Chapter 62 – Variables (1)

All preparations were complete. I just needed to buy some time.

By tomorrow afternoon—no, by tomorrow morning—this situation could be resolved without a single drop of blood being spilled.

Having discovered the tracking artifact and knowing there was no means of communication, I had been able to prepare. I had sent Mariel to the temple to ensure Red Scorpion couldn’t cut ties, leaving her behind as evidence.

Even if the unexpected happened, I believed I could protect both Noah and Hephaestus.

It was a perfect plan. Or so I thought.

But this situation…

Hephaestus, who had fainted, lay heavily on top of me.

With blurred vision and a churning stomach, I scanned the room. The once neat, pale-gray room was now filled with lumps of meat, unrecognizable as once being human.

At the center of it all was Noah, wearing a shy smile, her red aura swirling around her, and a trembling man sitting on the ground.

Noah’s body was so damaged that it wouldn’t be surprising if she died at any moment. Her skin was torn apart by her own nails. Her hands were ground down to the bone by the greatsword’s blade. Her tongue was bitten until it was shredded.

Ice shards were embedded in her right arm and abdomen. Her legs were gushing blood from puncture wounds, and her body was burned and melted in various places.

But Noah was still smiling. The same smile she had always shown me.

I should be rushing over to heal her horrific wounds right now. I should stop her, even if I had to cling to her legs.

But my body wouldn’t allow it. My mind wouldn’t allow it.

All I could do was sit there, holding back the nausea that was rising uncontrollably.

“No…ah…”

Even so, I clenched my teeth and crawled forward. The thought of stopping Noah’s bleeding was the only thing driving my body forward.

My palms squished into entrails, my knees pressed into chunks of flesh. Nausea rose endlessly in my throat, and the stench filled my nose and mouth.

But I didn’t stop.

I had to reach Noah. I had to stop her from using the shard.

The Noah who no longer saw people as people, but as beasts to hunt. The twisted thoughts that had consumed her… I had to stop her.

“Huu… No… Noah…”

The stench of filth assaulted my nose. The gruesome scene overwhelmed my senses.

“Please… look at me, Noah… Please… hnnngh…!”

My trembling hand slipped, and I collapsed to the floor. Bits of flesh, entrails, eyeballs, and teeth stuck to my shoulders, waist, legs, and head.

Eventually, Noah, who had been drifting further away, sat down.

Biting my lip, I forced myself to stand up. With a squelch, the pieces stuck to me fell off.

I closed my eyes, held my breath, and crawled forward again.

I finally got close enough to hear Noah’s breathing.

And then, a bright voice reached my ears.

“Shall I cover you with a blanket?”

It seemed like a nonsensical statement at first, but then I remembered what Noah had said earlier.

“They were trembling so much, I peeled off their skin and covered them with it like a blanket. It was hilarious…”

I opened my eyes and looked up at Noah.

Her small back, covered in blood, came into view. In her hands, she held human organs and skin.

No. No… This can’t be happening. I refuse. I refuse. I refuse. I refuse. I refuse.

My brain rejected Noah. My instincts. My body. Every nerve. Every cell in my body rejected her.

“Hrk… hu… hurk… hurgh!”

I pounded my chest with my fists. I clawed at my skin with my nails. I slammed my head into the ground with all my strength.

The pain cleared my mind.

Finally, I was able to rise and wrap my arms around Noah’s back.

Her icy body, colder than a block of ice, stiffened in my embrace. Her sticky skin pressed against mine. The stench of blood filled my nostrils.

But I didn’t let go. I held her even tighter. I poured my divine power into her.

I even recited a prayer in my mind, strengthening my divine power as much as I could, pouring it all in.

But the blood aura swirling around Noah’s body rejected my divine power, spewing it out violently. Instead, the divine power mixed with the blood aura and began to invade my own body, causing disorientation.

Noah’s heartbeat, faint within my arms, weakened even further. Her cold body grew even colder. The bleeding worsened.

“No… ah. Noah, please… please… I’m begging you…”

At that moment.

“Bastard! If nothing else, I’ll take you with me!!” The man kneeling in front of Noah shot a spear of ice.

At this rate, it would strike Noah in the head.

Time seemed to slow down.

My body remained still, but my thoughts raced. There was no way to dodge it. I was too late to completely block it with divine power.

The only thing I could do was shield Noah with my own body. Even if the ice spear pierced me, I had to use divine power to prevent it from reaching Noah.

I could do it. It wouldn’t be the worst outcome. My body could take it. I was used to pain.

Move.

I pulled Noah tightly into my arms and tried to turn us around.

But Noah’s body wouldn’t budge.

Then, a voice, sweet and out of place in this situation, flowed out.

“Heh… smells delicious.”

Noah’s hand rose. It was pierced by the ice spear. And she thrust it straight into the man’s head.

His eyeball burst, splattering onto my face.

“Grrk… gugh… kurk—”

“R-Rubia… smells.”

Noah’s head turned toward me. Her creaking body twitched as it freed itself from my arms.

Her kind eyes. Her sweet voice. Her loving expression. All of it was directed at me.

“Time… to eat…”

“N-Noah…?”

Noah’s mouth opened slowly. She tilted my head back. And her lips. Her teeth. Sharp. And soft. Touched me.

***

“Heh… smells delicious.”

Crunch—

“Grrk… gugh… kurk—”

I’m thirsty. It feels good.

I’m so thirsty. It doesn’t hurt at all!

It feels like I’m dying. But at this moment, I’m the happiest person in the world!

It feels like my throat is being torn apart. Look at this! There’s a hole in my stomach, but it doesn’t hurt at all!

Nothing left. Even though so much blood has spilled, I’m still fine!

There’s nothing left. Heh heh… I even took down all the beasts.

They’re all dead. Those monsters were strong, but I was stronger!

The dead are useless. No need to skin them… but it’s still a bit of a shame.

But the living… It’s okay!

I still need fresh blood. It was so cool just a moment ago!

I wonder if Rubia saw that? My body can’t handle it, though…

I was told not to use the shard. But I still need to drink.

I wonder if I’ll get scolded… Hmm… Wait. Huh?

That blissful scent. Sweet and familiar…!!

Delicious. The scent of Rubia!

“R-Rubia… smells.”

I untangled myself from the arms that held me and turned around. Even if I’m scolded, I just want to be in that warm embrace.

And then.

“Time… to eat…”

I want to devour it. Right now. Not leaving a single drop behind.

“N-Noah…?”

A terrified expression flickered across her face. I opened my mouth.

Her trembling body was so clear to me. I bared my teeth.

Despite everything, she still held me tightly, her arms not letting go. Her hands gently tilted my head back.

I could hear her worried voice, feel the warmth of her shallow wound.

Her warmth. I pressed my lips to the blood trickling from her neck.

“Mmgh… Hah…”

The tears that touched my face. Her soft skin beneath my teeth. Everything about Rubia quenched my thirst.

“Mmph, mmm…?”

Suddenly. The tingling in my lower stomach. It paralyzed me, preventing me from moving. The intoxicating feeling that had overwhelmed me just moments before began to fade.

“Mmm…”

The memory of it all was still sharp in my mind. I could still feel it. But why had I acted that way…?

Even though I’m still sucking Rubia’s neck now, wanting to do it, I don’t understand why I did it… hmm…

“Mmgh…”

“Mmm? Nom nom.”

Rubia, shivering under my touch, tasted so good that I sucked even harder.

Sluuurp—

“Ugh… hah… Noah…”

I was playing with monsters earlier, and Rubia was almost attacked, but I managed to save her just in time.

Whew… I got too careless after using the shard.

Sluurp—Sluuurp—

But speaking of the shard, its effects are incredible…

In the game, it only had effects like disabling stiffness, preventing stun, and continuing combat, which I thought were moderately useful.

But it turns out, it makes me feel no pain!

The downside is that it only lasts as long as I keep drinking blood, but still, it’s totally overpowered!

Hmm… I do feel an urge to drink more blood, but… considering I often end up with monster blood in my mouth while hunting, it’s not that much of a drawback!

Sluurp—Sluuurp—

Uh… but wait.

Huh…?

Then when exactly will the penalty—

“Khrrrk—?!”

Suddenly, excruciating pain shot through my punctured arm. From my stomach, my legs, my back, and my neck. Every part of me. All at once.

The pain was so intense, it felt like it might kill me.

My body, twisted in agony, pushed Rubia away. I rolled across the floor, covered in corpses, grinding my teeth.

Barely holding on to my slipping consciousness, I twisted my body. Or was my body twisting itself?

I can’t pass out.

If I pass out, Rubia will worry like crazy.

I should explain something.

I don’t know. It hurts. It hurts so much!!

Would the pain go away if I let go of my mind???

Maybe when I get up, Rubia’s healing will make it hurt less—

“Kyaaaaaaaaah!”

As I rolled across the floor, glass shards dug into my wounds.

The unbearable pain made me drop the greatsword.

I can’t see anything.

Doesn’t matter, I don’t need to.

It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts!

Tears are streaming down my face. No, they’re just pouring out!

It hurts. It hurts too much…

“No… Noah!”

“Hnnngh… Khrrrk… Ugh…”

Familiar hands pulled my body close. Warm energy immediately surrounded me.

The energy roamed throughout my body, burning hot, before surging into me fiercely.

“Urgh… ugh… Kagh— Kurgh… Kagh…”

Black blood forced its way up my throat and burst out of my mouth.

“Kharrgh— Kurgh… Hruuugh…”

It kept coming, endlessly. I kept spitting out the dark blood until it nearly choked me.

It seemed like an eternity passed before the blood finally stopped.

The torn and ripped skin began to heal. I could feel the holes in my arms, legs, and stomach closing up.

Finally, the searing energy that had been coursing through me stopped. The pain faded.

“No… Noah… Noah, Noah!!”

Rubia’s frantic voice rang in my ears.

“Uh… ugh…”

I didn’t know where Rubia’s face was, so I reached out my hand.

Hmm… this is her nose, right?

I gently lowered my hand and pulled Rubia’s neck toward me.

“Noah…? Is that really you, Noah? Have you come back? Are you okay?”

“Yesss… heh…”

The way she kept calling my name, “Noah, Noah,” made me giggle—it was like she was a talking doll.

“Hee… hee… Haaaah, Noah ahahahahahah!”

“Eek… s-so noisy…”

Rubia hugged me tightly, sobbing loudly.

“Uuuegh… Ugh…”

She gagged as she struggled to stop crying.

It felt like she had cried for at least 10 minutes…

“Are… are you done crying?”

“Huuuh… Ugh… Sniff… Hic!”

I could feel her head nodding faintly.

Well then…

“Could you… find my greatsword for meeee?”

“Sob… Yeah… sniff… okay.”

Rubia pulled away from me and made soft splashing sounds as she came back, placing the greatsword in my hand.

“Thank youuuu… huh?”

And as soon as my perception activated.

I saw a woman carrying Hephaestus on her back.