Ch.209209. Quick Battle (2)

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Faynol’s consciousness was sinking into the depths.

She could feel herself gradually descending into her inner world.

The deeper she went, the more things she normally “kept covered” began to reveal themselves.

Her hardened inner self. Twisted emotions. Memories that slashed at her heart every time she ruminated on them.

“…”

To Faynol Leiphec, the world had always been a place filled with pain and grief.

At least, every moment she could remember from “when she was alive” could be said to be riddled with such things.

The rural hometown where she was first born. The Demonic Spire where she was stationed second.

All the humans around her had met terrible fates.

“That’s why I’m helping you.”

Such a voice echoed through Faynol’s mind as she slowly descended deeper.

She focused her blurry vision to look ahead.

There was a woman resting her chin on her hand, staring intently at her from up close.

A woman who looked like what she herself might become if translated into an image of “red.”

Of course, they weren’t completely identical. There were some differences.

Perhaps if she herself aged a few years, she would look exactly like this.

“It’s better not to feel anything. You already know that deep down.”

“…”

“Living in this world is painful. If you don’t accept anything, you won’t lose anything.”

Sadness. Regret.

Perhaps even compassion could be felt in that atmosphere.

It was an appearance that didn’t quite suit something called a “demon.”

“…Then-“

Beyond her faint consciousness, she barely managed to form a sentence.

“…Why… did you save me…?”

During the first Night Field incident, when she first died.

When she learned that her very existence was cursed by others.

The one who saved her was the Red Demon before her eyes.

If it knew that her past was filled with such painful memories.

It could have just.

Let her.

Rest peacefully.

Why.

What did this being want from her?

What was the reason for keeping her alive, even taking away all her emotions and senses?

“…”

The answer didn’t come for quite some time.

“…Rest for a while, Faynol.”

Such a voice echoed through her dazed mind.

“When you next open your eyes, a world where you’ll never be hurt again will be complete.”

With those final words.

Faynol’s consciousness sank completely into darkness.

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Terrifying.

If she had to summarize the word floating in her mind right now, that would be the only one.

Elia Krisanax gripped the holy sword with trembling hands.

What stood before her was an image she had seen once in her childhood.

The form of a “demon” existing within a massive pillar of fire.

Two horns protruding from its head. Vertically slit pupils.

Faynol Leiphec remained motionless within the pillar of fire, as if embracing her own body.

With lifeless eyes, she stared blankly at the sky.

As if searching for something.

‘…I was told not to waste time.’

She recalled the advice Darwood had given her before coming here.

The longer the Red Demon revealed itself, the more terraforming would progress.

And if that vessel made contact with the void zone in such a state.

The world could be destroyed.

“…”

If that was the case, what she needed to do here was clear.

Regardless of what happened, regardless of who the opponent was.

Elia took a deep breath and gripped her holy sword tightly.

To be honest.

She didn’t think she could do it.

Wasn’t this always the kind of thing Darwood accomplished? She was closer to being his support.

Without any of his assistance, there was no way she could succeed.

Still, doing something was better than standing still and watching the world end!

“Hup!”

With an intake of breath, she kicked off the ground and charged.

After all, she wasn’t someone who carried the title of hero candidate for nothing.

With combat techniques specially trained by Authority and the Eye of Truth at her disposal, she shouldn’t be completely outmatched no matter what.

‘…First, cut through the flames, then create a foothold with magic to approach the main body, third, engage in close combat…’

Though she had never crossed hands with a demon before, she couldn’t even begin the fight without getting that far!

While thinking this.

The next moment.

Elia’s body was violently thrown back.

It happened before she could even approach the pillar of fire.

“…”

Elia’s pupils dilated.

It took quite some time to understand what had just happened.

‘…I just…’

Simply by the “pressure” emanating from over there.

By the lingering demonic energy radiating from the pillar of fire, without any hostile intent.

She was pushed back before she could even approach.

Faynol’s body inside the pillar of fire hadn’t moved at all. She hadn’t even taken any action to consciously push her away.

In other words.

She couldn’t even withstand the opponent’s “breath.”

“…!”

Blood rushed to her eyes.

There could be no greater humiliation.

Next, she gritted her teeth and charged toward it again.

Rather.

It would have been better if she had been crushed by the opponent’s strike due to her lack of strength.

This felt like.

She wasn’t even considered worth facing.

“…”

She couldn’t do anything.

Couldn’t even respond. Couldn’t even find a strategy.

Even though she was examining the opponent with the Eye of Truth, she couldn’t obtain any information.

“…”

Elia gritted her teeth and charged at the opponent again.

If it didn’t work, she had no choice but to keep trying until it did.

With that thought, she rushed in recklessly, but.

Once.

Twice.

Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.

“…”

She kept getting thrown back.

Not even able to properly approach.

Such a gap that seemed to deny her pride, self-esteem, and all the effort she had put in.

“…This is ridiculous…!”

Such emotions were probably what drove her body at first.

How many times.

How many times had she charged like that?

Her entire body felt numb.

The opponent wasn’t even paying attention to her from the beginning.

That meant she wasn’t even posing enough of a threat to warrant attention.

“…”

Fifty. A hundred. A hundred and fifty.

She didn’t know how many times she had been thrown back in just a few minutes.

Her entire body was bruised. Despite being just residual energy, the continuous contact with demonic energy was causing cuts all over her body. Minor injuries and pain were accumulating.

Her whole body was covered in dust, blood, and bruises.

Two hundred. Three hundred. Three hundred and fifty.

Had it even been an hour?

“…”

It hurts.

It hurts.

Her entire body feels like it’s being torn apart.

Despite charging in so many times.

She still couldn’t even properly close the “distance” with her opponent.

An impossibly strong adversary. The gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth, making her feel like an insect in comparison.

It felt meaningless to even oppose such a being.

“…”

But, even so.

Elia took a deep breath and readjusted her holy sword.

While there might be many psychological mechanisms supporting Elia Krisanax as a person.

‘…No matter how impossible the gap is.’

Someone.

‘…No matter how painful it is.’

Always charged forward without fear, even when facing opponents with such an overwhelming gap.

Enduring pain that felt like her entire body was being crushed, simply because there was something that needed to be done.

-It’s okay.

And from such a person.

She had heard those words not long ago.

-You can do it.

“…I know.”

Gritting her teeth.

Grasping her trembling legs. Using the sword as a cane to stand up.

“…I know, teacher.”

That man had acknowledged her. He had affirmed that she could do it.

If she couldn’t endure even this much, she wouldn’t be worthy of standing beside him.

With that thought, vitality returned to her body. She raised her battered body once more.

“…”

She took a deep breath and gripped the holy sword.

Although her arms felt almost like jelly from exhaustion, she still straightened her posture.

“…Haaah!”

With such a battle cry.

Elia advanced forward without hesitation.

And, the next moment.

-!

For the first time, a part of the flames near Faynol was “cut away.”

“…Huh?”

Elia’s eyes widened.

Though extremely slight.

It was undoubtedly the first hit she had landed on her opponent.

The fact that Faynol flinched and looked in her direction was proof enough.

But what surprised her even more was.

“…”

She glared at the holy sword with sharp eyes.

Did it just glow?

No.

She puts in a little effort thinking about him, and it immediately awakens?

No matter how much she’s fallen for him, there should be some limits…!

[…Well, the holy sword has always responded most strongly when the user’s will is most firmly resolved.]

“W-what?!”

Elia looked at the holy sword in shock.

If she wasn’t going crazy.

Just now, a “voice” came from within the sword.

“…”

This.

Did it just speak?

It definitely spoke, right?!

As she was thinking that while staring at the holy sword.

“…Who are you talking to?”

A familiar voice tapped her ears.

Startled, Elia turned around.

Darwood was looking at her with an incredulous expression.

“As expected of the hero… or should I say that? I didn’t think you’d make it this far alone.”

“…Teacher?”

Elia said with a slightly choked voice.

She didn’t know why she sounded that way.

She didn’t know why this man was here.

She didn’t know how he had followed her.

She didn’t know what happened to that Helgard guy.

There was a lot that needed explanation.

“…”

But, somehow.

The “anxiety” she had felt when she saw Darwood before had been completely washed away.

“Yes, it’s your teacher. I came to help.”

The following words confirmed it.

“You still need to finish this yourself, though.”

Darwood said with a grin.

Elia’s eyes widened momentarily.

‘…This.’

This was the Darwood she knew.

Even in the most difficult situations.

A man who was always confident that things would unfold exactly as he “thought they would.”

“Your face looks better, teacher.”

Elia said with a slight smile.

Despite her battered body, this was her reaction as soon as she confirmed that this man’s condition had improved.

She thought her own condition must be quite serious too.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Ah, about that.”

Darwood responded, still grinning.

Then, he raised his finger to point at Faynol.

His voice continued to flow with an unconcerned tone.

“I’m going to eat her.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I’m going to, you know, eat that. Deliciously.”

“…”

Elia silently looked back and forth between Faynol in the pillar of fire and Darwood.

Hmm.

Right.

Eat her.

Deliciously.

“…You’re really a crazy pervert, aren’t you?”

“…Why do I have to hear that?”

What she had overlooked was.

Darwood in this state always came out with crazy statements in most cases.

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