1.
Balkin thought.
‘Asha disappeared.’
She had thrown herself into the same subspace where Hestia had been trapped and vanished.
He wasn’t worried, though.
Not with the spell Marin had cast, allowing them to sense each other’s safety, whispering that all was well.
‘But what about Hestia?’
To be honest, he didn’t know.
The probability was high that she’d be safe with Asha, but their opponent was <Black Wolf>.
Even in the brief standoff that lasted merely a few dozen minutes, Balkin had managed to assess their strength.
‘They’re slightly weaker than us.’
A different result compared to Asha.
Although the power of Black Wolf and its members felt just as threatening as Asha, Balkin, who relied on his instincts rather than information-based evaluations like Asha, trusted his gut.
‘So this is it. Black Wolf. On the surface, they seem as strong as Asha, but…for some reason, they feel beatable.’
He couldn’t quite explain it.
He didn’t know why.
No matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t understand.
But somehow…if he were to attack recklessly, he might die.
Nonetheless, even if they were a little weaker than them, the strength of <Black Wolf> was impressive.
‘They’re probably on par with, or even stronger than, those top 10 powers in the world.’
Given that Hestia had been kidnapped by such adversaries, the safest course of action for now was to follow their instructions.
‘…Still, self-determination is crucial.’
Balkin’s resolve stiffened, but a moment of confusion flickered in his eyes.
Now that he thought about it,
‘…We only have one life.’
While there was only one life to give, the number of people to rescue had doubled.
While Balkin was pondering and questioning, Black Wolf suddenly spoke.
“We’ll release her if you fight.”
Fight. Hestia will be freed. …And possibly Asha too.
‘Damn, I’m smart, Balkin,’ Balkin praised himself as he re-equipped the shield he had planted on the ground.
“Who’s my opponent?”
“…I’ll decide that.”
Something akin to reluctance lingered as Nahan turned his head toward Luna.
“Take her on, Persona.”
“Yes, Leader.”
The calm emerald light of her gaze settled.
– Smile brightly; only then will you survive.
– Good, smile a little more.
– Brighter, smile so wide it feels like your mouth might split.
– Only then will you survive.
Forcedly upturned corners of her eyes.
– Don’t tremble; only then will you survive.
– When it’s too hard, wear a mask and cry.
– Keep trying and trying.
– One day, you’ll be able to smile even while wearing a mask.
…Squeak, squeak, squeak.
The previously fixed footsteps moved toward the man holding the shield.
Squeak.
When the last step stopped, the two were facing each other.
“What’s the format?”
“Just fight until I stop it.”
“Understood.”
Balkin nodded, lowering his stance while Luna merely turned her head to look at Nahan.
“Leader. Approval for opening.”
The leader noticed the unease in her gaze and nodded, approving the release.
[No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> begins the performance!]
[Warning!]
[No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> requests the release of restricted power!]
Seeing the unease in her gaze, Nahan nodded to approve the release.
[Approval of release granted.]
[No.4 – <Persona – Luna(A)> returns to her original rank.]
[(A) → (S).]
Had she become stronger in these few days? Her mana, which was once like a gentle breeze, settled into the calm eye of a storm, dominating the surroundings.
At the same time, countless masks appeared.
Dozens of masks, filled with Luna’s mana, floated at equal distances in the air like works of art in a gallery.
With all the masks now manifested, Luna stepped back twice with soft clicks and, like a host of a performance, bowed lightly with grace.
“I shall begin.”
A voice, clear and light, imbued with sharp determination and a palpable obsession for life.
“…So, you were hiding your strength after all.”
Perceiving something from such a Luna, Balkin’s expression grew even more serious.
Nahan watched the two glaring at each other as if to kill and thought.
‘Should’ve done this earlier.’
Upon noticing Balkin’s description initially, he had some doubts, but now he perfectly understood.
‘Nevertheless.’
Nahan silently lowered his gaze.
[Bad Ending – <6. The Hero's Return> is in progress.]
A green light in the corner of his vision marked the bad ending, to be completed upon the clash of the two.
And…
[Skill List Held by <Yellow Dragon>]
-Passive: Blessing of the Sun (Ex).
-Skill 1: Solar Annihilation (Ex). (New!)
-Skill 2: (Access Restricted). (Condition – 6/15)
-Ultimate Skill: (Access Restricted). (Condition – 10/15)
[Skill List Held by <Black Wolf>]
-Passive: Black Wolf (Ex)
-Skill 1: Black Curtain (Ex)
-Skill 2: (Access Restricted). (Ex) (Condition – 6/15)
-Ultimate Skill: (Access Restricted). (Ex) (Condition – 10/15)
The key to unlocking the second skill of <Black Wolf> and <Yellow Dragon>.
‘Looking forward to it.’
Even with just the passive and the first skill, it was manageable, but having one more skill would make things much easier.
“…smile brightly, for then you survive. Truly, try smiling more. Brighter still, smile as though your lips might split. Only then will you survive. Do not tremble, for then you survive. When it’s too hard, wear a mask and cry. Keep trying and striving. Someday, you’ll be able to smile even while wearing a mask.”
Caught up in subtle anticipation, Nahan missed Luna’s mutterings and raised his hand dreaming of a slightly better life.
“I hope you’ll fight for your life.”
With those words, the signal dropped, and
“【Shattering Charge】”
“【Ballroom.】”
The fight began.
2.
“【Shattering Charge】”
Their world-defined skill of Balkin, which even they might not be fully aware of.
[Skill 1 – Shattering Charge.]
◆Effect: Within 50m of a straight-line distance, upon colliding with an enemy, there’s a 50% chance to pulverize the opponent.
The most representative skill capturing the sheer brutality of Balkin charged straight toward Luna.
BOOM!!
Almost without preparation, the massive body shot forward in a straight line.
The edges of the broken shields in each hand slashed as if to decapitate Luna’s neck.
An impossibly fast and incredibly strong strike that Luna would not have been able to dodge without releasing her power.
With great difficulty, she pulled her lips into a forced grin.
“【Ballroom.】”
Luna’s first skill, Masked Ball.
[Skill 1 – Masked Ball.]
◆Effect: Displays the collected <Souls> as masks around the area. Wearing these masks allows the use of the <Ultimate> that each soul wielded. The power of the used ultimate increases in proportion to the love the soul’s owner had for you, reflecting its power.
In short, it converts collected <Souls> into masks, which can then be scattered around for others to wear.
Seeing Balkin already so close, Luna grabbed a mask from the air and put it on.
[Equipping <Celerity's Shielle (C+)>.]
[The ultimate <Wandering (B)> has been activated.]
[The power of <Wandering> increases in proportion to this soul’s love.]
[<Wandering (SS-)> has been activated.]
Silkily, the clothed figure turned translucent and was already gone by the time Balkin reached her.
BOOM!!
Realizing this, Balkin quickly slammed his right hand down, embedding it into the ceiling.
Crack-crack-crack!
Despite bending his arm as if it were about to break, he swept over the ceiling and managed to stop himself.
‘Just now, she was equal to me or better.’
With an animal-like instinct, Balkin sensed the power of the mask and was pondering two choices: charge or create distance?
But in reality, he could only think as his body was already rushing forward.
‘I will fight. Hestia will be brought back to life.’
Discarding his survival altogether, Balkin’s mind was now crystal clear, holding on to Hestia’s survival with his rationality.
Charge, change direction, charge again.
Using the momentum moving forward, he lunged like a beast and swung his sharp shields to aim at all vital spots.
Though maintaining some sanity when he was a shield warrior, now that the shield had become a weapon, it was more like a hunting style of fighting akin to a wild beast.
“…Leader.”
Dallan, who had been watching the battle, cautiously asked before leaving.
“Shouldn’t we help?”
Worried voice reached Nahan, whose vision expanded once again.
…It seemed, even after all, quite some time and effort would be required to equal them.
“WAIT.”
Watching the fight, Nahan finally gathered his wits and assessed the situation.
“Great showmanship!!”
“…!!”
While dodging dangerous attacks at all costs and accepting follow-up hits, Luna gained more minor injuries.
‘Dallan is right.’
Balkin’s strength was SS-class.
Luna was the same but due to skill-induced forced and temporary growth, her limit would soon arrive.
If this state continues, Luna would be killed by Balkin soon.
But why?
The survival instinct of Nahan, honed since the previous life, started giving contradicting conclusions.
‘…Why doesn’t Balkin seem more dangerous?’
A chilling sense of déjà vu.
An unsettling feeling that he’s missing something crucial and making a mistake.
Though the situation warranted belief, his survival instinct kept throwing opposing conclusions.
But he had little time to think.
“It’s over!! I’ll kill you, Black Wolf!!”
Having stepped on Luna’s foot, Balkin swung his shield’s edge at her.
‘If Luna dies, I die too.’
Just as Nahan finished thinking and turned his head toward Dallan,
Dallan sighed as if it had become troublesome.
“Damn, we’re late.”
“Late?…”
“If we kill the hero from the start, it’ll be quite troublesome in the future.”
The hero? Dead?
Luna and not Balkin?
Surprised Nahan turned nonchalantly back toward Balkin and Luna.
“…No. I won’t die.”
Sleekly.
In the frozen time, Luna grabbed an ashen mask.
Unlike the pristine masks, it looked stitched together from something mutilated.
The ominous mask was placed on Luna’s face the moment she touched it.
[Changing Mask.]
[Mask No.1 – Celerity’s Shielle (C+) changed to Mask No.0 – <Mother (S-)>.]
[Ultimate – <Whisper (S-)> activated.]
[The power of <Whisper (S-)> increases in proportion to this soul’s love.]
[<Whisper (Ex)> activated.]
“【Stand still.】”
Drenched in crimson energy, everything stopped around her.
In this state, only the caster, Luna herself, could move.
Creak, creak, creak.
Stepping back from somewhere in this frozen time, Luna approached Balkin and extended her hand.
“【Give it to me.】”
“…Sure.”
As if enchanted, Balkin pulled out the shield in his left hand and handed it to Luna.
She naturally received it, placing its tip against Balkin’s face.
…Zzzzzt.
Scratch marks tearing along the edge, blood streams flowing along the wounds.
The slowly moving shield finally settled near Balkin’s carotid artery.
…Hesil.
Luna, her eyes crimson with congestion, painfully requested with a forced smile.
“【…Die for me.】”
For me.
“…Sure.”
Balkin’s thick neck slowly tipped toward the blade edge.
…Drip.
With a sharp tear, vivid blood streamed out.
As it did, Nahan’s clouded mind returned sharply, along with his survival instincts.
‘I have to stop this.’
Neither Luna nor Balkin must die, nor Hestia…
If Luna dies, I die too. And if others die, who knows how the future will change.
But his body wouldn’t move as if pinned down.
‘Why am I suffering…!! Damn, move already…!!!’
As he screamed internally seeking a way out,
[Congratulations!]
[Bad Ending – <6. The Hero's Return> has been prevented!]
[Seventh Bad Ending – <7. Butterfly Effect> has been set.]
[You have been awarded a reward!]
Together with the eerie system window, black and golden system windows floated up.
<
[Condition met (6/15)!]
[<Black Wolf>‘s second skill – has been unlocked!]
[Condition met (6/15)!]
[<Yellow Dragon>‘s second skill – has been unlocked!]>
‘So this should work…’
Upon confirming the additional skills, I didn’t waste time thinking and immediately activated one skill.
