The massive form of the wolf, nearly as tall as the basement ceiling, pressed a huge pressure upon Ren and Texas.
But that was nothing compared to what came next — the giant wolf summoned numerous shadow creatures from the ground and walls, filling the area with a horde of monsters of all varieties.
Still, none of them attacked immediately, as if waiting for something.
Texas, seeing this opportunity, stepped back and whispered to Ren,
"Ren… Run. I'll buy you some time. Use that moment to create a stone platform and get back up."
"Take Exia and Croissant with you. They don't deserve to die here."
Even Texas, upon seeing the situation in front of her, knew there was no chance of her succeeding.
So her only thought was to buy time — to let the young man and her friends escape safely. At least if they made it outside and called for LGD backup, there might be a chance of turning the tables.
"I… I refuse."
The young man's answer made Texas pause.
She turned back and looked into his face — a face filled with rage.
"Celina Texas… do you realize what you're saying?"
Texas's eyes widened. She hadn't told him her true name, not to him, not to Exia, or Sora…
But that shock was nothing in comparison to what she heard next.
"After everything you fought for, after all you devoted your life to… you're going to throw it away over something this small?"
"The Celina Texas I know would never say something like this!!"
Perhaps it was Lapland's memories, blended into him, that made his rage grow when seeing Texas ready to submit herself to death.
The moment of desperation — when Ren lay powerless on a hospital bed — came back to him.
Compared to a woman who fought against a terrible fate, it seemed an insult for her to surrender now.
Because she was a pure, white light — a reflection in Lapland's memories — that kept the woman going forward and chasing after freedom.
And now… influenced by those memories, Ren unintentionally grew to respect her.
So seeing someone like her, someone who fought against her fate, now choosing to surrender… it made him boil with rage.
"Ren… who… who are you?"
Texas asked in disbelief.
Ren drew his spear.
"Just… a loser… who once believed his life meant nothing."
"But… I've given up enough already!!"
Ren's body changed; his Luper's ears and tail appeared, his eyes glimmering a familiar silver.
"And you, Texas… are you really going to give up here?"
'You're not someone who would surrender… are you, Celina?'
As if seeing a reflection of someone, the face of the mischievous silver-haired girl — whom she thought she'd forgotten — appeared in her mind's view.
'Ah… how stupid I've been.'
Texas turned back, avoiding his piercing gaze.
"Sorry… for letting you see me this weak."
"I almost forgot… as long as I'm alive, I can move forward."
"Even if the past chains me… I'll destroy it myself and live."
"Not for the name of Texas… but for my own will."
'My will… to find my home.'
Texas raised her head to face the giant wolf.
Whoosh!! She swung her sword, blue-black flames enveloping its blade. Her orange eyes glowed — a sign that her Originium power was syncing.
But this time it was different… as if her power had gone up a notch. The silhouette of a majestic wolf spirit appeared to back her.
"Magnificent..."
"That is the will of Texas the boss spoke of."
The giant wolf called "Shadow" nodded in recognition.
He heard the voice of the troupe leader — the person who remained interested in this young man — which was the only reason it hadn't struck immediately.
"That's what I thought… Celina… you truly are a true Siracusan."
Texas ignored the wolf's envious words. She simply raised her sword, pointing it directly at him.
"Paolo Texas… no… monster that stole my family's soul and name."
"I swear in the name of Texas… I will release his soul from this nightmare."
"And this will be the last time… I raise my blade against a family member."
The giant wolf remained silent, baring its fangs — a grotesque row of bone-like teeth — in a mocking snarl.
"If you think you can… then try it!"
Howl!! The wolf cried, sending countless shadow creatures forward.
Suddenly, a massive stone pillar rose to block their path.
"Thanks for the idea." Ren, in his Luper form, said — then used the "Sculpt" ability, which the system had previously rewarded him with, to transform the stone into a giant golem.
It may have looked crude and unfinished, but it was enough…
He then used "Spirit of Stone" to bring it to life.
Whoosh!! The giant golem opened its piercing golden eyes.
Awakening its will… it immediately rose to protect its master.
Boom!! The golem struck, sending the shadow creatures flying in all directions.
"Texas!!" Ren called, tossing all the swords from his inventory toward her.
Texas understood immediately. She darted forward, kicked the swords upward, then manipulated her power to turn some into a rain of swords — piercing upward.
But she wasn't aiming at the creatures… she was piercing the lamps above.
Her aim was clear — destroy all the light sources.
"Did you think I'd let you?"
The giant wolf pressed its massive claw downward.
The golem tried to resist, but against the wolf's overwhelming size, it was powerless.
The wolf crushed it underfoot, reducing it to gravel.
The giant tried to move forward toward Texas, but a small, cute rabbit-shaped ball struck its face first.
Boom!! The explosion made its face sting.
It hadn't physically injured its form… but the shock made its eyes water.
"YOU..."
The wolf turned toward the young man — its true problem.
Ren tightened his grip on his spear with one hand, while holding another rabbit-shaped explosive in the other.
He turned and darted away, using his Luper form's speed to stay just barely in the lead.
Meanwhile, Ren kept trying to "open gacha"—to find a sword for Texas.
He pressed draw repeatedly, ignoring how much it drained him, trying to maximize his odds of survival.
Hundreds of items fell into view…
The system, a bit kind this time, classified them quickly, letting Ren grab swords and toss them upward without even looking.
[Obtained 30 Weapons]
(N) 17
(R) 11
(SR) 1 — "Gun of Judgment"
(SSR) 1 — "Wolf's Gravestone (Claymore)"
[Obtained 20 Defensive Items]
(N) 10
(R) 8
(SR) 1 — "Glider: Wings of Soaring"
(SSR) 1 — "Ring: Promise of Focalors"
[Obtained 40 Misc Items]
6 — Klee's grenades
[Obtained 4 Skills]
(SR) Talent: Writing
(SR) Talent: Drawing
(SR) Talent: Makeup
(Unknown) Son of Bloom
"Flourish?" Ren raised an eyebrow in surprise upon seeing this last item.
He turned serious again when the wolf's massive claw came sweeping toward him.
With no place left to dart away, Ren raised whatever stone columns remained to block it —
but this was powerless against the massive claw.
The stone shattered, and the attack struck directly against his energy barrier.
Crack!! His barrier fell in an instant.
Ren tried to resist with his spear, wearing all the protective gear and employing all his power…
but it was in vain. His barrier shattered, and his body was hurled against a stone wall, causing him to cough up blood.
The giant wolf glanced at Ren.
It chose not to destroy him immediately — the troupe leader insisted on keeping him alive.
Instead, it turned back toward its true target — its last remaining family.
But when it tried to move, it felt something tying its limbs.
Looking down, it noticed strange segments of stone glowing dimly…
"What…?"
"It's a nail for your coffin."
A freezing voice came from above.
The wolf looked up and saw its niece, Texas, dangling from the ceiling — surrounded by countless swords piercing downward.
The wolf seemed to realize immediately.
"So… from the start… the lamps were a distraction."
In response, Texas's body launched upward, rebounding off the ceiling. She dove down with a sword in hand, slashing the giant wolf's body at supersonic speed. A cascade of swords followed, crashing down with a sound like a thousand blades, piercing through Shadow's body and severing his limbs.
All the joints of the puppet were punctured and left gaping holes, from which masses of shadowy smoke poured out. Yet none of it could halt Texas's killing intent. She continued forward, relentlessly swinging her blade with all her strength at the figure before her.
Shadow, under the onslaught, tried to transmute all the shadows within his blood into spears—either to attack or to hold Texas back.
But in that moment, the stones embedded in his body expanded and suddenly exploded in a golden-yellow flash of light, causing his shadows to evaporate.
Both Shadow and Texas were stunned by what had just happened.
Then, a familiar voice called from behind.
"Miss Texas!!" A massive red sword was hurled overhead. Upon seeing it, Texas reached out and caught it without hesitation. As the momentum of the falling sword shifted, she used it to slash downward with force, striking the wolf before her and igniting blue sparks.
Fwoosh!!! Shadow's body and shadowy form reacted violently upon contact with the blade. His darkness turned to crimson blood, and pieces of the puppet evaporated into white vapor as they touched the blade and its sparks.
But more piercing than the violence was the shrill scream that erupted from Shadow's mouth, as if it were the first wound he had suffered in decades.
"Arrrgghhhh!!!!"
Texas didn't let the chance slip away. Gripping her swords with both hands, she swung at a speed no human eye could follow, sending wave after wave of blue flashes crashing into Shadow's form.
In the final second, she spun in midair, leapt up, and slashed both blades downward at the wolf's head, cleaving it clean off. Her body landed gracefully, swords still gripped tight, while the residual blue glow on Shadow's body exploded behind her.
"…"
As the smoke cleared, the woman turned to look behind her. There, the shattered remains of a humanoid puppet lay broken and helpless on the ground. Half of the man's face had been sliced away, yet what remained still showed a familiar calm—one that Texas recognized.
The eyes of the figure slowly opened, locking onto Texas, and his lips moved to form words.
"'Rainblade'… a truly beautiful technique, Celina."
"You've surpassed me… and that old man too."
Though his voice bore no pride, the puppet's face was more serene than ever, and in his empty eyes was a trace of gentleness.
"…It's all thanks to your teachings," Texas said, walking over and kneeling beside her uncle—and former mentor.
"No… it's all because of you. I had nothing to do with it," Paolo slowly shook his head.
His empty eyes looked into the cold face of his niece.
To him, she still looked just as she had the day they first met at the estate…
She was still the same quiet, aloof girl who had defeated both trainers and kin with ease—a true heiress of the Texas family.
"From the very first moment I saw you wield a sword, I knew you were different from us… Back then, I didn't know whether what I felt was envy, or admiration for the incredible talent of a single child."
"But now… I think I know. It might really have been envy."
"Not envy of your talent… or of your bloodline. But of the unshakable will behind your sword."
"Because your blade has a heart—a heart that reaches for a freedom people like us never even dared to dream of."
"That is your will, Celina… and maybe, it has always been the will of Texas."
"You are the last of Texas… and the pride of our family. My pride."
"Texas, your mission is complete—"
"No. It's not over yet…" Texas interrupted.
"Texas will continue… as long as I still live."
Paolo's fading eyes widened.
"I'll go on living… because in the end, survival is what I do best."
"…Is that so? I see."
Paolo smiled in satisfaction, and his eyes gently closed as his body began to crumble into dust.
He left her with final words:
"Thank you, Celina."
"…" Texas looked at the drifting dust in the air and caught it in her palm. Her eyes trembled, pain swelling in her chest.
All the flames of the lanterns slowly went out—a sign that Shadow's life had come to an end.
She steadied her trembling lips and spoke in Colombian:
"Goodbye…Master"
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