Swish, phew.
I look ahead and take a deep breath.
Finally facing the witch of gluttony, with the help of many people.
Standing there with Yoon Si-woo, I recalled a line from a novel I once read.
[The Witch of Gluttony, the being humanity calls, looked down upon Yoon Si-woo and his party with her massive black eyes from above. Those who faced her directly could not help but feel it. She was a being of a different caliber, one that should not be fought against.]
So this was how they felt.
This was the sentiment of finally facing the witch.
[Everyone before had perished in vain against her. That was why they fled and kept fleeing.]
The atmosphere of the predator standing above everything.
Even with my resolve, her gaze held such terrifying power that it was impossible not to feel fear.
[But now, they had no more places to run. Therefore, the last united front of humanity, led by Yoon Si-woo, charged at the witch. Even knowing it would be their final struggle, an act of meaningless defiance.]
In the original work, the Witch of Gluttony was an incomprehensibly overpowering foe.
That was also why I had despaired when I first fell into this world.
I thought the world would inevitably meet its doom at the hands of the Witch of Gluttony, believing my best option was to survive as long as possible.
But at some point, my mindset changed.
[The Witch of Gluttony was not only powerful but also formidable. Her body, covered in countless massive tentacles. Just by swinging them, the heroes were being exhausted one by one.]
So much had transpired, and I had received countless help and formed bonds.
I could no longer dismiss those tied to me.
They could not just be treated as characters from a novel.
I began to wish for their lives to continue in this world.
[Sylvia unleashed the power of the spirit that purifies miasma to resist the witch’s magic that sought to consume the heroes. But it didn’t last long. The witches’ magic, generated infinitely, was beyond what she could withstand alone. As Sylvia gazed blankly at the heroes dying while resisting, she ultimately fell, spewing black blood.]
Since then, I genuinely wanted to change the end of this world.
[“No!” Yoon Si-woo screamed as he saw the ones he protected and loved fall. Tentacles from the witch came flying at him. He gritted his teeth and swung his sword at the incoming tentacles. Lucy, his only family, and the most trusted sword that helped him overcome countless adversities.]
For that reason, I stood here, on this battlefield where the fate of the world hung in the balance.
[But even his sword, which could cut through everything, became useless against the witch’s transcendental regenerative ability that healed her instantly after taking damage. Although he raised his sword to protect, no one could be saved. Thus, Yoon Si-woo fought desperately until he became the last remaining survivor but ultimately met the same empty death as the rest.]
So, that tragic ending I witnessed would not occur.
As Yoon Si-woo once told me.
‘…I will never let it happen.’
And the moment I muttered that internally,
CRACK, a massive tentacle came flying at me from the right.
When I realized the attack, it was already a bit too late to react and evade.
It had come from my blind spot due to me losing sight in one eye.
But there was no need to worry.
“─Sleet, are you okay?”
Before I knew it, Yoon Si-woo jumped in front of me to block the attack.
“…Yeah, thanks.”
I expressed my gratitude to Yoon Si-woo, who had protected me, and glanced at the tentacle he had just sliced off.
The tentacle that should have appeared unscathed after being severed was definitely cut off.
Moreover, the severed part was not regenerating.
The reason why his attack worked when it shouldn’t have was simple.
The flame surrounding Yoon Si-woo’s sword was the cause.
The flames that burned the miasma prevented the tentacle’s regeneration.
It felt similar to how Hercules had burnt the regenerating heads of the Hydra.
To confirm, I subtly asked Yoon Si-woo.
“…So, what do you think? Do you think we could win?”
And Yoon Si-woo replied to that question.
“Like you said, if she can’t regenerate fast enough, we’ll be fine.”
As long as our attacks connected, and she couldn’t regenerate, he believed he could win.
Then there was only one thing for me to do.
I would support Yoon Si-woo with everything I had.
I stood closely behind him, ensuring the flames surrounding his sword remained.
As I stood close, I saw Yoon Si-woo’s back.
It reminded me of the past.
Back in the academy, you were always in front of me.
But unlike back then, when I was just an extra sitting behind the protagonist, now I was someone who could help you take down your nemesis.
So now, I can boldly say it.
“Go ahead and fight as fiercely as you can. I’ll make sure the regeneration won’t get through.”
When I said that, Yoon Si-woo nodded as if he believed me and raised his sword again.
Yet more tentacles were flying toward us.
Though the witch had shrunk in size after using Ms. Eve’s ability, she was still huge.
Her large tentacles had enough reach to launch attacks toward us, who were still a bit far away.
Fast and powerful tentacles slicing through the air.
—SWISH!
Yoon Si-woo effortlessly sliced through them and darted forward to close the distance with the witch.
I matched my breathing and speed with his.
As if we had become one body, I followed closely behind him and charged toward the witch together.
-■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!!!!!
Seeing the severed tentacles not regenerating must have made the Witch of Gluttony nervous.
She unleashed a grotesque roar and swung more tentacles at us.
A deluge of tentacles stormed toward us, filling almost the entire front.
Though it momentarily startled me,
—WHOOSH!
In that second, how many tentacles did he slice through with his sword?
His dazzling talent, extreme training, and the experience gained from intense battles with Beatrice.
All of that culminated into the fiery sword, creating chaotic red trails in the air.
I couldn’t even track all the rapid blows of his sword, slicing through the rain of tentacles.
That fleeting moment turned into a prolonged scene as Yoon Si-woo continuously advanced toward the witch.
At that moment, Yoon Si-woo undoubtedly had the upper hand against the Witch of Gluttony.
But there was a problem.
“…Ugh.”
It was on my end, having to keep up with that superhuman battle.
I felt it.
With each swing of Yoon Si-woo’s sword.
With every tentacle he cut down.
Something inside me was slowly burning away.
That little bit was accumulating, and I could feel the toll it was taking on my body.
The sounds were becoming muffled.
My remaining eye, which had been fine until now, grew increasingly hazy from the outside in.
The pain was one thing, but the sensation of my body deteriorating in real-time was more terrifying than the pain itself.
However, I couldn’t let that show.
If Yoon Si-woo noticed that I was paying such a price to fight like this, he would be too distracted worrying about me to fight properly.
So, I gritted my teeth and desperately followed Yoon Si-woo, continuously murmuring to myself.
If we keep going like this, we can win.
I mustn’t break the current momentum.
So, my body, just hang on a little longer.
Until Yoon Si-woo defeats the witch, just a bit longer without letting it show.
But cruelly, my body did not grant my wish.
“Ugh, huh?”
Suddenly, my left leg, which had been functioning perfectly, abruptly stopped.
I managed to stabilize myself as my leg tangled and my balance wavered.
But inevitably, my running speed slowed.
“…Sleet?”
Yoon Si-woo, realizing something was off with my rhythm, momentarily glanced my way.
“─!!! Scullet!!”
I couldn’t stop it.
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