Sylvia vs. Sylvia: Victory, Defeat, and an Unacceptable End – I Crave Power!
Sylvia vs. Sylvia. Sylvia's victory and Sylvia's defeat. I can't accept an ending like this. I... want power. So what happens when these two Sylvias fight it out? Will only one be left in the end? Then what about the loser? Don't think about it. They're both Sylvia. I need to stop them. We can just all live together as a trio. Can't I just think of them as twins? Pfft—! Why the hell are they fighting so viciously, drawing blood like this?! Stop it! Quit fighting! Why can't I even make a sound?! You fucking idiot! Are you just gonna stand there and watch?! This is a world where only women can use magic and are strong—does that mean a guy with a dick is supposed to just spectate forever? Stop them! You worthless shit!!
But how do I stop them? They're fighting up in the sky... Ah, scream already! You moron!!! Damn it. My voice won't come out...
...My chest feels tight. Breathing is hard. Something's wrong. This... isn't reality. I stand there like a fucking moron, mouth agape, watching their duel. My chest tightens, my head grows dull. I don't know what to do. The Sylvia who lost her memories and adventured with me all the way to the volcanic zone is covered in wounds. She's getting overwhelmed. Just a month's difference, right? Did she tire herself out climbing up here? Did she put up a barrier for me before the fight? We healed at the demona tribe's hot spring sanctuary, but the aftereffects of battle lingered? There could be all sorts of reasons she's losing.
But it all boils down to her expending power for my sake. And because of that, Sylvia dies to Sylvia. I can't accept that fact. My thoughts scatter wildly. My body stiffens. No voice comes out.
Hah... Now it's obvious as day who the real one is.
Haa... haa... Not yet...
Sylvia's hand trembles. Her even more radiant silver hair gleams like lightning, soaked in blood. Blood trickles down her forehead. She's badly hurt.
Rumble! Roooar!!
And yet she keeps fighting. Desperately.
Eeeek... Blood streams from her nose. It looks painful.
Grk! A line of blood drips from the corner of her mouth. Her internal injuries must be severe.
Huu... Lightning crackles in one hand, her other trembling hand grips her wand as she glares at the Sylvia overpowering her. Her eyes droop as if they're about to close.
U... ugh... She looks like she'll collapse any second, but she never does.
Why did I come all this way? To witness something like this? This isn't what I wanted. Where's my trashy, no-good life? I came to break the curse. To live even happier with Sylvia—it was supposed to be like a quick outing for a drink. That's why we went camping and had that hot spring romp. Why is this happening to me? We didn't want any of this. We just wanted to fully lift the curse we hated and recover our memories.
A bolt of lightning shoots out. She finishes her off.
Kuh... haaak...
Sylvia takes the hit. She's flung backward. Toward the cliff... falling.
That's not right. She can't go like that. I have to grab her quick. Heal her fast. Are there potions in this world? I've never been hurt myself, so I never checked. Sylvia didn't have any in her stuff either, right? How do I heal her? First, save her. Why am I just standing here? Sylvia fell. But there's Sylvia over there too. Why doesn't that Sylvia save her? Why is Sylvia hurting Sylvia? Why am I so useless? Why am I this pathetic? A completely worthless piece of shit. Sylvia blasted Sylvia off the cliff. Can Sylvia survive? I need to go save her now. What the hell can a nobody like me do? And how do I heal her after? Why did Sylvia split into two in the first place? Why are they fighting? Why did it come to this?
I stood there like an idiot. Like a fucking moron. Cursing myself for being dazed and clueless, but still not knowing what to do.
"I win."
Sylvia's voice rang out. She slowly descended from the sky. Approaching me, she pulled me in, burying my face in her voluptuous breasts. I... wanted to detach from reality a bit. My mind went hazy from the soft, enveloping sensation. This Sylvia wasn't the one I'd climbed here with—she was the Sylvia I'd been trying to free from the curse and restore memories to. Even though something terrifying had happened, Sylvia was safe right here in front of me, right?
Really? ...I don't know. I don't want to think about it anymore. My head hurts.
"Hehe. My slave. No need to think about anything. You're a boy. Just leave it all to your Mistress."
Is that so...? Yeah, that must be it. I chose to obediently follow the words of my Mistress echoing in my muffled ears.
I tried to choose that.
"Boy!! Snap out of it, boy!!"
Me... guk...!
"Don't interfere. Be quiet now."
Something sounded like it spoke... What was that?
"You didn't hear anything. Now, let's play sweet and cozy with Mistress."
Shall we...? Yeah... I'm Sylvia's slave. That's all I need to do, right? My head hurts, it was scary, something weird happened. Must've been my imagination.
Kraaah...! Don't... look away...!!!
That voice from before again. Can't make out what it's saying... Hallucination?
Hoo... Annoying.
"No matter... what... ...you...! Not this...! Not this one thing...! You can't... block this...!!!"
Wooong... And then a clear voice pierced my ear.
A voice rang out crystal clear. A punk-ass tone that snapped me awake.
'Eyeball?'
I pulled away from Sylvia's breasts. Dark Bringer lay on the ground at my waist.
'What the fuck is wrong with that thing? Why's the eyeball all squished?'
The tightness in my chest eased a little.
'Ah, fuck, shit's going down right now!'
My hazy, narrowed vision cleared.
'Sylvia fell. Am I a fucking idiot? Why am I still just standing here!?'
My muffled hearing nearly returned to normal.
'I have to save Sylvia! And heal her!! The Sylvia I couldn't hug when she was anxious before the fight—I need to go hug her now!!!'
My cute, lovable Mistress. My woman. The one I love. The love I must protect.
'No time to waste here.'
Now it's my turn to protect her. One of them is fake. They both look real, but I'll believe the Sylvia I traveled with. Even if she lost her memories, she was with me the whole time. So the one in front of me... is the fake. I can't distinguish them, no evidence, but my gut says so. Fake. If only one is real, it's the Sylvia who's been by my side. The fake Sylvia glares at me with half-lidded eyes. I can't prove she's fake, but... I'll trust the instinct that's changed since meeting Sylvia, the trashy fate-twisting gut of mine. I reject this ending. I'll definitely return safely with Sylvia. Following what my clearing chest urges...
I shouted desperately!
"Eyeball! That true power you mentioned before—is it real and not bullshit?!"
"Then give it to me now! I need to... take down that Sylvia!!"
"Fuck... that...?"
The fake Sylvia stood there arms crossed, arrogantly watching as if daring me to try. No way I couldn't call it out in this situation. No time for petty complaints. You fucking bastard. This is all your scheme, isn't it? Keep watching like that. If you hurt Sylvia... even if you're Sylvia, I won't forgive you!
"Dark Bringer!! I!! Desire power!!!"
Piiiing────!!
Fuck... goosebumps... My consciousness gets dragged into a black void. The surroundings change in an instant. Fake Sylvia, terrain—all gone. Pure darkness fills everything. Dark Bringer floats before me. I need to get out quick, blast the fake Sylvia, and go fetch my Mistress. So I blurted straight at Dark Bringer.
"Fuck, give me the power already."
"You fuck... no time, and you're saying that now?"
"Oh, right..."
But fuck that—don't I just wanna get out ASAP...? Ugh, fine, let's calmly hear about this power I need to grasp. Dark Bringer continues.
Fuuu...
Fuuuuck... I didn't wanna hear more, but I endured.
"Yeah yeah, let's re-imprint quick... hurry!!"
"You bastard, re-imprint already~!!"
"Fine, fuck. Yearn... hmm..."
Fitting for a fantasy world, huh. Doesn't feel great actually using it myself... but I needed it now. As Dark Bringer instructed, I thought of what I needed. If I swap the all-cleaving power for something else...
"I want—not power over all things, but the power to take down only that fake Sylvia!"
"Yes. Every comprehensive power helpful solely to take down that one fake—everything! You can do it, right!?"
"Shut up... just re-imprint already..."
Eyeball, you fucking love this shit... Gonna have to fight soon and I'm already tired. But recalling Sylvia bloodied and fallen steels my resolve. The opponent is probably... that primordial flame spirit Ifrit bitch. You fucking cunt...! Should've just nicely lifted the curse instead of this crap!? Why do all the women in this world besides my Mistress Sylvia cause such incidents? Save the pondering—time to fight. My face twitches as I urge Dark Bringer on.
"Hey, eyeball. So, re-imprint done? Still going?"
"I have to do it? Can't you just do it?"
"The one I envision...? Fuck... please don't make me. I can't think of any of that chuuni crap anymore."
"Don't wanna..."
Whether it comes to mind or not, this situation's a problem either way. Total disaster... I grab the handle of Dark Bringer floating upside down in the void and raise the blade upward. Then... it hit me.
'Fuck...' I had no choice but to shout.
"—[Engrave: Imprint]!!"
Decent...? Fuck... good thing no one's watching... As the imprinting completes, I feel power surging. The darkness fades, and I exit the world of consciousness. Fwaaah─! Not the awkward feel of the consciousness realm—my body feels real again. Dark Bringer in my hand has transformed sleekly from its squished form, gleaming sharper than before. The useless eyeball ornament brims with power's glow. I faced the fake Sylvia before me.