Kapitel 29: To accept or to reject

The striking blend of red and obsidian woman strode towards the crashed vehicle. She had left a trail of destruction in her wake, stretching for four kilometers.

The wreckage included cars, bikes, motorbikes, trucks, and various other vehicles, not to mention the countless corpses left behind by the Harvest two weeks ago.

Her clawed hands bore only minor scratches, her high heels showed little signs of wear, and her hair was disheveled. Her scaly wings were dirty, and her dress bore burn marks.

The crashed car blared its horn incessantly, while the bicycle that had collided with it came to rest in the rear seats. The front of the car was partially crushed, and shattered glass was scattered everywhere.

The sky darkened once more, devoid of streetlights, with only the fires from burning vehicles or trees providing illumination, aside from the moon and stars, of course. She cracked her knuckles and stretched, examining herself for dirt or messiness.

Nodding in satisfaction, she observed her hand. The mark remained active—the duel was ongoing. That could only mean one thing.

Asaga found herself at a loss for words. "No way... He's still alive and conscious... That flesh bag is still fighting..."

Meanwhile, Chump whimpered after the crash, barely holding on. He assessed his injuries—chest, arms, everything ached. The laptop was destroyed, and the bicycle had wreaked havoc on the vehicle. "Shit... The laptop is broken... No traps for me... No way to fight back now... This was not a smart choice..."

Suddenly, a sound emanated from the car—several hits and then a subtle click. The front right door opened, revealing Chump covered in tiny shards of broken glass, clutching his body. Blood and saliva dripped from his mouth, his left eye was swollen, and his right shoulder was dislocated.

He struggled to keep his right arm in place, his hand trembling, as he limped away from Asaga, accompanied by coughs.

Asaga used a flaming-hot pin to reorganize her hair with her giant claws. Boosting herself up, she continued to torment the human with her unpleasant voice. "Damn! You're really a tough one, boy. I must say, you made me sweat for a moment, and you even surprised me, for a human... I had more fun than with anyone else."

However, Chump didn't engage in chitchat with his adversary. He didn't even acknowledge her. His face reflected pain and silent frustration as he turned the corner, his only words he muttered were, "Hurts, hurts, hurts, come on, just a bit more... Just a bit more."

Thalia, Ephiron, Zippy, and the bunnies observed from nearby, now on the ground level. Ephiron had yet to regain his strength. The electrical bunnies transformed into their zappy form and levitated both individuals. They ensured that everyone descended safely before deactivating in exhaustion.

Thalia tugged at Ephiron's sleeve, her voice filled with urgency as she pleaded, "Mister Ephiron, he has a couple of broken ribs, internal bleeding on his side, his shoulder could get worse, and more injuries. The duel is over, so why isn't it over yet?"

Ephiron whispered his response, his gaze fixed on the limping human moving away from the giant woman. His voice carried a note of regret, "The conditions they agreed upon are not the usual ones. They decided that the first to be unconscious or to leave the city would be the loser."

Thalia's eyes welled up with tears, and she now clutched the butler's arm, her voice trembling, "Y-You mean, they agreed that the duel could be to the death too?! We have to do something, please!"

Ephiron lowered his gaze to meet hers, his eyes revealing a hint of sadness but striving to maintain composure. "All we can do is observe, I'm sorry, Miss Thalia."

Clem was nowhere to be seen, and the looming entity in the sky continued to watch.

The human turned a second corner, ahead of him lay the rest of the building and a few meters of asphalt, followed by a bridge crossing a vast river. The area was cluttered with traffic debris, abandoned vehicles, and corpses infested with insects.

Chump walked as quickly as he could, despite his limp, determined not to fall. However, Asaga closed the distance between them effortlessly. It took her no more than the length of the building to reach him, but she didn't attack.

Instead, she matched his slow pace, watching him stumble ahead. Her sinister grin and crimson eyes never left him.

"Listen... Chump, was it?" She spoke with a certain smugness. "Just give up. I won't let you fall. Being my servant isn't that bad. All I want to hear from you are those satisfying words, 'I give up.' I promise the torture will last just one night. After that, a lifetime of pleasure as my pet."

Chump ignored her, and they entered the bridge. Chump gazed at the water, where ducks played together. He slowed down, succumbing to violent coughs that wracked his body, making his limp more pronounced.

Thalia shouted at him, her voice filled with guilt and desperation. "Please, Mister Human! You did great! Just give up! Let her win! You were amazing. But you're dying!"

Chump muttered, his voice broken after the ordeal, filled with anger and determination, "No."

Asaga crouched slightly, her hair brushing against Chump's face, a tinge of disappointment in her voice. "Aren't you listening to them? They're worried about you, and you're ignoring them like insects. Are you trying to say that the servants of my kingdom are lesser beings?"

Chump averted his gaze from her, his voice filled with defiance. "Shut up."

They were halfway across the bridge.

"You know I can crush your head if I wish. You're too stubborn, you know that?" Asaga stopped him with a wing and turned his head to look at the trio and the dozens of bunnies.

"What are you—" Chump began, but Asaga interrupted, gripping his chin and forcing him to look at the group.

"Look at him, the one you tried so hard to defend in your futile attempts to be... what? A hero? In this crumbling world of yours? For what? What's so important that you rejected the offer of a princess? The offer of one of the most powerful beings in our world?" Asaga taunted, Thalia, shuddering at her words.

Chump initially resisted her hand on him, trying to look away, but after a few seconds, he ceased his resistance. Asaga continued her taunting, unnerving Thalia.

"What drives a man to protect another man... Brotherhood? Brotherhood with the one hunting you? Nah, I don't think so... How about fame and glory? Well, you're human, you might have been treated more like a clown in a circus... Money? You don't understand the currencies... Safety? Clearly not..."

Chump's right eye twitched slightly.

Asaga's creepy laughter returned, sending shivers down everyone's spines except Chump's. She had to hold her stomach while laughing, almost falling to the ground. Nevertheless, Chump, despite his worsening injuries, continued to make his way across the bridge.

She continued to roast him, "Safety, but not your own? That's so contradictory, don't you think? Oh my, of whom exactly? Did you suddenly get a girlfriend? Dayum! The apocalypse must be good for losers like you!"

Three-quarters of the way across the bridge, Clem arrived, half running and half walking slowly. However, being a slow golem, he could see but not hear what was transpiring. "Mister Chump? Wait, mister Chump!" he called, but his voice couldn't reach anyone from that distance.

Chump kept walking, his gaze fixed on the ground, slowing down further due to the relentless taunting. Ephiron attempted to intervene, "Please, Miss Asaga, I think he had enough—"

Asaga's attitude did a complete 180-degree turn towards Ephiron. She aimed a spell at him and expressed her discontent, "YOU WILL NOT RUIN MY FUN AGAIN! If you know what's good for you, you will shut it!"

Ephiron fell silent, and Thalia began crying loudly. Without a second thought, the butler swiftly reached out to hold and protect her.

She then turned her attention back to the human, this time flying and looking down from above. "Let's think together, shall we? What safety is more important to you... Maybe a pet? Nah, that's too absurd..." She clicked her claw, connecting the dots in her head. "A FAMILY MEMBER, OF COURSE!"

Chump stopped, just a meter away from fully crossing the bridge. Asaga's voice and attitude towards him escalated to a new level of condescension as she loomed in front of him, her massive form barely allowing her to see him. "So it's someone important, huh?"

Her eyes momentarily flicked towards the butler. Ephiron's usual stoic or calm expression had given way to a deep frown. He was angry, and frustrated by his inability to take action in this situation, especially after expending most of his Remenant.

Asaga continued to twist Chump's feelings, "Now it makes sense... The butler captured them while on duty, and you defended him not out of brotherhood... but out of fear for them. The medicines were not for just any prisoner... but mostly for them, right? HUAHUAHUAHUAHUA! You're soooo predictable, my darling~."

She crouched down, bending her legs slightly, and placed her mouth next to his left ear. Asaga whispered with her seductive voice and a tongue that slithered like a viper, "What if something happened to her? Whose fault would it be, hmm?~ I think I've dragged this out long enough..."

Asaga licked his ear with a seductive intent, her tongue resembling that of a draconic creature, and continued, "...Just say, 'I submit...And everything will be over, darling~'

Chump paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, and then stammered, "I... I sss..."