abcnovels
[Ln] Volume 3: Chapter 6.5
[Ln] Volume 3: Chapter 6.5
[LN] Volume 3: Chapter 6.5
Volume 3 Chapter 6.5
Once Again, The First Step Part 5
Translator : PolterGlast
Irisdina and the others managed to defend against the attacks of [Cracked Crown], but they finally reached their limits.
They were on such a tightrope walk that they could not afford to counterattack in the first place. It was almost a miracle that they were able to maintain their formation until now.
Perhaps grew tired of it, the [Cracked Crown]'s unique crown emitted an unprecedentedly dazzling flash of lightning.
Following this, similar lightning overflowed from all its body segments and converged on the tips of the arms at the ends of the upper sections of each segment.
Even the tip of its tail was lit up, and extremely thick lightning began to run across its huge body.
"Not good! Everybody get down!"
Immediately after Irisdina shouted, a torrent of extreme lightning was released.
"Kyaaa!"
"Gaah!"
With a thunderous sound as if a comet had fallen in close proximity, [Extreme Lightning] running in a straight line penetrated Tima's barriers in an instant. The mere impact of the blast knocked away Irisdina and the others who were lying flat on the ground, completely robbing them of their combat ability, which had been depleted until the very last minute.
"Kuu......"
Irisdina forcibly raised herself up, whipping her sensory-deprived body, but she had no strength left in her hands to even hold her own weapon.
The [Silver Wings of the Evening Moon] she was carrying fell to the ground and made a hollow sound.
Her magic power was completely depleted. She attempted to deploy a magic spell, but her outstretched hand slumped against her will, and as a price for trying to use magic forcibly, she was hit with a strong headache.
Next to her, Shina managed to raise herself up in the same manner, but her appearance was not much different from Irisdina's. Her partner, Razward, also stood beside her, staring at the [Cracked Crown], but his appearance was continuously flickering, and it was clear that the source element in his body was on the verge of depletion.
*Gichigichigichigichi......*
Irisdina forcibly raised herself up, whipping her sensory-deprived body, but she had no strength left in her hands to even hold her own weapon.
The [Silver Wings of the Evening Moon] she was carrying fell to the ground and made a hollow sound.
Her magic power was completely depleted. She attempted to deploy a magic spell, but her outstretched hand slumped against her will, and as a price for trying to use magic forcibly, she was hit with a strong headache.
Next to her, Shina managed to raise herself up in the same manner, but her appearance was not much different from Irisdina's. Her partner, Razward, also stood beside her, staring at the [Cracked Crown], but his appearance was continuously flickering, and it was clear that the source element in his body was on the verge of depletion.
*Chk-chk-chk-chk......*
The [Cracked Crown] began to clad its gigantic physique in purple electricity once again, clicking its fangs as if to mock the helpless Irisdina.
Surely, it was trying to unleash that [Extreme Lightning] once again.
Irisdina and the others were desperately trying to support their bodies, which were about to collapse, but that was the best they could do at the moment.
And at the very moment when the lightning was about to be released, a silver shadow ran past Irisdina and the others, who were at their limits, at high speed.
"Eh?"
"W-What!?"
Immediately afterward, *Bang!*. The silver shadow charged toward the head of the [Cracked Crown] and the sound of purple lightning busting resounded. The fist-equipped black gauntlet was pulled out after it struck one of the giant centipede's eyes, which was startled by the sudden intervention.
"Just be quiet for a minute!"
*Giiii!*
A powerful blow punched through the [Cracked Crown]'s eye, and the impact caused it to involuntarily bend its huge body backward.
"Karanti, now!"
"Roger that, Leader."
In the meantime, Kevin's party members retrieved Mars and the others, who were unable to move, one after another.
"They are ......"
"Kevin Ardinal. Why are you here ......?"
Irisdina and Shina were stunned by the appearance of a young man from the Silver Wolf clan, who was not supposed to be there.
A hand was gently placed on their shoulder as they almost slumped to the ground.
"Thank you, both of you......'
"Eh......"
A calm voice in contrast to the tense battlefield.
Then, as they let out an involuntary yelp, Nozomu's back as he ran off jumped into their vision.
*Gyiiiii!*
"Kuh!?"
Kevin's blow exposed an unintentional opening, but [Cracked Crown] immediately released lightning from its entire body to repel him. The lightning was then aimed at Nozomu, who was its top priority target.
"Haa, haa, haa...... ughh!"
While forcing his aching body to move, Nozomu ran as fast as he could with his hand on the invisible chains.
At the same time, with a searing rage burning through his entire body, the reddened scene of gore and burning flames flashed through his mind once again.
Obviously, it was Tiamat's interference. Even though he was aware of it and was prepared for it, the interference of the Dragon King instantly eroded Nozomu's rationality.
A strong destructive impulse surged up, followed by the revival of the joy of releasing his power as he wished.
How good would it feel to be able to go on a rampage without thinking?
Even the feeling that he could throw away his life and everything he has ever experienced came to mind.
His mind has surrendered to the growing fear, and his hands, clutching the invisible chains, have begun to tremble.
(But......)
Once again, he looked over his shoulder at Irisdina and the others.
Even after he had pointed his blade at them and almost killed them, they never abandoned him, and on the contrary, they sacrificed themselves to save him.
With the mere sight of them in his vision, the trembling in his hands disappeared. All that was left was to step forward.
It was just like the last time he fought with his master. To face those who are precious to him once again.
(Now, let's start over again......!)
With his friends' figures burned into his eyes once again, Nozomu tore off the invisible chains, releasing his ability suppression.
"Guuhh!"
Pain so intense that his entire body felt like it was going to be torn apart, as it erupted forth a torrent of Qi.
For the third time, blood began to flow from the wound that had just been healed.
At the same time, he sensed a mighty presence closing in on him, and the forest that stretched out before him vanished.
In its wake, a scorching world spread out before him.
The nightmarish landscape reappeared.
But Nozomu was no longer misled and stared into the darkening sky, where sparks of fire danced in the air.
[What an annoying bastard......]
"I won't be fooled by your illusions anymore. At least for this moment, I will make you behave!"
Tiamat's voice resounded from the void. Nozomu clenched his sweaty palms and yelled at the giant dragon.
Tiamat's pressure increased in response to the puny human's declaration of war. At the same time, the entire world began to creak. Nozomu's spine froze as if pierced by an ice spear, and cold sweats broke out in a single gush.
As his survival instincts warned him of the greatest danger, he felt a sharp pain in his head. Tiamat's interference had begun.
"Ugh!"
[This time, I will surely break your mind ......]
"Guu, aaaaa!"
Nozomu's screams echoed through the scorching world, and various forms of death swirled in his mind. It was the scene where everything was being done by his own hand.
The image of Nozomu decapitating Irisdina.
The image of Nozomu impaling Shina with his own hands.
*Giiiiii!*
[Gyaaaa!]
A girl's high-pitched scream overlapped with the [Cracked Crown]'s scream.
The power of [Cracked Crown], whose belly had been ripped open, was drained from its entire body, and with a *thud!* sound, its body limped down to the ground.
Nozomu, who had pushed himself to the limit, also fell to his knees powerlessly.
"Nozomu......!"
"Nozomu-kun!"
Irisdina and Shina rushed over to support his body, which was about to collapse.
"Thank, you ....... I'm ....... alright now."
Nozomu smiled, trying not to worry them, but he fainted like a puppet whose strings had been severed. At the same time, his ability suppression was activated. The power that had sustained his body up to now disappeared, and the amount of blood flowing out of his body increased at once.
"What do you mean by alright!? Your condition is severe!"
"Norn-sensei, hurry up!"
"Oh my goodness, you really are a student who makes doctors cry!"
In response to Shina's call, Norn rushed over to Nozomu and began healing him again.
However, at that moment, a heavy, resentful voice was heard echoing within their ears.
[You're supposed to be a mere toy.......!]
Irisdina and the others involuntarily turned their gazes toward the [Cracked Crown].
Upon closer look, something seemed to melt out of the body of the giant centipede.
It was a tiny girl with transparent wings reminiscent of an insect. However, to call her a girl, her appearance was somewhat unusual.
Her lovely face was covered with countless cracks. Eventually, the skin on her face peeled off like old coatings, revealing a strange appearance underneath.
"That's ......."
A pair of compound eyes resembling that of an insect and a proboscis resembling that of a butterfly. It was not a human girl, but a hybrid of several insects.
"An insect spirit, huh? Perhaps it had attached itself to this giant centipede and was controlling its mind. We'll need to do a little ...... questioning."
Shina's sharp gaze fell on the insect spirit.
But before she could question her, the spirit disappeared as if dissolving into the darkness of the night.
As soon as the insect spirit disappeared, the giant centipede woke up and raised its wounded body.
*Gigigi, gi.......*
"Oioi, come on, spare me any more of this ......"
Mars let out a sigh for what seemed like the umpteenth time today. Tension once again assailed Irisdina and the others.
However, the severely wounded [Cracked Crown] merely glanced down at them, did nothing, then turned around and disappeared into the night forest.
"Perhaps, that demonic beast was possessed and controlled by the insect spirit while it was sleeping. Its priority was to survive rather than to fight us......"
Indeed, it should be nearly impossible for them to encounter that monster again. Everyone was relieved to hear Shina's words.
"Honestly, there are still many unanswered questions......"
Irisdina, while holding Nozomu's collapsed body, gently stroked his cheek.
"Welcome back, Nozomu. When you wake up, please tell me your stories."
A tingling sensation stung the inside of her nose. She surrendered herself to relief, overcome by the heat rising up from the depths of her chest.
With a smile filled with affection on her face.
End of Chapter 6
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Aiden Elliott
Coatl45
Kcx1
Kyle Wiggins
Marvin Sanchez
Matthew Novak
Matthew Shuler
Swagaraga
[Gold]
-
[Silver]
ArUnInAcTiOn
Benjamin Ernst
CoolmanMTD
Damian Karis
Daniel Saldana
Glasses Kun
heath gore
LemonLover
Matzar1
Nazmun Saikat
Thiago Leite Denedai
Zyran
[Bronze]
Abhinav Choudhury
Alden H
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Duncan Rodgers
Eric Martinez
Hikari Ashta
Genetic Deadend
Michael Park
Nathaniel Reyes
TheOrganizetionXIII
???? ?????
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
<> > Next>>