Ch.239238. Choose One

# 238. Make a Choice

In the distance, two people were swinging swords and throwing punches at each other.

Though there was clearly a significant difference in their energy levels, being in close combat meant the gap wasn’t that pronounced.

However, the sight was truly…

“Unbelievable…”

If Basago had attacked first, I would have understood, but reality was different.

The person who first threatened the opponent in this battle wasn’t Basago, but Reina.

‘She really doesn’t listen…’

Right now, I was genuinely annoyed. But thinking about it again, I realized it might not be so bad after all.

‘If they had listened to me, wouldn’t I be dead by now?’

Along with that possibility…

‘If she wins… that would be amazing.’

If Reina defeated him, this terrible situation could end.

As my head filled with such thoughts, a pitch-black shield suddenly appeared and struck my head hard.

-BANG!!-

The loud noise and pain spreading from my head throughout my body jolted me back to awareness.

‘Ah… I’m in the middle of a battle.’

Watching those two fight, I had momentarily forgotten about this guy’s existence.

And he didn’t seem to appreciate that fact.

“Getting distracted? Right in front of me?”

He looked quite angry, though even so, he wasn’t particularly threatening.

Despite his strong shield, he was just a shield bearer, and he had to protect Bael anyway.

‘That looks a bit dangerous though…’

In contrast, the situation over there seemed quite perilous.

The clashing swords and the contorted expressions of the two fighters elevated my mood. I immediately ran toward them, leaving Amon behind.

Well… he followed, but there was no way someone like him could keep up with me.

However…

-CRASH!!-

I slammed my head hard into something blocking my path.

I must be quite the fool to only now realize the existence of a barrier.

“Ah…”

I quickly filled the sword in my hand with abyss energy.

As the abyss revealed itself, I gave it one command.

“Break through this! Just a little! Just a tiny bit!!”

-ROAR!!-

“Really just a little! Just enough for you to fit through!”

When I shouted like that, the abyss truly created a small hole, just big enough for the sword to pass through.

“To have such control… you’re better than your master.”

At that bland joke, the abyss trembled with joy, but quickly composed itself.

In that moment, a single sword advanced toward Reina, and I focused my gaze on it.

Then I threw the sword I was holding with all my might.

-WHOOSH!!-

***

Basago gestured toward Reina, who was charging recklessly without understanding the danger. Deep magical energy gathered in his hand.

-WHIRR!!-

The magical energy combined into a single orb. That orb flew toward Reina with an eerie, quiet noise.

Though small, if she were to be hit by it, she would surely pay the price for her reckless actions. That’s why Reina tried her best to avoid it.

The [Explosion Magic] that instantly reached right in front of Reina’s nose—she ducked as low as she could.

The magical orb skillfully avoided Reina and eventually embedded itself in the ground.

-BOOM!!-

The shockwave from the explosion pushed Reina’s body forward, forcing her to approach him.

Basago swung his sword with a strange expression, as if he had anticipated this.

“Ugh..!”

Reina quickly regained her balance and swung her sword toward his blade that had come right up to her face.

The swords collided, and they found themselves in a situation where they had to determine superiority.

“Mister… you’re a bit weak, aren’t you?”

For a magician, his strength was unbelievably good. But it was certainly no match for Reina’s.

Gradually, the two swords were moving toward his side.

At that moment, Basago took a highly risky gamble.

-SNAP!-

Hastily, far too hastily, Basago let go of his sword.

Reina, who had been exerting all her strength, couldn’t help but lurch forward.

“Huh…?”

Basago swung his sword toward the confused girl.

The tactic was risky, but perfect. It actually unfolded exactly as he had planned.

But there was one variable.

At that moment, a sword flew in from the distance—clearly the sword that the little brat had been holding—and collided with his blade.

-CLANG!!-

He had only been looking at the future of the woman before him, not his own future, nor the future of that brat.

He had been caught off guard.

He had let his guard down, thinking the barrier would protect him.

His sword fell powerlessly to the ground along with Albert’s.

Reina immediately activated her unique skill.

-WOOOONG!!-

He had certainly been seeing the future.

He clearly knew the future where that sword would target him soon.

Yet he couldn’t avoid it.

-TZZZZZ!!-

A sword enveloped in brilliant light.

Reina’s sword was literally as swift as lightning; that light, like a bolt of lightning, engulfed Basago.

-SLASH!!-

The light cut through him, and his body was separated into upper and lower halves.

No longer able to walk, he fell to the ground, screaming.

“AAAAARGH…!!!”

Screams echoed across the battlefield.

Reina thrust her sword into the source of those screams.

-SQUELCH!!-

He writhed even more.

Reina, having no choice, squinted her eyes and aimed higher, thrusting her sword in again.

“AAARGH..!”

The scream was cut short, and the small remaining spark of life was extinguished.

Though an enemy, she had killed a person. But she felt nothing special. She even felt a sense of satisfaction.

Now she felt a bit more like Albert.

“Hey…! Stop slacking off and help me out! Bring my sword too.”

His shout came from far away; he was currently dodging the shield bearer who was targeting him.

Reina picked up his sword that had fallen near her.

-ROOOAR!!!-

At that moment, a deep, profound abyss appeared before Reina’s eyes.

That abyss took the form of a person.

Somehow similar to Albert… and also similar to Bael, this being suddenly came to Reina.

It was so dark that nothing else could be seen except for it.

“KYAAAAH…!!!”

Startled, Reina let go of the sword.

As her vision returned… Reina grabbed her trembling right hand.

Whatever it was, she didn’t think she could pick up the sword again.

“What’s wrong?! It’s urgent! Hurry!”

For some reason, he was rushing her. Even though it didn’t seem like such an urgent situation.

But whenever he hurried like that, there was always a reason.

So Reina squinted her eyes and grabbed the sword again.

“Ugh..!”

Then she slowly opened her closed eyes.

However… unlike before, Reina’s vision was perfectly normal.

“Oh… it’s fine…”

Relieved, Reina lifted the sword.

She thought it would be light since it wasn’t a particularly large sword. And Albert had been carrying it so easily.

That should have been the case, but…

“Why is this so heavy…?”

Forget lifting it—even dragging it was difficult.

Still, it wasn’t impossible, so she somehow managed to drag it toward him.

Something was strange…

There shouldn’t be much difference in pure strength between her and Albert, yet it was this heavy.

Reina asked him, who was giving her a look as if wondering what she was doing.

“Is this always this heavy?”

“This isn’t the time for jokes, you know?”

“I’m serious, it’s really heavy!”

“Ah… really…”

He seemed to have realized something, but he didn’t express it out loud.

So Reina had no choice but to continue dragging it.

As she was slowly approaching him…

A strange energy was felt from the distance.

It was a very familiar energy, one she had definitely felt somewhere before… but it was not at all welcome.

Rather, it was a rough energy that made her whole body shiver.

Reina hurried.

She used every ounce of strength she could muster to transport the sword.

‘Just a little faster…!’

***

This is bad.

And not just a little bad. Usually, the personnel here could handle it, but… this wasn’t an ordinary opponent.

‘I need to kill that thing quickly…’

If only Bael dies, everything would somehow work out.

But right now, I had nothing in my hands. Of course, Reina was bringing it, but… she’s slow.

Since she’s carrying it instead of me, it seems the penalty is being applied…

“Aren’t you too slow?”

“This is the best I can do!!”

Seeing her red face and hands, it didn’t seem like she was lying.

Given the situation, Amon no longer tried to hit me while pushing himself. Instead, he was looking at us with an expression that said “you’re all screwed.”

How annoying that look was… I wanted to smack his head.

‘And it’s incredibly fast.’

A single energy flying toward us at tremendous speed.

She too had detected that energy long ago; the Empress had left Lilith and was running toward us.

Of course, she was blocked by the barrier…

“Um… Albert!!”

“I know.”

I let out an empty laugh with those words.

“Here! But what kind of energy is this? Why are you laughing?”

She finally arrived.

Both Reina and… that monster.

An enormous life form that descended here, spreading its massive wings for all to see.

With a body larger than most castles and a sturdy stake that could crush bones with a single hit, plus the mass of magical energy emanating from its core that resembled a volcano.

I picked up the sword that had finally arrived and spoke while looking at that thing.

“Can’t it shoot a breath attack?”

But seeing the magical energy gradually taking form and concentrating in one place, I realized I had asked a pointless question.

Cold sweat was streaming down my forehead, and the same was true for the others.

I raised the sword filled with abyss energy toward that brutish life form.

Then I asked the two terrified people:

“Choose one of two: either run away or stand behind me.”