episode_0267

CRASH!

My straight punch struck the shield.

But Abel held firm without the slightest tremor, launching a counterattack.

Clang!

I parried the thrusting sword and, without hesitation, immediately leaped backward.

Swish swish swish!

By a hair’s breadth, a dagger made of wind grazed past and embedded itself in the floor.

This was an exchange that had been repeated countless times.

‘That’s annoying.’

Until now, I hadn’t realized it because I was always on the side of my allies, but Abel’s taunting ability was quite powerful.

In games, I’d just accepted it as a system mechanic, so I was curious what it felt like, but strangely, it was hard to tear my gaze away from his shield.

It wasn’t impossible to look elsewhere, but it subtly drained my mental energy, how should I put it?

It was like an obsession with cleanliness.

Just like someone who absolutely cannot bear to see dust on the floor, if I didn’t look at his shield, I’d feel anxious and uneasy, so my gaze would naturally drift there.

Someone once said that if you specialized in shields, you could clear the game without killing a single NPC, and indeed, that seems plausible.

Of course, no one specialized in shields just for that reason.

Clang! Clang-clang! Clang!

Even as I was thinking, a pincer attack rained down.

I stopped Abel’s brutal charge and simultaneously parried Pernia’s chilling wind, which aimed for an opening.

‘What should I do now…’

Being subdued by Abel was already a foregone conclusion, but I was debating whether to just passively let it happen or resist with all my might.

The former would be easy, but I wouldn’t gain anything, while the latter, though less likely, had the advantage of potentially drawing out Abel’s full potential.

He had already been stuck at his current level for a long time, so his training points must have accumulated; even a small trigger could lead to further development.

Perhaps Abel might reach level 200 today.

I decided to at least give it a try.

-Pernia. Fight for a bit, then pull back on your own. Got it?

-What? Why?

-To awaken Abel. You never know.

-Aha!

Pernia let out an exclamation.

She pondered something deeply, then came up with a new suggestion.

-Then, what if I let myself get caught, and you harass me?

-What? Harass me?

-Yes. Then he’ll feel a sense of crisis that if he loses, Uni could really be violated. Wouldn’t he fight more desperately?

-That’s true, but…

Is she doing this not for Abel, but because *she* wants it to happen?

When I gave her a suspicious look, Pernia bristled.

-It’s not like that! Do you think I’d be satisfied with just being harassed? If I were frustrated, I would’ve just said ‘let’s finish this quickly and have sex!’

-…Right. You’re right.

-You’re not sincere in your answer! Fine. Anyway, are you going to do it or not?

-I will. I’ll give you a signal when I’m ready.

-Okay!

After we finished our plotting, we exchanged blows for a while, waiting for an opportunity.

Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long.

-Now!

When I gave the signal, Pernia charged.

From the front came Abel’s sword, and from behind, Pernia’s chilling wind surged.

At that moment, I boldly ignored Abel.

If my opponent had simply been an enemy, it would have been absolute madness, but unfortunately, Abel wasn’t cruel enough to kill a friend.

He quickly twisted his sword path so I wouldn’t be hit.

In that gap, I seized Pernia’s wrist and immediately took a position behind her.

“Ugh! Let go!”

“Stay still. Unless you want to die.”

“Gasp!”

Pernia, who had been resisting, let out a pained groan and became docile when I grabbed her neck.

Abel cried out in surprise.

“Pe-Pernia!”

Strong guilt emanated from him.

The fact that Pernia had been captured due to his mistake tormented him.

I warned him in a nonchalant voice.

“Don’t come closer. If you do, I’ll kill her.”

“Ruan!!”

“Why are you shouting? This is all because of you. If you hadn’t hesitated, this wouldn’t have happened. So just stand there and watch.”

Squeeze!

I grabbed Pernia’s chest.

Although I had touched them countless times before, the unique elasticity of beastfolk still never ceased to delight me.

“Aaugh! N-Nooo!”

“Hehehe, the sensation is incredible, isn’t it? Even if the size is a bit small, it’s excellent.”

“Sob…”

-Do you want to die?

When I shamelessly gave my review, Pernia choked back tears and uttered a threatening remark.

She was a woman whose outside and inside were perfectly different.

Abel watched Pernia, clenching his fists.

“Hahaha! Why are you so furious? Then you should have become stronger. Who told you to be weak? That’s why everything is taken from you. After Pernia, it’s Uni. Understand?”

“Ruan!!”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop shouting? Do you take my warnings lightly?”

When I gave him a look that implied I’d show him something worse if he acted cocky, Abel bit his lip tightly and lowered his head.

It was a sign of submission.

As I chuckled, Pernia sent me a telepathic message.

-Do it more severely. It seems a bit lacking.

-What? How can I do it more severely here?

-Just touch my pussy.

-Are you crazy? Have you developed exhibitionism now?

-What nonsense are you spouting? Anyway, I’m wearing pants, so it won’t show, will it? Or you could just pretend to do it.

This woman is going crazy trying to satisfy her distorted sexual desires.

How much more perverted is she going to get?

‘Still, she’s not wrong.’

In order to properly instill anger and a craving for power in Abel, I needed to provoke him even more strongly.

I let go of her chest.

“Abel. Watch carefully.”

“What?”

“This is the price for withdrawing your attack.”

Plunge!

I plunged my hand inside her pants.

Past her smooth lower abdomen, I caressed the clearly pronounced mons veneris through her panties.

“Gasp!?”

Pernia’s face flushed as she moaned.

However, unlike before, when her voice was filled with shame, there was a faint hint of arousal in her voice now.

I deliberately wiggled my hand exaggeratedly.

“Kuhuhu, this pussy is truly exquisite, isn’t it? Could it be that it’s never been used before? It looks like it would be hard to even insert a finger.”

“Ugh! S-Stop! Nooo!”

Finally, a single tear flowed from Pernia’s eye.

Grind grind grind!

Abel gnashed his teeth ferociously.

His eyes were consumed by such immense rage that his usual demeanor was nowhere to be found.

“Ruan. You… you!!”

“Puhaha! What will you do if you get angry? Keep acting like that, and Pernia will suffer even worse.”

“I can’t forgive you! I will never forgive you!”

“What? You want to see Pernia get screwed? Alright. Not a bad idea.”

Clink! Clink!

I pretended to unfasten my pants.

‘Do something quickly.’

I don’t know about this perverted bitch, but I don’t want to have sex in front of Abel.

As I deliberately took my time, Abel soon pointed his shield at me.

“I won’t let you do that any longer.”

“Puhaha! What are you going to do? Will you be faster running over here and knocking me away? Or will I be faster killing this bitch? Think carefully.”

“I’m faster.”

“Hahahahat! Oh really? Then let’s see you try!”

“I was going to anyway.”

Whoosh!

Abel leaped.

But contrary to his confidence, his speed was no different from before.

‘Was it just a bluff?’

If that’s the case, it’s awkward to let him win.

Just as I was gauging whether to push him further, Abel swung his shield.

“Offense-Defense Unity!”

Boom!

A wave erupted from his shield.

The wave, reaching me in the blink of an eye, passed through Pernia and struck me.

“Groan…!”

Due to the intense pain, I let go of Pernia and retreated.

I glanced forward and saw that Pernia was unharmed, instead surrounded by a thick defensive barrier.

I realized what had happened.

‘He reached level 200.’

In the first place, the ‘Offense-Defense Unity’ skill he had just used was one that could only be acquired at level 200.

Not only could he use aura, but he had also rescued Pernia, so I had no chance of winning now.

Abel quickly blocked Pernia’s path.

“It’s over now. Surrender.”

“Are you still saying such things? If it were me, I would have just killed you.”

“That’s not the right punishment. You have to pay a definite price.”

“Heheheh! Are you planning to throw me in prison?”

“The world will decide that. I’ll say it one last time. Surrender.”

“No thanks? I’ll defeat you and then screw both Pernia and Uni.”

“Ugh… Alright. I understand what you think. Then I’ll beat you black and blue!”

Abel charged forward, his shield wreathed in aura.

That iron-clad momentum was well worth being defeated by.

‘I should hold out for a bit then collapse.’

I hoped he wouldn’t beat me too badly.

*

Late in the evening, Isis, who had finished showering and was preparing for bed, cocked her head at the commotion.

“What’s going on?”

Even looking out the window, there was nothing particularly unusual.

It wasn’t a serious incident like an attack by the Dark Church, so it seemed like something minor had happened.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Just then, someone came to visit.

“Who is it?”

With her question, she opened the door to find Regina, panting heavily.

Her expression was strangely bright.

“Isis! Did you hear the news?”

“Huh? What news?”

“Ruan Friuli was caught trying to commit rape!”

“Ru-Ruan? Is that true?”

“Yes! And he tried to violate his own friend! He’s currently subdued and being transported to the detention block.”

“Th-That’s impossible…”

Isis staggered for a moment.

She couldn’t hide her shock at the news that the younger brother she loved – no, the one she still hadn’t completely managed to shake off her affection for – had devolved into a criminal.

Regina supported Isis and uttered cruel words, as if comforting her.

“Are you alright? I understand your complicated feelings. But think calmly. He’s not your brother anyway, is he? Rather, he’s just trash who killed your brother and usurped his place.”

“Re-Regina-nim. That’s…”

“Or are you saying you don’t care what happens to a mere younger brother? Is a rapist like that precious to you?”

“I-I…”

Isis was utterly confused.

It was hard enough to accept what Ruan had done, but with Regina’s scolding added on, it was difficult to decide what to do.

Desperately trying to clear her thoughts, she soon made a decision.

“Regina-nim. I’m sorry. I have to go for now.”

“Huh? I-Isis! Wait! I’ll go with you!”

Isis completely ignored Regina calling from behind and headed towards the detention block.

Running with all her might, she caught up to Ruan, who was being escorted, in less than a minute.

“Ruan!!”

When she called his name, Ruan, who was being dragged away while subdued, looked at her.

His face, covered in bruises, was chillingly cold.

“Sister-nim? What brings you here?”

“I heard the news. Is it true? Did you really… do such a thing?”

“Yes. That’s right. I tried to rape Uni.”

Uni.

Isis clearly remembered that girl who had always followed her and liked her.

That’s why it was even more shocking.

“U-Uni? That child clearly…”

“That’s right. She likes Abel, doesn’t she? Isn’t that what makes it more interesting? Violating a woman who already belongs to someone feels rewarding.”

“You, you… saying such things so casually…”

“What does it matter? I’ve already been caught. It’s a bit of a shame, though. I didn’t actually get to screw her. If I had screwed her and then been caught, I wouldn’t feel so wronged.”

Ruan shrugged his shoulders shamelessly.

Isis bit her lip tightly at the act that extinguished even the last shred of affection she had left.

The sense of loss that the younger brother she had loved had truly disappeared, combined with anger towards herself for falling for such a man.

All of it combined and manifested as an action.

Slap!

Isis’s hand struck Ruan’s cheek.

She gripped her trembling hand tightly and said, trembling with rage:

“You… are not my brother.”

“Didn’t you already know that?”

“I knew it, yes. But… now I’ll truly think that way.”

“Oh? That’s good. I never thought of you as my older sister from the beginning either. I always… only saw you as a woman.”

Ruan smirked.

His silver eyes, holding blatant desire, shot towards her.

That gaze was utterly disgusting, and yet, it made her heart flutter.

Because she knew her younger brother felt the same way she did, but also that this man before her was not her younger brother.

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks.

She quickly wiped away her tears and turned her back on Ruan.

Perhaps they would never meet again now.

Out of sight, out of mind. Perhaps it was a good thing, even, if it meant she could sever her affection for him.

‘Goodbye, Ruan.’

Isis completed her final farewell to her younger brother.