Chapter: 269
“Teacher…”
“Damn it…”
In order to use the method of sealing, Eve’s sacrifice was essential.
Upon realizing this, everyone couldn’t hide their gloomy expressions.
Although they were surprised to learn that she was a witch, they had no hesitation in accepting her, for Eve was a respected teacher and benefactor to all of them.
It was too sad for them to send someone like her to her doom.
As they felt the heavy atmosphere, Eve spoke up.
“Guys, don’t worry so much. If it weren’t for this method, all of you would be dead anyway. If I can save you like this, I’m satisfied. I’ve lived enough already. Plus, I don’t want to see anyone die before me anymore.”
With a faint smile, as she declared her resolve, everyone had no choice but to bite their lips and nod in agreement.
It was a necessary sacrifice to protect not just them, but everyone else, so they could only pay their respects to Eve for making that determination.
With that, Eve turned away from the others and looked at the witch.
The witch was in the process of regaining power, letting out miasma as the starlight created by Sylvia faded away.
If their attacks, using every last ounce of strength, ceased to restrain her, she would start advancing toward this place at any moment.
Before the heroes ran out of power and before the witch regained too much strength, Eve had to get closer to the witch and attempt the sealing.
However, as she looked at her target for the seal, Eve furrowed her brow for a moment.
This was because she noticed other entities between her and the Witch of Gluttony.
These were the hordes of demonic beasts that were continuously being born and consumed from the miasma emitted by the witch.
As the starlight vanished, the army of demonic beasts that reappeared became a barrier that prevented Eve from getting close to the Witch of Gluttony.
This was quite unfortunate news for Eve.
In this sealing plan, time was more important than anything else.
Approaching the witch while resisting the miasma would definitely consume a lot of energy.
Additionally, if she had to break through that wall of demonic beasts to reach the witch, it would surely drain even more energy than expected.
Though she had just ended her fasting and somewhat recovered strength by absorbing some miasma, it was still far below the level of the Witch of Gluttony.
Even in perfect condition, she couldn’t be sure of successfully sealing at 100%, so if she drained that much energy…
Then the probability of her abilities truly working would be very low.
But that was something that couldn’t happen.
If she failed to seal, it would mean death for everyone left behind.
Thus, what Eve had to do from now on was clear.
To preserve her strength until the sealing of the witch and to heighten the chances of success.
She needed to ask others for help.
“……”
However, Eve couldn’t easily open her mouth.
She saw an attack flying toward the witch.
At first, the attacks that flew by were wiping out the wall of demonic beasts without a care and going straight toward the witch, but now they barely reached her after curving around the beasts.
Everyone was exhausted from the long battle, and their firepower had diminished.
In this situation, to conserve her strength while clearing away the wall of demonic beasts, she would have to attack from a closer distance.
However, asking them to attack from a closer distance meant stepping into the range of the miasma the witch was emitting.
That meant asking for someone to sacrifice themselves along with her for the sake of the plan.
That’s why Eve was unable to easily voice her request.
Everyone here were her precious students and people she wanted to survive.
Eve found it impossible to ask anyone to die alongside her for the sake of the remaining people.
“Looks like something’s wrong. Seeing the expression on Teacher’s face.”
At that moment, someone next to Eve spoke up.
Turning in surprise at the voice, she found her former student standing there.
It was Leon Lionelle, the captain of the 1st Squad in Astrape and the fastest hero.
He asked in a serious voice, looking at the stunned Eve.
“Are you worried that you might not have enough strength to seal?”
“…How did you…”
Realizing he had hit the nail on the head, Eve mumbled in surprise, and Leon let out a slight sigh.
“I had a rough guess since you mentioned an uncertain method earlier, but it seems I was right. You need to be certain. If you fail, then it’s all over.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“So, what do you need to increase the success rate?”
Closing her eyes tightly, Eve replied.
“…The more I conserve my strength until I can get close to the witch, the higher the success rate will be. But it seems it would take too much time and energy to break through that wall of demonic beasts alone… I need someone to help.”
“So, simply put, you need someone to go along with you, right?”
Eve nodded her head with a conflicted look at that statement.
“Well then, I guess I’ll go with you.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Leon’s answer came.
Volunteering for this mission meant facing death.
Eve stared blankly at Leon, who said he would go with her so easily.
In response to her gaze, Leon shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing.
“What are you looking at me like that for? I can’t hold out against that miasma for long, so I need to reach the witch as quickly as possible, making me the best candidate. With the fastest legs of a hero, I’ll get you there faster than anyone else.”
Eve found it hard to respond to that confident declaration.
“…But is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay. If I don’t step up in a situation like this, it wouldn’t make me fit to be the captain of Astrape. Besides—”
If Aegis Academy is a place that raises shields to protect humanity ahead of anyone in the future.
Then Astrape was the spear that pierced the enemy, guarding this moment right now.
Leon said he was simply fulfilling the duty he believed he had to undertake.
And then, he continued in a low voice, saying, “Besides…”
“If we fail, we all die, right? But I made a promise to my late wife. No matter what happens, I’ll protect my daughter, Leonor. If you fail, I won’t be able to keep that promise, so I’ll put forth all my strength to make sure we succeed.”
“…I understand.”
Unable to refuse Leon’s resolute offer, Eve nodded.
With that, Leon volunteered for the mission and began to carefully observe the direction of the witch.
He then wore a troubled expression for a moment and looked at the others, speaking heavily.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, but I think I’ll need at least one more person. No matter how fast my legs are, getting through a place full of obstacles like that will be tough. Anyone willing to clear the way?”
His gaze turned to Martin and Natalia, the other leaders.
After all, having more people would be useless.
The miasma emitted by the witch was something even elite heroes could barely endure for a moment.
Thus, he was asking those two, who had sufficient firepower and could withstand it, to join him.
However, before they could respond to Leon, someone else answered first from another direction.
“I’ll do it…!”
“…Miss is volunteering?”
Leon looked in surprise at the voice that came forth.
The one who had spoken up was none other than Scarlet.
“I may be a bit drained, but I can still endure the witch’s miasma to some extent, and I can definitely clear the way. If someone has to sacrifice, it should be me, the witch, right? I’ll do it. I have someone I need to protect too.”
Her reasoning was indeed valid.
Her firepower was certainly higher than that of the leaders, Martin or Natalia, so she could adequately fulfill her role in carrying out the mission.
So, it might’ve been the case that Scarlet would end up making that sacrifice.
“Hey, witch lady over there! Who do you think gave you permission to step up? I won’t allow that.”
If it hadn’t been for Martina Ivanova, captain of the 4th Squad in Astrape, stepping in to stop her…
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