NATASHA'S POINT OF VIEW
I wandered for a long time in search of something I wasn't even sure I truly wanted.
Ever since I left the scouts, I had thought about simply running away and ignoring everything.
Live an adventure? Of course not.
The excuse of seeing my brother was something I had created internally, deep within my subconscious, just so I would have a reason to run away.
But run away from what?
That world had no safe way out. As a scout or explorer, I had a lower risk of dying, but I would still have to deal with that damned tower as a Returner.
I couldn't remember which world I had come from, only my life before the Purge.
My brother was sick. He had been hospitalized for a long time, and my mother and I had already lost hope.
The disease he had was incurable, and we were already running out of money for his treatment. Then, when my mother suddenly died of a stroke, I thought everything would fall apart.
I didn't have the financial means to pay for his treatment, let alone the psychological strength to deal with it.
I was just an administrative assistant at a law firm.
My mother had always helped me with everything. What would I do on my own?
One of my uncles even helped me at first, but eventually, I was left on my own.
Many times, I wished for my brother to die just so I could be free of that burden.
How could I be so repulsive?
I thought about running away and letting everything fall apart.
The police wouldn't come after me, would they? I was responsible for my brother now. He had no one else.
Why had all of this happened to me?
I had lost whatever hope in God I had left.
With my mother by my side, I might have been able to endure it, but alone, how could I?
That's when everything happened.
The world collapsed, and I was sent somewhere else, though I no longer remembered where.
After being sent to the tower, I discovered that my brother was alive. And not only that, he was one of the strongest Returners in the tower.
How ironic could it be? He had been practically dying.
I was going to let him die.
I thought about going after him just to ease my conscience, and also because I wanted to apologize.
If the world hadn't ended, I really would have run away and given up on everything.
Maybe the Purge had saved me.
But now I was facing that dilemma once again. Should I really keep chasing this ghost?
At the same time that I wanted to go after him, I was also afraid.
Afraid of what I would say when I found him.
I had truly run away. I had run away from my responsibilities, running away simply because I didn't want to face the truth.
Joining the strongest group? All I wanted was some security, someone to support me, but I never imagined I would face death so quickly.
— Am I really going to end up like this...?
I stared at the demon in front of me. It didn't seem to have a single injury.
How could that be? Li-Xeng and I had tried so hard. So why?
"Li-Xeng...?"
When I tried to look for him, I saw the demon being thrown backward.
— Natasha!
Li-Xeng approached me and healed my wound. I was feeling cold, but soon afterward, my body became warm again.
I regained some consciousness and stood up, supporting myself against Li-Xeng. But the demon in front of us charged forward with its spear, which had changed shape just as it had.
It was now a larger, muscular demon wearing fine garments, with an elongated head and much more vivid eyes.
And on top of that, its power was far greater, vastly surpassing that of the President we had fought earlier.
Li-Xeng used a barrier to block the attack, but even with it, the demon's sheer power sent us flying backward.
— He... He's the Duke Demon.
— But how? Clearly, it was the other demon that was here.
For the first time, Li-Xeng was showing an expression of fear.
— It's a camouflage technique. That's not difficult. Except for the knights, I think all the others can do it. "For the devil can transform himself into an angel of light." They can transform into anything, but it depends on their level. They chose this form because it must have been the one the Demon President could transform into most easily.
While explaining, Li-Xeng blocked another heavy blow from the demon.
Its spear was becoming larger and heavier, emanating a crimson aura with black flames swirling around its edges.
After sending us flying backward once again, the demon began unleashing several slashing attacks. Li-Xeng seemed like he could no longer keep blocking them.
That's when I moved away from him and started running.
He'll have to focus on one of us. If he goes after Li-Xeng, I'll attack him from behind, since Li-Xeng knows how to defend himself well. But if he comes after me...
And my fears became reality when I saw the demon come after me.
Li-Xeng could still protect me and heal me from a distance, but it would be more difficult. And what if I took another one of those attacks from before?
I instinctively jumped to dodge one of the black-flame attacks he unleashed, but right afterward, he launched another attack that struck me directly in the chest.
I was thrown backward and rolled across the ground several times, feeling my bones break. But Li-Xeng healed me at the exact moment my vision began to blur.
I pushed myself up with my arms and jumped backward, striking twice through the air with my sword.
The demon deflected both attacks with its spear, then stomped on the ground and leaped toward me.
It moved its spear with such ease, as if it weighed nothing.
Still in midair, I blocked every attack using my Perception ability.
I felt a warmth spread through my body. Li-Xeng had given me a Dexterity buff.
Why isn't he going after Li-Xeng? If he kills him first, it'll be easy to deal with me.
— You're Natasha, aren't you? Come with me, and I'll let the kid live.
The demon spoke with a smile, and with a movement I couldn't even perceive, it kicked me in the spine, driving my body into the ground.
I turned around, already grabbing my sword and delivering a slash through the air, but the demon was already standing beside me and drove the tip of its spear into my right thigh.
— This isn't a request, Natasha.
I grabbed the sword with one hand and swung at its waist. Li-Xeng hurled a cutting wind spell, forcing the demon to leap aside to dodge and pull its spear out of my flesh.
Blood gushed from the wound, and I felt an immense pain that made me scream.
I stood up without thinking and tried to strike the demon from behind while it was in the air, but it moved quickly and disappeared from my sight.
— BEHIND YOU!
Li-Xeng shouted and created a barrier to protect me from the demon's attack. But the demon feinted and ran toward Li-Xeng, throwing its spear.
Li-Xeng's shield was still protecting me. He was going to be hit.
That's when the boy leaped forward and jumped over the spear.
His physical abilities are better than mine.
Li-Xeng dispelled the barrier and began firing plasma magic in the shape of small spears toward Tebas. Tebas let out an ironic laugh as he allowed himself to be hit and charged toward Li-Xeng.
Damn, his body has plasma properties. Li-Xeng didn't take that into account.
But it had been intentional. Li-Xeng had done it precisely to make him charge at him. The boy used a spell that created a small red cord connecting the demon's arm to his own.
— Huhu, are you trying to bind me to yourself? But if you do that, you'll die faster.
Tebas pulled on the cord, and before he could use his spear to impale him, I leaped in front of him and blocked the attack with my sword. But Tebas made a swift movement and tried to pierce my heart. Li-Xeng created a barrier, sending the spear backward.
I gripped my sword with both hands and tried to cut him down. He dodged and used his spear to slash my left leg.
— Duck!
Li-Xeng used a healing spell and then gave me a Speed buff. I felt as light as a feather. I swung my sword and managed to land a slash that crossed the demon's stomach all the way up to its face.
He leaped backward, allowing blood to spill onto the ground, and began unleashing attacks with black flames pouring from his spear. But Li-Xeng used his barrier, which began developing cracks with every blow.
There's no way we can keep this up. He seems to have infinite stamina.
That's when I heard Li-Xeng's voice, low and quiet.
— Just stall him for a while. Talk to him.
I didn't understand what he was planning, but I trusted his judgment.
— Why do you want me to go with you?
— Oh, you've decided to listen to me, even though you know you can't win?
The demon had stopped attacking, but he kept his spear pointed at me.
— I just want to know why you're interested in me.
— You want to buy time for the boy to do something, but unfortunately...
The demon's eyes turned red. Using superhuman strength, he pulled Li-Xeng toward him with the cord and drove his spear through his stomach.
— Li-Xeng!
— Now, it's just you and me.
— What do you want from me?
— I want to take you to my lord.
— Why?
— Natasha... You're stronger than this, aren't you?
The demon smiled as he stared into my eyes. Before I realized what was happening, he had raised his claws, ready to decapitate Li-Xeng.
— But you'll have to lose your friends to be convinced.
Before Tebas could use his sharp claws to cut Li-Xeng's throat, his head was crushed by something powerful coming from behind.
I focused my vision and saw Douglas pulling his hammer upward before delivering another blow to Tebas.
I grabbed Li-Xeng and moved away from there as I watched the demon's body being crushed until it became a mass of purple goo, with bones and entrails scattered around it.
— Douglas...?
Beside Douglas, Isabella smiled as she wiped the blood that had splattered onto her arm.
— You men always have to make such a mess, don't you?
Bleeding heavily, Li-Xeng began healing himself while coughing up blood onto my arms.
— But how...? You had already used both teleports.
— Girl, do you still have enough strength to talk?
Isabella smiled ironically.
— I told you I could only use two teleports a day, but that was a lie. I can actually use three.
Douglas remained silent while Li-Xeng stared at the recovering girl.
— And why...?
— Because I only trust myself, sweetheart. I hadn't planned on revealing that, but I had no choice, right? I was going to save it as a trump card, but I couldn't let you die. After all, I took your virginity.
Li-Xeng immediately stood up, looking as though he hadn't been seriously injured at all. I had no idea what Isabella was talking about.
— You two...?
I tried to ask, but Li-Xeng seemed extremely nervous.
— N-No need to explain anything else! I understand!
— And how did you find our location?
I asked.
— Obviously, I figured that worm would try some kind of trick, so I used my blood to track him. Demons think they're intelligent, but unfortunately for them, they're nothing compared to me.