Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: I Really Don't Know
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I really don't know.
A scream utterly unfit for her delicate features echoed out— Uwaaaaaah!!!—and the black-haired beauty beside her watched the scene with pity.
"Shouldn't we help her soon?"
"Yeah. What to do."
Honestly, I shoved her without thinking. I was just that pissed in the moment. Gotta hold back next time. But it's not my fault. Who calls in something like the Grim Reaper to hassle people? It's all Raphael's fault. I'm innocent.
The hopeful Kim Tae-hyun flew off. And Isia's magic is mostly wide-area spells, which would put even Raphael at risk...
Huh? Does it even matter? Perfect. Let's go with magic.
If she can't survive, then that's as far as she goes. This world's survival of the fittest. A straightforward place where the weak get eaten.
"Blast it away with magic."
"Are you insane?"
"Don't underestimate Raphael. She's got a sturdy body that can even tank your 10-verse incantation magic."
"10... 10-verse?! I can't cast ultra spells like that..."
No. Future you can. Hang in there. You're a kid who can do it if you try. Win with grit.
"And that wraith... it wasn't even fazed by my magic."
What? So even if I use magic, only Raphael gets hurt? That's not so ba—
"Yes."
Enough with the nonsense. How to save her. Raphael was starting to pant, looking out of breath. Might be dangerous, so better rescue her quick.
"Lachesis."
At my call, Lachesis jumped from my shoulder,
Boom!!
A burst of smoke billowed out with the explosion. When it cleared, a silver-haired cat-eared girl stood there.
She licked the back of her hand, then looked my way with her ruby-red eyes, so I gave her head a pat. Cats are cute. Yeah.
"Eh? W-what is that? That girl from before!!"
She pointed at my cat, her face screaming, What the hell is this person? Too annoying to explain...
Last time she was with us from the start, but popping out like this suddenly is a hassle. Ah, this'll work.
"Maid No. 3."
My decision.
"M-maid?! You added another one already? Ah, if she's a maid too... No, wait, how did you even get another—"
She's mumbling to herself, seeming convinced. What image of me is in that head of hers that she buys it so quick? Beats me.
I really don't know.
"Anyway, go save her. You can do it, right?"
Lachesis said that and dashed toward Raphael. I turned to the girl still muttering things like, "Ah, no way. Another maid even with me here?!" and "No matter what, No. 3 is—"
"Once Silver-hair rescues Raphael, get ready to cast your spell right away."
"Huh?"
"What do you mean 'huh'? Do what I say. For no-incantation magic... yeah. 5-verse Grasp of the Abyss should do. Just bind its feet."
"I can cast it, but how did you—"
Too chatty. Ignoring her mumbling, I watched Lachesis, and soon chanting sounds came from beside me.
5-verse takes a while, but Lachesis can handle it. She's a cat, after all. Agility maxed? Evasion god-tier?
As if proving my words, Lachesis dodged the Grim Reaper's scythe by a hair's breadth as she reached Raphael and scooped her up.
Raphael let out a "My?!" in surprise at being held, creating a weird scene, but she didn't seem to mind.
After that, to buy time for Isia's chant, Lachesis dodged this way and that with Raphael in her arms. When the pissed-off Reaper raised its scythe,
"Done!!"
With that shout, hands rose from beneath the Reaper. They bound it like restraints, and as Lachesis ran back with Raphael—
"Wait. Lachesis!! Go right!!"
"Too late!!!"
I took a headbutt of rage. Damn that golden-haired rock head crashing into my solar plexus. Hurts like hell. Why didn't you dodge, Lachesis?
I glared, and she whistled while looking away. You two a con artist duo? Feels like you planned this.
"Whew. I'll let it slide this time. Do it again, and you're done for."
It hurts. Hurts so bad I might die. I rubbed my throbbing chest where Raphael's rock head had hit as I stood.
I want to smite this girl with divine punishment, but the situation at hand is more urgent, so I'll hold off.
"Raphael."
"What."
"Cast a spell. Like that Angel's Blessing from before. Quick. Hand on waist."
"What spell? That's all I got?"
"What?"
I blurted in shock, but this clueless girl didn't read the room and proudly placed a hand on her waist before opening her mouth.
"I told you. Wings sealed, so that's it. One buff and done. You know that already~?"
Hehe. Raphael scratched the back of her head with a grin.
Yeah. Crystal clear. Totally useless.
Lachesis risked her life to save her, Isia squeezed out her mana to bind it—and she wasn't worth it.
I got it loud and clear.
Raphael grinned while scratching her head. I grinned back.
For a good 3 seconds. We smiled at each other just like that.
"Go learn some spells then run!!"
I shoved Raphael toward the Reaper.
"[Whoa.]"
The others looked at me like trash, but what can you do? Karma, right?
"Uwaaaaaah!! Lee Seong-hoon!!! Lee Seong-hoooooon!!!"
I tuned out the even more intense scream than before?
In the pitch-black forest where nothing was visible, Kim Tae-hyun leaned against a tree and opened his eyes.
'How long was I out?'
No idea. He just got swung at in an instant, flew to where the wraith wasn't visible, and blacked out.
"Gotta get back quick."
That blonde was being chased. And there were more people there. Not trustworthy ones, so he had to hurry.
That blonde was getting targeted nonstop too. Kim Tae-hyun stood. Indescribable pain wracked his body, but he ignored it and ran.
How far did he run? Relying on instinct, his vision inverted as a blue window popped up.
Why now? No clue. It was a longtime partner, but he truly didn't know.
「Path of Victory」 was why he could be here.
The ability that always led him to victory. In unfavorable situations, if there was even 1% chance of winning, it visualized it—the best partner.
Good sign, of course. That wraith was too strong to beat no matter what, but why now?
He wasn't even fighting the wraith. Just finding his way, yet it activated. Tilting his head, he followed the path it showed.
What he saw then—
"Bet you thought I couldn't come? Die!!"
"W-wait. Calm down. Let's talk it out. We're 21st-century civilized people. Intellectuals. Calm. Yeah! Stay calm!!"
"Calm? Caaaalm?! You think that word should come out of your mouth, Seong-hoon?!"
Two clueless idiots fighting, and two watching.
And the wraith with its feet bound.
"What the."
Kim Tae-hyun took in the scene, flustered. Not just the two fighting amid the crisis, nor the one who'd bound the strong wraith (nearly broken but still) with magic, nor the new arrival.
It was what 「Path of Victory」 pointed to.
Usually, it showed the way forward: enemy weak points, spots to attack in battle, exploitable variables.
First time for this. The path stretched only toward the black-haired guy and blonde girl.
'Protect them?'
No idea. Lifelong companion since birth, yet he couldn't grasp the meaning.
Still, he had to. If he misread, it'd show the path again.
Kim Tae-hyun rushed to the tearing dark hands. He stood between them and the wraith, knife at the ready.
'Last time I attacked and got hit.'
Just defend—no, evade. He could manage.
Buy time. Whatever they were doing, they'd need it. He trusted his unique mana.
"Chaaarge!!"
He dodged the scythe swinging like an annoyance, knocked hands away with his knife, attacked if they ignored him.
Unavoidables canceled with magic while evading. Pure evasion, evasion, evasion—block if not.
Occasional dark magic blasts aided evasion.
But limits existed. The wraith raised its scythe.
Irritated, it spun in the air.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Each arc unleashed wind pressure that shredded people and uprooted trees.
No one here could withstand it. But.
"Watch closely!! This Lady Raphael's moment of glory!!"
"Shut up!! Hurry!!"
The blonde's laughter rang clear.
Can't breathe. Is dying like this? Top 3 most painful deaths is drowning, they say.
Am I experiencing No. 3—? Snapped out of it.
"Let's talk!! Please!!"
"Should've talked earlier!!"
Yes. Currently getting strangled by Raphael. How'd this happen? Well, she didn't know the Reaper's feet were still bound, so repercussion of her actions. Isia's magic was surprisingly potent. You said it didn't work! Didn't work!
Got shoved by me, rolled once, came back. I've seen this. Famous Simpsons scene.
"Super dangerous right now? No time for that?!"
Right. Super dangerous. Multiply that. Reaper or angel—my neck's on the line!
"Know what karma is?? Seong-hoon?!"
Yeah. I know. Was using it myself till now. Guess this is mine.
"Killing you today sends me to heaven!!"
"That's going home—!!"
And usually hell. Tried saying that, but felt like killing me guarantees her heaven, so zipped it.
Hurts to hear that for real.
Wrestling Raphael's arms for a while, a blue window appeared.
"Huh?"
With the blue window, crack, crack. Something breaking. Raphael shivered too, loosening her grip and looking back.
The skeleton glared at us. No face, but somehow glaring. Dunno. Felt that way.
"Uwawaaaaah!! Seong-hoon!! It's free!! What do we do? What?! How?!"
At Raphael's words, Isia and Lachesis looked at me too. Expecting something? My mind's blank.
This damn expectation's too much. Racking my brain, something entered my sight.
Black hair gleaming blue, a handsome guy charging coldly our way.
He positioned himself between the Reaper and us. Then all the arms fell, Reaper freed and roared.
"That guy's alive? Thought I heard an explosion?!"
Obviously. Dying would've been weirder.
Kim Tae-hyun's back. Good. While he buys time—my job is—
"Run?"
"..."
"..."
Joke. Just a joke. Don't look at me like that.
'You really wanna run?' 'Seong-hoon, I'm for it.' 'Ridiculous, nya'—let it go in one ear out the other as I eyed the Reaper.
Even Kim Tae-hyun was barely hanging on with just defense and evasion, no attacks.
No one here stronger than him.
No elemental weakness, no subduing. Nothing to do—
"If I had wings, one-shot easy. Shame. In Heaven, they called me the Mobile Siege Tank—why that look?"
Found her.
Someone stronger than current Kim Tae-hyun.