A Stage for Two (2)

I didn’t utter the words, “Why?” Even that was a luxury in the current situation. Figuring out ‘how’ he neutralized the Archmage’s magic was the top priority. Think. Squeeze my brain to its limit and aim for victory. Curse-type? Or a nullification spell installed somewhere? Even trying to map scan, my Mana couldn’t spread out, as if blocked by something.

Don’t panic. The mage’s reason whispers. The mage’s reason, which I had been deliberately suppressing close to sealing, constantly tried to take ‘my’ place. My head freezes coldly.

“…”

All I could feel in the darkness where I couldn’t see an inch ahead was Shuriel’s body temperature as he held me by his side. I felt relieved that I wasn’t separated from him. But I didn’t know when or for what reason we might be separated.

“Doryeon-“

“Shhh.”

It was when I was clinging to his waist, about to deliver the grim news.

He covered my mouth. His hand covering my mouth was drenched in cold sweat. His body didn’t move, but he was more tense than ever. He wasn’t terrified. He took a deep breath. With one deep breath, the trembling in his body subsided. With two more deep breaths, his heart began to throb and beat regularly.

Only then.

I could understand what Shuriel was doing. He was shedding. Shedding the fear that was trying to consume his body, and gathering even the smallest bit of courage. His clear eyes, shining brightly even in the pitch-black darkness, were unwavering.

And with the third deep breath, he stopped breathing.

The moment he stopped breathing.

My breath also stopped, and the world lost time. A terrible silence and darkness greeted me, and I couldn’t even feel the flow of air. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t hear. But. As I entered a state of perfect nothingness, things I couldn’t see became visible, and things I couldn’t hear began to be heard.

For example. The lingering scent of magic.

“Doryeon-nim.”

In the black silence, a faint vibration caught my eye. If I hadn’t concentrated. No, if I hadn’t shed, I would never have seen it. A small vibration was visible. It was five steps away. I caught the lingering scent of magic in my eyes when the black vibration came within five steps.

“Five steps. Ahead. 3.64 seconds.”

The coded whisper reached Shuriel’s ears without missing a syllable. Did he see what I saw? I had to hope he did. If not, I had to hope he understood. I counted to three in my head. I was even prepared to throw myself if he didn’t react.

My worries were unfounded. Exactly three seconds later, a sword strike silently cutting through the air left a blue trail as it scattered. Shuriel’s unique swordsmanship, which I had seen countless times while attacking the labyrinth. Aura Knight’s swordsmanship. At the tip of the sword, swung diagonally, hung a small piece of cloth. A piece of cloth, slightly torn and separated, stained with a lot of red blood.

He cut it.

In the darkness where nothing could be seen or felt. We relied on the faint vibrations to catch the Demon’s movement. Shuriel, still maintaining his composure, asked me.

“Next?”

So, he can’t see. I was disappointed, but I was glad that at least I could see. I don’t know what trick he used… Even if he sealed the magic, he couldn’t close the eyes of the Archmage who sees through everything.

If so.

You close your eyes. I will be your eyes. I whispered to Shuriel to close his eyes. Because your eyes are no longer needed. We didn’t add any unnecessary words. He obediently closed his eyes following my whisper.

“Fifteen steps. Southeast. Wait.”

“…”

The Demon lurking in the darkness, perhaps not expecting a counterattack, stood still and stared at us. The black vibration wriggled in place. I watched that small movement intently, not wanting to miss it even by mistake.

The reason why he can’t launch a series of attacks or quickly approach and attack is probably due to a penalty. If he could neutralize the Archmage’s magic, freely change the space, and be proficient in attacking, he would be the Demon King, not just a Demon.

It was just a guess. It would be a disaster if that Demon changed his mind and rushed at us, but as Shuriel said, there was no other way. Or, as the Demon said, he might be able to exert power comparable to the Demon King only on the stage… that is, in the tower.

Soon.

The lingering scent moved quickly.

“Six steps. Directly behind. 2.71 seconds.”

Again, a blue trail. It illuminated the empty tower filled only with black. Shuriel, who perfectly counted down to the decimal point, spewed sword energy diagonally before the Demon could even attack, preventing him from even approaching.

In an instant.

The Demon’s face contorted violently. The blue light that escaped from the sword energy was swallowed by the darkness again in a fleeting moment― but I could see it clearly. The Demon’s appearance, with a very small line left on his cheek and his head pulled back.

Shuriel, not at all excited by this remarkable feat, let all emotions flow away like the ripples of a clear lake, regaining his usual tranquility. Only trust remained in his unwavering heart, so the tower’s curse would not dare to touch him.

-Why do you rot inside?

Because negative emotions no longer existed in him.

-You can pour it all out to me.

Because I devoured all the ugly desires.

The tower.

The Demon.

They won’t be able to touch us.

The black vibration shook violently. It was proof that emotions were fluctuating. Thanks to that, the lingering scent of magic became so clear that I could see it roughly even without focusing so hard that my eyes would fall out.

“Next.”

Just as I became Shuriel’s eyes, he also became my sword and aimed at the Demon. In that tranquility, I could even feel his will to correct the mistakes of the past. That he would no longer swing his sword in the wrong direction. That he would not be consumed by desire. The silent cry could reach me because it was unspoken.

“Four steps. Southwest based on the front. 4.39 seconds.”

He cut it.

“Next.”

“Three steps. Left. Diagonally. 1.92 seconds.”

Again. He cut it.

“Next.”

Next. What he had to say to the Demon, what he had to say to me. That was enough.

The black lingering scent, which shook violently at times and moved cautiously at others, stopped moving when the seventh ‘Next’ came. Or would it be more appropriate to say he couldn’t move? That’s how short but long time passed. We lowered our posture and tensed up, but the lingering scent didn’t move.

“No movement. Wait.”

Shuriel, who had been swinging his sword mindlessly in a state of extreme tension, took a deep breath, releasing all his strength at the word ‘Wait.’

A moment of rest.

Sweat that hadn’t been flowing poured down like a waterfall, as if a faucet had burst. I comforted Shuriel, who was sweating so much that even I, who was clinging to his side, became soaked. But. I couldn’t just comfort him. The fight wasn’t over.

The Demon.

After seven attacks didn’t work, he gave up on using the darkness. The darkness, which should have given humans fear and ignorance, was illuminated by me becoming a light. The darkness failed to fulfill its role.

The darkness subsided. The world, where we couldn’t even see each other’s faces unless we were close, gradually faded, like a night under the moonlight. It regained a considerable amount of light.

…Shuriel.

I can finally see your face. He opened his eyes a few seconds after the light entered his eyelids. His eyes, which were always clear, contracted greatly due to the large amount of light.

-Kukung.

“How dare you… How dare youuuuuu!!!”

The darkness disappeared. As the veil covering our eyes was lifted, the newly emerging light was twilight at dusk. Crimson twilight that came after the darkness. It was as if time was flowing backwards. Every time I blinked, the sun, which had been falling beyond the horizon, rose and illuminated the world.

Again.

We returned to the barren field covered with white marble. The black-horned Demon flew up over the marble, shining red in the light of dusk.

“Why isn’t it working?! This is my stage! Inside the tower!”

The Demon, whose appearance was a mess due to the many echoes.

However, she didn’t have any fatal wounds, and we couldn’t inflict any significant damage on her side either, so her condition seemed relatively fine. Compared to Shuriel, who was sweating profusely, and me, who couldn’t use magic, she was extremely fine.

The Demon wiped the blood flowing on her cheek with the back of her hand. Her face, distorted with anger, looked even redder because it was receiving the light rising in reverse.

And.

As if the anger she had shown a moment ago was all acting, she instantly changed the atmosphere.

The Demon declared.

“Human children. Don’t regret it. The darkness was my last mercy. I was going to let you lie neatly in the darkness and sleep comfortably, but why are you refusing?”

Shuriel was silent.

Instead.

He breathed roughly and put more strength into his hand. He gripped the sword so tightly that his skin peeled off, and stared at the Demon with blazing eyes.

“You. Those eyes. I don’t like them.”

His challenging eyes had angered the Demon. She, who had been looking down on us arrogantly, sharpened her sharp nails on both hands. Their length was 12cm by estimation alone. It was hard to tell whether they were nails or blades.

If there was anything to be concerned about―

It was that she hadn’t used ‘attack magic’ so far. I don’t know if she can’t use it, or if that’s also a kind of penalty. However, the news that she was a physical type was enough to instill hope.

Gather information.

Find a gap.

Absolute magic nullification for all types. If. This also applies to her. As the caster, she may have some freedom, but if she can’t escape from that bondage herself.

If Shuriel.

If he drives the Demon to the point where she has to use attack magic….

“Doryeon-nim.”

“Speak.”

“Do you think we can win?”

“Ha! Are you scared now?”

He was smiling, unlike his sarcastic tone. He didn’t even know how much my heart was burning.

It’s an operation where one side’s damage is forced. He had to fight the Demon with me as a handicap. Is that all? If the Demon is stronger than Shuriel, we’re done for.

“You don’t have to win. Just somehow, make that Demon use ‘magic.'”

“Is that why you haven’t used magic until now… No. The reason you couldn’t use it?”

“…Not entirely.”

Fortunately, the activation of magic itself wasn’t blocked. It’s just that the amount of Mana absorbed was so absurd that it felt unreasonable.

Even if I forced Mana out beyond the limit, it would all be absorbed by the tower. Before it’s absorbed, I can maintain it for a fleeting moment, but there were few types of magic that could be operated in such an inefficient way. Even if I used it forcefully, the performance was terrible.

The only magic I can use now is to maintain a barrier that can block the Demon’s attack just once for 0.812 seconds.

Conversely.

Magic circulating within the body was not affected by absorption. Yes. You can guess. Reconstruction. Only reconstruction was not affected by the tower. Could it be that it can’t touch even the Archmage’s body? Just as my eyes caught the lingering scent of magic, internal actions, including the body, seemed to be unaffected.

“So. Can we win?”

“…I’ll have to try.”

“……”

When Shuriel, who is clear about his self-expression, hesitates, it means he can’t predict victory. My vision went dark.

…Haa.

‘That’ is really dangerous….

“Doryeon-nim.”

“…What is it again.”

It was then.

-Chwaaaaaak!

“Don’t let your guard downaaaaaa!!!”

The Demon with her nails sharpened swooped down. Shuriel stepped forward to avoid it while holding me, but I lightly shook off his hand by turning my body to the right.

Yujin. A desperate cry is heard. Shuriel, who only kicked the innocent ground, stepped into the air empty-handed.

The hateful Demon’s attack flies in.

-Kwaaaaaang!

“Kyaeuk?!”

However.

The groan came not from me but from the Demon. 0.812 seconds. I use the fleeting time to deflect the Demon’s attack. I had to use two-thirds of my Mana to use this terrible barrier, so you can see how inefficient it was.

Of course, the Archmage’s body produces and absorbs Mana infinitely, so it was soon refilled― 7.2 seconds. The gap until Mana is refilled was enough time for me and Shuriel to be beheaded.

“Yujiiiiin!!! Are you crazy?!”

Shuriel, who didn’t miss the gap where the Demon was bounced back and retrieved me, shouted with a demonic face. I replied to him without changing my expression.

“…Doryeon-nim.”

“Don’t ever do that again!! I’d rather jump in myself! So―”

I didn’t listen to the rest of his words.

I interrupted him and gently pushed his chest.

“Doryeon… No, Shuriel.”

If someone has to be in danger.

Even if that ‘someone’ is my friend who I’ve had a relationship with for a short time.

And… If he is the one who will be the father of my child.

“I will be the bait.”

Rather.

I will do it.