191 – We’re done for, Self-Destruct!
After Altea Bathory climbed atop the towering Gyro Drop, a brief lull ensued.
‘Damn it… Stop being dragged along like this! Don’t get restless!!’
I slapped both of my cheeks as hard as I could.
Yowch! A sharp pain flooded in. The head filled with anger and restlessness began to cool down.
That’s right. I’m getting restless right now. I know there’s a time limit to this battle.
‘And if I get restless, that woman’s plan will succeed!’
The longer it goes on, the derelict factory district. Even longer, and the old downtown will be reached.
The deserters-in-charge of each area will notice the fight and come to support. That fact kept giving me palpitations.
‘Stay calm. Calm down first and think.’
With the restriction of time, my strategy narrows down to mere chasing. My movements also become simpler. This leads to the recurring vicious cycle of getting hit by Altea Bathory’s magic due to predictable movements.
‘There has to be something to reverse this situation.’
This isn’t the time to be playing an endless game of cops and robbers. There must be some clever element to switch roles between the chaser and the runaway…
“…No. Hold up.”
I suddenly froze.
There was a thought that lightning struck the back of my neck.
No. When I carefully thought about it, it’s strange, isn’t it? Why should I be chasing her in the first place?
“Haha, damn. A~h, what the hell.”
Once I realized it, I felt pretty foolish.
I kept chuckling while uttering curses under my breath—it was directed at my own foolishness from the past.
‘From the start. All the way from when she approached me, everything was… planned, wasn’t it?’
She had 500 years of experience, so I assumed she was full of cunning, but no, it was all part of her strategy: to draw my aggression.
I was the seeker, and she was the runaway. She had been imprinting this unconscious role onto me, so I would desperately chase her.
‘But my goal isn’t to take that woman’s head, anyway.’
Right. My goal from the beginning was to pass through these three forks and kill Zadkiel.
I had no reason to chase after that woman from the beginning.
“Tch.”
I clicked my tongue hard.
I threw a glance at the fiery red hair fluttering at the edge of the 100-foot drop.
She was standing there proudly as if she were something special. Then, I flipped her off.
“Suck on that forever, Miss Bigshot! I’m outta here first, cheers!”
Do-do-do-do! After finishing the taunt, I bolted away like a bullet.
With such vigor that wherever I passed, the pavement blocks exploded like popcorn.
‘Damn. I wish I’d saved the Black Wings for later!’
As I sighed with regret, I suddenly thought, ‘I should at least let my next life know this.’
While running, I fished around my pouch and hastily scribbled a note.
[Amusement Park-Altear. Master of pants runs. No need to retaliate against the provocation. She’ll just tie you up with eye contact and run away.]
I roughly tore the note and threw it into the Box of the Dead. I glimpsed that some of the letters had been ripped, but there was no time to check now. I could only hope it would be understood anyway, no matter how poorly written.
“Hey, hey! Stand still!”
And the reaction from behind came as expected.
Altea Bathory began urgently chasing me. I gave a subtle, victorious smile.
‘The situation has been reversed.’
Until now, I’ve been specialized in overly powerful enemies. Unfortunately, I’m more familiar with being chased than chasing.
“Ouch! Dangerous!”
Ping! Ice spikes came flying at me like they were trying to devour me. I slipped inside the rotating carousel to dodge them.
Kaboom! The model horses of the carousel shattered into pieces, sending splinters everywhere. After the barrage of ice ended, not a single carousel horse remained in its original form.
“Hahahaha! You, try catching me~!”
I deliberately said something absurd as I restarted my escape, my back still turned to her.
“Stand still right there! There’s no way I’ll let you escape here, Black Crow!”
Altea Bathory, instead of replying with something cute like ‘Awww, don’t run away~,’ barked at me with a fierce face.
Yeah. Such an industry-class insult wouldn’t be bad. In fact, it was welcomed. It’s trendy these days (?).
“Scattershot! The Apocalypse of Hell!!”
Papapapara! Waves of pure white fireballs washed over me, turning everything behind me white.
It was an incredibly wide-range bombardment, leaving no spots to escape. If I stayed as is, I would undoubtedly end up as a well-roasted barbecued Park Jeong-yong!
‘I’ll block it. I’ll block it…!’
I quickly glanced around me and had a sudden idea.
‘That’s it!’
I immediately threw my twin swords of black and white, activating the Dark Sword Technique.
In accordance with my will, the twin swords swiftly flew and cut clean through the necks of mascots slowly approaching from nearby.
Each sword pierced about three mascots, and I retrieved the swords, their heads still attached.
“Shield of Flesh!”
Facing the direction where the fireballs were headed, I threw the mascots forward.
Kawaaang! As the fireballs struck the mascots, they exploded like fireworks, shooting sparks all over while white flashes filled my vision. The mascots engulfed in flames crumbled and turned pitch black.
“Shit! Damn, it’s hot!”
I hastily shook off the soot from my burned hands. Lacking any serious injuries, I resumed my sprint.
I reached the edge of the amusement park. It was almost the outside. After escaping here, it would be upstream of the Valley of the Dead!
“Stand still! Stand still, I say!”
Altea Bathory, clearly getting more and more agitated, started shouting in second person singular.
I was already annoyed by the polite honorifics from this 500-year-old grandma, so this worked out well.
“You expect me to stand still, you damn old hag! I’m trying to live an easy life!”
Tok-tok, Kwa-chung! A barrage of lightning charged with anger kept raining down on me.
But none of them managed to strike me, who was still sprinting in a straight line. The ones that came close, I easily dodged by just slightly twisting.
‘It’s too simple.’
There’s no sharpness like before in the attacks.
This is proof that Altea Bathory is currently extremely restless, emotionally swayed by me. I grinned in satisfaction.
“Flame of Ruin!”
I took the opportunity to counterattack.
Pho-ak! Flames shot out from my greatsword. I swung it lightly, scattering the crimson flames towards Altea.
However, Altea didn’t panic in the slightest. She aimed her spear at the flame curtain and quietly incanted.
“Scattershot: White Whale!”
Ku-gu-gu! A gigantic wave spewed out from the tip of the spear.
The white foam and raging waves, which flickered like flames, clustered together into the shape of a giant whale before consuming the flames in one bite.
The insistent Flame of Ruin disappeared as it was swallowed by the wave without making any impact.
“…Although it surprises me that you’re using Guardian Sooho’s flames, it won’t affect me!”
Altea shouted, looking at me with fiercely gleaming red eyes.
Her face now looks clearer than it did earlier. Our distance must’ve decreased quite a bit after our recent exchange of blows.
‘Damn!’
That defense was more effective than expected.
Just as I was gritting my teeth and concentrating on running again…
“Huh?!”
But my sprint suddenly came to a halt. I blankly stared at the front.
A towering cliff blocked the way ahead.
‘A dead end…?!’
My vision spun.
Chul-kung, Chul-kung! The heavy clanking of steel kept getting closer from behind. It was Altea approaching me.
I frantically looked around and noticed a Ferris Wheel that ascended as high as the cliff.
“That’s it!”
I hastily jumped onto the roof of a gondola and started leaping.
Dul-ker-deng! I jumped onto two or three Ferris Wheel cabins hanging like fruits from the circular steel frame.
‘I’ll completely shake off that woman from here!’
Then at some moment, I used the Dark Sword Technique. I broke the windows at both ends of two cabins simultaneously.
I stashed Vestark in one cabin and hid myself in the other.
‘Infiltrating!’
Pu-shiik. With a hissing sound, my body melted into the darkness.
I held my breath and stifled my presence as much as possible. The real challenge starts now.
“What? Where…?!”
And right on cue, an urgent voice came from outside.
While I was pulling off this trick, Altea had caught up just outside the Ferris Wheel.
“…”
Clop-clop. Amidst the silence, heavy footsteps approached step by step. She must have concluded that I headed towards the Ferris Wheel.
This was going according to plan. I wiped off the cold sweat and moved on to the next operation.
‘Focus. Remember fishing with dad…!’
Slowly and with full concentration, I controlled the Vestark I had placed in the opposite cabin using the Dark Sword Technique. I slowly swayed it, carefully placing it on the glass and shaking it gently.
Just like when fishing and wriggling the bait. So realistically that one couldn’t resist biting.
And sure enough, the fish bit instantly.
“Scattershot: Lightning Thief!!!”
Zzzjak-jak-jak! Dozens of lightning strikes burst forth. It was not aimed at me, but at the cabin containing Vestark.
The blue lightning not only engulfed the cabin with Vestark but also turned the whole area stark white. Seen from afar, its power was awe-inspiring.
“Did I kill it?!”
Altea started planting her own death flags.
Her vision was entirely focused on the decoy cabin full of smoke.
‘Victory.’
Yes, Altea Bathory.
When people get restless, their vision narrows and their thinking gets blocked.
‘You overlooked three things.’
First, you who have poured all your stats into strength and magic have low agility.
Second, the fact that you chased so closely behind me despite that shortcoming.
And lastly…
“I’m not a damn monkey either!!”
That I can use the terrain just as well as you can.
Kwang! I kicked the Ferris Wheel cabin door, shattering it, and rushed forward from Altea’s blind spot.
“Flame of Ruin!”
Phooch! The flame swirled around the greatsword I raised high into the sky.
Leaving a trail of flames like a comet’s tail, I descended towards Altea’s crown like a meteor.
“Ah…!”
Altea noticed me at the last moment and gritted her teeth.
She twisted her body in an unnatural manner and fiercely swung her spear, Gungnir. Buu-wung! A fearsome piercing sound was heard.
With the overwhelming weight of Gungnir, she intended to knock me out.
“Uaaaaah!”
“…!”
Just before the tip of Gungnir swung by Altea could hit my head…
Altea and I exchanged smiles of certainty over our respective victories.
“Enfeeblement!”
I incanted the skill.
Sssh. The technique I saved until the last second struck. I opened my eyes behind Altea.
“Uh?”
Altea’s confident expression turned vacant…
Phooch! The Flame of Ruin greatsword pierced her back and protruded cleanly from her chest.
“….”
“….”
A moment of silence ensued.
Drip, tu-dak. Her roughly parted bosom flared up with flames. Sizzling blood pooled on the ground.
“…!”
Even as her raw flesh burned from the inside, Altea didn’t scream. She gritted her teeth and swayed like a ghost.
“… Tch.”
Looking at that scene, I widened my eyes, and the breath I had been holding escaped. I noticed the blood droplets flowing from her wound.
It was a murky black, like oil.
‘The information given to me by Knightrea… it was true.’
I now know why Altea could endure the pain without screaming. She must be experiencing much duller pain than an average human.
The moment the information I read in documents revealed itself right before my eyes, sending shivers down my spine, I heard a voice that seemed about to tear apart from behind.
“… Lady Goddess, no… ”
Thud. A burly figure knelt down and stared at me.
A man with half his body grotesquely mutated, who had a tin can flipped over his head. I recognized his peculiar outfit.
‘Lonely Moskden.’
One of the deserters Knightrea listed in the profiles: a mysterious man who had held out alone for three years in this crumbling city full of Black Blood Disease sufferers.
“Too late, punk.”
I twisted my lips cruelly.
To “Lady Goddess,” it seemed like Altea was someone he depended upon considerably. I teased him to shake his confidence.
“I’ll do the same to you soon, so just sit tight over there.”
“Aah… Aaaaah…! No… Save me… Save me, Dewy!! Huuuuuuu!”
Moskden, who genuinely seemed terrified by my bluff, crawled away on the floor, desperately trying to distance himself from me.
‘What is this?’
His reaction is unexpected. If he had thrashed about instead, it would have been somewhat understandable.
Did I die twice to these guys? Apparently, my past self had let his guard down quite a bit. I spat on the ground, feeling ashamed of my past self.
“Hmm.”
Seizing the opportunity, I immediately moved to fulfill my promise. I prepared to pull out the greatsword to thoroughly roast Moskden as well.
However, the greatsword wouldn’t budge.
“… Yugh?!”
I glanced back at Altea. Her left hand was tightly gripping my greatsword, refusing to let go.
I saw the unwavering determination and spirit burning in her crimson eyes. I swallowed.
“That… is something I… can’t do. Black Crow.”
Uuung.
The spear, Gungnir, held in Altea’s hand emitted a dangerously bright light.
“I can’t… send you beyond. Even if it means the end of my life here… I can’t let you go.”
Uuung, Uuung, Uuung.
The light from Gungnir kept flashing intermittently, and the devices meshed together noisily, growing louder.
Something is about to happen. Something extremely dangerous. My Hero Sense didn’t just activate—it was practically blazing.
“No… What the hell…! Why are you going berserk like this?! What have I done wrong to deserve this! Everyone wins, alright, everyone’s happy, don’t act like this!!”
In my frustration, I shouted like a madman.
While doing so, I used all my strength to pull out the greatsword, but the difference in strength stats was too apparent. It wouldn’t budge at all. I clenched my lips in failure.
“Hahah.”
And her smile.
Altea grinned. It carried deep resignation and weariness.
“Ah.”
Looking at that face, I understood. Whether I know her intention or not, I clearly saw what Altea was about to do.
An unshakable sigh escaped me.
“Damn it! If you’re going to go down, do it alone!!”
Letting go of the greatsword, I ran hastily. Even knowing it was already too late, I still ran.
From behind, a sorrowful voice reached me.
“I told you… didn’t I? I’m atoning. Atoning for reviving this ugly world.”
Uuuuung!
As if sensing Altea’s will, Gungnir emitted its brightest light.
It was a dazzling light that could devour the world. It seemed ready to explode at any moment and pour out in all directions.
No. It will explode. Altea murmured the command softly.
“Scattershot: Final Destination.”
Kwwwwaaaang!
An overwhelming burst of sound and a radiant pillar of light erupted.
The explosion of light from Gungnir engulfed everything around it and wiped the entire amusement park into ruins.
Of course, it didn’t spare Altea, me, and Moskden.
We were all reduced to a mere handful of ashes.
