."
"Heh heh. Got it, sis!!!"
Flutter!
The curtain flew open, revealing a glimpse of the driver's perch.
A sharp-faced woman had mangled Gelsia's mug in a vise grip.
'That must be Vesta.'
At her order, a hulking orc-kin in gauntlets lumbered toward me, clashing them together—the last mid-boss outlaw.
Kallino LV. 37
One level higher than Gurumimi.
Where the rabbit beastkin Gurumimi was all agility and assassin vibes, Kallino played to her massive orc frame like a brawler.
Thirteen levels separated us, but with my mystery blessing and Diana's milk boosts, my raw combat stats held up fine against her.
'No need to throw down, though.'
This wasn't some dead-end labyrinth. They were the ones cornered.
Plain truth: if I grabbed Ellie and bolted, their whole scheme crumbled.
"Ellie. Hold tight a sec."
"H-Huh? O-Okay?!"
I scooped her up quick.
She blushed like a fairy-tale princess cradled in my arms.
That blush turned to shock fast.
"U-Uncle! In front! In front!"
No need to say it.
Kallino charged, fist cocked for my face.
Aimed square at my left temple.
Screee—!
Smoke poured from her gauntlet, speeding the punch up.
Just before it tagged me.
Thud!
The gauntlet halted inches from my nose. Kallino staggered back a hair.
Perfectly timed left-foot kick to her gut.
"Guh?! What the—?!"
"Duck your head, Ellie!"
Seizing her stunned stagger, I leaped from the moving carriage with Ellie in my arms.
Normal joe would've tumbled and broke something.
BOOM!
I landed solid, legs tanking the impact like it was nothing.
"U-Uncle! You okay?!"
"Yeah. Fine. You're lighter than I thought, Ellie. More importantly—"
Thud!
No time for chit-chat. Kallino vaulted off the carriage too.
"What's the point of running like a scared pup? Body like yours, but shy like a boy, huh?"
She landed smooth, no tumble, even tossed in some obvious bait.
"Drooling like that 'cause you're scared I'll rabbit? Ogre brain means your smarts didn't grow past taunts?"
My comeback hit a nerve. She lunged without another word.
'Guess we fight.'
Ellie the mage was frail, slow on her feet.
Carry or piggyback, I'd get caught eventually.
Better end it here.
"Kyaa!"
I tossed Ellie behind me like a sack and ducked.
Whoosh!
Her kick whiffed my head, chaining straight into a heavy haymaker spinning off the momentum.
Straight for my solar plexus.
I twisted aside at the last second and swung my axe in riposte.
Clang!
A quick right-handed chop bounced off her gauntlet.
After a few clashes, we had each other's measure.
'Strength. Agility. Stamina. All even.'
Winner takes the one who slips first.
Crack—
Something shattered at my brow. I snatched the falling pieces.
My white half-mask, split clean from the bridge of my nose.
'Damn. Thought I dodged, but chip damage piled up?'
No spare helm now.
Couldn't fight holding the busted mask either.
Decision made, I chucked it to the dirt.
Through my wider field of view, Kallino gaped, slack-jawed.
Orc mug showing emotion that clear? Wild. But then a wicked grin split her face.
"Was gonna half-kill you... but you're too good for that."
Screeeee—!
Gauntlets smoked up.
"You'll be my slave instead."
I snorted, hefting my axe.
"Pathetic."
"Feisty one. Makes me like you more!"
Crack!
Her fist rocketed in, faster than before. Aimed not face, but gut.
And weaker than prior hits.
Not to kill—to subdue.
'Not an orc. A buffalo.'
Sweet of her. That'll be your undoing.
Blessing of Judgment's Time
World slows. Combat senses heightened.
World slowed as the blessing kicked in.
Even slowed, her fist came quick—but a pulled punch like that? I could tank it.
For sure victory, give flesh to take bone.
Her toughness blessing shrugged off my gardener's axe.
Two plays: KO or joint lock.
I threw my own punch too. World snapped back to speed.
Thwack!
"Guh—!!"
Heavy impact as her fist sank into my gut.
Weaker, yeah—but stronger than expected.
'Still hurts way less than Edelbert's punches!!!'
I gritted through, dredging up worse pains.
Edelbert's thigh choke was hellish agony.
Scraps with that meathead brawler paid off against Kallino trash.
Teeth clenched, legs braced. Collapse now and I miss the mark.
Payoff was sweet.
Thwack!
My right uppercut nailed her jaw dead-on.
"Ghk—!"
She clenched and endured. Toughness blessing soaked direct damage, but a clean jaw shot? Big price.
"...?!"
Her legs buckled instant, balance shot. She wobbled.
Flesh given. Time to claim bone.
I latched onto her extended right arm like a cicada.
Arms locked her forearm, legs snaked her tricep.
"Wh-what—?!"
Ignoring her desperate yelp, I wrenched my body.
Crack-crack!
"Gaaaaah!"
Her arm twisted like a wrung rag.
Pain shattered her stance; she faceplanted.
I flipped position, mounted her back.
Grabbed the mangled arm, hyperextended.
Crunch!
"Grraaah—!! You fucking bastard!!!"
Right arm dislocated, screaming pain—but she countered anyway.
Twisted frantic, swinging her left at me.
Meant to shake me off, but...
In this spot? Like handing me the other arm on a platter.
Caught her backswing, yanked it toward me.
Crunch!
"Kyaaaaah!!"
Clean break echoed with her scream.
Still, level gap's no joke.
Just a bandit now, but Kallino hit 37. Mid-tier mid-level explorer tier.
Both arms snapped? She could still rise on grit alone.
"Thanks for the time, bro."
Whoosh—
Heat at my back. I rolled off her.
Ellie's signature spell. Flare.
Melted a minotaur half to slag—ultimate killer move.
Could her toughness hold against that?
Facing the sun-hot fireball laced with mana, Kallino went quiet... then spoke.
"...I surrender."
Kallino chose staving off death a bit longer over instant lights-out.
KO'd and bound her, then flopped to the dirt, spent.
Exhausted. Need a breather. Mangkostil'd come sniffing if it wrapped clean.
Sitting in the empty alley, staring at the sky, Ellie trotted up and plopped a meter off.
"Why so far? Hoping for round two kidnapping?"
No kidnappers left, but.
Meant as a joke, but she panicked hard.
"...I-I mean..."
"It's fine. C'mere."
"......"
She nodded and scooted right up, soft thigh and shoulder smooshed against me.
No hesitation now. Her hands trembled neat on her dress lap. Head bowed deep.
Kidnapping shock lingered.
"You're safe now."
"......"
"Outlaws handled. No one's snatching you."
Silence stretched.
In the hush, our closeness screamed—body heat, skin contact, crystal clear.
"...Thanks, Uncle."
Head still down, she finally spoke.
"No biggie. Just did what anyone would."
"Still... really, truly... thank you."
Her shy voice cracked me up.
I grinned, ruffling her already wrecked hair wild.
Then.
"Ngh..."
Drip—
Red droplet hit her hand.
Sudden shock froze my hand.
"Ellie?! You good?! Blood!"
"I-It's fine. Just a nosebleed..."
She grabbed my hand mid-pull from her hair.
"...J-Just a bit longer... please..."
She pressed it back to her head, tilting her face up a touch.
Now I saw her.
Face red as a ripe apple.
Nosebleed trickling harder with each stroke.
Eyes darting, unable to meet mine proper.
"A-And... U-Unc... le..."
"...Huh?"
Her flustered vibe left me blank.
My reflection in her red eyes, hers in mine.
Her lips—redder than ever—parted slow.
"Can I... call you... Oppa from now on...?"