Pain.
All I can feel is excruciating pain.
My vision blurs into a foggy haze as the world around me dissolves into a swirling void of impenetrable darkness.
I can't lift my head or draw a proper breath without waves of relentless pain surging through my body.
"Hegh, Blergh."
I choke out a spurt of dark, viscous blood, which splatters violently onto the ground.
A foreboding darkness descended upon me.
"You're quite a resilient one, I must say. To stay awake with your body looking like that is quite impressive!"
The Jester's mocking tone is punctuated by the sharp, sickening sound of his hands clapping. Before I can react, an unbearable pressure crushes my left arm into mangled fragments.
A throat-ripping scream escaped my lips
The sound of breaking bone and tearing flesh fills my ears, merging with the shrill cry of agony that escapes my lips. My consciousness is slipping away, the edges of my awareness fraying into oblivion.
"YES! Suffer! Suffer more for my amusement!"
'...this bastard.'
"Putui."
I muster the strength to spit a thin stream of blood onto the Jester's polished shoes.
The Jester frowned, his displeasure evident as he spoke in a cold tone.
"...You dirtied my shoes."
Another jolt of searing pain rips through my thighs, causing my vision to pulse with each agonizing throb.
"..."
'I wonder how horrendous I look right now.'
Amidst the torment, an unexpected sense of calm washes over me. It's strange—my final thought is not one of hatred but of serene acceptance.
In an instant, the Jester's figure blurs as he dodges a blinding flash of light cutting through the darkness.
The main character of this game has appeared.
'Look who decided to show up… but it won't change anything. He was far too weak.'
Then I glared at the Jester and activated 'Appraisal.'
[ Status ]
Name: Cole Valthar
Age: 32
Rank: S
Strength: S-
Agility: S
Stamina: S-
Intelligence: S
Mana: S+
Luck: A
Charm: B
-> Profession
[Master Trickster]
'...'
Two figures appeared in front of me, one was frantically speaking and the other was trying to pour potions down my throat.
"Quick, administer some potions to her now!"
Aldric's voice trembles with urgency.
"I'm trying, but the wounds have demonic mana in them... it's not working!"
Liora's frustration seeps through her words.
'Right, demonic mana can only be cleansed by the holy powers of a high-ranked priest.'
"What do we do, Liora? You're a princess, you must have something, right? Anything!"
Aldric's desperation is palpable.
"All I have are protection artifacts and money! I wasn't prepared for this... I didn't think...,"
Liora's voice wavers, fear creeping in.
'Why are they arguing in front of me?'"
Boom
The hero is launched into the wall, suffering as I did, despite all his abilities and the Holy Sword. He is unfortunately unable to keep up with the Jester.
Looking at this state, he is going to die if I don't interfere.
'I have to do something...'
"You two, help me up,"
I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper, pain stinging my entire body.
"How can you be talking right now? You need to lie down quickly,"
Liora protests, her voice shaky with worry.
Then the Jester launched another kick towards Ryder.
'This doesn't look too good.'
"Aldric, go help Ryder now,"
I commanded, while glancing at Ryder, who's being beaten into a pulp.
"…Fine. Stay safe,"
Aldric reluctantly agrees, summoning his sword and charging into the battle
The hotel lobby is littered with signs of chaos everywhere—sword slashes, crumbling walls, and countless other signs of destruction.
Aldric rushes toward the Jester, his sword gleaming with a fierce light as he channels all his strength and speed into the charge. But just as he closes the distance, the Jester's mocking grin widens. With a flick of his wrist, a wave of invisible force erupts from him.
Aldric is lifted off his feet, his momentum halted instantly. His body is hurled backward through the air, crashing through a series of crumbling walls and landing with a bone-jarring thud. Dust and debris swirl around his crumpled form as he groans in pain.
"Ahahaha, to think such talented kids appeared right in front of me! What a lucky day for me! But to think all four of you can resist my mental attacks, what a terrifying yet exciting generation this is!"
The Jester laughs maniacally.
While the Jester continued his sadistic display, Liora was frantically feeding me recovery potions. Despite her desperate efforts, the effects of the potions were minimal, barely making a dent against the overwhelming force of the demonic energy coursing through my wounds.
"...You can stop now."
I barely managed to speak, blood gushing from my mouth.
Liora is on the verge of tears.
She stops, knowing she can't help me, yet she tries.
"Help me up."
"..."
"Please."
Liora helps me up slowly, pain surging through my body with every movement.
'I hope this works.'
I place my bet on [Sovereign's Path].
As I activate the skill, the surrounding chaos melts into serene calm, the world freezing into stillness as a sense of boundless power envelops me
---
Ryder's Pov
"Ugh."
The strike crashes into me with a staggering force, leaving me reeling. My thoughts falter as I try to fathom the immense strength of my opponent.
'What made Alyssa think I could stall this monster long enough for reinforcements to arrive?'
In a sudden burst of blinding light, I barely have time to react before a vicious kick pierces through my defense and slams into my forearm.
The impact sends me crashing against the wall, crumpled and gasping for air as the Jester approaches with an eerie, mocking gait.
"So you are the hero, eh? Quite weak for one, I must say."
His derisive tone cuts through the pain, making me clench my fist in defiance.
Yet, every muscle in my body screams under the oppressive pressure that feels as though it could flatten mountains.
'This guy was just toying with me.'
The clown's lips curl into a twisted grin as he surveys his handiwork.
"Hmm, I want to play a little longer, but I suppose I must kill you now. See you!"
With a flourish, he clasps his hands together. When he opened them, a delicate pink flower unfurled, its petals shimmering with an unsettling glow.
"You know what this is? A special bomb created by me, a powerful one that can obliterate this entire building."
He waves the flower mockingly, his laughter echoing through the chamber.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he lets the flower fall. It drifts downward in slow motion, its descent marking the inevitable end.
'I guess this is the end.'
Out of nowhere, an overwhelming pressure disrupts the clown's presence.
His expression shifts from casual amusement to unease, as if sensing an impending threat.
From the shadows, a girl appears out of nowhere. Her presence is commanding, and with a swift motion, her fingertips reach out and snatch the flower from the air, defying the clown's original plan.
"..!"
"Alyssa..? How could you be moving?"
Her body was a mess of wounds, each one oozing demonic energy, but blood had stopped flowing. Her left arm dangled, a painful sight.
Despite her state, she stood before the Jester, emanating an aura so intense it struck fear even in me.
---
Alyssa's Pov
In a flash, I activated [Overdrive] and [Shinra's Steps], arriving in front of Ryder just in time to barely catch the flower.
'Everywhere the Jester goes, he leaves a flower bomb that can be denoted once upon touching a person's body that he set the mana frequency to.'
Since it's Ryder's mana frequency, the bomb shouldn't explode when I grabbed it.
Ryder then mumbled something inaudible to me, his voice was just a faint whisper amid my mind.
Gazing at the Jester's face now filled with fear brings me an unexpected thrill.
I looked down at the flower, and a daring plan crystallized in my mind.
If I do consume it, harnessing its condensed mana, I could unleash a power rivaling that of S-rank individuals.
However, this would come at a grave cost—potentially losing an arm in the process.
Yet, it was a risk I was willing to take if it meant surviving.
I fixed my eyes on the Jester, summoning every ounce of murderous intent I could muster. His pallid face betrayed his growing terror as he took a step back.
"...Who are you?"
He stammered, his voice laced with fear.
'Who am I? Someone who conquered the Nightmare Mode.'
I chuckled softly to myself.
I spoke with a playful edge, relishing the moment.
"Hey Jester, or should I say, …Cole Valthar?"
The Jester's eyes widened in shock upon hearing his real name
'This is quite amusing.'
"W-who are you?!"
He demanded, panic evident in his voice.
In a desperate attempt to regain control, the Jester unleashed his most powerful attack, striking me with a force that blasted me through the building and into the barrier they had set up.
Once I settled down upon hitting the barrier, I rose without a hint of pain and began to walk toward him once more with a casual stride.
"Are you done?"
I asked, my tone light and mocking.
The Jester's fear was palpable.
"Y-you, how can you be standing right now? No, no, how can you be smiling?"
'I'm smiling?'
I touched my lips with my right hand, feeling the curve of a grin.
Indeed, it seemed I was smiling.
'Fascinating.'
Glancing up, I saw the entire hotel enveloped in a massive mana barrier, casting the surroundings into an impenetrable darkness. The barrier blocked out even the moon's light.
'Heh, they've wasted a high-grade mana barrier meant to hold an SS-ranked individual for a while. And now it's all for nothing.'
I pushed the thought aside and continued walking, slipping the flower into my mouth but not swallowing it—yet.
It's astounding how incompetent this Jester is; he can't even control his own bomb once it's set up.
Summoning the training sword I had borrowed, I drew it slowly through the damp soil with each deliberate step, closing in on him
"G-get away from me!"
He screamed, his voice trembling.
He continued to unleash a barrage of high-level magic spells at me, yet they barely slowed my advance.
The area between the Jester and me was a chaotic battlefield—some sections were frozen, others were engulfed in flames, while parts melted away under the onslaught of demonic mana.
Blood trickled warmly down my face, blending with the metallic tang on my tongue, as I closed the distance, now just two meters from him.
"Are you done?"
I repeated, my tone still playful.
"Let's end this…"
In the blink of an eye, I activated [Shinra's Step] and [Distant Slash], swallowed the flower, and guided its excessive mana towards my left arm.
At that moment, the world was cleaved in two.
Slash—
---
Jester's Pov
'To think I subconsciously stepped back from a brat?'
'How could this be!?'
'Her speed... even I, ranked 8th tier, couldn't keep up. It was as if time itself slowed for her. How?'
"Who are you?"
The question escaped my lips, almost a plea. This presence—it was not just powerful; it was overwhelming, as if it belonged to someone who stood at the very summit of the continent's power.
"Hey Jester, or should I say, Cole Valthar?"
'What…?'
'How does she know that name? This isn't just dangerous—it's disastrous. The fact that she knows my real name means there's a serious breach. She's become a grave threat that must be eliminated. The battered hero on the ground pales in comparison against her threat level.'
Without a moment's hesitation, I unleashed my most powerful punch, a devastating blow meant to crush her spirit. I punched her through walls, sent her crashing through trees, and finally hurled her into the barrier.
I thought she'd be broken beyond recognition.
Yet, when I rushed over, the sight that met me was impossible.
She stood amid the wreckage, her body marred by deep scratches, blood streaming from her wounds. The damage was extensive—her clothes were torn, her skin was slashed, and yet she stood, a silhouette of a monster.
"You done?"
Her voice, devoid of warmth, cut through the chaos. It was chilling, a contrast to her battered appearance.
"Y-you, how are you standing? How can you be smiling?"
Despite her severe injuries, a disturbing grin spread across her face. Her left arm hung limply, looking like it could fall off at any moment. Her whole body had blood streaming from her newly made wounds.
'..how is she even moving? It shouldn't be humanly possible to move with those kinds of injuries!'
"G-get away from me!"
To think such words would ever exit from my lips.
"Are you done?"
'Is she mocking me? How dare she!'
I prepared to unleash a mana explosion with all I had left, but it was futile.
"Let's end this…"
'What is she—?'
In the next moment, my world was flipped upside down.