"Are you sure you want to buy this item?" the cashier asked, his voice cautious. "I must inform you—its effects are temporary. Once it wears off, you'll be immobilized for quite some time. Are you absolutely certain?"
Alice’s gaze hardened as she nodded without hesitation. "I’m sure."
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Alice
Level: 34
Race: Demi-human (Grey wolf)
Occupation: Knight
Hp: 78/980 + 400
Mana: 692/776 + 400
Attack: 951 (× 10) = 9,510
Magical Attack: 631 (× 10) = 6,310
Defense: 899 (× 10) = 8,990
Magical Defense: 821 (× 10) = 8210
Mana res: 450% (× 10) = 4500%
Speed: 1,250 (× 10) = 12,500
Alice’s breaths steadied as the potion’s power surged through her veins. The pain that had gripped her moments ago dissolved, replaced by an unrelenting strength and resolve. Straightening her battered body, she raised her gleaming sword high, its brilliance cutting through the remnants of the storm.
"I will win this fight, Axel!" she shouted, her voice ringing with defiance. "No matter the cost! For my sister— I WILL DEFEAT YOU!"
A radiant light burst forth from her, pushing back the encroaching darkness. The shadows writhed and melted, rendered powerless by her overwhelming aura. Axel’s favored weapon—the shadows—was stripped away.
Yet his grin only widened, his aura coiling into a dense shroud of malevolence. The ground quaked under the weight of his growing power as he spread his arms wide. "Fight me," Axel growled, his voice guttural and monstrous. "Prove your strength. Show me your resolve!"
Alice’s eyes sharpened, her determination unwavering. Aligning her sword, she coiled like a spring, every muscle primed. The world seemed to pause for an instant.
Then, she struck.
In a flash, Alice was upon him, her speed too great for Axel to counter. Her blade cleaved through his arm in a blur of light, and before he could recover, his other arm followed. Axel staggered back, stunned by her speed and precision.
"I'm sorry, Axel," Alice said, her voice resolute yet tinged with sorrow. "But I CAN’T LOSE!"
With all her might, she drove her fist into his stomach. Axel’s ribs shattered with a sickening crack, blood spraying from his mouth as he was slammed into the ground, the earth splintering beneath him.
"CHAOS STRIKE!" Alice roared, plunging her glowing blade into Axel’s chest. The ground quaked violently as the energy erupted from the blade, sending rubble flying in all directions. Axel’s scream tore through the air, his body writhing as the sword’s power ripped through flesh and bone, exposing raw sinew beneath the destruction.
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But even as his body broke apart, Axel’s severed arm rose from the rubble, striking Alice hard across the face. She stumbled back, steadying herself quickly as she raised her blade once more.
From the debris, Axel rose. His form was a grotesque nightmare—his body half-destroyed, streams of blood defying gravity as they floated menacingly around him. His eyes were pitch black, devoid of any humanity, while darkness oozed from his mouth like a blackened abyss. His shredded cheeks stretched his grin to an unnatural, horrifying length.
The sight would have paralyzed any other warrior with fear, but Alice stood firm.
With a burst of inhuman speed, Axel dashed toward her like a streak of darkness. Their blades met with a deafening clash, the ground beneath them splintering under the impact.
Alice gritted her teeth as her sword pierced Axel’s chest once more. "I won’t let you win!"
Their battle raged on, the moonlight catching the blood and sweat of two warriors fighting to the very brink of their souls.
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"Stay behind me!" Alice barked, her voice steady despite the tremor in her legs.
The noble cowered, nodding frantically as he tucked himself behind the 16-year-old girl, clutching his coat as though it might shield him from the horrors ahead.
Before them loomed a monstrous centipede, its chitinous body glistening under the dim forest light. Hook-like legs tore through the ground with each step, leaving gouges in the earth. The creature had already decimated the raiders who had ambushed the noble, leaving mangled corpses in its wake. Now, its many rows of sharp, serrated teeth gleamed as it turned its attention to Alice and the noble.
Alice tightened her grip on her sword, her knuckles white as cold sweat dripped down her back. Her legs shook uncontrollably, but she stood firm, pointing her blade at the creature’s grotesque face. Its massive body slithered forward, closer and closer, with every hiss and click echoing in her ears.
She tried to steady her breathing, but her heart was pounding in her chest like a war drum. This beast was larger than any she had ever faced—larger than she ever thought possible. She could feel its predatory gaze, feel the heat of its drooling maw as it edged nearer.
But then, without warning, the noble shoved her forward.
"You can have her! I don't need her!" he screamed, his voice shrill with terror.
Alice stumbled, her footing faltering as she was thrust toward the centipede. Her face drained of color as she realized what had just happened. The noble bolted for the carriage without so much as a glance back, his cowardice leaving her at the mercy of the beast.
The centipede lunged, its jaws wide, aiming straight for her.
Alice’s instincts screamed, but her body felt frozen, her trembling fingers barely gripping the hilt of her sword.
This was it.
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"Hhhaaaaaahhhhhh!" Alice roared, her blade descending like a meteor.
Axel crossed his arms, bracing for the impact. The blade struck with devastating force, sinking deep into his forearms and sending cracks splintering through the ground beneath them. Blood streamed from the wound, but Axel gritted his teeth, deflecting the sword with a surge of brute strength.
In a blink, Axel countered, his fist slamming into Alice’s face with earth-shattering power. The sheer force of the strike sent a shockwave ripping through the area, flattening trees and toppling nearby buildings like fragile toys.
Alice staggered but didn’t falter. Her fiery determination burned through the pain. She clenched her fist, driving it squarely into Axel’s face with even greater ferocity. The impact thundered like a cannon blast, the ground beneath them fracturing further as Axel was momentarily staggered.
Their blows exchanged not just strength but willpower, each refusing to yield to the other
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Alice lay motionless in a puddle of her own blood, her body battered and broken. Her chest heaved with shallow, labored breaths as her half-lidded eyes gazed into the vast, uncaring sky. The faint ember of life in her eyes flickered weakly, threatening to vanish with each passing second.
The massive, mutilated corpse of the centipede loomed beside her, its grotesque form still and lifeless. She had somehow managed to slay the beast, though at what cost, she wasn’t sure.
The noble was long gone, having fled with the carriage and left her behind to face death alone.
The rain had stopped, but the cold soaked into her bones as she lay in the crimson pool. Her mind wandered, hazy and disjointed, as fleeting thoughts crossed her mind. When was the last time she had felt joy? Truly, deeply felt something other than despair?
Her lips trembled as her vision blurred. Why is this world so cruel?
Why do I fight to survive in a place that gives nothing back?
Her eyelids grew heavy as the question gnawed at her heart. Will I ever find peace? Will there ever be a happy ending for me?
A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, mingling with the blood and mud beneath her. Her consciousness faded, her thoughts fading into silence as she hovered at the edge of oblivion.
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Alice's sword slashes through the air, cleaving into Axel with raw force, but he retaliates instantly, ramming his head against hers before driving his fist deep into her gut. The blow sends shockwaves across the battlefield, leveling what little remains of their surroundings.
The two clash again, trading blows so devastating they tear apart the earth beneath them. Every strike is fueled by pure desperation, their movements blurring with the unrelenting pace of their duel.
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Their power reaches its peak, the sheer intensity of their clash making the air itself crackle with energy. Freedom versus revenge—their ambitions collide, and the very fabric of the battlefield seems to shatter under the weight of their struggle.
"HHHaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!" Alice roars, her resolve unwavering.
"AAARRAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!" Axel bellows back, his voice dripping with malice.
Alice thrusts her sword forward, impaling Axel through the chest. But before she can withdraw her blade, his fist slams into her chest with monstrous force, knocking the air from her lungs. Blood sprays from their wounds as the battlefield descends into chaos.
But the tide of the fight begins to shift.
Alice stumbles back, clutching her heart in agony, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her movements falter, her body struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, Axel grins devilishly as his body regenerates rapidly, the stab wound sealing itself before her eyes.
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Axel’s power continues to surge uncontrollably while Alice’s strength begins to wane. Her once unyielding stance falters, and the fatigue in her muscles grows impossible to ignore.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Axel seizes the moment. With a grin that could chill even the bravest soul, he lunges forward and delivers a devastating kick, sending Alice hurtling into the air like a ragdoll.
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- One year ago -
"Yokubo has requested you to go to his room at once," the knight announces, his voice hollow as he stands at the cell door.
Annabelle freezes. Her ears droop as her body trembles uncontrollably. The words hit her like a death sentence. She doesn’t respond immediately—she doesn’t have the strength to. For four long years, she’s endured this nightmare, and it shows. Her once-vibrant figure is now gaunt and frail, her skin as pale as the scars that crisscross her body. She moves to sit up, her bony hands grasping at the bed for support, but even that proves a struggle.
Alice watches from the corner of the cell, her heart breaking at the sight. Her chest tightens as a lump rises in her throat. She’s seen this too many times—watched Annabelle shuffle out of their shared cell, only to return hours later even more broken than before. Every weekend, she swore she’d find the strength to stop it. Every weekend, she failed.
Until now.
Alice springs to her feet, moving to block Annabelle’s path. Her sister pauses, her dull, sunken eyes meeting Alice’s. There’s no fight left in them, only fear and resignation. The sight sends a sharp pain through Alice’s chest.
“You don’t have to go,” Alice says quietly, her voice trembling. “Not tonight.”
Annabelle shakes her head weakly, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes. “Alice… you can’t. He’ll—”
“I don’t care what he does to me,” Alice cuts her off, her voice rising with desperation. “I can’t let you go through that again. I just… I can’t.” Tears threaten to spill from her eyes as she places her hands gently on Annabelle’s shoulders. “Please. Rest. Let me do this for you.”
Annabelle hesitates, her body trembling. Tears slip down her cheeks as she whispers, “Alice, no…”
Alice forces a smile, though her hands shake against Annabelle’s fragile frame. “It’ll be okay,” she lies, stroking her sister’s hair before lifting her onto the bed. Annabelle resists weakly, but her frail body has no fight left.
Alice tucks her sister in, kneeling beside her. “You’ve done enough. It’s my turn now.” She kisses Annabelle’s forehead, wiping her tears with a shaky hand. “Just rest. I’ll be back.”
Without waiting for her sister’s reply, Alice turns and approaches the knight by the door. “I’ll take her place tonight,” she says firmly, though her voice wavers.
The knight raises an eyebrow but nods, stepping aside to close the cell door behind her.
As they walk toward Yokubo’s chambers, Alice’s steps slow with every stride. Her body feels heavier with each step, as if her legs are trying to root her in place. Her stomach churns violently, and cold sweat clings to her back. She despises Yokubo with every fiber of her being. She loathes the idea of stepping into that room, of subjecting herself to his vile touch. It makes her skin crawl, makes bile rise in her throat.
But what kind of person would she be if she let her sister endure this again after everything she’s done? What kind of sister?
Her hands tremble as she approaches the double doors. They tower over her, dark and foreboding, like the gates of hell itself. Her heart pounds so loudly it drowns out the sound of her own breathing.
The knight leaves her with a curt nod, and she’s left alone. Just her and the doors.
Alice closes her eyes, her breath shaky as she leans against the cold wood. For a moment, she considers running, considers defying Yokubo and dragging her sister far away from this place.
But she knows that’s a foolish dream. Yokubo would find them. He always does.
With trembling hands, she opens the doors.
The room smells of incense, thick and suffocating. Her knees threaten to buckle beneath her as she steps inside. She swallows hard, forcing herself to remember why she’s doing this.
“For Annabelle,” she whispers, her voice breaking.
The doors close behind her with a heavy thud, sealing her fate.
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Thunder cracks violently in the sky as Axel quickly closes the distance. They rise above the clouds, the storm beneath them making the town below appear impossibly small, insignificant in the chaos of their battle.
With ruthless precision, Axel drives his leg into Alice, kicking her downward. The force sends her plummeting, her body tumbling helplessly as the air howls past her. Her heart pounds, panic swelling as she tries to regain control, but the altitude leaves her powerless. She’s falling.
Axel dives after her like a predator, his twisted grin etched across his bloodied face. A dark aura swirls around him, pulsating as it grows denser, enveloping his hand like a living shadow.
Alice can do nothing but watch, her battered body unable to respond as Axel hurtles toward her with all the intent of a devil closing in on his prey.
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The cell door slammed shut, the echo reverberating down the cold, stone corridor.
Annabelle wasted no time. She rushed to Alice, her pale, tear-streaked face filled with dread and guilt. "ALICE!" she cried, her voice cracking as she threw her arms around her sister. Her small hands clutched at Alice’s tattered clothes, desperate and trembling.
Alice caught her, holding her close despite the weight pressing down on her chest. Annabelle buried her face in Alice’s chest, her sobs shaking her frail frame. "Why? Why did you—?"
"Shh…" Alice murmured, her voice soft but cracked around the edges. She rested her chin on Annabelle’s head, stroking her hair with trembling fingers. "It’s okay, Annabelle. I’m fine. See? I’m here. Everything’s going to be okay now."
Annabelle wept harder, her tears soaking through Alice’s shirt. Her cries pierced Alice’s heart like daggers, but she didn’t falter. She held her sister tightly, gently rocking her as the girl broke down completely. Alice’s words were soft, reassuring, but inside, her heart shattered with every choked sob Annabelle let out.
The hours crawled by in silence, broken only by Annabelle’s muffled cries. Eventually, her exhaustion overcame her grief, and she fell asleep, clutching Alice’s arm like a lifeline. With great care, Alice eased her sister into bed, tucking the threadbare blanket around her fragile frame. She leaned down, brushing a gentle kiss across Annabelle’s forehead.
"Goodnight, Annabelle," she whispered, her voice shaking with an emotion she refused to name.
Alice turned away, her movements slow and heavy, and made her way to her own cot. She removed her armor piece by piece, her hands shaking as each plate hit the floor with a dull thud. Her body ached in ways she had no words for—physically, emotionally, spiritually. Her mother’s words echoed faintly in her mind, a memory from a time that felt like it belonged to someone else.
"Your first time is special, Alice," her mother had told her with a soft smile, brushing her hair one evening. "You’ll give it to the man you love—the one who cherishes you, protects you, and makes you feel like the only girl in the world."
But tonight, that precious gift had been torn away in the cruelest way imaginable.
Alice laid down and pulled the blanket up to her chin, hoping to hide from the night, from the memories. But they clawed at her relentlessly. The feel of Yokubo’s hands on her skin, his voice dripping with malice, his twisted grin that never left his face—it was all there, playing on a loop in her mind. She couldn’t escape it.
The tears came suddenly, hot and unstoppable. They spilled from her eyes, soaking into her pillow as her chest heaved with silent sobs. Her body curled in on itself as though trying to shield what little of herself remained intact.
She felt so vulnerable. So powerless. So fragile.
She clenched the blanket in her fists, her nails digging into the fabric as her anguish spilled over. Her body shook with the weight of what she had lost. Not just her innocence, but a piece of her soul. A piece she could never get back.
This was supposed to be special, a sacred moment to share with someone she loved. But instead, it had been stolen by a monster—a man she hated more than anyone in the world.
She wanted to disappear.
The shame, the disgust, the helplessness—it consumed her. Her tears fell harder as the reality set in. This was her lowest point. Lower than the years of slavery, lower than the beatings, lower than all the humiliation. Tonight, Alice felt utterly destroyed.
She hugged herself tightly, as though trying to hold the pieces of her broken spirit together. But it wasn’t enough. Her body shook as her silent sobs turned into quiet wails. Her heart felt like it had been ripped apart, leaving only a gaping void of despair.
The night stretched on endlessly, the darkness pressing in around her. Alice wept until her voice was raw, her tears ran dry, and her body finally succumbed to exhaustion. But even as sleep claimed her, the pain remained, etched deep into her soul.
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The wind whipped past Alice as she fell, her body hurtling through the air, limbs flailing weakly. She could barely move, her strength utterly drained, her vision blurring from the speed of her descent. The cold bite of the storm clawed at her skin as the faint glow of her sword faded into the distance, spiraling downward.
Axel was right behind her, his monstrous grin illuminated by the dark energy swirling around him. His eyes burned like embers of pure malice, locked onto her as if she were already dead. The storm seemed to part for him as he descended, a harbinger of destruction preparing to strike.
Alice clutched her sword weakly, her fingers trembling. She tried to summon the strength to fight back, to resist one last time—but her body refused to obey. She looked down at her sword, then let it slip from her grasp.
She let go.
Her tears fell with the rain, trailing behind her as she turned her gaze upward, meeting Axel's wild, bloodthirsty eyes. Her lips curved into a fragile smile, one born of resignation and sorrow.
Axel was going to kill her.
She had done everything she could. She had poured every ounce of her being into this fight. The potion's power was fading fast, and with it, her ability to stand against the monster chasing her. Her body, her heart—they both knew the truth now.
This was the end.
Memories flooded her mind once more: Annabelle’s frail smile, her promises of freedom, the moments they had shared despite the darkness of their world. Alice’s chest tightened as she whispered, her voice carried away by the rushing wind, "I’m sorry… I couldn’t keep my promise… I wasn’t strong enough."
Axel grinned even wider as his dark aura pulsed and coiled around him, a living shadow that merged with the storm. He raised his hand, a mass of destructive energy forming within it, and dove toward Alice at full speed. The world around them seemed to hold its breath.
Then, the blow landed.
A deafening sonic boom shattered the night as Axel’s attack collided with her. The force of the impact split the air, scattering the storm clouds above and sending a shockwave rippling across the sky. The two of them plummeted like a meteor, their combined descent lighting up the night.
They struck the ground with catastrophic force, the resulting explosion reducing the earth to rubble. A massive crater formed where they landed, its edges jagged and smoldering. Debris rained down in every direction as the storm fell silent, save for the soft drizzle of rain that continued to fall.
The world stilled.
And in the aftermath of destruction, nothing moved.
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.
The storm had settled into a haunting calm. The air was thick with the scent of burnt rubble and iron as the few remaining raindrops fell, whispering against the jagged remains of the town. A quarter of the landscape had been reduced to wasteland—lifeless and broken.
From the silence, movement stirred.
Axel rose from the dirt, his form drenched in blood and gore, the blackened remnants of his aura still faintly swirling around him. His crimson eyes glinted in the dim moonlight as he spotted Alice's sword, half-buried in the ground. He bent down, grabbed it by the hilt, and began walking. His steps were slow, deliberate, each one punctuated by the eerie squelch of his blood-soaked boots.
His target lay motionless ahead.
Alice’s body was battered beyond recognition, covered in blood and filth. She felt every ounce of the devastation— every cut and wound along her body, every bruise and lesion. Yet, her eyes fluttered open, and she breathed. Shallow, labored, but she breathed. The pain was unbearable, her body screaming for mercy, but her gaze lifted toward the heavens.
The night sky stretched above her, scattered with stars now visible through the fading storm clouds. It was beautiful.
Her lips curled into a faint smile.
“Thank you… Axel,” she whispered, her voice trembling yet serene. Tears welled in her eyes, carving trails through the grime on her face. She thought of Annabelle, of all she had fought for, and of Axel—the Reaper who had shown her fleeting moments of camaraderie in their journey. Despite it all, he had brought her something precious: a glimmer of joy, even in the darkness.
She knew this was the end. Her promise to Annabelle would remain unfulfilled, but a part of her felt peace, knowing Axel would continue the fight. He would destroy Yokubo and avenge their people.
“I’ll finally get to die peacefully now,” she murmured, her smile growing as tears fell freely. “And be with my family… up above.”
Axel’s steps faltered.
Just for a moment, the rhythmic crunch of rubble beneath his boots stopped. His snicker had vanished, his grin replaced by an expression devoid of cruelty. His face was stone-cold, his grip on her sword tightening.
Alice turned her head weakly toward him, her voice barely audible. “Can I ask you something?”
Axel continued walking, his silence as heavy as the broken sky above. She watched the clouds shift and scatter, revealing the full brilliance of the moon. Its light bathed her, a soft farewell from the heavens.
“I have no right to ask you this… but when you raid Black Shield Castle… can you spare my sister?” Her voice cracked, trembling as her strength waned. “Let her go. Her name is Annabelle.”
He didn’t respond.
The only sound was the tightening of his grip on the sword as he reached her. He loomed over her crumpled form, blood dripping from the blade. His face betrayed no emotion, no malice, no pity. Just resolve.
Axel grabbed her collar and hauled her into the air as if she weighed nothing. Alice dangled limply, her head tilting back, her body unable to resist. She smiled faintly, her eyes fluttering shut.
“Thank you…” she whispered, her final words laced with quiet acceptance.
Axel raised the blade, pointing it at her neck. His eyes burned with cold determination as the moonlight reflected off the edge of the sword.
And then, with a swift, merciless motion—
He swung.
Blood spattered the ground.
The night fell silent once more.
