Chapter 451: Proof of Existence (39)
Chapter 451: Proof of Existence (39)
The rising blood makes even breathing a struggle.
A searing pain radiated from my pierced abdomen. Flames seemed to surge up my spine, scorching my very mind.
It hurt.
But pain could not dominate my consciousness. Only a single question held onto my soul like a ghost.
Why? I wanted to ask, but blood had long since filled my throat.
With a gurgling sound, bloody froth filled my mouth. At that pathetic noise, the man with jade-colored hair let out a deep sigh.
My friend, Yuren.
Or more accurately, the man who used to be my friend.
Schwing! He withdrew the sword embedded in my body. Blood spurted out like a fountain, and my body, already pushed to its limit, collapsed without even the strength to scream.
My vision blurred.
Nevertheless, I struggled with everything I had to keep from losing consciousness. My unfocused eyes turned toward something nearby.
"Ma—Master... Kyaak?!"
The handle of an axe was crushing the girl's hand.
Crunch. Grind.
It sounded like grain being pulverized between rough millstones. Despite the agony, a pain she likely had never experienced in her life, Senior Elsie was gritting her teeth and crawling across the ground.
Bloodshot eyes and a shoulder drenched in crimson were etched into my retinas one after another.
"N-no... Not Master... please..."
Elsie's resistance didn't last.
Thwack! The axe handle struck the back of Elsie's neck with brutal efficiency. It wasn't a blow a mage, who wasn't even a swordsman, could withstand.
It was a miracle she had even held onto her consciousness this long.
However, the one who truly couldn't maintain their sanity was someone else.
It was Celine, the very person who had turned Elsie into a wreck.
Her amber eyes were filled with terror. She seemed paralyzed by the horror of being unable to control her own body.
Her fragmented excuses trembled.
"No, it's not... I—I didn't want to—"
"Is that really true?"
A girl dressed in a black priestess's outfit stepped forward with light, airy grace.
Yuren stood in her path, but he showed no particular interest in her. He merely wiped the blood from his blade with a cloth in silence.
The girl's eyes met Celine's in the air.
A cloying voice began to coax Celine.
"Deep down, you wanted this, didn't you? This girl suddenly appeared and took your childhood friend's side for herself... and then, from some point on, she started acting like his fiancée, getting all jealous. Wasn't it annoying? You've wanted to do this for a long time, haven't you? Hmm?"
"I... No, that can't be..."
Clap! A clear sound of hands meeting rang out.
The girl continued, a bright, innocent smile playing on her lips.
"That's why you made a 'deal' with me, isn't it?"
"A deal? When did I ever—"
Contrary to her words, Celine's eyes were growing increasingly vacant.
Watching Celine lose her soul, the girl burst into a giggle.
A wicked arc floated in the air.
"Haven't you ever thought it was strange? Some are born into powerful families by luck, enjoying all sorts of privileges and monopolizing sweet fruits just because of something called 'talent'... while someone else's family is torn apart in childhood, and no matter how hard they train until their hands are blistered every day, they can never catch up."
The light vanished from Celine's amber pupils. Her body was trembling violently.
She bit her lip as if she didn't know how to answer.
The girl leaned in closer, whispering in Celine's ear.
"......Everything was stolen from you."
Her tone was laced with a faint trace of rage.
The tremors in Celine's body grew even stronger.
"Your family, your achievements, even your love... are you going to live your whole life having things stolen from you? We will return what is rightfully yours, sister."
"Rightfully... mine...?"
"Yes! The share you were always meant to have!"
Stepping back, the girl spread her arms and beamed with a radiant smile.
Her face was filled with what seemed like pure goodwill.
It was sickening.
"High nobility? It doesn't matter! We can just crush things like that, can't we? I'll give you power equal to every drop of sweat you've ever shed. And then, we'll chase away all the flies that keep clinging to my brother."
A heavy groan leaked from my lips.
No.
I couldn't let them take Celine too. With that single-minded thought, I tried to move, but my muscles, stiff as lead, refused to listen.
Yuren's indifferent words struck me down.
"Don't bother."
I gnashed my teeth and forced my gaze upward. Yuren was wearing a hollow smile, his face clouded with bitterness.
"It's already too late. When you're struck by my sword, everything slows down... as if it's frozen."
Yuren's Aura shouldn't have had such an ability.
My question was answered before long.
Yuren's eyes, looking down at me, were stained an ominous green. That light, glowing even in the darkness, was not the exclusive property of those who had reached a Great Realm.
Do not beasts also have eyes that glow in the night?
A being caught between human and beast—a Fiend.
Those who contract with the Evil God inherit the talent and aptitude of a Demonic Beast, not a human.
As if to prove those words, I felt the wound around the piercing in my abdomen beginning to spread. It was a heavy, hard sensation, as if a stone had been placed inside me.
Looking into Yuren's eyes, I recalled a certain figure.
"The... Masked..."
"That's right."
Without a word, Yuren pulled a pure white mask from his robe.
Click. As the mask covered the man's face, a familiar portrait was born.
"It's me, the 'Masked Phantom'."
A surge of emotion burned in my chest, making me want to scream.
But my hardening body rejected the commands of my brain. Only the girl's seductive persuasion tickled my ears.
"......Take my hand, sister."
Celine's breathing had become incredibly ragged. Fearing she would make a foolish choice, I coughed up a mixture of blood and phlegm.
"God is nothing more than a pathetic favor-monger. Join us. We'll give you back the share you deserve..."
Her body shook, her breath came in gasps, and her jaw muscles twitched so hard her teeth clattered.
Celine slowly raised her hand, looking toward the girl's palm.
Just as a deep smirk was about to spread across the girl's lips—
"......Cut the bullshit!"
With a shout, Celine yanked the girl's hand that she had grabbed.
The girl didn't even budge. Instead, as if she had expected this, she sighed and swung her arm in a circle.
Following that circular trajectory, Celine's body was tossed into the air.
Soon, a heavy thud echoed as Celine was slammed into the ground. The impact was powerful enough to cause a minor tremor. Celine coughed up blood, and her eyes slid shut.
It happened in an instant.
The physical strength of the girl in the priestess's outfit had already reached a level beyond measurement. Even if I were to face her, I saw no chance of victory.
She was a monster that would require the entire party just to stand a chance.
As I continued to twitch and convulse, the girl puffed out her cheeks and glared at Yuren.
"Partner, don't you think you were a bit too harsh on my brother? What are you going to do if he dies?"
"You should have done your job better."
His reply was full of irritation.
A look of deep fatigue and displeasure crossed Yuren's face. In the eyes that occasionally looked down at me, a complex set of emotions was conveyed.
"Why did you suddenly show yourself? Why did you even expose the existence of the Shylock Merchant Guild... If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have had to go this far!"
"How else was I supposed to hook my brother?"
With a refreshing smile, the girl took light steps forward.
The way she looked down at my fallen form was exactly like a girl in love. As if she couldn't calm her racing heart, a blush had risen to her cheeks.
I couldn't understand their conversation at all.
Why Yuren had betrayed us.
What it meant that the Shylock Merchant Guild had been exposed on purpose.
With every gasping breath, my eyelids grew heavier.
"Listen carefully, Brother. I'll tell you how much trouble I went through to have you."
A clear, giggling laugh tickled my eardrums.
"Actually, that partner of mine has a secret. A long time ago, he felt the wall of his own limitations and contacted the Dark Cult. He was fine until then, though..."
"It was for my sister."
Sighing, the man shook his head.
"My sister had no talented people by her side. Her political position was precarious because she was an orphan... In contrast, the forces opposing her were far too powerful."
"So we decided to help."
The voices of the two traitors began to ring out in succession, harmonizing with each other.
"The risk was high, but there were no other options back then. That's how I secured the forces to help my sister... but the wall of the establishment was still high and solid."
"Was it a few months ago? My partner here suggested a new business... He asked us to help the Saintess perform miracles. He said it would strengthen her religious symbolism."
"As you know, a sacrifice is required for a miracle..."
As Yuren's voice trailed off, the girl let out an enchanting laugh and snapped her fingers.
The Blood Sun roared.
With a low vibration, the corpses of the orphans scattered throughout the secret room began to resonate. Faint souls were sucked into the core of the sun, leaving behind screams like lingering echoes.
Then, drip, a single droplet fell from the Blood Sun.
The drop of blood landed precisely on the girl's palm. It trembled for a few seconds as it took shape, soon becoming a familiar crimson bead.
A heavy groan escaped my lips.
"......Blood... Essence."
It was the very offering that had saved my life several times.