Chapter 12
Episode 12
Goosebumps erupted all over Nina's body. She scrambled out of bed, her ankle throbbing with a sudden, tear-inducing pain.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Kirill asked.
Nina replied, "I have a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. Where's my uniform?"
"Incinerated. There are temporary clothes under the bed."
Nina pulled out a basket from under the bed. The clothes were too big and baggy, but she didn't have time to worry about that.
As Nina hastily threw off her patient gown and changed into the uniform, Kirill sighed.
"Stop it. You just woke up from the poison. You're not in good shape. If a battle breaks out in that condition, you'll be the first to die."
"I'd like to avoid it if I could, but this is too important."
She put on a black long coat and strapped a sword to her belt.
With one foot in a boot and the other still bandaged, she headed out, saying, "Kirill, if people come, run away, all the way to the main headquarters. Don't wait for me, ever."
Kirill frowned at the ominous atmosphere. "What? What's wrong?"
"Just run away, no matter what!"
Nina, blurting out those words, started running.
"Why did I have to get hurt at a time like this? It hurts like hell, really!"
Even as she yelled, Nina didn't slow down. Instead, her speed increased.
Bang!
The next moment, a sound that shook the earth erupted, and a purple flash filled her vision.
At the same time, a wind laced with poison blew fiercely.
'The Barrier is broken?!'
With a crackling sound, blue flames sparked and burned on her coat.
Even the uniform, specially treated to resist Bellac contamination, couldn't withstand such potent poison.
Nina was blown away by the wind, but she grabbed a tree branch, spun around, and threw off her coat.
Then, she started running again.
'Damn it, damn it, damn it.'
Cursing under her breath, Nina drew her sword.
When she plunged into the epicenter of the explosion, the battle was already underway.
'Are you kidding me?'
It looked like the Bellacs were having a party.
And only high-ranking ones at that.
Quickly scanning the survivors, Nina felt despair.
The regular knights were annihilated, and only two elites remained.
Jin and Vice-Captain Louis.
'Where's Adrian?'
Nina saw Adrian collapsed behind Jin and Louis. Without realizing it, she shouted, "Adrian!"
Jin answered her shout, "He's alive! That crazy priest set off the explosion and he got caught in it..."
"He's still breathing," Louis added.
Thanks to the two of them blocking the attacks, Adrian had survived.
Those who were near the Barrier, near the explosion, were blown to smithereens.
One side of the cube-shaped building was completely destroyed, and a viscous liquid was flowing out of it.
Bellacs continued to crawl out from within.
Above all, a huge pincer-like claw was trying to emerge through the narrow hole in the Barrier, threatening to collapse the rest of it.
"Nina! Watch out!" Jin shouted.
What attacked Nina was a huge squid-like Bellac. Its numerous tentacles were very long, each covered in steel-like scales.
When her sword clashed against them, sparks flew.
"I am the one blessed by the North Wind and Frost, the howling blade of wind, the sharp edge of chilling frost!"
The Spirit Crest under her rolled-up sleeve shone brightly.
The blade, frozen pure white, sliced through the massive tentacle in one swift motion. It was like cutting through soft butter.
The severed surface froze white. Nina quickly moved between Jin and Louis.
Having trained together hundreds, even thousands of times, their teamwork was seamless.
The battle became easier, but there was no sign of victory. Nina gritted her teeth.
'We can't win this.'
Just dealing with this giant squid Bellac was overwhelming, and other Bellacs were swarming in.
Besides, the Barrier was only broken on one side for now, but what if all sides were destroyed?
A purplish-black mist was creeping along the ground, spreading around them.
It was clear that humans couldn't withstand that.
'And I'm injured. Damn it, damn it all.'
"North Wind and Frost. My old allies, a steadfast shield that allows no spring, a silence that devours all, a shield of perfect winter!"
As she shouted, raising her sword, a round shield formed as if ice had frozen in place.
"Young Master!"
Nina planted her sword in the ground and knelt beside him. Jin remained vigilant even inside the shield, and Louis came over to check on Adrian's injuries.
Blood was oozing thickly from Adrian's head.
As she stripped off the contaminated coat, Adrian regained consciousness.
His eyes fluttered open, and he abruptly tried to sit up, but he swayed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At the sound of continuous pounding on the shield, Nina quickly said, "Leave this to me. You two escort Young Master and retreat."
It was a short and concise statement, but no one accepted it.
Jin replied, "Don't be ridiculous," and Adrian frowned.
Seeing the shield starting to crack, Nina quickly repeated, "I'm the only one who can block that hole and finish off the monster. The only Spiritualists here are me and Young Master, and I can't leave it to Young Master, can I?"
"Why not?"
Adrian reached out and grabbed her arm.
"I'll do it."
"No, not with your condition. Besides, you're Young Master. I'm the only one who can do it."
Nina gave a weak smile and dusted herself off.
"Jin, Vice-Captain. I'm counting on you, then."
Jin asked with an anxious look, "What are you planning to do?"
He seemed to know what she was about to do, but he still wanted to confirm. He had to stop her, after all.
Nina shrugged.
"I'm going to contract with a new Spirit."
Jin gripped his sword tighter.
"I'll die with you, even if it kills me. I'm not going to leave you alone and run away."
"I'm not telling you to run away, I'm telling you to protect Young Master."
"I don't need it."
Adrian said roughly. He tried to get up, but dizziness made it difficult to stand straight.
His vision blurred. Louis supported the staggering Adrian.
"I won't leave you behind. If someone has to stay, I'll stay," Adrian said, panting as he roughly wiped away the blood.
Nina puffed out her cheeks.
"Really, you're impossible to reason with. But you have to go. Someone needs to report this. If Young Master dies, what happens to the treatment of a knight who abandoned the Captain and ran away?"
At her words, Adrian lowered his head.
Nina gently pushed Adrian's chest.
"Fulfill your duty."
Living is also a responsibility, surviving is also a duty.
Adrian gritted his teeth. He didn't want to move an inch from this spot.
With a single misjudgment, he had lost everything.
And yet, and yet,
Even you?
Even you?
I don't want to, I don't want to.
I absolutely don't want to.
Without you, I-.
Those words rose to his throat.
No one cares about my life. So let's stay here together.
"Captain."
Louis called him.
Adrian looked at him with a distorted face.
"Let's go."
At that moment, the shield shattered. Nina kicked off the ground.
The squid's tentacles chased after her. Evading the attacks, Nina began a long incantation.
"You are the scorching flame, the heat that burns and explodes everything, the endlessly gushing fire, I offer you my flesh, I offer you my blood, I offer you my bones..."
"Nina!" Adrian shouted.
Nina gritted her teeth.
Her energy began to be drained at an alarming rate.
She felt the edge of an existence so vast it was chilling.
"I offer my soul to your altar that burns endlessly."
The air vibrated with a hum. Nina gripped her sword tightly.
"Descend, Crimson Blaze."
