117 – Responsibilities
Mari looked sideways at the followers around her, and her face was filled with sadness.
It was truly an unexpected surprise.
Marie, who was scattered with her crew due to a group of followers suddenly attacked, tried to fight with Tina, but ended up being caught by them.
At least he managed to get Baekrang, a familiar, to sneak out, but it’s hard to hope for a decent income either.
Above all, Baekrang was in a state of scars, and her magic power was almost running out, so there is a high possibility that she will return to the spirit realm before informing the outside world of this situation.
‘Rather than that, these guys must have other goals.’
Tied up side by side with Tina in the corner of the cave, Marie tried to find out their purpose even in this extreme situation.
As a result, I could see that their atmosphere was somehow strange.
If it was just to get something out of the academy by using the cadets as hostages, or if it was just to slaughter, he would have gone wild and tried to capture or kill as many cadets as possible.
However, the guys seemed to have no interest in the existence of the cadets, just tying the two to a rope and continuing to talk among themselves.
At that point, Marie felt deja vu.
Isn’t this quite similar to the event during the exchange meeting with the Wizard’s Forest?
‘There must be something you are looking for. It’s clear.’
Yes. As was the case with those two incidents, they are moving for a purpose.
Then it would be correct to assume that there are similar targets for this raid.
As a result of thinking over and over again about what it was, Marie focused on the bonus points given to this test, which she had been thinking about until right before being attacked by them.
‘It would be correct to assume that the academy also had something they were looking for in this historic site. There is something important to be found even by relying on their contingency, to the extent that we have to borrow the hands of cadets who have not been able to properly read even ancient letters.’
Putting Mari’s guesses together, it means that this was an object-finding game with a test in the name of it.
Or, even if they couldn’t reach the object they were looking for, they probably wanted the cadets to find out at least a hint to get there.
In response, Marie thought that she was doing a pretty bad job, but she didn’t understand it either.
It would also prove that the importance of the existence of the object they are looking for is so high.
She must have felt like borrowing at least a cat’s hand.
“Get ready!”
While Marie was rummaging through the details in her head.
A man’s voice, very bright, resonated in the distance.
At the same time, a group of people wearing identical robes gathered around them like Deukdal, and they showed signs of confirming something and became busy all at once.
Mari’s eyes were sharp as she watched them.
“Finish quickly and go back! Don’t forget the vicar’s strict orders!”
The moment when someone who appears to be the commander of the group steps forward and starts commanding the front line, and the people wearing robes radiate magical energy and reach out to the empty wall.
Wedge!
Something flew from the passageway of the cave and pierced a person’s head.
An uproar erupted from the group of followers who identified the corpse of a comrade who collapsed helplessly onto the cold floor without even time to let out a scream of pain.
“I am the enemy! Heck!”
As if saying that there was not only one spear of ice that flew in, dozens of spears flew right after, and others spewed blood and collapsed.
“What, what happened?”
“Looks like reinforcements.”
When Tina’s eyes widened at the unexpected situation that suddenly unfolded in front of her eyes, Marie, who remained relatively calm, understood the situation and answered.
But Marie was not surprised.
Rather, the fact that salvation, which seemed like it would never come, had finally arrived, made me feel like crying at any moment.
Fuwook.
Soon after, with the spear of ice as support, a person rushed into the group and mercilessly stabbed one follower in the heart.
Along with the grotesque sound effect digging into the flesh, the blood seeping through the black robe soaked the floor.
Aden, who looked at the scene coldly, relayed her words to Lone who appeared after her.
“I will stop this one! Lone, save the two of them together with Elisha!”
“Okay!”
Paper weave.
The lightning that flowed from Lone’s hand hit the followers along the ground.
There were some who hurriedly opened a shield or surrounded themselves with magic to offset this, but a number of them died as chaos arose in the command system that collapsed in an instant.
“I’m sorry. Have you waited long? I’ll release you from the rope first.”
Seruk.
After overpowering those who tried to follow him with lightning, Lorne approached the two people in a corner and removed the rope with cutter magic.
Fortunately, it was a low-quality item that only limited the magic power of the person tied to the rope, and was easily cut off by magic power coming from outside.
“Thank you, Lorne. Rather, how did you get here?”
Tina asked how she had come with words of gratitude, tying her wrists, which were aching from her being tied up for so long.
Lone then pointed to the white wolf fighting alongside Aden.
“That kid helped me. I wouldn’t have found it otherwise.”
“I see. Baekrang….”
Mari knows what it means to be able to call for help without returning to the spirit realm even after running out in that state.
So, feeling his heart swell, he thanked the Familiar in his heart, then got up from his seat.
Subduing them is also subduing them, but there is still work to be done.
“Marie, Tina. Are you okay? What happened to them….”
Shortly thereafter, Elisha, who succeeded in overpowering them, joined Aden and asked.
I was worried that it might have reached the worst situation because there were only two women in captivity.
However, as if to say it was a waste, Marie sternly replied, showing off her slender arms proudly.
“Don’t worry, Elisha. Do I look like such an easy-going woman?”
“Whoops, it doesn’t look like that at all.”
“Isn’t it? So don’t worry. Nothing happened.”
Rather, there was nothing going on, so I felt a sense of difference.
But Marie, who seemed to have a vague idea of the reason by now, looked around at her party and nodded her head firmly.
I don’t know how long it will be before reinforcements come from the academy, but until then, this side seems to have something to do.
“I have more work to do than that. Everyone, lend me your ears.”
“What to do? Maybe other cadets… ?”
Just as Elisha was about to ask if she was being held somewhere, her mother, Uncharacteristically, interrupted her childhood friend’s words and shook her head.
“It’s not like that. I’m in a hurry, so I’ll explain first.”
Then, during her captivity, she began to tell her companions the results of her repeated deductions.
Although it is completely up to them to choose whether or not to believe this reasoning and act.
* * * *
Heavy.
The mind and body are slowly reaching their limits.
Before he could look down at his bloody body, Bell fixed his sword with trembling hands, not taking his eyes off the enemy standing in front of him.
“f*ck….”
The reason why the curse came out rather than the sound of heavy breathing must be because he felt that the situation was hopeless.
Even the difference you can see with the naked eye right now is the same.
On one side, not even the hem was cut, while on the other hand, the entire skin was cut and the clothes became rags, so they lost their function as clothes.
To be honest, I can’t even see a bow.
This was the first time Bell had come to this world and felt such an overwhelming difference in power.
It’s fresh, but it doesn’t make me happy.
In a situation where one’s life is at stake, is there a masochist who would feel joy in something like this?
‘At least I survived thanks to Tina.’
Not the leather bag I gave to Lorne, but the elixir for strengthening the body that I kept in her pocket, just in case I had to use it.
Even if it’s an elixir, it’s a level that temporarily increases muscle agility and reflexes, so it’s useless in front of the overwhelming difference in power.
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However, thanks to that slight difference, it is also true that he managed to avoid an attack that he would normally have been unable to avoid, with minor injuries.
He decided to thank Tina when he returned, and he smiled bitterly in the situation of despair.
I didn’t think I could convey it honestly, so it was a laugh that came from that paradoxical feeling.
“Don’t you regret it?”
These were the words given by Gible, who slowly approached, revealing a sword considerably thicker than Bell’s.
There’s no way he wouldn’t know the meaning of that question, but Bell tried to pretend he didn’t know and asked back.
Possibly because of a cut in the abdomen earlier, a handful of blood poured out of his mouth as he was about to speak out.
“… Cool! What?”
“You ask even though you know. I’m talking about the fact that he rashly attacked even though he knew the difference in strength.”
Damn it.
Of course, he wasn’t stupid enough to not know the difference in strength, but Bell’s pride was hurt when the enemy pointed it out.
Even though he honestly knew he wouldn’t win, he jumped in with the complacency of thinking that he might be able to inflict at least one wound.
However, the result is disastrous.
Even the expression “Overwhelming” Was embarrassingly one-sided.
Even in a situation where everyone was dying, Bell was just annoyed and resentful about it.
But if you ask him if he regrets it, the answer will be different.
“Not at all. Because I’m not the type to commit and regret.”
Gibbel’s eyebrows twitched at the answer in a fairly light tone.
Usually, regardless of whether it is the courageous person who knew the gap in power with the opponent and jumped in, or the person who acted recklessly, the moment death is in front of them, regret is bound to be expressed.
Death is such an existence for creatures that have an end.
However, this man doesn’t show a single ray of regret in his eyes, as if to prove that the answer he gave earlier wasn’t a lie.
It was the first time I had seen even Gible, who had faced many strong people.
“Even if I die right here?”
“I’m going to die someday anyway, do I even have to regret bitterly that it happened a little earlier?”
Seeing him nervously spitting bloody saliva and laughing, Gibbel fixed his sword.
Somehow, I thought he was just a kid who was reckless with his childhood, but judging from the fact that he recognized his skills and other aspects, he doesn’t seem to be an ordinary kid.
Then there is something you should keep in mind.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“Bel Denauer.”
“I am Gible. I don’t like procrastinating anymore, so I’ll end it like this. Bel Denauer.”
From the fixed sword, a clear sword energy that had not been felt until a moment ago flowed out.
It was as if the two words “Death” Were engraved in Bell’s eyes.
However, I have no intention of giving up.
So, Bell fixed his sword as well and raised his mana to the max for the final blow.
Light collided with light, not sword with sword, and a huge resonance was created in the underground cavity.