episode_0016

A crimson light emanated from Regina’s longsword. The pure aura, sharpened to perfection, began to overflow.

“_ㅡㅡ__?!”

Alextus’s voice, mixed with astonishment, could be heard. Along with it, Regina brandished the blood-tinged longsword.

Alextus hastily gathered bones to create a barrier, but it was already too late. In front of a swordsman skilled in using aura, physical defense was meaningless.

The hundreds, thousands of bones forming the barrier were sliced through as if cutting tofu. Alextus, stepping back urgently and halting his spellcasting, drew upon his mana.

“____ㅡ-__!!!!!”

Woooooo…

The magic circles that filled the ceiling lost their light. The overwhelming mana pressing down on the space disappeared, and a large scythe materialized above Alextus’s hand.

Alextus’s Phase 2, which emerges after subduing all Death Knights. Engaging in close combat while wielding the scythe. The speed of the scythe wielder was incredibly fast, disproportionate to his size.

“…Huh?”

Upon seeing Alextus’s scythe, the first question that arose was why Phase 2 had already begun. Regina had been brought closer to Alextus to capture her before Phase 2 started. However, in the game world, Alextus’s Phase 2 initiation…

“Ah.”

Only then did I realize my mistake.

This was undeniably reality, not the game world.

The distinctions arbitrarily set by the game company like Phase 1 and Phase 2 held no meaning in reality.

Just as I could teleport out of dungeons, breaking free from in-game constraints, there was no rule against calling someone an opponent.

“Regina, be careful…!”

Crash!

Simultaneously, flames burst from the air. Alextus’s scythe, tracing a strange curve, clashed with Regina’s sword. Followed by the collision of aura and condensed mana.

“Ugh…!?”

With a thud, Regina’s body was pushed back. She gritted her teeth, tightly gripping the sword.

Normally, an opponent she could handle effortlessly. But her body couldn’t keep up with her speed. Her arms trembled just from exchanging a few blows.

Nevertheless, Regina didn’t let go of the sword. She couldn’t afford to yield here. If she died here, there might not be another chance next time. She couldn’t risk losing her last hope.

“___! ㅡ-__ㅡ__!”

In the meantime, Alextus regained his composure and called his army, which had been in disarray. The Death Knights turned around, and the well-organized knights slowly closed in.

“S-Sian, how do we… Agh?!”

Crash!

Once again, a powerful scythe imbued with mana shot towards Regina. Regina barely managed to deflect it, furrowing her brow.

“Ugh…!”

Instead of Regina, I took the blow while readjusting my stance. With a thud, my body involuntarily shifted slightly.

At the same time, a new magic circle appeared above Alextus’s left hand. Ancient magic of the forgotten Liches. Stepping back one pace, I grabbed Regina’s forearm.

[Ancient Lich’s Dungeon Core][5☆]

[Mana Drain][E- -> E]

[Mana Storage][E- -> E]

Thanks to the abundance of Lich’s mana filling the space, the dungeon core had unexpectedly risen to rank E. Combining the remaining mana and the stored mana within the dungeon core would provide enough power for two uses of the Sacred Mark.

Having finished my calculations, I tightened my grip on the sword. Under these circumstances, I had no choice but to take a gamble.

“Regina.”

“Yes, yes!”

“If I’m in danger, never come to help me.”

“What? What do you mean…”

There was no time to wait for Regina’s response. In Alextus’s vacant eyes, who had now retrieved the scythe, we were reflected.

Simultaneously, a menacing wind sound accompanied the swing of the giant scythe, its blade gleaming.

“Gotcha!”

As the mark activated, the body transformed into black particles. The scythe sliced through the particles, cutting through the air, and Alecitus felt bewildered by Cyan’s movements.

Quickly recalling the appearance of the girls from earlier, Alecitus stepped back, retrieved his scythe, and swung it with full force as soon as Cyan appeared before him.

Thud!

With a massive explosion, Cyan, who barely managed to block the scythe, was sent flying. Alecitus, with a sinister grin, aimed his left hand, where a magic circle had appeared, at Cyan.

As Regina vanished along with Cyan, without realizing that she was no longer in sight,

Alecitus failed to understand Cyan’s actions when he saw her looking at him with a mocking expression. Just as usual, he brought out the magic circle to make Cyan part of his retinue.

“Now!”

Clang-

Thus, Alecitus failed to react promptly to the ominous activation sound coming from behind.

“___!!!!!!!!”

Accompanied by Alecitus’s chilling scream, a streak of crimson blackness was etched on his body. A sword containing an aura piercing through his skull.

“__, ___…”

As if trying to say something, Alecitus’s body was split in half. Simultaneously, the Death Knights collapsed.

Crackling…

The colorful magic circles that filled the temple’s ceiling began to shatter one by one. The purple torches that had been burning for centuries gradually dimmed.

Along with that, from his pocket shone a blue light, the ancient dungeon core of the Ancient Lich Alecitus.

[‘You have defeated the Ancient Lich Alecitus’]

[‘The Ancient Lich’s Dungeon Core’ absorbs ‘Ancient Lich Alecitus’s Mana’]

[Mana Drain][E -> D+]

[Mana Storage][E -> D+]

“Phew…”

I slowly got up, pushing away the message window popping up in front of me. At the same time, I felt a distant pain in my chest.

…I let my guard down too much.

My first thought was regret.

Alecitus had faced this boss in the game dozens of times.

“…Doubt everything. Wasn’t that the first rule of the Adventurer’s Guild?”

Muttering softly, I closed my eyes slowly.

Just because this place had become reality didn’t mean that everything would proceed as in the game.

During the duel with Yerena, I was just lucky. It had shown the patterns from the game in reality, making it easy for me to strategize.

If, like this time, the opponent’s patterns differ from those in the [Arcana Academy], I’ll be in trouble again.

“…I need to get stronger.”

Whether I liked it or not, I had already intervened in the original work.

Having seen the hidden side of the icy Ice Princess Yerena Frost, I had become friends with my favorite character without hesitation.

Regina Strellachia, tormented by my Resemara, relied solely on me. The only light that had come to her in thousands of years.

So, I can’t afford to die recklessly, even for her. If I die here, Regina will truly fall apart.

I braced myself and tried to get up. No, I tried.

“Ugh…?!”

I slumped down unknowingly. Each breath felt like a stab in my side where the Lich’s scythe had hit me against the wall.

“S-Sian…? Ugh!”

Regina was in bad shape too. She had used all her strength to draw out the Ora to its limit with her seventeen-year-old body.

Trembling, Regina approached me and weakly rested her head on my body.

Carefully stroking Regina, who leaned her head on my shoulder, I whispered softly.

“Regina. Was this your first time subduing the Ancient Lich?”

“…Yes.”

“Thank goodness.”

Tension eased, or was it just my imagination? Somehow, fatigue began to wash over me.

Along with it, a white magic circle rising beneath my feet. I held Regina close with my left arm, surrendering myself to the activating teleportation circle.

Upon emerging from the circle, the moonlit night sky greeted us with open arms. A forest filled with the refreshing scent of grass. I let out a sigh of relief and called out to the girl leaning against me.

“Regina, Regina?”

“Mm…”

“Oh, you were sleeping.”

Leaving her be, I gazed up at the sky.

We needed to return to the academy, but could we really wander through the forest at this hour?

Neither Regina nor I were in top condition. Honestly, I felt like I could pass out any moment, but if that happened, both of us would be in danger, so I forced myself to stay awake.

“…How should we go back?”

Just as I pondered, a familiar silver-haired girl appeared beyond the grassy thicket. Yerena Frost, holding a lamp in her right hand, had a different expression than usual.

Approaching me with a complex mix of concern and relief, Yerena’s unexpected presence finally put my mind at ease.

“Sian? Where on earth have you been…”

In Yerena’s voice tinged with worry and relief, she noticed the girl dozing off beside me.

Yerena’s expression, previously relaxed, suddenly stiffened upon seeing the girl leaning against me. Was it just my imagination, or did I sense a chill from Yerena? I didn’t want to know what those “lifeless eyes” from novels meant.

Looking straight into my eyes, Yerena, now back in her usual ice princess mode, asked in a firm tone.

“…Sian. Who is she?”