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Crack, clatter!

I clung tightly to my sanity amidst the raging tide of information, desperate not to be swept away. It felt as though I was becoming someone else entirely. The sensation of my soul being whisked away is something one could never truly imagine without experiencing it firsthand.

The throbbing headache that pounded mercilessly at my skull made fainting seem almost welcome, but I couldn’t afford the luxury of losing consciousness. Who’s to say that the me who awakens after fainting would be the same as the me now? Of course, I might not even get a chance to wake up if Eden has his way.

Thus, I planted one thought firmly in my mind as I moved forward: I will save Selian. Even if it seems impossible, I will not stop.

Like when I first awakened as a Hero… no, it’s more than that. I will surpass that.

Those ten steps that seemed so far away shrank down to mere ten steps. With each step, Eden’s spider legs inched closer to Selian, but just before the last ten steps, my hand reached her first.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close, and halted my steps. However, while all the other legs flailed uselessly in the air and against the ground, one leg aimed straight for Selian’s heart, boldly piercing through to reach us.

Swish!

Since it tracked my movements, I rewarded its persistence by swinging my sword. Just moments ago, those spider legs had been swatting at me, but with one swing of my sword, they parted neatly, leaving a clean cut.

One sharp-clawed spider leg fell to the ground with a thud and then quickly disintegrated into ashes, unable to withstand the holy power of the Holy Sword.

“Ugh…!”

Eden seemed surprised by the sudden turn of events. He could only stand there, watching the green goo leaking from the severed leg, unable to attack us recklessly.

“Ely…?”

As I prepared for a follow-up, Selian’s voice whispered in my ear. Still facing Eden, I turned my head to check on her.

Perhaps it was because I unconsciously pulled her in tightly, but her face was now as red as a ripe tomato. Maybe it was because my hand was resting on her sensitive waist.

Regardless, there was no reason to keep holding her any longer, so I quickly removed my hand from her waist and let her go.

“Ah….”

Once she finally caught her breath, Selian let out a small gasp as she pulled away from me.

“Um… Ely, could it be…?”

“Let’s deal with him first.”

I cut off Selian’s words, sensing her realization of the situation, and turned my attention back to Eden. I had so much to say to Selian since we’d finally reunited, but the situation just wasn’t right for chit-chat.

Eden and the Demonic Race attacking the city demanded my full attention. To reduce the casualties, I needed to take Eden down first.

Knowing this, Selian quietly raised her sword again, preparing for action.

“Just like before, let’s do this again. I’ll attack.”

Selian’s current sword couldn’t pierce Eden’s skin. Though it could be that only the spider legs were exceptionally tough, I figured it was best for me to take the lead.

If Selian was in agreement, she said nothing and stood beside me, just like before.

From the severed spider leg, new claws began sprouting, and once again, all the spider legs charged at us with renewed fury. As if they hadn’t been holding back before, they came at us faster and stronger.

But it didn’t matter. We had also grown faster and stronger.

Sure, it was only me that had changed, but that was enough. I could keep up with Selian’s movements and not interfere with her. Instead, since she was struggling to keep pace with me, I restrained myself from going all-out.

Instead, I used the momentum to pull out a ballpoint pen from my pocket and hurled it toward Eden.

Crunch!

Of course, it was nothing more than an ordinary pen, and it crumbled to dust on impact due to my throw and the aura I packed inside it. But it was enough to perfectly hit the core of Eden’s magic circle that he was drawing in the air, shattering it.

One, two, three, four… By trusting Selian and disregarding defense, I launched myself solely into attack. Eden’s spider legs could no longer withstand my sword and began to drop to the ground. The surrounding area was now a mess, oozing with the fluids from the severed legs.

As I pressed the attack alongside Selian, it felt like a lie that we had been in danger just moments ago. If I were alone, I would have struggled to manage so easily. Even when Selian regained her full strength, she wouldn’t have been able to handle it alone. But together, we could do it.

“Ugh! What the…!”

His previously calm expression turned to confusion. But unlike Eden, who had been so relaxed, we were not so kindly disposed to give him a moment of respite.

The last remaining pairs of spider legs flailed as Eden, having lost half his legs in an instant, staggered back in panic, but his originally weak arms and legs were still not enough, and he retreated just a few steps.

“Ely!”

After cutting off one more pair of legs, Selian took out the last remaining pair. Eden’s form became fully visible behind the jagged edges of the spider legs.

I sprinted across the empty space, closing the distance. As he flailed his arms, trying to shake me off, he stood no chance against me.

When I reached him, I raised my sword high. That position of hers was something I had seen countless times over the years.

Not a single detail was out of place.

Just as she had split Eden’s flame, my sword came crashing down, leaving a trail.

My sword pointed down toward the ground, and Eden’s struggling arms waved helplessly.

But even though his biological signals remained, there was no will left in those flailing arms.

Once he lost his strength, his body split down the middle and fell to the ground with a thud. He left no corpse behind.

His body blazed fiercely in holy flames, consumed entirely.

Considering his strength and the way he had pressed us earlier, his end felt all too abrupt and hollow.

“Ely… The memories…”

As Selian approached me slowly, confirming that the battle had ended, she spoke.

Her eyes held countless emotions.

Worry, relief, longing, joy, sadness, and happiness… So many feelings were packed within her little gaze.

“Yeah…”

Just as she said, all my memories flooded back.

This must be the true power of a Hero. Thanks to it, I could break free from the kind of brainwashing magic that had confined me.

Recalling the past… when I was Zeno Frentz as a child brought no headache. Instead, everything was so vividly clear as if it had happened just last night.

Yes.

When I was young, lying awake in fear of the thunder crashing outside, my older sister would lie next to me, holding my hand tightly, reassuring me. We would laugh every time I flinched at the sound together.

Chasing after my two-years-older sister’s footsteps, even if I stumbled and cried, she would reach out a hand, lifting me up, and we would walk side by side. That would bring me joy, and we’d end up tumbling together again, crying once more.

When our pet dog passed away, I faced death for the first time and sobbed uncontrollably, fearing goodbye. She would come and hug me close, promising to always be by my side, while knowing her tears dripped down my cheek.

She always said she would stay by my side, but when I vanished suddenly, how scared, pained, and sad had that delicate little girl felt?

What had that innocent girl done to deserve death at the hands of the Demonic Race?

If only there had been no Demonic Race, if the Black Moon hadn’t abducted me, if I hadn’t been taken…

If only those things had been different, my sister wouldn’t have to suffer, and the House Frentz wouldn’t have fallen.

“Well then, let’s hurry and find Yuli and Anne.”

Selian spoke to me, who was lost in my thoughts.

Right. I need to go save Yuli, Anne, Frecia, and many others. Because that’s what I saw in you, Selian; that’s the form of a Hero. But…

“I’m sorry, Sel.”

I cannot go with you.