It’s tough to maintain even a frail and twitching façade from even crumbling further, let alone a calm and cool one. I’m fighting against every urge in my single bone to not just break down on the spot and begin bawling. It’s proving to be a difficult task.

My Divine Art, Abaddon which is acting in place of my instinct and intuition, has been screaming at me for the pass few seconds. It wants me to get as far away as possible from the entity called Valuma.

Valuma is neither the dragon nor the sword. I don’t know what the hell she is. Her status read, Sealed: Permanent. I’m probably not wrong in assuming that the chains, the sword, and the dragon corpse, acted as a seal to this so called Berserker of the Void. Although, there isn’t any information regarding what kind of magic was use for the seal.

The moniker of the prisoner herself told me enough of just how much bad news she is liable to be.

“Ren! Get over here, now!” I shouted at him. I even unconsciously point Shadow Blade at him.

He lazily turns his head. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Everything will be alright…. I just need to release her of her bonds.” He edges closer and closer towards Valuma.

“Damn it, Ren! How fucking retarded are you? She’s sealed with that level of magic for a reason! Nothing will be alright if you free her!” I just let loose everything at him.

“You’re scare…. I understand…. So am I…. but all we need is a little courage…. Yes…. Courage…. Just what I need…. right now.”

Words aren’t getting through. He’s currently being manipulated into doing Valuma’s bidding. No way, I can let that happened.

Going against the warning resonating within me, I rush towards Ren with Lucy just right behind me.

Gosh, even my stump is hurting right now.

There’s some distance between us and I try closing the distance faster with the help of Body Strengthening.

Like a pulse, another wave diffuses from the seal. My suspicions is right, this is the source of those energy wave. I don’t know what the real purpose of those waves is but it is slowing us down by discombobulating us with each pulse.

I give a quick glance at Lucy. Her status still shows no signs of her being encroached, which is good but she is nevertheless affected by the force. She lost her bearing and tripped.

I don’t have time to check on her and so I press on after telling her to stay put.

Just before Ren is about to touch the seal, I barely managed to make it in time. Grabbing tightly to the collar of his robe, I pull and throw him back away from the seal.

Yes, come to me.

It spoke to me again. The same voice which I heard before I fell into the crevice and the voice that woke me up. Is it me that she’s after? Is she using Ren as bait?

Ren recovers quickly. He’s already back on his feet. His eyes aren’t on me but at the seal behind me. Without a care to my presence in front of him, he presses on. I entreated and even held him off light tugging on his wrist but those actions aren’t getting through. I kinda lost my patience for a second and used Air Burst point blank at him.

Despite tumbling away and landed head over heels, he got up again like nothing happened.

“I see….”

I’m sure I broken some bones with the throw amplified with Body Strengthening and the point blank Air Burst but Ren stood up without wincing nor groaning.

Is he actually sturdier than he looks?

No, he does have broken bones from what I can tell from the pop-ups. He might just being in a state too uncaring for anything else other than bending towards Valuma’s will.

“You are that rejecting of me….”

Aggravation rings clear in his voice. His mind is definitely taking my actions the wrong way.

“Fine…. I will show you…. What I am capable of…. Unleash ruins upon my enemies,--”

He just skipped the base declaration chanting part. I didn’t know he’s capable of chant shortening. He even needs a full chant for a novice spell and judging from the chant, it must be the intermediate spell, Mana Canon. It isn’t of how much Mana one has but a matter of aptitude and strength. His Overall Power Ranking, his potential, his soul capacity, is only D-rank. It’s unbelievable and impossible for him to shorten a chant for an intermediate spell.

But he did. No doubt with the hell of whatever’s encroaching him. His status now reads, Encroached: Deep. The dark purplish lines further intensified and multiplied along with his desperate plead for power.

Dark purplish aura envelopes him. A magic circle of the same color appears at the tip of his staff which he’s pointing it at me.

“—Mana Canon!”

Crap, I hate it when I’m right!

An orb of dark purplish energy flies towards me.

“Air Burst!”

I didn’t use Air Burst at the orb but at myself. I make sure my trajectory would collide with Lucy to bring her along with my momentum. The attack misses us and turns the broken benches furhter into smaller fragments.

Ouch! It hurts!

Air Burst original function is a short range stun but I often used it as a means for a short boost of speed by aiming at myself with controlled strength. The drawback is that it would hurt the user and considering my current condition, it’s very ill-advised. Furthermore, there’s no brakes. We went sliding on the ground until all of our momentum is expended.

Ren clicked his tongue, loud enough to create echoes in this vast cathedral. He began casting another Mana Canon. The spell is slow and dodging isn’t a problem but it will be one if it goes on.

Without needing an order, Lucy throws her last throwing knife that found its mark.

Zian Hao loses his posture with the knife that pierce into his left leg, and the magic spell misfires at the rusted chains of the chandelier. The whole place trembles for a while and the chandelier comes crashing down. It didn’t hit anyone however.

Seizing this chance, I thrust myself at Ren with the help of Air Burst and Body Strengthening.

I really need to find an alternative for a quick and short boost of speed.

Ren screams at me, his voice slowly distorting into something hideous. The dark purplish lines further spread to wrap itself around his whole body. Even his eyes are turning dark purplish. His status turns into Corrupted.

“Mana Canon!!” He shouted.

I have seen this coming. The pattern’s obvious. Whatever corrupted him is giving him power in exchange.

I slash the orb of dark purplish energy apart with the Shadow Blade in my left hand. I have to admit, it’s hard to swing with my left arm.

The sliced orb explodes as it spills out the accumulated magic power within before it slowly dissipates away. It’s kinda of a shock to me since I wasn’t expecting it to explode.

Ren freaks at my deed but it isn’t stopping him from casting another Mana Canon. His MP recovers the next instance it was expended. Every Mana Canon I cut down, the bidding magic power within spread out from its confinement and swallows its surrounding in the explosion. I intercept these attacks in a way to make sure Lucy won’t become a collateral but the Mana Canons are only getting stronger and heavier with each consecutive shot. Shadow Blade has been bent out of shape from the explosion but since it doesn’t have a concrete physical form, I can easily snap it back to shape just with my thoughts. Still, I gotta end this fast. I can feel the fatigue piling up.

“Unbelievaba’…. To think ya’ stronga’ than Roy or Sylva….”

Maybe I am stronger than Roy but I don’t think I can beat Sylvia. As usual, Sylvia is looked down upon since she’s a Majin.

“But! I…. I can be…. Stronga!”

He’s slowly losing his ability to speak. He’s slurring with every words. I can’t let this go on. He’s only going to get stronger from the Mana Canons he cast. No doubt, “Valuma” is granting him more and power the longer he fell corrupt to her.

I have to kill him.

That thought drifts into my head. I’m appalled at myself first but my sense of reasoning follows. I have no way to stop him other than taking his life. I don’t have nonlethal suppression skills or abilities. I don’t want to do this but I’m not seeing another way. Perhaps I’m just holding too much fear to go for any other less assuring method than this. Perhaps it’s something else….

Nevertheless, I have to be resolute. It’s not just my life at stakes here, Lucy’s involve. If I failed here, Lucy will fall with me. I can’t let that happen.

Forgive me, everyone.

“REN!!!” I shouted. I don’t know why but I did. Maybe it was for courage.

I extend the blade of Shadow Blade. I use Breeze to raise the dust into his eyes, robbing him of his vision. While flailing around blindly, I plunge the deep dark shadow of a sword into him, the left part of his chest.

Blood gushes out from the wound as Shadow Blade fades off at my will. My hand instinctively releases my tense grip as Shadow Blade becomes mere shadows once again.

In front of me, Ren matches his eyes with me. There’s no anger nor sorrow, not even a hint of betrayal. His eyes are always, confused and dazed at every situation. That’s his last look of expression before collapsing to the ground with a dull motion.

I did it. For the first time in my whole life, I kill someone. And I done so in another world.

Skill Point(s) gained +5

Ability Point(s) gained +10

I see that the common assumption of “taking the life of an intelligent being garners more experience” I have always heard isn’t just some hearsay after all.

Title: Resolute One - Acquired

I got kind of a fitting title but not the one I’m expecting. I further confirmed that he’s truly dead from inspecting his status. I expected “murderer” to be added to my titles but it didn’t. Maybe it’s because I killed him with a reasonable justification.

I don’t know.

But I’m not about to complain or question about it. I’m just glad I’m not branded a criminal or murderer.

“S-Shizu…. You….”

Shizu is looking at me with horrified eyes. Not just her voice, even her body is trembling. I guessed that’s only natural. For her, who had been living with nothing but violence, I was her sanctuary for a life without violence and I had just denied her that reality.

I prepare myself to be hated and shunned but that’s not going to stop me from getting her out of here first.

My legs turn jelly and I too collapse on my knees. Only then, I notice how much I’m trembling. Until this point, everything has felt so surreal like I’m only dreaming a lucid dream. A part of me is yet to be convinced of how grounded everything is to reality. And…. Only after taking a life of a person…. Everything isn’t a fantasy nor a lucid dream.

This is real. This is truly real.

There’s consequences in every action I made in this world.

This is reality and I have just killed a man.

W-what…. What have I done….

For the first time since I came to this world…..

…. I want to go home….

My old bed feels warm despite the thin covers. I miss the instant noodles, simple, cheap, filling. I miss the boredom I shroud myself in everyday.

I want to go home…. I-I don’t want to do this…..

Why did I ever thought that mundane was bad?

Just as my tears begin their descent from my eyes, a hand clasps on my shoulder. That simple clasp turns into an embrace. It’s a wordless comfort but I feel the assurance transmitted to me.

“Don’t cry. Shizu did nothing wrong. Shizu just protected me after all.”

Our eyes met.

She still has the same unknowing eyes smudge with a tinge of innocent. She has seen a lot but she’s still ever so naïve. She always has a smile no matter how small it may be. These are her facade which she taught to herself to assimilate into the life of a slave. Younger than me by a few years but seen so much more than me. Yet, here I am, cowering in despair for breaking an ethic that pretty much meant nothing in this world.

Yes, I gotta be strong. I never liked my old life even though it was safe and convenient. What I’m feeling now is only a fleeting emotion from taking my first life. I never took the life of the slaver who enslaved Lucy back then, I remember letting him go with some heavy injuries.

It could be just my imagination but my resolution shook when I dispelled Shadow Blade. I don’t want to think that using Shadow Blade might have a vile effect on my mind but I can’t rule out that possibility.

“Thank you, Lucy. I’m alright now.”

Certainly, my heart is calmer than it was a few moments ago. I got to get used to the difference of ethics, otherwise my heart might gave out long before my physical health would.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to kill arbitrary and with nonsensical reasons.

Truly impressive. Nerves of steel. A near unbreakable will.

The voice reached me again but I paid it no heed. I direct my mind to our plan of escape. The place is still a maze to me. So far, there’s no dilemma in choosing the paths. It has been straight forward but that can change.

The voice continues entreating. It’s even emitting violent pulse of waves with shorter intervals. I shield Lucy from these waves but I don’t think I’m doing a good job. The waves hit her but….her status remains unchanged. It’s quite curious that Lucy isn’t affected like Ren. From what she told me, at most, it’s just white noises in her head.

I decide to give a thorough check on her stats to make sure I haven’t miss something of importance.

Name

Lucinda

Status

Exhaustion: Light

HP

200

MP

80

Age

13

Class / Job

Scout / Hero’s Companion

Gender & Race

Female / Wolf-kin

Standing

Hero’s Attendant

Arcane Arts

Magic Melee Arts – Lv. 3

Body Strengthening – Lv. 2

Shadow Magic – Lv. 1

Title & Deeds

Grifter

Former Slave

Sagacious One

Apostle’s Vassal

Overall Power Ranking

E+

Effective Combat Strength

700

Attack - 300

Defense - 100

Magic - 20

Resistance - 30

Speed – 250

I’m slightly curious about the Apostle’s Vassal title. It has been there since a week ago but I never think to give it any thought. The additional info that appears in response to my curiosity answered the question I have in mind. Per the information, it’s due to her close attachment to me, a possessor of a Divine Art, she received a portion of the blessing cum protection given by Abaddon. They call these peoples, Dependents.

So, Lucy is my Dependent. That’s reassuring to know.

Basking in a sense of relief, the fling is cut short as someone entered into my perception field. I can’t discern the identity of the person but I can tell it’s humanoid and there are traces of Demon essence in that person. I can think of no other possible person to fit that criteria, it’s Sylvia.

Thank god, she’s alive!

No alarms or nothing of the sort resounded in my head to notify me of intruders. The notification is only a small pinch feeling that could be disregarded easily even if it isn’t intended. I only noticed it because I stay wary of my vicinity for the Demons. I paid the price for my negligence with the Mimics back then.

I wish I have the option to view her stats from afar but the person has to be in sight and within distance to be appraised.

Shortly after, something else followed closely behind her. The presence is on another magnitude. It was a slap in the face when it entered my perception field. The only possible presence of this scale I can think of would be the Greater Demon.

She is getting chased by the Greater Demon and she is heading right towards this direction. She’s fast but the Greater Demon isn’t far behind her. It could catch up to her at this rate.

Majin on average has superior physical strength and magic abilities to a human. They are simply better in everything a human can do.

I relay my findings to Lucy and like always, she believes my words without question.

Sylvia finally came into our view but not vice versa. She was about to miss us but I shouted to grab her attention. Her mouth curves upwards at the sight of us. She looks worse for wear. Her partial steel armor is a wreck. The two swords she’s wielding are clad in Spell Edge and Demons’ blood which is of muddy black.

She has been fighting her way through.

Although she too was overwhelmed by the magnificence of this room as she enters, she recovers quickly.

“Lady Hirano. Thank the Lords, you’re alive.” Her eyes then shift to Lucy. “Of course, you too, Lucinda.”

“I’m fine,” replied Lucy.

Sylvia’s probably not lying about her relieve. I can’t imagine how she’s going to explain that the hero died on a hunt but she, a mere attendant, lived.

Her delighted face then twists into horror. “What happened to your arm?!” she exclaimed.

Before I can answer, the mindless and boorish Greater Demon barges into the room. The doorway burst apart from the Demon’s oversize.

“Where’s the cleric boy?” she asked without taking her eyes off the three meter tall Demon creeping towards us.

“He was possessed by some foul entity. I had to take drastic measures.” I reluctantly admitted.

Her eyes follow my line of sight, which is at the motionless Ren. Probably because of my state, it adds to the authenticity of my story.

“I see,” Sylvia muttered in return. I don’t think she fully buys it but it’s enough to not warrant any caution from me.

“You have a weapon?” She asked as she went into a pose.

“No,” I answered. I only use Shadow Blade as a brief weapon to intimidate the deranged Ren but now, I’m going to need something lasting and reliable.

I look around for a weapon. There are hundreds of swords scattering around but none seems doable, until I catch sight of a gleaming silver blade, stuck into the chest of a knight’s remains. I can tell he was a knight from the armor he died in.

The sword with the silver blade has a name, Avent. Avent is a magic weapon made of some type of metal call Moon Silver. I offer some prayer and ask for forgiveness as I draw the sword out. The sword must have acted as the pillar as the armor crumbles down along with the skeleton residing inside.

I hope I didn’t anger any spirits with that. I also toss a nearby short sword made of steel to Lucy. According to the information in my view, the short sword is in good condition despite the age.

The Moon Silver sword, Avent feels slightly lighter than the average steel sword. The additional information from appraising tells me its toughness is on par with a high grade steel but it’s a far better Mana conductor than steel or even silver. Silver is a great Mana conductor but it’s too brittle for any practical purpose. Avent also has a magic function which is permanently enchanted call, Blade Mend. As the name said, it repairs the blade should it ever breaks.

That’s good to know. I lost count on how many practice swords I broke when I was trying to learn Spell Edge despite the fruitless efforts.

Still, even if I have such a good weapon in my hand, the situation isn’t any better. I lost my dominant arm for one.

It’s a well-known fact that I can’t use Spell Edge and I’m not a good swordsman but I don’t have any leeway to be discreet or secretive now.

Sylvia’s glance draws to me when I invoke Spell Edge. It came out a different color than what’s expected of a human. Sylvia’s Spell Edge is red by the way. Probably because Majins are descendants of Demons the same way human are considered descendants of apes.

Sylvia seems to have some questions but she’s tactful to hold if off for now.

Turning everything into wreckage in its path as it charges, the Greater Demon lunges its massive body at us. We all dodge to the left as the Demon’s body slam shakes the cathedral.

Abyss Magic: Hell Spikes, is written beside the Greater Demon which covers itself in red aura. Not good.

Like a raging tide, dark red spikes charge at us.

The Spell Edge on one of Sylvia’s swords glow even brighter. She throws out an aura with a swing of her sword. That must be Aura Blade. It reminds me of a skill of a certain orange-haired death reaper. Since the composition of Aura Blade looks simple enough, I use the same skill with Avent.

The Aura Blades from us both clash with the incoming Hell Spikes, resulting in mutual destruction.

I can feel the widened eyes of Sylvia beside me but it isn’t worth taking my eyes off of the Greater Demon who is preparing another attack.

The undulating tendrils that comprise the Greater Demon’s body straightens into stingers. The quills aimed at us before being fired out. The spikes are thin but they aren’t brittle. It’s tough to cut down the spikes. All three of us suffered some damage from that attack but nothing major.

It screeches at us with its distorting face and lashes at us with its tendrils extending from its body. Lucy attempts to block a single strike but that’s all it took to send her flying to the far side of the room. Her health drops twenty percent but her status tells me she’s going to be okay. Sylvia parries the tendril attacks skillfully with her two swords despite the dry blood smeared on her face. I secretly lace the Avent with Shadow Blade for the instant moment the blade and the tendrils made contact. I feel like the blade would snap without being reinforced by Shadow Blade but since Sylvia’s swords are perfectly fine after clashes, it’s probably just my paranoia.

The Demon screeches once again as an impetus for the next round of attack. This time it’s Abyssal Javelin.

The name says it all. Deep crimson pole-size javelins is fired at us.

Sylvia deflects the javelins with a skill called, Infinite Trail by wildly spinning her swords like a circus performer. Her MP decreases tremendously with that skill. Cost performance wise, it isn’t wholly efficient. Her MP is down to thirty percent of her maximum threshold.

Next, the Demon’s eyes gaze at Sylvia as it shine like twinkling stars.

I shove her out of the way on an abrupt hunch, out of the sight of the Greater Demon, and my eyes meet with the Demon’s blinking crimson gaze. Before I can fully read the pop-up beside its eyes--

Curse: Death’s Sentence – Negated due to the effect of Night Empress Abaddon

This appeared in my view.

Holy shit! I just took a certain death curse for my companion and lived through it.

I made a mental note to bring luxurious offerings to Abaddon even if it happens to be only a small shrine that I could find.

Seeing my lost of bearings due to my misconceived fear, Sylvia rushes over to me. “Lady Hirano, are you alright?!”

A nod is all I can give as a response before the Greater Demon comes interrupting. It spins its whole body, whipping its tail at us. It didn’t have a tail but now it does. It grew one just for this move.

“Element of destruction in celerity, shield of thundering repulse, Lightning Aegis.”

Aside Magic Melee Arts, Mana Control, Body Strengthening, and Herculean Strength the standard Arcane Arts for any fighters, I forgot Sylvia also has Lightning Magic.

The flurry of attacks unleashed by the Greater Demon are repelled away by the magic shield pulsing with thunder.

During this short moment of breather, Sylvia passes me a Mana Potion. The circumstance did not permit me to make any double confirmations. We both gulped the contents of the vial in one go.

The Lightning Aegis eventually gives out but we are just in time to avoid the tail slam. The Demon’s tail split into four smaller tails. It sends two of its tail at each of us both. I use Torrential Rip from Magic Melee Arts and finely dice and tear the two tails into bite-size bits. Sylvia executes Hexa-Cleave, the dual sword version of Tri-Cleave. Her swords leave a trail of red light that forms a shape similar to the Star of David.

The Demon’s screech turns into a furious roar at our performance. A deep crimson light cloaks its body after the roar.

Was that another chant or something like an impetus for a magic spell?

In accordance to my question, Death Magic: Essence Drain (Aura), pops up beside the Demon.

The sound of the roar is unquestionably deafening but it isn’t too extreme to affect one’s health. Although the truth might not be so trivia since the name of the magic sounds grim. To prove my point, Sylvia plops down to the floor after that. I inspect her status and found these two status affliction, Exhausted and Health Depletion: In-progress.

What about me? Why wasn’t I affected too?

As I wished for a way to review what I missed, this pops up.

[Log] Death Magic: Essence Drain – Resisted

Oh? I can view log histories?

This is beginning to look grim and the fact that the Greater Demon is still only at ninety percent of its health further darkens the prospects of a victorious future.

“Can you stand?” I asked.

She neither nod nor shake her head. She just forces herself to her feet despite the obvious inability to. “I can still fight,” she told me.

The Demon sneers and launches its tendrils at us.

Without a window for argument, I stand in front of her and take the blow that was coming for her. I unleash four consecutives Tri-Cleaves at the incoming tendrils.

I can hear Sylvia’s gasp of awe behind me.

Tired with range attacks, the Demon closes the distance between us. A slit appears on a quarter of its body. The slit slowly spreads open, revealing rows of jaws with sharp fangs.

It’s my mistake to think that it isn’t capable of a ruse. It’s not trying to swallow us whole. It’s going for a point-blank range attack.

Magic is gathering at the center of its open mouth. Doom Sphere, pops up beside its mouth. I can dodge this but Sylvia is drained of her stamina. It’s also impossible for me to take Sylvia along without further revealing my true potential.

Now wasn’t the time to hold back. Secrets be damned.

I charge Avent with Shadow Blade and which is already layered with Spell Edge. I keep an eye on the amount of magic reinforcement the sword can take. When it’s on the verge of vibrating from the accumulated magic, I stop the charge.

The sphere of Abyssal Magic shot out like a canon from Demon’s mouth.

I bring the blade clad with Shadow Blade and Spell Edge to meet the cannonball.

To my surprise, my sword easily cut apart the cannonball but that’s my blunder.

I should have known what happened when I cut a magic spell projectile.

The magic energy inside the sphere ran loose, engulfing the surroundings it was release upon to.

My kind, the Majins were superior to the humans in both aspects of physical and magical. Yet, we were always being treated as their inferior. A common prejudice against us. A race with blood stained by our ancestors, the Demons. On the surface, we have a mutual relationship with other races but the unfounded fear and prejudice were only waiting for a good reason to be unleashed. We were delicate with our relationship with other races. We were careful not to provide a reason for them to act on their unfounded fears.

I was overjoy when my long years of service with the Zerogian Empire bore fruit. I was chosen as an attendant of a hero. To my disappointment, the hero I was assign to was a runt. Hirano Shizuka, a hero from another world. She was a scout. I hated this. I hated that even after so long, the trusts I garner had only warranted this much in return.

I even heard rumors among the officials that they were just cooking up a feasible reason to sack the Scout Hero off the party. Her skills as a scout was of a novice’s at best. It was a let down that a hero was only average.

But it wasn’t all bad. She had a heart, at least. Not to say she treated us all with equal kindness but she treated us all equally unmannerly. Her answers and replies were short if it was allowed to be. Still, it was the first time in so long that I met someone without prejudice towards a Majin.

I thought— given time, we could become something more than the expectations set upon us. She wasn’t arrogant. She wasn’t willing to learn either but she had the guts to admit her mistakes. I came to realize, she was those type who has ample amount of room to grow and I would be by her side as she does so….

Regardless of what delusions I concocted in my mind, our fate was seal. Fortune had not favor us. Come to think of it, she was oddly calm in otherwise desperate situations. She might had been hiding her true strength but none of that matters anymore.

Her oversight caused us our lives.

It was the common sense to avoid a magic attack. Guarding against it or attacking it would break the magic formation and let loose the concentrated magic power. The damages would be uncontrolled and unfathomable. However, that was our common sense. Hirano Shizuka was from another world. Our common sense had yet to be hers.

And so, we were left scathed by that oversight. The explosion threw her through the broke benches. I was sent flying to the altar, closer to the dragon’s skeletal corpse. The demon itself was harm by its own magic. It took more damage than us due to its size but its high defense made it fared better than us.

This was the end for us….

How curious. Another fitting one?

A voice resounded in my mind. It was a woman’s. Whose? And where did it came from?

Mortal, do you want to live? Answer me.

The voice directed a question at me, a question laced with transparent hidden intent but— I was in no condition to quarrel or dissent.

What is it that you desire?

Acceptance, the answer came to my mind plainly. I had long to be acknowledged. Not just me, but my entire race. We never wished to be the superior one. We just wish to be an equal. We wished to be accepted without apprehension.

And with me, they will have no choice to acknowledge you. I can give you what you desire.

I knew I was being tricked into a scheme but my desperation clouded my perception. My despair took over my better judgment. My live was fill with hate, I was reminded so.

“What do you need me to do?” I asked.

Accept me. The sword in the skull of the dragon, take it out.

I forced myself to stand. There was no strength found in my limbs but I moved. It was almost like I was just dangling on strings while a puppeteer steered me towards the altar. The Demon was still flailing in it agony, it paid no mind to me who was limping towards the altar.

Be warned. The sword is cursed. It harms anyone who touches it but it is but a small price to pay for your salvation, no?

I invoked Body Strengthening to its fullest potential. Even so, it wasn’t able to protect me from the curse of the sword. It felt like my hand was burning, slowly charred into ashes.

But the sword twitched from its impromptu pedestal with my every attempts.

Against the searing pain, I successfully pulled out the sword on the twentieth attempt.

My hand was now nothing but flesh and bones. It hurt but it didn’t bother me. My very being felt disconnected from my body, like something got in between the connection my soul and my body.

At long last….

It spoke as if it a cool breeze brushed by. My hands moved but I didn’t will it. The pain was all gone. I felt relived. I felt—

--nothing. There was only my consciousness. I no longer felt my hands, legs, face….. nothing…. I felt nothing.

You might not be the Harbinger nor the Apostle but— you’ll do, I guess. As always, you mortals are easily tempted. Foolish.

Hirano Shizuka's Status Information

Name

Hirano Shizuka

Status

Fatigue: Moderate / Exhaustion: Mild / Unconscious

HP

500

MP

200

Age

17

Class / Job

Scout Hero

Gender & Race

Female / Human

Standing

Hero of Zerogian

Arcane Arts

Magic Melee Arts – Lv. 5

Body Strengthening – Lv. 4

Wind Magic – Lv. 5

Spirit Magic – Lv. 2

Title & Deeds

Abaddon’s Apostle

Scout Hero

The Elusive One

Demon Slayer

The Audacious One

Resolute One

Overall Power Ranking

S

Effective Combat Strength

1700

Attack - 400

Defense - 250

Magic - 250

Resistance - 200

Speed - 600

Remaining Skill Points: 5

Remaining Ability Points: 10