At That Time, She Was Definitely Naked
Ian couldn't even resist in Maritia's grasp. With his magic stripped away, he was now just a powerless man.
But he waited.
For her to come to him of her own accord.
To an unavoidable distance. An interval where even their breaths tangled. To that distance where a single movement could end it all—a fatal strike possible.
He had waited endlessly for just that one moment until now.
And now, finally, that moment had arrived.
Maritia was still ravaging Ian's lips.
This was the perfect chance.
Flash! Ian's eyes gleamed like lightning.
His right hand shot up like a storm.
No hesitation, no second thoughts.
In one breath. Toward her head—
It'll hit.
The moment that certainty struck.
Grab!
"…!"
The flawless timing shattered all too easily.
Maritia's hand had lightly, yet firmly, seized Ian's right arm.
As if she had known everything from the start.
"What's… this?"
Her voice rang low and sweet. The corners of her mouth slowly curved into a smile so chillingly beautiful.
"I remember you tossing this away last time?"
In Ian's hand was a black iron weapon of unknown make. The very item he had received from Aymdel.
Maritia's red eyes pierced Ian's pupils like arrows.
A deeper, hotter, more dangerous pleasure burrowed into her chest.
"So this… is a weapon after all?"
Her breath brushed hot against Ian's ear. Laughter laced her voice, but beneath it lurked razor-sharp killing intent.
Ian's heart pounded wildly.
Yet an irrepressible smile crept onto his lips.
"This thing's called—"
Maritia felt a sudden unease. Her hand gripped his arm tight, yet his tone was bizarrely relaxed. He was even smiling.
Instinctively, she reached to snatch the item away—but
"—a pistol!"
It was already too late.
Bang! Bang!
Sharp, dry explosions tore through the jungle's silence in rapid succession.
"Kugh…!"
Maritia clutched her head with both hands and staggered back. Astonishingly, she didn't fall even after being shot.
But for the first time, genuine pain flickered in her red eyes.
Ian held his breath and jammed the muzzle right against her forehead.
Three bullets left.
"Now… it's really over."
His voice sank low and cold, though a faint tremor lingered at the end. Cold sweat dripped from his trigger finger.
One more shot. Just one clean hit, and it would all end.
Maritia slowly raised her head.
"Yeah…"
Blood streamed down her temple.
Yet that eerie smile bloomed on her lips again.
"…This is fun."
Laughter spread even clearer across her pain-twisted face. The madness sent chills down Ian's spine.
"Even dying… and you're still so damn composed."
"Heh."
Maritia laughed through the blood. Her voice remained sweet and leisurely.
"You really think this ends it? Am I… really the real one? You don't know anything yet."
Her words made Ian's heart plummet.
He wanted to hear more—what he had missed, her scheme, the truth.
But he saw Shiro. Collapsed, gasping weakly for air.
"Sorry, but."
Ian gritted his teeth. His voice cracked.
"I don't have the luxury… to play along anymore."
The jungle air grew heavy. Even in the humid heat, chills crawled up Ian's back.
His finger slowly tightened on the trigger.
"Wai—! Hold on, not yet—"
Maritia desperately tried to speak, but bang!
The sharp gunshot ripped through the jungle.
The bullet lodged squarely in her forehead.
Maritia's body pitched forward slowly, as if time itself had slowed. Her black eyes stared straight at Ian until the end, but he didn't spare her a glance.
Without lowering the gun, he whipped around and sprinted madly toward Shiro.
"Shiro!"
In that final instant, it looked like Maritia reached out a hand, but right now, Ian's eyes held only Shiro.
The closer he got to her crumpled form, the tighter his chest squeezed.
Stay alive… please, just stay alive…
The moment he reached her, Ian dropped to his knees and carefully pulled her into his arms.
Her blood spread warm and sticky across his naked skin. He didn't care one bit.
"Shiro…! Shiro!"
His voice broke and burst out. His eyes desperately, almost pleadingly, scanned her pale face.
With trembling hands, Ian rummaged in her waist pouch for a potion. He roughly uncorked it and poured the remaining liquid over her chest, stomach, and wounds.
The clear potion trickled down her blood-soaked skin.
Not enough—he emptied every potion Maritia had carried too.
"Please… wake up, Shiro…"
Did his desperate plea reach her? Shiro's eyelids slowly lifted.
"Master Ian…"
That faint voice flooded Ian with crushing relief. Tears welled up. His throat choked; he could barely breathe.
"I'm sorry… again… I couldn't protect you, Master Ian… because I'm… too weak…"
Shiro's eyes, upon opening, brimmed with guilt for failing to protect him properly.
Ian held her precious form close. He pressed her head firmly to his chest and whispered softly.
"No… you did everything you could. It was enough. If anything, I'm sorry. For letting you get hurt like this… thank you, truly…"
"Yes…"
Shiro replied in a shy, tiny voice. He could feel her breathing steadying bit by bit.
"Rest a little more. Take it slow. I'm right here."
Thanks to the potions, the bleeding had mostly stopped. But she still couldn't move yet.
Confirming Shiro was stable, Ian glanced in the direction Karin had flown off. She was nowhere in sight—must've gone pretty far.
Then.
Rustle—
A faint sound, but Ian's body reacted first.
Whoosh! The muzzle whipped toward the rear like lightning.
His finger dug deeper into the trigger. Breath caught.
Ready to fire at the slightest suspicion. Two bullets left.
"…"
The underbrush stirred slowly. Footsteps. One step. Another.
Was Maritia right—did a clone remain? A monster? Another adventurer?
Tension gripped Ian's throat.
And—
"Ian…"
A familiar voice.
Ian's eyes widened in shock.
"…Aymdel?"
Pushing through the foliage was Aymdel.
"Is that bitch dead?"
Her state was wretched too. Covered head to toe in blood and monster fluids, clothes torn to shreds. She could barely stand, breaths ragged.
Trailing unsteadily behind was Lidoem.
Strength drained from Ian's hand. His trigger finger slowly relaxed.
"Yeah, over there…"
Ian pointed at Maritia's corpse.
Aymdel glanced briefly at the body, then back to Ian.
"Sorry. We… were too late. Monsters got in the way midway…"
Deep regret filled Aymdel's eyes.
Ian wasn't angry. Instead, a pang tugged at his chest.
"No, it's fine. Without you two, we wouldn't have won. Seriously… thank you."
"Is Shiro okay?"
Aymdel approached, voice trembling slightly.
"Yeah, seems stabilized for now."
Shiro had passed out again, but her breathing was steady.
"Oh, right."
Aymdel rummaged in her bag as if remembering something.
"At least cover up with this for now. Staying… like that is kinda awkward."
She gently draped a blanket over Ian's shoulders.
Come to think of it, he was still completely naked, without a stitch on.
"Tch…"
Lidoem clicked her tongue softly from behind, but Ian ignored it.
"What about Karin?"
Ian asked, a bit worried since she still hadn't appeared.
"Probably…"
Aymdel hesitated, then spoke slowly.
"Hiding because she's embarrassed."
She pointed somewhere into the forest.
"She's really shy…"
"Ah…"
Now that he thought about it, Karin had been naked too. In the heat of the moment, but they'd met her butt-naked from the start.
Ian's face suddenly burned.
But where'd she pull the pistol and dagger from? At that time, she was definitely naked.