Join us on Discord
Click Here

Chapter 120: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat

Chapter 120



A large hole appeared in the air at the witch's gesture.


Since it was said to be a passage leading to the outside, was it something like the door to anywhere I saw in the comics?


I don't know where it leads, but... I probably won't return in one piece if I go in.


Only a small portion of this world is allowed to humans.


Going outside, filled with magic, meant death.


The witch gestured with her chin as if to say, "Go in if you're ready."


If I don’t go in, the kids die.


If I do go in, I die.


If I had to choose between the two, the answer was already decided.


Standing in front of the passage the witch opened, I glanced back.


The children, who had now taken up a huge place in my heart, came into view.


Ah, perhaps this might be a relief.


If any of you were to die, I wouldn't have the confidence to endure like I do now.


So this was an inevitable choice to live strongly as myself until the end.


Just sincerely hoping that, unlike the original, they would have a future with hope,


I stepped beyond the passage.


---


It was too late.


“A, aa...!”


It was too late.


“Ah, ahhhh...!”


It was too late.


“Haahhh! Aaaaaah!”


Yoon Si-woo cried out at the harsh reality he couldn’t accept.


Tears streaming, Yoon Si-woo kept questioning himself.


Why did this happen?


Was it because I was too weak to be blocked by something like a barrier?


Was it because I hesitated, thinking about the aftermath?


Whatever the reason, the fact that it was too late didn’t change.


The fact that the girl sacrificed herself to save people didn’t change.


He had known all along that she was such a person.


Thus, Yoon Si-woo, who had been relentlessly training to prevent something like this from happening, wept with a sense of loss and despair as if he had lost the meaning of his life.


And then, cough,


From Yoon Si-woo’s mouth, which was letting out a scream so miserable it resonated from the depths of his soul, something other than a scream burst forth.


Staring blankly at the dark red liquid he vomited,


Soon, he lost his strength and collapsed to the ground with a loud noise.


Yoon Si-woo was in the middle of moving his body with sheer mental strength to release the holy sword.


However, if the mind breaks, no matter how strong the body is, it’s just a lump of meat.


Now that the spirit, which had been supporting the body, crumbled, the recoil from exceeding his limits finally came upon him.


Yoon Si-woo, who had suffered damage that was hard to recover from in both body and mind, seemed to be collapsing as he fell.


[...What a truly foolish man. Is that child so precious to you that you cannot even take care of your own body... I suppose I have no choice. I was going to keep it hidden, fearing you might use it recklessly if you knew...]


However, someone still couldn’t just watch him fall.


[I ask you, Undying. Heal this fool.]


The Holy Sword of Undying appeared by Yoon Si-woo’s head and emitted light.


The original ability of the Holy Sword of Undying was to enhance the owner’s physical abilities or help resist magic.


But at this moment when its master was in crisis, the Holy Sword of Undying liberated itself and displayed its true power.


As the light emitted by the Holy Sword of Undying enveloped Yoon Si-woo, it was as if time was rewinding.


Color returned to Yoon Si-woo’s pale face, and light returned to his eyes, which had been losing their brightness.


Yoon Si-woo felt his energy returning and slowly propped himself up on the ground.


[......Si-woo, have you come to your senses now? You can't just die on your own. You haven't even fulfilled our contract to become the strongest yet.]


‘......Lucy, what is this......’


Lucy answered Yoon Si-woo's question, who was puzzled that his severe injuries seemed to have vanished.


[There are two swords whose abilities I haven’t told you about yet when I revealed the true abilities of the Holy Swords to you. This is the ability of one of those two, the Holy Sword of Undying. When liberated, it heals injuries, the mind, and even restores depleted energy.]


‘......If you had something like this, why didn’t you tell me earlier!! If I had known... I might have been able to save Scarlet...!’


Lucy murmured softly at Yoon Si-woo, who was shouting inwardly in anger.


[If you had known earlier, you probably would have kept recovering from the backlash of releasing the Holy Sword of Radiance and wielded it continuously with this power.


Therefore, I wanted to delay telling you about this sword for as long as possible.


I knew you would do anything for that child.


Si-woo. There’s no way to use such a miraculous ability without any cost......]


The true ability of the Holy Sword of Undying is to give those who have fallen the strength to rise again.


The tremendous ability to restore the mind and body comes at a price,


[The price of that ability is... the owner’s lifespan.]


Yoon Si-woo gasped at those words.


Upon learning that the cost of using the ability was his lifespan, he understood why Lucy had hidden this ability from him.


As she said, if he knew Scarlet was in danger, he would have recklessly used the ability without caring about his lifespan.


Lucy probably didn’t want to see that.


Even though their relationship was formed by a contract, she and he were the only family in this world for each other.


Even for himself, he wouldn’t want to see his family fighting while cutting down their lifespan.


Toward the silent Yoon Si-woo, Lucy murmured in a complicated voice.


[......Si-woo, if you want to blame me, do so.]


‘......There’s no way I could blame you.’


Yoon Si-woo replied to Lucy’s words.


She wasn’t at fault.


The fault lay with himself, who hadn’t become strong enough to protect Scarlet in any situation.


Lucy sighed as she watched Yoon Si-woo, whose mind had recovered but was blaming himself in despair again.


[......That child named Scarlet might not be dead yet.]


‘......What? What are you saying......’


[That child was fine even after swallowing magic before, wasn’t she? If she has a body that can resist magic to some extent like you, she might be okay for a while outside. Moreover, if the witch who took her intended to kill her from the beginning, she would have done so here. The fact that she didn’t means she has some scheme. If so, there’s enough chance she’s still alive.]


Scarlet... is alive?


Yoon Si-woo was startled by Lucy’s words.


It felt like finding a ray of light in pitch-black darkness.


Yes, what was I giving up on so easily?


If there’s a possibility that Scarlet is still alive, as Lucy said......


Yoon Si-woo shouted to the children.


“Anyone there! Does anyone have something Scarlet used? Anything will do!”


Yoon Si-woo, who had been crying as if the sky had fallen, coughed up blood, and then recovered himself and urgently shouted.


Sylvia, who had been shedding endless tears, realized he hadn’t given up at his cry.


Then, noticing what he was trying to do, she embraced the last remaining hope.


Sylvia, trembling with her hands, quickly searched her bosom.


Recalling the time when she and Yoon Si-woo had gone to rescue Scarlet, who had been kidnapped by Sator.


The friendship ring that had the same design as the one on her left index finger, which she always carried, hoping to return it to Scarlet someday.


Sylvia handed the ring to Yoon Si-woo with earnestness.


After receiving the ring, Yoon Si-woo focused all his mental energy.


The bloodstains that had been on it had long since been wiped clean.


However, he desperately wished that he could somehow find her.


And to his master’s earnest wish, the Holy Sword of Truth responded.


Yoon Si-woo shed tears.


“...Really, really...?”


“...Yes, she’s still... alive...”


They were tears of relief and joy.


Although the bloodstain had long since been wiped away, preventing precise verification of what he was doing, they could still determine Scarlet's location and whether she was alive.


At the news that Scarlet was still alive, the students started murmuring amongst themselves.


Martina, overhearing this murmuring, asked Yoon Si-woo with a pale face due to the excessive consumption of magic.


“...So a student was kidnapped by the witch, and that student is still alive, right?”


“...Yes. If we go to rescue her immediately, we can save her.”


“...Alright, then we must go and rescue her. I don't know how, but you seem to be in good condition. Can you pinpoint the student's exact location?”


“Yes, it's not that far from here. In the northern forest over there—”


The moment Yoon Si-woo pointed to a corner of the forest to the north beyond the barrier in response to Martina's question,


\[■■■■■■■■■■!!!!\]


a tremendous cry erupted from the direction of the forest.


A few students collapsed on the spot without realizing it.


The cry was so fearsome that just hearing it from this distance made their whole bodies freeze. It was a monstrous roar of rage from a beast on a different level than any they had encountered before.


Yoon Si-woo saw a ball of fire rise from the center of the forest.


Although the trees that had once grown sky-high under the blessing of the World Tree were now burned down to the size of a finger, the fireball looked so massive that it seemed like another sun had risen in the sky.


And only when the enormous fireball spread its wings did Yoon Si-woo realize it was shaped like a bird with wings.


Kanna, the vice-captain who witnessed the bird, trembled as she recalled the nightmare from 15 years ago.


“...It's that thing.”


Fifteen years ago, it was the beast that burned to death the former captain and vice-captain of the 4th squad and seven members.


And 500 years ago, it was one of the mightiest beasts that burned the World Tree along with the Witch of Wrath.


Sylvia uttered the name of the beast in a dazed voice, the very beast that put a period to Astra's history of managing the World Tree for countless years.


“...The Bird of Endings, Finis.”


Yoon Si-woo realized that the beast was the one that burned his parents to death.


And his hand trembled as he watched the direction in which the beast was flying.


The beast was heading towards the place his finger had pointed to.


Yoon Si-woo looked at Martina with an astonished expression.


“...The plan has changed. The rescue is canceled.”


Shortly after, a thunderous declaration came from her mouth.


“Captain Martina!!!”


“...Going there while that thing is rampaging is suicide. Moreover, with that beast wreaking havoc, a horde of lower-level beasts will soon swarm here. We must prioritize the city's safety over a rescue mission with slim chances of success... That’s our role.”


Martina turned away decisively as she spoke, and Yoon Si-woo clung to her, shouting.


“She's still, she's still alive! Scarlet is over there...! I'll go alone if I have to!”


“...Yoon Si-woo, abandoning your post without permission during a mission is a serious crime. Stay here and prepare for the beast horde that will soon arrive.”


Martina shook off Yoon Si-woo's hand, which was clinging to her.


Then Sylvia, who had been listening, rushed out and grabbed Martina.


“Then I'll go...! I can use the power of spirits, so I can endure the magic—.”


“...Lady Astra, I understand your desire to save your friend, but doing something beyond your capabilities is reckless. I don't think your friend sacrificed herself to have you throw your life away meaninglessly.”


“No... Then Scarlet... No, please... Please, I'm begging you... Save Scarlet...”


Sylvia knelt and clung to Martina's pants, begging.


Throwing away all pride as Astra’s successor, she desperately clung on to save her friend.


Watching Sylvia, Yoon Si-woo also knelt in front of Martina.


He then earnestly pleaded with Martina.


“Please, I'm begging you. Captain... My parents also died because of that beast... I don’t want to lose another precious person to it...”


Martina flinched at Yoon Si-woo’s words and turned to look at him.


As she examined his pleading face, she recognized the features of her old comrade, with whom she had shared hardships and joys, and bit her lip.


“Yoon Si-woo, you... you're the child of those seniors...”


Why hadn’t she recognized him until now?


Although he had the opposite hair and eye colors from the couple, he bore the gentle gaze they had.


They used to boast about having the most beautiful child in the world.


The guilt over the couple, who had died in the line of duty shortly after their child was born, had always been lodged in her heart like a spike.


Because of a law designed to prevent distraction from missions due to concerns about comrades’ bereaved families, she only knew that their child was growing up without any want in the city.


This was why Martina couldn’t bring herself to be harsh with kids around Yoon Si-woo’s age.


Perhaps she thought one of them could be the child of that couple.


And now, their son was kneeling in front of her, pleading.


He begged not to lose another precious person to the beast that killed his parents.


In her heart, she wanted to rush to rescue the child kidnapped by the witch without looking back.


But she was a captain leading numerous soldiers and a hero tasked with protecting the citizens.


Having used up her magic to break the barrier quickly, even in her best condition, she wouldn’t have a chance against that fiery monster.


Rationally, not going was the right choice.


But still, but still.


A drop of blood dripped from Martina's chin, which she had bitten down on in contemplation.


The blood was red.


Martina recalled the red-haired girl who was as red as that drop of blood.


The girl who sacrificed her arm to save people and wore a prosthetic.


The girl who sacrificed herself to save her friends and was dragged away by the witch alone.


And discovering herself now hesitating over this and that, Martina sighed and spoke.


“Haah, fuck. I can't keep doing this shit.”


Swearing, Martina pulled out an emergency magic recovery potion and downed it.


She felt magic slowly filling her exhausted body.


It was truly for emergencies, with little effect, but the side effects were so severe that she would be bedridden for several days.


Damn it, so what?


“Hey, Kanna. Send a support request to Natalia. She's on vacation today, so she should be home. If she refuses, tell her I’ll grant her any one wish she wants later. Knowing her, she'll come running right away. The beasts will swarm soon, so send the kids to safety.”


After instructing Kanna, the vice-captain, Martina spoke to Yoon Si-woo, who was looking up at her.


“And Yoon Si-woo, stop crying and get ready. Anyway, with that fiery bastard rampaging, it seems pointless to have too many people. So it'll just be you and me going.”


Seeing Yoon Si-woo stand up with a brightened face, Martina lifted Sylvia, who was looking at her with desperate eyes, and smiled.


“Miss, I'll risk my life to bring your friend back safely, so wait here. Trust me, I’m still one of the top five heroes.”


Sylvia nodded blankly.


Martina nodded back at her, then hardened her expression and began gathering her magic. At that moment, Kanna, the vice-captain, grabbed her sleeve from behind.


“...Captain, are you really going with just the two of you?”


“You saw it too. You know numbers don’t mean much against that bastard. The beasts will swarm, and I can't just pull people out recklessly. Don’t worry, I’ll return the rookie safely.”


“...Who the hell do you think is worried about that rookie! You know that monster is a fucking beast. You're not even in top shape, you'll die if you go like that!”


Despite complaining to her all the time, she only worried at times like this.


Martina looked at the tearful Kanna and chuckled.


“Kanna, my dream since I was a child was to be a fucking awesome hero. But going about it while calculating this and that doesn’t look cool. So, no matter what, I must save that kid. Besides, I made a promise to Teacher Eve. I promised to send the kids back safely. Once you’re an adult, you must keep your word.”


To the smiling Martina, Kanna responded gruffly.


“...You’re really insane.”


“You gotta be a bit crazy to be cool. I think you’re the next craziest after me in our squad, so if I die, you’ll be the next captain.”


“...Forget it, fuck. If you don’t come back safely, I’ll never forgive you.”


“I should come back safely just because I’m scared of you...... Well, I’m off. Vice-captain.”


“...Have a good trip, Captain.”


Thus, beyond the barrier, a rescue team of just two set off.



PREVIOUS | TOC | NEXT

Comments

  1. Ain't no way she comes back alive, to many death flags raised. Rip Martina, you were a good person 😔🙏🙏

    ReplyDelete
  2. bro deadASS the author is EVIL dude

    ReplyDelete
  3. M heart cant take it, too much death flag

    ReplyDelete
  4. Regret goes hand in hand with regret, heh

    ReplyDelete
  5. Remember, a promise is a promise, kids. Make sure to keep them.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Join us on Discord
Click Here