Episode 203: Resolution
So, what’s the plan?
It’s nothing too complex, essentially a staged hostage situation.
“Crow. Go back. If you disturb my hard-earned rest, I will stop you with all of my strength….”
Altear, raising Gunir, was about to deliver her usual speech when her eyes shifted to me, and she froze, her mouth snapping shut. Naturally, her speech was interrupted.
Heh. I grinned viciously at Altear while playfully waving the tip of my Sword of Doom.
“Don’t move. Whoever moves from now on is a criminal.”
Swish. The blade in my grip pressed against Yuria’s throat, who I was tightly holding in my arms.
Altear’s crimson eyes began to tremble uncontrollably. Her expression clearly showed she never expected me to pull something like this.
“Gah, well then! Don’t move an inch! I will surely peel the skin off this girl alive!”
And beside me, another voice chimed in.
Massive wings and horns, a body covered in black tattoos, and flowing white hair. Luci, transformed into her complete form, postured flamboyantly.
Why is she doing this? She’s my substitute shoulder-brother serving as a lookout.
‘Good. Looks like the intimidation factor is no joke.’
I grinned as menacingly as possible while pushing Yuria forward.
“You can’t claim not to know her, right? Grandma.”
“… Yuria…!”
Of course, Altear spat out Yuria’s name with a noticeably angry face.
‘Good. There’s definitely potential in this…!’
Given how warmly she greeted Yuria earlier at the cathedral, I expected them to be acquainted. Still, her current reaction is surprising. The hostage situation is leading to reactions even better than expected.
“You wouldn’t want to see this cute and lovely young lady end up with her head rolling like Guan Yu’s, would you? Drop your weapon immediately.”
“Crow… to think you are so despicable and cowardly! Let’s at least duel honorably, one-on-one!”
Ugh, seriously, stop talking about ‘honor,’ girl. Don’t you know that the set of fleeing heroes is coming soon, which you seem unaware of?
Out of pure exasperation and ridicule, I sneered.
“No. Why should I? Am I the one hesitating here? I don’t think so. Who’s giving orders around here anyway?”
“Such a wicked creature…! Why does the young witch lady have someone like you as a crow!”
“Heh. Are you saying that because I have a sharp tongue? Do you think I can’t?”
I pressed the blade even closer to Yuria’s neck. In her tension, her body began to slip downward.
I tightened my embrace, pulling her even closer to me.
“Kyaakk!”
……
…?
Yuria let out a shrill cry.
What is this? The script didn’t call for a scream. Is this Yuria’s improvised flare? Attempting to hide my surprise, I quickly glanced down at her.
“Ugh, ah!”
Yuria’s face turned bright red as she tried to adjust her disheveled clothes.
It seemed that when I moved my hand, it caused her already short habit to rise embarrassingly high.
Upon seeing this, Altear turned her gaze away, unable to bear looking.
“How could you be so cruel and shameless! To molest an innocent young girl with such vigor!! Crow, do you have no conscience?”
“Hey, now. I’ll admit to being cruel, but let’s cross out the part about being shameless.”
“I don’t want to hear it! You wicked Crow!”
Clang! Altear again pointed Gunir at me.
Her lips pressed together as she glared at me. Her expression was filled with both hatred and contempt.
“Hey. Hold on.”
I quickly brought Yuria in front of me, momentarily halting Altear’s actions.
“Regardless, my condition is simple: you clear out of here. Let us pass without trouble, and I’ll guarantee Yuria’s life.”
“Grrr…”
Altear glared silently at me. I stared right back.
I began to shake Altear up further in her internal struggle.
“Anyway, the Labyrinth of the Afterlife? You can’t approach Zadkiel because of the wards anyway. So just clear out. I’m just going to take a quick look at the face and then come back.”
“… Wh-what, how…!?”
Altear was startled when the phrase ‘Labyrinth of the Afterlife’ came out of my mouth.
Her next reaction was unexpected. The suspicion and hostility in her gaze skyrocketed.
“Do you know how to penetrate the Labyrinth of the Afterlife…?”
“What? No, what kind of conjecture…!”
“So you’ve found a way. And… succeeded, I suppose?”
No matter what I said, Altear definitively interpreted my words as her wildest brainwave.
This is bad. I’d planned to persuade her to step aside, but now it’s having the opposite effect.
This isn’t good. According to what I’ve heard from Skaro, in this situation, she will undoubtedly try to block me with full force!
‘Damn… damn it…!’
I gritted my teeth with frustration and silently stared at the dazed Altear.
For some time, an intense eye-lock ensued between us.
“Huh. Heh heh.”
Suddenly, Altear let out a low chuckle from behind her mask.
‘… She’s laughing?’
A bad omen arose. The hand gripping the Sword of Doom began to sweat and slip.
At some moment, I abruptly jumped into the air, still holding Yuria. It was due to my Hero Sense.
“Scatter. Lightning Thief.”
Zzzzap! A thick bolt of lightning flashed and struck where I had been standing.
The wide patch of ground burned white and sparked furiously. Having barely dodged it, I forced a dry swallow down my throat.
“Ah…?!”
Yuria too stared blankly at the scene.
Realizing she had almost died, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
“What the hell…! To just fire without warning, old hag!! If this kid dies…!”
I muttered in astonishment, but quickly shut my mouth.
Clang. The sound of loading rang again. Gunir, loaded with magic, was pointed at us again, detected a moment later.
“I’m sorry, Yuria. The good world Luna-sama entrusted me with is… clearly too heavy a burden for me.”
Zzzzap! Another bolt of lightning shot directly at me, simultaneously as I looked.
Too late. The speed of her lightning was too fast. If I saw it, it was already too late to dodge. No avoiding this one.
A sudden shiver of dread ran down my spine.
‘I’ll be fine, but… Yuria?’
I suddenly remembered Yuria in my arms.
My endurance allows me to withstand a hit. But she wouldn’t survive. Even if I try my best to shield her, will she make it?
Yes. Whether or not it works, I have to try. I immediately hugged Yuria closer and crouched.
“Danger, hero!!”
But then, someone suddenly pushed me aside from beside. It was Luci.
“No…!”
Together, Luci, Yuria, and I let out low groans.
For a brief moment, I saw Luci’s desperate face and the face of Yuria, which had slipped from my grasp, both unexpectedly.
Whoosh. A bolt of lightning mercilessly streaked toward me.
“Kyaahh!!”
Zzzzap! The scene flashed, and Yuria’s piercing scream echoed.
I somersaulted with Luci out of the lightning’s path and collided with the ground. The lightning that bypassed us struck Yuria directly.
Silence descended. The smell of burning flesh permeated the air.
“… I… I couldn’t help it. It’s fine. I couldn’t help it, it’s fine. Sorry, Yuria. Sorry, Luna-sama. Sorry, sorry, I’m truly sorry… I will protect. I have to protect…!”
Even Altear seemed shocked at the scene, but soon repeatedly murmured “Sorry” like a mad person.
So many things happened in an instant that my thoughts momentarily froze. The smell of burning flesh awakened me. I rushed to Yuria’s side in a panic.
“H-Holy Maiden!!”
I caught Yuria, who was collapsing weakly. She fell limply into my arms.
From head to toe, she was charred black. Her entire body convulsed as if on the brink of death. Blood oozed from her scorched and torn flesh, covering her in a pool of red.
“Ah, aaah…”
Yuria let out faint, almost fainting moans and struggled to look at my face.
She weakly moved her lips as if trying to say something, then shakily lifted her trembling fingers toward my hand. Shh, shh. She was laboriously writing something on my palm.
She was attempting penmanship. Realizing this, I concentrated all my senses into my palm.
[Sorry.]
For what?
I was about to firmly grab Yuria’s hand and ask her, but I never got the chance.
Thud. Her hand landed limply on the floor. She was dead.
“…”
For a brief moment, I silently stared at Yuria’s lifeless body.
My chest tingled, yet strangely, I felt nothing. I wasn’t angry. Nor was I particularly sad.
‘… Is this because of me?’
I was searching for the cause of this death.
Yes. I guess I momentarily lost my mind. Throwing a decision onto two dice wasn’t wise.
It seems I unconsciously wanted to dodge the heavy burden that Skaro saddled me with.
‘Foolproof root, huh? This is ridiculous.’
At least one definite harvest was apparent.
“Well. To be honest, I did feel a bit sorry for you.”
Because I’ve realized that your twisted obsession surpasses anything I’ve imagined. The tuition was a bit costly, I’ll admit, but it was worth it.
I stared silently and menacingly at Altear, grinning like a madman.
“It’d be good if we could settle this without fighting. Right, you crazy bitch?”
I wobbled to my feet.
I beckoned for Luci to join me, and she started running over after flailing around. Her transformation had already worn off.
I continued to speak with half-lidded eyes as I glared at Altear.
“I’ve heard about the fugitive heroes’ stories and how you met. But all that doesn’t really matter to me. The reason I have sympathized with you slightly is that you’re blocking me.”
“…”
“Once the ceremony progresses and Zadkiel’s remains disappear, all the sick will die instantly, right? The epidemic stops spreading because the body is intact, correct?”
Clang! Altear’s head and Gunir plummeted to the ground.
She frowned deeply and clicked her tongue. A voice filled with suppressed emotion emerged.
“So Skaro revealed everything. He’s more of a blabbermouth than I thought.”
Altear didn’t answer my question directly. She just twisted her eyes in a smirk from behind her mask.
This essentially confirmed everything Skaro said was true. I tilted my head thoughtfully and kept talking.
“Skaro left the decision to me. The choice between Aldcon and Penny’s expiration dates and the complete end of the illness. He knew what was right but couldn’t decide.”
Then I stared at Altear, pouring strength into my gaze.
I shrugged. With a voice filled with deep disdain and mockery, I let out a resigned sigh.
“It’s not much different from what you’re doing now. While the plague spreads farther and causes mass casualties, you’re turning a blind eye. I don’t blame you now. But…”
But, I am different from the both of you.
I know the truths of this world to my very bones.
“There’s no place to escape in this world. Grandma.”
In the end, there’s always death.
Jena died, Zenon died, and Luci died. And now, Yuria has died.
All due to my indecision, my weakness, my inability to face reality.
“So Park Jeong-yong doesn’t stop for red lights, girl.”
Heh. I stared directly at Altear’s red eyes, twisting my lips into a challenging grin. But unlike my words, I turned my back on Altear and walked back the way I came.
I glanced sideways at Luci. I weakly tilted my chin toward her.
“Luci. Let’s go.”
“A, yeah… uh, right.”
Luci hesitantly nodded. She briefly glanced at Yuria’s smoking corpse before hastily following me.
As we coolly walked away, Altear called out, confused.
“Wait, are you really walking away? Crow… are you seriously abandoning the ceremony?”
I glanced briefly behind me.
Altear looked at me with a confused mix of hope, suspicion, and guilt.
“Your expression is quite remarkable.”
If you were determined to stop me all along, you’d have the nerve to see it through to the end. But with this wavering mindset, you end up putting pressure on guys like me. Damn it.
I thrust my thumb up dramatically in front of Altear.
“I will return.”
With a classic movie line, I slowly lowered the victory salute.
It was essentially a personal ritual to reinforce my determination. But both Altear and Luci tilted their heads in confusion at my antics like they’re watching a complete lunatic.
Of course, they wouldn’t understand it. No matter. I’ll follow my beliefs and do what I must.
“Alright, here we go.”
Where I stopped was the starting point of the three rivers, where the upper and middle currents meet, my revival point after death.
As I tapped the ground with my shoe toe and spoke, Luci beside me cocked her head in confusion.
“Uh? This place is….”
“This is my revival point where I respawn after dying. Do you remember the way from the village to here?”
“Y-Yes, I remember. But what exactly are you planning, hero? Tell me already!”
I ignored Luci’s question and said my piece.
“No more questions. You’ll wake up soon, and immediately bring Yuria here.”
“…What? Waking up again?”
Luci was clearly befuddled by my response but got no answer from me.
I rummaged in my bag and pulled out the grape wine I bought at the grocery store. I took a hearty swig before handing the grape wine to Luci.
“I’ll behead the enemy’s general before this wine cools. Wait here patiently until then.”
Taking inspiration from Guan Yu’s famous story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I relayed this message to Luci. There’s a theory that Guan Yu used a thermos. But a die-hard, immortal badass like the ‘Phoenix Park’ doesn’t need things like that.
“Hey hero! Don’t ignore my words! What exactly are you talking about…!”
Luci screamed, pounding her chest in anger, but froze in the middle of her actions.
Swish. The twin black and white swords slid out of their sheathes and hovered threateningly toward my neck and heart.
“Hero… what are you…”
Woom. A dark skull emblem floated above my skull—a bounty I’ve just activated on myself.
At last, a realization of regret flashed across Luci’s face. But it was too late.
“Wait for me here. I’ll deal with those bastards and be back. Wait here with Yuria.”
PFFT!
The Sword of Doom pierced my neck, and the sword Espada pierced my heart.
Blood splattered everywhere, smearing Luci’s face, painting her pale face crimson with red stains.
“Ah, ah…”
Luci let out a bewildered gasp.
She stared at the blood on her face, then shuffled toward me, covered in blood.
I lifted my increasingly heavy arms to stroke her hair. Forcing out a voice that struggled to emerge from my blood-filled throat:
“Trust me and wait. I trust only you in this world.”
Having delivered a great line, it’s time for me to depart. But this infuriatingly durable body won’t die easily.
I wiped the blood-streaked Luci’s face with my sleeve and controlled the Sword of Doom using reverse sword skills.
Luci reached out with a dazed expression on her face.
“Ah, ah!”
CRRACK. Pain erupted as the Sword of Doom severed my neck horizontally.
My vision tilted, and the world skewed. Luci’s tearful face flipped upside down.
The scene abruptly darkened.
