Genius Coward: Midyr's Demise
Midyr, the Erosion Species born with pinnacle intelligence. He was a coward to an extreme degree. His own life always came first. He never let his guard down, no matter how insignificant the opponent seemed. The reason Midyr had developed such a personality stemmed from his birthplace. The place where he first opened his eyes was on the opposite side of the continent, far removed from human settlements—in the territory of the Erosion Species. It was a demonic landscape where not even a trace of life could be found. The local Erosion Species devoured each other endlessly just to survive. But Midyr's only talent was traversing shadows. His obsession with self-preservation was the result of endless learning.
"Kirr...!"
But even for Midyr, whose top priority was survival, there was still some pride as a higher being among the Erosion Species. Even if his reason screamed that the female before him was dangerous. A living creature must be devoured—that primal instinct shattered his patience.
"Kiiik!"
Splash.
Midyr, with massive flames on his back, plunged into his own shadow. He emerged behind Leira's back and swung his claws. Shadow traversal rendered their distance meaningless. It was a first-strike-kill ability that no one could react to on their initial encounter.
Yet, even as her body was on the verge of being bisected, Leira didn't turn around. She merely murmured softly.
"Haaa.... So hot...."
Like she was high on drugs, her eyes half-lidded in a wistful expression. She took one step forward, slipping out of his attack range.
Midyr faltered at Leira's dodge without even looking, but at this range, escape was impossible. Brimming with confidence, he unleashed a barrage of attacks without pause.
"Kiiii!"
"Mm-hmm, try harder...."
But Midyr's threats didn't touch her in the slightest. When claws slashed, she was already out of reach. When he thrust to shove her back, she yielded softly without resistance. When he charged in frustration, she simply hopped over him. It was like fighting smoke that couldn't be grasped.
Enraged, Midyr whipped his tail from an unseen angle. But Leira dove into his embrace a half-beat faster.
"Kruk?!"
She deftly evaded his clumsily swung arm in panic. Using his thigh as a foothold, she leaped upward. Their eyes met level, and Leira's hand touched his forehead.
Blue Thunder.
"Krkig?!"
Rumble!
A small explosion erupted from Leira's palm via lightning. The power itself was negligible, but perhaps because it rattled his insides. Midyr felt the world shake.
Amid it all, Leira burst into giggles. For an Erosion Species cry, it was almost cute. She stepped on his whipping tail and hopped back.
"Heh heh heh... Pathetic...."
"Kirruk!"
Midyr couldn't understand human speech. Yet her words grated on him intensely. Perhaps because of the mischievous glint on Leira's face. But charging blindly might lead to another hit. Midyr slipped part of his body into the shadow, silently observing her.
No matter how he thought about it, something was off. Just dozens of minutes ago in the cave, it had been a deadlock. Leira held a slight edge from experience, but their physical specs prevented an easy win. Now she was missing an arm and unarmed. She should be much easier prey. Yet somehow, Midyr was overwhelmingly on the defensive.
What on earth had happened to Leira?
The answer was simple.
"Ahaha.... I can't stop laughing.... Feels like my brain's broken...."
Current Leira was under multiple layers of doping. Runner's High to numb pain. Acceleration to speed up thought processes by about 50%. Limit Over to force her body to full power. Stacking three game-changing skills made tipping the balance inevitable.
The moment Midyr lost his composure and wavered, unaware of this. Leira slipped lightly into his embrace and grinned.
"If you wanna run, you can run, y'know?"
"Kiiik!"
Leira gripped a nail from inside her clothes. She slashed deeply into Midyr's skin with the sharp end. The relatively soft inner side of his tough exoskeleton tore long. Midyr writhed in agony.
"Does it hurt? It hurts, right? You're hurting!"
He shook violently from the irritating pain. But Leira jammed the nail into his skin. Then pulled another to slash similarly elsewhere.
It was a horrifying situation. Imagine a small child carving up your entire body with a cutter knife. No matter how you thrashed, you couldn't shake it off. For a mindless Erosion Species, maybe nothing. But for coward Midyr, it was pure torture. Her actions instantly broke his will to fight.
"Kirrruk!"
"Ah, wait...."
Splash!
Midyr, shredded all over, plunged into his shadow. It wouldn't kill him, but the torment was as bad as death. He'd completely lost the will to fight.
Naturally, Leira had no way to pursue now that he'd fled like this. With shadows everywhere in this forest, chasing was impossible.
"Hmph. I was gonna let you go anyway."
Left alone, she plopped down right there. The moment she consciously registered the fight's end, Trance released involuntarily.
"Ha, haa... haa...."
Thump-thump-thump.
Her heart pounded painfully. Her throat parched, chills wracking her body. Nausea roiled inside, headache throbbing, face twisting involuntarily. Of course it would. Three dopings that could fry the brain alone, used simultaneously. While fighting intensely, no less. No backlash would be weirder.
"Urghhh. Blech. Grrk...."
Splat.
Sticky tears with blood rising from her gut. Soon her nose and ears grew hot and wet. Blood poured from every orifice.
Leira's consciousness blurred for a moment. But sleeping here meant never waking. With superhuman will, she activated Runner's High again.
Yeah. This'll hold till the effect ends.
Leira forced her creaking body to stand.
"Well then... Shall we go?"
Step step.
She walked toward where the commander had gone. Then, her eyes caught the glass of an abandoned truck. Seeing her reflection, she pondered briefly.
"Cleaner than I thought.... Better add some realism, huh?"
She lightly tore her forehead with one of her few remaining nails. She ragged her relatively intact clothes similarly. Enough to show desperate fighting. But not too much.
This next scene was crucial. Beauty mattered. A completely wrecked face had its tragic appeal. But for her, discomfort would outweigh suffering.
"Perfect. This'll do. Mmm, even bleeding, Leira's pretty. Flawless."
Moderately made-up, Leira resumed walking. Her steps light, like heading to a picnic.
Plip.
A small droplet tapped her cheek.
*
The Rabbit Hole Squad and Yujin, who had left Midyr to Leira. They finally set the last site ablaze. Flames and smoke rose high into hellish skies. Wind direction spared them the heat, but acrid smoke pricked their noses, guilt weighing on their chests.
But it was necessary. Only this could tie down the Erosion Species.
Yujin clenched his fist, staring at the irreversible blaze.
"Now... Let's head back to Leira."
"Will Leira be... okay?"
"...I'm worried."
They recalled Leira's last image. Facing the Erosion Species desperately, one arm gone. Yujin especially couldn't hide his anxiety. To him, Leira was a precious friend. If she died, he'd never forgive himself.
Perhaps sensing his state. As Promina carried him hastily back. Ubina naturally sidled up and comforted him.
"Commander, Lady Leira will surely be fine."
"Ubina..."
"She's stronger than anyone. She'll handle that Erosion Species easily!"
Ubina smiled brightly, without a shred of doubt. In this hopeless situation, she drew hope. She believed Leira wouldn't lose to some Erosion Species.
Of course, Ubina was anxious too. She'd seen close Valkyries die multiple times. No one was invincible. She knew that best.
But now, she had to believe. Ubina prayed Leira was safe.
"Kuhk!"
"Anje?!"
But as they ran side by side. Anje, at the front, bent sideways at the waist. Suddenly flung, tumbling across the ground.
The momentarily lax group heightened tension.
No way.
A grim thought flashed in Yujin's mind. Simultaneously, Rabbit Hole Squad formed up by role.
A wounded monster appeared before them.
"Kirr...."
As expected, it was Midyr. Realizing this, Rabbit Hole Squad despaired. The Erosion Species Leira should have held appearing here... meant her fate was clear.
Of course, they were mistaken. No one imagined Midyr fleeing from Leira only to detour and target the commander.
"Ugh, aaaaah!"
Ubina, losing composure, charged Midyr. Another friend lost. Rage boiled her mind.
But her parasol slashed empty air futilely. Midyr hid in shadows to dodge, then targeted rear Dalia and Promina. Caught off-guard, they couldn't react.
"Kyaa...!"
"Guh!"
Dalia flung bleeding from claws. Promina rolling with shattered spine.
Ubina pursued, deploying her unique ability.
"Weight Overrrr!"
Rumble...!
Tanker skill increasing her mass. Her parasol, now hundreds of kilos, targeted Midyr.
But even a mighty blow misses if it doesn't land. After exchanges snapping surrounding trees. He vanished into shadow, tail smashing Ubina's jaw.
"Kuh, grk...."
Unconscious, she tumbled powerless down the slope.
Thus, everyone but the commander fell in just over five minutes.
"Damn it...."
No hope. Valkyries down rolling on ground. Alone and standing, he lacked the power to fight Erosion Species.
Knowing this, Midyr approached leisurely. Planning to repay Leira's torment on her precious Yujin.
Am I... dying here...?
Yujin's chest felt hollow. No real fear of death. Just emptiness from losing everyone filling him.
If I'd judged wiser, would it be different? Crushing regret slowly strangled him. Perhaps his missing brother met such an end.
Resigned, he gazed skyward, murmuring softly.
"Leira...."
What emotion drove him to call her name? Even Yujin couldn't tell.
Midyr, now close, raised his arm high. The instant it would cleave him in two.
A blue bolt from somewhere struck Midyr's shoulder.
"Kiiiiik!"
"Ugh! Lightning...?!"
Whoosh!
Fierce wind nearly blew Yujin back. Shielding his face instinctively, something flashed in his sight.
Beneath moonlight peeking through thick smoke. High in the sky floated a girl with navy-blue hair.
Bleeding everywhere, clothes and body a mess. But unmistakably, the Leira they'd thought dead.
She's alive...!
Yujin looked up, chest swelling. He'd thought he'd never see her again.
Erosion Species at his nose, yet he only took her in.
That instant, Midyr whirled. He slashed scattershot at the airborne girl.
After her full-body torment earlier. Desperate check to keep Leira away.
No real power or precision. But Midyr expected her to dodge. Too much for frail human flesh bare.
Then finish with tail so she couldn't flee. In lightning-induced haze, Midyr judged.
"...."
But Leira didn't dodge. She took the claws piercing even steel straight to her body.
Stab.
Sizzle.
Unpleasant sound of flesh parting. Midyr's claws pierced her abdomen.
Hot blood gushed. Fatal wound— Yujin froze in shock.
"Wha...?"
But that was it. Full force would've bisected her. This hasty scatter to buy time merely gutted her.
Leira reached out in that state, grabbing Midyr's face. Pouring all remaining power into her palm.
Blue Thunder... Extreme.
Kaboom!
Power scorching even user's arm and palm black. She unleashed her hoarded three charges at once.
From Midyr's head, gripped by Leira— crunch of ominous rupture. Internal lightning charred him from inside.
No Erosion Species could survive... certain death.