CH 54

Chapter 54 – Creeping In Shadow

My vision became distorted and hazy. My magic power, energy, and physical strength have been drained away. My breathing became heavy, and my chest became painful. Naturally, I had expected this, but three tons (estimated) was too heavy to carry in the teleportation. It wouldn’t have been a problem if it was via storage, but there was no way I would get into it in enemy territory…

No, now is not the time to worry about that.

“””GO, GO, GO!”””

My shout overlapped with the voices of Myrril and Minya. Almost at the same time, the sound of gunfire begins to echo.

The reason why there are extremely few screams heard is probably because they are steadily and surely being killed instantly. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’m thinking about this as I frantically move my legs.

I thought about using a short-range teleport to jump, but further consumption of magic power would limit my options after rescue.

In front of the enemy’s tent, I saw two Beastman, a man and a woman, tied and rolled. There was also a petite woman who seemed to be being interrogated in the back. If they weren’t soldiers of the Imperial Army, these three were probably the hostages.

The soldiers standing around them had no time to react before being shot in the eyeballs and collapsed.

“Thank you, Myrril!”

I held the woman, who seemed to be a Dwarf, in one hand and the Beastman woman in my opposite arm, and I almost collapsed to my knees. I don’t know if it’s my physical strength or my magical power, but whatever it is, I haven’t fully recovered.

When I looked back, the ten meters or so to the Humvee seemed awfully far.

Should I carry them one by one? No, the people left behind would be defenseless. There was no time for hesitation. I had to do it.

Finally, I put the limp Beastman guy on my shoulders, and I was completely unable to move.

That’s right. It’s a normal thing to think about, but I’m too busy to even think about it. In the meantime, the enemy soldiers rushing in at a furious pace haven’t managed to kill me because Myrril and Minya are holding them back.

It’s so pathetic. I don’t want to be a burden in this place. I’m not going to let them get hurt or lose their lives because of cleaning up my mess.

“Ah, damn it! Teleportation.”

I moved a short distance to the Humvee’s side. I open the rear door and push the Dwarf woman into the back seat. There is no more room in the seat. I open the rear hatch and push the Beastman woman in, forcing the Beastman guy next to her.

“Myrril, the retrieval is complete… Whoa!”

I almost slump down in relief and exhaustion, but then I hear the sound of wind breaking at the side of my face, and an arrow hits the rear hatch. It bounced off a bulletproof plate in the tail that sloped backward and flew off somewhere.

“Yoshua, are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Myrril, get in!”

I took out my ISAKA shotgun from storage and went to support Myrril’s retreat.

I shot a soldier who tried to jump at her from the shadows, and he fell down with his face to the ground. I loaded the gun one after another with a pump-action and scattered shotgun shells at random.

The shouting and screaming spread, but I could tell that I hadn’t been able to finish them off. I don’t care if they die or not. As long as I can intimidate them, that’s all that matters.

The shotgun, famous for its lightness, is now very heavy.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Myrril came running back, holding her arm. She seemed to be trying to hide it, but I could clearly see that blood was dripping down to the tip of her hand. She rolled over into the passenger seat and let out a ragged breath.

“…Myr!”

“It’s okay; it’s just a scratch! Let’s get out of here!”

“Yoshua, hurry up! Less than 20 rounds left in the belt!”

I run into the driver’s seat, ignore the seatbelt and press the gas pedal to the bottom. I hear the screams of soldiers being run over and crushed.

Shut the fuck up, you fucker.

The metallic sound of armor hitting the large front bumper continued to rise, and the heavily armed infantrymen who had been shot down reeled in the rear in a pile-up.

“Gyaaaa…!”

I don’t care. Shut up. Die. Whatever happens to you people, I don’t care. You hurt Myrril; you hurt my woman. I’ll never forgive you.

I swear, I’ll kill you all!

“Oh, Yoshua. Sorry to bother you while you’re in such a state of high emotion. It’s really not as bad as it looks.”

“…Eh, my voice?”

“It came out loud and clear. I don’t feel bad about Yoshua calling me “my woman,” but people are watching us here, so I’d like to leave it for later when we’re alone.”

“O-oh!”

“…Fumu, so that’s what you call love is blind…?”

“Hey, I can hear you, Minya!”

A few spears and arrows hit the body of the car, and sparks flew from what appeared to be attack magic, but it didn’t matter; it kicked everything away and pushed forward.

The front glass was covered with blood and pieces of flesh, and I quickly activated the windshield wipers, but the gore just stretched and made it impossible to see what was in front of me. I don’t know where the washer is.

More gore and the feeling of crushing something soft with the tires are felt on the seat, and a bouncing Minya drops her ammo box. She curses and opens fire with her sawed-off shotgun on the pursuing enemy.

“Oh, geez! Change the ammunition!”

“Sorry, but we’re going to be shaking for a while! If you can’t load it, stay in the car!”

“It’s okay; I’m almost done… Alright, it’s loaded!”

“Myrril, what’s the enemy after us?”

“Oh, yes. Four cavalry, no…”

Myrril said as she turned around, and I heard the UZI and M60 fire a few short bursts.

“That’s zero. No more problems.”

“Thanks for waiting.”

Myrril’s arm was healed by Minya, who came back into the car from the gun turret with a smile on her face.

“…Fuh, It felt good.”

She smiles with an uplifted face, and her eyes are moist with fascination.

It’s scary. The current Minya looks terribly dainty, beautiful, and shining, but she also looks too scary to be so in this situation.

“It’s okay now.”

“I’m sorry. It will help.”

“Hey, are you sure? Will there be any scars?”

“Of course not. I’ve healed her. Instead of scars, she’ll look cleaner than before. I don’t know if Yoshua knows what her skin looked like before, though.”

“…You’ve really changed your personality, haven’t you? Or is that just the way you are?”

“I don’t know about that. But something is growing inside of me. I’m getting excited. Every time I kill, every time I see soldiers crying, I am soothed; I am healed. So I’m sure that when I kill them all, I’ll be able to return to the real me.”

“You’re scaring me!”

What’s with that reaper-like ego? No matter how clean it is, it is still covered in blood.

With a wry smile and a glance at the passenger seat, Myrril was looking at me with her eyes rolled up.

“…Yoshua. I’m not sure what’s wrong with you.”

“Hmm? What do you mean, what’s wrong?”

“Your complexion is completely white. Your hands are trembling, and you’re not making eye contact with me.”

Even though I was told that, I didn’t feel any particular symptoms.

I just thought it was a little dark here.

It was night now. We left before dawn… when was it? I can’t get my thoughts together.

It’s a huge Humvee, but the passenger seat with Myrril is getting further and further away.

What the hell is this?

“Hey Yoshua, stay with us! Minya! Healing spell, hurry up!”

“Wait, that can’t be right.”

“Where’s the wound? When did you get hit? Why didn’t you tell us sooner, Yoshua?”

Nothing hurts. …But it’s dark. It’s cold.

The foot that should have been on the brake, and the hand that should have touched Myrril, do not feel as if.

Myrril’s voice, which was as clear as a bell, sounded distorted and distant.

What the hell is this? What’s going on?

Myrril, help me. I’m cold. I’m in pain. I’m lonely.

ーーI don’t want to die.

I still want to be with you. I’ve never had a happy thought or a happy memory, even though I’ve been to… I wanted to touch her soft skin, her thin, red lips.

“Sorry, …Myr, I love… you.”

“Don’t be silly! You promised me that we would die together! Open your eyes!”

“Myrril, get away from him…”

“No! I’ll be with him forever! Don’t touch him! Yoshua is mine! No one else will have him! He’s mine and mine alone!”

“…This is impossible. Because…”

I can’t move my fingertips anymore. I can’t see anything. I can’t even stay conscious. In the midst of all this, Myrril’s tragic scream, which I had never heard before, hurt my fading ears.

“You are! You’re an elf! You must be a wielder of healing magic, as you so proudly claim! Then heal Yoshua! I’ll give you anything you want, mine or his! I’ll give you whatever you want! Bring him back to me!”

“…Yes. I’ll take that deal. Then I’ll take this car. Is that okay, Yoshua?”

“”Huh?””

“He’s just run out of magic. Everything will be fine after he sleeps.”

Then my consciousness sank into darkness.