Ch.46Take a shot at me too!

# 1.

Nahan never formally learned how to fight.

Of course, like most children, he had wanted to learn martial arts like Taekwondo, Hapkido, Kendo, or Boxing, but…

“…I’m sorry, Teacher Jung. I have to let you go without even giving you your last paycheck properly.”

“It’s okay, Director. I stayed because I wanted to. I understand your situation.”

He never actually voiced those desires.

And whether fortunate or unfortunate,

“Hey! Is that the only set of clothes you have?”

“Yeah.”

“Ugh, should I buy you a new one?”

For some strange reason, many people picked fights with Nahan,

“I’ll buy it!! I’ll really buy it!! Just please stop, stop hitting me!!”

“…Okay.”

So Nahan was able to develop his fighting skills without anyone’s help.

This continued through middle school and right up until he dropped out of high school, and after he finally left school,

“Wow, this kid can really throw a punch?”

“Listen, kid. Punches are like this, ya see? You gotta put your waist into it, like this.”

“A knife is best, a knife. One sashimi blade and all that martial arts crap is useless.”

He stayed at a gangster hideout and learned properly from his “brothers” and the “big brother.”

Thanks to that, his undefeated record remained intact to this day,

“Kee, KEEEEE!!!”

“Shut up.”

WHACK!!

And he was able to secure victory even against a C+ grade swordsman without any aura.

Of course,

“Kuhh…”

Blood was flowing freely from the lacerations all over his body and the longsword embedded in his side, but,

“You son of a…”

WHACK…

In the end, Nahan was the victor.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Beyond his whitening vision as blood drained from his body, a red system window appeared.

【Warning!】

【<Savior – Nahan(??)>’s remaining health is below 10%!】

【Would you like to use the healing effect of <Ring of Iasos(SS+)>?】

Priests get one divine power per person.

The Ring of Iasos, which he had turned off right after gaining the upper hand against Killkilson to avoid suspicion, now glowed faintly.

【Warning!】

【<Savior – Nahan(??)>’s remaining health is below 8%!】

It seemed to be dropping by about 2% every 10 seconds, as if asking if he still wouldn’t use it.

But,

‘…It’s fine. I’m not dead yet.’

If he were truly on the brink of death, his survival instinct would have kicked in before he could even think.

‘If I raise suspicion here, they might discover that I’m <Black Wolf>.’

If that happened, it would be over.

Main quest, main scenario—all would fail.

The remaining bad endings would come one after another, and he would meet his death alongside the other members without returning to his original world.

‘So I have to endure.’

Whether he returned to his original world or not didn’t matter much, but at the very least, he didn’t want to die.

“Kuuugh…!!”

He unconsciously curled up from the encroaching cold, which made the bleeding worse.

【Warning!】

【<Savior – Nahan(??)>’s remaining health is below 3%!】

His health had dropped to 3% in an instant.

‘Shit, I’m really going to die.’

Just as Nahan had predicted, his body reacted before his mind could, and his hand shot out, but,

‘Ah.’

With a ringing in his ears, his vision turned completely white, and dizziness overwhelmed him.

‘Damn it, at this rate…’

He couldn’t press accept.

【Warning!】

【<Savior – Nahan(??)>’s remaining health is below 1%!】

Finally, with his remaining health at 1% and death just seconds away,

【”Remember this contract: what I desire is you, what you desire is me.”】

“…ink!! …must drink…!!”

As a familiar voice reached his ears, something flowed into his mouth.

Gulp, gulp…

Was this also survival instinct?

As he somehow managed to swallow the strawberry-flavored medicine-like liquid, his whitened vision gradually returned to normal.

“Haaah!!”

Exhaling the trapped breath, he raised his upper body, and someone asked him:

“Phew… That was a close call.”

A familiar accent with a familiar calmness.

Following the voice, Nahan’s gaze fell upon a sturdy middle-aged man looking down at him.

Hair mixed with chestnut and white,

Deep brown eyes,

Firmly closed lips.

‘The head of the Gardner family, Tehelan Gardner.’

Nahan immediately recognized him and tried to rise to show respect, but,

“I apologize, but we must leave this place first, so you’ll have to let me carry you.”

Tehelan picked up Nahan and stood up.

“The situation has worsened.”

A concise report of the situation.

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Nahan looked down at the red status window.

【Failed children, you too are seeds of calamity.】

【Warning!】

【The seeds of calamity planted in <The Hounds(A)> are going berserk!】

The status window, which had lost its initial brightness and turned murky, seemed to show something that had happened earlier.

As if reading Nahan’s confusion, Tehelan added while attaching a hand axe to his waist:

“I don’t know the exact reason, but these already strong creatures have begun wielding power on the level of Sword Masters.”

It was exactly as he said.

The grade of the assailants, originally around A-rank, now had multiple plus signs attached.

‘At least one, at most three.’

They hadn’t broken through the S-rank barrier, but it was clear they had become much more powerful.

“I’ve reduced their numbers, but only slightly. And they’ve spotted us.”

Only then did Nahan see beyond the shield.

“Te, helan!!!”

“Head, head, head, head…”

“Must, kill. Everything. For the, new, rising, sun…!!!”

All the enemies with grotesquely distorted expressions had turned toward them.

“This is somewhat fortunate.”

“Pardon…?”

“If they gather here, this spot where I stand is the only passage. If I block this position, the others will be safe.”

As Tehelan gripped his shield silently, Nahan, pretending to be Ian Red, asked:

“What do you plan to do?”

“Hold the line, of course.”

Tehelan showed not a hint of hesitation.

“Just holding isn’t enough, is it?”

“Holding. That is what it means to be a Gardner.”

“But…!!”

If he just holds, won’t he eventually collapse?

‘We should retreat instead.’

Tehelan was an irreplaceable force, but honestly, those who had fallen were replaceable.

Strategic retreat wasn’t shameful but a foundation for victory.

It would be better to retreat one step, gather information, and respond accordingly.

Just as Nahan was about to open his mouth to somehow persuade Tehelan,

“…Haa.”

Creak…!!

Tehelan began to take his stance.

Left foot forward,

Right foot back.

Left hand holding me,

Right hand holding the massive shield.

His entire body below the shield,

His gaze above it.

His planted foot dug into the ground like the roots of a great tree, and his raised shield stood like a massive barrier against the enemies.

“I will hold them off, so please escape once your strength returns.”

Below the shield was concern for my safety, beyond it was an indomitable gaze.

In that moment,

Nahan found himself certain:

‘He will never fall.’

Even if he were to fall someday, it would be his flesh, not his will.

‘An indomitable will.’

The Empire’s guardian,

The unbreakable iron wall.

“They’re coming. I will stay, so please don’t worry and go wherever you can.”

That was the kind of man Tehelan was.

Because of this, Nahan made a decision.

“I’ll help you.”

To ensure this man wouldn’t die here, even if it meant abandoning the role of Ian Red.

‘Characters can be remade, but living people cannot.’

Even if one could create a character based on the deceased and act out memories, it would only be an imitation of the departed.

And above all,

To turn away when one has the power to save someone,

【Skill – <Flash of Daylight(Ex)> selected.】

Didn’t suit his character.

So Nahan raised his hand blade, smiled at Tehelan, and said:

“I’ll ha—”

【Warning.】

【<Asha Mirabel(SSS)> is using Skill #2 – <Snow Lightning Strike(SSS)>.】

“—uh?”

Immediately after Nahan’s confused utterance.

Rumble…!!

The clear sky was suddenly covered with a chilling blanket as blue lightning crackled in various places.

In the midst of the swirling storm of snow and lightning, only the woman at the center remained untouched.

The woman with fluttering blue-flashing hair floated as she looked down at the enemies, then,

“Seventy-three.”

She said this and swung her sword.

The next moment.

Flash—!!

The surroundings were enveloped in light comparable to the strike of a golden dragon,

◆ Completion Conditions.

1. Apply medicine to Asha’s face. (Achieved!)

2. Attend the party with Gwangmyeong. (Achieved!)

3. Have a conversation with <Hestia>. (Achieved!)

4. Prevent <Eclipse>’s attack. (Achieved)

The final condition of the sub-quest was fulfilled.

# 2.

‘…This is driving me crazy.’

To save such a monster—shouldn’t I be the one getting saved?

Anyway, with the situation resolved, I was about to quietly slip away when,

-[…Impressive.]

The Celestial Shield, which had been silent for a while…

No. Balak Gardner, the founder of the Gardner family residing within it, asked Nahan:

-[That thing, I’d like to try blocking it myself. Think I could pick a fight with her?]

‘…Would that be possible?’

Defense or whatever, even the Gardner ancestor couldn’t block that.

That ancestor seemed to share my thoughts as he nodded and muttered:

-[Tsk, I suppose not.]

‘Yes, so please go back to sleep.’

-[Alright. Then I’ll provoke her directly. I’ve had my eye on a suitable vessel anyway.]

‘What?’

Before I could question further, Balak’s spirit, which had been hovering nearby, disappeared somewhere.

And a moment later.

“Hey!! You there, the cold-looking one!!”

“M-me?! What’s this?!”

“…Huh?”

“…Hestia?”

Hestia, who seemed to have stolen Balkan’s shield, stood on two legs and shouted:

“That thing you just did, try shooting it at me!!”

I’ll block anything you throw!