章節 23: Velheimort Forest (4)
Rafael, ignoring everything around him, charged forward with fury, heading straight for the pack of wolves. The predators, without hesitation, rushed to meet him.
Rafael fought with all his strength. He struck with his rapier and summoned ice magic, creating icy spears and bullets. At that moment, he resembled a wild beast—untamed and ruthless—tearing his prey apart.
Erin, watching him, was stunned.
— What... what's wrong with him? — she whispered, shocked.
She felt a mix of fear and worry. Concern for the boy... no, for her friend.
Seeing Rafael fight without holding back, covering himself with more and more wounds, Erin instinctively covered her mouth with her hands. This was not the Rafael she knew. He was reckless and foolhardy, immersed in a bloody slaughter.
With each second, his wounds grew deeper. Erin couldn't stand aside. Not understanding what was happening, she rushed towards him, hoping to stop this madness.
Rafael continued to strike. One wolf lay dead, another was without front legs and a tail, bleeding out on the ground. Only one opponent remained.
— Yeah... Use my power, destroy them, — a voice echoed in his head. — Annihilate anyone in your way. I will give you strength.
Dark Rafael hovered around him like a shadowy cloud, urging the boy to unleash his sinister essence.
Instinctively, Rafael drew energy from this dark source. Though he didn't want to, in his frenzied state, he couldn't control himself. Emotions overtook him, and he unleashed every bit of power he had.
The only thing holding back the full release of Dark Rafael was the necklace gifted by Aurora. Even such a powerful artifact struggled to contain it.
Rafael continued to strike with incredible speed, a speed no boy his age should possess, even considering he was Earhart. His body was covered in wounds, but he felt none of them. Adrenaline dulled everything except his furious desire to kill.
He was ready to deliver the final blow to the wolf, which, despite its wounds, was attempting one last trap. Blinded by rage, Rafael didn't notice the threat and was about to move forward.
But something stopped him.
Rafael felt someone grab him from behind. He turned and saw Erin—the girl with tears in her eyes, holding him tightly around the waist.
— Please... Stop! — she begged.
Her words didn't reach his consciousness. He couldn't understand what was happening.
— Come to your senses, Rafael! — she shouted, nearly in desperation.
Something clicked in the boy's mind. Rage began to recede, and his mind cleared.
— Ha... Weakling, — Dark Rafael said with disappointment.
Rafael knelt, holding his head, trying to gather his thoughts.
"W-what was that?"
Slowly, images of his recent madness floated in his mind. He remembered rampaging, killing everyone around him. Along with this came the sharp pain from his wounds and the exhaustion from the relentless expenditure of energy.
The dark essence, taking the form of a cloud, began to dissipate, but not before it smirked at the boy.
— See you soon, worthless one.
Rafael took a deep breath and looked around. Erin was kneeling in front of him, watching him with concern.
— Are you okay, master?
— Yeah... Sorry for that...
— It's fine. Right now, your wounds are what matter. But first... forgive me, — Erin said, rising to her feet.
She slowly approached the wolf that was still alive but unable to move. The beast understood it wouldn't survive. It growled, but helplessly watched the approaching child with a sword filled with mana.
In the next moment, Erin's sword fell, and the wolf's eyes closed forever.
She immediately rushed back to Rafael, checking on his condition.
— We need to leave, or your wounds will get worse!
— It's fine, — Rafael started, but then noticed a small creature resembling a fox limping towards them.
In the heat of battle, the children had forgotten the reason for their visit. The little fox was injured, blood flowing from its belly, yet it kept coming.
— What's it doing? — Erin asked in surprise, watching the creature's actions.
— I don't know... — Rafael replied softly, watching the fox.
The creature approached the boy and looked directly into his eyes. That gaze captivated him—its violet eyes seemed deep and insightful, as if peering straight into his soul.
The fox touched its nose to Raphael's foot, and a soft pink mana began to emanate from it, rushing toward the boy.
— It's... healing me...
— What? — Erin exclaimed, surprised.
Raphael watched in astonishment as his wounds began to close. He had never encountered a creature that could heal. Even among people, healers were rare, but this little creature was mending him faster than any potion or person could.
But something was wrong. The fox's fur, once rich in pink, was gradually losing its vibrancy. A thought flashed through Raphael's mind.
"She's using her life force..."
Without thinking, Raphael pushed the little fox away from him, causing surprise for both Erin and the creature.
— Thank you, but I can manage on my own. You don't need to sacrifice yourself, — he said gently.
Raphael pulled out potions from his spatial ring and, cradling the fox in his arms, carefully laid her on her back.
— Oh... — Erin gasped quietly, unable to take her eyes off the scene. Her heart fluttered with affection.
Ignoring Erin's reaction, Raphael opened a vial of potion and began to pour it over the creature's wound. The fox made a soft, content sound as the potion started to heal her injury.
Raphael smiled, watching her reaction.
After finishing the treatment, he set the fox down on the ground. The little creature tried to climb back into his arms, but he gently pushed her away.
Erin, unable to hold back, picked up the fox and pressed her against herself, gently stroking its head.
— Alright, I'll heal myself now, and then we'll go, — said Raphael.
— Okay, — Erin agreed.
Raphael started pouring the potion on his wounds, covering his legs and arms until they closed up. Then he took off his jacket, revealing his toned body with defined muscles.
Erin blushed and quickly turned away. The little fox looked at her playfully, as if teasing her.
Raphael finished healing and, after dressing, exhaled deeply.
"Damn, I lost control again..."
Realizing everything that had happened, he blamed himself for losing control over his emotions.
— Looks like that's it. Let's go...
— Grrr!!!!
Raphael didn't get to finish — a loud growl made them both turn.
From the bushes emerged a massive wolf, significantly larger than the previous three. Its eyes glowed red, just like theirs, but the bloody aura radiating from it was much denser. This made Erin and the fox struggle to breathe.
— Shit, this must be their leader, — Raphael said irritably.
— What do we do now? — Erin asked anxiously.
Raphael scanned the area, trying to find a way out of the situation, but nothing solid came to mind.
"Even if we try to run, he'll catch us in the blink of an eye... Damn forest," — Raphael cursed silently, gritting his teeth.
He raised his rapier and aimed it at the wolf.
— Erin, run to the castle and gather the knights. I'll stay here and buy you time.
— No! I won't leave you! — the girl protested firmly.
She couldn't let Raphael get hurt again, not like a few minutes ago. Erin stepped forward, gently placed the fox on the ground, and drew her sword.
— If anyone should be running, it's you. My life is insignificant compared to yours, — she stated firmly, full of resolve.
"Even if I die, you must live," — flashed through her mind.
Erin's eyes filled with unyielding determination as she took a combat stance, ready for an attack.
Looking at her, Raphael's gaze shifted.
"Even in this life, you still worry about me..."
With a soft smile on his face, Raphael rushed forward, delivering a swift thrust to the alpha massive nose.
— Master! I told you to run! — Erin shouted, her voice thick with worry.
— Since when do I listen to you? — Raphael shot back playfully, deftly dodging the wolf's attack.
Landing just five meters from the girl, he quickly surveyed the situation and said:
— You attack from the right, I'll go left. We'll alternate strikes to throw it off. Once an opening appears, hit it with everything you've got.
— Ugh! You're impossible! — Erin scowled, her frustration clear.
But despite her irritation, she dashed to the right as Raphael instructed, preparing for her attack. The boy moved in the opposite direction.
The wolf, unable to keep up with the children's rapid strikes, grew increasingly agitated. Their attacks, while not powerful enough to cause serious harm, were certainly making it uncomfortable.
Raphael and Erin continued their relentless assault, searching for a weakness in the creature's defenses. The boy, still weary from a previous battle, conjured ice bullets to widen his attack range. Yet, no weak spot was in sight.
Glancing over at Erin, Raphael noticed that she, too, was reaching her limit. Sweat trickled down her face, and her strained expression revealed the toll this fight was taking on her.
But allowing himself to get distracted by her was a mistake.
— Khuk!
With a powerful sweep of its tail, the wolf sent Raphael flying. He crashed into a stone, the impact leaving cracks on the surface.
— M-Master! — Erin screamed, narrowly dodging another swipe from the wolf before sprinting to check on the boy.
Raphael's eyes fluttered open, blood dripping from his mouth.
— R-Raphael... — she whispered, her voice trembling as she looked at his pale face, fear gripping her heart.
Erin was at a loss, seeing him in such a state. Even if she was willing to sacrifice herself, it wouldn't be enough to save him now.
— Grrrr!!! — The wolf growled triumphantly.
The beast, satisfied that the children were weakening, crept toward them slowly, ready to tear them apart.
But before it could strike, a pink fox leapt in front of it. The small creature growled protectively, standing between the children and the beast, even though it knew its chances were slim. The fox was determined not to let the wolf harm them, even if it meant its own death.
Erin, seeing the brave fox, swallowed hard, forcing herself to her feet, and took a defensive stance.
— You won't lay a finger on him while I'm still breathing, — she said coldly, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared down the wolf.
In the next instant, Erin launched herself forward, attacking the beast. The fox joined her, doing its best to help.
Erin struck with all her might, targeting the most vulnerable areas she knew, aiming for the wolf's weak points. But her attacks did little to faze it. Her strength was fading rapidly, and exhaustion was setting in.
"Damn monster, why the hell do you even exist?!" she thought, frustration boiling within her as her consciousness began to blur.
After a few minutes, her strikes grew erratic. Erin could no longer focus, her movements becoming mechanical, driven only by instinct — strike, survive. But even that wasn't enough. None of her attacks landed where they needed to, and the decisive blow she hoped for never came.
Finally, with a powerful blow, the wolf slammed the fox into a tree, knocking it unconscious. Now, the beast turned its gaze to Erin.
— Tsk... — she cursed through clenched teeth.
Slowly, Raphael lifted his head. His vision was blurred, his mind clouded. He struggled to make sense of the situation.
In front of him, shadows of the wolf and the girl flickered. He couldn't grasp what was happening and closed his eyes again.
"Maybe I'll just take a nap, then figure it out..." he thought.
But then, a voice echoed in his mind, coming from somewhere beyond him.
"Are you going to let her die again?"
"What..?"
"You're going to kill Erin again, aren't you?"
"Who are you..?"
"The only sane part of your brain."
"...I see."
"Wake up, Raphael, or you'll lose her."
"Lose her? Lose who...? Oh, right... her..."
Slowly, memories of the girl who had been fighting beside him all this time began to surface.
He raised his head and looked around. On one side lay the unconscious fox, and on the other, the massive wolf was closing in on Erin.
"Right... We've been fighting the pack leader..."
BANG!
A loud crash echoed through the night. Raphael's head snapped in the direction of the sound, and he saw Erin slammed against a rock, blood pouring from her wounds as the wolf crept toward her.
Something within him ignited, shining silver in his mind.
— Phaak! — Blood spurted from the girl's mouth.
She barely managed to lift her head, her gaze meeting the wolf's glowing red eyes in the dark night.
Her body refused to respond, every muscle paralyzed by pain. Erin realized she couldn't even move a finger. She had lost.
"I hope someone at the castle hears the battle and saves Raphael..." was the only thought that crossed her mind.
Resigned to her fate, Erin let her head drop, accepting her death. The only thing that mattered to her now was the boy's survival.
But instead of the red haze of blood clouding her vision, there was only the blue light of the moon.
Confused as to why she was still alive, Erin opened her eyes. Raphael stood before her, and in place of the wolf were its two severed halves. The boy's eyes glowed a brilliant blue, gleaming like the clear night sky.
"What beautiful eyes..."
With a faint smile, Erin's eyes fluttered shut.
Raphael looked around. The wolf's body lay split cleanly in two at his feet. His rapier gleamed with a soft silver light, signaling the Awakening of his sword's aura.
Satisfied that he had saved Erin and awakened his aura, Raphael relaxed. A moment later, he lost consciousness and collapsed onto the ground.
As both children lay motionless, a figure emerged from the shadows of the trees—a young woman clad in knight's armor.
Aurora had been observing the entire battle, ready to step in if necessary. However, her intervention hadn't been needed—at the critical moment, Raphael had flared with brilliant light and, in the very last second, when the beast was poised to strike down the girl, he had surged forward and, with incredible speed, cleaved the wolf in two.
Aurora was astonished. Raphael was the first child among the Earharts to awaken the sword's aura at the age of five. And that wasn't all—by her estimation, the beast he had fought was at least A-rank, a creature that would have been difficult for even her to kill.
Stepping closer to the monster's corpse, the woman noticed a red crystal embedded in the wolf's stomach, reflecting the light of the moon.
"What's this?" she thought, frowning.
After pondering for a moment, Aurora slipped the crystal into her pocket and turned her attention to the children.
Surveying their condition and the scene around her, she let out a heavy sigh.
— Who did you take after, I wonder... — she muttered, looking down at their lifeless forms.
Gently, Aurora lifted both children into her arms. The little fox, now awake, pressed itself against Raphael, curling its soft body around him protectively.
— Alright, time to head back, — she said quietly, setting off towards home.
-- 收到的禮物 
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票