PHASE 23 - MENTHOL BREATH CAN CURE BROKEN HEARTS

“By the power of my , I command you, Alaric Eisenhower, to stay awake!”

That was the words I heard before my eyes opened again. My vision is a bit blurry, but I can certainly see that it was Freya who’s in front of me. But something seems off...

Did she also have Jeannette’s ?

“Don’t talk. Just breathe.” Freya said.

I have to comply. I barely had the strength to have my eyes open. I can’t waste any more energy. If I do, I’ll be dead.

Suddenly, Freya pushed her face until our lips are just a centimeter away! I may be weak and partially blind, but I can still feel her warm breath! She smells like eucalyptus, and it’s quite relaxing.

It was quite romantic… until she forced my mouth to open wide!

“”

She whispered as she closed her eyes. Then she exhaled glittering dust particles which rushed to my throat! It felt like those warm air is traveling through my veins, repairing my damaged body parts. The pain in my heart slowly fades away.

I noticed that Freya is slowly evaporating into tiny golden dust particles. That spell must be taking a huge toll from her prana pool. Those firefly-like dots started flying away from the beautiful woman’s body as she revealed her true form.

She was a petite cute girl with the same blonde hair and purple eyes. She was wearing her signature twin ponytails. Her rosy cheeks and passionate stare made it clear that this woman named Freya is my childhood friend after all.

“Yes… I’m Freya…” Jeannette smiled with teardrops crawling on her face. “I’m sorry if I kept a secret from you too.”

I knew it. I always feel Jeannette’s aura on that beautiful goddess. It seems that this is the first time Lord Freya revealed her secret identity. Not even Tiara knew about it. Gate Guardians look at Lord Freya like a superhero after all.

“T-Thank you for saving me, Amy-... err... Jeannette.” I smiled.

Jeannette turned away with a blush after hearing her old nickname. But her tsundere mode is still on. “Y-You’re welcome. Just don’t try acting like a kebab again. I don’t have enough energy to perform another .”

Jeannette is completely right. I will add “Never cast ” on my New Year’s resolution.

<>

On the other hand, Tiara seems to be holding on her own. Her silver hair and fox tail gave her a massive power boost, maybe three to four times stronger and quicker. Every punch she releases makes a dimension-cracking shockwave that launches the black-cloaked assassin to the air.

“Haaaa!” Tiara made a swift right hook, aiming for the head, but the skull face used the flat part of its chainsaw broadsword to block the attack! However, the silver-haired shrine maiden’s punch was so powerful that the assailant’s ground was shattered and left a small crater in it!

The enemy made a counterattack by hacking his sword to several directions, forming like an asterisk, but Tiara effortlessly dodged all those slashes!

I can’t believe that Tiara has the strength of a freaking school bus and the agility of Tinkerbell in that !

“So this is the power of the witch…” Jeannette muttered. I looked at her with a doubtful face and about to ask a question but then she laughed and stuck out her tongue. “D-Don’t mind me, I’m just talking to myself!”

As much as we want to help, the two of us can only spectate this fight.

I may be safe from death, but I’m so pale and weak to even stand up. I have lost a lot of blood after all, and my forced adrenaline rush due to Jeannette’s is barely keeping me awake.

Jeannette pretty much depleted her energy too. She keeps on squeezing those Weapon Gems on her hand, but her prana is insufficient to materialize those things into a gun.

To add more bad news, we noticed that Tiara’s movements are getting a little sluggish and sloppy. The lower part of her long hair is already reverting back to black. It looks like she can no longer maintain that form any longer.

While exchanging blows, Tiara got kicked from the stomach! It was enough for her to dash away from the enemy. It didn’t hurt that much, but she should have noticed that she’s no longer agile than before.

She looked at her weakening and trembling hand and finally realized that her power was only temporary. Her hair has completely turned back, and her eyes are back to golden brown.

The skull-faced assassin didn’t waste an opportunity as it jumped for a smashing chainsaw-sword chop!

“Not so fast!” Somebody shouted. Then there was an echoing clang!

It was Helena Efilion! She parried the black-cloaked mystery man’s attack with her dark-red broadsword that is cloaked with reddish lightning energy!

“I’m sorry I’m late!” She said.

Helena looks so majestic right now, because of her royal red cape. Together with that awesome anime-style broadsword, you can mistake her as a sword princess from a medieval fantasy movie!

Our sword princess made a series of attacks such as slash-parry-evade-slash-block, which made it hard to grasp by the enemy. But still, the skull-faced man still has the upper hand because of his superior strength and agility. Helena only excels in techniques in this fight.

Suddenly, there were two shouts from different sides of the field.

“!!!” , “Pyro Twirl>!!!”

Tornado drills, made from ice and fire, rushed to the enemy’s position! The black cloaked man has no choice but to fall back!

Those attacks… came from the Kozukata Shrine Maidens! Our backup is here!

“Darn it!” Asumi shouted. She was wielding a spear.

“We missed!” Ayano cried. This shrine maiden is dual-wielding bladed fans as weapons.

The skull-faced man realized that he is greatly outnumbered, and he’s worn out too.

He raised his arms, and the ground turned into the quicksand that swallowed his body whole. Helena and the two shrine maidens tried to chase him, but the black cloaked man disappeared without saying anything in the whole fight.

We waited for half a minute, expecting for a surprise attack. But nothing came…

As if the battle is over.

“W-We repelled him…” I muttered.

Tiara finally saw me. With her wet eyes, she cried once again as she dashed forward. “...R-Rikkun! Thank goodness!”

Just before she was about to hug me, my toes lost all the strength. I’ve used up all my adrenaline. So I passed out once again.

<>

The next time I opened my eyes, I was in the school infirmary. I just realized that I really have a talent in fainting. Is it hard to have a chapter where I don’t lose consciousness?

I scanned my surroundings, and I saw three girls watching me in my sleep. Colorful hairs made it quite an eye-opener. Blonde, brunette, and blue because it’s Jeannette, Tiara, and Helena respectively. They are all happy to see me alive and kicking.

“...R-Rikkun…” Tiara held her chest and water gushed out from her eyes. What a freaking crybaby. “I’m glad that you’re fine… I’m sorry if I ignored you like that...”

“I’m glad that you’re fine too.” I replied.

But in the back of my mind, I’m screaming ‘There’s no way I would use myself as a meatshield again! That’s a near-death experience, and it’s scary as hell!’

“...Rikkun… Take off your clothes so that I can touch your naked body...” Tiara said casually.

“........H-Huh!?”

What the heck is this perverted mongrel thinking!?

“Word choice, Tiara! Word choice!” Jeannette sermoned. Then she looked at me. “Let us see your wound.”

I unbuttoned my shirt and saw that the center of my chest has this ripped skin and flesh that looks like a woman’s vagi-... Okay, I’m sorry, I’ll describe it better. My wound looks like a butthole after being stabbed by a katana. Sure it’s gross.

Tiara fearlessly touched the wound with her glowing hands. She closed her eyes and murmured some words to focus on her spell. There was a soothing sensation, and little by little, the torn muscles and skin fused. It left a scar, but slowly, Tiara’s erased it like nothing happened.

Jeannette continued to talk while I’m being healed. “At least we now know what kind of enemies are we facing. The red-eyed man we encountered on the shrine, and the black-cloaked assassin with the skull mask. Those are Cursed Guardians.”

“Cursed Guardians?” Helena asked as she tilted her head.

“Yes,” Amy said. “Cursed Guardians are Gate Guardians that got tainted by a deadly sin, and got possessed by Eidolon. Their minds are twisted that they confuse right from wrong.”

Amy made a long pause and crossed her arms.

“But that still boggles my mind. What do Cursed Guardians want from Tiara?”