Ch.174174. Going All Out.

“Is this even possible!? Does this make any sense?!”

“That’s my line…! Keurgh?!”

CRASH BANG!

…

Judging by the loud noise coming from over there, it seems the doctor’s situation is being handled smoothly.

Meanwhile, on this side.

It’s a bit challenging.

“Kuheu… Vine! I’ll re-educate that rotten mind of yours!”

“What are you talking about? This is the end for you, I’m telling you.”

“I need your power! If I only had your power…!”

“Haa… You want to become a transcendent with my power? Wouldn’t you need both mine and Blanc’s power at the very least? That’s how transcendents work, after all.”

“That’s after I absorb you! If you obediently accept re-education and become my power…!”

“Power what? Why should I? To someone who’s already lost my trust? Me? Well, it’s not really my place to say… Even if I couldn’t give trust. When it comes to trusting someone, I know better than anyone how to filter out who’s unworthy.”

“Vine! Won’t you come back to me already!”

“No. That’s not happening. Haa… So that day, when you found me in the forest, you actually just threw me into that gap and retrieved me?”

“Isn’t that obvious? You should be grateful to me even knowing that truth. Escaping that weak physical body to realize Eden’s great ideal…!”

“Not a great ideal, but your greed. To fulfill your ugly self-interest. Not a small sacrifice for a greater cause, but countless people sacrificed for you alone. You’ve been deceiving me all this time.”

“Huh? Didn’t I say that me becoming a transcendent would truly fulfill Eden’s cause?”

“If you really thought that was the cause, you should have told me when I was at Eden. Oh, maybe you did. But you never mentioned you becoming a transcendent, did you? You only said you’d gather energy and distribute it equally. I don’t remember hearing those specific details. For over 10 years.”

“Obviously there’s no need to tell a tool everything, is there? What I tell you is just a part of it. Not sharing everything is the virtue of one destined to become a true transcendent.”

“You’re sitting there making absurd claims with such audacity.”

“Vine. If you return now, I’ll overlook your rudeness and rebellion until now. I’ll even specially restore your position as Eden’s department head without punishment. I’ll turn a blind eye to this act of betrayal. Come to me quickly.”

“…Who’s the one who betrayed whom?”

I put strength in my legs and leap forward, pushing off the ground.

Once again, I’m blocked by Baal’s scythe.

But it seems to have some effect on him, as I can see his arms trembling.

Fighting an opponent I’ve never faced before is truly difficult.

I’ve never even sparred with the boss during Eden’s training.

He would observe when I trained, though. Just watching from behind.

Saying things like I might get hurt, and whatnot.

Claiming he couldn’t lose valuable military strength here, he made me fight other unit commanders instead.

But thinking about it now.

Perhaps it was to hide his own weakness.

Ah, it’s not that he never sparred with me at all.

Before I regained my memories.

Back then, I wasn’t that strong. The boss would spar with me directly.

Saying if he used too much force, I might get hurt.

Claiming he’d go easy on me.

Well, back then, my mental age wasn’t like now—not Vine who had lived a man’s life once before, but truly a child with the mind of someone born just a few years prior.

Plus, that was when I called Ellie “big sister.”

How long ago was that?

So. After I regained my memories, he never showed me his power.

That I had some intelligence.

Once he realized I had good memory and learned and acquired things relatively faster than others, he never sparred with me again.

Perhaps he feared I might defeat him and betray him.

A boss who can’t even trust his subordinates.

Well, I suppose there’s nothing more frustrating than being stepped on by your own tool, so it makes sense.

Thinking about it now.

“Vine!”

“Shut up. Don’t… call that name with that mouth.”

“Didn’t I give you the name Vine? The owner of the name is calling you. And your master is calling you.”

“My master? You?”

“Yes. The grace of picking you up when you were wandering in that dimensional gap, in the forest…!”

“That grace, you forced it on me. You said you put me in that gap. Fine, let’s say that’s true. Then you could have taken me away as soon as I escaped that gap, right? But you didn’t. How long did I suffer in that forest? Humans… Ah. You.”

“What’s the problem? I saved you. Are you demanding more, Vine?”

“Haa. Right. Surely, you wouldn’t. Making me hate humans. Even if I regained my memories, making me have a subconscious hatred and avoidance of humans, so I wouldn’t hesitate to bring misfortune to them—if that’s true, I’d be truly amazed.”

“…Vine.”

“Seems I’m right. Haa… really. How can a person. No, a person. We. We shouldn’t think by human standards. Right.”

“…Yes, you and I are monsters. We shouldn’t think by human standards. We can help humans. But for our ideals, in how we treat humans…”

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear any more.”

“Vine.”

Further conversation is meaningless.

…

Really, I thought it was my last hope.

I hoped the ideals I followed would be justified.

That the person I followed was still righteous. That those sacrifices were somehow unavoidable.

But now.

After being betrayed in every way, in the end.

Haa.

The ideal I pursued.

It was an ideal that needed a superman to be complete.

While an ordinary person claimed to pursue such an ideal.

I just followed someone I thought was a superman.

Who wouldn’t believe someone who commands you to believe they are a superman?

Especially when they brainwash you daily.

…

Yes.

I’m not trying to rationalize.

I can’t say I did nothing wrong.

But in such a situation…

The battle intensifies.

The scythe and sword continue to cross, again and again.

My sword, forged from magical power, scatters tiny white fragments of magic as it cuts at the enemy’s scythe.

Yet, neither of us can land an effective blow in this situation.

Well, against someone stronger than me.

No, it’s ambiguous to call him stronger now.

Based on how he acted, I can make some inferences.

Still, I can’t let my guard down.

I should consider him my equal or superior.

Since I don’t know how he’ll move.

Analyzing slowly would be ideal, but the major disadvantage is that there’s no time for that.

Additionally, the enemy…

The boss, Baal…

It’s right to assume he sees through my every move.

He’s always watched me review my actions.

If he’s someone who hates being stepped on by his own tool so much.

No, even if that weren’t the case.

He would need to understand the capabilities of his tool.

He must have analyzed me extensively.

The information gap puts me at a relative disadvantage.

So it’s difficult to attack from this side.

But why does it feel like I’m gradually winning…?

Why is Baal being pushed back…?

His position is gradually being forced back, with me pushing Baal against the wall.

And even knowing the information, isn’t he falling for my tricks too easily…?

If he knows that after I attack one way, I’ll target the opposite side about 80% of the time, and he defends that side before I even attack.

Then I can exploit that by reversing my strategy.

No, even beyond that.

In terms of pure strength…

Of course, I can feel my magical power decreasing.

About half remains, protecting me.

And the sword created from magical power continues to consume magic.

In this case.

The longer this drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for me.

If I don’t defeat Baal, this device that restricts my magic recovery.

Haa.

If only it weren’t for this.

Who would win if this turned into a prolonged battle?

So, thinking I needed to speed up the tempo a bit.

I put more force into my movements.

Baal responds by surrounding himself with magical power to strengthen himself.

“Fine… if that’s how you want it, I’ll have to take you by force, Vine!”

“Isn’t it ridiculous to say that now? My answer remains the same. This is the end for you, Baal, who stained my life with endless darkness.”

“I haven’t used my full power yet! Vine, I really don’t like your attitude! Taste my full strength!”

“Ha. Come on. I’m prepared.”

“If I capture you, I’ll absorb all your power, erase all your memories, and turn you into an obedient ornament to show the whole world!”

“Bullshit.”

I can’t lose.

I can’t give up here.

I, too, fill my sword with magical power.

If he’s coming at full strength, I must respond with full strength.

If I use my full power, how long can I last?

5 minutes? 10 minutes?

Either way.

It would be better if Blanc finishes quickly.

“Baal! Die and atone to everyone!”

“Vine! Become my power!”

How nice.

Once again, the scythe and sword clash.