Carry Me
‘This can’t be happening!’
Valterion felt the shadow of defeat from that last exchange.
A mere academy cadet.
It should have been impossible for someone like that to stand on equal footing with him. And yet, even after he had drawn out his full power, it still wasn’t enough.
The boy could make the very concept of death feel childish?
He couldn’t accept it.
“I can see it on your face,” Ethan sneered at Valterion, who had frozen in place for a moment.
Since his body was made of blood, his face was a mangled mess. Even so, Ethan could tell the man was rattled by that last attack.
— HOW DARE YOU!!!
“Are your vocabulary options that limited? How many times are you going to say ‘how dare you’?”
— SHUT UP…!
“You really are like a boss with set patterns. Do you have a fixed script or something?”
Ethan let out a short laugh and raised his sword once more.
‘This is dangerous.’
He mocked Valterion while pretending to stay calm, but the situation was far from good.
Ceris’s divine power was nearly omnipotent, yet Valterion’s attacks had a special property. They seemed to counter divine power somehow—his recovery was much slower than usual.
On top of that, the Concept-Cutting Sword was Ethan’s secret technique. It put a heavy strain on his body, and since he had already shown it once, Valterion would surely have prepared a countermeasure.
He needed to find a way to break through that defense in return.
— YOU WOMEN HAVE BEEN A THORN IN MY SIDE!
Taking advantage of Ethan’s moment of hesitation, Valterion scattered droplets of blood. A downpour of bloody rain unleashed a barrage of indiscriminate attacks.
“Get behind me!”
Linea lifted Ceris into her arms. The bloody rain far surpassed the power of the bloodstorm she had blocked earlier.
There was a limit to what a barrier alone could withstand. Linea took Ceris and put as much distance between them and the attack as possible.
KWAAAAANG!!!
The sound of explosions rang out nonstop. How could rain make sounds like that?
Linea bit her lip and used her mana to sweep away the blood droplets.
“Lady Linea…”
“Don’t speak. Focus on recovering your strength. We still need to heal Master.”
“…Yes.”
In truth, Ceris had already pushed her divine power to its absolute limit. Normally, she wouldn’t have felt this exhausted.
It should have only been a slight strain at most. But for some reason, both Ethan’s and Linea’s bodies were recovering at an unnaturally slow rate during this battle.
That was why she had no choice but to pour in even more divine power.
‘Ethan. Please, let victory be yours.’
Beads of sweat formed on Ceris’s forehead. It was the first time she had ever sweated in her life as a saint, but she paid it no mind and continued drawing out her power.
“Lady Linea, can you close the distance?”
“I’ll manage somehow.”
It was an unreasonable request, but there was no other choice. The farther away she was, the weaker the effect of her divine power became.
If the efficiency was ruined while she was giving everything she had, it would all be meaningless.
“Now!”
Ethan and Valterion collided once more. As if on cue, the bloody rain stopped.
Linea ran with everything she had.
“Just a little more…!”
Ceris, who had been calculating the distance, spoke urgently.
“That’s enough.”
The sight of Ethan’s blood-soaked profile weighed heavily on her heart. She should have been the one enduring that pain instead.
With a heavy heart, Ceris channeled her divine power.
WHOOOOSH!
A warmer, gentler wave of divine power than before caressed Ethan’s body.
‘You’re both doing well.’
Ethan silently praised Linea and Ceris as he slashed apart the blood current.
‘This is brutal.’
As expected of the second phase, Valterion’s power had grown even more versatile. His attacks twisted and pierced through in unpredictable ways.
Especially that blood current. The speed at which it switched between liquid and solid states was absurd.
If he tried to parry with his sword, it would turn into liquid and slip past his defense before counterattacking. Conventional swordsmanship couldn’t handle such relentless aggression.
The Concept-Cutting Sword.
As much as he hated to admit it, the thought kept coming back to him.
‘I need to shorten the casting time.’
He didn’t care about the strain it would put on his body. If he didn’t kill his enemy, he would be the one to die.
With that resolve, Ethan continued thinking.
KWAAAAANG!
A crimson glow erupted from Valterion’s body.
“Ugh!”
The blood came at him like buckshot. Even though he had stacked dozens of protective barriers, they were slowly being torn apart by the overwhelming DPS.
‘What can I do? I need to figure something out.’
His mind raced at full speed.
‘I can’t shorten the casting time.’
He had been gradually reducing it through training, but instantly cutting it down was impossible.
However, if he gave up on one thing, it was theoretically possible.
‘If I abandon the deal…’
The longer the Concept-Cutting Sword took to cast, the wider the area it could cut. At its peak, it could even sever concepts themselves.
At its peak.
If used like ordinary swordsmanship, its cutting power against concepts would plummet.
And the strain it put on his body was so severe that it was difficult to use recklessly.
‘There is one way.’
It would put a horrific burden on his body, but it was a method that could make up for the weakness of casting time and showcase incredible efficiency.
‘Amplification.’
The ultimate support tool that would sharpen the Concept-Cutting Sword to an even deadlier edge.
— YOU THINK I’LL JUST STAND HERE AND TAKE IT?!!!
Valterion spread his blood out like wings to both sides. The blood transformed into the shape of wheels.
Two bloody wheels spun violently, sucking in the surrounding air. The spine-chilling bloodlust made his back run cold.
SWISH! SWISH!
Bloody arrows formed from the center of the wheels and flew toward him.
Ethan tracked every single trajectory with his eyes while pouring mana into his sword.
The dark red mana gradually lost its color and grew faint. The fainter it became, the more immense the power grew.
This was the first gateway to cutting concepts. Ethan immediately swung his sword and sliced the arrowheads apart.
It still wasn’t enough. He pushed his mana to the absolute limit.
His hand trembled like someone suffering from tremors. It felt like he might drop the sword at any moment.
Even so, he continued amplifying his mana. A ferocious violet hue wrapped around the ashen mana.
The two lights did not mix, yet they supported each other. In a positive sense, they were like water and oil.
“Hoo…”
Combining the Concept-Cutting Sword with amplification created an overwhelming pressure that even he found astonishing. But he couldn’t maintain it for long.
This time, he would go all out and end it. With that determination, Ethan charged toward Valterion.
‘Even stronger than before!’
Valterion also sensed the unusual atmosphere.
The instinct that he must not allow any more attacks. The fear that the fight could not continue any longer.
Every emotion he felt was nothing but irritation.
‘I’ll show you what I can do too.’
Valterion had no intention of dragging this out either. You want to end it in one strike?
So did he. As if to say exactly that, Valterion gathered every drop of blood he had scattered.
A maddening sense of omnipotence surged through him, and he burst into laughter.
— HAHHAHAHA!
His rage subsided. For this moment, he was genuinely enjoying himself.
Valterion unleashed all the blood he had accumulated until now at once.
‘Blood Sea.’
A sea of blood swallowed Ethan whole.
Ethan closed his eyes.
‘I cut.’
He whispered those three words to himself. There was no need for some grand speech or dramatic resolve.
Ethan planted his feet and took a stance. He slowly opened his eyes.
A sea of blood filled his entire field of vision. What he needed to cut was the sea itself.
Ethan slowly swung his sword.
“Cut.”
He muttered calmly. Looking up at the sea, he sheathed his blade.
And then—
CRRRRRACK!!!!
The sea split apart.
“Haaah…”
Immediately after, Ethan dropped his scabbard to the ground.
‘My strength…’
His legs gave out, and he fell hard on his backside. He knew he had to stand, but no strength would come.
His entire body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. The burning sensation from overworking his mana core was vivid.
“Ethan!”
“Master!!!”
The two women rushed over and checked on his condition. Ceris immediately began praying, drawing out the last of her divine power, while Linea looked anxiously toward where Valterion had been.
“…”
There stood a man gazing up at the sky with a face mixed with emptiness and bitterness. While receiving Ceris’s treatment, Ethan approached him.
“Whoa!”
Linea quickly supported Ethan as he staggered.
“Hey, Valterion Sivtant.”
“…What is your name?”
“I am Ethan. You already know the rest.”
“Indeed I do. The fiery, ill-mannered young lady and the saint, correct?”
“Have you come back to your senses?”
“I suppose that would be accurate.”
Only now did Valterion realize what he had been doing all this time. He felt no guilt.
That was simply the kind of person he was. However…
He found himself utterly pathetic for being unable to resist mere brainwashing.
“Because of your rebellion, Isana was put in danger.”
“Isana, Isana…”
The cursed child born from the woman he had loved his entire life—by killing her. Valterion still hated Isana.
“She’ll manage on her own.”
“You have no sense of responsibility.”
“I never did. I may be that girl’s father, but I have never once thought of myself as her father. I’m sure she feels the same.”
Ethan frowned. What kind of man called his own daughter ‘that girl’?
Still, considering Valterion used to refer to Isana as ‘that bitch,’ this was a huge improvement. Unfortunately, Ethan had no way of knowing that.
“You are going to die, Valterion Sivtant. The crimes you have committed are beyond forgiveness.”
“I am well aware.”
“Then tell me what you know. I’ll send you off peacefully.”
“Unfortunately, that isn’t a very appealing offer. In any case, I won’t last more than ten minutes.”
“Have you forgotten there’s a saint here?”
“You would revive an enemy just to hear what I have to say? You’re out of your mind, Ethan.”
Valterion chuckled.
“But I will tell you what I know. After all, the victor has the right to claim everything from the defeated.”
“Why did you and Isana…”
“Ask the girl herself. There’s no time. The saint’s recovery won’t work on me either.”
“Who was the one who incited you to start the rebellion?”
“The World’s Will.”
Ethan’s eyebrows twitched. As expected, that name came up.
“What exactly is the World’s Will?”
“I don’t know the details. But it resembled the saint while also being different.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I can’t explain it precisely. I simply had that impression.”
It wasn’t a satisfying answer, but it wasn’t meaningless either. Ethan continued asking questions.
From the details of the rebellion plan, to the emotional changes he experienced after being brainwashed, and everything else he had felt.
He asked without pause, determined to finish within ten minutes.
“It’s over now.”
“Any last words? Even if it’s for Isana?”
“Were you two lovers? I had no idea.”
“We are not.”
“What a troublesome fate you were born with.”
“What?”
“It means don’t be so indecisive.”
Having given that piece of advice, Valterion began to leave his final words.
“I have nothing to say to Isana. I still hate that girl. However, Ethan—I have one request for you.”
“What is it?”
“Do not keep the demon at a distance.”
With those words, Valterion closed his eyes. Ethan wanted to ask what he meant by that cryptic final message, but since the man was already dead, it was nothing more than an echo in the void.
“Ceris, how long will it take to recharge your divine power?”
“Um… about an hour should do it.”
“Not bad.”
Ethan turned his gaze to Linea, who wore a complicated expression.
“Linea.”
“Yes, Master.”
“We’re going to rescue Isana.”
“Alright. But why is your body suddenly…”
Ethan leaned his weight on Linea.
“I’d like you to carry me.”
“…Pardon?”
“I have no strength left. I’ll need your help until Ceris recovers. You’re the one in the best condition right now.”
“Uh, uh… uhh…”
Linea’s face turned bright red.
“T-this is just me helping you. Y-yes, that’s all it is.”
“What are you even saying?”
Linea lifted Ethan into a princess carry.
“…My very own princess.”
“This is ridiculous.”
Ethan shook his head while nestled in Linea’s arms.
Squish—
Just between them, the soft sensation was truly addictive.