novelraw Chapter 90 : Awakening
Chapter 90 : Awakening
Chapter 90: Awakening
Robin grabbed Calimacos and shouted several times.
He shook his body, slapped his cheeks, and called his name while spraying spit, but he did not wake up.
‘The captain is dead?’
They had finally reunited after so long, yet they had not even properly shared their pent-up feelings.
They had not even celebrated the achievement of the goal he had so long yearned for.
And he was dying like this?
Piiiiii.
A ringing like his eardrums had burst pounded through his head.
All surrounding noise was cut off.
With his eyes, he could see the mercenary band moving frantically, but he could hear nothing.
Robin placed a finger under Calimacos’s philtrum, but there was no breath.
‘I haven’t even repaid all the kindness yet…….’
How many times had he owed his life to him since he was a clueless ten-year-old brat?
Even after leaving Stonegoth, the city of love and hate, and coming to Regiville, there was much he had learned from him.
Among the goals Robin wished to achieve was making Calimacos’s name known.
He intended to become a renowned swordsman and never hide the fact that he had been taught by him.
“You’re not leaving like this…….”
“What do you mean, not leaving. I’ll send you to his side as well.”
No. 1 spread his wings and soared high into the sky.
An ominous black sphere formed and fell toward Robin.
He thought he would die if it hit him, but he could not dodge.
Thinking he had to at least take Calimacos’s corpse with him, he raised his sword.
Hoo.
The atmosphere around Robin changed ever so slightly.
His emotions surged as if his blood were boiling.
It felt as though only by killing knights or demon tribes alike could this burning thirst be quenched.
The boy’s eyes were dyed with killing intent.
Just before he swung the sword, shrouded in the murderous aura climbing up the blade.
Someone grabbed him and pulled him out of position.
Kwa-gwaaaang!
A deep crater was gouged out where he had been standing just moments before.
“Captain!”
“Get a hold of yourself.”
The one carrying Robin and running was Mirian.
As he was despairing over whether Calimacos had disappeared, Felix shouted from behind.
“I’ve secured the body!”
“Ah… thank goodness…….”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
No. 1 relentlessly fired magic while targeting Robin.
Mirian narrowly dodged and set Robin down.
“You heard the last order, right? To retreat.”
“Uh… yeah.”
“Focus on surviving. From now on, you have to protect your own body yourself.”
For a moment, the magic stopped.
Even demon tribes could not use magic endlessly.
‘She’s right. I can’t let the captain’s efforts turn to nothing.’
He would set aside his grief for now.
Steeling his heart, he began to run.
Survive.
The demon tribe and the Imperial Knights were difficult to face with just the mercenary band.
Especially the demon tribe’s magic was more dangerous because it was uncertain when and from where it would come flying.
They waited for moments of carelessness and then burrowed in.
Yes. Just like now…….
“Felix!”
No. 1, who had concealed himself, suddenly appeared behind Felix.
Along No. 1’s arm was attached a sharp, triangular blade.
“Damn it.”
Those were Felix’s last words.
Slash.
Felix collapsed while holding Calimacos’s corpse in his arms.
Blood spurted like a fountain from his neatly severed neck.
Felix’s eyes were wide open, glaring at the demon tribe.
“I don’t like that look.”
Crunch!
No. 1 stomped on Felix’s head and crushed it.
His expression was as indifferent as if he were stepping on a bug.
Robin came to a dead stop.
Under the demon tribe’s foot, brain matter and blood oozed out through the shattered skull.
“Felix…?”
There was no sense of reality at all.
Everything felt like a dream.
Mirian also stopped walking, as if she could not simply pass by.
A blood-red aura stretched out from the sickle she held.
When she swung the fighting spirit that extended long like a whip, No. 1 was hurled into the air.
“That bastard…….”
Grit.
Mirian ground her teeth and glared at the demon tribe, but a large hand grabbed her shoulder.
Torgen spoke in a subdued voice.
“Calm down. That one is dangerous.”
“…What about the captain and Felix?”
“Brandok and I will take care of them.”
Without waiting for an answer, Torgen ran off to retrieve the bodies.
Brandok slung Calimacos over his back, and Torgen lifted Felix up.
Mirian stared for a brief moment, then pulled Robin along and ran.
Unlike the mercenaries who had been through many wars, Robin’s mind was half gone.
If Mirian had not grabbed his arm, he would have charged straight at the demon tribe.
If it had not been Calimacos’s order, the rest would have continued a desperate last stand as well.
That wise mercenary captain had wished for them to survive even as he faced death.
It was an uncomfortable truth, but among the mercenary band, there was now no one who could gain the upper hand against No. 1.
“When are our reinforcements coming, damn it!”
“You damn bastards! Stop just standing there watching and come out and fight!”
“Leonolf Wilcock! I’ll curse you for the rest of my life!”
Enough time had passed, yet Wilcock’s knight order did not come.
More precisely, they were watching from the sidelines.
The Imperial Knights, too, would find it burdensome the closer they drew to Wilcock’s side, but they did not stop.
Even with only 100 meters left before the street where their forces had converged, the pursuit by the demon tribe and the Imperial Knights continued.
100 meters.
It was not short, but neither was it far.
Saaaaaah.
In an instant, demonic energy thickened.
Another demon tribe member appeared in front of Mirian.
It was No. 4, whose left leg had been severed.
Chrrrrrrrk.
Chains formed of demonic energy lunged toward Robin.
Mirian responded by swinging her fighting spirit, but the number of chains steadily increased.
One, two, three… more than ten chains moved independently, as if alive.
Robin accepted reality, evaded, and widened the distance.
Each time he struck them away with a sword wrapped in killing intent, the chains seemed to shrink back as if briefly paralyzed.
‘My attacks are working?’
That fact sparked a single desire in Robin’s mind.
Revenge.
Under normal circumstances, he would have examined things more carefully and made a plan, but Robin had no such leeway now.
‘If we succeed in retreating, there’s no guarantee we’ll meet them again.’
He would kill them here.
It was not an absurd thought.
He had grown accustomed to the demonic energy that always accompanied the demon tribe’s attacks.
Even if he could not see it, he could predict it.
Moreover, the swordsmanship he had honed until now was no trifling thing.
If he could just land an attack, he could cut down even a demon tribe member.
The moment his judgment ended, Robin moved at once.
His movements, which until now had focused solely on retreat and defense, changed to offense.
No. 4 looked at the suddenly transformed Robin and smiled like a child receiving a gift.
“Lord Werther.”
“Well done, Merhen.”
As Robin charged at No. 4, a heavy pressure crushed down upon him.
As if carrying several logs on his shoulders, Robin staggered.
No. 1, who had appeared without his noticing, stretched out a hand and pressed down on Robin.
“Finish it, Merhen.”
As if he had been waiting for this very moment, the chains surged toward Robin.
Robin, who could barely even lift his head, stared blankly.
“My little brother is off-limits, you bastards.”
Mirian stepped in front of Robin.
Facing the chains that were fired five times in a single second, Mirian fought desperately.
It was a movement even Robin had never seen before.
No. 4, Merhen, saw this and sneered.
“Little brother? You don’t look alike at all, though?”
“Shut up, you bitch.”
“How ridiculous. A mass murderer playing family games? It’s pathetic.”
The number of chains gradually increased.
When they reached twenty, Mirian began to be pushed back little by little.
Where they grazed her flesh, her skin melted away as if burned.
“Sis… your arm…….”
Mirian did not answer.
She had clearly heard Robin’s voice, but she had no intention of retreating even a step.
“Well now, this keeps getting more troublesome.”
Pha-ra-ra-rack!
A thrown axe spun through the air and grazed the back of No. 4’s neck.
“Torgen!”
“I left Felix with Brandok. I figured something like this would happen if I left you alone.”
As Torgen joined the fray, Mirian’s expression brightened.
While the two of them dealt with No. 4, Robin struggled to move even a single step.
The pressure did not lessen; instead, it grew heavier.
‘It got heavier? Don’t tell me he still has room to spare……?’
No. 1, Werther, looked down from above and let out a small chuckle.
“He might become a skilled fighter like that one-eyed man someday, but not yet.”
“Everyone, get away!”
A violet magic circle was engraved on the ground, glowing as a gigantic mouth burst forth.
It was far too large to be called a monster.
Hundreds of blade-like sharp teeth were embedded in a mouth that looked capable of swallowing even buildings.
The gaping maw lunged toward Mirian.
Torgen hacked at the mouth with his axe, but it only flinched briefly and could not be stopped.
Fortunately, Torgen’s foot was faster than the grotesque mouth.
Mirian met Torgen’s eyes.
With a slack expression, Torgen casually tossed out a single line.
“Mirian, I like you.”
The moment those words ended, Torgen shoved Mirian away.
Crunch! Chomp!
The mouth bit off Torgen’s upper body, chewed a few times, and then vanished.
“He’s used quite a bit of demonic energy against humans. Merhen, I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”
“Much obliged, Lord Werther.”
The pressure crushing down on Robin vanished in an instant.
With a refreshed expression, Werther disappeared without a trace.
“Torgen?”
Mirian called out to Torgen with a vacant look, but no answer came back.
“Hey, answer me… what is this…….”
“Watch out!”
Robin struck away a chain flying toward Mirian.
Torgen’s death shocked Robin as well, but even mourning was a luxury he could not afford.
The demon tribe member before his eyes unleashed attack after attack, as if determined never to let them go.
Ka-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!
‘Where on earth did everything go wrong?’
The attacks, faster than before, swept over Robin’s body.
Splat.
Shoulder, arm, back, wrist…….
The searing pain each time they made contact was agony enough, but he had no choice but to admit it.
The demon tribe member called Merhen held the upper hand over Robin.
Thud.
His leg took a heavy blow.
Whether the bone was broken or not, he collapsed and could not stand up.
“Hhngh…….”
Robin’s groan brought Mirian back to her senses.
No, it only looked as if she had regained her senses—bloody tears had formed in Mirian’s eyes.
Hooooooh.
Both Robin and the demon tribe member froze for an instant.
A pitch-dark killing intent devoured the surroundings.
Merhen smirked and opened her mouth.
“So, judging by how angry you are, was he your lover or something?”
“…….”
It was a blatant provocation, but Mirian fell for it.
Mirian’s own blade, where killing intent and fighting spirit were intermingled.
Each time the curved blade swung once, the chains were severed.
She advanced, filled with nothing but the will to kill the demon tribe member.
Even as flesh was cut and tendons snapped, Mirian closed in with a ferocious expression.
When she finally reached right in front of the demon tribe member, what greeted Mirian was the cold sensation of a sharp blade piercing her abdomen.
“Thinking that demon tribes only use magic is a prejudice.”
“Is that so? Die.”
Mirian paid it no heed and drove her sword into the demon tribe member’s heart.
The demon tribe member, unable to move an inch after being stabbed through, was still smiling.
Merhen’s back split open, and she emerged in perfect condition, as if shedding a skin.
“Ta-da! I went through hell, so what if I came out totally fine? Heh heh.”
“Then I’ll just kill you again.”
Mirian stepped toward the newly emerged demon tribe member.
One step, two steps. When she took the third step, the world spun along with a wave of dizziness.
“The poison’s finally kicking in? It’s an extremely potent poison that kills slowly and painfully. Go on, keep struggling like that.”
“So what.”
As if she felt no pain, Mirian arrived before the demon tribe member.
The demon tribe member stumbled back with a flustered face, but Mirian’s fighting spirit severed her legs.
“Aaah! How are you even moving! It’s poison that kills even large monsters……!”
“Shut up and die.”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
After stabbing her face, neck, heart, and abdomen dozens of times, the demon tribe member’s noisy mouth finally fell silent.
As if killing demon tribes was the one thing she absolutely had to do in this world, Mirian reduced Merhen to a bloody pulp.
Thump.
Mirian collapsed right atop the demon tribe member, now nothing more than a lump of flesh.
Robin crawled over inch by inch.
When he saw Mirian’s face, it felt as if the world collapsed all over again.
With the killing intent drained from her, Mirian panted pitifully for breath.
“Hah… I should’ve stayed calm to the very end… I showed you something ugly.”
Mirian, now pale, spoke while looking at Robin.
Robin said nothing and examined Mirian’s wounds.
There was not a single unscathed place on her body, but among them, the poison that had seeped into her abdomen had invaded her organs.
A dark green hue gradually spread.
“Torgen, that idiot. Why did he jump in instead of me…….”
“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll save you, Sis.”
“No, this one’s wrong.”
“Don’t say that.”
“If there’s one good thing, it’s that I have time to say goodbye to you.”
The bracelet fastened around Mirian’s wrist glowed faintly.
It was a bracelet similar to the one she had given Calimacos as a gift.
Robin was afraid.
Calimacos, Felix, and Torgen were all dead.
That alone was already more than he could bear—if Mirian died here too……
He felt like he wouldn’t be able to endure it.
“Hm, what should I talk about. Thinking it’s the last time, nothing comes to mind.”
“What do you mean, the last time. You’re not dying, Sis.”
“You’ve grasped killing intent too. Don’t rely on it too much. If you get consumed by madness like me, you won’t be able to tell front from back.”
Robin crawled toward their allies with Mirian on his back.
By now, the surroundings were empty, the mercenaries having already withdrawn.
A few mercenaries were retreating little by little while keeping the Imperial Knights in check from afar.
“Actually, I was planning to confess to Torgen once this war was over. He was so lukewarm, I thought I’d pounce first.”
“…I see.”
“Yeah. I’d earned plenty of money, so I wanted to live quietly in the countryside. Have about three kids.”
“You would’ve been a good mother.”
“Right? There wouldn’t be many brides as good as me.”
Cough!
Each time Mirian coughed, blood streamed from her wounds and the corner of her mouth.
Robin pretended not to hear and kept moving.
Even if his legs were ruined, his arms were still fine.
That alone was not a reason to give up here.
“Robin, put me down.”
“Just hold on a little longer. Fifty meters left.”
“Put me down. Right now.”
Mirian enunciated each word clearly.
There was an undeniable force in her voice.
Holding back the surge in his chest, Robin gently set Mirian down.
The red-haired woman raised a trembling hand and caressed Robin’s cheek.
“The reason I was able to stay alive until now was because of you. In extreme environments like war, having a reason to return is important. And for me, that reason was you.”
“…Don’t lie. You like Torgen.”
An unnecessarily curt reply slipped out.
He didn’t want to accept that this moment would be the last.
“He’d live just fine without me. But you were young and fragile, and I wanted to protect you.”
Mirian’s hand searched for her pocket.
Robin hurriedly rummaged through it for her.
His fingers caught on a single sheet of paper.
It was a portrait drawn in a village they had stopped by during a journey with the mercenary band seven years ago.
It depicted a young Robin and Mirian smiling mischievously.
Despite being preserved, it could not hide the wear left by time.
Robin placed the portrait into Mirian’s hand.
“Every time I looked at this, I gained strength. That I was someone precious to someone. That I was being a reliable support for you, Robin.”
“Of course… you were the first person to become family to an orphan like me.”
Robin said, choking up.
Whenever something was hard, thinking of Mirian gave Robin strength as well.
Mirian alternated her gaze between the portrait and Robin.
“That little kid who was this small has all grown up now.”
“I’ll grow even more. So… keep watching.”
He tried to steady his trembling voice, but it didn’t go as he wished.
Robin’s tears fell onto Mirian’s face.
“Lastly… don’t even dream of revenge.”
“What……?”
“Live for your happiness. That’s my final request.”
Mirian smiled at Robin.
It was a bright smile, standing in contrast to her pale skin.
“Cute… kind… my little brother…….”
The hand that had been wiping Robin’s tears stopped.
The light faded from Mirian’s eyes.
“Sis.”
“…….”
“Sis……?”
His tearful voice scattered into the air, unheard by anyone.