Fated to Be Loved by Villains

 EP - 028.2 - Purifier (2)

The first thing I felt when I regained consciousness was excruciating pain, as if my whole body was being torn apart.

“…!”

I opened my mouth, but not a word came out.

It felt like my brain was wired into a power supply and was pumped directly with electricity. My body was convulsing uncontrollably. 

“… K-kuluk…!”

After coughing out coagulated blood, I took a look at the current state of my body.

My left arm was utterly destroyed.

Both my lower and upper body were completely smashed, torn and broken. Not a single part of my body was saved from being wedged with pieces of nasty-looking stone, glass fragments and tree branches. 

My whole body was in tatters.

How I am alive right now was a even question. 

It's a miracle with the kind of injuries I had sustained. 

“…”

Regardless, I tried to force myself up.

“…Ah, ack…!”

My vision was stained red. 

And my body was trembling all over. 

From deep within my nerves, I felt a spark of new sensation that I have never experienced before in my life. 

“…”

Alas, I fell right back to the ground as I gasped for air.

I was wholly immobile.

“…Fck.”

Cursing, I supported myself with my healthy right arm and reached out for the Divine's Ultima, that was in the edge of my vision. 

If I hadn't been able to create a shield at the very last moment, I would have died.

Demonic energy is particularly vulnerable to divinity. And it’s because of this advantage that the power of the attack was reduced. 

“…Are you kidding me, really.”

In the meantime, I could hear a round of laughter. 

I could see the academy building not too far away.

Just from that attack, I had flown over hundreds of meters from where Elnore and I fought against Marquis Riverback.

I'm seriously relieved that I didn’t die in one shot.

〚Did you survive that?〛

Though, hearing this made me reconsider that maybe I am not so lucky.

Barely able to turn my body, I saw Marquis Riverback walking toward me from a short distance away.

Even with that demonic energy-filled body, I could clearly see that mocking smirk.

〚You're much more tenacious than I thought. The Prophet would be pleased.〛

After saying that, he reached out to my face.

〚Looks like you’ve exhausted all your cards.〛

Then, demonic energy started to gather on his palm.

〚To be honest, you were a great opponent. If you meet a friend in hell, you can confidently brag about it.〛 

“…”

There is no way out.

The downgraded Desperation wouldn't be able to withstand it. Not even an upgrade to EX class would change anything. I can’t even move my body at this point.

But there's still one thing left.

   -!

   -!!!

A sword suddenly cut through the air and slashed Marquis Riverback’s neck.

It was a terrifying blow that could cut down even steel, but it only slightly penetrated his skin before getting repelled. 

The wound also healed instantly as if it was never there. 

However, thanks to this, the impending attack towards me was canceled.

〚…You're really quite the persistent pair. You'll make a good couple.〛

Elnore retrieved her sword and quickly approached me as he grumbled. 

“It's okay…”

Elnore was about to say something but stopped. She only looked at me and kept her mouth shut.

Her expression suggests that of sorrow. 

“…It might look bad, but this is normal.”

I smiled and tried to change the subject. 

Though not as severe as mine, Elnore also had injuries all over her body. 

She had broken ribs and arm, and terrible lacerations on her legs. She had torn her dress to use as a bandage in order to forcefully move. 

She looked like she could barely stand and it was a burden being upright, let alone fight.

The only reason she's able to move was because of her superhuman mental strength, nothing more or less.

But why was she worried about me?

In her current state, how could she worry about other people? 

“…”

After looking at me without saying a word, she took off the necklace she had been wearing and threw it at me.

As I caught it with my right arm, a new window popped up in front of me. 

   [ The 'Necklace of Vitality' has been equipped. ]

   [ Durability and stamina are slightly increased. ]

“It will help you keep your body together. It'll allow you to move.”

“…Yes?”

“Didn’t you say that we had to bring him to the academy? Marquis Riverback also keeps saying that he would use me in his ‘plan’. I don't think he'll kill me right away.”

“…”

“Move to the target location first. It's not too far away, I will buy you some time.”

“…Elnore.”

“I trust you until the end.”

At a loss for words, I could only stare at Elnore, who simply smiled back. 

It was the same shy smile when we held hands at the start of the Full Moon Festival.

“…Isn’t it just right to give back what we received?”

“…”

I've never done anything to deserve such gratitude from this person. 

I was just struggling to get through the situation.

But this person. 

〚Is the strategy meeting over?〛

Marquis Riverback said with folded arms, as he was smirking at us. 

His attitude was that of, 'do whatever you want, I've already won.'

It was a self-centered and vain attitude, but it wasn't the wrong move this time, as Elnore and I were already as good as incapacitated.

However, Elnore cared for none of that and confronted Marquis Riverback without fear.

“Let me ask you one thing, Marquis Riverback.”

〚What is it?〛

“How much do we look like as a couple?”

   〚...Yes?〛

“This is an important question, so answer it honestly.”

Marquis Riverback looked at Elnore speechless, then he burst into a laughter. 

〚IYou're a match made in heaven. If you somehow survive here, why don't you start a family?〛

“It's a good answer. I can spare you a little mercy.”

Elnore smiled and raised her sword, while demonic energy also surged from Marquis Riverback.

“Dowd, go!”

I don't have a say here. 

I would just be a burden if I continued to stay here.

I finally turned away from Elnore and walked towards the academy building.

“…Huk, heok…”

I was already in a state of exhaustion, then adding the unimaginable injuries made even breathing itself harder.

Every step I took felt like I was being stabbed by a hot iron rod. My body writhed with pain, and my vision was flickering. However, despite my literacy giving up and collapsing to the ground, I gritted my teeth and pushed forward.

Because I know that there's someone enduring more pain than I am right now.

At this point, I was crawling but persisted moving forward. Oh how I badly wanted to rest, even for a little bit, but I feel like once I do that, I'll never be able to never get back up. 

After a few minutes of crawling, I saw it.

The outer wall of the academy. 

“…”

I'm finally here.

Propping myself up using the wall, I struggled my way to the gates. 

Due to the chaos that had ensued in the city, there was not a single guard in sight. So I have no help to even count on.

   -!!

A person suddenly crashed on the wall beside me. 

“…”

It was Elnore.

The level of injuries she sustained couldn't even be limited to she looked 'wrecked'.

If it wasn’t for the tattered dress, I wouldn’t be even able to recognize her in such a ghastly state.

〚She was really like a pest, annoying. I already broke all her limbs, but she would still crawl and grab on my legs. It’s terrible, really.〛

“…”

〚So, what are your plans now? Do you have anything more hidden?〛

Unable to control my body anymore, I limply knelt in front of Marquis Riverback. 

I could still see that laughing smirk on his face. 

Then I turned my gaze towards Elnore.

Elnore had faint shallow breaths, but she still met my eyes with difficulty.

She was giving me an apologetic gaze. 

‘…No.’

You did a good job.

Otherwise, I couldn't have come this far.

〚Anything else?〛

“…”

〚This is boring.〛

Having said that, Marquis Riverback reached out.

Demonic energy started gathering. 

“…!”

Elnore, who was stuck on the wall, tried wriggling her body to move. Alas, it was all futile. Her current state already reached the limit just by breathing. 

-!

A black beam pierced through my chest.

It was certain death. 

A shallow scream escaped from Elnore’s mouth.

〚I was expecting something special after coming all the way here… turns out it's just nothing.〛

I hear these words as my vision gradually turned black. 

“…”

A smile curved on my lips.

There's nothing to hide, you fcking bastard.

“…Hey.”

Amidst my crumpling body, I glared at him with all my might.

“I won.”

The moment this guy had stepped ‘inside’ the academy... 

My plan began. 

   〚...Yes?〛

I could hear Marquis Riverback's confused voice distantly. 

Through my flickering vision, I could see something ‘condensing’ inside Elnore’s body as she screamed.

And.

   [ Skill: Fatal Charm has been activated. ]

Just as my consciousness was about to get cut off, I saw a window pop up. 

Yeah, nice to meet you.

Honestly, I didn't want to meet you, but given the circumstances, I had no other choice. 

 [ 대상 ̶̘͛͑̊̇̆́̃͋̏̆͘͝͠C̵̡̹̖̙̭͖̈́̓̐̈́͐¾̸̧̥̬͈͇̹̘͕̠̮̩̙̎ð̸̞͖̋¾̶͕̻́̊̇î̸̙̪͎̥͎͍̲͔̔̈́̀̃͗́̚̚͠͠͝͠ ̷̨̨̣̭̭͓̱̼͚̮̼̭̟̱̾̄͑̈́̋͝¼̸̢̛̞̟͓̗̙͗͊̆̓̈͘͜͠Ǫ̵̛̠̟̲͔̟̀̔̍͛̈́°̶̨̙̠͆͋̔͛̒̀̾̆̉̏̕³̶̟̝̙͔̥̖̯̠̒̈̋̃̇̾̃̽̆̅͊͆̋̋가 당신에게 ¡̛̰̖̲͉̜̿͑̈̍̕̚͟͝Ą̷̦̘͉̹͓̝́̾͂͂̂͂̅͡͝ø̵̧̡̜̲̗̳̟̀̒̽̊͆̃͒̎̚͟͟ͅ Ç̳͈̟̯̻̾̿̔͆̃̋́͌͘̕Ḁ̷͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻́͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̢̥̱̝̘̟͎͊͐͌̿̎̋̕͜͟͝͞Î̶̻̙͓͓͎̫͛́͌̀̆͊͒͆̚±̦͖̺̗͎͍̰͊̏͒̉̍̉̚͟͠×̵̢̯̥̟͖̞̔̈́̃̚͘͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ¡̴̹͉̤̭̥̒̇̎̅͘͝ͅ¹̖̯̰̰̦̝͐͆̿̌̃͂͟͠Ö̵̩̭͇̹̭̤͌͆̔̀̆̚ ¾̨̻̩̩̰͖͇̈́̊͐̃͝ͅ]

{*Target... XXXXX.... you....XXXX} 

With that message.

The world turned to gray.