I Became A System

"That was close. Did you already killed Ildran?" Aaron asked as soon they went out of the cave.

Thalia was still on the back of Cules, breathing violently, creating huff sounds. Her body temperature is also exceeding some dangerous level that Aaron worries about.

"Ellena, we need to take Thalia to an apothecary," Aaron said with a distressed voice, unable to look at Thalia straight as he worried about her.

"Yes, I think that Ildran is dead now. Let's go."

However, their thoughts were suddenly disrupted. They felt complacent for a short moment, but as soon as they decided to go back to the city, a pressure appeared on top of the cliff.

"Where do you think you're going?"

All of them widened their eyes as they heard Ildran's deep voice, unscathed and also seeming to be well despite the huge attack that Ellena had launched.

"Was your cooldown that short? It scares me. Or maybe you had high proficiency with your ability."

They were silent. How did Ildran survive that magical attack? It was strong enough to destroy the naturally built space of a cave.

"This doesn't make sense. Aaron, please bring Thalia to the city and I will deal with him for the moment." Ellena said with her voice filled with fury and irritation.

"Okay. Please be safe. Let's go, Cules."

Swish!

"Where do you think you are going?!"

A visible wicked smile curled up in Ildran's face as he disappeared from his position, then appeared on top of Cules, grabbed Thalia, and then appeared again on top of the cliff.

The moonlight made them silhouettes. Just as Ellena and Aaron looked above, the moon was behind Ildran while Thalia was on his side, carried.

Ildran's robes brushed against his skin, waving at the winds' command.

"Thalia!"

Ellena was terrified when Thalia was suddenly taken by Ildran. As well as Aaron, he couldn't follow Ildran's movement. He still hadn't felt Ildran's presence. That's why he thought he might have died.

However, everything was now at a disadvantage for both of them. Still, Ellena was thinking of a way to save Ellena.

"Khukhukhu! Ellena, such a bad girl. Why don't you come here or kill yourself for this girl?"

"What do you mean?"

An eerie smile. Ildran was confident that he had the advantage. Not just because they are now in open space, but also because of Ellena's limited movements, she couldn't follow his movements.

Inside Ildran's system, he was leaping in joy. The more he saw Ellena's despairing face, the more he was pleased.

Indeed, Ellena was in despair. As she looked at Thalia suffering from Ildran's grip, she could only grit her teeth.

"What do you want?!"

"Your head. If you kill yourself, I will save this girl and spare her life."

"No Big Sister! Don't believe in him! Just get away from here! You don't need to save me. I am worthless, so please just go." Thalia exclaimed, widening Ellena's eyes.

Aaron, who couldn't do anything, was just silent. He finally realized how weak and powerless he was and couldn't even help Ellena in small ways. Even if they try to use the blessing to raise Ellena's stamina, they won't succeed as Ildran is slippery.

'There's no way we can catch that rat. He teleports to any place he wants. But, it doesn't mean that Ellena should listen to him.'

"Okay! So please spare her life. I will let you kill me. I will even kill myself."

"NO! BIG SISTER PLEASE NO! I am not worthy of your life! Please, please! Let me die! Even though I was just a slave, you didn't let me feel the tormenting way that others let me feel. You didn't order me using the pact, so please, just this way, I can use my life to have you safe. Please, Master."

"What is this drama? Just kill yourself."

A spine-chilling smile reached Ellena's system. She felt powerless. The confidence she had gathered had already disappeared. The only thing she knew was that she must exchange her life to save Thalia.

But even though she wasn't sure that Ildran would spare Thalia's life, there was still hope that Ellena would be saved.

"Big Sister, please live! I am just a worthless slave!"

Ellena's eyes widened. Why now? Why... Why does being a slave only come from Thalia's mouth? Did she dislike it? Ellena felt dispised. It was as if using Thalia as a slave was wrong. How could she save strangers and let the person on her side remain as a slave?

"How can you use your ability?" Ellena asked out of nowhere.

"Why would I answer that? Are you crazy? Kill yourself. I will spare this child's life."

Ellena became silent. She doesn't know anymore. But if the thing she thought would save Thalia, she would use everything to treat her and recover her body. But the thing, she wasn't sure.

Ellena thought something. As she felt the fear earlier, she knew that she must have everything she can have.

'Why does Ildran keep threatening Ellena? Why...' Aaron wondered as he observed everything. 

Ildran was indeed strong with the dark element and teleporting, but what's more? What's less? Why is she keep on using Thalia as his insurance?

"Ah... I will kill you myself. It seems that you don't want to save your slave."

"Big Sister, please just leave. Let me have this moment as the last purpose of my life. Please, just leave me. Give me purpose for once."

Ellena was struck by lightning. Her senses were numb and she couldn't think straight as she was drowning in despair.

"Kill? Die?...

Okay... Just die." Ellena smiled as tears came up, too.

Aaron was startled. How could Ellena say that? Is she really that driven by despair?

And as things kept on going, an idea popped into Aaron's mind.

'Ildran is using dark elements, and dark elements' weakness is strong light... Haaa... so it was the reason? Ildran is afraid of Ellena's lighting abilities. Ellena's abilities create light from fire, lightning, and also the light element from Binding Light.

Everything makes sense now. Indeed, Ildran's weakness is that he keeps on using underhanded tricks to corner Ellena.

"You want to let your people die? Are you crazy... ah. Okay, I'll kill her and after it, I will make you follow her." Ildran turned 180 and became expressionless as he spoke the next words.

"But before that, I have one last order for you. As your master, I order you to use your rune." As Ellena said it, Aaron was also saying something.

"Ellena! His teleportation ability is a potential of his dark element. He's scared of light!"

Aaron was speechless. What did Ellena just say?

Aaron rushedly moved his attention to Thalia and noticed that she was closing her eyes, squirming in extreme pain.

'Ellena! Why would you do that?!'

"Y-Yes... M-Master..." A hoarse voice came from Thalia, making Ildran suddenly move backward as he noticed there was something wrong with Thalia.

"W-What?"

Thalia suddenly glowed red. It was crimson, covering her whole body. The previous weak body dominated Ildran, and the moment he felt strange around her, he dropped Thalia. 

Ildran tried to teleport as he felt danger coming from her, but Thalia just smiled.

"Do you know that when I touch someone with my ability, they can't use their abilities until they cough up blood and die?"

A purpose... That was the only thing Thalia needed, but she lacked it. However, Ellena's order to use her ability made her body follow it. Without her discreetness, her body suddenly felt the extreme urge.

"Too... late..."

"What's happening to me?!"

"You are already dead."