Ch.140Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan. (2)

[“…Were you from the Golden Tower?”]

Baphomet asked.

“For now.”

Olivia answered.

The alley was instantly filled with a deep silence. Baphomet hesitated to attack first. How should he put it, for a human mage, the magical power she possessed was unsettling.

[Are you that famous Master of the Empire’s Golden Tower?]

“I’m his disciple.”

[…Disciple?]

Baphomet pretended to think, scratching his chin. Sharp nails cut into tender skin with each touch, but he repeated the action until blood flowed.

[Disciple, disciple… Well, I should slightly raise my evaluation of the human realm.]

Baphomet’s eyes wouldn’t leave Olivia. The corners of his mouth had been torn to his ears for some time.

His body itched with the desire to pounce on her immediately, but he didn’t act rashly.

As much as he hated to admit it, that woman was strong. Possibly strong enough to match him.

Baphomet instantly realized that whoever showed weakness first would lose.

Baphomet broke the silence filling the alley with a single charge. His body shot like a bullet, diving toward Olivia.

Just before impact, a faint light enveloped Olivia and transported her to the opposite side. Baphomet, carried by momentum, crashed straight into the alley wall.

Baphomet rose from the crevice in the wall. And immediately found himself in trouble.

“Watch carefully from there.”

Olivia said. Her staff was aimed precisely at Baphomet’s forehead.

Olivia’s heterochromatic eyes were looking past Baphomet’s red eyes, toward the Serial Murderer somewhere beyond.

Baphomet realized that Olivia wasn’t even considering him a threat.

[…You worm of a woman!]

Olivia still wasn’t looking at Baphomet. The moment her staff began to glow, Baphomet’s claws transformed into blades and shot toward Olivia’s shoulder.

Olivia smiled as if she had expected this, caught Baphomet’s claw with her right hand, and froze it instantly.

[Arghhhh!]

Baphomet screamed in pain as one of his arms became unusable in an instant. Before Olivia could launch a follow-up attack, he had already retreated far away.

“That body won’t work, so hurry up and descend in your true form.”

[…I was being considerate because your soul looks delicious, but you don’t know your place.]

The Serial Murderer’s body lost strength and collapsed. Black smoke rose gently from his seven orifices.

The smoke stretched long, then began transforming into a terrifying form.

[The Great Demon, Baphomet, manifests!]

Near his head, flame-like eyes flickered, and teeth-like protrusions emerged from his maw. The wolf-like form consumed the surrounding darkness and grew as large as a building.

[I’ll make your death as painful as possible.]

Baphomet’s face began to split. Flames engulfed the area around his maw, and through the cracks, hellfire spewed forth.

Whoooosh!

An intense heat consumed the area.

The surrounding buildings, unable to withstand the heat, burned and melted simultaneously.

The flames spread in all directions instantly.

It didn’t take long for the entire area to transform into a fiery hell.

Though her hair and skin were singed by the intense flames, Olivia didn’t mind. She already knew this wouldn’t be an easy victory.

‘…My level is too low.’

Olivia protected herself by spreading cold energy. Before her eyes, a giant wolf was howling madly.

[Where did that relaxed smile from earlier go?]

Baphomet’s arm shot out like a whip. Buildings crumbled like cookies along the path of his claws.

Crash!

Olivia kicked the air. The ice essences surrounding her scattered in all directions. They contained such intense cold that they could steal all warmth with just a touch.

Boom!

A tremendous explosion erupted as fire and ice collided.

“…”

Faced with an unexpected situation, Olivia clicked her tongue. It wasn’t just her low level; she hadn’t fully considered the Serial Murderer’s magical absorption rate.

Even without memories of her past life, she thought things would be similar after a year, but it seemed she had misjudged.

Hundreds of fireballs descended upon Olivia. She gathered magical power into her staff.

Tssss.

As Olivia rotated her staff in a large circle, a fierce north wind swept in and devoured the fireballs.

The surrounding temperature dropped instantly, and the seemingly unquenchable flames lost their power and dissipated.

[What a pity. Such a pity. That I cannot devour your flesh… truly a pity!]

Baphomet disappeared in the same moment. He stomped the ground, seeking an opening in Olivia’s defense.

Having instantly moved behind her, Baphomet thrust his claws, stained with demonic energy, toward Olivia.

Instead of dodging, Olivia fired a massive lightning bolt. With a booming sound, Baphomet’s upper body was blown apart.

Baphomet wasn’t seriously injured. The huge hole in his chest had disappeared by the time he emerged from the smoke.

[Soon… despair will bloom on your face too.]

A maniacal grin spread across Baphomet’s face.

No matter how powerful a mage might be, demons cannot be killed without special methods.

The most effective method was holy power, but without a priest nearby, he was practically immortal.

[If you kneel and beg for forgiveness now, I might spare you.]

“…First you say you’ll tear me apart, now you seem quite eager to possess this body?”

Olivia clicked her tongue and readied her stance again. At this point, she had no choice. She had to push herself.

Roarrrrr!

“I’ll get serious too.”

A streak of blood was flowing from the corner of her mouth.

*****

Tssssss!

A cold sensation at his fingertips.

The Serial Murderer slowly rose. The world was dyed white. Ash and snowflakes alternately fell from the sky, making it simultaneously hot and cold.

But the place where he stood was quiet.

“——.”

A woman was visible some distance away. The area around her was particularly white. The Serial Murderer thought it would be quite a spectacle if she, so white, were to be dyed red.

[Arghhhhhh!]

The demon was bleeding dark red blood.

[Arghhhhhh! Ar, Arghhhhh…!]

With snow and ash falling alternately, the world was bright as a canvas. Perhaps because of this, only she stood out.

Each time the world flashed, her hair gradually turned darker red.

Using the blood spewed by the demon as pigment.

Using the blood flowing from her own lips as pigment.

Little by little.

Red.

And then white again.

Simultaneously, a familiar scent wafted through the air.

That scent that had tickled his nose whenever he was led into dark alleys by the demon.

“Hmm. Ahahah.”

The Serial Murderer licked the snowflake that had landed on his cheek with his fingertip.

He sat cross-legged, then tilted his head side to side as he stared at Olivia.

Hmm. Ah. Hmm. Hmmmm.

He couldn’t hear the buildings collapsing powerlessly, nor the painful noise the demon was making.

[…Arghhhhhh!]

When struck by the massive lightning bolt, the beast’s cry leaked out. Baphomet’s body trembled like a broken doll.

A chilling feeling.

He just stared blankly.

His fingertips trembled violently, and his heart pounded. The Serial Murderer loved such emotions.

The reason he could maintain his consciousness despite having his body taken by the Great Demon was simple.

He was already broken before that.

Born with broken emotions, he truly felt emotions only when taking others’ lives.

Taking life to feel alive.

An abnormal existence from the beginning.

That’s why he could survive despite being possessed by a being as powerful as a Great Demon.

Because he was no different from a demon.

Ahhh…

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Beautiful.

Black smoke rose from the Great Demon’s body. The smoke was less black than before, and hazier.

‘Just a little more…’

The end approaches.

The Serial Murderer unconsciously stood up and approached, leaving footprints in the snow.

The intense cold felt immediately upon crossing the boundary. Had it been protecting him? Thinking so made even this cold seem lovely.

Boom!

The wind subsided. Olivia stood resolutely over Baphomet’s body, which was turning to ash.

‘…That was close.’

Wiping away the flowing blood, Olivia tried to focus her blurring vision.

[Ancient magic, ‘Limit Release’ has been deactivated.]

If she hadn’t forcibly raised her growth stats, she might have been the one defeated. Of course, the backlash from “forcing” the release was also severe.

A feeling like blood rising throughout her body. Her joints were stiffening in real time.

Yet the reason she didn’t show her pain was…

“Who are you, miss?”

It was the Serial Murderer. As if he couldn’t see the ruined surroundings, he approached Olivia directly.

“Kid.”

Olivia smiled gently, using her magic to confiscate the dagger the Serial Murderer was hiding behind his back.

“You shouldn’t play tricks on adults.”

“Ah…”

The Serial Murderer made a disappointed face.

She mustn’t be fooled by that innocent-looking face.

The Serial Murderer only shows respect to those he has decided to kill.

Olivia opened the Serial Murderer’s hand and placed a few gold coins in it.

As much as she wanted to talk more, she didn’t have time.

She felt like she might collapse at any moment.

“…I’m a busy person. Let’s talk again in three days.”

“Three days?”

“Yes. I think I’ll be back in this city around then.”

Olivia swallowed the blood rising to her chin and summoned all her strength to gather magical power. The Serial Murderer, sensing her intention, desperately reached out, but only grasped empty air.

[Skill, ‘Teleport’ is…]

How many times had the same notification repeated?

Thud.

Feeling the oncoming backlash, Olivia felt her consciousness becoming hazy.

Rustle.

The rough texture of sand at her fingertips. Olivia was certain she had returned to the southern continent.

[Time remaining: 00 minutes 08 seconds]

Olivia curled up on the ground, dry heaving repeatedly.

So much blood poured from this small body that her consciousness quickly faded.

At that moment.

Thud.

“——!”

An urgent voice.

Someone seemed to have grabbed her shoulder.

Olivia barely managed to lift her head to see who was supporting her.

“Olivia! Get a hold of yourself! Damn, if I had known this would happen…!”

Tightly closed lips. Eyes filled with concern.

Perhaps due to the backlash, she couldn’t see clearly.

And the next moment.

[Time limit has expired.]