The Alven Founding Anniversary Tournament: Main Event (4)
“…What were you thinking?”
“Hmm…. A child’s internal clock is precious, isn’t it? Ow! Hey! Take it easy…!”
“Don’t talk shit…!”
“….”
My mentor was always like that.
She would throw her body into the fray for total strangers and return covered in blood. The first time I saw her in that state, I nearly fainted on the spot. But I got used to it quickly. After all, most of that blood belonged to monsters, not her.
However.
“…You almost died.”
Today was different.
“….”
The puncture wounds carved into her right shoulder and abdomen. The broken fingers and ribs. And the blood that spilled onto the floor the moment she returned. If she had been an ordinary person, it wouldn’t have been strange if she had died.
“I know.”
That she doesn’t spare her own body. I couldn’t possibly not know. I’m the one who always changes her bandages.
“But this is just too much….”
“….”
Her hand rested on my head as I bowed, biting my lip.
“…Sorry. But even I don’t really know.”
“….”
A spark that couldn’t be explained by saying she couldn’t look away, or that her body moved before she could even think. She told me that whenever she saw that strange glimmer, she would find her feet already moving.
“What is that?”
“I told you, I don’t know either…. Just accept it like that for now.”
“….”
“You’ll understand someday, too.”
——!!
The howling wind rode the spearhead, growing in size. The tip was aimed directly at Yuna’s chest. In a situation where it wouldn’t be strange for things to go wrong at any moment, I hurriedly opened my inventory.
“Chae-rin! Take this, quickly!”
“Y-yes, yes!? This is….”
◈ Ascension Potion (x10)
◈ Fission Stone
◈ Tournament Participation Certificate (Baldojang)
“Why are you giving me this….”
“Listen carefully. Drink all the potions, run around the arena, and find a mage of 7th Circle or higher. Then, give them the Fission Stone and tell them to open an interrogation!”
“What is that supposed to mean!?”
“I’m trusting you with this!”
“No, what are you…. Hey!!”
Ignoring Chae-rin’s voice, I leaped into the arena.
——!!
Just before the bursting whirlwind could strike Yuna.
Swiftness
Draw Sword
I squeezed out every ounce of strength I had and kicked off the ground.
“Hraaaagh!!”
——!
With a piercing sound, a single sword path extended from the blade as it snapped out.
‘Ishina-ryu, Draw Sword.’
“Ugh…!!!”
The raging whirlwind scraped against my blade. In any other situation, this would be the moment a clear, ringing sound accompanied by sparks would echo. ‘Why won’t it deflect…!!’ But the rotating spearhead maintained its momentum.
‘…Don’t tell me.’
“Y-you can’t do that here…!”
“Hey! Wait a second! Baldojang-nim!!! That’s a non-parryable attack!!!”
Chae-rin’s voice echoed through the arena via the microphone.
‘As I thought…!’
A non-parryable attack, frequently found in games. If that system was embedded here, deflecting it was impossible.
‘Then I’ll redirect it…!’
I adjusted my blade, watching the path of the wind. What I was looking for was the flow. Everything in the world begins with a flow and ends with a flow. No matter how fierce the whirlwind, it couldn’t escape that principle. Therefore, to master the flow is to master the world.
‘Ishina-ryu - Ten Thousand Flows, Palm of the World.’
Bang—!!
The spearhead missed Yuna. However, the gust, still unsettled, lifted Yuna’s body into the air.
“Gotcha!”
“Ugh… Aaa…agh. Aaaaaagh…!!”
I checked Yuna, who was thrashing about, and set her down on the ground.
‘She’s not hurt.’
“…Whew.”
“Why do you block it, Baldojang-gong! That is an Evil Spirit! A Sal-gwi that has woven filth into a noble Simsang!”
“…Are you blind? Huh!?”
“What?”
“Does she look like an Evil Spirit to you right now!?”
“Aaaagh…. Aaa…. Aaaaaaaagh…!!!!!!”
“….”
“Mom…. Mommaaaaagh!!!!!”
“What kind of Evil Spirit cries like that!! What kind of Sal-gwi calls for its mother! Huh!?”
“Playing the sympathy card won’t work! What evil exists without a story behind it!!”
“Yuna is still…!”
“From the moment murderous intent fills the Simsang, it is already too late! Even if she hasn’t killed anyone yet, she will soon!”
“So you’re going to kill a child who hasn’t done anything wrong yet?”
“There is no other way! Look at her state! Do you think I want to do this? She has already been consumed by murderous intent!”
“…There is. Another way.”
“Another way? Are you talking about shattering her Mana Heart? Even if you do that, she’ll just end up a cripple!”
“Not that. There is a way to fix her Simsang.”
“Talk sense! The Simsang is the foundation of a person! It is something that won’t change even if the heavens and earth are overturned!!”
“Wanna bet?”
“There’s a limit to nonsense…!”
“If it’s truly nonsense! I’ll commit seppuku and die. Is that enough?”
“…Just what is that child to you that you’d go that far.”
“She’s nothing.”
“What…?”
I met Yuna two days ago. That’s too short a time for a deep bond to form.
“Then why on earth…?”
“…I don’t know.”
That I couldn’t look away, or that my body moved first. Those countless things bundled together aren’t something that can be clearly explained.
Just.
“I don’t know either.”
I just tripped over a strange glimmer.
“…You’re crazy.”
“I know.”
Anyone would say I’m a crazy bitch.
“I cannot understand.”
“That’s okay.”
I’m not doing this because I understand it either.
“…You’re certain there’s a way.”
“I’m betting my life on it.”
⊳ Spear Knight Liam (Lv.80) has joined the party.
“You’d better keep that word.”
“Of course.”
“What must I do?”
“Let’s see. First… Ugh!”
——!!!
A destructive aura erupted, sparing nothing in its path.
“Aaaagh!!!! Ugh…! Aaaaaaaagh!!!!”
Yuna crouched at the center of the aura, tearing at her hair.
♩ ♪ ♫ ♬~
A beautiful harp melody flowed over Yuna’s painful cries.
HP has been restored.
Attack power increased by 10%.
“Use that to buy some time.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“What else?”
Hidden Quest: Night of the Sal-gwi
📍 Description: The most hideous sprout in the world has poked its head out.
🎁 Objective: Suppress it.
🎁 Reward: ???
“I have to go welcome her.”
Yuna is unable to control her own power. It is a power forced into bloom by the moon, not one she blossomed herself. It’s the same principle as trying to pour water into a tiny vessel; it won’t all fit. But a small vessel also means there is less water to scoop out. In other words, now, while Yuna’s vessel is narrow, is the optimal moment to reverse the situation.
Clang-!
Intense sparks flew between the spearhead and the blade. The mana flowing into the spearhead as it was pushed back signaled the next attack.
Supernova
The swinging spearhead drew a blue semicircle toward Yuna. Yuna, not losing to that momentum, pulled up her red mana.
“Grrr…!”
Twin swords shimmering with mana plunged toward the spearhead.
Flame Blade
—!
The clashing blades created a sharp sound as they entered a stalemate. Between the struggle that felt like it would last forever, the spearhead shone pure white.
“A-?”
The small, glowing light soon became a massive explosion, swallowing Yuna whole.
——!!!
A red blade rushed toward the spear knight through the dust.
Clang-!
I wedged myself between their sword paths, creating intense sparks.
“…Ishina-ryu.”
“…!”
Eight Consecutive Phantom Swords.
Clang-clang-clang!!!
“Aagh…!”
After seven tearing sounds, a single groan followed. Then, Yuna’s figure retreated with the sound of the wind. As the dust slowly settled, Yuna’s figure was gradually revealed.
“Grrr…!”
Yuna glared at us with eyes stained black. Black tears flowing from those bizarre eyes were soaking the arena floor.
“Whew…. Whew…. Is it still far?”
“Whew…. Almost there.”
“Didn’t you say that about 10 minutes ago?”
♩ ♪ ♫ ♬~
“This time is for real.”
“…!”
A magic circle suddenly rose, filling the sky of the arena.
——!!
At the same time, Yuna’s aura surged greatly, and the moment it materialized into a single shape.
BOSS Sal-gwi's Sprout has leveled up to Lv.85!
“What is this…!”
“She’s preparing a vessel.”
“What does that mean!?”
The cause of this situation is the murderous intent coiled in Yuna’s Simsang. If so, the best solution is to invade Yuna’s Simsang directly. But since Yuna’s Simsang is still incomplete, I don’t know what might happen if I enter rashly.
BOSS Sal-gwi's Sprout has leveled up to Lv.87!
So I’ll wait for it to be completed. So that I can set foot inside for a moment.
BOSS Sal-gwi's Sprout has leveled up to Lv.89!
“Get a hold of yourself. This is the last time…!”
——!!
Yuna circled the arena with the sound of wind, looking for an opportunity. A red shimmer followed her movements, which were so fast her form blurred. The spear knight, seeing her clearly gathering mana, stirred up the wind. As I brought my blade to that whirlwind, I could feel the wind flowing along the steel.
“Whew….”
I didn’t resist the howling wind; I accepted its flow.
BOSS Sal-gwi's Sprout has leveled up to Lv.89!
I carefully tuned the incoming wind so it wouldn’t be disturbed, and guided the path of the wind with the mana I had pulled up.
BOSS Sal-gwi has reached Lv.90!
That woven flow was then unleashed.
“Now…!”
——!!
The sword path flying in an instant twisted, riding the wind. The moment I tracked the narrowly grazing sword path with my eyes, the magic circle hanging in the sky emitted a pure white light. At the same time, a small crack appeared, and a girl could be seen beyond the crack. Toward that welcome and familiar sight.
“Yuna!!!”
I threw my entire body forward without hesitation.
A burnt village, right in the middle.
“White cherry blossoms, where the flowers bloom. Deep inside the colorful flower garden.”
A young girl covered in blood was swaying her body from side to side.
“…Red and green, the children running between them.”
A tearful voice and falling droplets.
“From the bell-like laughter…. to the shining eyes.”
All of that.
“…Everything.”
Drip.
“Lo, lovely…. *hic*…. *sob*…. *sniff*….”
Things that a lovely girl should have pushed to the far side of her memory.
“*Sniff*…. *hic*…. Mo…m….”
A catastrophe that shouldn’t exist.
A tragedy that shouldn’t be experienced.
To the young child standing at the center of it.
“You look like a lovely treasure.”
I spoke in a small voice.
“…Huh?”
“Yuna.”
“Why…?”
“I’ve come to take you home.”