Ch.120120. Split in Half

The situation room was filled with silence.

It was so quiet that even someone breathing slightly louder would be clearly audible.

What broke this prolonged silence was a sentence that flowed from Utad’s hologram.

“…Tell me, Hatan.”

“What?”

“Am I dreaming right now?”

“Who knows.”

Hatan gave a hollow laugh as he responded to Utad.

“At least we’re not in the disgusting situation of having the same dream simultaneously.”

“…”

No.

Actually, that might be easier to believe.

Utad thought this while glaring at the screen before him.

The ancient gods, who until moments ago had hoped Darwood would catch even one of them, were now all sprawled as corpses.

It had happened in less than three minutes.

“…”

“…”

There were countless things to question.

Using the ruler of the demon realm like some kind of peeling grenade was an unheard-of application in itself.

And even if that method neutralized the curse, who was this woman who could slice through an ancient god in a single strike?

But among all these questions, the biggest one was:

“…Was law magic always such an easily manageable ability?”

At Utad’s words, Hatan silently agreed.

In fact, handling law magic is supposedly easy. An ability whose output is determined by how intensely one desires something.

Frankly speaking, just from the explanation, it sounds like something that could be activated by hunger if someone were starved for a few days.

However, if that were truly the case, there wouldn’t be such a limited number of people in the Tribal Union who could handle such power.

It cannot be manifested through mere ‘desire’; it’s a power based on a noble ‘mental strength’ that can only be exerted by someone like an enlightened monk.

Whatever it is, it means that guy has something he wants that strongly.

A noble, idealistic purpose.

“…Is it right to evaluate him that way?”

“What?”

“He just seems like a playboy who gets caught up in trouble whenever there’s a chance.”

“…”

“Didn’t he seem exactly like that kind of guy, though I didn’t look closely?”

“…At least don’t deny that his skill is remarkable.”

Hatan smirked as he realized that Utad had implicitly agreed that the guy seemed like a playboy.

“…At this rate, I don’t even know what he’ll demand later.”

Hatan uttered those words like a groan.

As briefly mentioned during the tribal chief meeting, merit-based reward is the most fundamental value of the Tribal Union.

It means it’s impossible not to give something to someone who has done this much.

“…We’ll think about that later.”

Utad continued with a sigh.

“Right now, they don’t seem to be in the mindset to demand such things from us anyway.”

Indeed, just as he said.

On the screen, Darwood was looking at the person in front of him with a much more tense expression than when he had dealt with the three ancient gods.

[Have you given up now, Mr. Darwood? You’re standing still?]

Now, it was clear that he could no longer postpone confronting that ‘white thing’.

●

< System Message >

[ Detecting depletion of the ability ‘Law Power’. ]

[ Overload is causing strain on your body! ]

[ Further output may cause all organs to rupture, leading to death! ]

< System Message >

[ Despite serious injuries, you have successfully continued combat! ]

[ Proficiency of ‘Trait: Iron Man’ increases. ]

[ ‘Trait: Iron Man’ proficiency advances to ‘Universal’! ]

[ New effect added! ]

With those messages, something surges up in my mouth.

I wipe it off to find it’s blood.

Even though law power has decent compatibility with me, using Sky Breaker three times was apparently too much.

‘…I can’t do this twice.’

Even now, my insides are churning and my vision is shaking.

I’ve faced countless life-threatening situations before, but this is the first time I’ve been explicitly warned that all my organs might rupture and kill me.

With great power comes great responsibility, I guess.

< Mastery Info >

[ Trait: Iron Man ] [ Grade: Universal ]

[ Current Proficiency: 0% ]

[ Warriors of the Tribal Union constantly train by pushing themselves into extreme situations to develop coping abilities. It’s extremely dangerous, but the effects are certain. ]

[ ■ Increased resistance to various injuries and pain. Reduces the degree of pain and allows for easier movement even in situations of severe injury. ]

[ ■ Recovery ability is much better than normal state. ]

[ ■ When suffering fatal injuries, blocks pain sensation to increase survival probability. ]

[ ■ Effects are proportional to endurance stat. ]

Of course, I didn’t do all that for nothing.

And, on top of that:

< System Message >

[ Confirming the destruction of three ‘Ancient God’ entities. ]

Those guys died pretty quickly.

I feel a bit sorry for not giving them proper respect, considering they were supposed to be chapter final bosses.

Compared to the Purifier or Valkarsus, what were these guys, really?

“…”

Though I suppose I shouldn’t be disappointed given who the opponent was.

[Why aren’t you running away anymore, Mr. Darwood?]

Looking at Yuria approaching one step at a time, head slightly tilted as she speaks, my mouth goes completely dry.

I’ve fantasized before about having a pretty girl chase after me, putting everything else aside.

Now I want to grab my past self by the collar and scream at him.

Try experiencing it yourself.

Is it really nice to have your life constantly threatened?

[Why aren’t you saying anything?]

I sigh deeply inside.

My mind has been calculating frantically.

The truth is, continuing to run from this one is practically impossible.

Playing hide-and-seek with a demon already drastically lowers survival probability, but this one is the vessel of the White Demon. If things go wrong, she’ll literally chase me “to the ends of hell.”

It means I have to settle this.

The method might be a bit painful for me.

But still.

You can do it, Darwood Campbell.

You’re a specialist at getting hurt. You’ve been smashed countless times before. You’re special.

“…”

Saying that makes me feel a bit self-deprecating.

Anyway, it’s true that there’s only one way.

I glance down at my feet.

This is the place where I had Lucien and Valkarsus prepare a ‘formation’ in advance. It’s a collaborative work between the Holy Maiden and the world’s greatest alchemist, created as a countermeasure for Yuria.

With this, it will definitely work on this one.

It might not completely calm a demon on the verge of going berserk, but it’s enough to temporarily ‘subdue’ that demonic energy.

[I told you earlier.]

While I’m thinking, Yuria’s ‘figure’ approaches close.

[If I catch you, you die?]

“…!”

My eyes widened as I saw Yuria suddenly appear right in front of me, swinging her sword.

It’s a speed that even I, in an extreme life-or-death situation, cannot react to.

I probably couldn’t have kept up even if I had used a swordsman’s concentration.

“…”

But.

This quite explicitly suggests something.

It’s evidence that this one has been ‘going easy’ on me until now.

Honestly, think about it.

Even the Blue Demon, which ranks among the weaker demons, was doing such insane things, so the fact that I’ve been able to successfully run away from the White Demon like this can’t be explained otherwise.

She’s not yet in a state filled with enough killing intent to really grit her teeth and try to kill me.

That means.

It’s the same as saying I can take ‘one hit’ without issue.

‘…The plan!’

While this one is still holding onto reason, giving me some leeway.

Even if I take a hard hit, the plan is to ‘drag’ Yuria into Lucien and Valkarsus’s formation.

Since deflecting or blocking this one’s attack is laughable, I might as well take a hit to create an opening.

You can do it, Darwood Campbell. Just don’t die in one hit!

Thinking that, I watch the tip of Yuria’s sword approaching me menacingly.

I take a deep breath.

“…!”

Then.

I actually ‘rush toward’ Yuria’s strike that’s about to pierce my body.

Yuria’s eyes widen at my unexpected movement, and in that moment, I grab her and pull her onto the formation.

I close my eyes tightly as I see her sword piercing my body.

‘…Please, just don’t die in one hit!’

Though she’s said to have the strongest single-attack power currently, I’m also quite confident in my survival ability.

This is worth a try!

Thinking that, I push her body onto the formation, and once again a brilliant white light erupts around us. It was a light so bright it completely obscured my vision.

[…!]

The pure white light emitted from the formation clearly had an effect.

The white energy surrounding Yuria’s body began to visibly weaken.

It’s evidence that the demonic energy is being temporarily weakened by the Holy Maiden’s divine power.

That means.

“…Huh.”

I hear Yuria’s dazed voice.

Her hair, which had been piercingly white, has returned to black at some point. Light returns to her eyes.

She appears to have regained her senses momentarily.

‘…That’s right.’

As expected of the Holy Maiden. She’s the one who’s been holding Yuria’s body and suppressing the curse every day.

“Have you come to your senses?”

I exhale and speak toward that figure.

“That’s a relief.”

Hearing my voice, she slowly turns toward me.

Then, with a languid gaze, she examines me.

That gaze slowly moves down from my face.

Probably.

To the spot where her sword hit me.

“…”

And her eyes widen.

“…Ah.”

Immediately.

A groan like a death rattle escapes from her lips.

“…Ah, ah, aah, aah, a—“

She clutches her face with both hands as if tearing at it.

Tears stream down from her eyes.

As if.

She had seen a ‘horrific’ scene that was unbearable to look at.

“…”

Hey. What’s wrong with you?

Your reaction is a bit… scary?

And around that time.

I finally realize something strange.

Why.

Doesn’t it hurt ‘at all’?

Since I was hit, surely some part of me should be in pain?

< System Message >

[ Fatal injury detected. ]

[ Pain is blocked by ‘Trait: Iron Man’. ]

“…”

Looking at such a message appearing with cold sweat.

I look down.

There I saw myself, almost ‘split in half’ by Yuria’s attack.

“…”

Ah, that’s right.

Even monkeys fall from trees sometimes.

No matter how good my survival ability has always been, there’s no guarantee it will always succeed.

“W-wait. D-D-Darwood? W-why, uh, why…? T-this, did I, did I do this…?”

Along with Yuria’s voice, which seemed completely out of her mind.

< System Message >

[ HP below 1%! ]

[ You are on the verge of death! ]

Blood poured from my mouth with terrifying force.