Chapter 147
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Mate?
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My body is implanted with over a dozen 'suicide methods.'
These things, mostly consisting of poisons and magic, are the results of procedures I received from Greenjack, which have now been completely neutralized. Originally, they were prepared in anticipation of torture.
Organizations, groups, demons... or even my family, once they confirmed my identity and coveted the vast information I possessed.
Rather than being captured by them and subjected to endless torment, I had stuffed myself full of these as a resolute decision to die cleanly.
...But I never dreamed I'd end up using them in this way.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-kuwaaang!!
Though I called them 'suicide methods,' not all of them were designed solely to thoroughly destroy the flesh.
There were also radical, self-destruct options meant to take out my torturers along with me if things went south.
"Kuh!?"
First, a brilliant red flash swept through the surroundings, followed by explosively expanding flames and shockwaves that raged chaotically, sweeping away everything nearby.
According to the unnamed surgeon's explanation, it had enough power to leave not even a bone fragment for an ordinary person...
"What the... hell is this shit?!"
Pajijijizik!
But as expected, it had minimal effect on a master.
Looking extremely enraged, scraping her vocal cords raw as she screamed, Charhela burst through the center of that terrifying explosion, her entire body wrapped in lightning.
Yes, this much was within expectations.
"Huu...!"
Taking a deep breath, I gazed at the future scene flashing into my mind an instant ahead and preemptively moved the 'Silk of Atonement.'
"You...!"
The moment she broke through the hot winds, upon seeing me, her eyebrows relaxed as if in relief for a split second, but then her lips twisted, and she charged at me.
Pajijijijik!
"Quit screwing around in Alzen's body and just die already!"
Ah, so that's what it was.
From her perspective, it must have looked like some unidentified entity possessing her little brother's body was clumsily handling it.
And in truth, that's exactly right.
"Kuhk..."
With a smirk, curling up the corner of my mouth, I moved the 'Silk of Atonement.'
Without a thought for evasion or defense.
Even reading my intent, she didn't stop and kept charging.
She was confident her attack would land faster than whatever I was trying.
And she was probably right.
Soon after, her fist passed through my abdomen.
"...What!?"
Not piercing or penetrating, but passing through as if slipping through a ghost's body.
It was possible because the explosion hadn't fully ended, leaving the 'Ring of Absolute Evasion's' effect lingering over my entire body.
"What is this...!?"
"...Finally, got you."
Panicking, she tried to quickly pull back, but by then, the 'Silk of Atonement' was firmly wrapped around her limbs.
─Well done. Kuhk... To think you'd use such an outlandish method. As expected, you never fail to meet my expectations.
Hearing the Demon King's voice, I slowly stepped forward.
The sensation of weight gradually returning to my body, which had been floating enveloped in the purple aura of the 'Ring of Absolute Evasion,' was truly peculiar.
"You, what the hell are you...?"
Locking eyes with the thoroughly bewildered Charhela, I clenched my right fist tight.
"Bite down hard."
"Kuh-!!"
Pulling the 'Silk of Atonement' binding her limbs downward as far as possible, I swung my fist.
"You, unidentified, bastard...!"
"Dodge this?"
Yet this astonishing woman dodged my fist even in this situation.
With unbelievable flexibility and reflexes.
─Hahaha! The gap in power is truly evident! That's how it should be!
Ppeoeok!
At that moment, my left fist, moving on its own, struck Charhela's face squarely.
"Guk! You, bastard...!"
Ppajijijijik!
Whether it was because she took a hit or some switch flipped, she gnashed her teeth with a ferocious expression, lightning bursting from her shamanic tattoos as she lunged.
I suppressed her as much as possible with the 'Silk of Atonement,' but stopping a master's physical abilities was impossible.
...I had seen it in foresight too, but unlike Charhela, I couldn't dodge.
It wasn't just about physical prowess; the fact that I had her meant she had me too.
In fact, her dodging in this state was the abnormal thing.
Ppeoeok!
"Kahak...!?"
Her aura-clad fist slamming into my abdomen made it feel like all my organs shriveled, expelling a massive burst of air from my mouth.
"Keurh..."
It was a blow that sent chunks of organs and blood gushing up my throat, causing my consciousness to flicker.
─Don't pass out. Endure it.
"...Shut up, and do your job...!"
Geureudeuk!
Grinding my teeth and growling, the lips sprouting on my left arm burst into hearty laughter.
─Hahahahat! That's the spirit! Leave it to me!
Paak!
"Kahak!"
This time, a strike infused with mana properly smashed into Charhela's head.
With a gruesome bursting sound, she spat blood, her eyes flashing savagely as she immediately counterattacked.
Too fast—even faster than the trajectory of her lightning—a blow shook my head.
Peureok!
"Kuhk...!?"
Feeling my brain rattling inside my skull, I swallowed and glared wide-eyed.
Ppeok! Paak! Peureok!
The Demon King-possessed left arm and Charhela's attacks crossed faster and faster as time passed, pummeling each other's bodies.
Blood and flesh sprayed, struck areas caving in or turning dark as if necrotic.
The excruciating pain made it hard to stay conscious, but there was no escape.
"Kak, kahak! Kakakak! Kahahahaha!!"
Despite clearly taking as many hits as I was—painful ones at that—she began to show glimmers of joy, eventually erupting into mad laughter.
"Crazy, bitch...!"
"Hahahahaha! Good! More! Hit me harder! Make me suffer more! The first to die loses! The last one standing wins!"
"Shut... up...!"
Peubeubeubeuk! Ppeogeugeugeugeok!
The strikes were so fast my flickering vision blurred everything ahead.
"Damn... it..."
If I could, I'd self-destruct like before and use the 'Ring of Absolute Evasion' to temporarily escape, but regrettably, that was my only wide-area option.
Unless the threat covered my entire body, I couldn't enter that ethereal state again.
...Plus, doing so would mean letting go of Charhela, whom I'd finally caught, increasing my chances of defeat.
In the end, I had to finish this somehow in the current state.
"Just... fall...!"
"Hahahahaha!! Still a long way to gooo! Far from it! My beloved rival! Messenger of death who will show me oblivion! Ahh! Break my bones! Tear my flesh! Flay my skin! Gouge my eyes!"
"Crazy... bitch...!"
"Hahahahaha!! Ahahahahaha!!"
How much longer did we exchange blows amid her endless echoing laughter?
Before I knew it, Charhela and I were close enough for our noses to touch.
...Not because we neglected distance in the heat of combat or accidentally closed in.
It was inevitable; it had to happen.
The 'Silk of Atonement' wasn't infinite.
Each time my bones shattered or muscles tore, I'd substituted with it to survive, and that's how we'd ended up this close.
"Heok, heok...!"
"Keuruk, keuhok..."
Pausing our attacks momentarily to stare at each other, we simultaneously smashed our fists into one another's faces.
...Well, I was in no state to think, so technically my rogue left arm did it, but anyway.
Ppeok! Peureong! Peok! Ppeogeok!
And so the close-range brawl resumed.
"Heok! Haak! Huuk! Kik! Kikikik!"
"Stop... laughing, you psycho bitch, ah...!"
Keudeudeuk! Pagak! Ppaduk!
"Kahahahaha!! This position right now—doesn't it feel kinda lewd? Little brother! It's like we're pressing our bellies together!"
"Ha...!"
At her insane words, I couldn't help but laugh.
She was right.
We were pressed so tightly together that our bodies rubbed excessively.
Our clothes had long been torn, exposing bare skin, and through open wounds, our innards touched, slick blood sloshing with lewd sounds.
"Kuhuhuhu..."
Apparently, we'd taken so many hits that our minds were going strange.
Ppeok! Peureok! Peok!
"Keuhok..."
Ah, the limit—clearly the limit.
No matter how strong one's mental fortitude, there's a physical threshold one can't endure, and I was teetering right on that edge, barely clinging to consciousness.
"...It was fun. Rest now. Alzen."
"Sh..."
Ppeoeok!
I tried to spit a final curse, but her strike sent my mind flying away like smoke.
"Lord Alzen...!"
"He's conscious...!"
"Fall back...!"
"Uoooooh...!"
With the fight decided, the barrier vanished; in my hazy vision, I saw Murel and Rebecca's backs, the party's voices faintly ringing in my ears.
With that, my consciousness plummeted into dark depths.
─A shame you lost. Rest well.
I think I heard the Demon King's voice just before blacking out completely.
"...An unfamiliar ceiling."
Muttering the cliché line, I painfully lifted my eyelids.
"Are you awake, Lord Alzen?"
"...Murel. Is that you...?"
"Yes. It's me. You did well. Lord Alzen."
"...Did I lose?"
"You did. But you were splendid. Not empty words—truly."
"Huu...Ugh."
Trying to sit up, pain wracked my body, and I groaned, slumping back.
"...How's my condition? Feels like everything's wrecked..."
"Miraculously intact."
"Intact... you say...?"
"Yes. Lady Cecilia's holy spells cleanly healed all wounds. Not even scars remain."
"Heh..."
Holy magic sure is impressive.
Or rather, in this case, the saintess is.
Honestly, I'd braced for death and never expected to survive.
"But there may be aftereffects, so you must rest for the time being."
"...No need to tell me; that's the plan..."
I weakly wiggled my hand.
But she shook her head.
"Lord Alzen. Alcohol is forbidden for the time being."
"...You wanna see me go mad?"
"Forbidden."
Suddenly thrusting her face over mine, declaring firmly, I met her gaze and sighed.
"...So, where are we?"
"A barbarian's ger."
"Ah, I see... But it's kinda big?"
"Of course. It's the great chieftain's ger."
"Right..."
After a brief silence, I wiggled my hand again.
"No."
"Then at least a smoke..."
"Absolutely not."
"Damn it all... Then let me suck on those tits at least."
I blurted out in frustration.
"...Understood."
And then she—smiling—actually started undressing.
"I didn't mean it literally..."
"Didn't you?"
"Well, since they're out, might as well suck."
"...Hee hee."
She chuckled softly, placing my head on her thigh, then smothered my entire face with those large, plush mounds.
The soft, smooth, heavy sensation, slightly cool, enveloped my face, making my body relax languidly.
"Little brother! My mate! Have you finally come to!"
At that moment, Charhela flung open the ger's entrance flap energetically and strode in.
"......"
And upon seeing us, her jaw dropped, eyes widening hugely.
It was quite comical, but I wasn't in the mood to tease her.
Because what she'd said gnawed at me.
"...Mate? What the hell is that nonsense?"
"Hm? Oh, right! Let's get along from now on! Mate! I hope we have three kids, boys or girls doesn't matter!"
"......"
"And no cheating! Clean up all your womanizing! I'll let it slide since I didn't know before!"
"......"
I barely clung to my fraying sanity.
For now, I had to hear what this crazy woman was babbling about.