Chapter 76 – Tears Melted Into Scars (4)
We sprayed cold breaths at each other. His dry eyes followed the white breath and quietly scattered on the ground.
It’s a pity that they can’t even reach each other and their breath has died. Once right next to you. Behind your back. Sometimes it was the breath that used to mix in bed. But now it doesn’t happen anymore. Today is the last time we see each other.
At the end of the parting, we raised our arms, not a bouquet. The tip of the sword trembled lightly, clearly conveying the sadness I was feeling. Never, it was not meant to be sewn like this.
But I don’t know what emotions are stirring inside you. Of course it doesn’t mean much. What you need to think about from now on is not the other person’s feelings, but the next action.
Which direction will you extend your fist?
Where to aim and swing the sword.
You looked at me without saying a word because you were only thinking about that. I also fixed my eyes on your shoulder and arm. That’s how we looked at each other’s dynamics for a while.
And. They clashed without any warning.
“…!”
“…!!”
The girls watching from the back shouted something at us. However, that sound was fragmented by the metal sound of swords and fists clashing and shattered in all directions.
“…”
“…”
The sharp sound of a hit tore my ear lobe, but we looked at each other without moving. As long as they bumped into each other, they had to shake off past emotions and ties. Naturally, only sharp thinking and rationality remained in the empty seat.
Yes, opposite sex. Paradoxically, it was only after we became antagonistic that we began to think rationally. There was no reason to explode emotions such as anger as long as you were aiming for the opponent’s neck instead of the heart.
That’s why the blades they collided with were also cold. Every time we exchanged an attack, a chill jumped out and soaked our collar. It’s probably oil leaking from her body, but at least that’s what it looked like to me.
Or is it blood? Suddenly, it dawned on her that she couldn’t tell whether it was blood or oil that was leaking from her body. Even if my sword pierces the heart, I will doubt it. Is this really the heart? Or is it another mechanism I don’t know about.
Even after killing him because he didn’t know that, he might end up stabbing the corpse several times.
In order to surely cut the master’s body into pieces.
“…”
Suddenly, a stream of cold water flowed around my eyes, blurring my vision. It couldn’t have been tears, so when I looked up, something was sitting on Rebecca’s eyebrows.
Before we could figure out what it was, we quickly brushed off the foreign object from the corner of our eye. I didn’t know what it was, but I couldn’t let it obstruct my vision.
But then another foreign object fell softly over my head. And as soon as I brushed it off, another foreign substance fell, and a lot of white stuff poured out, blocking my view.
So it started snowing. It was the first snow in a ruined world.
“Huh…!”
“…!”
Rebecca rushed in, exhaling her steam. As I swung her sword obliquely, she naturally let her sword body flow beside her, then grabbed her shoulder with her free hand. Then he grabbed her so hard that he might crush her bones.
“Ugh…!”
Fortunately, I pulled her out before that, grabbed the sword in reverse and swung it over her head. As the sound of her hair being cut resounded in the midst of her close-knit swordsman’s sword, Haru screamed in agony from behind her.
“Don’t do it, Rebecca! Don’t do it!”
“…”
“Rebecca!”
It was a desperate cry that made me flinch. Still, Rebecca did not stop. On the contrary, she sped up even faster, expelling steam from her body.
“Huh…”
“Ugh…!”
In an instant, her outstretched arm grabbed the sword body. The tightly intertwined metals rubbed against each other and a twisted metal sound echoed. Naturally, the wrist twisted, and strong pressure came into the arm holding the sword.
It was clear that if I continued like this, I would be helplessly overpowered, so I forcibly changed my posture and diverted my gaze. And when she caught her guard she hit her headbutt hard.
“…Ugh.”
Dark red blood spurted out, and for the first time, a moan flowed from Rebecca-san’s mouth. But as much as his gaze was directed at me until the end. The maddening obsession was conveyed desperately from the bloodshot eyes.
And in that persistent movement, she eventually found my gap and grabbed my collar. Then she quickly turned her back and pushed me hard.
“Kuhhh…!”
In an instant, the overturned ground hit his back and his lungs shrank terribly. Then, in an instant, all oxygen was drained from the body, and the sight in front of the eyes became cloudy.
However, before he could get out of the afterglow of the suffocation, a heavy fist rushed in front of his eyes. As I rolled my body, feeling the organs of my whole body twisting, the entire space next to my head was ripped out. Gray eyes shone a cool light through the piles of dirt that splattered in all directions.
And beyond the chill, a strong arm reached out and strangled me.
“…!”
At that moment, I also reached out and grabbed her neck. In the loop connected by suffocation, we met eyes again.
There was still no emotion in her eyes. I could even feel the malice in her sincerity and the tightness of her hand, as if it were about to break her neck. The metal prosthetic hand splattered and slowly took away my breath.
“No!”
At that moment, Saya shouted urgently and jumped towards us. However, Mr. Rebecca exhaled her deep blue smoke and moved surprisingly quickly to catch Saya, who was running towards her, by the collar. While everyone panicked at the unexpected situation, she simply threw Saya’s body away.
“Kyaaak…!”
“Buy!”
Only then did I finally regain my strength and kick Rebecca’s chin as hard as I could. There was still no change in expression, but her hands relaxed for a moment, as if her brain was shaking.
“Huh…!”
The cold oxygen instantly filled his lungs and crushed his shrunken brain. I inhaled desperately like a drug addict, and finally got my posture right. Rebecca also blinked her eyes a few times and stood in front of me with a steady posture.
The metal prosthetic arm he clenched trembled slightly. I looked at him and barely opened my mouth.
“Captain Rebecca.”
“…”
“Do you really have to do this?”
In fact, it was a fight that had already ended a while ago. If Rebecca had made up her mind, she could have twisted my neck and broke it with her grip. But by any reasonable reason. Or maybe her lingering crumbs of emotion prevented her from doing so.
And the same goes for Saya and me. We both had plenty of opportunities to take Rebecca’s breath away. However, I couldn’t accept this situation yet, and I hesitated several times because I couldn’t reach the final outcome.
In the end, it was a battle to see who gets rid of their emotions first. In the meantime, Haru’s voice leaked out and scratched his wounded heart.
“Please…Stop it…”
“…”
“Rebecca!”
I couldn’t help but turn my head to the voice that had squeezed out my life. Even Rebecca’s eyes flickered for a moment. She brushed a few loose screws from her prosthetic arm, then spoke weakly.
“Now I can’t help it.”
“Captain, please…”
“Sorry.”
I don’t know how many times I apologized. Now I didn’t even know who it was for. However, as she said, it seemed clear that there was no way to stop anymore. I acknowledged that fact and gripped my sword tightly.
Then, with all her might, she ran towards her, spurring the ground.
“Huh…!”
In front of her eyes, Rebecca’s breathing echoed openly. The blue smoke that blended meaningfully into their breath obscured each other’s vision. And in an instant, the metal prosthetic arm grabbed my sword again.
But this time, I threw away my sword without any regrets and wrapped my bare hands around her shoulder. In an instant, the broken joint part rattled and made an uneasy sound. Rebecca noticed my intentions and quickly reached out to grab her hair.
And at the same time, Saya rushed in, scattering her snowflakes.
Sliding almost clinging to her ground, she swiftly kicked her in the hamstring and jumped over her head. Mister Rebecca belatedly let out her steam and sped up, but twice she couldn’t keep up with her elf’s movements.
Rather, the broken joint got worse and a few screws came out. Saya made eye contact with mine, then wrapped herself around Ms. Rebecca’s neck, bending her behind her, and I held her tight at the seams. Then he pulled with all his might.
“Aaaaa!!!”
“…!!!”
Then, with a squeak, her prosthetic arm was ripped from her body.
“…Ugh.”
Despite the forcible tearing of the wires connecting her nerves, Ms. Rebecca never let out a scream. She head-butted Saya, who was still holding her by the neck, and squeezed her remaining hand tightly. And with all her might, she slapped me in the chest.
“No Lope!”
“Kuhhh…!”
Despite the fact that the prosthetic arm acted as a buffer, I felt the sensation of something breaking. The strong shock momentarily clouded his mind, and his memory was blown away.
When I opened my eyes again, I was stuck in a corner, bleeding. In terms of experience, I only closed and opened my eyes once, but the flowing blood was already soaking my clothes.
“Lope…! Are you okay?”
“Buy it…”
“Lope… Oh my God…”
Saya rushed over and touched my face, gasping for breath. It seems that my condition is not looking very good. I had only been hit once, but hot blood was spreading through my fragile body.
Meanwhile, heavy footsteps echoed behind Saya. When she looked up, Mr. Rebecca was approaching her with an unchanging expression of indifference.
“Give me the pattern. Buy it.”
“Captain…”
“Otherwise I will kill Lope.”
“You…!”
Pure anger scraped from his throat. Saya clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. I didn’t know that her gaze would leave the veins of blood flowing from the corner of my mouth.
Then, suddenly, Saya’s gaze turned to her prosthetic hand that I was holding. Her cold metal fingers were still holding the sword I had thrown away earlier.
“No. Buy it.”
At that moment, without realizing it, that word came out of her mouth. But Saya continued to stare at her sword hilt without saying a word. Meanwhile, Rebecca continued to approach.
“This is your last chance. You’ll rush at me saying you can’t let Lope die, but I won’t stop. Even if it’s impossible, I won’t give up now.”
“Saya. Wait.”
“Because I already have no choice.”
“Buy it…”
“…”
Suddenly, I thought that there might have been a similar situation in front of Roselia that day. The other side did not give Saya another option, and a sharp sword was placed in front of her eyes.
If there is a difference, it is that it is not the first time cutting people anymore.
It was always the first moment that was difficult.
And this time, too, the law has always been true.
“Buy. The pattern…”
“No! Buy!”
“…!”
When she opened her mouth again, Saya eventually drew her sword. She then jumped out of her seat and took a deep breath. Rebecca also pulled her fist as if waiting.
But neither of them rushed at each other. Sayaya too. Rebecca too. At the same time, he let her arms hang down and cast a blank gaze. Only then did I realize that this moment has another difference from that day on the island.
This time, Haru didn’t hesitate.
As always, Haru put the sword in Rebecca’s belly instead of Saya.
“Huh…”
“…”
“Heh… Hehe…”
“Day…”
Miss Rebecca stuttered her words with difficulty, looking at her sword protruding from her stomach. Haru muttered quietly as she stood still with her sword thrust into her back.
“I…Told you not to.”
“…”
“There’s not a single corner I really like…”
“…”
Both of them couldn’t speak. Drops of Rebecca’s blood flowed like roses on the snowy field. We all stared blankly at the scene with our mouths shut.
However, at that moment, hot heat exploded with a scream.
“Ehe eh eh !!!”
“…”
When I raised my head, I saw bright red flames gushing up like a fountain in the distant sky. I wonder if the first snowflake I met had a temper. The nameless Hetzling vomited his earnest rage at the innocent cloud. And as if in resonance with him, other hatchlings also spewed flames into the sky.
Then the snowflakes that came down evaporated in an instant, and white mist filled the sky. We all let out a sigh mixed with blood as we watched the ashes embroidering the sky like a preview of the coming apocalypse.
