章 30: Chapter 29: The Desperate Struggle
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– Ziiing!!
"Kyaaa!!"
When the laser emitted from the Dark Golem's core hit the ground, Irina was flung back in the aftermath.
"…Damn it!"
The moment I witnessed that scene, I dashed to her and was barely able to catch her right before she crashed into the ground.
"…Cough."
"Arghh!"
I hugged her and rolled on the ground. Perhaps because of my exhausted state and the fatal wounds inflicted all over my body, my reflexes were dulled.
『Target Found… Eradicate…』
"…Crazy golem bastard."
The golem, who was staring at us, trudged towards us with its heavy body, and I straightened my sword while uttering a swear.
"W-We need to run away… you… can't defeat that…!"
"....."
Meanwhile, Irina shouted urgently.
Well, I can understand why Irina is screaming like that.
That golem is the one who destroyed the Sunrise Academy and inflicted a fatal blow to Isolet… it's a strategic weapon of the Demon King's army.
In the previous timeline, because of its overwhelming status, it took half a day to subdue it, even after all the Imperial Knights were dispatched.
– Thud… Thud…
"Li…ana…?"
However, now is not the time to worry about that.
Whatever happens, I have to fight that damned golem right here, right now.
Now that the Golem has been activated, it will chase us to the ends of the world.
So, even if we run away from this forest, it will still be a mortal threat, and even if we somehow managed to hide, the nearby villages will only be in danger.
Since 'Ashen Forest' is located on the outskirts of the Empire, it will take several days for the knights to be dispatched here in order to subdue that golem, and if that golem heads to a nearby village… I can't even fathom how much destruction it will cause to both life and property.
"…Huff."
"Wa-Wait, are you going to fight?"
"Ms. Irina… Run away…"
And it will be a major problem if Irina dies.
"No! If I have no choice but to run away, let's run away together!! I can't leave you alone…"
"Leave!!!"
"…Ugh."
Irina flinched and took a step back when I howled at her.
"You said you're going to kill Frey no matter what. You have to make up your mind."
"Bu-But…"
"Anyway, from the moment my younger siblings were tortured to death. I was already a living corpse. I never had the will to live anymore."
"...…"
"So… please get out of here and avenge us. That's more than enough."
Before I duke it out with the golem, I need to first send off Irina, so I had to endure and say a cringe-worthy line, as Irina bit her lips tightly and said.
"…After all, I must have been mistaken."
"Huh?"
"Liana… I will never forget your name even in death… surely… definitely…"
"…It's an honor."
Upon hearing my sentimental words, Irina shed tears then soon turned around and began running.
"…Phew."
If she didn't leave even after all this, I would have knocked her out and gotten her away from here before fighting the golem. I then breathed a sigh of relief and began heading towards the golem.
『Human… Identified… Exterminate…』
"Wait, but if I defeat this guy here, the scenario will… Sigh."
If I neutralize this guy here, the scenario in the Prophecy will go awry. In other words, variables will arise.
However, if I don't defeat it now, it looks like it will be game over for me, so what can I do?
And in the first place, the scenario of the prophecy—
– Roooaaaar
"…Sigh."
When the golem roared loudly, I put my concerns aside for later and began analyzing the golem in front of me.
'At this point, it probably hasn't fully recovered its strength yet… this battle will be like fighting the intermediate to higher ranks of combat executives in the Demon King's Army.'
The Dark Golem commanded the demons during the invasion of the Sunrise Academy, and is called the strategic weapon of the Demon King's Army… However, at this point in time, It's probably weaker than its final boss form in the previous timeline.
Because the Dark Golem was unintentionally awakened by us while it was replenishing its mana in 'Ashen Forest.' That's why it's comparatively smaller than it was during the invasion.
Of course, it would still be on par with the intermediate to higher ranks of 'Combat Executives.'
For reference, the Succubus Queen and Eucarius, who were easily killed last time, were not 'Combat Executives'. In the first place, the combat executives are not people who lose their lives in a single strike even if you catch them off guard.
Anyway, the point is that I have a slight chance of winning right now.
Earlier, I couldn't use 'Stellar Mana' properly because I was being cautious of Irina, and only relied on my martial arts to deal with the monster.
But now that she is gone, if I use the ❰Hero's Strength❱ and the ❰Stellar Mana❱ swirling within me because of those mana potions I drank yesterday, I will be able to fight it somehow.
Of course… because of the depleted vitality as a result of the incurred penalty, I'll have to defeat it as soon as possible and probably after the battle I'll be moribund.
– Ziiing!!
– Kachiiiing!!
As soon as I organized my thoughts as such, a dark beam was fired from the golem's energy core. At the same time, I swung my sword and the slash exuding stellar mana clashed with the beam.
– Bang…!!!
Suddenly, a massive explosion went off and the entire area was engulfed in smoke. Not missing this opportunity, I quickly dug into the golem's leg.
"Heup!!!"
Eventually, my sword cut off the Dark Golem's right leg, and he lost his balance and collapsed on the ground.
Fatal Error
『Beep… Fatal Error… in Balance System… Attempting Repair…』
"…It lost its leg. How can it even repair it?"
『Unable to… Repair…』
"Phew… that's good. I thought it might have a spare leg."
I breathed a sigh of relief after being momentarily frightened by the golem's words, then began to approach it in order to finish it off—
『Searching for countermeasures… Results obtained… Deploying flight mode…』
"…Crazy."
I stood there speechless, staring blankly at the sky, when the golem suddenly spread its wings and took flight.
"…It's already using the berserk pattern?"
It's a disaster.
The Golem spreads its wings either during its last stand or when it's going to self-destruct. However, I never expected it to deploy flight mode as soon as it lost a leg.
"…Cough."
As I looked up at the golem in disappointment, I felt like a dog chasing the wind*. I slumped to the floor, feeling excruciating pain in my chest.
"Damn it… I can only swing my sword twice…"
My body is still overflowing with ❰Stellar Mana❱, but perhaps because of the lack of vitality as a result of the penalty, I think I can only deal two more sword slashes imbued with the ❰Hero's Strength❱.
Of course, I've crossed so many hurdles since yesterday, so rather than being disappointed, I should be grateful that I could use the sword slash twice more… However, the situation is too desperate for me to be grateful.
『Target Locked… Mana Missiles Deployed…』
"…This is driving me crazy."
The situation has become even more severe.
Small gun barrels that appeared all over the Dark Golem's body were all aiming at me.
Judging from that, it seems that the crazy golem is about to fire the mana missiles that devastated the academy all at once in my direction.
'…Something's strange. Why is it in a hurry to kill me?'
Because of this development, I became more and more suspicious.
Even if I did interrupt its sweet slumber… From its point of view, I would be just like an ant passing by, so why is it going all out?
It's somewhat reasonable if it went into a berserk state because its leg was torn off and it couldn't repair it. However, it doesn't make sense that it is deploying all its mana missiles, which is like a special move, at someone who is nothing more than an ant in its eyes. Something's wrong, no it's been wrong for a long time.
– Whoosh-Bang!!!
While I was drenched in a cold sweat trying to comprehend this bizarre situation, the golem fired countless mana missiles at me.
"…What really?"
I tried to dodge and defend with my normal sword slashes as much as I could, but the amount of mana missiles that had devastated the academy in the past were all fired at once.
As I gazed at such an outrageous scene, I took a deep breath and straightened my sword, and then swung it in full force.
– boom boom!!!
Then, the mana missiles flying towards me exploded in mid-air, causing a deafening explosion, and the screams of frightened monsters echoed throughout the Ashen Forest.
"Cough…! Cough…"
Meanwhile, I grabbed my aching heart as I floundered around on the ground.
Realizing that my body has reached its limit, the moment I wield my sword for the final slash, I will collapse.
So, I must defeat the golem in a single attack.
– Spark… Spark…
While I was ruminating, the Dark Golem floating in the air staggeringly landed on the ground.
Upon closer inspection, the Dark Golem's left arm was torn apart and its wings were in tatters.
Apparently, a few of the missiles that were about to be launched blew up due to my sword slash, and it seems it was also unexpectedly swept away by the explosion.
『Strategy Revised… Target Threat Level – First Degree… Must Be Removed Unconditionally…』
However, something seemed to be strange. Suddenly, smoke began to rise from all over the Dark Golem's body.
As I was staring at the golem, my heart pounded in anxiousness. I wondered if it was broken since it couldn't bear the accumulated damage, then suddenly a shocking sound pierced my ears.
『Last Resort…Activate Self-Destruct Code…』
"…Fuck!"
The moment I heard that mechanical sound, I staggered up and rushed towards the Dark Golem.
– Spaaaaark…
At the same time, smoke rose from the Dark Golem's entire body, and the central core began to glow red from overheating.
"…Damn it, no!"
If the Dark Golem self-destructs, this region will be completely devastated.
In that case, the demons and monsters living in the 'Ashen Forest' will stampede… and due to that, the nearby villages and territories will literally become a wasteland. So, I have to stop it somehow.
"Aaarghh!!"
Enduring the agonizing pain that surged over my body, I jumped up and pierced my sword into the Dark Golem's core.
"Ugh…!"
『Anomalous Energy Injected… Must be Ejected Immediately…』
And the next instant, I began injecting the stellar mana into the golem's core. Meanwhile, the golem also retaliated by ejecting dark mana from its core onto my body.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!"
As such, while I was about to destroy the core with ❰Hero's Strength❱, the golem trembled in pain and then began to concentrate mana on its core and was preparing to shoot a beam.
– Grind… Grind…!
Upon witnessing this scene, I hurriedly twisted the sword and pierced it deeper into its core, and just before it shot the beam, there was a decrease in the mana output as my sword reached the nucleus of the core.
– Ziiing!
"Aarghhh!!"
However, whether it was because that was its main weapon, or perhaps I didn't properly pierce the sword into the core, the laser's damage was still considerable even though its output was lowered.
Thanks to this, I drooped forward while holding the sword that pierced the core.
『Eradicate… Eradicate…』
The Dark Golem grabbed my body with its right hand and began overheating the core again, and just before the entire region was devastated….
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!"
I mustered my last ounce of strength and brandished the sword in my hand.
– Schwiiing!!
Although I couldn't do anything to the golem because it was an attack that I barely dished out while holding on to my fading consciousness, fortunately, I was able to shatter the core.
[Lack of power… Fatal Error… Emergency… Emergency… Death…]
A considerable amount of dark mana spilled out from the nucleus of the shattered core, then the Dark Golem staggered and released me powerlessly. Soon, it collapsed on its back and stopped moving.
"…Ugh."
As I was looking at it, I suddenly felt something was amiss, and when I urgently touched my face, I realized that the mask I was wearing cracked, probably because of the laser.
"…Oh, no."
Because of this, I feared that my identity would be revealed to someone coming this way after hearing the commotion, so I held onto my fading consciousness and crawled on the ground, mustering all the strength within me.
"Th-There! Over there!"
"This is the Sunrise Empire's 'First-class Crime Investigation Squad!' Are you hurt anywhere?"
"…Hurry, call the Imperial Knights! This is an emergency situation!"
Upon hearing the voices of Irina and the Imperial Investigation Squad coming from the ends of the forest, I fell into despair.
'Crazy… this is hundreds of kilometers from the academy… how did they get here already?'
I was momentarily perplexed. Then, when I saw the mages bearing the seal of the 'Magic Tower' rushing into the forest, I intuitively realized something was wrong.
'…Damn it. They magically traced back the scroll…'
It seems that the Magic Tower intervened in this matter.
The only people who could finish magic backtracking that usually takes a few days within a day are the mages belonging to the Magic Tower.
However, even if that's indeed the case, it seems strange.
Magic tower, who wields influence not inferior to the Ducal families and the Sun God Church, never intervenes in affairs no matter how severe they might be if it fails to attract their interest. It's because of their vainglory and eccentric nature.
There is a famous tale that even when an incident because of a curse occurred in the Imperial family, they didn't intervene until the Emperor personally asked them..
So… why the hell are they interfering now?
Dean Lionel, who prioritizes my safety above all else, wasn't capable of making them move.
The number of Magic Tower mages dispatched were too few to assume that the eccentric Tower Master, whose intentions I couldn't comprehend, was interested in this affair. Furthermore, seeing that all the Magic Tower mages were frowning, it seems that they didn't come here on their own volition.
Then why the hell…
"There are traces of mana over there!!"
"…Hmm?"
While I was shaking my head to hold on to my fading consciousness, the investigators pointed in my direction and began to approach me.
"No…"
I tried to get away from them somehow, but my consciousness that I was barely holding on to gradually dimmed.
And the moment when my eyes trembled as I watched the investigation squad that almost came close to me…
– Whooosh…!
A large amount of dark mana suddenly flowed out of the Dark Golem, and instantly dyed the surrounding in darkness.
"Wh-What?"
"Light! Cast light magic!"
"Ugh… Gasp…"
The people who were struggling in the dark mana began to collapse one after another, and even the experienced mages of the Magic Tower, also panicked and deployed a thick protective barrier to shield the surrounding.
– Tip Tap
In such confusion, I suddenly heard footsteps in front of me, and in panic, I covered my face with trembling hands and lowered my head…
"Rest easy, Young Master…"
"Ka-Ka—"
"…your aide is here."
"Kania…?"
Kania dispelled the dark mana around me as she emerged through the darkness and examined me with a pitiful gaze. My voice flickered as I called her name.
"…You don't have to worry."
Eventually, Kania quietly held me in her arms and began to merge with the darkness, and as I briefly glanced at her, I soon lost consciousness.
"…Thank you."
I barely uttered a phrase to her.
.
.
.
.
.
– Clip-Clop Clip-Clop!
"Ummm…"
"You're finally awake, Young Master…?"
When I opened my eyes, I was in a carriage that left a trail of dust behind.
As I woke up feeling excruciating pain all over my body, I caught a glimpse of the sunset outside the window. It seems quite some time has passed.
"…Kania, are you all right?"
Having roughly figured out my situation, I first inquired about Kania's condition, who must have used a considerable amount of dark mana to save me.
"…Why are you asking about my well-being?"
Then Kania asked back with an exasperated expression on her face.
"Of course, I'm worried because you used a massive amount of dark mana that even the mages of Magic Tower had difficulty dealing with. Also, I'm feeling fine…"
"…I manipulated the dark mana inside the Dark Golem to prevent others from coming closer. So stop worrying about me."
Soon after, Kania cut me off sternly, then took an ointment out of her bag and began applying it on my body.
"…oh."
It was only then I noticed that I wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Are these all the wounds from today?"
"…I had a few wounds from last time."
"…I see."
As I replied briefly to Kania's question, she had a bitter expression on her face, and after she gently touched me for a while in the wobbling carriage, I asked her a question quietly.
"…So, what's going on?"
Upon hearing my question, Kania stopped applying the ointment, then lowered her head and said.
"…The Lord has intervened."
At that response, I froze for a moment.
"Father…?"
"Yes, and please don't get agitated. The Lord… has collapsed."
"…What!?"
As I jumped up, shocked by her words, Kania grabbed me in haste.
"Calm down. You need to calm down…"
"Wh-Why did my father collapse…!"
"That's…"
Soon afterwards, the more she talked, the more I couldn't bear her words.
She said that when both Irina and I disappeared from the training grounds, my father was so enraged that he personally visited the Magic Tower to hand in a request.
It's a fact I learned from Kania, and apparently, both my father and the Tower Master were close friends back in the days. It was rather astonishing since there weren't any signs of their relationship in the previous timeline.
In any case, my father, who was on his way back home after submitting a request to the Tower Master, was so stressed about this situation that he collapsed. And overnight, the Starlight family who lost both their Lord and their heir, at the same time, was in an upheaval.
"Currently, the Lord is in a coma. So, as soon as you return to the Empire and report that you survived, you will immediately become the 'Provisional Lord of the House' according to the Imperial laws."
"....."
I was in a daze for a long time after hearing her words. Eventually, I opened my mouth.
"What about Arianne?"
"..Incarcerated in the Imperial prison."
"…Sigh."
With my head lowered, I soon began to give orders to Kania in a solemn tone.
"First and foremost, we have to calm this situation down somehow. At the same time, we have to secretly spread the rumor that I am behind this incident, and lastly, we have to make it easy for everyone to hear this rumor."
"Understood."
"As for Arianne… Convey my suggestion to Dean Lion to acquit her and drop all charges against her since I want to calm this situation down appropriately. If that doesn't work, bribe him, implicitly tell him I'm the one who changed the magic scroll."
"All right."
"I'll delegate the powers of the Provisional Lord. However, even if you're competent, can you handle all this…?"
"…Please, just leave it to me."
Having instructed Kania how to handle this case, I asked the next most important question.
"…What was the duel's result?"
"Young Master won the duel by securing a majority of the supervisors' votes."
"…Nothing is going my way."
I grumbled under my breath when I realized that another troublesome situation had occurred.
"…In this case, the raider will be random."
"Huh?"
"I'll tell you later. Anyway… Lastly, about my father…"
I calmly tried to change the subject of the conversation to my father, but I couldn't bear to continue my words, so I lowered my head.
"Young Master… Don't worry too much. The Lord will wake up soon…"
"…It's a special event."
"What?"
When Kania looked confused, tears welled up in my eyes and I barely managed to utter a reply.
"If my father, infuriated by my evil deeds, falls into a coma… he can't… he will never wake up… till the day I kill the Demon King…"
"...…"
Unable to finish speaking, I bit my lips tightly, then muttered in a low voice.
"…Kania, I need a hug."
Upon hearing that, Kania quietly got up from her seat, then hugged me and whispered.
"…Anytime."
So both of us spent a moment hugging each other.
Of course, when the wounds all over my body began to hurt, I had no choice but to release her from my arms.
.
.
.
.
.
"…Disappearing without a trace is suspicious as well."
Meanwhile, Irina was riding in the investigation squad's carriage on her way back to the Imperial capital.
"Although it was only for a split moment… the body I felt when I was hugged was never that of a woman's. Moreover, the shade of sparkling mana left at the scene of the incident was also suspicious. And finally…"
She looked down at the dried and twisted fruit in her hand with a sharp glint in her eyes and muttered.
"…The maid who had no prior contact with me knows the nickname I made up, 'Ice Dragon.'"
.
.
.
.
.
When the 'kidnapping in the middle of the duel' incident ended and the Empire was submerged in the dusk's darkness, a woman groaned while lying on the bed.
"M-My stomach… Why does it hurt so much… And what the hell is even a 'Cat's Tail' that the Saintess keeps saying and refusing my request for medical treatment…?"
Isabel, who was paying hundreds of times the price for insulting Kania in front of Frey a few days ago, groaned while grabbing her stomach. She was suffering from an extreme case of diarrhea due to Kania's curse.
"I'm sure it's because of… damn bastard Frey… that lowlife did it out of spite… somehow… I need to get revenge…"
– Growl!
"…Heugh!"
But as soon as her stomach growled, she rushed to the toilet with tears in her eyes.
"…Ahhh."
Meanwhile, a crow sitting by the window quietly captured her troubled figure.
You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02
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