LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 70
Chapter 70
“I had forgotten about that!”
Memphir fumbled through his pockets.
“No choice then, I’ll help you.”
Thud.
Memphir placed two pills, the size of walnuts, on the table and said,
“Eat this.”
“What is it?”
“It’s an antidote.”
Sniff sniff…
Bill brought it to his nose and took a whiff, then remarked,
“There’s a faint trace of poison mixed in.”
“You want me to eat poison?”
“Then die if you prefer.”
Memphir shrugged and explained,
“I’ve removed the excessive toxicity. The mild poison will momentarily boost your and your guardian’s vitality. With that, you should make it to the abandoned bridge, right? Your body is already at its limit.”
I never said I was going to the bridge.
“You…”
“Isn’t it strange not to know? All other paths lead to pursuit, and the only escape is to block the pursuers. The only viable option nearby is the old, forsaken bridge.”
He glanced outside and sighed.
“If the investigators were just a bit smarter, they would head for the bridge even now.”
Well, that’s fine.
So…
“Can the investigators win?”
“Not easily, not the whole squad, especially under these dire conditions.”
“Not easy, but…”
“…”
“It’s possible, then.”
Swoosh…
Memphir, donning a mask resembling a gas mask, stood up.
“I guess this is goodbye, Faust.”
“Memphir, why are you helping me?”
“What are you talking about? I’m just selling a product.”
That’s a lie.
He wouldn’t risk a fight with the entire squad just for a pouch of gold coins.
There must be another reason.
Memphir’s gaze fell.
“Why did you save me then?”
“That’s…”
It’s an emotion that can’t be clearly explained.
Despite having killed dozens in a day, he somehow ended up saving me.
“Ahahaha! See! There are times when we all do things we can’t explain! Alright… shall we get going? It’s the first time I’m working for such a cheap price since I started trading.”
He stopped abruptly and advised,
“Just so you know, since you killed Scala’s favorite disciple, you’ll be hunted by him for life. Are you prepared for that?”
“I never chose this. I just accept it.”
“Ha! Well said… Now hold your breath as much as you can. …Here we go.”
Huuurgh…
Memphir kicked open the old door, shattering the jar filled with poison gas.
Boom!
Pssssshhhhhh!
* * *
As the door swung open, an investigator poised to strike at Memphir recoiled upon detecting poison.
“Poison! It’s poison! Fall back!”
Pssshhhhhh…
The venomous mist spread unabated, even as rain poured down.
“Run! I’ll cover you!”
Faust and Bill burst forth like lightning, racing towards the bridge.
“Think you can escape?”
[Vanebelt unleashes Heart Piercer.]
[Upon contact, the sword explodes, scattering shrapnel.]
[Each fragment inflicts damage equal to 40% of the attack power.]
Ssssshhhhhhk-!
Boom!
A bizarrely shaped dagger deflected the investigator’s strike.
Whooosh-!
And then, a flurry of rapid slashes followed.
The serrated dagger, grooved like a saw blade, hooked the investigator’s sword.
“Futile! This sword is…”
At that moment, a strange light flowed from Memphir’s eyes.
[Memphir’s Sword Destroyer activates.]
[The Sword Destroyer rapidly depletes the durability of any blade it catches.]
Crackkkkkk-!
Snap!
The sword snapped in two.
“How could this happen…”
Thump!
The investigator, weaponless, was at the mercy of Memphir’s onslaught.
“What else can’t be done?”
“Ugh… Ack…”
“Let him go!”
[Giselle casts Ice Spike.]
[A sharp spike of ice, formed from cold magic, targets its prey.]
[It can slightly alter its trajectory, inflicting cold damage based on the infused magic power.]
Ssssshhhhhhk-!
An angle difficult to evade.
A spell aimed precisely at the back.
Swoosh…
A pouch at Memphir’s waist opened.
[Memphir’s Hungry Balakof activates.]
[The Balakof devours magic until it’s sated.]
Whooooo…
The magic was sucked in and vanished from sight.
“Lies…”
Boom!
Memphir, emerging through the poisonous mist, struck down the mage.
“Everything has its price.”
Each item, a tremendous boon that could turn the tide of battle. The dark merchant Memphir’s arsenal was a treasure above all treasures.
The investigators, having already lost two comrades, coughed incessantly in the toxic mist as they faced Memphir.
“If not for the poison… Cough…”
“Cough… Relying on artifacts is such folly… Cough… I’ll make you see clearly.”
A swordsman from the east conjured a blade storm.
Whooooosh-!
Clearing the path ahead of the poison, the swordsman charged forward.
[Chiro employs Withered Blade.]
[The inertia of the sword’s swing is slightly reduced, allowing for freer movement.]
[However, the attack power is decreased by 20%.]
Ssssshhhhhhk-!
Memphir, once again, attempted to catch the incoming blade with his Sword Destroyer.
“Tricks! Futile!”
Whooosh-!
The sword, moving at incredible speed, twisted its trajectory to avoid the Sword Destroyer and aimed for Memphir’s waist.
Slash!
At that moment, a crude iron sword was drawn from Memphir’s waist. Among his many treasures, this weapon was the most valuable to him, yet it possessed no special powers.
Clang!
Investigator Chiro realized, as he crossed swords with Memphir, that all the treasures and extraordinary weapons paled in comparison to this man’s hidden prowess.
Clang!
Bang!
“Why… With such skill…”
“A true craftsman never blames his tools.”
Memphir, the final boss of Episode 4, held power even greater than a full investigation squad.
“Those who compare themselves to craftsmen always say that when they die, don’t they?”
Boom!
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“…Said by those who are not craftsmen.”
* * *
Emerging from the ruins, I pondered.
A strange twist of fate.
The formidable foes of the original tale appeared as saviors, propelling me towards tomorrow.
‘Warmth spreads through my body.’
All because of the poison pill Memphir handed me.
Despite the cold rain, my entire body felt ablaze.
“…Faust, can you see?”
“…Yes, I see it.”
The bridge.
The bridge is there…!
And gathered to cross it were the summoned beasts. They saw me, and I saw them.
“…My lord!”
Phenex rushed towards me, eager to embrace.
“Lord Faust is not in good condition.”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one unwell. Despite the rain, the procession was covered in blood. They must have shaken off many pursuers, enough to bleed.
‘And…’
The bridge, too, was in poor shape.
“We’ve finally reached this place.”
I nodded at Amon’s words.
Reunion’s joy would have to wait.
Scala would be in pursuit.
“Why aren’t they crossing?”
“The center of the bridge is broken.”
“…What?”
“Once again, I realize how foolish it is to expect neglected old things to be intact.”
“That’s…”
“Still, it’s almost restored, albeit temporarily. It’s a bit precarious, though…”
It seemed Ariel’s forest magic had mended the center. Tree trunks were tightly connected.
“One can guess how much has happened by the looks of it.”
“…”
“I’ll hear the rest when there’s time.”
Amon shouted.
“Caterpillars, it’s time. Cross! Whether the bridge holds is up to the heavens!”
“We must cross! Hurry!”
Orcs, goblins, demons, and various familiars began to cross the bridge, spaced apart. The heavier ones agreed to cross last, fearing the bridge might collapse.
Then, it was my turn.
Creak…
Creak…
The bridge groaned uneasily.
But…
‘I’ve crossed.’
Over a hundred in number, the horde’s leader, Scala, evaded the punitive force and escaped. It was unbelievable, even after accomplishing it.
‘How much…’
Creak…
Creak…
“No! It’s collapsing!”
Crack!
Boom…
Roar!
Part of the bridge crumbled, and the guardian Moam fell beneath. Jakim, too, was swept away, unseen.
“What…”
More surreal than the situation was someone charging across the crumbling bridge at incredible speed.
“Didn’t you leave something behind!”
That voice…
‘Scala!’
Amon yelled.
“Bring down the bridge!”
Scala, already on the collapsing bridge, didn’t stop running.
Crack…
Crack!
What Scala mentioned, what I had left behind, seemed to be what he now held.
Neil’s halberd.
“Huuurgh!”
Scala’s muscles tensed.
This, if hit, would be fatal.
Whack!
Phenex and Ruby stood in front of me, yet the unease didn’t fade.
“Roar!”
Then, unseen from here, Jakim, who had been clinging to the railing, charged at Scala.
Boom!
Because of him, the trajectory of Scala’s thrown halberd shifted slightly.
Crash!
It hit not me, but part of the cliff, and the entire cliff shook.
‘If I had tried to catch it… we all would have died.’
Phenex, Ruby… and me.
Jakim, having pushed Scala, was carried away by Scala into the valley. In this brief moment, too many unbelievable scenes unfolded, leaving me bewildered.
Ssshhh…
Scala, stepping back, looked at me from the other side.
He, ultimately, did not cross the bridge.
The weight of Moam brought the bridge down, and Jakim blocked Scala’s last chance to cross.
…Their sacrifice prevented Scala from crossing the bridge.
“Your name…”
Scala was clearly looking at me.
“Can you tell me your name?”
“…”
“Please, let me know the name of the foe I’ll chase for the rest of my life. A hatred without substance… is too cruel for me. Treat me as a warrior.”
Telling him my name would mean being pursued.
I couldn’t avoid it for a lifetime; we would meet someday.
Yet, there was no hesitation.
Not for him.
Because I am the lord watched by all here.
I must speak to him as an equal.
“It’s Faust.”
“Faust… I’m grateful and relieved…”
I could feel Scala’s relief from here.
“Relieved that Neil didn’t die to someone insignificant.”
Having treated him as a warrior, he would do the same for me.
“Scala, the one-eyed wolf… I swear on this name. As long as I breathe under this sky, Faust… I will live as your adversary.”
I turned and answered.
“…I await it.”
Ssshhh…
“Ugh… Aaaah!”
A cry, not hidden by the rain, reached me.
Ssshhh…
The rain intensified.
His sorrow and frustration gathered around his eyes, then disappeared.
Was today’s event a victory or a defeat?
Whatever it was…
‘Now…’
Thud…
This would be the last autumn scene I remembered.
“Faust!”
[The intimacy with the great demon lord Amon towards Faust has increased.]
[Current intimacy: ♥♥♡♡♡♡]
…