"Freeman, thank you."
"Haha, it's nothing. Let's get out of this damn place. Wherever we go, at least I can keep you safe."
Marsha was taken aback by the unexpected words. Then she realized the time had come and said sadly:
"Freeman, I'm sorry. I'm the only one who will leave."
"I won't take you with me."
"What's this? Why? What's a woman going to do alone? The outside world is dangerous."
"I'll be fine. I feel like I can handle anything now."
"No! I don't agree! I'll follow you. You can't go alone."
Marsha thought one last time. But no matter how much she thought, she couldn't figure out a way to take him with her.
Freeman had a family.
Although his father wasn't much different from her abusive stepfather, he was still his real father, with whom he shared blood.
"Freeman, I don't love you."
Freeman's face flushed at Marsha's blunt words.
"What do you mean all of a sudden?"
"You're a good friend. But I'll never accept you as a man. It would be a shame if you followed me. I can marry another man."
Freeman felt his heart tearing apart. That's cruel. That's cruel, Marsha.
How could she say that at a time like this? This could be the last time they see each other.
Freeman clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
That's it, Marsha. Even if he stayed by her side, he would only end up hurting himself.
"I don't care. I'll still go with you. I don't want to live listening to insults from my alcoholic father. It's my choice."
Marsha was enraged. She was so frustrated with Freeman's frustrating personality that it drove her crazy.
"Idiot! Why can't you understand what I'm saying? I don't like you!"
"So what? If you don't want to like me, then don't! I'll still love you! You can marry another man, have a child, I don't care! I like what I like, that's it! You don't have the right to say anything about it!"
Marsha shouted back.
"Oh, really? Fine. Look at me for the rest of your life, then grow old and die single. Shall I tell you the truth? You following me is a burden. When will I stop having to take care of a coward like you who can't even kill an ant? It just makes things harder for me!"
"I'm not a coward! I'll protect you!"
"Then, how will you protect me? What can you do?"
"Euaaaa!"
Freeman screamed at the ground. Then he grabbed a sharp stone and began scraping his eyebrows.
Marsha was startled and stopped Freeman.
"What are you doing, idiot!"
"Let go! I said let go!"
Freeman was stubborn.
The sound of the skin being peeled made Marsha shudder. She looked at the horrifying sight in disbelief.
Freeman kept scratching until his eyebrows were completely gone, then threw the stone to the ground. His face, now covered in blood, resembled Sura's.
"How is it? Does this make me look terrifying? The reason I was a coward was because of my eyebrows. Now no one will mess with me. So, I won't be a burden to you."
"Are you… out of your mind?"
Marsha was so surprised she was speechless. But Freeman was sincere.
His severe expression with the shaved eyebrows was definitely intimidating, but in reality, he had the saddest face in the world.
"I'll become stronger. I'll become stronger no matter what. So, can't you just stay by my side? I'll never ask you to like me, so can't you let me accompany you?"
"You… Ugh, idiot."
Marsha let out a deep sigh. She thought this shouldn't happen, but even that feeling was dispelled by her sigh.
"Marsha."
Freeman's eyes lit up. His face, once disfigured by burns, had completely recovered.
How much time had passed? It might be already too late. But he had to leave. Because he promised. Until Marsha died, not even his life was his own.
"I'm coming. Wait for me."
The energy spent coming back from the edge of life or death was enormous. His body felt heavy and his legs had no strength.
But Freeman kept walking without stopping.
***
Amy gritted her teeth and ran uphill. Her mental state had recovered enough to think, but it was still difficult to cast magic.
However, she couldn't afford to reduce her pace. The battle wasn't over yet. She had dealt with Freeman, but there was still another formidable enemy named Falkoa.
"Ugh! Just a little more!"
As the destination came into view, Amy increased her speed even further. And the moment she finally reached the top of the hill, she was met with an unexpected sight, and her eyes widened.
Rian, who looked completely devastated, was holding Falkoa from behind.
But the reason why Amy was surprised was different.
It was because Tess was running at full speed, stabbing Falkoa with her rapier.
Tess's eyes were fiercer than ever. If this continued, even Rian would be impaled by her rapier. However, the two seemed to have already reached a silent agreement and showed no hesitation at all.
Finally, Tess's blade pierced Falkoa. Rian's pupils dilated, and his shoulders tensed.
A moment later, blood gushed from Rian's mouth.
***
20 minutes before Amy arrived.
Falkoa's attack was the epitome of ostentation. But it was not a demonstration of technique; It was a bestial brutality.
Rian couldn't even think of techniques. Just enduring the shock had exhausted him to his limits.
Falkoa found an opening and slashed Rian's thigh.
He heard Tess' voice shouting his name. Rian endured better than expected, but now that the lower part of his body had been hit, he had essentially lost half of his strength.
Tess, enraged by her friend's wounds, attempted to attack. However, Falkoa truly deserved to be called a battlefield demon.
Most of his movements focused on attacking, as if it didn't matter where he was hurt as long as he didn't die.
Paradoxically, Tess' attack frequency decreased. It was a moment that proved the old saying that the best defense is a good offense.
As the battle progressed, the number of scratches on Rian and Tess' bodies increased. They had avoided fatal wounds, but after ten minutes, their bodies were nearly like rags.
"Hahaha! Is it over now? It was fun for the first time in a long while."
Ignoring Falkoa's words, Tess looked at Rian, who was struggling to breathe.
"Rian, are you okay?"
"Yes, I can endure. How about you?"
Tess couldn't keep speaking, and her eyes filled with tears. What does "I can endure" mean? Signify? Falkoa's sword marks were clearly engraved all over her body.
It was the first time she felt so frustrated. What right did that jerk have to hurt Rian?
Tess tightly gripped the handle of her rapier. She intended to cut Falkoa's neck, even if it meant risking her life.
"Yaaaah!"
Tess rushed forward, drawing her rapier close to her body. It was a unique charging posture of the Elzaine family.
However, the power gap couldn't be filled by will alone.
Tess' charging speed was incredibly fast, but Falkoa was retreating at an even faster pace.
As he widened the distance, his intent became clear at a glance. Falkoa, with a perversely twisted mouth, suddenly kicked the ground and charged forward. And with gentle skill, he deflected Tess' rapier thrust.
"Hey!"
Falkoa approached Tess from the side and struck her ribs with his knee. Tess' breath momentarily caught as her lungs were crushed.
"Kekek, not bad. But you're still inexperienced."
Falkoa's longsword descended upon Tess.
Tess felt time slow down. The path of the descending sword to sever her head was clearly visible.
But she couldn't move. As time slowed, her body slowed as well.
'Sorry… Rian. At least I wanted to strike back.'
At that moment, Rian charged like a bull and attacked Falkoa.
"Euaaaaa!"
Falkoa's legs floated in the air. But Rian's entry was a failure. With a terrifying balance even in the air, Falkoa landed, grabbed Rian by the nape, and knelt him down.
"Keok!"
The shock pierced through his solar plexus, passed through his stomach, and exited through his back.
Is this the combat ability of a demon who has lived for war? It seemed that Falkoa couldn't be shaken in any way.
"Don't worry. Don't worry, I'll take good care of your woman."
Rian's consciousness, which had been fading, returned. Although they often argued, Tess was a good friend. Someone he respected and acknowledged as a knight.
"For a bastard like you…"
Rian grabbed Falkoa's neck and pulled with fierce strength.
"I can't hand over my friend to scum like you!"
"Keuek!"
Falkoa was bewildered even as Rian dragged him as if he had been caught in a wave. He knew Rian was strong, but it wasn't enough to match his scheme.
But where did this sudden strength come from?
Rian went behind Falkoa and used wrestling techniques. When he slipped his arm under Falkoa's armpits, Falkoa's arms floated up, and he couldn't wield his sword.
"You bastard!"
Falkoa flexed his back muscle and lowered his arms. Rian's nose twisted. His body screamed as if a rope had been tied around his shoulders and horses were pulling him.
"Kueueueu!"
But Falkoa couldn't free himself.
It was definitely odd. No one he had faced in battle had more strength than him. But how could such power be achieved?
Rian went into a wrestling hold behind Falkoa. As he put his arm underneath Falkoa's armpits, Falkoa's arms floated upwards, making it impossible for him to brandish his sword.
"Damn it! Let me go, brat!"
"Haha! Try to escape. This is what imagination scheme is, you damn fool."
Mages train their minds, swordsmen with swords train their bodies. But even for the sword warrior, whose main goal is physical improvement, there is a closely related mental aspect.
It was the brain.
Perhaps thoughts also affect the body?
Although there are only a small number of Schema users, some Schema users dedicate their lives to Brain Schemas.
Rian didn't know it, but the name "Imagination Scheme" was also coined by them.
Does the idea of not releasing Falkoa affect his body? If so, does the effect vary depending on the intensity of thought?
If all this is possible, if there are no limits to thoughts, how much can the effect be amplified if thoughts are strengthened to the extreme?
Rian thought he shouldn't move. He issued a specific directive to his body, locking it in place.
A kind of mental block.
It is a well-established belief that the imaginary scheme is not a scheme, but there was no other explanation for Rian's incredible current strength.
"Aaaargh! Let me go! I said let me go, brat!"
Falkoa thrashed his body like crazy. It didn't feel like he was being held by a living being. Rian's body was as if it had petrified, not moving an inch.
"Tess! Stab him!"
"B-But…"
Tess realized what Rian was saying. It was a rational decision. There would be no other chance to defeat Falkoa if not now.
But Tess couldn't make a decision. Killing Rian. Even if she died with him, she wouldn't dare to stab him with her own hands.
"Rian…"
"Euaaa! Hurry! I can't hold on much longer!"
Warning signals came from various parts of Rian's body. The body was 100% following the instructions given by the mind, but its limitations were clear. If Falkoa escaped, it would probably be after Rian's body was shattered.
"Tess! Do it quickly!"
"Yaaaaah!"
Tess left crying. Rian was risking his life to fulfill his task. If she had missed the right moment due to foolish emotions, it would have been like turning Rian into a fool.
It was at that moment when Amy arrived.
"Tess! No!"