Ch.84Tales from the Holy Kingdom (2)

I managed to escape somehow, but the situation is still terrible. I have no place to run, and I don’t even know where I am.

As I was blindly moving forward, I suddenly felt something strange and powerful. If I had to describe it, it felt like there was another me in this world.

“Can you hear me?”

Leo’s voice suddenly echoed in my head.

“…Mr. Leo?”

“I don’t know how you did it… no, just run away first.”

“But how are you doing this? Are you using some kind of Magic or—”

“Do you really have time for small talk right now?”

Fortunately, it seems they noticed I was kidnapped. The fact that he can talk to me probably means he knows my location too.

“So where should I run to?”

“Do you feel something like a sense of kinship? If you do, follow that feeling. By the way, how much longer can you hold out?”

“I don’t know.”

“We need to finish this within an hour somehow.”

“Why?”

“If it takes any longer than that, I’ll die from running out of lifespan.”

I heard Leo still had about a year of life left. But why would he die after just an hour…

“Are you… using up your lifespan right now?”

“Yeah.”

“No, that’s dangerous! You need to stop—”

“If I stop, I won’t be able to talk to you or make you feel that sense of kinship.”

“But it’s too dangerous! What if you really die?!”

“If you want to save me that badly, just hurry up and escape.”

If I were beside him, I would have stopped him somehow, but I’m too far away to do anything about it.

So if I want to save Leo, I have no choice but to escape as quickly as possible.

“…Alright.”

As I ran at full speed following that sense of kinship, a major problem arose.

The pain that I had barely been enduring was growing stronger with each passing moment. It was becoming noticeably harder to control my body.

But I can still move. I need to move right now. If you understand, then please move faster!

However, contrary to my wishes, the wings on my back disappeared far too quickly.

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

I collapsed to the ground with overwhelming pain.

At least the burning pain throughout my body is gone now. Instead, my entire body feels like it’s being deeply stabbed by needles.

I can’t even feel that sense of kinship anymore. They’re probably in a similar situation to mine.

“Found her! Come quickly and restrain her!”

To make matters worse, my pursuers appeared behind me. If I get caught this time, it’s truly over.

But I can still fire my Divine Power nine more times. If I shoot myself, I can move again.

However, the excruciating pain makes it difficult to even control my body. I just need to move my finger to pull the trigger, but I can’t even do that much.

The people behind me are getting closer. Please, just move already!

Desperately enduring the pain, I somehow managed to move my wrist.

“Kuhp!”

Bang.

I was able to shoot myself with a bullet made of Divine Power. My body immediately became clean as if nothing had happened.

Usually, one shot isn’t enough for complete recovery. But since my physical strength is so weak, one shot was sufficient. Whatever, let’s just move.

Bang!

I fired another bullet into my body—the one that mimics Supernatural Power.

Wings sprouted on my back again, and simultaneously, I felt the same burning pain throughout my body.

I immediately got up and dashed forward. I don’t have the luxury to worry about the people behind me.

“What just happened?”

Leo’s concerned voice echoed in my head.

“Nothing… happened…”

My body is fine again. But perhaps due to the aftereffects of that pain, my body isn’t moving as well as usual.

“Have you reached your physical limit already?”

“I reached it… once… already…”

“Once?”

“I managed to… heal myself… with Divine Power… I can probably… do it 8 more times…”

“Then you can hold out for about 20 more minutes. That should be enough.”

Twenty minutes. That means I have to endure this pain for that long.

“When is… backup coming…?”

“Don’t worry about that, just run.”

“…Okay.”

I just need to run. The faster I run, the sooner backup will arrive. Then I can escape from this horrible pain sooner.

So I ran at full speed once again.

***

“Aaaah!”

I reached my physical limit again. Now I need to quickly shoot Divine Power into my body.

But it’s much harder to move than before. My physical condition should be similar, so why?

Alright, I’ll force my wrist to move like before.

“Kuheup!”

Bang.

My body returned to normal… no, it’s slightly weaker than before, probably because my lifespan has decreased. Is the increased pain also because my body has weakened?

It doesn’t matter. I just need to keep running forward. I absolutely cannot become a burden.

Bang!

“Kuuuk…”

When I fired the bullet that mimics Leo’s Supernatural Power again, wings sprouted along with the burning pain throughout my body. Now let’s run quickly.

***

While running forward, I collapsed to the ground again, screaming.

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

I definitely had enough physical strength to run further. But I couldn’t bear the burning pain and forcibly ended the wings’ manifestation.

As soon as the wings disappeared, unbearable pain swept through my entire body, just like before.

“Huuuk…”

Tears were already streaming down my face. Let me quickly shoot Divine Power into my body to end this pain.

“Kuhuuuk!”

Bang.

My body returned to normal as if I had never been injured. How many shots do I have left…?

Six shots left. That means I have to do this insane thing six more times.

“Huuk…”

I swallowed my tears and stood up again. Now I need to fire that bullet that mimics Supernatural Power again.

My hands are trembling terribly. But I need to pull the trigger quickly. I absolutely cannot become a burden.

Bang!

“…Kuhp!”

The familiar burning pain spread throughout my body. Now I’ll run again, collapse again, and then that pain will return just like before…

No, don’t think about it. Just run.

As I ran forward again, I could feel my physical strength approaching its limit.

That pain will come again soon. That terrifying pain like my entire body being stabbed by knives.

My heart is pounding like it’s about to burst. My physical limit is getting closer.

This burning pain is already enough to drive me crazy, but soon an even more unbearable pain will come.

And finally, my strength gave out.

“Aaaaaaaaaaargh!”

This time, it felt like my entire body was being ground up in a crusher. I felt like I might lose consciousness at any moment.

Quickly… quickly use Divine Power… then this pain will…

“Kuhuuuk!”

I somehow managed to move my arm again. And I immediately pulled the trigger.

Bang.

The pain disappeared instantly. Now I need to mimic that Supernatural Power again…

“Huuuk…”

Tears suddenly burst forth. If I pull the trigger again, that pain will return. That maddening pain.

No, I’ve put enough distance between us. So from here, I should be fine just staying in this state.

I clearly felt that sense of kinship in that direction, so I should run that way.

As I staggered forward, still suffering from the aftereffects of the pain, I heard the enemies rapidly approaching from behind.

At this rate, I’ll be caught. So if I want to escape, I need to spread those terrifying wings again.

“Huuk… I really… really don’t want to…”

I sobbed as I pointed the gun at myself with trembling hands.

I just need to pull the trigger. Then that burning pain and the grinding pain will return.

“Huuk… kuhuuk…”

I’m terrified beyond belief. But the enemies have almost caught up. So I really need to pull the trigger now.

Bang!

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

It feels like I’ve been thrown into a pit of fire. I feel like I might lose consciousness at any moment. But I need to move quickly. Otherwise, I’ll be caught by the enemies.

So I ran forward somehow, trembling with fear of the pain that would soon come.

***

Once again, indescribable pain arrived without fail. And I shot myself with a bullet made of Divine Power.

Thanks to that, I don’t feel any pain now. If I use that Supernatural Power again, that pain like my entire body being submerged in lava will return.

“Huuuk… huaaang!”

Unable to bear the fear, tears poured out uncontrollably.

I don’t care if I become a burden now. I just don’t want to feel that pain ever again.

As I lay on the ground sobbing, I heard someone’s voice.

“This little bug is really annoying me.”

It’s that woman who crushed my limbs earlier. If I get caught now, I’ll be dragged away like before. But at least I won’t have to feel that pain again.

As I remained still without any resistance, the woman suddenly looked at me and said with an unpleasant smile:

“You’re making a nice expression.”

As the woman approached me, she continued with a slightly excited expression:

“It would be perfect if you looked a little more terrified.”

Stab.

“Aah!”

The woman stabbed a dagger into my stomach. But it’s less painful than what I felt just before.

Suddenly, the woman started talking excitedly, her voice much more animated than before:

“What should I do to make you more afraid? Should I pull out all your fingernails? Or burn parts of your body? Putting your arm in a crusher wouldn’t be bad either.”

If I get dragged away, I’ll be tortured. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, my body began to shake violently like I was having a seizure.

“Good! That’s the expression! If I break you a little more, it’ll be perfect!”

The psychopath in front of me smiled disgustingly, her mouth stretched to its limits. If I stay still, that pain will return.

But even if I spread those wings, the same pain will inevitably come. Still, I need to spread those wings.

If I get caught, it’s obvious that the pain will be much longer and much more intense than the moment I spread those wings.

But I’m still scared. My mind understands, but my body won’t move.

“Ah, how refreshing would it be to show your precious people how you suffer? No, it would feel much better to crush your precious people right in front of you.”

The woman uttered words I couldn’t possibly ignore.

If I get caught here, I’ll suffer either way. But not just me—the people around me will suffer just as much.

Of course, spreading my wings and escaping is still terrifying. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

But I’m much more afraid of other people, especially my best friend, suffering because of me.

So I gripped the gun with steady hands and pointed it at myself.

Bang!

And once again, wings spread behind my back. Along with pain I could endure.

“Get away from me… you crazy bitch!”

Pain is just something that passes. So I’ll endure it somehow.