The room dimly lit by Rosan's magic was beginning to darken again, its effects slowly fading from this world. I couldn't believe Rosan sacrificed herself for me—or rather, for Naoki.
Even though I hadn't been with her for long time, but the memories flowing into me from Naoki made it clear. Naoki had spent so much time with Rosan and relied on him deeply. And Rosan, in turn, cared for Naoki just as much.
Anger welled up inside me, threatening to overflow. I couldn't accept this. Maybe these feelings were influencing Envi as well, pushing him out of control. Sharing the same body, I could feel the sheer magnitude of his rage toward Canis.
Sensing this, I decided to calm myself first within the system's inner space. I needed to pacify Envi before things spiraled further. Fighting with unbridled anger would only lead to defeat.
Suddenly, a notification alerted me to the awakening of Naoki's Dark Magic. I figured it might be because Naoki was a descendant of the Blackmore clan—its founder known for wielding Dark Magic.
But something was off. This seemed to be consuming Naoki's body, now under Envi's control, while further fanning the flames of his rage.
"You damn monster! I'LL KILL YOU!!" Envi roared at Canis, his eyes ablaze with fury.
He lunged at Canis, preparing to strike. Unconsciously, Envi activated
This skill unleashed a massive shadow slash with destructive properties, quite different from the aura-based slash of Dark Magic.
The attack hit Canis! I couldn't believe it—he was wounded. Canis, who was impervious to both physical and magical attacks, could actually be hurt by magic of the same element. Dark Magic's consuming nature seemed to clash violently with other darkness-based powers. The stronger the darkness, the more it devours others.
Canis howled in pain, then counterattacked, launching a relentless combo of claw swipes and bites at Envi.
Envi, his katana coated in dark magic, used to parry Canis's assaults. Their fierce exchange continued, neither relenting.
But I realized the more Envi relied on Dark Magic, the more he lost himself. This was akin to the power wielded by demons. Perhaps this was why Dark Magic was so rare among humans.
I screamed, trying to reach Envi.
"ENVI! Stop using so much! It's dangerous—it'll make you lose control!" I shouted from within the system's space, but he ignored me completely.
It was becoming harder to wrest back control of Naoki's body with Envi in this state.
The battle between Envi and Canis raged on. Envi once again channeled Dark Magic, this time with even greater intensity. He unleashed
Crack!
Unbeknownst to us, the attack shattered Canis's
Now free from the skill's effects, I noticed Vivin and Elan staring in horror at Rosan, who lay motionless on the ground, her abdomen horribly wounded. Freya and Lyra stood frozen, speechless. They had assumed Naoki and Rosan had defeated Canis—but they were wrong.
Vivin and Elan hurriedly carried Rosan away to safety.
"Lyra-sama!" Vivin cried out, her voice shaking. She pleaded, turning to Lyra, "please use the same healing magic Rosan used for Alan... I beg you..." Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees.
Elan, usually so composed, was openly weeping. "Lyra-sama, please! Save Rosan... save my best friend," she sobbed.
Lyra, clearly panicking, hesitated. I knew she lacked the experience to perform such advanced magic. Yet, I saw determination harden in her eyes as she spoke.
"I've never tried this before... I'm still learning... I don't even know if it will work... But I HAVE TO TRY!" she shouted, her voice firm.
She raised her staff, her voice resolute as she began chanting.
"Oh, goddess of healing, grant me the strength to save a thousand lives—the power to protect the gift of life you have bestowed. !"
A radiant healing light enveloped them, shining brilliantly in all directions.
...
The battle against Canis was relentless, a desperate struggle that tested every ounce of my resolve. Even after taking Envi's brutal
I knew it. At this rate, Envi would exhaust himself long before Canis fell. His body, already strained by the corrosive effects of Dark Magic, wouldn't hold out much longer.
As Canis rose again, ready to unleash another attack, Freya, Elan, and Vivin joined the fray. They left Rosan in Lyra's care as she struggled to heal him. But Envi, consumed by his rage and the dark power fueling him, screamed at them.
"STAY OUT OF THIS! I'LL KILL THIS DAMNED WOLF MYSELF!!"
His voice, laced with fury, startled them. They hesitated, frozen by his overwhelming presence.
Canis launched his next assault, a massive, a spell I remembered too well. It was the same spell he had stolen from the demon he devoured, the one that nearly annihilated all of us.
"Naoki-dono, watch out!!" Freya screamed.
"Master Naoki!!!" Elan and Vivin's voices rang out, panic clear in their cries.
In that critical moment, Envi countered with
But the sight of Naoki using Dark Magic shocked the others. Their disbelief was written all over their faces.
"Ma-Master Naoki… is that really you?" Vivin's voice quivered with fear and concern.
Envi ignored her. His rage blinded him as he lunged at Canis again, his strikes becoming wilder, less accurate. His exhaustion showed, yet he pressed on, his fury driving him past his limits.
I watched, helpless from within, as he prepared to use once more. This time, Canis dodged, the attack grazing his arm but failing to land a decisive blow.
"HEY STUPID SYSTEM WAKE UP!! this is pointless! At this rate, we'll lose!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the haze in our shared mind. "You're just flailing wildly! What's the difference between you and a boar in rut?!"
"GRRRR!!" Envi growled back, his response more primal than coherent. The Dark Magic consuming him had dulled his reason.
"Listen to me!" I pleaded desperately. "Stop using Dark Magic! It's not enough to defeat Canis! He's practically immortal!"
Envi growled again, resisting my words.
"Let me take over! Let me handle this, Envi. I can win!"
My voice softened as I appealed to him. "Rosan wouldn't want to see Naoki like this… Trust me, partner."
At last, my words seemed to reach him. The flames of his rage began to dim, the grip of loosening.
"You're right, Nao… I'll leave it to you," he murmured, his voice tinged with sorrow.
With that, we switched places. I took control of Naoki's body, the weight of the battle settling heavily on my shoulders. Turning to the others, I called out to them.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier… Let's work together and take this monster down!"
Relief washed over Freya, Elan, and Vivin as they nodded. They quickly sprang into action, each preparing to support me in their own way.
"Slow Canis down for me!" I instructed.
Charging ahead, I engaged Canis with precise strikes using skills
Vivin followed up with
Elan hurled a magical dagger that transformed into a binding net, temporarily restraining Canis.
Seizing the opportunity, I began channeling
He roared, activating
Within the void, I saw terrifying visions—giant shadowy wings descending from the sky, obliterating everything. People united to fight it, only to fall one by one.
The oppressive images sapped my strength, my will crumbling.
"No…" I whispered. "Not like this…"
Just as I was about to succumb, a voice pierced the darkness.
"NAO! DON'T GIVE UP! YOU NEED TO SAVE YOUR MOTHER, RIGHT?! AND ROSAN—DON'T LET HER SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN!"
Envi's shout snapped me back to reality.
"Envi…" I murmured, his words rekindling my determination.
To break free of the illusion, I drove my katana into my own thigh. Pain shot through me, shattering the spell. My sight cleared, and I refocused on the battle.
Canis broke free of Elan's binding and melted into the shadows, attacking from every direction.
CLANG! CLANG! SLASH!
I parried what I could, but his relentless assault tore into me. My HP plummeted—2000, 1900, 1800… I was barely holding on.
Then Canis lunged, his fangs sinking into my shoulder.
"AAARGHHH!" I screamed, as a critical hit dropped my HP to 600, then 500…
400…
300…
200...
"Mom…" I whispered.
Suddenly a notification blared in my mind:
--------
[!!! NOTIFICATION !!!]
Quest failed. You have been defeated by Canis.
Penalty applied: Takahiro Ayase will die.
--------
Was this… the end?
...
...