NOVEL NEXT chapter 44
44 – Human or Monster (4)
······Chandra Pale thinks.
The Red Calamity was an opponent beyond expectations.
It wasn’t enough to make him nervous, but compared to the ‘Hydra’ he caught earlier, he was a great opponent.
Like a wild cat, there was also a sense of thrill that would scratch you if you were careless.
Even a brief moment of play was over.
I swung my sword at the neck of the red calamity, which was swollen with resentment.
-······!
There was no sympathy or pity.
He is called a sword demon or a monster hunter in religious countries and other places. He did not know the former, but he pointed out the essence of the latter well.
He craves struggle.
Being human is not enough.
Beasts, monsters, and monsters that transcend the limits of their species.
So, only the desperate struggle with the monsters stimulates him and makes him stronger.
This red catastrophe was also going to be like that.
However, right before the slash, the black knight sensed the signal that his hair was sprouting.
– Magic···.
Something is approaching.
It was just an unstoppable threat.
He glanced at the girl with one arm.
Paley.
In an instant, old memories came to mind.
-Who is the uncle…?
She was an orphan.
She felt sympathy for him, but she didn’t save her because of him.
Because he dared to cross his arms, that’s why he cut down his thugs.
Paley, who has no lingering feelings or a place to lean on, has followed her on her own.
-You are too prejudiced! I need to see something other than a monster!
I sometimes regretted it.
I ignored him because he wouldn’t back down even when threatened, but he was quite persistent.
Far from being a monster, the girl was the symbol of a weak human being.
An existence that is neither significant nor important.
I really thought so, but considering he was a small animal, he didn’t have to let him die.
-Kyaaak…!
I threw her away from her and changed her posture.
The ghost unfolded and destroyed her ice spear.
It wasn’t easy. Its size and power were unusual.
-You.
Before I knew it, a woman was standing next to the red plague. She
She was a beautiful woman with bluish white hair. However, the black knight paid attention to something other than her beauty.
– You’re not human.
The eye immediately got to the point.
Her woman did not answer, and he observed her.
-·······.
But it was strange.
I didn’t feel anything.
The feeling of reacting to ‘strength’ was unusually quiet.
The manifestation of a characteristic that has never been missed.
Chandrapail was disappointed.
I expected it quite a bit, but it was a very insignificant existence.
Then there is nothing to worry about.
It’s enough to get rid of it with the red disaster.
─────!
It was then that the ground shook and the grudge soared.
In the middle of the chase, I already knew there was another uninvited guest. She didn’t mind, but it was a different story if she came in person.
The spirit that blooms slowly forms a cluster,
The black knight’s eyes widened more than ever after witnessing the black catastrophe.
-······!
The disaster of the worst, the worst enemy.
Indeed it was.
The feeling of trembling and the pressure of crushing the whole body has never been turbulent.
Power went into the hand holding the sword.
The thrill and elation consumed the black knight.
-You are a monster.
I didn’t know that I might die.
No, if you see this chill, you will die with a high probability. But it doesn’t matter.
It will be the most enjoyable time ever.
Already in his mind, he did not care about the red catastrophe.
·Rating: ?
·Ability: Disasters will come to an end if you give out something that can’t be replaced with anything.
·Explanation: Equivalent exchange, the first principle of all magic. The truth does not distinguish degrees and apostles.
I stared at the black library.
An item obtained by defeating the Black Calamity in the last game. I didn’t know how to use it, so I applied it to Quilière, unfortunately.
I forgot because nothing happened.
“…Was facing disaster a trigger?”
It’s only natural that you don’t know the conditions.
The floating Black Apocalypse eerily made its presence known.
However, looking at the atmosphere, it seemed that it was invisible to others.
【·······!】
I will correct it. There was one more visible.
A cluster of grudges, his eyes were clearly watching it.
Is it because this is the apocalypse of ‘disaster’?
“… Equivalent exchange.”
I looked at the item description.
Words that are hard to understand. But it was fine.
I knew how to use it instinctively.
“That’s a disaster…”
I raised my head at Nell’s muttering that I heard next to me.
The main body of disaster.
The majesty of the final boss was truly amazing.
“Disaster is coming…!”
“God, take care of us…”
A sense of coercion and fear, which could not be felt in-game, took over the hall, and the citizens trembled in fear.
They couldn’t have imagined it at all.
The situation where the enemy of the world is right in front of you.
Then the disaster wriggled and roared.
─────!
The grudge was released with a roar.
Citizens fled with screams.
The energy mass corroded the building and brought the contaminated monsters.
I immediately responded to the attacking monster.
“Get out of the way.”
Coolly, he set up an ice barrier and exhaled cold breath.
A bloody blade intervened as they fell helplessly.
“Senpai, why is that thing appearing all of a sudden!”
Nell, who caused the blood magic, let out her irritation.
Contrary to her facial expression, however, her hands were trembling slightly.
“What is the red catastrophe… The real catastrophe is like that…”
“·······.”
Her was the moment I saw her with her complicated eyes.
Hee hee hee – I heard some words.
Looking at it, there was a large dark horse that overpowered most course horses.
“Urbos…”
I suddenly recognized it.
Black Toma Urbos.
The Black Knight’s exclusive mount ran furiously toward his master.
“Run.”
Chandra Pale jumped in at once and commanded her horse. He was watching the catastrophe, and his horse galloped.
He shouted the girl who was with him.
“Careful man!”
“…Who is he?”
It was a person who had nothing to do with my setting.
Observe the other side while defeating the attacking monsters. A cluster of dark red grudges.
Nel said urgently.
“That communication impaired child…! Are you insane?”
“Nell.”
When I spoke to her, she turned around.
She shouted as if she had just remembered.
“Right you! When did you come back?!”
“Just now.”
“Just now…? Oh no, wait a minute. That you came back.”
Nell’s pupils swam as if they were lost.
I could see her heart clearly.
Did you bring something that could solve the curse? Would like to think
However, now was not the time for leisurely costumes or presents.
I asked naturally.
“What happened?”
“What… What?”
“Chandra Pale. Why were you fighting him?”
“Chandra…?”
I felt sorry for her suspicious reaction.
Due to the setting, the black knight would hardly have told his name.
As expected, Nell asked again, rolling her eyes.
“Is that his name? How do you know that?”
“You don’t have to know. So anyway.”
“Uh… I don’t know either. He just wanted to kill me. It was force majeure.”
I was speechless.
Kelly said that the monster suddenly attacked. I wanted to hear additional circumstances, but was that all?
“… That’s right.”
How come you seem to be more self-righteous than I am. This makes it difficult to use.
I glanced at the other side where the sound of horses hooves vibrated.
Hee hee hee!
A black knight on top of a black horse that gallops without hesitation with a scorching demon spectacle.
That figure was a model of the hero in the story, and his subsequent activities were no different.
It tramples the surging tentacles all over the place and doesn’t care about earthquakes.
After effortlessly repelling the fearful onslaughts one by one, he aimed his sword at the calamity.
“I will cut the monster.”
Legendary weapons and ghosts.
Right after it cried out, a single sword was manifested.
Wow!
The famous sword that cuts the brute force cut off the hem of the black stream.
A strange sound, whether screaming or groaning, erupted from the crowd.
─────!
The heavens and the earth shook and people prostrated themselves.
Even Nell groaned and covered his ears.
“Oh sh*t…!”
It was a horrible noise that disturbed my nerves, but I tried my best to concentrate.
The black knight was preparing to separate, turning round as if he thought he had the upper hand.
“…No way.”
I muttered involuntarily.
He does not know the reason for this phenomenon.
I knew right away after seeing various endings with numerous characters.
This was one of Black Calamity’s battle patterns.
This roar is not a scream or anything, but a roar, and if you attacked him at this time when your nerves were very sharp…
“Stop it!”
I shouted uncharacteristically for myself, but the black knight didn’t even pretend to hear. In an instant, the ghost island split the group again.
However, the results were quite different.
Hwaaah-!
Resentment came out like mad like an exploded gas cylinder.
It filled the floor and bloomed in lumps.
The black horse raised its paws, and the black knight showed embarrassment.
“···!”
The rampant vigor surrounded the black cavalry soldiers as if they were surrounded. The grudge that is stuck in it restricts the body.
A dazzling light flickered through the black airflow as if he was resisting violently, but his energy grew stronger.
Eventually, the grudge grew so strong that nothing could be seen,
It just exploded.
Hee hee hee!
A catastrophic counterattack pattern that inflicts maximum damage on the enemy. Black Toma rolls around and Chandrapale collapses.
“Kyaaak! Mister!”
The girl who covered her mouth let out a scream.
As she tried to jump on her limbs, the citizens by her side stopped her.
“Let go! Let go of this! Mister…!”
Many tentacles attacked the fallen black knight.
He slashed them like before, but the unstable sword strike let us know that he was cornered.
I closed my eyes at the expected development.
“As expected.”
Chandrapail can’t beat Mahabharata.
Actually, it didn’t make sense to say that he would lose based only on his potential. So I expected a little… But as expected.
As the potential is vast, the difficulty level of the black knight was also ranked as the highest.
According to the concept, in order to become an overwhelming one-man army, you have to take the so-called ‘stagnant person route’, but he had no way to know such information as he fell in an unfamiliar place.
“…How the hell have you been?”
Anyway, time passed in vain.
The Black Knight blew his chance to become the strongest. Seeing him on the defensive, Nell sneered.
“That crazy bastard. He yelled at me for cutting down monsters, but he looks good. He doesn’t listen to people and acts self-righteous, so that’s what happens…”
“Nell.”
Her anger was understandable.
I felt sorry because it was the resentment I vomited out even though I knew the seriousness of the situation.
But I didn’t want the two of them to growl.
Because both of them are like children to me.
“Don’t hate me too much.”
“… Huh?”
My blunt words.
She opened her eyes wide and looked at me.
“What are you talking about?”
“Because he has no choice but to do that.”
In a way, the nature of the black knight was at odds with the curse of the true ancestor’s blood.
If I’m being resentful, shouldn’t the target be me, not him?
Deficiency makes a character noble.
Because of that, I always leave something out.
So…
“It’s my fault.”
“What? No…”
Nell frowned as if he didn’t understand.
But my words are not over yet.
“So I’ll fix it.”
“·······?!”
It was the moment she blinked her eyes and I caught the apocalypse.
A lively voice came over.
“Mr. Quilly!”
A lively woman with braided hair.
Cigna must have fought fiercely, soot was smeared everywhere.
She passed her bloody rapier and looked behind her.
Dozens of knights were lined up, probably coming together.
One of them pointed at me and was surprised.
“You are the Red Calamity… The woman who defended Nel Sartilla!”
“·······.”
Bleper, leader of the Holy Knights.
It wasn’t a very good relationship, so I ignored it.
He continued, flustered.
“Wait, what happened! What about that black knight over there? Explain the situation—”
“Noisy.”
Now, adding a few articles was meaningless. More than I could have imagined, Kyoguk lacked the strength to deal with the calamity.
After deciding on a course of action, I approached a girl.
The girl who was with the black knight.
Her cry told her calmly.
“Hello.”
······Start with greetings.
I kept the basics of conversation, but it seems that she was more desperate than I thought.
As if recognizing me, he raised his eyes and grabbed hold of my collar.
“Isn’t that the big sister who shot the spear earlier? You’re a great wizard, right? Help the old man!”
Her eyes and voice were full of earnestness. The Black Knight was still struggling with disaster.
It won’t last long.
“I-“
“Even the red calamity sister!”
“…?”
Following her gaze, I looked to the side of her and saw Nell.
She raised her eyebrows as if she had followed me.
“What did he say. He tried to kill me?! No explanation!”
It was full of resentment.
The girl’s complexion turned pale.
“That’s because you’re a monster hunter… You have to catch monsters… Otherwise you’ll be helpless like a living corpse…”
Various emotions swirled in the creeping voice. Just one word stimulated Nell even more.
“Why am I a monster?! I’m a vampire!”
“Breath, Vampire…”
“Yeah. You know? They’re a noble race!”
Jinjo’s anger naturally spread intimidation.
The girl who had endured sobbing cried with her wet eyes.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. But, still…!”
I looked at it quietly and asked a question.
There was something I hadn’t been able to ask.
“What’s your name?”
“… Paley.”
The girl responded by wiping her tears.
I recited blankly.
“Paley…”
Chandra Pale······ Paley.
Could it be that he built it?
Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.
She shook her head and said to Paley.
“I’ll help you.”
“Ah…! Really, really!?”
She was delighted, and I nodded.
There was only one condition.
“Instead, if you help me, you help me too.”
“…Yes?”
The girl innocently blinked her eyes.
She asked with a puzzled expression.
“I have an older sister? She is, but I’m a powerless girl…. I don’t have prejudice.”
Then she clenched her fists vigorously and continued her words.
“How can I help you?”
“To help him persuade.”
No matter how you look at it, this girl was the only clue to control the black knight.
As I gazed at her, I sulked and lowered my head.
“…Mister? But he doesn’t listen to me…”
“It’s okay.”
If it was really nothing, he couldn’t have taken it with him.
Paley met my eyes and nodded her head bravely.
“Then it’s great! I’ll do my best even if I don’t know what it is!”
I smiled and stroked her hair. And she turned and walked away.
Nell hurriedly followed.
“What are you planning to do? If you’re going to do something dangerous, stop. I don’t know about you, but that black guy over there is insanely strong, and even that guy—”
“Nell.”
I put my index finger between Nell’s forehead as she poured out her concerns like her shotgun.
A blue light flashed in my eyes.
She really cares about her, but she shouldn’t be interfering with her now.
“Noisy.”
“···!”
Nel shook her shoulders, holding her forehead somehow. She seems to be putting up with something… What is it?
As she tilted her head, her eyes shifted to the roaring noise.
─────!
On the battlefield, fierce bombings and mortars were repeated nonstop.
The black knight, whose armor was damaged and cracked, still burned his fighting spirit.
However, compared to the beginning, I was weak for a while, and now there is not much left.
I looked down at the Apocalypse in my hand.
An esoteric description.
On the other hand, the method of use was very simple.
“Equivalent exchange.”
Because it was possible to organize it with one word,
.
It was simply ‘to deal a blow to the disaster’ in exchange for ‘something precious to me’.
A special item aimed exclusively at the final boss.
Considering it was first obtained in the last game, it was probably meant to be added to Four Seasons II.
It goes well with the concept of the prequel, whose subtitle is ‘The Beginning of Disaster’.
I must have gotten it by accident because I said goodbye to the game and played until the very end.
I was agonized.
“Precious things…”
What is it?
Only my possessions are allowed, so people or other people’s things are not allowed.
I suddenly lowered my gaze.
I could see my thin, white hand… And the blue crystal on it.
When I opened my mouth saying “Oh,” Something flew and rolled on the ground.
“Great…”
The bass tone was Chandra Pale’s.
His whole body was bruised, and he vomited blood from his mouth. However, only the eyes looking through the damaged helmet were clear.
“Get out of the way… This is not your place…”
He got up slowly, pointing his sword to the ground, but the enemy couldn’t wait.
Disaster roared and rushed.
─────!
I quietly raised my hand and opened the Apocalypse.
The gray page flipped over.
“I can’t help it.”
So comforting, I put strength into the hand holding the Catalyst. Superlative Amplification Artifact Catalyst.
It was my favorite monster with two abilities, attribute enhancement and amplification.
It has been used not only in combat but also in mana training for over ten years, and has not missed a single moment.
I got it by chance, but it’s probably the most precious thing to me right now…
【Put it down…!】
At that time, the target of the disaster changed with a terrible voice as if scratching iron.
The grim eyes were burning and glaring at me.
To be precise, he faced the Apocalypse.
Only then did I know.
This must have been the reason why he tried to kill me so far.
“What qualifications are you here for?”
A voice that was more bleak than ever came out of my lips. It was the sum total of my anger, fear, and other emotions.
My voice raised the prelude to the counterattack.
“As dirty as a rotten well, as ruthless as a hundred ghost nights.”
There is no way that I do not have come and resentment.
I projected all my old feelings onto him.
Since it’s a disaster, it’s called by such an awe-inspiring name, so you should be able to handle it.
【········.】
An untimely silence settled in the hall.
Calamity, the citizens, and the black knight each looked at me with their own amazement.
I was just calm.
Because it was Snow Woman, it was possible to be like that.
When the relic was offered as a sacrifice, it was oxidized into powder and flowed into the Apocalypse.
The page turns violently.
I let out a cold voice to decorate the end.
“Go back to the landfill. The cursed land is your home.”
Shortly thereafter, disaster struck.
It came close to me, going mad as if it was frenzied.
I stretched out my hand holding the Apocalypse.
【───!】
People around me were shocked and prepared for battle.
I stared straight at the catastrophe with a womanly attitude.
Equivalent Exchange.
The more precious the sacrifice is to me, the greater its power.
He pursed his lips and whispered in a small whisper.
“…Mahabharata.”
The true name of the guy that only he knew.
The moment the catastrophe flinched, the pages of the Apocalypse burned. A flash of light exploded immediately after.
─────!
Intense light filled the area, and eerie ears resounded.
An unmistakable wail of pain different from roar.
Everyone covered their ears and covered their eyes.
“What, what…!”
“Ugh…”
It had just enough light and destructive power.
I was fine, perhaps because I was the caster.
Thanks to that, I was able to see with clear eyes.
“Stop disappearing.”
The guy who glared at me even in pain.
The disaster that burned with hatred collapsed to the ground, groaning as if it could not stand it any longer.
I got rid of it.
Not one died.
He’s immortal as long as the landfill exists.
“Ugh, finally snow…”
“…Resentment is gone! Disaster?!”
As the light faded, they opened their eyes one by one and came to their senses.
They hurriedly guarded their surroundings, but soon blinked and looked dumbfounded.
It deserved it.
“·······.”
I closed my eyes at the silence that returned.
I had a hunch that it would be very troublesome.
The gazes of astonishment and confusion moved smoothly and then gathered in one place.
Unfortunately, it was me.