Chapter 442: Chapter 443: 16 Year Old Inglis and the Highland on Distance Sea (52)

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The first strike from the black iron dragon sank its teeth into Tiffany's shoulder. The sound of metal creaking echoed as her golden armor groaned under the pressure. While it didn't pierce her armor completely, it dragged Tiffany down, slamming her forcefully to the ground.

"Gahhh…!?"

Her scream, however—

GROOOOAAARRR!

—was drowned out by the deafening roars of the black iron dragons. The dragons encircled her, a relentless storm of power, tearing into the ground and leaving a large, gaping hole in their wake. Tiffany’s figure became obscured, lost within the whirlwind of metallic dragons.

"That has to be effective! Amazing, Leone!"

"Y-yeah…! I can’t believe the power has increased this much…"

Even Leone was taken aback by the immense power. This was no longer comparable to the phantom dragons or the strikes of her black greatsword. The sheer strength she had unleashed now felt like a definitive step forward—like she was truly worthy of the special-grade rune she bore.

For a moment, a sense of joy and accomplishment filled her. She had grown stronger. Now, she could protect those she cared about—Rafinha, Lieselotte, Vilma, and the other Highland residents trapped deeper within the evacuation route.

As Leone held onto this resolve, the black iron dragons began to dissipate, their power retreating back into her black greatsword. What remained behind was Tiffany, motionless on the ground.

Leone stood still, cautiously watching. She counted one breath, then two—Tiffany didn’t move.

"…Is it over?"

Leone and Rafinha exchanged a glance, nodding silently. They cautiously approached Tiffany’s unmoving figure.

As they drew closer, the scene became clearer. Tiffany’s golden armor, though scratched and battered in various places, was still largely intact. However, in the gaps between the armor, glimpses of her body revealed multiple injuries.

Wounds oozing blood lined her cheeks, arms, and legs. The injuries were far from superficial, and Tiffany showed no signs of getting up.

“…Is she… completely…?”

Feeling a sense of unease, Rafinha stepped closer to check if Tiffany was still breathing. Despite Tiffany's actions as an enemy—and the chaos she had caused in Lekrea in the northern region of Alucard—something compelled Rafinha to ensure she was still alive.

Rafinha crouched down beside Tiffany, pressing her ear to the armored chestplate.

Hyrule Menaces, known for their resilience, possessed far more durable bodies than normal humans. Rafinha wasn’t sure if her usual method of checking for breath or a heartbeat would even work, especially through the thick armor, but—

“Hm?”

“How is it looking, Rafinha?”

Leone moved closer, standing beside Rafinha.

"I can't really tell. She seems to be unconscious, though."

“No, that’s not it—!”

Suddenly, Tiffany’s eyes shot open, glinting with determination.

“You were playing dead!?”

“Ah…!”

Before Rafinha could react, Tiffany’s hand shot out and firmly grasped Leone’s ankle.

"I’ll acknowledge it—you are worthy of the special-grade rune… and that means—!"

"Leone!"

"Too late!"

With Tiffany’s triumphant declaration, a blinding light exploded outward, enveloping the corridor in an intense burst of energy.

The light enveloped both Tiffany and Leone, concealing their forms entirely.

“Kyaaaah!?”

It was a radiance Rafinha had seen before—a brilliance unmistakable in its meaning. “Don’t tell me… Hyrule Menace Weaponization!?”

When the overwhelming brightness finally subsided, Rafinha found herself staring at Leone, now clad in radiant golden armor.

“Leone! A-amazing…!”

Leone looked almost divine. The wounds that had marred her previous armor were completely gone, replaced by a gleaming, powerful, yet elegant new form. For a moment, Rafinha felt captivated by her appearance. But she quickly shook herself free of that awe—she understood all too well what this transformation meant.

“But Leone, this is bad! Change back quickly! Hyrule Menaces—!”

—drain the life force of their wielder.

Rafinha grabbed Leone’s shoulders and shook her, panic gripping her voice.

“Th-that’s not it! It’s not my will! I-I can’t change it back!” Leone shook her head, her face pale with fear.

“Eh!?” Rafinha froze for a moment in disbelief. This must have been like what had happened when Tiffany fought Inglis in Alucard. Tiffany had forcibly weaponized herself to Leone against her will. And with the cost of using a Hyrule Menace, Leone’s life would soon start draining away.

This wasn’t just an accident—it was a calculated, deadly move by Tiffany, a cruel trump card.

“I-I understand! Stay calm! I’ll help you take it off!” Rafinha placed her hands on the armor, pulling and straining with all her might to remove it.

“Ugh… uuuhhh!” Despite her desperate efforts, the armor wouldn’t budge. It felt as though Tiffany’s will was actively resisting her attempts.

As Rafinha struggled, a shadow flew in.

“I’m back! What in the world happened here!?”

It was Lieselotte, arriving just in time.

“Lieselotte! Please help! Tiffany has forcibly weaponized herself on Leone! If we don’t get it off soon, Leone will— Please, help me remove it!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Ehhh!? O-Okay, I’ll do what I can!”

Lieselotte rushed to Rafinha’s side, touching the armor’s fastenings. But—

“It won’t come off!”

“If I insert the spear handle here like a lever…!”

Lieselotte attempted to wedge the tip of her spear into a gap in the armor. However, just as she moved to pry it loose—

“Ah!?”

Leone suddenly swung her fist, striking Lieselotte squarely.

“L-Leone!? What are you doing!?”

“That’s not me! My body… it’s moving on its own!”

Rafinha’s eyes widened in realization, “Tiffany is controlling you, isn’t she!?”

It was a despicable tactic, fully in line with Tiffany’s character. Rafinha felt an overwhelming regret for even worrying about her earlier.

“I-I’m sorry… I’m too inexperienced… That’s why I can’t resist her control…!” Leone’s voice trembled with anguish as she brandished the black greatsword-like arm of her armor, swinging it at Rafinha.

“Leone!” Rafinha leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the strike. It seemed Leone was doing her best to suppress Tiffany’s control, as her attack lacked sharpness.

“Run away, both of you! It’s too dangerous to stay near me!”

“N-no! I can’t leave you like this, Leone!”

“I agree entirely!”

“Then… stop me! Attack me! Please, before I hurt someone else!”

Rafinha and Lieselotte exchanged determined glances and nodded to each other.

“Okay, Leone! We’ll do it!”

“It might hurt, but please bear with us!”

Rafinha pulled her light bowstring to its limit, charging a powerful shot, while Lieselotte leveled the tip of her dragon-shaped spear at Leone.

“ “Here we go!” ”

The two launched their combined attacks simultaneously—a blazing light arrow from Rafinha and a blizzard imbued with dragon roar from Lieselotte. Their attacks surged toward Leone with immense force.

But—Leone, still under Tiffany’s control, swung her arm with shocking ease, deflecting both attacks as though they were nothing.

“ “Aaaaghhhh!” ”

The backlash from the deflection sent Rafinha and Lieselotte flying, slamming them hard against the walls.

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