v5c4

4. Bow and Blade

Outer castle broke down. Rena sensed more buildings collapse as she ran.

Dark Nephilim was so large that walls cracked and ceilings shattered every time it moved and waved

its arms. There wouldn’t be anything left of the outer castle if this kept up.

“Oh my……”

Rena took a look behind as she ran swiftly then groaned. Dark Nephilim was chasing her while

tras.h.i.+ng with all of its four legs, each step it took shattered the stone floor.

A future where nothing would be remaining of her awaited if she allowed it to get close to her.

“To think she’d summon such a powerful spirit….. It seems Chloe’s speciality wasn’t ranged or

close combat but this.”

Wasn’t Dark Nephilim basically a spirit that was called the guardian G.o.d of the Dark Elves?

Of course, this wouldn’t have been an enjoyable choice for Chloe either. It would mean a great loss

for the Dark Elves if it were to get injured or possibly killed.

Rena sighed after gaining a safe distance then pulled her bowstring.

Ping!

Arrow flew in and pelted Dark Nephilim’s face. Dark Nephilim screamed and became more enraged

as it chased after Rena.

“It won’t work here…..”

Dark Nephilim was so large that no amount of normal arrows would even make a dent on it. A lot

of firepower was needed to finish it off properly….. But it was doubtful if the shaking pillars of the

outer castle would be able to withstand such an impact.

She had to escape the outer castle first.

Rena ran all the way back to the hallway then jumped down to the 1st floor in a single leap. People

that were pa.s.sing by made surprised faces. They had been worried about the terrifying sounds

coming from upstairs and dust falling down from the ceiling. But now a beautiful Elf suddenly came

down from upstairs.

“Everyone get out of here right now!”

“Hmm?”

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People that had been whispering amongst themselves couldn’t understand Rena’s warning and stood

blinking in their places.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

But that only lasted for a moment, people’s eyes widened after spotting Dark Nephilim coming

down shattering the stairs.

“Ah, aahh!!”

“Waaaah!!”

“W, what is that!?”

Civilians that worked and slept on the 1st floor got terrified from Dark Nephilim’s appearance and

ran away. But Dark Nephilim was still moving too fast. Not only that, but there were still many

people who were kneeling down frozen in fear.

Rena wanted to help them up but there was no time. Dark Nephilim was eyeing the people running

away. It was such a ferocious spirit that it naturally became hostile to loud screaming and busy

movements.

“Here, come this way!”

She had to buy time for the people to escape. When Rena kept firing arrows while das.h.i.+ng away,

Dark Nephilim got enraged and charged at her.

Rena quickly ran into a kitchen that was nearby. She had to escape the outer castle soon as possible

to defeat Dark Nephilim. But she couldn’t use the hallway that was filled with people right now.

Cras.h.!.+

Dark Nephilim came in breaking through the kitchen door. It was a wide kitchen for a human but a

narrow s.p.a.ce for Dark Nephilim. There was nowhere to escape. But Rena kicked up from the

kitchen counter then grabbed the hook that was hanging up in the air.

It was a hook for hanging meat.

“Rwaaar!!”

“Woa!”

Rena quickly swung her body as Dark Nephilim jumped up and swiped with its arm. Displaying

pendulum like movement, Rena’s body s.h.i.+fted to the left as she managed to narrowly dodge Dark

Nephilim’s arm. Then as Rena’s body headed right according to the laws of the pendulum…… she

came face to face with Dark Nephilim that was falling after reaching the maximum height of its

jump.

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“h.e.l.lo there.”

Rena smiled then kicked Dark Nephilim on the nose. It was a powerful kick that would have

knocked out any normal person but it only tickled for Dark Nephilim that could easily take dozens

of arrows.

“Grrrrrrrrr!!”

But it must have still been angry about it because it frantically shook its head left and right then

glared at Rena ferociously. It was grinding its teeth as it glared at Rena who was swinging left and

right like a pendulum. She will definitely not get out unscathed if she was caught.

“Alright, what should I do now…..”

Rena could take down Dark Nephilim if she decided to. The problem was doing it here would

destroy whatever that was remaining of the outer castle. Judging by the sounds of people running

away in the hallway, there were still people that haven’t escaped yet.

“Grrr!! Gwaaaaar!!”

Dark Nephilim must have used its brain because it tried to step on the kitchen counter that Rena

used and jump up. But the counter made out of wood couldn’t withstand Dark Nephilim’s weight

and got shattered.

After an effort it put some thought into failed and receiving a pain from falling on the floor, Dark

Nephilim grinded its teeth as it scowled at Rena. It was literally going to chew her up.

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you that I didn’t do anything this time right? …..ugh.”

Rena was smiling bitterly then frowned from a sudden pain. She felt a strange pain on her right hand

that was grabbing the cold steel hook.

Creak, creak.

“…….Huh?”

And a strange sound was heard. Rena internally screamed then looked up as the hook started to

slowly lower along with a creaking sound effect.

No way, it was a hook used for hanging large animals like cows…… Could it be that Rena was

heavier than that?

It was an absurd thought in a dangerous situation like this but Rena seriously felt depressed. It

actually couldn’t withstand her weight? Dark Nephilim must have realized the situation Rena was in

and was licking its lips waiting for Rena to fall down.

Crack!

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“Ah, thank goodness.”

Rena realized why the hook was falling down and let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that the hook was

snapping off, the part that connected the hook’s chain from the ceiling was about to break. It must

have been damaged from the shock that Dark Nephilim caused upstairs.

Thus, it wasn’t particularly because she was heavy!

Rena eased her mind then started to swing back and forth again. After realizing that Rena was trying

to escape, Dark Nephilim busily moved its eyes to follow her movements. It was going to jump in

soon as Rena landed on the ground then pulverize her.

After busily swinging left and right moving higher and higher, Rena finally let go her hand when she

reached the left most highest point, a place where she could fall down on a kitchen counter near the

window. Dark Nephilim noticed this and threw its entire body towards the left……. But Rena

lightly twisted her body then grabbed the same hook with her left hand this time.

Law of the pendulum, it was a trick utilizing that there was a slight time that pendulum remained on

its left and right highest points. Of course, that was just the principle behind the trick. It was still a

very dangerous thing to try. Even more so with a blood thirsty beast below.

It was a trick that even an acrobat that walked on ropes and jumped through burning hoops

wouldn’t dare to mimic. But Rena performed it without much difficulty.

After easily fooling Dark Nephilim, Rena continued to swing down on the pendulum then

immediately let go of her hand when she got close to the floor. Rather than distancing herself, it was

more important to buy more time so Dark Nephilim couldn’t respond accordingly.

Dark Nephilim ran thinking Rena will jump to the left then tried to stop after realizing Rena was

gone but it ended up running into the wall.

Craas.h.!.+

A huge vibration got spread across the outer castle. The wall cracked then shattered.

“Oh no…..”

Rena who had been watching from the back let out a sympathetic voice. After falling on the floor

and now even running straightly into a wall……Dark Nephilim slowly turned toward Rena.

Its eyes now even held loathing.

It felt as if even if the world was to break down, it wouldn’t be satisfied unless it chewed Rena into

pieces. Rena waved her hand as she smiled.

“I’d really like it if you quietly gave up and went home.”

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Most of the people should have evacuated by now. Otherwise, she just had to exit the outer castle

through a window and finish this.

Just when Rena raised her bow to prepare for Dark Nephilim’s attack, an unexpected answer was

heard.

“One who should give up is you, Elf!”

Shatter!! Chloe riding on a rope came in shattering through the kitchen window and launched a kick.

This was such a surprising ambush even for Rena! Rena quickly twisted her body but she had to take

the kick on her right shoulder.

Crack!

“……Ugh!”

Rena swallowed her scream then quickly backed out. Rena certainly had outstanding combat skills

and was experienced in both ranged and close quarter combat. But her body wasn’t built strongly.

Rather, you could even say she was a gla.s.s cannon.

She could dodge most of the attacks but she received a large damage once she was. .h.i.t. Rena smiled

while pressing down on her right shoulder that was throbbing in pain.

“h.e.l.lo, Chloe. Did you follow me here?”

“I didn’t come here to talk of course. I’m here for your life.”

Chloe sent Dark Nephilim an eye gesture then suddenly grabbed a kitchen knife on the counter and

charged at Rena. Rena quickly grabbed the steel plate beside her and blocked with it.

Kitchen knife that Chloe stabbed with all her strength stopped after getting stuck in the plate half

way.

“Hmph!”

Chloe gave up the kitchen knife then launched a high kick right away. Rena blocked with the almost

shattered plate but its durability must have run out and got shattered into pieces.

While Rena backed out from getting her defensive tool broken, Chloe grabbed a butcher knife then

charged in.

It wasn’t even a warm up exercise for a skilled Dark Elf warrior like Chloe to turn a person into a

minced meat with a butcher knife.

“Chloe!”

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Rena quickly stepped back to dodge the knife getting swiped horizontally. There was no moment to

rest due to Chloe continuing to mix kicks and knife attacks.

“That’s enough! This isn’t the time for this! You calling out Dark Nephilim put other people in

danger too!”

“So what, Elf? We’re invaders! It was stranger for us to be nice to them!”

Seeing Rena run away by distancing herself, Chloe immediately threw the butcher knife at her. Rena

hit away the knife rotating in mid air flying toward her with her bow. But the next knife flew

towards her.

It wasn’t just the knives. Forks, plates, it was as if she was going to throw everything on the kitchen

counter at her.

“……”

Rena grimaced as she dodged some objects and hit others away with her bow. Until now she hadn’t

used lethal attacks on Chloe because she was thinking about the future, and also because of their

friends.h.i.+p. But the story was different now that other citizens were caught up in the danger as well.

Rena glared angrily at Chloe after hitting away the final knives thrown by Chloe. Rena’s arrow was

faster than Chloe who ran out of things to throw coming close up to attack her.

When Rena with her back against the wall fixed her arrow, Chloe made a satisfactory smile.

“How foolish, Elf.”

Gwoooooo. A chill went down Rena’s spine as she was about to fire an arrow. She hadn’t put too

much thought into it because Dark Nephilim was obediently staying back after Chloe had

appeared….. But why did Chloe give such an order?

Rena would have certainly been in danger if Chloe and Dark Nephilim attacked her together. But

that meant…..

Rena’s eyes widened from the enormous energy gathered in Dark Nephilim’s mouth.

Gwooo!!

Velder Liberation army that just entered Velder and was heading to the outer castle saw a beam of

light flying diagonally towards the sky then stopped their steps.

“Just what is that……?”

“Sir Penensio, let’s evacuate the citizens first!!”

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Vanessa shouted urgently after seeing the citizens running out of the outer castle screaming.

Penensio was about to give his order but looked up towards the sky from sensing a sudden presence

then drew his sword.

Cras.h.!.+

With a sound of an explosion, Glitter soldiers fell down from the rooftop. Vanessa groaned when

not just one or two, but almost 300 Glitter soldiers stood in their way.

“Could it be that it was a trap?”

“It doesn’t matter. There’s nowhere to run now that we’ve come in.”

There was nowhere to run once you entered because of the special barrier over Velder. Thus, soon

as they had put their plan into motion, it was either win or be annihilated for the Velder Liberation

Army.

Velder Liberation Army knew this but had entered willingly. Penensio smiled bitterly from this

situation with no retreat then looked back at his troops. Velder Knights battle hardened from their

fight in Hamel were looking at their new enemies with stiff expressions.

“Victory or death…….”

Vanessa also sighed then fixed her gla.s.ses.

“There’s no other way, let’s fight while trying to minimize the damage taken to our troops. We’ll win

long as the El Search Party achieves their goal inside the inner castle……”

“Then let’s try to survive.”

Penensio held up his sword and Vanessa also drew her weapon. Then all the troops drew their

weapons as well. Glitter soldiers started running at them with Mcgard the Blitzkrieg as their

vanguard.

Fight for survival started.

Her arm hurt.

Rena was standing in the outer castle’s garden panting and trying to catch her breath. A giant hole

had been created on the outer castle’s wall in front of her. Chloe made a cruel smile as she exited

through the hole.

“You barely got out alive.”

“……It was quite a good attack, Chloe.”

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Rena hasn’t allowed too many direct hits so far. But her right arm was now covered in blood.

Actually, she should have died from that perfect ambush…..

Chloe was astonished by Rena’s reflexes but still snorted.

“You won’t be able to use your bow anymore with your right arm hurt like that.”

“Do you really think so?”

As Rena and Chloe exchanged words, Dark Nephilim slowly walked out through the broken wall.

Chloe proudly stroked Dark Nephilim’s chin then suddenly turned her head towards another

direction.

“I hear fighting. It seems Glitter soldiers were deployed.”

“…….Yes, do you want to change your mind now? I don’t want to take down Dark Nephilim too

much.”

Chloe laughed at Rena’s calm request. No matter how strong Rena was, there was no way she could

handle her bow properly with her right arm damaged like that. Maybe she could fire 1 or 2 more

shots if she forced herself? Dark Nephilim would never be defeated with just those.

“You are the one who should surrender. If you do, I’ll ask D to at least spare your life.”

“…..Just who is this D that got you so terrified?”

“……”

Chloe face turned dark for a moment but she shook her head right away. There was no point in

talking anymore.

“If you won’t surrender……then there’s only death.”

Just when Chloe was getting Dark Nephilim to prepare another Dark Gravity Cannon, Rena

suddenly dashed in. Rena who specialized in ranged combat closed the distance?

Chloe doubted her eyes as Rena dashed in. Dark Nephilim quickly attacked with its teeth but Rena

dodged easily by sliding and slipping under Dark Nephilim’s belly.

“You’re aiming for the stomach? It’s no use!”

Chloe quickly made Dark Nephilim dodge. The arrow Rena fired barley missed Dark Nephilim and

flew towards the sky. After looking up at the arrow that had been aiming for Dark Nephilim’s

stomach fly up towards the air, Chloe made a satisfactory smile then turned her gaze back towards

the ground.

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Rena was panting while barely standing up. Her arm was drenched in blood due to her pulling the

bowstring with it.

It was a tragic scene as if the beautiful flower’s stem was revealing its white innards after getting

brutally torn apart.

And the beast that will snap the flower off was bearing its teeth. Perfectly unharmed Dark Nephilim

was growling as it glared at Rena. It wanted to unleash its pent up rage.

Chloe noticed Dark Nephilim’s rage and spoke.

“It’s all over now right?”

“Yes, it’s over.”

Rena’s calm voice. Chloe instinctively realized something was wrong.

That Elf was strange. But she couldn’t possibly act this confident after her last ditch effort had failed.

It was as if……

“Chloe would have made it dodge if I just fired it directly.”

Rena murmured as she held up her still unharmed left arm. Chloe’s eyes widened after seeing Rena’s

finger rise up towards the clear afternoon sky. Something was wrong.

But Rena’s shout came faster than Chloe’s order to Dark Nephilim.

“Gungnir!!”

At Rena’s shout, rain started falling from the clear sky. It wasn’t a normal downpour. Dozens,

hundreds of spears fell from the sky!

Dark Nephilim tried its best to dodge the hundreds of spears falling like the divine

punishment…….but area of the attack was too wide.

“Gwaaaaaagh!!”

Dark Nephilim screamed and twisted its body as it instantly became like the porcupine from getting

pierced by the spears.

If it was one or two spears, it could withstand them then regenerate. But regeneration or whatever

didn’t matter if it got pierced by hundreds of spears in such a short time.

Gungnir, Rena’s skill that wiped out an entire area with hundreds of magical spears. This ultimate

skill held a terrifying power but Rena barely used it because other people might get caught up in it.

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Seeing that Dark Nephilim was still breathing thinly after getting hit by Gungnir, Rena fixed her

arrow without hesitation.

“I’m sorry, good night.”

Arrow flew with a short farewell then got stuck in Dark Nephilim’s face. Dark Nephilim let out a

long scream as it fell to the side.

Thud!!

Rena turned around after firing the arrow. Sound of a huge beast falling down was heard behind her.

Rena calmly stared at Chloe as she spoke.

“Alright, Chloe. Surrender now.”

“……You’re insane.”

That was all Chloe could say after being so astonished from witnessing Gungnir. She had known

that Rena was strong, and also knew that she was going easy on her, but she didn’t know it was up

to this extent.

Even Chloe who was a demon general didn’t have any talent to withstand such an attack. Rather,

you had to say Chloe was chosen as a demon general because of her ability to summon Dark

Nephilim.

But to take down that Dark Nephilim with a single skill?

What Chloe felt from the scene of Dark Elves’ guardian G.o.d falling in front of her wasn’t horror,

fear or anger. It was just absent-mindedness. She couldn’t think about anything due to the

overwhelming skill difference between Rena and her.

“Why are you asking me when you are this powerful? Can’t you just cut off my limbs then force me

listen to you?”

“Things you say…….”

Rena made a pretty frown but Chloe was serious. Rena’s arm looked like it couldn’t draw the

bowstring anymore….. But Chloe still wouldn’t be able to beat Rena.

“What do you mean? Shouldn’t you do that?”

“Who would do such a thing to a friend?”

“……”

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Chloe blinked couple times from confusion. Did this Elf lose her mind as well after losing some

blood? No, she did use that word couple times before. But was she still calling her that after all of

this?

“F, friend? Who? Who is?”

“Aren’t Chloe and I friends?”

“Don’t make me laugh! Who would become friends with an Elf?!”

“But we bathed and even drank together.”

Rena asked with a confused expression. Chloe raised her voice.

“You and I are enemies! We’re just enemies!!”

“Then we can become friends from now on.”

Chloe beat her chest from frustration. Rena looked down at her right hand then frowned.

“Owowow….. It was too much to fire arrows with this hand after all.”

“…..What?”

“The cut Chloe gave me last time still haven’t healed completely.”

Rena approached and held out her right hand to show Chloe. Chloe saw Rena’s right hand then

frowned.

“But we treated that with a potion!”

“It’s only been a day.”

“…….”

Wait, so she defeated the Dark Elf warriors, Chloe and Dark Nephilim with an injured hand? Chloe

was desperately hanging on to her sanity by grabbing her head when Rena spoke with a gentle voice.

“It seems I can’t fight anymore with this hand. So Chloe, you go and help the Velder Liberation

Army.”

“…..Are you crazy?”

“I got hurt like this while fighting Chloe. So can you help me out?”

Rena put her left hand on Chloe’s shoulder then begged seriously.

“Please, Chloe.”

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“…….”

She was going to go crazy. Is this how it felt for a rabbit to get asked a favor from a lion? Chloe bit

her lower lips then sighed.

“You’re crazy. You’re seriously crazy. You’re insane. What kind of Elf asks a favor from a Dark Elf?”

“There are lot of elves that asks a favor from a friend.”

Chloe’s face turned red when Rena spoke with a serene smile.

What should she say……? She was embarra.s.sed.

There were reasons, but Chloe broke her promise with Rena and ambushed her. But Rena fought

back while being careful so that no one was killed and was even careful so Chloe wasn’t harmed.

Even her fight against Dark Nephilim in the end, she could have taken Dark Nephilim out any time

she wanted but held back due to the surrounding circ.u.mstances.

Chloe had been just playing on top of her opponent’s hand. After all of this, she should surrender,

wave the white flag. But even though Chloe admitted her defeat…..Rena was calling Chloe her

friend and was asking her for a favor.

“…..You’re seriously crazy.”

“I may be.”

If Rena had ordered her, if she had tried to force her, Chloe would have rather died than to submit.

Even now, she had a strong feeling of just wis.h.i.+ng Rena would kill her cleanly. Dying to a powerful

foe was an ending warriors could accept.

“And you’re making me crazy too……”

If people that were stronger showed their generosity, it was duty of those who were weaker to

accept it. This rule Chloe had always kept as a warrior moved her heart.

“What should I do?”

“You’ll listen to me?”

Chloe frowned when Rena smiled joyfully.

“I would have lost this life to you anyways. You let me live so I’ll follow what you say.”

“Then please help the Velder Liberation Army together with the Dark Elves. This is something I

should have done but…….”

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But Rena didn’t have any strength left to draw her bowstring. Looking at Rena’s injury, Chloe was

about to nod then her face stiffened. Rena also turned around to look towards the direction Chloe

was looking then her eyes widened in horror.

Dark Nephilim that had certainly fallen was slowly getting up.

Hundreds of magical spears stabbed into its body slowly got pushed out as its regenerative ability

activated. Dark Nephilim was indeed a powerful sprit…. But the intuition that Rena had built up

over the course of countless battles had told her that she certainly took it down.

Rena suspected if it was Dark Nephilim’s special ability but judging by Chloe’s abhorred expression,

that wasn’t it either.

“Could it be, D…..?”

“Chloe, go ahead quickly.”

Rena pushed Chloe who was pale and frozen. Chloe got pushed away couple steps then stared at

Rena in confusion. But Rena was only looking towards Dark Nephilim that was standing up again.

It was a very serious expression that Rena hadn’t shown before.

“Believe that we will win and help the Velder Liberation Army. But if we lose, say that you had no

choice because I threatened you then go back to the demons.”

“…..What?”

“Go quickly. I’ll take care of here.”

Rena’s dry words, Chloe’s face stiffened from sensing that Rena was saying that while being

prepared for death.

Chloe ordered Dark Nephilim that was standing back up inside her head but it was no use. Dark

Nephilim that should have absolutely followed its summoner’s orders wasn’t even giving a glance at

Chloe now.

Let’s trust Rena for now. As Chloe backed away, Rena took a deep breath.

“Phew…….”

Beast she had certainly taken down got back up completely healthy again. You could tell with a

single glance that it wasn’t because of Chloe or Dark Nephilim’s powers.

That D who Chloe was so afraid of must have had a hand in this.

This wasn’t an easy battle under normal circ.u.mstances and she was even injured now. She couldn’t

draw her bowstring.

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But she couldn’t run away. If Rena ran away from here, Dark Nephilim will pulverize the Velder

Liberation Army. Or bare its fangs against the other Search Party members.

“Everyone, do your best.”

Rena calmly cheered on her comrades that were fighting their hardest somewhere else then kicked

the ground.

She couldn’t use her arm but she still had her legs. Her enemy was right in front of her.

Even if her life was in danger, she had no choice but to fight.

Add’s steps stopped when he came up the stone stairs with his hand joined with Eve’s. A giant steel

door was blocking their way.

“There’s no lock. Shall we destroy it?”

“Wait, let me a.n.a.lyze it.”

He was still holding on to Eve’s hand so he only had one free hand. Add tried knocking on the door,

scanning with the Dynamo and tried everything else he could but still couldn’t figure out a single

thing.

“……How does this even make sense?”

A chill went down Add’s spine from this conclusion. There were things that Add’s Dynamo couldn’t

destroy but it was impossible that a thing that Dynamo couldn’t a.n.a.lyze could exist. Dynamo was

even able to a.n.a.lyze how a s.p.a.ce-time drift phenomenon was occurring in this inner castle.

But this door was impossible to a.n.a.lyze. Thus, it meant that this door was a s.p.a.ce made from

something surpa.s.sing Add’s knowledge or something that couldn’t be read by Dynamo’s scans,

something that surpa.s.sed s.p.a.ce distortion.

While Add was at a loss for words, Eve pointed with her finger.

“Here’s a strange slate. It looks like a door k.n.o.b.”

Some kind of slate was attached to the part where there should have been a door k.n.o.b. This part

couldn’t be a.n.a.lyzed either. Add confirmed it with his eyes then murmured.

“There are 9 slots.”

There were 9 gems embedded on the slate around in a circle. Starting from the 12 o’clock, gems

were lined up in the order of red, purple, green, grey, pink, blue, orange, red and purple. Add was

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pondering if there was a special meaning behind the color of the gems when Eve spoke composedly

from beside him.

“They are El.”

“……I know.”

The realization had come a bit late because Add was so surprised by this gate’s existence. He

thoroughly prepared himself then tried firing a Void Impact at the door……. But nothing happened.

Activation of the skill itself was ignored.

“There’s a s.p.a.ce distortion casted on it….. But I can’t decipher it.”

“Is this the throne room where they’re turning El into a Dark El?”

“There were no crossroads on our way here.”

Add’s answer wasn’t a proper one but it was showing the two’s situation right now.

They had to go through this gate but they couldn’t.

“Considering how they sealed it off with something I suspect to be a s.p.a.ce distortion…. It doesn’t

look like any normal door.”

“What demon could have turned the inner castle like this?”

“……I’m not sure.”

It was an abrupt question but Add delved into his thoughts seriously. Elesis was powerful but she

didn’t seem knowledgeable about s.p.a.ce related abilities. Ran’s main skills were composed of

shadows, Helputt was unknown but he was probably similar to Chung and Chloe didn’t look like she

had much power.

By the rule of elimination, only Karis remained. She did seem to have some s.p.a.ce related abilities

but it didn’t seem like her abilities were great enough to create this gate so powerful that Add

couldn’t a.n.a.lyze.

Add made a reluctant conclusion.

“Is it the court magician Aisha?”

“She helped us. I don’t think she would create a trap like this.”

“You never know. It could be an emergency security system she kept hidden inside the castle.”

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Add knew very well that he wasn’t making sense. No matter how powerful of a magician Aisha was,

there was no way she could easily create a gate even Add couldn’t decipher. She also had no reason

to secretly hide this gate inside the Velder royal castle.

“Those nine El…..why do you think they are there?”

Eve was looking straightly at the pink El. Add took out the Memory of Time and s.p.a.ce from his

pocket and compared with the one on the slate.

There was no point in a.n.a.lyzing. He could tell just with his eyes that they were same.

“……”

“They are not unrelated. The reason Aisha helped us, but why she didn’t actively help us… It seems

like all of those reasons are right here.”

Eve spoke all the words Add wanted to say. Add nodded then carefully stroked the slate with his

hand. He was worried about being electrocuted or any other strange traps but the slate just felt cold

on his hand.

They couldn’t figure out anything after examining for a while. Add was clicking his tongue from

feeling impatient when Eve went to sit near the stairs using Reby and Moby as chairs.

“Let’s stay seated.”

“Is this the time for that?”

Add unconsciously spoke sarcastically. They didn’t know where Ara and Chung went and Rena and

Elsword must be fighting for their lives. But Add and Eve were blocked by a strange gate and

couldn’t proceed.

“If there’s no progress even after examining this much, then it’s important to rest and recover our

stamina. It doesn’t matter for me but you are tired.”

“…….”

Well it was true that Add was quite tired from coming up the stairs. He would have normally flown

using the Dynamos but he needed to be careful due to the wide area s.p.a.ce distortion around this

place.

They didn’t know what might happen later so he did need to rest. Add admitted Eve was right then

sat beside Eve using Dynamos as a chair while suppressing his impatient feelings.

Eve was staring at the slate.

“Why are there nine of them?”

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“I don’t know, but there must be a reason.”

“The one Ara got was orange, Elsword’s was red and yours was purple.”

Just like Eve said, they were all colors that existed on the slate. After all of this, it would be stranger

if the Memory of Time and s.p.a.ces that Aisha gave them weren’t related to this.

“It seems we’ll have to conclude that the one who created this slate is Aisha or someone related to

her.”

“Probably.”

Add was suppressing his restlessness when Eve grabbed his hand after looking like she had almost

forgotten.

“……”

Huh? He knew in his head that her action didn’t mean anything…. As Add who lost his sense of

judgement blinked, Eve replied prudishly.

“This is a strange place. We have to be careful to not be separated.”

“O, okay……”

Add spoke out something in between a groan and an answer then shut his mouth.

Everyone was fighting with their lives on the line but they were blocked off. Add would have

normally thought up various methods in order to break through this situation. Add’s way of doing

things was to challenge persistently, and if there was no other way, he wouldn’t hesitate to even

resort to unsafe methods.

But all those feelings evaporated the moment Eve grabbed his hand. Feeling of only wis.h.i.+ng this

time to last a bit longer remained.

“…….”

This was a time that will end soon. Soon as this task was over, it was an eternal farewell with the El

Search Party that he had cultivated up till now.

Add made an empty laugh. Eve seemed slightly surprised by this.

“So…. you can laugh like that too.”

“I didn’t laugh.”

Eve was looking straightly at him wanting to say something but then closed her mouth discretely.

Add knew this but didn’t say anything.

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But he didn’t let go of her hand.

Because this will be the last time as well.

She couldn’t move.

“……Ah”

Rena panted while pressing down on the ground with her still somewhat fine left arm. She wasn’t a

physical combat specialist. Even if she had to fight close up, she used a method of dodging and

aiming her kicks at enemy’s joints.

Rena’s archery skills were nearly divine but her body was still made out of blood and flesh.

Of course, she was still better than Add who had stamina and endurance of a normal person, no,

possibly less stamina and endurance than a normal person. But she fell behind compared to Elsword

and Ara who were close quarter combat specialists. And there was no way her defenses were

stronger than Eve who was a Nasod….. So her defensive ability was second to last amongst the

group.

And Dark Nephilim was charging at Rena who had the second to last defensive ability.

“Phew, this is difficult.”

Rena pressed on the ground with her left hand to launch herself up then lightly grabbed Dark

Nephilim’s head. She made an exquisite use of her arm strength, inertia and flexibility to rise up

vertically then smashed down on Dark Nephilim’s back with her knee as she fell.

Crack!

She had just performed a parade of acrobatic attacks with just one arm but still couldn’t avoid falling

off Dark Nephilim’s back right after. After falling off, Rena rolled on the ground and couldn’t get up.

She panted heavily as she looked at Dark Nephilim.

Dark Nephilim that just charged noticed Rena had dodged and was slowly turning around towards

Rena. It didn’t have any rage filled expression like before.

“It almost seems like a machine without thoughts……”

Did its insides change into Nasod during that slight moment when she wasn’t looking? Eve would

have been quite offended and retorted back if she had heard this.

Rena unconsciously imagined that scene and chuckled.

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It was a comfortable laugh even though she couldn’t get up because she forced herself to move with

two legs that were covered in blood. These were injuries she received because she went into round 2

without knowing how Dark Nephilim had changed.

There won’t be any problem if she recuperated properly. She somehow managed to avoid her nerves

from being damaged after all. Of course, there was still an enormous pain flowing in from the

wounds. She had no excuses if she became permanently disabled from continuing to fight like this.

Actually, her continuing to tie down Dark Nephilim with parades of acrobatics right now was

basically continuing to inflict harm onto herself.

She was barely holding on somehow because…… Dark Nephilim had lost its cognitive abilities.

“……Should I ask Chloe for help?”

Rena smiled vaguely as she saw Dark Nephilim stomping its feet again to charge. Chloe and the

Dark Elf squad went to help the Velder Liberation Army so they won’t return.

Add and the other Search party members also must be fighting somewhere else. It was pointless to

hope for them coming to help her.

“What should I do……?”

Rena tried to think of a solution but the answer was always the same. Rena’s knee smash just

now…..would have instantly broken the spines of any normal beasts.

Of course, Dark Nephilim was a powerful spirit. It even had an ability to regenerate. But the reason

Rena’s two legs were beaten up wasn’t because she hadn’t known about Dark Nephilim’s

regenerative abilities.

Dark Nephilim right now couldn’t get injured. It wasn’t that Rena’s attacks weren’t doing

damage…… All injuries it received were regenerating instantly soon as it was damaged.

It almost felt as if she was kicking the surface of water. There were impacts and signs of damage but

they held no meaning.

Dark Nephilim was acting like it wasn’t afraid of getting injured as if it knew this trait. The strategy it

was using wasn’t trading blow to blow……. It was trading nothing for a chance to chomp down on

its opponent.

This wasn’t a strategy that any normal creature existing in nature could utilize. That was the reason

why even skilled Rena was pushed back and ended up like this.

“Haah……..”

Would things have changed if her arms and legs were still fine? Well, it would have been less

precarious than now but she wasn’t confident that she could have taken it down.

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Wasn’t it a monster that got back up even after getting hit directly by Gungnir?

“……Monster huh.”

Rena pressed on the ground with her left hand then threw her body towards Dark Nephilim. She

confirmed that she couldn’t deal meaningful damage to it anyways, so she jumped over it.

She wanted to take it down if possible. But that was impossible. Then she had to make it her goal to

keep it in place long as possible. How could someone else handle this beast that even she couldn’t

handle?

Rena made her decision and was turning around….when Dark Nephilim kicked up on the ground.

Rena face froze as she was putting strength into her left arm to throw herself forward again. Dark

Nephilim was jumping up.

It was trying to crush her with its body.

“Wha…….”

It had been acting like a thoughtless monster until now. But it suddenly changed its strategy. Rena

got startled and quickly threw her body sideways to dodge. But s.h.i.+fting her weight so suddenly put

burden on her body. Trying to dodge only using her left arm when she couldn’t even get up properly

was already an absurd acrobatic feat.

Bam!!

Even while screaming from a shock that smashed into her waist, Rena realized what had just

happened. She had no choice but to prioritize dodging to the side, so she had been in no position to

prepare for its next attack.

“…….Kugh.”

Rena’s body rolled across the outer castle’s garden after getting tackled by Dark Nephilim. The

shock was nearly 3 times more than getting hit by a horse running at full speed.

“Ah, it broke……”

She ended up giving her left arm to protect her waist. Of course, that didn’t mean her waist wasn’t

hurt…… she was certain that her ribs just cracked.

Right arm? It definitely couldn’t be used today and she wouldn’t be in this situation if she could use

her two legs.

To sum it up, she was only bearing injuries that wouldn’t make it a surprise if she was to drop dead

right now. Rena was still alive because her movements were way too swift and she minimized the

damage with her reflexes if she was about to get hit……. But she now completely lost all offensive

abilities.

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“Haah…….”

Rena still managed to slowly raise her body with her hand dripping with blood. Her legs wouldn’t

listen to her so all she could manage was to kneel with one knee.

Dark Nephilim was quietly staring at Rena. It was as if it was waiting for someone’s order.

While Rena was looking at Dark Nephilim that was standing still, a blood traveling along Rena’s lips

dropped on the ground. Rena saw the green gra.s.s getting dyed in red and realized that everything

was over.

“Ah…….”

I’m going to die here. It’s not like I don’t have any regrets or lingering attachments…… But worry

came before this thought.

What will happen to the other kids if I go down here? What if they are in more dangerous situation

against even more powerful foes?

“Hmm……”

Worrying about such things when she was about to die right now? Even Rena thought it was a bit

strange but it couldn’t be helped.

It wasn’t that her own life wasn’t precious. Of course it was precious…… But wasn’t it obvious to

be worried about people she had been together with?

And worrying about the person she couldn’t do anything for even though they had been together.

“I’m sorry……”

Soon as Rena sighed then closed her eyes, Dark Nephilim charged in as if that was a signal. Sounds

of it stomping across the ground to end her life came closer.

Last face that came into Rena’s mind as she prepared for the end was……..

Slaaas.h.!.+

Sound of s.p.a.ce getting torn apart rang out through the air. But there was no pain that she had

prepared for. When she slightly opened the eyes she had tightly shut……. dust cloud was blowing

by.

And the white clothing waving amidst the dust clouds.

Blade that was slashed down heavily was precisely cutting Dark Nephilim in half.

Energy behind the utmost extreme bladework ignored the regeneration ability or whatever else and

cut Dark Nephilim down in a single strike.

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Thud!!

As Dark Nephilim fell over after getting sliced in half, the man slowly withdrew his blade. His stance

made him look like a veteran who’s been through countless ferocious battles, but not a single piece

of his clothing looked worn out.

It wasn’t that his clothing hasn’t worn out. He wasn’t someone who fought like that. Rena had

mended it every time it was worn out.

“I’m sorry. I made you wait too long.”

The man who wasn’t showing his face spoke. Rena slowly shook her head.

“We decided not to apologize to each other.”

“I’ll be careful next time, Rena.”

Rena made a helpless laugh at what he said. Joy from this unexpected reunion only lasted for a

moment. Rena quickly came to her senses and requested.

“I’m fine now so can you please go help other places?”

“You don’t have to worry.”

The man said this and didn’t move. He was looking only forwards like a statue and didn’t say

anything. But Rena soon realized what he meant.

Airs.h.i.+p broke out of the clouds and was approaching Velder. Rena looked closely to see familiar

faces on the airs.h.i.+p.

“……They are Black Crow.”

Rena didn’t know what to say at these unexpected reinforcements. Of course, Black Crow was a

group that was highly trained for combat. They should obviously welcome their help with open

arms…… But wasn’t this a past that this man abandoned?

“It’s something that I decided for myself.”

The man spoke stiffly as if he read Rena’s thoughts. But Rena knew that those words weren’t light.

Rena unconsciously looked at the man’s left arm, a cold mechanical arm then swallowed her sigh.

You couldn’t speak carelessly towards someone with such a large wound. You might hurt them

unintentionally.

The man confirmed the Black Crow members dropping from the airs.h.i.+p then turned around as he

took off his coat. He then put his coat around Rena who was covered in blood with injuries on her

arms and legs.

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Rena sent him a gaze of thanks then was about to nod but paused. The man was looking at her with

an ever so sad expression.

“I’m sorry, Rena. I shouldn’t have been here right now. But there was no other way this time as well.”

“……What do you mean?”

Wasn’t everything going to turn out well because this man managed to arrive? But there was an

unknown rage and bitterness on the man’s face as he bit down on his teeth tightly.

“No matter what happens, I’ll at least…..you”

“Raven?”

Soon as Rena realized something was off and called out the man’s name, he held Rena up with his

arms. Before Rena said anything in response, her body felt like it was getting lifted up as her sight

started getting blurry.

Elsword and Elesis’s fight with sparks flying about suddenly stopped. Elesis had suddenly stopped

her sword and was looking far off into the distance.

Elsword who had been fighting joyfully stared strangely.

“Big Sister? What’s wrong?”

“……Raven ended up coming back to Velder.”

Elesis shook her head bitterly. It was such a bitter tone unfit for the intense fight they’ve been

having until now. Elsword instinctively realized something was wrong but he couldn’t figure out

what was wrong exactly.

“Big Brother Raven is here? But why is that…..”

“I’m sorry, Elsword. But our fight…..ends here.”

Elsword sensed danger and held up his sword from Elesis’s regrettable words but it was too late.

With the feeling of his body getting strongly pressed down, his vision started getting twisted.

“Kugh, uuugh!”

“Don’t worry. I’m also coming with you.”

Elesis said quietly while looking at Elsword ever so tenderly. With a face saying she’ll go together

with him wherever he goes from now on.

With a face filled with resignation and despair.

155

Spear and blade, cannon and armor collided against each other. Then Ran suddenly swiped his blade

horizontally to push Ara back then backed out a long distance.

“Crow has returned.”

“So he ended up coming. That final man.”

Helputt also pushed Chung back with a furious attack then backed out himself to exchange words

with Ran. At this sudden ceasefire, Ara and Chung also stopped their attacks and stared at the two

men.

“Elder Brother?”

“…..Just what’s going on, father?”

“The truth that you guys need to know, and despair.”

Soon as Ran’s words ended, Ara and Chung’s visions started getting twisted.

Add realized he was standing the moment he came to his senses. He had been certainly sitting near

the stairs holding Eve’s hand but he was now standing in a place he had never seen before.

“Wha……”

Forced teleport? Add felt the chills and quickly looked beside him. Eve was looking forwards with a

cool expression.

“This seems to be the throne room.”

“This is the place where they are turning El into Dark El?”

Just like Eve said, there was a very long carpet and stairs in the front. Add looked around and saw

that the throne room was completely empty. No one else was here.

There was a large curtain placed around the location where the throne should have been. Inside of

the curtain couldn’t be seen very well.

But there was a vague silhouette as if someone was sitting on the throne. Add trying to focus on this

silhouette when his surroundings shook then voices were heard.

“Where is this place?”

“Big Sister!!”

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“Where’s…..”

Familiar voices, Add turned to see that Elsword, Chung and Ara had appeared beside him. Then

after a moment later, Rena and a man carrying her appeared.

“Big Brother Raven? You’re really here!!”

Elsword noticed and rejoiced. Raven wordlessly nodded. Add’s eyes turned back forwards. Sudden

large scale teleport, Aisha had displayed this before……but he had a bad feeling about this for some

reason.

“Kiyahahaha! So the fools are gathered.”

Dimension gate opened in midair then Karis jumped out while laughing. It wasn’t just her…..a

teleport phenomenon occurred in front of the El Search Party. Then Ran, Helputt and finally Elesis

appeared.

“……So it’s a final decisive battle.”

The El Search Party instinctively grabbed their weapons when Add spoke quietly.

There wasn’t any explanation but everyone understood the current situation. They didn’t know why

the party members that were fighting in various places suddenly gathered, but that didn’t matter.

How many or how powerful their enemies were didn’t matter. They were the El Search Party.

“Alright! I’ll go in first!”

“Wait, Elsword. Rena looks injured.”

“Hey, Raven. You fight instead of Rena.”

Add spoke to Raven daringly. Add actually didn’t know too much about Raven but he knew that

Raven held incredible skills.

They had a chance for victory now that Raven joined back up.

The El Search Party all stared at Raven and Rena with a single mind. As everyone’s gazes gathered

on them, Rena who was being carried by Raven got startled and whispered quietly.

“Raven, can you let me…..”

Rena asked as if being carried was embarra.s.sing. But Raven didn’t listen to her and started moving.

Everyone stared blankly at Raven’s back as he walked towards Elesis, Ran and Helputt with Rena

still in his arms.

“…….”

157

Soon as Rena’s face turned pale after realizing something, Raven turned around.

Raven put Rena down then held her with his Nasod left arm while holding his blade with his human

right arm.

“I’ll cut down anyone that comes close.”

“……”

No one in the El Search Party could open their mouths. Of course, they didn’t have that much deep

relations.h.i.+p with Raven. Actually, Elsword, Ara and Add had only met and talked with Raven for a

day.

“M, Mr.Raven?! Why are you standing on the side of the demons?”

“Big Brother Raven! What are you doing?!”

Elsword and Ara burst out in anger from an emotion that surpa.s.sed their relations.h.i.+p with Raven.

They didn’t know Raven but they knew Rena. Everyone knew how strongly Rena trusted Raven.

Rena blinked widely then tried to say something. But before she did, the tip of Raven’s hand pressed

on Rena’s forehead lightly….. Rena tottered then closed her eyes as she fell unconscious.

“…….Why?”

Raven momentarily made a painful expression from the word Rena left before she fell asleep. But he

bit his lips in the end then turned his eyes towards the El Search Party.

He held Rena with one hand and held his blade with another. What this meant was……

“…..Raven is our enemy.”

Add who was clenching his teeth put an end to the group’s confusion. He had no idea what

happened but Raven joined their enemies and Rena became a hostage.

It wasn’t just him. Ran, Karis, Helputt…..and Elesis were also still standing.

“Elsword, are you ready?”

“Of course!”

But they still had Elsword who succeeded in awakening the Memory of Time and s.p.a.ce on their

side. Elsword answered reliably as he stepped up front. Eve and Ara followed after him and took

their positions. Chung also prepared to a.s.sist.

Add tightly gasped the El in his pocket and enflamed his will to fight.

There was nowhere to run anyways. This was the time to stake everything and fight.

158

159

“Kiyahahahaha!! Fight? Fight against us? No, it’s already all over. You guys lost.”

Karis laughed. Ran replied depressingly.

“Everything is over now.”

“It’s now moment for the time to end.”

Helputt continued. Elesis sorrowfully finished.

“Everything ended.”

“…..”

Why were they talking about same things as if they had planned beforehand? Not only that, they

were declaring their victory but none of them except Karis looked joyful at all.

They cried out in grief and dismay as they despaired.

“King of time has arrived!!”

Add who couldn’t understand the reaction of the demons and humans that stood on their side……

suddenly opened his eyes widely.

Ba-dump.

His body was relaying to him faster than thinking with his head.

A strange heartbeat that he had forgotten at some point, Add got attracted to it and looked up

towards the air between allies and foes. Add looked, Eve also looked, Elsword looked, Ara looked

and Chung looked.

Everyone was looking up towards the air.

s.p.a.ce twisted. As if it was being squeezed, it was twisting and shaking as if someone was clenching

the s.p.a.ce with their hand.

“What…..?”

Add’s heart beat rapidly from an ominous feeling. Did Aisha come to help? No, it wasn’t something

like that. Add stared at the rupture in s.p.a.ce while s.h.i.+vering from the sense wanting to throw up.

Why…..didn’t he think about the final variable?

160

It’s strange. It’s totally strange. Come to think of it, Add had worried and agonized so much about

turning this Velder Liberation mission into a success. But there was a name that he hadn’t thought

about even once through all of this.

D.

The person that tenaciously tried to destroy Eve. The person that was mentioned infrequently

amongst the demons. If the battle in Velder was a final decisive showdown, then he should have

obviously prepared to fight against this foe as well.

But he didn’t. He hadn’t thought about it. He didn’t think about that part. He purposely cut off that

line of thought as if he shouldn’t think about it.

He stopped thinking about it after some point.

“Ah…….”

Something came up his throat. As Add kept suppressing his scream, the El Search Party all looked at

him worriedly. But Add couldn’t avert his eyes from the rupture in s.p.a.ce.

Why, just why….. Just when did he stop thinking about D?

Add had always prepared by coming up with an elaborate plan. But he didn’t even consider D. This

didn’t make sense.

It didn’t make sense but it actually happened. Why did it happen?

The answer was simple. It was the opposite of how he knew the names and abilities of the demons

he met for the first time. How he knew things he shouldn’t have. He wanted to ignore something he

already knew.

He didn’t want to think about it.

Because that was…..

Cras.h.!.+

s.p.a.ce shattered then answer to Add’s question appeared. It appeared by breaking through the s.p.a.ce

and finally showed itself to the world. While everyone was in middle of being appalled and stared at

the waving light purple hair……Add screamed.

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“A………”

That was Downfall

That was Destruction

That was Despair

That was Darkness

That was Death

That was Destiny

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

Why did he fail for more than 20 million times? Who thwarted him? Who plotted all of this? Who

tried to destroy Eve? Who tried to wipe out the El Serch Party from this world?

Who created this broken world, this Dystopia?

Who committed all of these sins? The answer appeared before their eyes.

That was the devil, Diablo!!!