Fingers Stained Black as Nails
“Ah~ this?”
I rubbed my blackened finger casually against my robe as if it were nothing. But the black stain didn't wipe off—instead, it lingered vividly, like a bruise seeping from deep within my skin. The sensation felt off too. A cold, alien chill, as if it wasn't a part of my body at all.
But I couldn't let Leoness, who was staring at me with worry etched on her face, see my concern.
“Guess I got a little singed in that explosion earlier. Looks like grease or something—won't come off.”
“That's no ordinary grease... the color is too strange.”
Her red eyes obsessively tracked my fingertip.
“I'm fine. Just spit on it and it'll go away.”
“...Really?”
“Yeah. It's not like it's gonna kill me.”
I shoved my hand into my robe sleeve nonchalantly to dodge any more suspicious glances. Only then did Leoness finally look away.
“Anyway, we should get moving.”
“...Art thou truly alright?”
“I'm fine. Totally peachy. Come on, let's go.”
I pushed at Leoness's back to hurry her along, ignoring the prickling buzz at my fingertips.
Eighth. Ninth. We'd clearly rested just moments ago, but my legs felt like lead weights dragging me down.
Status Ailment: Exhaustion, Mana Contamination (Minimal)
Tip: Using life force burdens the body even without overuse.
Why tell me now?
If I'd known, I wouldn't have blown so much life force punching through that wall.
“Thou... thy complexion is far too pale.”
Leoness, walking ahead, halted.
“I'm good. Just a bit tired...”
I tried to continue, but the world spun. My foot tangled, pitching me forward.
“Whoa?”
Just before my face met the floor, Leoness grabbed my shoulders firmly.
“Thou dost not look fine at all.”
Her worried eyes met mine as she pressed a hand to my forehead.
“Thy body is cold as ice.”
“Just a dizzy spell. A little rest and—”
“No.”
Leoness shook her head firmly, then turned her back to me and crouched.
“Climb on.”
“...What?”
“Didst thou not carry this lady earlier? Now 'tis my turn.”
“You're still recovering from the poison...”
“The venom has mostly cleared while moving. Thou art the one who looks precarious now.”
She urged me on.
“'Twas thou who said we have no time. At thy sluggish pace, we shan't arrive before dawn.”
True enough. My legs were numb and trembling.
Swallowing my pride, I carefully leaned onto her back.
“I'm heavy.”
“Hmph. Light as a feather.”
With me piggybacked, Leoness dashed toward the next spot. Her poison-free physical prowess was absurd.
Before long, the tenth: the clock tower.
“Hold tight! Thou mustn't fall!”
Leoness kicked off the ground with her warning. Spiral stairs stretched endlessly upward. Inquisitors ambushed from above.
“Intruders! Fire from above!”
Arrows and magic bullets rained down. But Leoness didn't falter—she accelerated, running along the wall, defying gravity. Like hanging upside down on a rollercoaster without safety bars. My stomach churned with the floating sensation, vision whirling.
“Urk...”
“Don't vomit! If thou dost on this lady's back, prepare thyself!”
I swallowed bile at her savage warning. Shouldn't have eaten that bread.
I wasn't just baggage. I was a moving cannon. If Leoness was the legs, I was the gun.
She kicked off the wall, slicing through the air into their blind spot. In that split second as they turned in panic, my fingertip brushed their brow.
“Bang.”
Bullet — Two shots strike true.
Bang!
Two bullets nailed their heads. They collapsed without a scream.
“Splendid!”
Leoness leaped straight to the top-floor gear chamber. I aimed my finger at the red crystal hidden among the cogs.
“Bang.”
The black bullet pierced it. Glass shattered, shards cascading below.
Eleventh. The dormitory annex's rundown storage shed. In the corner, amid junk, a crystal hid cleverly. I forced my blurring vision to focus, aiming my fingertip. It was numb—not just poor circulation, but sensation vanishing entirely. No time to stop.
“Bang.”
Crack.
The crystal shattered, its red glow fading.
One left. Tension released; I buried my face in her back. Vision flickered black.
“Thou! Stay awake!”
Leoness's urgent voice sounded distant.
Arriving at a safe spot, Leoness set me down.
“Thou... art thou conscious?”
“Uh... yeah...”
My voice was so faint, I wasn't sure I'd spoken.
Status Ailment: Exhaustion, Mana Contamination (Minor)
“Thou art pushing too far. Rest now, or thou wilt truly die.”
“Die? Me? Why...”
I forced a grin with trembling lips, pointing shakily at the map with the last spot. Twelfth—the largest, reddest mark. Under the grand hall.
“This... is the last one. Smash this, and we're done.”
Success Reward: Death Penalty Exemption x2, ???
Finish this, and at least no execution.
“Let's go. Time to end it with a bang.”
Leoness bit her lip, then helped me up with resolve.
“...Very well. But if it gets truly dangerous, this lady will knock thee out and drag thee away.”
“Yeah, yeah, do what you want.”
Leaning on each other, we headed to the final site.
The grand hall's basement was far larger than expected. Normally a warehouse, now covered in eerie magic circles, it felt ominous. At the center: a massive red crystal orb, head-sized, floating—dwarfing all the others.
“That it?”
“The aura is unnatural.”
Leoness, supporting me, swallowed hard.
Then—
Rumble...
A low vibration shook the chamber. Black slime oozed from the magic circle, slathering the orb. The viscous mass twisted and merged into a colossal form.
“So the orb was the core too...”
At least three meters tall. Smooth, featureless face. Black aura poured from its body.
Hah. Already? I let out a weak laugh. Mid-game dungeon boss. Insane regeneration—forces brute force or attrition. In my state, even a graze means death.
“Graaaah!”
The monster roared grotesquely, charging. Its black mud arm whipped out like a lash.
“Thou, stay behind me.”
Leoness gently pushed me back.
“Do not move a step from there.”
Shing.
A cold metallic ring from her waist—the longsword looted from the inquisitor in the shed. Rusted, chipped junk, but in her grip, it transformed the air.
“A mere mud clump dares impudence.”
She didn't charge. Instead, she planted herself, sword angled low, exuding chilling resolve.
Swoosh!
The tentacle tore through air at blinding speed. Leoness didn't flinch. As it neared, she merely twisted her wrist.
Slash.
Precise. No flourish, no shout. Just a silver arc—and the tentacle's tip fell limp.
“Grr...”
The beast writhed in shock. But black mud bubbled from the stump, regenerating instantly.
“Regeneration... troublesome indeed.”
Slash.
Leoness muttered mid-swing.
“Then slice until it can't.”
Slash.
Dozens of exchanges. Mud chunks piled at her feet. Unfazed, it merged tentacles into a massive hammer. Overwhelming mass. Her rusted blade was now serrated like a saw from endless nicks.
Won't hold much longer.
The sword can't take it. My turn.
“Leoness, move. I'll handle it.”
“No.”
She refused without looking.
“Look at thyself. Standing is a miracle.”
“I can still fire one shot! So—”
“And if it misses?”
Her icy voice cut me off.
“In thy state, no second chance. I step aside, thou shootest, fail... and thou diest there.”
“...”
No rebuttal. Condition critical. One shot was iffy. But.
“Leoness.”
I reached out with trembling hand, touching her back.
“Trust me.”
“...”
Silence. The beast raised a sky-covering tentacle mass overhead.
“...Hah, utterly mad.”
Leoness chuckled shortly, glancing back with blazing red eyes.
“Fine. This lady wagers her life on thy arrogance.”
She dragged the tattered blade tip along the ground. Relaxed her grip. Held her breath. Silenced the world. The rusted scrap gleamed with starlight.
“Austria Secret Sword.”
⟨ Gate Open ⟩
The colossal body crashed down. Sky-falling pressure. In the dark, Leoness whispered:
“Gate Open.”
She simply swept the blade low to high. And the world tore along its path.
Flash. The rusted sword crumbled to dust, unable to contain the strike. But it didn't matter. The heavens parted.
The beast's torso split wide. A perfect straight path opened. At its end: the red core pulsed defenselessly.
Now.
Vision empty. I extended my hand. Lips moved.
“Bang.”
Black flash from my fingertip devoured the dark.
BOOOOOOM!!!!
Everything in the line—beast, orb, basement wall—erased. Dust clouds billowed.
Black Moon Cult Academy Outpost Destroyed (12/12)