episode_0162

“Self. Why did you come alone? I vaguely heard that he was strong, but… .”

Scarlett, who hurriedly came to meet Ian at the Magic Tower, asked anxiously.

Ian answered with his eyes fixed on the direction from which the enemies were coming.

“Can’t you see that the portal is broken? I came here in a hurry because I thought it would be like this. I thought I would be late while requesting support.”

“… … .”

“Go in quickly. Because it’s disturbing.”

“… Yes.”

“If there is someone who has learned offensive magic, instruct them to aim for distant enemies. That’s all you need for support.”

“Yes. I will do that.”

Before entering the magic tower, Scarlett hesitated and spoke.

“… Don’t die.”

“Don’t you know that if you say something like that, you’ll actually die? Let’s go quickly.”

Ian stood face to face with the giant toad glaring at him with unpleasant eyes.

The forest stirs in the distance, and enemies flock in.

A chill down my spine.

Something is coming.

This familiar ominous feeling.

I want to run away.

It is clear that they will be difficult enemies to deal with.

Compared to the first hero, Patina Kati, who is virtually a disaster to each and every one of them, he is not strong.

But, you can’t back down.

The toad that was looking at Ian opened its mouth wide.

A thick and long tongue flew out in an instant.

Ian raised his sword and opened his stance.

– Whilick!

The tongue wrapped around his waist contracted at once, and Ian was sucked into its mouth.

As he was dragged away, he was ready to swing his sword.

‘I can use a total of 6 swords.’

Just before reaching the toad’s throat.

-Quad!

I swung my sword and shot out sword energy.

The sword energy that hit the large mouth directly cut off the root of the tongue and penetrated into the internal organs.

Ian immediately removed his tongue and let it slide out of his mouth.

-pop!

Blood and poison mist mixed together and flew around.

At that time, the wind blew and blew the fog away.

The magicians of the Magic Tower are helping.

“Phew… .”

I barely have time to take a breath.

Soon, the forest collapsed and various monsters flocked in like waves.

‘There are many A-class people. It must be difficult… .’

There may be support from magicians, but we cannot expect it.

They are people who study magic and mana academically, not wizards who practice it for fighting.

‘Five steps forward.’

I just hope I can finish it within that time.

*

“It’s dangerous!”

A bat-like monster glided from the sky.

A warrior was targeted, but it was too late to react.

The moment he closed his eyes tightly and realized he was injured.

-Whoosh!

A huge ice spear fell and impaled the bat monster on the floor.

-Poof!

Immediately after that, a wizard with flowing red hair passed by.

Vivian.

He was the commander of the 5th Corps, the commander of the Underwater Corps, and a wizard who participated in the Boubri subjugation team.

“That… .”

People couldn’t help but admire her.

The sight of him traveling across the battlefield at high speed, paving the ice road, reminded me of Sylvia.

“Is this because of Philip’s insight?”

The odds of victory on the battlefield were equal.

The Demon King’s army did not expect the surprise attack, but the number of enemies gathered was much higher than estimated.

The two forces, who were fighting for power, succeeded in forming a 1:1 structure between the representatives of each camp.

Sylvia, the wizard of disaster.

And, a monster that lives in rivers, uses rivers to move around, and persistently harasses humans living near water.

Boobrie is a monster bird that looks like a mixture of an eagle and a penguin.

The battle between the two was close.

The warrior who came to help Sylvia and Boubri’s men also fought equally.

During the first encounter, the number of enemy monsters, including Boubri’s subordinates, was greater than expected.

I guessed that it would be difficult for the warriors to handle.

However, Vivian overturned that guess.

Vivian learned a lot from Sylvia.

Among them, the most desirable and useful thing was none other than securing mobility using ice roads.

On the surface, it looks like it is being done by spreading ice on the floor, but it was a very meticulous and difficult technique.

To begin with, this isn’t even magic.

It was an act of creating countless ice crystals underfoot.

Lay out ice crystals densely along the path to move, and make large ice crystals in the shape of being placed at an angle on your heels.

The slight incline pushes the body forward slightly, and the slippery ice helps with that.

Repeating this process infinitely was the secret to the ice road that Sylvia used.

Although Vivian was a bit clumsy, she used her skills to move around the battlefield and help dangerous allies.

Vivian was thrilled by the greatness of this technology even as she used it.

‘amazing… .’

The object of that trembling was none other than Sylvia.

It is a technique that consumes mana to an absurd extent.

Moreover, it was not easy to freely control decisions.

‘Sylvia used this so freely… .’

Silvia is not something you can only travel on flat ground.

The ice crystals under his feet were made large and moved freely up and down.

“Be careful!”

Vivian helped an ally who was in danger again with magic and moved to another location.

I looked at Sylvia in the center of the battlefield, holding on to the hat that seemed like it was going to fly away.

The sight of the two fighting downstream of the wide river was like a collision between water and ice.

‘… amazing.’

Just when I expected to catch up, Sylvia was higher again.

Boubri was an unusual enemy.

Not only is it a bird that lives in the water, but it can also magically manipulate water.

Even the water near Boubri didn’t freeze even with Sylvia’s magic.

It was the worst match.

Because of that, Sylvia was maintaining her hurricane magic to keep herself hydrated.

A typhoon centered on Sylvia and Boubri, and heavy rain poured down.

‘Is this the scene Sylvia used to see…? .’

A distant and high point.

However, Vivian seemed to vaguely know Sylvia’s location.

Now, there isn’t much left.

*

Sylvia erected an ice barrier to block the water cannon.

The water shot out at high pressure pierced through several layers of ice walls.

“Tch… !”

After all, this is an enemy that can manipulate water freely.

I thought it would be advantageous because of the river environment, but it wasn’t.

Sylvia rolled over onto the ground.

“Phew… .”

What Sylvia saw when she got up again was Boubri flying in the air.

A huge lump of water rose up around the Boubri.

Not one.

Several huge water droplets sway menacingly.

-Kerrruk!

As it quivered its beak and cried, water droplets fell on Silvia like a cannon.

Those cutting through the air predicted Sylvia’s direction of avoidance and rushed at her.

“Lava, overflow.”

Silvia had no choice but to defend herself.

Lava rose like a wall in front of her.

I don’t care if the splashing lava is hot.

The water and lava that collided splashed in all directions and turned into rock.

-Keep it!

Boubri glided through the still gushing lava.

A sharp claw was aimed at Sylvia’s neck.

-Kak!

Sylvia quickly strengthened her staff with ice to block it.

The power of the giant bird was incredible.

It seemed like Sylvia was getting pushed back, but she was smiling.

“Thank you for sticking around.”

Heavy rain still falling.

Boubri does not suffocate in water or become heavy.

However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get wet.

With water-soaked hands, Sylvia grabbed Boubri’s legs.

“Lightning Barrier.”

A technique that forms a shield of electricity around the surface of one’s body.

Normally it would just be a defensive function, but it’s different if the opponent is wet.

-Kirrr!

Boubri’s body trembled at the electric shock of condensed enormous mana.

Even in the rain, steam rises, feathers stand on end and begin to burn.

“Keuhak… !”

It was the same for Sylvia.

Like Boubri, her entire body was wet.

Electricity passes through my entire body, making me feel like I’m going to pass out.

‘It’s the perfect day to die.’

But even if I die, I will kill this bird head.

“Keuheuk… ! not there yet… . Thunderbolt… .”

-Quaang!

Lightning fell from the sky, tearing the air.

A huge lightning strike struck Boubri and Sylvia at the same time.

-Keeek!

“Keuuu-!”

My body gradually loses strength.

But it was okay.

The electrically contracted muscles tightened their grip on Boubri’s ankles.

All he had to do was come to his senses and hold out until Boubri died.

Blood burst from the lip that had been chewed hard, and blood lines also appeared on the whites of the eyes.

“Ugh, huh… !”

Foam is slowly coming out of the mouth, and nosebleeds are flowing.

‘Tough guy… . This is the last… .’

“Thunder, Storm… .”

Lightning struck the ground like a rock.

It was a scene where a disaster beyond disaster had descended.

Although she is a wizard who specializes in water and ice, Sylvia has long since surpassed those limits.

My ears are deafening from the lightning raining down from all directions, like the inside of a dark cloud.

Raindrops heated by lightning rose into steam and the surroundings became cloudy.

Meanwhile, Sylvia mustered up all her strength and held Boubri tighter.

-Kikigeek… .

Finally, Boubri’s body lost strength.

“Keck… .”

Sylvia coughed up blood and held on with her cane.

I do not know yet.

It should definitely be killed.

“Ice Spear, Spread… .”

My body’s mana was already at its limit, but I squeezed it out.

Even if it means burning your life.

-Paba Park!

Boubri accepted the magic without resistance.

The ice spear fired as a buckshot blew away half of Boubri’s body.

“Ha, ha, huh… .”

-Keee!

When Boubri died, the other birds that were his servants went wild with excitement.

Multiple monster birds glided through the steam and heavy rain.

“Yes, yes, yes… . It’s just right to die… .”

The heavy rain has not stopped yet.

Anything that approaches you will just get wet.

I am that kind of being.

A person who makes an object sink when it gets close to it.

A person who exploits and destroys others through selfishness.

So, it is right for you to sink yourself in this place.

In blurred vision, the distance between our allies who confirmed victory is far.

It’s hard for someone to approach you quickly.

So, I will take away the enemies gathered around me.

“Absolute… .”

The moment I made that promise.

-puck!

The bodies of the approaching monsters exploded all at once.

Sylvia looked.

A large number of ice spears were created all at once behind them.

‘Ice Spear Spread Shape… . By specifying coordinates… ?’

“Silvia-!”

Afterwards, a wizard approached, imitating his trademark ice path.

No matter how far away she was, she could reach that speed, which was difficult to achieve with her bare body unless she had a body like Kylie’s.

“Silvia! I won! We won! Are you okay?”

Vivian hurriedly approached and looked at Sylvia’s complexion.

The wet body that caused the electric shock was a mess.

Burnt hair tips, tattered clothes, torn lips and red eyes.

Even traces of electric shock formed like fine roots on the surface of the skin.

“Hi… . The situation is serious! A priest right now… .”

Sylvia grabbed Vivian’s sleeve as she turned around.

“… Why did you help me?”

“Yes… ?”

“Why did you save me?”

“… … .”

Vivian looked the helpless Sylvia up and down again with suspicious eyes.

Electricity was activated upon contact, and the smell of cooking flesh could be smelled even in the rain.

“No way, you… .”

“I have to die here… .”

“What does that mean… ?”

“Because that’s what it takes… .”

“… … .”

Vivian looked down at her blankly.

-match!

I slapped my cheek.

“What nonsense is this?”

“… … .”

“Do you think it would be easier if I ran away so selfishly? Or do you think Ian will feel bitter and draw you out because of that?”

Sylvia was silent.

I didn’t really want that.

I just thought it was the right thing to do.

“Why, why on earth are you doing this… .”

“But… . I committed a mortal sin. No matter what you do, you can’t turn back… .”

He says he doesn’t want Ian to find out, and cites his own sin as the reason.

In the end, wouldn’t that mean that I wanted Ian to know?

Sylvia also couldn’t understand her own thoughts.

“You can get it back. However, once you escape to death, there is really no going back. This isn’t atonement or anything, it’s just an escape… . If Ian is distressed when he finds out about your death, are you happy about that? Is that really what you want?”

“… No.”

I don’t want you to know about my death.

I hope you know.

Amidst conflicting emotions, one thing became clear.

I don’t want Ian to be in pain.

That was the only thing that shined clearly in my consciousness.

“There is no need to fight. You know. The reason why Ian wants to kill the Demon King… .”

“… … .”

Gloomy sky.

Falling raindrops hit my eyes.

It doesn’t even hurt.

The rainwater that got into my eyes just flows out of my eyes again.

So, what is being shed now is not tears, but rainwater.

There was an ice man next to him, dripping rainwater.

Sitting opposite Vivian, it knelt down and looked down at Sylvia.

What kind of expression is that?

I don’t know.

However, it says it all.

“I will make that happen.”

The answer to Ian’s dream.

“I’m going to kill the devil, so Ian is the one to wait.”

The answer to Ian’s words to wait until the Demon King is killed.

I see.

I promised that.

I made a promise.

I was going to give my future to you.

It certainly wasn’t an escape like this.

Since when did this start happening?

“Black, keeueuuure us . Ugh… .”

Sylvia burst into tears.

The rain that was falling gradually turned into snowflakes and scattered.

“Ugh… . Ian, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… . Why am I like this… . Ah… .”

Vivian quietly looked down at the girl who was lying down, covering her face, and crying.

Although his heart was broken, he was still a poor child.

She probably didn’t want this reality either.

“… I’ll call a priest.”

Sylvia carefully held Vivian’s hand.

“… Thank you.”

Vivian just smiled instead of answering.

The ice man said as he watched Vivian leaving.

“I lived again.”

“… … .”

“You are doing well to survive that miserable, filthy life. I survived again.”

Sylvia clenched and unclenched her fist.

On the back of my hand, there was a burn like a branch of an electric current.

“… that’s right. I lived again.”

Sylvia was the first to answer while looking at the ice man.

“I will continue to live. Until I kill the Demon King, I will live unconditionally.”

It’s snowing.

The deep snow that matches the season must have been cold, but it was cozy.

“My dream. I finally remembered it.”

Vivian didn’t have to go far.

Thanks to her, the battlefield was already almost cleared, and it ended with Sylvia killing Boubri.

Several priests rushed in and immediately healed Silvia.

Because the condition was so bad, I had to take potions at the same time.

“Silvia. Thanks to you, I survived.”

“Thank you so much.”

The warriors who came with us said hello.

In her heart, Sylvia turned her gratitude to someone else.

To Ian, somewhere.

*

Coughing, blood pours out in lumps.

Ian barely managed to lean on his sword.

My lungs urged me to breathe as if they were craving oxygen.

My throat felt like it was going to explode from all the hard breathing.

6 shots.

The calculation was close.

The wave that destroyed the forest could not overcome him in the end.

Because I didn’t have enough mana, I took off my cloak in the middle of the fight.

If I held on longer than that, I wouldn’t be able to use all six shots.

He did everything he could.

My whole body was a mess, but I didn’t feel bad.

Protected.

Magic Tower, and Scarlett.

There was a past where I threw bait and abandoned it in order to survive.

That past is definitely yours alone.

This life is different from the last, and Scarlett has no memories.

But for me, that memory was planted in my heart.

Because I knew it, I couldn’t turn away.

guilty. responsibility.

Are there one or two people who died to live?

He endured a time when your death became my survival.

Nevertheless, what really bothers Scarlett is that she was treated by Ian even though she knew everything.

She was blind.

There are no reasons or conditions.

It’s not even reasonable.

I couldn’t understand it, it was a devotion bordering on madness.

So, I used it more and felt more sorry.

“Baby-!”

But, this time, I definitely kept it.

The voice coming from above proves him.

“Phew… .”

I leaned on my sword and straightened my back.

The group would be shocked if they found out, but it was something that could not be helped.

‘I’m going to get scolded by Kati.’

I chuckled at that thought.

Something appeared in front of me.

The distance to it was quite close.

Since when has it been around?

There was no way he would have noticed if he had approached, but Ian didn’t notice until right before he saw it with his own eyes.

“… … .”

It stepped.

There was no sound.

I clearly stepped on the ground, but no footprints were left behind.

It was foreign to the landscape.

It is a pitch-black void with no shadows.

It’s like a painting forced into reality.

The body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, and a grotesquely distorted human face.

Everything was pitch black, but it was difficult to distinguish the facial features.

Ian knows the identity of the thing staring straight at him.

“Manti… core… .”

Commander of the 6th Corps.

The dark army commander appeared before my eyes.