Cloudy smoke raised from the burning tents. The crackling sound of the blaze roared through the entire area, as well as the burnt smell of organic matters that stung my nose, inducing despair and fear to my already crumbling heart.
"This place really hides a lot of surprises, doesn't it?"
This man… This very man, who stood in front of me doing something so inhumane despite being a human himself, only smirked.
"E-Enna… Run…"
The one who was strangled by this man's hand turned her head and spoke to me in a suffocating voice. She was also holding my spear on her chest tightly, ignoring her own circumstances.
"You still have energy for that?", the man stopped smirking and turned his gaze at her. "Then how about thi—"
I dashed towards that man before he was done talking. My body moved on its own to snatch Gia from that man's grip. A lot of warnings popped up inside my head, but at that time, I was too blinded to see and think anything through.
"Let go of her…", I grabbed that man's hand. "Do it now or else you'll be seeing your arm fly away…"
The man only looked at me in bewilderment. He didn't say anything and just let go of his grip obediently. I took Gia away and distanced ourselves from him.
"... This is it… At last I found you…"
The man staggered while looking at us with his nasty and disgusting eyes. I felt like being stripped naked by him and it sent chills down my spine.
[You're being appraised…]
Bona's voice was hoarse, but I couldn't care less. My only priority was to save Gia, and that was all. I turned my gaze to Gia who was still holding my spear while coughing up blood from her mouth. She didn't look so good and by just a glance, I knew her condition wasn't good either. I laid her body down after wiping off the blood from her lips and chin.
"... En… na…"
She handed over my spear to me while smiling in pain.
"R… un…"
"Sorry…", I took my spear and smiled at her. "I'll be right back. Just rest here."
I had no time to check on other Nymphs and just assumed they were wiped out since no sound from them was heard. Blinded by rage and madness, I stood up as I ignored Gia's desperate warnings and pleas.
"Bona…", I clenched my fist and tightened my grip on my spear, Vermillion. "Distribute all my stat points into STR, AGI, and DEX."
[No! You should ru—]
"Bona!!!", I screamed and it made the man's eyes become nastier and clowney. "Just fucking do it and shut the fuck up."
[... Done.]
Without wasting any more time, I dashed towards that man while thrusting my spear wildly. My field of vision was so red and only focused on that man alone. I got no time to think and plan everything.
"Die!!!"
That man dodged my thrust easily and everything went in slow motion for me. I saw him smirking at me in the split second our eyes met. I went past him and turned my body back immediately just to find him laughing like a maniac.
"I found you! I found you! I found you! The Little Demon Queen! Ahahahahahah!!!"
I squinted my eyes and made another stance to prepare to attack him again.
"Ah… This is interesting! I never knew the rumor was actually true! You reall—"
I dashed towards him again and once more, he dodged it easily.
"... Hey, I'm not done talking…", his expression changed and he vanished in an instant. "I'll be needing to teach you some manners first before taking you to the surface…"
That man suddenly appeared on my right side and punched me right in the solar plexus. I could feel my intestines squirming in pain as I coughed up a little bit of blood from my mouth and nose. My body was blown away by the impact.
"Grrrkh…!!!"
I landed on my back and rolled 3 times until my back hit the pillar of the entrance gate and made a loud crashing sound. A lot of memories from my past lives flashed in my mind but I ignored that. I crouched on my knees while staggering.
"You took that blow directly and didn't pass out?", that man approached slowly. "Educating you would take a lot of time then…"
Again, he vanished and appeared in front of me. I couldn't respond in time and just raised my spear to parry his attacks. Just a moment before his punch landed on my face, he stopped his arm and flinched. He retracted his body and distanced himself from me.
"Tsk. Why would you contact me at a time like this!? Don't you see I'm still having fun!?"
He shouted and went mad as if he was talking to something invisible.
[He's talking to his benefactor…]
Bona's voice popped up in my head. My consciousness was fading so I couldn't hear it as clearly as it should be. The only thing I knew was that it was a chance to flee from that place.
"Urk…"
I crawled towards Gia's place as quickly as I could while that man was still busy talking to himself. After struggling for like an eternity, I reached Gia who had already lost consciousness. I used my spear as a support while carrying Gia on my back.
"Oi…", the man shouted. "Where do you think you're going, huh?"
I flinched and turned my head back towards his direction. His expression was of someone who was looking at a crawling bug. I couldn't stand that humiliation but I had no choice. Gia and my safety was much more important.
"No answer, huh?"
He vanished and appeared again in front of me. He then kicked me along with Gia on my back. His kick wasn't that strong but due to my own wounds, it was enough to make me drop Gia and crawl in four.
"Tsk. If only that senile old God didn't order me I would've taken you to the surface. You'll be a nice plaything for me.", that man spat on my face. "Just be grateful that this great Sigfried has lost his interest in you."
He walked towards the biggest tent, Lilith's place. Not long after, he came out while holding a gigantic sword smeared red in blood and a beheaded twin-horned head. Both of those objects were too familiar for me.
"No… No… Where are you going!?"
I came to my senses and realized everything wasn't a nightmare. I tried getting up but my body wouldn't listen. That man continued walking away and turned his head to me.
"I'll be taking these, Little Demon Queen. Ah, or should I call you Enna? Hahaha."
"I'll remember your name! I swear one day I'll kill you! No, all humans must die!"
With the last ounce of my energy, I cursed at him and all mankind.
"Heh…", he sneered. "We'll be waiting then. But before that, don't let that friend of yours rot away like that. Hahahaha!"
He then vanished in the distance, leaving me who couldn't do anything to stop him. My consciousness was fading away but I struggled not to pass out since I knew I still had something to do. I tried raising my body again and crawling was the best I could afford at the moment.
"Gia…"
I crawled towards her and when I arrived, I checked her condition. She wasn't breathing and that fact alone made me want to give up. I had seen lots of deaths and by-gones and I knew I should've been used to this kind of thing. Well, I had been used to this kind of thing in my past lives, but after I developed sympathy, why did I feel more vulnerable than before?
"Bona… Take out that 'thing'.", I ordered Bona in desperation.
[But you're the one who should consume that! You really need that thing, Farenna!]
"Please…", I was on the verge of crying and begged Bona. "I don't wanna lose anything anymore…"
[...]
The next moment, a black sphere appeared in front of me. I took it and put it inside my mouth. I started chewing it and when it became soft and mixed with my saliva, I put my lips on Gia's, trying to make her swallow it.
"Ugh… Please, just this once! Please, work out!"
Tears ran down my cheeks as I blew Gia's mouth as gently as I could. I knew I might look desperate but I had no choice. At least I had to save her at all cost, that was all I could think, ignoring the pain I felt from my wounds.
"..."
There was still no response from Gia. I tried checking her pulse but I could feel nothing.
"Uuuuu…"
I almost cried and gave up when Gia coughed blood all of sudden. Seeing that miracle happen in front of me, I couldn't hold back my tears and hugged her. She then opened her eyes and spoke in a soft and raspy voice.
"Enna…", she placed her hand on my head and stroked my hair gently. "I'm okay… Please, don't cry…"
Without saying anything, I let myself break down. But this time, I wouldn't say I was being pathetic.
———————
Status
———————
Name : Farenna
Race : Lv. 38/100 Calamity Nymph (EX)
Status : Unsealed, Enraged, Heavily Wounded
Sync. Rate: 20.01%
———————
HP: 50/1400 MP: 700/900
SP: 15/1200
———————
STR : 218 LUK : 15
AGI : 226 DEX : 221
INT : 42 VIT : 43
Unallocated pts: 0
Bonus pts: 0
———————
*[Black "Philosopher" Stone.
Rarity: EX
A magical stone created by compressing countless living things' blood into one spherical marble. It is said to be able to resurrect even the dead. When consumed by a living organism, the consumer is believed to gain an endless source of energy, repair all the damages and wounds, as well as be given the trait "Immortality".]