episode_0149

Crackle!

Another monster was annihilated.

Having finished confirming the kill, I moved without a moment to catch my breath, to help the other squad members.

It had been 5 minutes since the battle began.

In that time, which could be considered short, we had struck down dozens of monsters. But their numbers hadn’t changed at all from the beginning.

Because new ones were still popping out of the bushes.

Just how many did they bring?

*What should I do?*

Even if I just used Avatar Transformation, it feels like it would ease things up considerably, but there are too many eyes watching for me to do that.

If I were alone, I would have used Avatar Transformation and even Rape Declaration to get rid of the monsters at once and ravage that damn woman.

As I clicked my tongue in regret, Selina, who had been merely watching with her arms crossed until now, finally moved.

Swish!

As she stretched out her finger, a magic circle flashed, and thick wooden vines shot out like an arrow.

Its movement was akin to a snake.

Its winding movement made its trajectory unpredictable, making it difficult to counter.

But it was actually good.

*Let’s get hit by that and fly away!*

Whether it hits me or wraps around me and throws me, if I can just get out of my companions’ sight, I can appear as Eunrang.

I pretended to focus only on the monster in front of me and ignored the vines.

That proved to be a misstep.

“Ruan, it’s dangerous!”

Isis, who was fighting another monster, saw the vines and blocked the path between them and me.

Her spear was thrust accurately at the vines even in this urgent situation, but unfortunately, it couldn’t fully block them.

Even while pierced by the spear, the vines climbed up the shaft and tightly wrapped around Isis’s arm.

Whoosh!

Then, it returned at an even faster speed than when it was thrust out, placing Isis right in front of Selina.

Selina smiled contentedly.

“Oh my? I aimed for the man, but you came instead? How very devoted of you? Do you perhaps love him?”

“…He’s just my younger brother.”

“Oh? An older sister who loves her younger brother… How interesting? Shall we talk, just the two of us?”

“Just the two of us?”

“Yes. So no one can interrupt!”

With a shout, Selina activated her magic.

Endless wooden vines generated at her feet, forming a barrier that covered the entire area.

With that, Isis disappeared from our sight.

“Isis!!”

Regina, worried about the isolated Isis, cried out her name loudly. However, the barrier seemed to block even sound, as no reply came from Isis.

I bit my lip tightly.

*Damn it. To think things would turn out like this.*

In a way, it was the worst possible outcome.

Avatar Transformation and Rape Declaration still couldn’t be used, and only Isis was isolated.

Judging by the density of the mana I felt, Selina’s level reached 250.

Of course, Isis also approached that, but the difference between level 250 and below couldn’t be measured by mere numbers.

It was impossible for her to handle it alone.

Especially since that place was a space specifically formed to Selina’s advantage.

*Isis….*

I wanted to go help immediately, but with Isis gone, a gap had appeared in our fighting strength, making it overwhelming just to deal with the monsters.

At this rate, I didn’t know when I’d be able to go help.

***

Meanwhile, inside the barrier, Selina was provoking Isis.

“Hehe… How about it? It seems your younger brother is terribly worried, doesn’t he?”

“……”

As I turned my head, I could see Ruan looking worriedly. It seemed as though the outside couldn’t see in, but from the inside, I could clearly see out.

This was probably something Selina had deliberately done to agitate her.

“What’s your purpose?”

“Purpose? That’s obvious… it’s to kill all of you.”

“Then shouldn’t you attack? Wouldn’t it be better to deal with me before all the monsters are defeated?”

Objectively speaking, the fight between her companions and the monsters was in a very disadvantageous situation, but Isis believed they could win.

However, that was merely her thought.

Selina scoffed at the words heavily laden with personal opinion.

“Ahahahaha! Do you really think so? It’s not me who needs to attack, it’s you. Shouldn’t you help your beloved younger brother before he dies?”

“……”

“Oh, I’ve found something truly unexpectedly amusing. An older sister who loves her younger brother. I wonder how your brother would react if he knew? Don’t you think? Would he find it disgusting?”

Selina, overtly provoking her.

Grinding!

Isis, perfectly provoked by that, ground her teeth, raised her spear, and charged.

It was a different attacking style than usual.

This was because she, who always solidified her defense and induced openings from her opponent, actively poured out attacks this time.

In the blink of an eye, the proliferating afterimages of the spear aimed for Selina’s entire body.

Selina flicked her finger again.

Snap!

Simultaneously, dozens of magic circles appeared all over the barrier walls, extending wooden vines and beginning to parry Isis’s attacks one by one.

Soon after, they divided in half; one side attacked Isis, and the other protected Selina.

“Puhuhu! Are you angry? Do you not want your brother to hate you?”

Selina didn’t stop provoking her.

It was partly to make the fight easier, but her desire to personally toy with Isis was stronger.

Because a close-relative relationship like that was a rare thing to see even within the Dark Cult.

“How far have the two of you gone? Is it perhaps unrequited love? Does your brother not have a lover?”

Selina continued to poke at her sensitive spots.

The more she did, the wilder Isis’s movements became, and the number of wounds appearing all over her body increased.

“Don’t tell me you’ve even masturbated? While calling out your brother’s name… Ruan… Ruan…?”

“Shut up!!”

Isis, who had been silent all along, couldn’t bear it any longer this time and let out a yell.

Selina beamed.

“So it’s true? Puhuhuhu! This makes me curious. I’ve decided! I won’t kill you.”

“…What?”

“I’ll let you live and ravage your younger brother in front of you. I’m curious, will Ruan truly be a wonderful man? I hope he’ll entertain me…”

Watching Selina openly declare her intent to steal her brother, Isis trembled all over.

It was because she found it hard to suppress her rage.

Selina, who had been amusingly observing her, flicked her finger once more to finish things off.

Snap!

As a clear resonance spread, not loud but distinct, changes occurred outside the barrier.

Rumble!

Trees began to grow.

They twisted strangely, branches stretching out, surrounding the companions and beginning to pour out attacks along with the monsters.

“Ugh! Everyone, be careful!”

“Annoying! I need to go save Isis quickly.”

“Damn it!”

The companions each uttered a remark, resisting the combined attack of the trees and monsters.

But it was too much to handle.

They could barely withstand the relentless offensive. Eventually, the barely maintained balance tipped to one side in an instant.

Selina teased them.

“Oh my? What’s going to happen? In just a little while, all your companions will die, won’t they? Except for our Ruan, of course.”

She smiled with her eyes.

Isis, who was already annoyed, strongly protested at her last words.

“Who said ‘our Ruan’!”

“Hehe! We’ll soon be intertwined anyway, so isn’t this much fine? Don’t you think? Sister-in-law?”

“Shut up! I won’t let that happen. Never!!”

The feeling of her younger brother being taken away by someone.

Isis was agitated beyond measure by this sensation she felt for the first time.

Nevertheless, there was one reason she could maintain her composure: the fact that Ruan’s life was in danger.

Everything was only possible if Ruan was alive.

Isis thought of the best course of action to break through the current situation.

*Going to help directly is impossible.*

Let alone whether she could make it in time, even enduring against Selina, who was at a higher realm, was difficult.

Even now, she was only fine because Selina had been adjusting her power to unilaterally toy with her.

Then, what she could do was set.

Hmph!

Isis took a deep breath and suddenly threw her spear.

Whizz!

The thrown spear, hurtling through the air, rushed towards Selina in the blink of an eye.

She simply waved her hand.

Crackle!

Vines formed from all directions, intertwining as if rotating, and blocked the spear.

The spear’s trajectory was bent, and it tore through the vines, ending up embedded in the ceiling.

“Puhuhu! You’re very angry, aren’t you? If you’re like this already, what will you do later?”

“Be quiet!”

Isis pulled out a spare spear from her subspace pouch and charged.

Vines flew towards her to restrain her.

Clash clash clash!

Isis’s spear quickly drew afterimages. With god-like spear techniques, she rotated her body, continuously striking away the vines.

Even so, she advanced step by step with firm footwork, closing the distance.

Considering the difference in realms, it was truly tremendous capability.

Selina slowly spread her hand.

“Amazing, aren’t you? Let’s see how long you can last?”

Flash!

From her palm, a bright green light burst forth.

The light permeated into the vines forming the barrier, causing thousands of flowers to bloom.

Whoosh!

The vines that had just bloomed immediately targeted Isis.

Isis succeeded in striking them away splendidly as well, but the situation that followed was different from before.

Boom!

The flowers had exploded.

Though small, its power concentrated on a single point instantly shook Isis’s balance.

She somehow regained her balance, but was then pushed onto the defensive by the relentless assault of the vines that followed.

Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom boom boom!

Countless flowers exploded, scattering their petals.

The mana-infused petals emitted a subtle green glow, creating a beautiful spectacle.

Finally, a vine struck Isis.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

She barely managed to defend, but unable to fully deflect all the force, she was thrown back helplessly. Coincidentally, that was the closest spot to Ruan.

Isis’s head turned towards Ruan.

Determination flickered in her eyes, and she raised her spear and threw it!

“Where are you going!”

Rip!

No, at the moment she tried to throw, a sharp vine shot out and pierced her arm along with the spear. It pierced through her skin, binding her muscles and restraining her from throwing the spear.

Terrible pain stimulated her brain.

But Isis didn’t stop.

Ignoring the pain, she exerted force to snap the vines and tried to throw the spear.

Selina sneered at her.

“Hahahaha! Are you crazy? Even if you tear off the vines like that, all your muscles will be ripped, and you won’t even be able to throw it, will you?”

She was right.

The vines had already permeated every corner of her muscles, hindering all movement.

If she tried to force it, her muscles would tear along with the vines.

Isis glanced at Selina.

“It’s not like you need hands to throw.”

“What?”

“This… little thing! It’s nothing!”

Isis gritted her teeth and violently shook off her hand.

Rip!

With a gruesome sound, her muscles ripped and skin split, and the vines broke.

Blood splattered from her entire arm.

And the arm, no longer able to function, couldn’t hold the spear.

The spear that had sprung up slowly rotated in the air.

Chasing that movement, Isis leaped up the moment the spear reached its intended spot and kicked the spear tip with her foot.

Blast!

The thrown spear, shot with even greater power than usual, pierced through the barrier.

The spear that flew outside impaled itself at Ruan’s feet, unfurling a brilliant banner. Simultaneously, the spreading mana blew all the monsters into the air and granted an ally buff effect in a certain area.

The scales of the battle instantly tipped to the opposite side, and the speed at which monsters fell increased.

“Sigh…”

Isis let out a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, however, as much as things eased up over there, things became more precarious over here.

As she turned her back, Selina, who had been staring blankly at her, soon let out a deranged laugh.

“Ahahahahaha! Truly amazing. Your love for your younger brother is extraordinary. I’m impressed. I can’t afford to be so leisurely anymore either. Consider it an honor. I’ll face you with my strongest magic.”

Selina raised her hand.

In response, an enormous number of vines intertwined into one, forming a gigantic tree.

“Then, try to dodge. I hope you’ll survive.”

Flash!

As Selina lowered her hand, thousands of flowers bloomed on each and every branch, scattering their petals.

It was an unavoidable attack.

Isis didn’t shrink back at all in front of it, raising her spear with only one arm.

*Ruan. Please be safe.*

Boom boom boom boom!

With that final thought, an endless barrage of explosions began to echo inside the barrier.