The Monster I Created

The moment Elysis's spear was about to pierce Erara's chest—

Tang-! Tang-!

With the gunshots, the ground where Elysis stood cracked, forcing her to retreat.

"What?"

Elysis looked toward the direction the bullets had come from.

A man with the characteristic dark skin of the desert tribes was aiming two pistols at her.

"Black Wind has arrived!"

Erara stood up, relieved at the sight of him.

"I was having a really bad nightmare. And the culprit behind it must be that woman."

Black Wind charged forward.

Black Wind's class was Stylish Gunner. He fought with a pair of custom pistols made in Le Khan, using erratic movements. His Act, Acrobatic, and Abl, Trickster, suited this combat style perfectly.

But what if his opponent was a powerhouse like Elysis? What if she possessed overwhelming martial prowess?

No matter how strong Black Wind was considered within the academy, he was still only at the student level. The gap in levels was one thing, but compared to Elysis—a High Elf who had lived for thousands of years—his experience was nothing more than a speck of dust.

Elysis spoke to Black Wind as he rushed toward her with unpredictable movements.

"An interesting fighting style, but still immature."

Wind from Silphend gathered around her spear. When she thrust it into the ground, a barrier of wind formed around her.

Black Wind, unable to control his already accelerated speed, slammed into the barrier and was flung far away.

"Black Wind!"

Erara cried out as she watched him get thrown back.

"It's about time I returned anyway. I might as well harvest some souls on my way out. So you two can die now."

Elysis's presence grew even more menacing as she openly declared her intent to kill Erara and Black Wind.

"You should watch your words. The ones dying here aren't those children—it's you."

At that moment, a presence appeared without any warning or presence, grabbing Elysis by the neck.

"Kuh-heok!"

"Wh-what is that?"

"A demonic beast? No, a human? But the aura feels... alien."

Erara and Black Wind stared in shock at the robed figure that had suddenly appeared and was strangling Elysis, its four red glowing eyes gleaming ominously.

"Wh-who are you!?"

"You Apocalypse folks really do have a habit of treating human lives so carelessly."

"......!? Where did you hear that name... That appearance—could it be? What Judas mentioned......"

Elysis had heard stories from Judas. About the black-robed existence known as Four Eyes—the one who had stolen Gram from the Under Town auction, shattered the red gem embedded in it, and humiliated her.

"That underling mage really does have a loose tongue. Yes, I'm exactly the one you heard about."

Four Eyes tightened his grip on Elysis's neck. The more she struggled to escape, the stronger his hold became.

"I'm in a rather foul mood right now. Because of what you did. Elysis Meyer Greenwood."

"Kuh... H-how do you know my name......"

Few in this era knew her true name. Even in records, she was only referred to as the High Elf Princess—her name was never documented. How did this being know?

Fear toward the unknown Four Eyes began to creep into Elysis.

"I won't kill you. But deliver this message to your cult leader and the Apostles: Apocalypse will be destroyed by these hands—by Four Eyes."

Four Eyes hurled Elysis into the air. With a snap of his fingers, a black hole formed around her and sucked her in.

Labra's ability really is useful.

Before coming here, Ijun—under the alias Four Eyes—had altered himself to use Labra's Abl.

Abl: Black Hole

Among its abilities, the one called Banish could expel a target outside a designated ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠location. Once banished, they could never return.

Labra typically used it to blacklist troublemakers in Under Town or those who caused disturbances there.

Anyway... ugh!

Ijun frowned as a sudden headache and muscle pain hit him. Just like with Yujin, using someone else's Abl was no different from chipping away at his own life—a side effect.

Ijun spoke to Erara and Black Wind.

"You should leave this place now. And take this."

He tossed something to Erara—the Priest's Necklace, proof of clearing the third floor.

"Why this?"

"No idea."

Then Four Eyes vanished into the darkness.

"Hah! Hah! Erara, Black Wind!"

Ijun came running toward them. He had quickly removed his disguise and rushed over as if nothing had happened.

"Ijun, what about Rien?"

"Don't worry. She's sleeping right now."

"Thank goodness."

"But what happened? The illusion feels like it's been dispelled."

Erara told Ijun about the sudden appearance of the robed stranger and the situation with Elysis.

"Someone like that showed up? He must be pretty strong. Still, he doesn't seem like a bad person."

"We don't know that. Just because he saved us from a villain doesn't mean he's necessarily a good guy."

Black Wind didn't think the black-robed figure was particularly virtuous. But he didn't seem like a villain either—more like some kind of anti-hero.

"By the way, Erara... is that what I think it is in your hand?"

"Yeah. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠black-robed guy threw it to me before leaving."

"With that, we should get some extra points."

"Then let's get out of here."

"Th-there you are, everyone."

Rien—no, Rina—had woken up and approached the three of them.

"You're awake?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then let's head out. Everyone, take out your escape scrolls."

At Ijun's words, the three pulled escape scrolls from their dimensional pouches.

Just as they were about to tear them—

Fwoosh-!

"Huh?"

A flaming spear pierced straight through Rien's chest.

"R-Rien!"

***

"R-Rien!"

I supported Rina as she collapsed forward, impaled by the burning spear. The spear vanished shortly after piercing her, but the heat remained inside, scorching her organs.

"Damn it... Potion!"

I quickly pulled potions from my inventory, pouring them over the wound and making her drink them, but the injury showed no signs of healing.

"Who was it!? Who the hell did this!?"

I shouted, rage boiling over.

"Long time no see, dear husband."

A woman emerged from the darkness.

"Eldina?"

It was Eldina.

"What the hell did you do!?"

"What do you mean? I just caught a thief who smelled like my husband."

"What?"

In that moment, I recalled her Yandere (Hard) trait. The extreme personality I had given Eldina matched her actions perfectly.

"Damn it......!"

"Husband, how long are you going to keep holding that thief?"

Snap-!

"Agh, it hurts! Aaaagh!"

When Eldina snapped her fingers, Rina began screaming in agony. The embers still inside her body reignited at Eldina's trigger.

"S-stop it!"

"No. You're mine alone, husband. I intend to burn every woman around you. That spirit tribe girl over there is no exception."

"Crazy bitch......"

This was no longer a monster that could be explained by the Yandere (Hard) trait. Eldina had originally been a character I created, one I held great attachment to. She was also the first person I met in this world. Even though her personality had changed because of me, I had let it slide.

But I never expected it to snowball into this.

"This child... has only just found her world again."

"Huh? What are you talking about, husband?"

"You're trying to take that hard-won world away from her again."

"Husband, I don't understand. Why are you saying that about a mere thief?"

"I'm not your husband!"

"? But you are my husband."

Eldina looked at me with a confused expression.

......Eldina was no longer important to me. Attachment? I didn't need that anymore. She was a potential threat that could take away what was precious to me.

It was best to eliminate threats in advance.

I muttered quietly.

"Eldina isn't actually in this space. She's imprisoned on the lowest floor of the Infinite Prison."

Infinite Prison

The continent's largest prison.

A den of criminals managed by the Empire and the Holy Kingdom.

And its lowest floor was where the worst existences were confined.

I decided to throw Eldina into that place. It was the only way to cut ties with the monster I had created......

The Alteration through lies activated, and Eldina's body began to fade away.

Yet—

"Even if you abandon me, husband, it doesn't matter. Because you're still my husband. I'll come back."

With those chilling words, Eldina disappeared.

"............"

Without a word, I lifted Rina into my arms and operated my device.

[Abandon Hell Week]

I pressed the abandon button without hesitation. Abandoning Hell Week meant giving up the credits, but in this situation, none of that mattered.

"Ijun? You...... Yeah, that might be for the best. Alright. Then I'll do it too!"

Just because the team leader gave up didn't mean the members had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to. But Black Wind pressed the button without hesitation, following me.

"What? It'll be weird if I'm the only one who doesn't. We need to hurry up and get out so we can take Rien to Professor Cecily."

Erara also pressed the abandon button.

Rina, already in an incapacitated state, was automatically considered to have abandoned. Due to Lib's barrier and the entire F-Class Team 6 abandoning, we were transported back to the academy.

The moment we arrived, I ignored Professor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Julius who had come to ask what happened and ran straight to the infirmary carrying Rina.

Crash-!

I kicked the door open without bothering to open it. Professor Cecily was startled, but upon seeing Rina with a hole in her chest and writhing in burning pain, she quickly took her into the operating room.

I waited outside for the surgery to finish. When the "in surgery" light turned off, Professor Cecily emerged.

"How is she?"

"The surgery went well for now. But her damaged organs have been completely reduced to ash, so we'll need to replace them with artificial ones."

"Artificial organs......"

One of the magitech products, similar to real-world artificial organs. She would be able to live a normal daily life, but living with a disability was inevitable.

Damn it......

If I had noticed Eldina coming sooner and dealt with it, this wouldn't have happened......

Carrying that guilt, I headed to the hospital room where Rina was admitted.

After the surgery, before the artificial organ transplant, I looked at Rina relying on a magitech ventilator instead of her burned lungs and made a determined expression.

"Rina's body is actually fine."

A wave of dizziness hit me as I felt my vitality drain away, but I steadied myself and looked at Rina. She was breathing comfortably now, her expression peaceful.

Seeing her like that, I felt relieved that the Alteration had worked properly.

"I won't be able to do something like this again."

Even though I'd lost ten years, this much was acceptable.