Chapter 44: A fight for survival.

  Adam’s POV

  Damn.

  She got me good.

  I gritted my teeth, pushing myself up from the ground as instinct took over. My katana was already in my hands, my grip tightening around the hilt as I faced her.

  This was bad. Really bad.

  If they knew I was here—if they knew I was like this—then it was only a matter of time before they deployed the entire guild to bring me back. And if more people like Lyra existed within their ranks…

  I was royally screwed.

  She looked at me, her face twisted in pain as I kept my blade raised against her.

  “Well, Lyra is technically your aunt,” Nove chimed in. “Not to mention, Alper spent a lot of time with her. She practically raised him like her own son.”

  …Is that so?

  Before I could fully process that thought, Lyra suddenly moved.

  She placed her sword back into her inventory and slowly raised her hands, a universal sign of surrender.

  Then, pressing a hand against her chest, she took a step forward.

  “Alper! It’s me—Aunt Lyra!”

  Her voice was soft but urgent, a desperate plea wrapped in familiarity.

  I stepped back.

  I didn’t mean to—it just happened.

  A thousand escape plans ran through my head, but none of them seemed viable. I had no way out.

  And if they caught me now… Lora was already unstable, I don’t know what kind of carnage she’ll release if I’m not there to calm her down.

  Nove’s voice echoed in my mind. “If they take you in, there’s no way you’ll be able to explain Lora. They might even think you’re an imposter.”

  I can’t let that happen.

  So I did the only thing I could—I kept backing away.

  Step by step.

  But she didn’t stop either.

  Every time I retreated, she advanced another step.

  A small, pained smile crept onto her face as she spoke. “We used to play together, remember? I taught you how to be an Artisan. I showed you how to craft your first core node.”

  Her voice trembled slightly, and that’s when I saw it—

  Tears.

  Welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

  Nove let out a small sigh in my mind. “…I kind of feel bad for Lyra. But we can’t let this change anything.”

  And for once—I actually agreed.

  Nove was a bit cold, but she had a point. Maybe I’d deal with this after I got Lora to safety—or, you know, had a backup plan that didn’t involve me getting caught.

  And definitely not by the nuclear warhead of a man known as Alaric. If he was on his way here, I might as well kiss my freedom goodbye and start writing my last will and testament.

  “Lord Alper, please… return home with me.”

  Lyra’s voice trembled as she pleaded. She was breaking.

  And I’ll be honest, I didn’t like making a beautiful woman cry. It felt like some sort of crime against the universe. But getting captured wasn’t an option.

  “Your mother and father are devastated by your disappearance.”

  Oof. That one actually hit.

  I felt an odd ache in my chest, something unfamiliar yet strangely familiar at the same time.

  “That’s probably because you’re inheriting Alper’s body,” Nove chimed in, “He did love his mother and father a lot.”

  Yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.

  At this point, Lyra was a wreck. Her voice cracked, her breathing was uneven, and she was just barely keeping herself together. She was one shaky inhale away from a full-blown breakdown.

  “I do not know what kind of pain you have endured…” she swallowed hard, struggling to keep the tears at bay, “But please, believe me… I am not your enemy.”

  …Damn. Even I was starting to feel bad.

  I sighed, finally speaking. “You…” I trailed off, buying myself a few extra seconds to think of a way out. “…Will you hurt the people behind me?”

  She shook her head so fast I thought she might snap her neck.

  “No! I swear we won’t! We just—” she cut herself off, inhaling deeply to calm herself down before continuing in a softer tone, “Alper, please. We will not harm your friends or anyone with you. I swear it. Just trust me… We are your aides. We only want to help you.”

  Alright. So running? Not an option.

  If I took off, they’d catch me in an instant.

  If I tried to make a break for it with Lora on my back? They’d catch me even faster.

  If I kicked Marcus out of the truck and floored it? They’d still catch me.

  But.

  There was one last-ditch effort. One gamble.

  If I could get out of her line of sight for even a second, I could equip my soul frame. And they’d think I’ve vanished.

  And if I got lucky— really, really, stupidly lucky— and got the camouflage buff from the Rune of Sol again…

  I just might be able to pull off the greatest disappearing act in history.

  Emphasis on ‘might’.

  My luck has been absolute garbage lately, so if there’s ever been a time for it to turn around, it’s now.

  “Then… can you do me a favor?” I finally asked her.

  She nodded without hesitation. “Yes! Anything you need, Young Lord!”

  I took a breath. “Please… just wait there for a minute.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but I was already putting my plan into motion.

  Keeping my eyes on Lyra, I slowly stepped backward toward Marcus.

  “Marcus.” I called out to him quietly.

  No response.

  I glanced over—he was frozen stiff, eyes locked on Lyra as if she was some kind of divine executioner descending upon us.

  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  “…What’s wrong with you?”

  His breath was shaky as he finally whispered, “She… she has a gold insignia on her scarf.”

  Okay? And?

  “Do you have any idea how strong she is!?” He whispered furiously, though it sounded like he really wanted to scream. “She’s on par with the guy who was turning the mansion into a warzone when we were trying to escape!”

  “…Alright, cool.” I completely ignored the panic in his voice.

  Marcus gawked at me like I had a death wish.

  “Now listen up carefully,” I continued, “She’s only here for me... Why? I don’t know. But if you want to survive—and if you want the organization to survive too—you need to tell everyone that you don’t know me.”

  He blinked. “…What!?” His voice dropped, barely above a whisper, but the sheer disbelief in his tone made it sound like he was screaming.

  “No matter what sob story they feed you about ‘finding me’ or ‘bringing me home,’ you don’t know me. Can you do that?”

  I kept my eyes on Lyra, katana still out, waiting for his answer.

  Marcus was stiff for a moment, then—finally—he gave a single nod.

  “Good. Tell the others the same thing.”

  Without another word, I made my way to the back of the truck, pulling out some spare cloth.

  “Nove, make a sack big enough to shove Lora in.”

  A large black bag popped into my inventory and dropped into my hands.

  “…You’re actually putting her in a sack?”

  “Listen, keeping her on my shoulders is fine and all, but if I need to run, I need my hands free.”

  I knelt beside Lora, hesitating for just a second before muttering, “Sorry for being rough.”

  Then I grabbed her feet and shoved her into the bag.

  After tying it up securely with some Muck Worm String, I fashioned it into a sling and hoisted her onto my back.

  Sticky Web (Lvl: 4) (Active)

  Allows the user in creating and utilizing sticky webs for various purposes. The strength of the adhesive and the web is extremely strong, almost Unbreakable.

  Strength of Adhesive: 8 -> 20 Str

  Durability of web: 30 -> 150 HP

  NEP cost: 8 -> 20

  Cooldown: N/a

  Why was my Sticky Web ability from the Muck Worm Core at level 4 when most of my other skills were still at level 3?

  ...

  No reason.

  It’s not like I’ve always wanted to swing through the city like Spider-Man or anything. Nope. Not at all.

  Also, can we take a moment to talk about how my web ability has the same damn HP as me?

  That’s just sad. I really need to level up Vitality once I make it out of this mess alive.

  Once Lora was securely tied up like an oversized burrito, I quickly activated my Soul Frame.

  Clink. Clank.

  The sound of shifting metal rang through the air.

  And of course, Lyra immediately picked up on it.

  “Young Lord! Are you alright?! I can’t see you! Please, shout if you’re in danger!”

  Crap.

  Each Rune of Sol lasted 30 seconds, so even if I didn’t get what I needed the first time, I could keep rolling until I hit the jackpot.

  It was a solid plan.

  Except for the small problem that Lyra is basically a level 100 boss and I’m a level 10 noob.

  Which was why, NEP be damned—this was about survival. I had around 700 NEP left, and I was prepared to burn through every last bit of it if it meant getting out of here.

  Lyra was still waiting, probably because she didn’t see anyone else sneaking up on me. If I played this smart, I might actually avoid suspicion.

  Maybe—just maybe—I could pull this off without her realizing I was Batman.

  I focused and activated the Rune of Sol.

  A system message popped up.

  Rune of Sol Effect: Purification.

  Purification: You are immune to all debuffs.

  Duration: 30 seconds.

  …Welp.

  I rolled a Nat 1 on my stealth check.

  I NEED WAYS TO ESCAPE, NOT A KONOSUBA REFERENCE!

  Before I could react, I suddenly heard Lyra’s panicked scream.

  “YOUNG LORD—!”

  No clue what freaked her out, but that was my cue to leave.

  I slung Lora over my back, bent my knees, and launched myself away from the truck with enough force to send it bouncing off the ground.

  It was all thanks to the buffs from my Valkyrie Armor. While its main feature was its insane defense, it also gave me a solid boost in strength and speed—enough for me to pull off that insane leap just now.

  “ALPER!”

  I glanced back and saw Lyra—her face pale, more from shock than anger.

  …Ugh. Now I actually feel bad.

  I’ll apologize to her later.

  For now, I needed to get the hell out of here.

  I raised my hand and activated Sticky Webs, aiming for the top of a nearby building. Thin strands of webbing shot from my fingertips, latching onto the corner of a stone wall. Without wasting a second, I gripped the strings with both hands and swung forward, gaining momentum as I hurtled down the road at high speed.

  Damn. Good thing I upgraded this ability—it’s actually amazing.

  Though it didn’t really matter.

  Because Lyra—being the superhuman final boss that she is—caught up to me in mid-air.

  IN MID-AIR.

  Before I could react, she swung her long sword right at me.

  Oi! I thought you were trying to bring me back home, not cut me in half!

  I panicked and activated Stone Shield—a stone buckler materialized on my chest just in time.

  Stone Shield (Lvl: 2 -> 4)

  Conjures up a stone shield on any part of the caster’s body.

  Note: Shield’s defense value will be the same as the Caster’s defense value.

  Shield Health: 80 -> 160 HP.

  Number of shields at one time: 1 -> 2 shields.

  Duration: 30 -> 50 seconds.

  NEP Cost: 20 -> 40 points.

  Cooldown: 12 Seconds. (Cooldown will begin after skill ends or after all shields breaks.)

  CLANG!

  Sparks flew as Lyra’s sword clashed against my shield.

  Holy crap—she’s seriously trying to kill me!

  -68.

  The damage value flashed before my eyes.

  Holy crap.

  My Stone Shield’s defense was the same as mine, which meant if that hit landed directly… I would have taken the same amount of damage.

  Two direct hits. That’s all it would take to kill me.

  The force of the impact sent me flying backward. I barely managed to twist my body in time to shield Lora from becoming a ham sandwich between me and the wall.

  “Adam, I think she’s attacking you because she thinks Alper is in the sack instead of Lora,” Nove theorized. “For all we know, she might think the girl you’re carrying is actually the one wearing the armor.”

  Ohhh… That actually makes sense.

  I looked up at Lyra, still airborne.

  Her previous worry and concern had morphed into pure, seething rage. She wasn’t just fighting anymore—she looked like a wild tigress, convinced I had stolen her cubs.

  "Give him back!" she roared, her off-hand glowing blue with some kind of terrifying energy.

  Then, using the building as a springboard, she lunged at me.

  Oh shit!

  My body moved on its own, instincts kicking in as if I were using skills and experiences that weren’t even mine.

  I stepped forward, activating Petrifying Strike just as Lyra's fist came crashing toward me, glowing like a damn supernova.

  Petrifying Strike (Lvl: 1 -> 4)

  Description: Allows the user to deliver a strike that temporarily petrifies a small area of an opponent upon impact, slowing their movements.

  Power: 10 -> 50 damage

  Slow rate: 30% -> 70% damaged part of body, 10% -> 50% on full body

  Duration: 5 -> 9 seconds

  NEP Cost: 8 -> 32 points.

  Cooldown: 10 seconds

  Our fists clashed.

  Sparks exploded from the impact, metal screeching as the blue energy around her gauntlet collided with my earth-coated strike.

  This… might have been a bad idea.

  -22.

  Lyra’s attack landed, blue light engulfing my body, but… nothing happened.

  Meanwhile, she took -34 damage, but instead of turning to stone like I expected, her entire body disappeared.

  What!?

  “On your right!” Nove’s warning jolted through my mind.

  Some kind of seasoned martial artist spirit took over me as I instinctively summoned a shield, just in time to block her sword aimed straight for my neck.

  -52.

  Sparks exploded from the impact as her blade bounced off my shield, giving me the perfect opening.

  I rushed in and delivered a devastating uppercut—only for some annoying blue barrier to appear under her chin, absorbing most of the impact.

  Fine. Plan B.

  I snapped my fingers toward her eyes and fired off my sticky webs.

  She let out a frustrated groan as the small, sticky glob latched onto her face, covering her vision.

  Not stopping there, I quickly webbed up her legs, though I had a feeling it wouldn’t hold for long.

  “No—!” Lyra shouted.

  “No, no, no, no, NO!” She kept shouting as her entire body ignited, glowing red-hot as fire burst out from her form, slowly burning away the web’s way too fast.

  Yeah, okay. Time to skedaddle the flip outta here.

  As much as I wanted to whip out my katana and fight back, I held myself back.

  She had already seen me holding it before—without my armor on. If I took it out now, she’d put two and two together, and I could kiss ‘Batman Mode’ goodbye because they’d hunt me wherever I went.

  Nope. Not happening.

  Using both hands, I fired my webs at the nearest rooftop, grabbed hold of the strings, and with pure strength alone pulled on the strings and flung myself into the air.

  The only reason this was even possible was because of my Valkyrie suit. It boosted my strength by 20 points, and since I was a scrawny little kid, my weight barely mattered, letting me swing around like some medieval Spider-Man.

  Now, I just had to make sure Lyra didn’t turn into a heat-seeking missile like Alaric and vaporize me midair.

  I almost crashed into a wall, but thanks to my heightened agility—and the weird battle instincts that kept flowing into my brain from the armor—I ran across the wall instead with the momentum before I launched off, swinging through the air again using my sticky webs.

  For a few glorious seconds, I was free.

  And then my Purification buff expired.

  Finally!

  I mentally fist-pumped and immediately started writing another Rune of Sol on myself—except before I could even finish, I caught a blinding flash of light in my peripheral vision.

  "Adam! BLOCK!" Nove screamed in my head.

  But my body was already moving, some deep-rooted survival instinct kicking in.

  I threw up my shield, just in time to witness a blue blur slicing through the air toward me.

  A man with long, flowing red hair came soaring at me, his blade swinging in a massive arc.

  The entire mansion behind me—yes, the actual building—ended up with a deep, clean cut halfway across it.

  -108.

  The damage number flashed before my eyes.

  My shield? Sliced clean in half.

  The knockback? It sent me flying straight through a mansion window, where I crashed into a chair like some kind of ragdoll.

  Ugh.

  Sorry about that, Lora…

  …Actually, is this what Nezuko had to go through when she was stuck in that box all the time?

  Shaking my head, I forced myself to focus and looked ahead at the walking nuclear warhead who just sent me flying.

  It was dark inside the mansion—no lights, only shadows—but I knew exactly who it was.

  His long red hair flowed dramatically in the dim light, his sleek blue katana pointed straight at me.

  His narrowed eyes locked onto mine.

  “You’re not Batman…” His voice was cold. “Where is he? How many of you are together?”

  …Erza.

  Welp.

  I got away from you once.

  I’LL DO IT AGAIN.