The heavy footsteps were sticky.
Breathing was at its limit. There were already multiple lacerations present.
The Flesh Seeds charging madly seemed endless. I gasped and swung my sword once more.
As expected, blood erupted again. One of the Flesh Seeds that had pounced on me had its head sliced diagonally.
I felt like I had already killed dozens, yet how were there still more left?
My exhausted eyes focused on the Flesh Nest. Before long, the distance was almost gone.
However, as I got closer to that place, the frequency of the Flesh Seeds appearing was decreasing. The thin film of flesh was opening, and the speed at which the Flesh Seeds were being birthed was too quick.
That meant they had devoured many humans.
Not just orphans, I thought. Since it was said to be a laboratory of dark priests, they must have kidnapped passersby as well. The result was an army of Flesh Seeds numbering in the hundreds.
The only consolation was that the hastily produced Flesh Seeds had somewhat diminished physical abilities.
Kieeeeeek!
A sharp sound echoed as I cleaved through one. I had sliced its head, but it seemed I hadn’t penetrated its center properly.
With a crunch, the head of a Flesh Seed I had stepped on exploded under my foot.
My eyes flickered toward Senior Delphine. Even the great Senior Delphine seemed to be getting winded, with sweat trickling down her forehead.
Still, her stance remained firm. Each time she swung her sword, the Flesh Seeds predictably burned and fell.
The issue was that the Flesh Seeds, forgetting their pain, did not stop attacking even when on fire.
“Ahhhh!”
“Senior Delphine!”
At the sudden scream, I looked at Senior Delphine in shock. One of the burned Flesh Seeds had managed to crawl up and pierce its claws into her ankle.
Crimson blood flowed down. Her skin was melting away, and Senior Delphine’s stance wavered.
Of all places, it was her ankle. I immediately threw my hand axe.
Smack! The head of the attacking Flesh Seed exploded. And right at the appropriate moment, a clear voice rang out.
“…Light, overflow!”
The white floor of the holy vessel electrocuted the Flesh Seeds.
The muscles of the Flesh Seeds trembled uncontrollably. Still, the urge to approach me and Senior Delphine was chilling.
I quickly moved toward Senior Delphine. The Flesh Nest was now right in front of me, and my eyes widened.
“…Hurry.”
“But, Senior Delphine…”
As I spoke with a worried expression, Senior Delphine glared at me with her crimson eyes.
There was an undeniable sense of frustration in her biting her lips. As if to say how pitiful it was to be a junior burden.
“No matter how much I lose my ankle, I can still protect my body. Don’t you know? I’m Delphine Yuridina.”
“…I understand.”
I promised I would help her win.
With that, I staggered and rose. Senior Delphine steadied herself, likely preparing for defense.
My eyes turned to my back. In the distance, Senior Elsi was observing the situation of me and Senior Delphine.
Protecting the injured was the priority. With that thought, I gazed intently at Senior Elsi.
Somehow, I sensed Senior Elsi was feeling reluctant, but it was unavoidable. Soon, she sighed and nodded.
Now, Senior Elsi’s firepower support was to be focused on Senior Delphine.
That might be better. This way, more Flesh Seeds would pounce on Senior Delphine, and I could secure a chance to move on my own.
The pain from my back grew increasingly intense. I gritted my teeth and once more struck the ground.
My hand axe shot out with a cracking force.
One of the charging Flesh Seeds had its head crushed, and with another twist of trajectory, I sent the head of a nearby Flesh Seed flying as it prepared to leap.
And the sword fell to the lower left.
Yuridina Vision Swordsmanship, Golden Lionsword.
Three paths of the sword were drawn, and three streams of blood poured down.
Then, I felt claws brush against my arm.
Blood flowed down. Gradually, strength drained from my arm. Before long, the hand holding the sword was trembling.
It had bitten my leg as well.
The bite seemed venomous; the wound started to fester immediately. Pain surged with each step. As my lower body tried to support my upper body, bluish blood splattered out.
Even so, I walked and walked, finally standing in front of the Flesh Nest.
A mocking sound echoed in my ears. A sinister whisper came forth.
‘You cannot win.’
I chuckled softly, then spat out a word.
“…Bullshit.”
At that moment, the film of the Flesh Nest unfolded.
It was like a bat spreading its wings. My body, which had not anticipated such a movement, trembled in shock.
From within that film, dozens of tentacles emerged.
Their grotesque appearance was overwhelming. Various body parts were protruding like spikes from those tentacles.
Arms, legs, skulls.
The only commonality was the bones. I laughed in disbelief.
“Isn’t this supposed to be a Flesh Nest? Why are there bones?”
However, no answer came from the Flesh Nest. The tentacles lashed out at the ground with force, powerful enough to start cracking the stone floor of the cave.
Of course, being struck even once would be fatal.
I cursed and threw my body. Imaginary trajectories drawn in dozens. I had to perform unexpected acrobatics to slip through those gaps.
‘You cannot win.’
Every time the chilling whisper echoed, a mysterious fog began to gather around me. An awful smell pierced my nose.
My mind was becoming groggy. That was definitely not a good sign.
As I threw my body, rolled, and sometimes stepped backward, my focus gradually blurred.
Yet it was clear I was getting closer to the Flesh Nest. The tentacles of the Flesh Nest were becoming more cautious in their strikes.
I didn’t miss that chance.
The axe shot forth like lightning, tearing through the air with force.
The spinning axe blade had an intimidating momentum. It could smash even decent wood to splinters.
But not the Flesh Nest.
Thunk, as if I had merely hit a resilient ball, the hand axe bounced back.
My eyes widened. This was the hand axe that had been shattering the heads of the Flesh Seeds. Its lethality was proven without a doubt.
Yet it didn’t work?
At that moment when I had blanked out for a moment.
Suddenly, I felt a thud on my back.
I coughed and fell forward, spewing blood.
It was only then I realized I was right in front of the Flesh Nest.
I could tell where the fog was emanating from. At the top of the Flesh Nest, dark sounds were flowing out with crimson mist.
‘You cannot win.’
“…Is that so?”
It was just as it said. I hardly had the strength to rise, and my insides felt shaken from the blow to my back.
With trembling hands, I groped in my clothes. I felt the texture of parchment.
The tentacles were slowly approaching me. At that moment, my hand, without hesitation, tore the parchment.
Flames erupted with a roar.
Heat surged around me, beginning to burn my skin.
It was hot. The oxygen levels plummeted suddenly, and the searing pain on my back that had yet to heal intensified.
The Flesh Nest screeched and withdrew its tentacles. At that moment, I rose as if propelled.
A magnificent silver aura enveloped my sword. Gritting my teeth, I plunged it forward with all my might.
It was a decisive strike.
However, the next moment, what I felt was a slippery sensation.
Huh? In that instant, I was flying through the void once more.
Coughing, blood sprayed into the air. Time seemed to have stopped as I floated in the air, looking down.
Senior Elsi and Celin, as well as Ceria’s eyes were wide open, staring at me. Despair was etched on Senior Delphine’s face.
Their expressions were ones of defeat.
And from the area near the top of the Flesh Nest, a voice emerged, mocking.
‘You cannot win.’
Thud! My body hit the ground with a thud. Blood gushed up my throat. No, it might have been my airway.
Honestly, I couldn’t tell.
It truly felt like a monster from a myth.
I never expected it would have physical resistance; it was a mistake to consider only the Flesh Seeds as a danger.
Thinking back to the Lady Virgin Saint. She had warned that I might die.
My eyes stared vacantly at the Flesh Nest.
‘You cannot win.’
Slowly, my eyes were closing. A cozy sleep seemed to be approaching.
For the second time today, I was about to lose consciousness.
“…Flame.”
At the sudden voice that struck my ear, I jolted back to reality and looked around.
There was nobody. But my eyes instinctively focused on the tentacles of the Flesh Nest.
The tips were grotesquely melted. This was thanks to the fire magic scroll that Reto had given me.
Fire worked. That realization flashed in my mind.
The problem was that I had no flame.
Right, I didn’t have it.
As a plan formed in my mind, I staggered and rose. My sword let out a pitiful sound as it fell from my hand, scraping helplessly against the ground.
I could hear mocking sounds. It was the Flesh Nest.
It appeared to be taunting me as a loser. The bizarre monster’s tentacles writhed as if it represented the finality.
In that instant, when the tentacles of the Flesh Nest were raised again.
“…Delphine Yuridina!”
At once, the world stopped.
Senior Delphine and I locked eyes. Her eyes were filled with questions, but she must still have remembered.
The promise I had made with her.
“Throw the sword!”
And just when time began to flow again.
With a sharp sound, the sword flew in. It was still glimmering with golden aura, just like when Senior Delphine had thrown her dagger.
The dense aura lingered for a while even after being thrown. I caught the sword and hurled it into the sky.
The sword spun in mid-air.
At first, the Flesh Nest flinched, but soon let out a mocking noise as it sliced through the empty space.
‘You cannot win…’
That was when I burst out laughing.
A laugh that escaped me bubbled up, soon turning into hysterical laughter.
The Flesh Nest’s words stopped as if confused. The tentacles halted, as if questioning.
This curiosity would soon be dispelled.
So, I offered a fierce grin.
“…I’ve won, you idiot.”
Right after that, the sword imbued with golden aura pointed downwards.
A vertical flash descended, burning the world as it etched a line.
And in the next moment.
Kieeeeeek!
Dozens of Flesh Seeds suddenly began to howl, squeezing their own heads. A golden radiance boiled up between the thick film of the Flesh Nest.
And as if screaming, the heads of the Flesh Seeds split open, and brilliant light poured out from within.
In an explosion like fireworks, my vision shattered.
Everything went white. My flung body rolled messily on the ground.
A ringing sound filled my ears. I tried to crawl to grab my sword, but soon gave up.
I had no strength left. My consciousness was gradually fading.
When I briefly opened my eyes, I saw faces twisted in sorrow.
“…In, my pocket, potion.”
With that final word, I fainted once more.
Thus, my struggle came to an end.
Waking from a cozy sleep is always a painful experience.
As sunlight streamed in through my eyelids, I frowned slightly.
Where was this place?
My memories were hazy. I had no thoughts whatsoever.
Only when I opened my eyes did I see a woman silently looking down at me.
Her hair, woven with silver threads, shimmered with a mystical glow first caught my eye. Next were her pure white, smooth skin and bright pink eyes.
As I opened my eyes, she seemed startled, widening her eyes in surprise.
I was still not fully conscious. So, I could only mutter the words that came to mind.
“…Holy power pouch?”
After that, a scream escaped my lips.
It was a signal announcing my return to reality.
