Shut Up and Kneel
After grabbing Malkor and yelling "shut up and kneel", my lifespan had extended by about two weeks. It sucked that I'd collapsed before I could properly check. And the huge chunk it took when I first unlocked my authority hadn't helped.
What about that bastard, though. Seeing him wield more complex authority, maybe I could stretch my thread of life by another three weeks.
Three days holed up in the forest, searching while evading pursuit. I'd just burned another three hurling Wigen as far away as possible. A gamble using space authority... but it paid off, sparing me the absolute worst of pure lifespan drain.
Even a brief burst of authority costs three days... Fatigue hit my body instantly. For such a cheat-level power, it sure wasn't cost-effective compared to basic mana circulation. On the flip side, my mana control had improved way faster than expected.
Thanks to the evil god's reward, maybe... Unlike before, my lifespan only ticked down if I forced mana beyond its limits. Maybe not just my eyes—the whole body had toughened up a bit. Of course, my "limits" were pathetically low.
"Three weeks minus six days... fifteen days left."
To break even, I'd need to take her down within fifteen days' worth. The situation wasn't ideal, but it was doable.
[Mana circulation like with Malkor? You won't last ten minutes.]
Collapse again, waste more time.
[Complex spell formulas for efficiency? Impossible at your level.]
[But optimizing basic mana flow? That's pure instinct territory.]
"Not sure if 'instinct territory' is a good thing or not."
[If it wasn't, you'd be dead already. Count your blessings.]
A toddler learning to walk just follows its impulses—no need for theory. Track stars train with research, effort, talent... but no adult lectures a kid on the physics of steps. They figure it out naturally: how to shift weight, move feet, avoid falling. But how fast they learn? Unpredictable. That's instinct.
No time for deep thoughts. The shadows shifted back to attack mode.
[Split off just a tiny bit of mana from your mana circuits.]
[Don't release it—circulate that speck until it burns out.]
Split it off. Split it off.
Controlling and suppressing mana deliberately was tough. Easy to think "punch hard," but "punch exactly fifty centimeters at a thirty-degree angle"? Intention doesn't guarantee precision.
Day 13. Dodging frantically slams me into a tree. Rotten inside, it crumbled—lucky break. No major injuries, but the stench lingered.
Day 12. Authority-fueled strike. Backlash hits.
Day 10. Body enhancement with mana. Evasion.
Day 7... Head nearly pierced. Its attacks were weakening as days passed—less ferocious, more desperate.
Now! Its assault paused; backlash struck again. My chance too. Last shot at real gains.
[Stay calm. Still some buffer...]
"...It's working."
[...Working?]
Not perfect yet. But different from blind flailing. Everything under my control—that sensation.
"Feels like it'll hold."
I batted aside the final incoming strike and leaped for the tree. Rotten branches snapped at the slightest pressure.
Careful. Light touch.
Focused mana in my legs. Too hard, they'd shatter; too soft, I'd plummet. Like walking on water. Adjust just enough to move before they break.
Momentarily.
Kicked off the trunk, soaring highest yet.
Where are you.
Open view: Evil god aura fading everywhere from backlash... except one spot, still pulsing strong. The main body.
Still seven days left.
"Time to end this."
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
So close to catching her! I could've devoured her...!! Belka—and her shadow's evil god—tasted blood boiling in reverse.
Backlash from repeated authority use brought bloody tears, body crumbling... but that wasn't all.
How dare she mock me!
No giving up.
Just catch her somehow!
Now? Catch a fleeing holy knight? No choice but to press on—lifespan burned, retreat meant death. She'd devolve into a mindless beast, hunted down eventually.
But snag that bastard? Game-changer!
Her master craved that woman desperately. Instinct screamed massive reward for that desire. Just catch her. Overcome this damage, ascend higher!
Focus. One shot.
Belka splashed lake water on her bloodied face. Cold shock cooled the heat, sharpening her mind a touch.
"Hoo..."
She rooted authority again.
Where'd she go.
Authority spread, hunting the target. That eerie aura—easy to track.
"Wider."
Why isn't it here!
"Wider!"
Where the hell!
Max range deployed—she finally found it.
"Damn..."
Not authority, but her own eyes. In the still lake, Luagwen's reflection gleamed. Already behind her. Knife to her throat.
"Not dying like this!"
I... I'll survive.
....
"Too shallow...?"
Only Seoha remained in the lake. Thought I'd backstabbed clean, but knife work was still clumsy.
[Can't even finish one properly, let her escape.]
"Who knew a lizard would sacrifice her own arm."
Seoha stared blankly at Belka's self-severed limb. Arm as sacrifice to move shadows—not bad trade for dodging death.
"Chase."
No escape now anyway.
"No... not like this. I won't die."
Deceive, grovel, survive—Belka was predator. Lurking shadows, devouring stronger foes. Never prey.
Until now. First taste of being hunted.
"Scary..."
Scary! Her wide authority never missed prey. Now? Just tracked the enemy's approach. Terror closing in, vivid.
Why can't I shake it! Why!
"It's fine. It'll be fine."
Link with Alec. Double-team, turn tables.
Didn't know I had backup, bitch.
Just reach the end... stamina fading.
No... can't end like this...
As consciousness blurred, a girl appeared at vision's edge.
Prey!
Belka rejoiced. Master hadn't abandoned her.
"Are you a mercenary...?"
Oblivious, the girl asked calmly.
"You... Monster House clerk..."
Pirra, was it? Seen her in Alec's shadow, that redhead.
"Why here..."
Doesn't matter. Devour her, recover.
"Oh, mercenary sir. You've visited our guild before? I remember most faces—surprising."
"Shut up and kneel."
Even minus one arm, sacrificing this girl was nothing.
"To my god..."
Urgent. She moved to offer sacrifice.
"...Argh!"
If only her other arm hadn't flown off. Sword drawn from nowhere—she lost another limb.
"This one's for my old man's side. You filthy wretch."
Pirra's form shattered, revealing a boy. No smiling girl—just rage-suppressed youth.
"Haha..."
Belka snapped. Charging blind into that.
The boy's drawn sword blazed fiercer than an old knight's. Flames huge enough to incinerate her instantly. She? Mere moth.
"Wanna rip you apart right now, but you're not mine to claim."
"..."
Belka briefly hoped for mercy—then despaired. At his gaze's target.
"Ludric...?"
From shadows, green-haired Luagwen emerged.
"Nice seeing you without the artifact, Director."
Ludric greeted casually. Overwhelmed by his aura, she hesitated before speaking.
"Shasha."
...
"No. Show some respect."
...
"Diversity. Ever heard of diversity."
Seoha... was overwhelmed. In a different way. Baffled fit better.
How does a grown man walk around like that stone-cold sober.
Others panic turning woman suddenly. Pirra's sweet smiles at mercenaries flashed in Seoha's mind.
Life in the slums was brutal.
...Or is that his taste?
...Aigoo. So that's how it was. Freedom encompassed all that jazz.
Holy knights sure strict on that front.
Such repression? Bounces back crooked.
"Hey?"
Ludric caught Seoha's look, rushed excuses—but Seoha tuned out.
"Some misunderstanding here?"
Sub-male lead's tastes turn out like that.
Seoha's world crumbled that day. No one actually crumbled it, but still.
Bonus: Ludric's walls fell too. He felt fine, but Seoha demolished them anyway.