A Stage for Two (3)

Do you know those who have nothing to lose? For them, death approaches as a kind of salvation, and the more you brandish a sword, the more they go berserk, rampaging across the battlefield.

Berserk, I don’t know about that, but I had nothing to lose. Before coming into the Labyrinth, I seriously contemplated suicide. Someday, when even masochistic self-pleasure with my life on the line gets boring, I’ll just die. Maybe that’s why. Even though it’s a truly dangerous plan where I could die, I was extremely indifferent. If I use Reconstruction, I’ll somehow manage. I even had a vague thought like that.

I had to.

Why is my heart clenching so much, and why do I feel so anxious?

Back to the point. I had nothing to lose. If I had nothing to lose, instead of being indifferent to the current situation, I would have rushed in with excitement. Because I’m a hopeless masochist with a severe case.

But even more than that.

The thought of sending you away, even more than that.

My heart is clenching as if it’s about to burst, what should I do?

“Bait… you say?”

“I’ll say this in advance, I will not accept a refusal.”

I curled up the corners of my lips like a fox at him, who was distorting his face.

Even though we have the same Mana system, he can’t block Aura. Therefore, Shuriel-ssi was the only one who could actually fight. That Demon must also know that I’m a non-combatant. He did use a barrier in front of me, but… Shuriel-ssi was a higher priority threat than me right now.

So, I’ll exploit the gap.

I’ll become the Joker. A chance that only comes once in a fleeting moment of less than a second. Approach the Demon and detonate the shockwave. If I draw up all the Mana accumulated in my body, it will contain enough lethality.

An attack that requires exhausting all Mana.

I had to stick to him at a close level. Otherwise, the shockwave would be absorbed by the tower before it even reached him.

A high-stakes plan where I couldn’t use other magic, let alone Reconstruction, until I recovered my Mana, and I also had to bear the brunt of the shockwave. But I’ll gladly roll the dice.

“Since there’s no time, I’ll speak quickly.”

Following that.

I saw the Demon, who had rolled awkwardly on the ground, shake his head and get up. I didn’t give it my attention and spoke clearly to Shuriel-ssi.

“I have to stick to the Demon. Not just going nearby, but at a close level.”

Not you, but me.

Shuriel-ssi’s forehead is deeply furrowed. An absurd plan. He sent ‘anger’ at the plan, which was no different from a suicide bombing. His eyes, burning with anger, didn’t contain hatred. They contained more than that, blame and resentment.

“That’s not what you call bait.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll correct myself. I’ll become a bomb.”

There’s no joy in the smiling mouth.

Suddenly. A small child came to mind. A very small life that is asleep without seeing the light.

But… in a situation where I can’t even confirm that I’m pregnant, I couldn’t drive Shuriel-ssi to his death.

Then I should just use Reconstruction right now and get rid of it. I’m only worried about a non-existent child because I didn’t use contraception for a few weeks? I laugh at myself. When have I ever clung to relationships? I deliberately create danger and enjoy it to the fullest, and then kill it in reverse. Shouldn’t I do the same this time? Why do I have to take responsibility? Can I even call it life in the first place?

But why. When I see your face, do I worry about the child while being anxious? Because I like him? No, I didn’t like Shuriel-ssi. That’s the result of organizing my thoughts with rational thinking. It’s understandable, how many people have shown me favor? Prukaise did, Laila did, Agnes did, and now. Shuriel-ssi did.

Maybe.

Maybe I wanted a change. What would happen if I had a child? How about becoming ‘friends’ with him? The magician’s unique infinite curiosity combined with the will to change, drawing out unconscious actions. If so, this anxiety is. Abandoning you and even the seed inside me… maybe it’s a fear of me not changing.

Agnes comes to mind. At that time, I couldn’t change. The misery I felt when I heard her screaming as she gave up strangling my neck. The self-directed mockery towards my ruined self. Saying I didn’t want to be bound, that I wanted to enjoy more, tearing her heart apart mercilessly and heading back into the abyss of destruction, can I call myself human?

Should I do that again this time?

If I accept you, how will I change?

When I thought that. The force holding me back became stronger.

“It’s better not to think about falling away from my side, Yujin.”

After anger, there’s stubbornness.

He tried to hold onto me.

“…You don’t have to worry about me.”

Shuriel-ssi.

He used to make a painful face whenever he said these words. Even after refining his desires, he sometimes grimaced painfully. It was a nightmare. When he fell asleep, he sometimes cried sadly. Every time I relieved the night watch, I noticed traces of him forcibly wiping away tears.

He said with eyes similar to that time.

“I’m not so weak that I can’t even protect one of my people.”

“…When did I become Doryeon-nim’s thing?”

He put too much strength into it, and his hand even cuts into my waist. It was rough. Shuriel-ssi, who pulled me in firmly, immediately raised his sword and spewed sword energy towards the Demon who was trudging over.

“I’ll kiiiiill youuuuuuuu!!!!”

A completely insane charge with no intelligence visible. Kagagak!! The Demon, who tore apart the sword energy, silently lashed out with his claws.

“Since when, you ask.”

Taking two wide steps back, he deflects the attack by raising the sword in one hand. There was no need to follow the stride. He couldn’t either. The moment he moved, my body floated up. Shuriel-ssi was fighting while holding me.

“I’ll make you mine from now on. Do you agree?”

Kaaang! To the point where the tingling in his arm is visible. But Shuriel-ssi’s face, which I looked up at from his arms, seemed calm. He was forcibly enduring it.

“Dieee!!!”

As soon as he raises his right hand, a left-hand stab comes in. Unlike the secret attacks in the dark, it was a violent barrage. He lowers the raised hand and cuts down, deflecting the claws. All this in just 2 seconds. But before he could catch his breath, his right hand flew in.

He lays the sword face diagonally to defend again. It was too much. The opponent was using both hands, and Shuriel-ssi was using one hand. If he let me go, he would be free in offense and defense. So let go of my hand. As planned, I’ll become a bomb and create an opening, and you take advantage of that opening to cut down the Demon.

“Shuriel-ssi. Throw me on the next attack.”

“I refuse.”

“Shuriel-ssi. Please.”

“I refuse.”

Rather, the force holding me became stronger.

I bit my lip tightly. A dizzying view that changes quickly in the midst of fierce combat. It was dizzying, but I could tell one thing. He’s being pushed back. It was only natural that he was being pushed back, as he was not only fighting the Demon alone but also with one hand.

“…….”

The number of residual wounds increases. Sometimes he was cut so deeply that drops of blood even splattered on me. The hot blood, not losing its warmth, is splattered on my cheek.

That blood. The blood that hasn’t lost its warmth.

It shook my reason. Why are you getting hurt instead of me. It’s enough for only me to get hurt. Really, thoughts that don’t suit me started to fill my head.

Ah, my selfish Doryeon-nim.

-Huu.

I took a deep breath-

“Shuriel-ssi. I’m sorry.”

I tripped.

His eyes widen.

My appearance reflected in his eyes, which even seemed to feel betrayed, looked somewhat sad.

“……!!!”

In order to maintain a collapsing posture while defending, he had to let me go. Otherwise, his neck would be cut off immediately. The choice Shuriel-ssi chose, who was forced to choose between the two, was ‘to let go of my hand’. He couldn’t help it either.

Tuk. As he let go of my hand, the pressure that had been around my waist disappeared.

I used the recoil to jump at the Demon.

“Annoyingggggg!!!”

I felt like time was flowing slowly.

Sharp claws, heading towards me.

Distance. It was not enough. I had to get closer.

How?

Is that so. Is that what I should do?

An attack that gives up the body.

It was my specialty.

“Yujiiiiin!!”

Puuk. A gruesome sound of flesh tearing.

“Keuek, heuk.”

Three sharp claws enter my chest. Complete penetration. The claws, which entered as easily as tofu, narrowly missed my heart and appeared on the opposite side. Blood flows down from my mouth.

I was slightly shocked.

I forcibly awaken my consciousness, which is about to go dark, and gather Mana.

Beyond the limit that the tower can absorb.

-Kugeugeu….

My body glows blue.

“Wh, what is this…?”

The Demon, who lifted me up like a skewer, opened his mouth and tried to pull out his hand.

…Ha.

I laughed inwardly, saying it was already too late.

Such a pure aggregate of Mana.

As I reach out my right hand from a 3cm gap between me and the Demon.

It exploded.

-…Jin ……Il…Ra….

-…Reudil…Na……Ah…Pa….

I don’t remember anything from then on. Someone’s scream and someone’s cry mixed and mingled, squeezing into the fading consciousness and interfering with my thoughts. I remembered that the explosion was smaller than I thought. An explosion about the size of an adult man’s fist. But just because the size is small doesn’t mean the power is small.

In that explosion of destructive power, both I and the Demon flew far away. I don’t know how far I flew. I just prayed, hoping not to die, just before I flew away.

* * *

“Kordiiiiil…!!! I… I’m in paaaainaaaaa!!!!!“

The Demon’s wailing is heard from far away. It was the result of Yujin-ssi tripping and jumping at the Demon. His heart sank. He saw Yujin-ssi, covered in blood and with his right arm shattered to pieces, flying away powerlessly. Capillaries burst, and his eyes are red with blood.

It was a shock that even made him forget his mission as an Executor. Why did you throw yourself for me? It’s enough for me to get hurt and spit out blood. I could have won. I could have protected you and smashed that Demon.

Aura.

It turns black.

-Kukung!

It was then.

The Demon’s wailing stopped as if it had been cut off. Yujin-ssi, who was flying away, froze in mid-air and didn’t move. A figure as if it had been embalmed in time. The world stopped.

At the same time, the twilight that had been illuminating the sky disappeared, and the marble that formed the floor crumbled and disappeared. In the regression of space, which only had white light and was trying to return to the beginning, Shuriel-ssi blankly gripped his sword tightly. At that moment, something began to descend from the sky. The thing that was stepping down on the empty air like stairs.

He had black horns on both sides of his temples.

“…Executor.”

A Demon with neat ebony hair.

Unlike the Demon he fought, he was male. The newly appeared Demon seemed to know him. It wasn’t good. Shuriel-ssi pressured the Demon in front of him with the momentum to burst Aura at any moment. The Demon didn’t even blink and said in a flat voice.

“Executor Shuriel. I have come to make a deal.”

“A deal…?”

His hands and feet trembled. A deal, you say. Between humans and Demons? It was an absurd story.

“Get out of the way. If you don’t get out of the way, I’ll cut you down.”

“Yes. You can cut me down.”

“….”

“However. If you kill me, the tower will collapse.”

He barely stops his hand from jumping out. Shuriel-ssi glared at the Demon.

The Demon accepted Shuriel-ssi’s silence as affirmation and opened his mouth.

“Before that, can I ask you one thing?”

“…Speak.”

“How… did you break through the Banishment Incantation and use magic? Just what is your companion…”

A voice filled with fear.

“…Is he the Demon King or something?”

The Demon wasn’t afraid of Shuriel-ssi. He was afraid of Yujin-ssi. He couldn’t forget the time of the explosion. Who would have known that an overload would occur in the process of the tower absorbing Mana?

“Yujin is… human.”

“That’s hum… Ha. Never mind.”

The distortion of Pordil’s formula, which partially manipulates reality even in a narrow space.

Kordil’s Banishment Incantation, which banishes all magic.

The range was narrower than expected, and there were so many things to prepare that it lacked practicality, but- if the conditions were met ‘like now’, it could exert formidable power.

The integration of abilities. Since they freely wield each other’s abilities, there was no one who dared to oppose them in the sanctuary they designated. In particular, Pordil’s claws could tear apart Aura, so there were no weaknesses. If Shuriel-ssi was not an ordinary knight but an Executor directly under the Holy See, he would have been helpless.

But.

It was broken through.

Kordil, who couldn’t fight because he lost his eyes, hastily manipulated space-time when his only combatant retired. He reset the floor and froze Yujin-ssi and Pordil, who were treated as ‘objects’ because their mental strength was exhausted. Since Pordil, the original owner of the ability, had collapsed, it only lasted for about 30 minutes, half of the duration.

In a standoff, it would take more than 30 minutes to save Pordil. Everything below his shoulders was shattered, and his face was burned. The bleeding was too severe. This was the same for Yujin-ssi. Kordil tempted Shuriel-ssi, saying that he was in the same situation.

“That’s why. I propose a deal. Time is still…”

Executor.

Those who are crazy about hunting Demons.

Kordil was worried that he would reject the offer and cut off his head-

“I understand. What should I do?”

Shuriel-ssi answered immediately. Kordil said, sweating cold sweat at the Aura of a bizarre energy that was too human.

“…Time is still decreasing. In 29 minutes, the freeze will be released and you will bleed again.”

“So?”

“I have my own plan. Your companion… you said he was human. You can go down and meet a priest. The effect will continue even if you leave the tower-“

“Go down the tower in 30 minutes? Do you want to die?”

“Haa….”

A sigh.

He manipulated the tower and created a warp gate. A one-way portal to the 1st floor.

“If you go out here, you’ll be on the 1st floor….”

-Teo-eok.

In the blink of an eye.

Shuriel-ssi took care of Yujin-ssi and disappeared beyond the portal.

“….”