Chapter 126: Chapter 126

Chapter 126 - The Train Rushing Towards the End (3)

The boy and the old man were at the center of the battlefield, and they charged at each other.

To kill their opponent and survive, and to see the next part of the story.

Just after the fleeting moment suspended between uncertainty and certainty, before the clash.

The thunderous roar of their weapons clashing echoed.

And what flew off as a result of the collision was Rain's weapon.

Rain's 『Spellbinder』 couldn't withstand the power struggle with Vargas and tumbled into the sky.

However, Rain didn't stop there.

Rain had foreseen that his sword would go out of his control, and at the moment the sword took the impact, he let go of it.

And, instead, he lowered his body and pushed forward, his hand in his pocket.

Vargas had been certain of victory when he knocked away Rain's weapon. Having clashed with the boy, he was confident that even one clean hit with his spear would bring him victory.

However, Vargas clearly sensed something amiss in the boy's movement, as he pushed forward despite losing his weapon.

Pushing inside—that meant he had prepared another close-range attack method besides his sword.

But it was already too late to use the spear. The boy had already penetrated inside the spearhead, and the spear no longer held more value than a heavy stick.

The old man's brain, quickly recognizing the situation, rapidly deduced the solution for the current state from his experience.

And the result was to discard the spear and engage in hand-to-hand combat.

And even within that outcome of hand-to-hand combat, the path diverged into two options.

To block the approaching boy's advance with a strike, or to neutralize him with grappling.

Vargas already had a clue about the optimal solution among these two paths.

‘That boy took damage earlier in the fight with my subordinates. That clearly means he has a serious flaw in his durability.’

It was an accurate judgment. If the opponent was impervious to strikes, he would have attempted grappling, but since the boy was attempting a close-quarters battle for inexplicable reasons, it was best not to allow him to approach within his long reach.

In that fleeting moment. The old man's muscles, who had thrown away his spear, contracted to their limit, and his upper body rotated.

As if the pure martial art accumulated over those long years wouldn't betray him, an undiminished strength concentrated in his arm.

The essence of his life.

A thunderous roar, hard to believe it was the sound of a fist striking.

It was clearly the essence of his life, and as mentioned earlier, the best possible judgment.

Yes. There was no way Rain Enlight could have endured that power.

However, Rain Enlight was still there.

Clad in a black robe, different from his previous attire.

The moment I clashed with Vargas, I immediately discarded my sword and plunged inside.

And Vargas, in that fleeting moment, made the optimal judgment and extended his fist towards me.

It was truly astonishing. Such decisiveness to find the best move in such a short time.

It was exactly as I had expected.

As I plunged past Vargas, I activated the Knight Robe, which I had previously disengaged its defensive function, and as a result, I was free from the impact of his blow.

『Knight Robe - Senior』

Characteristics: Mana Durability, Lightweight, Small Internal Subspace, Camouflage, Temperature Control

: A protective robe used by knights in actual combat. It is lightweight yet possesses excellent defensive capabilities, and its performance increases exponentially with higher grades.

Just moments before, the robe's durability was in the 80s, but it instantly dropped to 2.

If a mere punch could do this, then a direct hit from his spear would have shattered the robe even if it had been activated.

It was an astonishing discovery made in a short time.

Was this the martial art he had accumulated throughout his life?

Putting aside my chilled nerves, I put my hand into my pocket again, as I had planned.

And, I took out a dagger.

The dagger I had purchased in the previous round robin, 『Fortress Kill』.

Unique Ability, 『Fortress Breaker』: Once a day, delivers an attack that ignores all forms of defense.

: Even mighty fortresses cannot last forever; this is its harbinger.

Before purchasing the artifact, I agonized countless times.

What kind of artifact would be most suitable for me, who repeatedly regressed?

What kind of weapon would be most suitable for me, who exploited the enemy's blind spots and perception?

And this was the answer.

I drew the dagger from my pocket and extended it forward.

I had waited for this moment alone.

All those hardships and struggles were for this very moment.

This moment, reached by feigning inferiority, by hiding my own hand.

Finally, my dagger reached the enemy commander's heart.

The moment the blade of 『Fortress Kill』 touched him, Vargas's eyes widened as if he understood everything.

Clearly, everything was too late. I had led him to this.

Death was definitely before him, and Vargas had no way to avoid it.

However, Vargas did not stop.

The old man, the moment the sword pierced his heart, mustered all his strength and concentrated it into his right hand.

I couldn't help but be amazed by his fighting spirit. Could such power emerge even now, on the brink of death?

However, with all my moves expended, I had no further way to evade.

Just before the fist connected. Time seemed to flow slowly, but…… I had only one thing to think about.

‘I have to endure……!’

That cannonball-like fist exploded against my miserable body.

Not even a scream escaped me. I couldn't even speak properly from the impact.

The situation itself, and the power itself, were different from the counter Theodore had landed on me earlier.

My body flew through the air as if in flight, then crashed into a wall.

My vision went dark. It seemed as if my sight was blacking out.

It was a familiar sensation. I often felt it when I faced death—that is, when one of my rounds came to an end.

That thought occurred to me. Had this round been a failure?

It was no wonder I couldn't get up. No, it was natural. Even though I had used 『Moment of Decisive Battle[A]』, damage had already accumulated in my body.

‘Should I close my eyes?’

I had that thought again.

Perhaps I could do better next time.

Perhaps I could end it without taking any damage. Perhaps there was a better way.

……Perhaps, there was even a way not to kill him.

In the darkness, I had those thoughts. Truly, it was surprising, but I sometimes had such thoughts. It was that influence.

Regardless of my mind, I tightly clenched my now empty hands.

I straightened my knees, which had buckled and fallen.

It was an act close to the realm of unconsciousness.

Clutching my wounds, standing up from that spot.

Yes, I was not dead. I stood here.

My temporarily blurred vision returned.

And, a sound was heard again.

“……This time, the one who survived…… was your side, huh……”

From where I had been struck and sent flying to the wall, there was no way I could hear the voice of the old man who had collapsed far away.

Elwin's battle wasn't over yet, and Croban, who had come as support from the train roof, must have also been struggling. It was natural for the surroundings to be bustling.

However, I clearly heard it. The old man's voice, murmuring with a breath that seemed about to break.

The large figure in armor, after leaving those words, lost his balance…….

And so, the match was decided.

As the enemy commander, Vargas, fell, the gazes of everyone fighting on the train converged on that spot.

And a truly immeasurable, yet distinct silence fell.

Some were bewildered. And some were enraged.

It was natural that, as soon as they realized the situation, they raised their weapons and rushed towards me, not Elwin.

A voice agitated, filled with rage.

And Elwin's voice, coming from afar.

Yes, the battle wasn't over yet.

With my trembling left hand, I pulled out 『Outlaw』 again.

And, I fired at the guy who was rushing towards me.

The bullet clearly hit the enemy, and effectively suppressed him, but……

My body, which I had just forced myself to stand, wouldn't obey. When I looked to see why, I saw a large, gash-like wound, slanting across my left side.

My side was so torn open that bone was visible.

Was I moving in this state? Follow current novels on novel⟡fire.net

To survive somehow. Was I struggling somehow to kill someone for that?

It was a desperate and cruel thing.

Just as I was trying to get my fallen body up again.

With the sound of something kicking off, a tumultuous noise came from behind me.

“Thi…… this is…… what the hell?!”

A voice I had never heard before.

When I laboriously turned around at those voices……

There, a whole line of suspicious figures holding weapons stood.

‘There were still this many troops left?’

It was a situation that defied common sense. Their reaction, as if they had only just realized the situation, was also the same.

But, that wasn't what was important.

Elwin, who was reluctant to kill, had not yet dealt with all the enemies.

Croban's support couldn't be expected yet either. No, judging by how the situation had turned out, a considerable number of troops must have been headed towards Croban's side as well.

Clearly, I had overcome one mountain, but another still remained.

Desperate. That was the only way to describe the situation.

A hardship beyond my comprehension, beyond my expectations. I felt nothing but helplessness.

It was perhaps close to the feeling I had first experienced after falling into the world of .

With that murmur, half despair, half fleeting hope, just as I was about to somehow raise my weapon.

What appeared with such an ear-splitting roar was light.

A light that, literally, fell out of nowhere from the sky. And what appeared with it.

I couldn't help but doubt my eyes.

Because it—no, she—was someone who couldn't possibly have arrived here now.

She couldn't appear here now.

Standing up, she looked at me with sad eyes and murmured that…… the girl with brilliant golden hair and emerald eyes.

The Light of Salvation, Serene El Stellia.

Yes. The girl was clearly here, at this very moment.

At this moment, I truly couldn't help but think that her epithet was perfectly fitting.