episode_0125

At first, when Abel and Uni met them, I felt surprise mixed with unease.

However, as lunch passed and the afternoon continued, and we kept running into them as if it were routine, my mind surprisingly regained its calm.

‘It actually turned out well.’

I had been on edge, thinking the Dark Cult might make a move, but with Sara and Verdan here, I didn’t need to worry.

While the Holy Knights are secretly tailing them like me, making immediate intervention impossible, Sara and Verdan are relatively close by, as their date route overlaps with Abel and Uni’s.

If a situation arose where they couldn’t intervene, even I would be helpless.

Just as I was watching their date with a sense of half-leisure, an incident finally occurred.

-Screech! It’s a monster!

-Why is there a troll here? Everyone run!

Faint voices of citizens came through the eavesdropping device. It had a special enchantment that reduced unnecessary noise while transmitting all important words.

The identity of the creature that appeared this time was a troll.

This creature, which also serves as a main ingredient for potions, boasts incredible regenerative power.

Later, I heard that it was a creature that inhabits an area far from Mount Berndia, but a territorial dispute broke out, causing it to wander all the way here.

Well, that’s not a very important fact.

-Abel! It’s a troll! What should we do?

-We have to stop it! Uni, can you help?

-Of course! Let’s go!

Upon hearing the shouts, Abel and Uni agreed and quickly rushed to the source of the commotion.

-Over there! Abel!

-Got it! Uni! Leave the front to me!

─A deep roar!

Just by hearing the sound, the entire scene became clear.

A troll rampaging wildly, digging up the flower garden, Abel rushing towards it, and Uni providing support from behind.

Normally, if they had encountered it at this stage, they would have struggled, but the game and reality were different.

-Over here, you bastard!

─A deep roar!

Smash! Crash!

The troll, caught by the taunt, swung its club with all its might, but Abel effortlessly blocked it.

This was because he had gained enlightenment from the fight at the Clock Tower, reaching level 150. Even if the stat changes weren’t significant, his technique itself had improved.

Thanks to this, the battle progressed smoothly.

Abel kept the troll firmly restrained with his taunt, and Uni inflicted damage with her magic during that time.

Being a troll, its regenerative abilities were excellent, healing its wounds almost instantly, allowing it to stubbornly endure for quite a while, but there was bound to be a limit.

Eventually, its regeneration could no longer keep up with the accumulating damage.

-Crackling!

─A terrifying roar!

A roar that sent shivers through the body, accompanied by the sound of something shattering, echoed.

Feeling the ferocious aura that permeated even through the eavesdropping device, I immediately stood up.

“Damn it!”

That’s an ogre’s cry.

Ogres are monsters over level 200. Their horrific strength and mobility are well-known. They were not something the current Abel and Uni could handle.

For two monsters to appear in succession like this, it’s too coincidental to be mere chance.

As if to personally resolve my curiosity, Uni gave an additional hint.

-Abel! Its skin is black!

-It’s not a normal ogre! Be careful!

There’s only one case where a monster’s skin turns black.

That’s when it accepts demonic energy and evolves into a demonized monster.

In other words, the one who brought this ogre here must be that damned Dark Cult again.

‘Ethan Gloucester. You’re being bothersome.’

At the Clock Tower, he made me go through a useless play, and now I don’t know what his aim is this time.

With such a large crowd, it would be difficult to figure out my identity, and above all, it would be impossible to monitor this entire wide area.

I immediately rushed out of the cafe.

I wanted to activate my Avatar Transformation, unfurl my wings, and fly there in an instant, but Ethan’s surveillance made me hesitate to do so.

‘Just hold on until I get there!’

*

─A terrifying roar!

Boom!

With another roar, a black fist struck Abel’s shield.

Against that overwhelming physical force, Abel’s newly acquired skill, Shield of Guardianship, was useless. The magical shield layered over his physical shield shattered miserably.

Of course, thanks to it, most of the impact was dispersed, but damage continued to accumulate little by little.

“Urgh!”

Abel groaned from the surging pain.

Many of his forearm muscles were torn, and his shoulder bones constantly creaked.

It was getting difficult to move.

“Pierce through!”

Meanwhile, Uni activated her magic, launching a blazing spear of flame.

Burst!

But unfortunately, even the flame spear’s piercing power couldn’t penetrate the ogre’s tough hide.

Instead, it only seemed to infuriate the ogre.

─A furious roar!

Due to its high magic resistance and rage, the taunt wore off, and the ogre’s gaze turned towards Uni. Its bloodshot eyes held immense killing intent.

Soon, the ogre powerfully kicked off the ground and charged at Uni.

“No!”

Abel, who had grasped the ogre’s intentions even before it moved, exerted all his strength to move and block Uni’s path.

Immediately after, a single blow struck.

Shattering!

The shield was torn apart like paper, and the fist, not stopping there, slammed into Abel’s abdomen.

“Ugh!”

Blood gushed from Abel’s mouth.

He was sent flying, leaving a red trail in the air, and rolled weakly on the ground.

It was a mercy that he had managed to defend with his forearm at the moment of impact; if he had taken the full blow, his internal organs would likely have ruptured and his spine broken, killing him.

Uni, who had been staring blankly at the sprawled Abel, snapped out of it and approached him.

“A-Abel! Abel! Wake up!”

“Uni…”

“H-Here, a potion! Drink it quickly! Hurryyyy!”

Although the immediate crisis had passed, the ogre was still emitting killing intent right in front of them, but Uni paid it no mind, focusing solely on treating Abel.

However, unfortunately, no matter how many potions she fed him, his wounds showed no sign of healing.

This was because the demonic energy that had been blazing throughout the ogre’s body had penetrated his wounds.

Even if she poured every potion she could get her hands on into him, there was no change in his wounds.

Ultimately, Uni fell into a panic.

“N-No, no! Abel, don’t die! I hate this! I don’t want this!”

─A thunderous roar!

Just as the ogre, certain of victory upon seeing her state, was about to deliver the finishing blow—

“Get away, now!”

With a shout, a red flash shimmered.

Boom!

With an enormous crash, the ogre slammed into something and was sent flying back.

Sara had taken its place.

“Uni, are you alright?”

“Oh, Professor-nim… A-Abel…”

Sara, turning her head at Uni’s desperate tone, bit her lip as she saw Abel’s fading breath.

She looked forward again.

“It’s alright. The priests will be here soon. They’ll be able to heal him, so don’t worry.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. So calm down.”

This was a lie.

No matter how fast the priests arrived, Abel would already have stopped breathing by then.

It was a fact known by both Sara, who spoke the words, and Uni, but no one denied it.

They needed something to cling to, even if it was just that.

Meanwhile, the ogre, which had been embedded in the middle of the forest, got up again.

─A furious roar!

As if to avenge the humiliation inflicted upon it, the creature surged forward, emitting demonic energy from its entire body.

The problem was that its opponent was not to be trifled with.

“Just stay crushed!”

Sara, who was furious, rushed forward and swung her fist, as if she wouldn’t tolerate such insolent behavior.

Smash!

The black, massive monster’s fist and the small, pure white human’s fist collided.

The human was victorious there.

In the brief moment the ogre recoiled from the unbearable impact, Sara had already leaped forward and delivered dozens of punches.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

The sound of bombs exploding seemed to come from its flesh.

Under the relentless barrage of blows, the ogre quickly became a mangled mess.

Finally, the moment the ogre’s defense, unable to withstand the accumulated damage, collapsed, Sara’s kick struck its neck.

Snap!

With a sharp yet heavy blow, the ogre’s neck snapped sharply and then dangled limply.

As a result, the creature, its brain and spinal cord disconnected, writhed grotesquely before its breath was cut off and it collapsed.

“Haa…” (sigh)

Sara, taking a short breath, looked behind her to see Verdan, who had arrived, examining Abel.

“Professor Verdan-nim. How is Abel?”

“…He’s in critical condition. He needs treatment. But the demonic energy has infiltrated his internal organs, so potions aren’t working.”

“Such…”

Swallowing her tears at the cruel reality, Sara looked at Uni.

“Uni…”

“…”

Uni’s face was like that of a wax doll.

Her tear-streaked cheeks were stiff, making it difficult to show emotion.

She also knew. That if things continued like this, Abel would die. So, intuiting the moment of farewell, and fearing it, she forcibly cut off her emotions.

Sara felt a hint of responsibility there.

‘If only I had been a little faster.’

If only she hadn’t hesitated, not wanting to ruin her date with Verdan, she could have arrived before this happened.

Just as she was feeling self-reproach.

Rustle rustle─

Ruan appeared, pushing through the bushes.

“Ruan? How are you here…”

“I heard news that a troll appeared. I knew Abel and Uni were on a date, you see. I came because I was worried.”

Ruan replied nonchalantly, passing her by to examine Abel.

His face twisted terribly.

‘His friend seems precious to him.’

Sara felt complicated emotions watching this. Ruan was scum who had threatened and wronged her, but he wasn’t a psychopath.

He was a human who cherished his friends and could feel sadness at the same time.

No sooner had she reached that conclusion than Ruan uttered a significant statement.

“Uni. Do you want to save Abel?”

“Huh, huh? C-Can you save him?”

“Yes. But there’s one condition.”

“A condition? I’ll do anything! So please, please save Abel!”

Uni accepted Ruan’s condition without a second thought. For her, only Abel’s survival mattered.

Sara felt a sense of familiarity there.

‘Surely not…’

She wanted to erase the thought that was forming in her mind. No matter how much of a scumbag he was, she didn’t want to believe he would covet his dying friend’s lover.

Thus, she desperately wished against it, but Ruan thoroughly betrayed her expectations.

“Then follow me. It’s not really appropriate here.”

“Huh? N-Now? Can’t you treat Abel first?”

“…No. So follow me.”

Ruan coldly turned his back.

Uni stared blankly at his retreating back, then looked at Abel, and was about to follow.

“Stop!!!”

If it hadn’t been for Sara’s intervention.

Ruan’s steps halted, and the startled gazes of everyone else focused on her.

“Sara?”

“…Ruan. What are you trying to do right now?”

Ignoring Verdan’s call, Sara focused solely on Ruan.

Only then did Ruan face her.

“…I’m trying to save Abel.”

“Then why are you taking Uni?”

“Do I have to tell you that?”

“Tell me. Or I won’t let her go.”

“Haa…” (sigh)

At her resolute words, which left no room for compromise, Ruan let out a quiet sigh.

And then, he sent a telepathic message.

-What does it matter to Professor-nim? Whatever I do to Uni.

Ruan didn’t make excuses.

That meant that what he intended to do matched her expectations.

Sara’s expression looked as if she was about to cry.

-You… you’re really scum, aren’t you? You want to do that in this situation? Abel is your friend!

-That’s precisely why I’m doing this.

Appealing to his humanity was useless. Ruan remained cold.

-I don’t understand you. Why are you specifically doing this? This is a choice that can destroy all relationships. Why are you doing this?!

-…I don’t have to explain that either. Is this all you have to say?

She couldn’t say anything more.

As Sara fell silent, Ruan turned his back, leaving the bewildered gazes behind him.

“Follow me. There’s not much time.”

“U-Uh-huh!”

And then, he walked away with Uni.

The moment they passed beyond those bushes, Uni would be violated by Ruan.

Just as she herself had, Uni would endure self-reproach and humiliation for the sake of the one she loved, doing anything to satisfy him.

Of course, Uni wasn’t a lewd woman, so she wouldn’t need to doubt herself to that extent, but she would live her entire life in regret.

That, made her unbearably angry.

Knowing everything and yet standing by was no different from becoming an accomplice.

Therefore, she had to save her.

‘Verdan, I’m sorry.’

Sara inwardly apologized to Verdan, who still wore a look of palpable confusion, and stepped forward.

“Wait. Hold on.”

“…What is it now? We don’t have time. If you have something to say, finish it quickly.”

Seeing his annoyed, impatient face, Sara walked forward and pulled Uni back.

She sent Uni behind her back and then spoke to Ruan.

“I’ll do it.”

“…What did you say?”

“I said I’ll do it. So leave Uni alone.”

At Sara’s declaration, Ruan’s eyes widened.

His eyes were trembling uneasily with shock and surprise.