Subtitle : Between the earth and the sky, just me
Naiadler – THEN ALLOW ME TO GRANT YOUR WISH!
After saying this, Naiadler began throwing his daggers randomly at the trees. The ropes binding the daggers to one another resembled a spider's web from above. Naiadler swiftly climbed onto the ropes.
The General immediately followed him onto the ropes. Naiadler leapt onto the top of one of the nearby bamboos and pulled all the daggers at once.
All the ropes tightened firmly around the General's body.
Naiadler – You're easier than you look…
The General let out a piercing scream. Even though Naiadler covered his ears, he could not prevent his eardrums from bursting. Staggering, Naiadler fell from the top of the bamboo. The blood flowing from his ears was enough to stain the grass crimson.
Despite this, he rose again with the same fury.
The General stomped his foot on the ground and shattered the earth. After that, he began throwing punch after punch at Naiadler without pause.
Naiadler drove one of his daggers into the General's leg and pulled the rope attached to it. Just as the General was about to fall, Naiadler gouged out one of his own eyes with his hands and threw it to the ground.
It was painfully obvious that Naiadler was holding back his tears. I wished I could help him… Hadn't all I done so far been sitting and watching? It felt as if something inside me was gnawing at me from within. For a moment, I did not want to see what was happening and closed my eyes.
Zero – You can help.
Zero was smiling deceptively. He was walking toward me step by step. In his hand was a sphere bristling with bones, dripping a black liquid onto the ground.
Zero – Come on, answer me. Don't you want to help?
BASTARD! I clenched my fists. I took the sphere from Zero's hand and turned my back on him. Slightly turning my head, I looked at him.
– One day, I will kill you with my own hands.
Zero looked as though he had been waiting for that very moment.
Zero – I'm looking forward to that day. How about eating the sphere?
I spat in Zero's face and threw the sphere into my mouth. Just as I was waiting to return to the real world, Zero began to speak.
Zero – Do you know the price of devouring a soul?
After hearing this, I dropped the sword in my hand and simply stared at Zero. There was immense fury and regret inside me.
– What did you make me do…
I awoke amid Zero's laughter.
I was lying in a pool of blood. I turned my head and saw the General slitting Naiadler's throat. I sprang to my feet and grabbed the sword lying beside Poison , striking at the General's arm.
Zero – Imagine cutting off his arm.
I clenched my teeth and imagined it. In an instant, the arm was severed, but the smell of paper began to fill the air. After Naiadler fell to the ground, I stepped in front of him and took a fighting stance.
Naiadler was coughing constantly. He looked extremely shocked. After a short while, he lifted his head and said:
Naiadler – Apollon…?
His voice was very faint.
Even though he would not be able to hear me, I could not stop myself from speaking.
– Unfortunately, I could never endure a new Arina.
An involuntary smile appeared on my face as I said this. At least now, I could protect someone.
I looked at the General. There was not a trace of will to fight left in his eyes.
I lunged forward and swung my sword to cut his leg.
Zero – Imagine cutting off his leg.
I did as Zero said and easily severed his leg. Suddenly, an unbearable pain shot through my little finger. Hesitantly, I looked at it. It had been crushed to pieces. I bit my lip to keep from screaming.
Ignoring the pain, I continued attacking. My mind was growing increasingly clouded. It felt as though I was gradually rotting or being corrupted.
If I kept fighting any longer, I knew I would destroy myself, but… in a strange way, I was enjoying this fight. Every time my sword struck his arm, every step he took to avoid me, I took pleasure in it.
From somewhere in the distance came the sound of a page being torn. From that moment on, an unbearable pain seized my wrist… In the end, I could not hold back and screamed.
Even though Naiadler could not hear, it was clear he understood. Just as the General was about to strike me, Naiadler pushed me aside.
With all his strength, Naiadler struck the General. All the fingernails on the hand he struck with had been torn out. Yet he paid no mind, bent down, and swept the General's leg.
Naiadler – APOLLON!
The sword had been flung to a corner. I had no time to retrieve it. So I began slitting the General's throat.
Apollon and Naiadler – DIE ALREADY!
The General quickly repelled us. When I checked Naiadler's condition, one of his eyes was gone. Blood was flowing from where it should have been.
As I tried to go to Naiadler's side, he pushed me into a corner.
Naiadler – Stay out of this, Apollon. Even if I lose four of my senses, I will be the one to send him back to the grave!
Naiadler stood before me with absolute determination. He took the daggers he had bound together with rope and began using them like a sling.
As the General kept trying to keep his distance, he suddenly lunged forward. Just as he was about to land a punch on Naiadler's face, his hand began to melt.
Poison began to laugh in a very low voice, yet it was enough to be heard in the silence.
Poison – I told you. I said I would be the one to finish you.
The General quickly leapt back and tore off his own hand.
Poison – Unless you kill yourself, you will never rid yourself of the poison.
The General swiftly lifted Poison into the air and began choking him. Just as his throat was about to be crushed, I stepped between them and smeared my blood onto the General.
At that moment, I was like a madman. Grinning as if my mouth would tear apart, I said:
– If I am being corrupted right now, I will drag you down this path with me!
The General hurled both of us into a corner. He began to stagger, as if he were gradually approaching that very point. He was screaming without pause. I no longer even had the strength to speak.
As the General slowly approached us, Naiadler stepped in front of us. In that moment, it was as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Naiadler – Thank you. Leave the rest to me.
Naiadler closed both his eyes. He slowly began to rise toward the sky. No one attacked him at that moment. They simply watched this mesmerizing sight.
Naiadler raised his hand. The tie binding his hair snapped, and his hair began to wave in the sky. A black substance began forming in the hand he had raised. When I looked at Naiadler again, I could see the universe within his hair and shining lights in his remaining eye.
There were millions of daggers in the sky. At last, Naiadler opened his eyes and slowly brought the black substance in his hand to the General's level.
Naiadler – I will protect everyone.
Though he spoke in an extremely faint voice…
Naiadler hurled the black substance he had formed in his hand at the General. At that moment, everything turned black and white, and it was as if the world was being drawn into the black substance. Naiadler clenched his fist, and the entire world was pulled inside. After a massive explosion, the world was as it had been before.
Naiadler returned to his true form and began to fall to the ground. During that time, I turned my head toward the trees and saw Odasaku watching everything in horror.
Despite the wound on his leg, Odasaku swiftly caught Naiadler and landed.
Naiadler was unconscious. Odasaku was still staring at him in shock.
Zero – I told you. One of your students is a Sur.
As Zero's quiet laughter echoed, my eyes closed.
End of Chapter.