NOVEL NEXT Chapter 163
163. Now, There’s No Choice But To Do It
“We have the power to reign over the world. It’s foolish to waste it fighting amongst ourselves.”
Vanessa sighed.
Putting aside the whole “reigning over the world” thing, it is indeed foolish.
The enemies we should be fighting aren’t fellow Skill Holders.
It should be the demonic beings that bring harm to people…
That’s why I’ll protect both Lilith and Alice.
“Even if it means engaging in this foolish infighting.”
I locked eyes with Jack.
“I won’t let you kill them. I won’t──!”
As my resolve surged, a pattern resembling an angel spreading its wings appeared before my eyes.
The Ilfaria Crest──the mark of a Skill Holder.
No, it’s not just me.
Looking around, I could see divine patterns emerging on Jack’s and Vanessa’s bodies as well.
“Our Skills are resonating…!?”
Vanessa murmured.
Divine powers resonate with each other.
Through this resonance, our Skills grow even stronger.
It’s a phenomenon I’ve experienced many times before.
However, this time, it felt like it was leaning in a bad direction.
My Skill might grow stronger, but the same goes for Jack.
How am I supposed to stop him when he becomes even more powerful──?
Can [Void Seal] completely shut him down until the end?
A bad premonition ran down my spine.
“Gah!”
Jack let out a short roar and slammed his fist into me.
But the impact was no more than a feather’s touch.
The rainbow aura enveloping the dragon warrior’s body… [Void Seal] had completely nullified the destructive force.
“It still doesn’t work…!? Then…!”
Jack aimed a kick at Vanessa beside him.
Of course, this also did no damage.
“…So my attack power itself has been nullified…”
“Hey, why don’t you go somewhere alone until you calm down?”
I blurted out the idea that just came to me.
“In the meantime, I’ll figure out a way to restore Jack’s condition──”
“Impossible… huh.”
Jack coldly stated.
“Besides, I’ve figured out… a way to break your Skill.”
As soon as he said that, the dragon warrior’s figure disappeared.
No, this is high-speed movement at an imperceptible level──!
But Jack’s attack power is sealed.
Even if he tries to confuse us with super speed, he shouldn’t be able to hurt anyone.
“I’ve broken it, Haruto…!”
A moment later, the rainbow aura──the glow of [Void Seal]──had vanished from Jack’s body as he reappeared before my eyes.
“Wh-what…!?”
My Skill has been dispelled.
No way…!
“I maximized the acceleration in both legs to create distance from you. Far enough to escape the range of your Skill’s effect… then returned at super speed…”
Jack explained calmly.
Damn, I didn’t think of that──.
“It’s over.”
──[Alter].
──[Armor Phase].
Instinctively, I created a defensive barrier around us.
I deployed a defensive Skill to protect everyone, including my comrades.
I thought about applying [Void Seal] to Jack again, but if he dodged it with his super speed, it would be over.
Immediately after, a metallic clang rang out, and a rainbow spark exploded before my eyes.
At the last possible moment, my Skill blocked Jack’s punch.
“…This isn’t getting us anywhere.”
Vanessa sighed beside me.
“[Fioroute].”
She murmured and reached out toward Lilith and Alice.
“Huh…!?”
Their confused voices overlapped.
The next moment, they appeared outside the rainbow dome──the barrier of [Armor Phase].
Did she use a Skill to teleport them!?
“Wh-what are you doing!?”
I hurriedly adjusted my Skill to envelop them back within the barrier.
“[Fioroute].”
But the moment I thought that, they were teleported elsewhere again.
“Jack’s rampage is because of those two girls holding the cursed staff, right? I’ll hand them over, so go ahead and kill them.”
“Stop it!”
I rushed toward Vanessa in a panic.
“Oh, isn’t this the quickest solution?”
She remained unfazed.
“None of us Skill Holders will get hurt. We can preserve our precious strength for the great battle to come──for that, sacrificing two little girls is a small price to pay.”
“Don’t screw around!”
I tried to reshape the barrier to bring Lilith and Alice back within its range.
But,
“Fufu. No more of that.”
Vanessa hugged me from behind.
Her soft and supple body pressed against mine.
“We’re running out of energy, so this will be the last teleport. Let’s just leave this place, just the two of us, okay?”
No──.
I was filled with despair.
My defensive Skills can only block attacks.
Skills like Vanessa’s, which aren’t direct attacks, can’t be blocked or nullified.
If we’re teleported somewhere else, Lilith and the others left behind might all be killed.
No, judging by Jack’s current rampage, everyone here will die.
I can’t stand it.
The thought of Lilith and the others being killed.
Losing those irreplaceable girls.
Absolutely not.
Absolutely not──!
“Now, there’s no choice but to do it…!”
Determination surged within me.
Before Vanessa’s Skill activates in the next moment.
I’ll do something──!
Suddenly, a white temple appeared before my eyes.
“This is──”
It’s appeared a few times before.
The core of my heart.
A temple symbolizing that.