Chapter 29

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“M-MASTER, what are we going to do?” Seraphim’s voice trembled, her gaze fixed above us. Her smoke flickered wildly, betraying her panic, and I could hear her heavy, ragged breaths.

I placed a hand on her head and forced a smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll defeat it,” I said, my voice calm, though my heart raced in my chest. She glanced up, the fear still etched on her face, but a smug grin followed.

“Bet you can’t,” she muttered, the sarcasm in her voice breaking the tension.

I rolled my eyes. Comforting these creatures… what a mistake.

“Let’s g—” Before I could finish, the ground beneath me seemed to fall away. The world spun violently, pulling me into a vortex of swirling darkness. My stomach churned, and I struggled to keep my balance, feeling as though I’d been tossed into an endless void.

And just as quickly as it began, it stopped.

I stumbled, my feet hitting solid ground. The scene around me shifted into view. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the chaos before me.

The capital was in ruin. The eclipse had swallowed the sky, casting everything in an unnatural darkness, broken only by the dim, eerie glow of flames flickering in the distance. The streets were filled with panicked screams, and shadowy figures ran in every direction, desperate to escape. Monsters swarmed like locusts, clawing and snapping at the fleeing people. The knights, though vastly outnumbered, formed desperate lines, their swords flashing in the meager light as they fought to protect the terrified citizens.

Blood splattered the stone streets as the monsters tore through the defenses. The ground was slick with it. I watched as a knight fell, his armor torn open by the sharp claws of a beast. He didn’t rise again.

Seraphim floated beside me, her dark smoke flickering like a candle in a storm. I could feel the weight of her fear, but she said nothing.

And then, meters beyond the chaos, I saw it.

The otherworldly monster.

Its grotesque form rose above the ruined city like a nightmare given flesh, a massive, pulsing body that stretched and bulged, dripping with a strange, viscous liquid. It had no eyes, no mouth—just a writhing, featureless mass that seemed to feed on the destruction around it. Even from this distance, I could feel the pull of its presence, as if it was devouring the very air.

“Thank me later,” Seraphim muttered, breaking the silence. “I can travel through dimensions, you know? So, this was just a piece of cake.”

I didn’t respond. My eyes were fixed on the beast. “So… this is the otherworldly monster.” The words barely escaped my lips. I’d seen it in the game before, fought it using Cecelia’s avatar, but seeing it now—up close, surrounded by destruction—was different. Far more terrifying. Its body twisted unnaturally, absorbing everything in its path, a force of pure devastation.

“My lady! You need to evacuate!” A knight’s voice broke through the chaos as he ran toward me, his eyes wide with urgency.

I turned slowly to face him, meeting his gaze with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Evacuate? I plan to fight that thing. Don’t mistake me for someone weak,” I said, the edges of my lips curling into a smirk.

He flinched, his face paling when he saw my expression. “L-Lady Loughsin! I… I’m sorry, but—”

Whatever excuse he was about to make was cut short by the desperate cries of children behind us. He froze, torn between me and the rising chaos around him.

I tilted my head, feigning amusement. “You hear that?” I gestured toward the terrified cries behind us, my voice silkily calm. “That’s the sound of a child in danger. You wouldn’t want their blood on your hands, would you? Or are you planning to stand here and watch it happen?”

He hesitated, his face twisted in uncertainty, but my words struck deep. A moment later, he turned and rushed toward the children, his armor clinking with every hurried step.

Amidst the panic, none of them noticed Seraphim standing quietly beside me, her presence almost forgotten.

“Seraphim,” I said, my voice calm amidst the chaos. “You mentioned you can travel through dimensions, correct?” I didn’t wait for her to respond, but I caught her nod from the corner of my eye. “Good. Then fetch my two daggers from home. That's an order.”

I didn’t need to raise my voice, but I saw her flinch slightly at my words. Her hesitation was brief, and she quickly knelt before me.

“Yes, master,” she said before vanishing into the shadows.

I let out a slow breath and began walking through the war-torn streets, deliberately toward the monster. Every step was measured, the ground beneath my feet slick with the blood of the fallen. Flames licked the sky, casting eerie, flickering shadows across the city. The air was thick with smoke and the cries of the wounded.

As I neared the beast, I saw Darious desperately holding up a shimmering barrier around the creature, his face strained with effort. Beyond the barrier, the Crown Prince and Zacharias were locked in a furious battle with the monster itself, their movements frantic but determined. Further away, Lady Cecelia conjured weapons from nothing, hurling them at the smaller monsters that flooded the streets, while Lady Athena tended to the injured, her healing magic glowing softly in the dark.

It was pure chaos—a nightmare come to life. Yet, something was missing.

I glanced around, scanning the scene. The Grand Duke, the Marquess, the Count, the Baron, the other nobles… and the Emperor himself. Not one of them was here. Where are they? In a crisis like this, they should be leading the charge, yet they’re nowhere to be found.

I scoffed, narrowing my eyes at the absence of the so-called ‘leaders’ of this kingdom. “Tsk. Let me guess—huddled together in some conference room, discussing the ‘danger’ while their people die.” My voice dripped with disdain. What exactly is their role in this game if they cower when the real fight begins?

The truth settled in me like a heavy weight. If they wouldn’t act, I would. And when the dust settled, they would answer for their cowardice.

“My lady, here are your daggers!”

Seraphim’s voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. She stood before me, presenting the twin blades with a slight grin.

“That was quick,” I muttered, twirling the daggers expertly between my fingers. Though swords have never felt quite right in my hands, these—these I could wield with deadly precision.

I turned my gaze to Seraphim, her dark aura flickering slightly as if anticipating my next move. “Will you join me in this battle?” I asked, my eyes narrowing as I studied her.

She beamed, eyes glowing with excitement. “Of course! It’s my first fight alongside you, master. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

I offered her a brief smile, then glanced toward the shimmering barrier ahead. “You won’t be able to cross through here,” I warned, casually testing the barrier with my hand. “But you can use your powers to slip inside, right?”

Her excitement faltered, turning into a frown as the realization sank in. “Of course, I can...” she mumbled, but I knew she was frustrated. The barrier was designed to keep monsters out, and Seraphim, bound to her otherworldly origins, couldn’t simply walk in. She hated limitations.

Without waiting for more complaints, I stepped through the barrier, feeling a strange energy pass over me as I crossed the threshold. The sounds of chaos immediately engulfed me. Clashing swords echoed through the air, punctuated by the inhuman growls of the creatures.

Inside, I saw them—the Crown Prince and Zacharias—locked in an intense fight against the hulking form of the otherworldly creature. Their blades slashed through the writhing mass, but it was futile. They didn’t understand. They were only hacking at the surface of the beast, unaware of the truth. The real body lay deep within, hidden under layers of grotesque, pulsating flesh.

I watched them for a moment, taking in the scene. Zacharias moved with a lethal grace, his swordsmanship impeccable, every strike precise, yet ineffective against the monster’s decoy. The Crown Prince fought with a determined fury, his blows heavy and fierce, but equally useless. Sweat dripped down their faces, the tension thick in the air as they fought a losing battle.

Fools, I thought, shaking my head. They’ll never get through like that. The creature’s skin isn’t its true form, it’s just a distraction, a layer of filth hiding the real danger beneath.

Just then, the familiar holographic message appeared before me.

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You have entered the sub-predicament area!

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I

blinked as the second notification followed, its words glowing ominously in front of my eyes.

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The sub-predicament will commence now. Good luck, dear player!

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A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. I’d seen this play out before—fought this exact creature in the game that had once consumed my previous life. The advantage was mine.

They had no idea what they were truly facing, but I did. And I knew exactly how to tear it apart from the inside.

The moment I stepped closer to the battle, the weight of it slammed into me. The air was thick with the stench of blood and burning flesh, and the sounds of clashing steel and monstrous growls reverberated around us. Darious, struggling to maintain the barrier, spotted me immediately, his face tightening with fury.

“Arthemice!” His voice boomed over the chaos, filled with shock and anger. His ocean-blue eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled to keep the shimmering barrier up. “What are you doing here? Get out now! This is no place for—”

“For what? Someone weak?” I interrupted, my smirk sharp as a blade. “You’ve underestimated me long enough, brother.”

Darious’ face contorted with frustration, veins bulging against his temples. “Damn it, Arthemice! This isn’t a game! You—”

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I cut him off again, eyes gleaming with the thrill of the fight. “Your barrier won’t hold forever. And when it falls, you’ll need me more than you think.”

He opened his mouth to protest again, but I turned my back on him, eyes fixed on the towering abomination ahead. My daggers twirled in my hands, the familiar weight of them grounding me amidst the chaos. The Crown Prince and Zacharias were locked in their fierce battle, their strikes powerful but ineffective against the creature’s pulsating form.

Seraphim floated beside me, her dark smoke coiling like a serpent around her body. “Ready, Master?” she asked, her grin wild with anticipation.

“Always.”

Without another word, we charged into the fray.

The monster loomed above, its grotesque body a writhing mass of flesh and black ooze. Its featureless surface pulsed unnaturally, absorbing everything in its path. The ground beneath my feet quaked with every step it took, but fear had no place in me now. I’d fought this thing before—in a different world, as a different person, in the game—but this time, I had the advantage.

I launched myself forward, darting between the rubble and the chaos. Seraphim followed in a flash of dark smoke, flickering in and out of the shadows like a wraith. My daggers gleamed under the dim light of the eclipse, slashing through the smaller beasts that dared to cross my path. They shrieked as they fell, their blood spraying the ground in a sickening arc. My blades hummed with lethal precision, cutting through flesh like it was nothing.

Ahead, the Crown Prince’s silver hair flashed as he swung his sword in a wide arc, his expression steely with determination. His strikes were powerful, each one aimed at the beast’s surface, but it was no use. The creature’s outer layer was just a decoy, absorbing the blows without faltering.

“Zacharias! With me!” he commanded, his voice sharp but controlled. Zacharias nodded, his chestnut hair damp with sweat as he drove his sword toward the creature’s side, moving with his usual lethal grace. But it wasn’t enough.

I darted toward them, weaving through the chaos with Seraphim at my side. As I approached, Zacharias caught sight of me, his eyes narrowing in confusion. “Lady Arthemice?” he muttered, disbelief clear in his tone.

“Surprised?” I asked with a smirk, sidestepping a fallen knight and plunging my dagger into the neck of a snarling monster that had lunged for him. “You should be.”

The Crown Prince turned his dark eyes toward me, surprise flickering in them before his usual composed mask settled back in place. “You should not be here,” he said, his voice calm but firm, the underlying authority unmistakable. “This battle—”

“Is already mine.” I interrupted, wiping the blood from my blade on the sleeve of my coat. “You two are wasting your energy on that thing’s surface.” I motioned toward the writhing mass with a tilt of my head. “Its real body is buried deeper, past all this filth.”

They both stared at me, their confusion palpable. Zacharias frowned. “And how do you know this?”

A holographic notification flickered in front of my eyes, reminding me of the sub-predicament I’d triggered earlier. I ignored it, focusing on the battle. “Because I’ve fought it before. And I know how to kill it.”

The Crown Prince’s grip on his sword tightened. “Very well. If you have a plan, speak.”

My eyes widened in shock at his words. I was surprised he didn’t argue with me this time. I quickly shook my head. Now isn’t the time to think about that—I need to focus on finishing this sub-predicament.

“Seraphim and I will distract it. You two focus on cutting through the outer layers until I find an opening. Darious—” I glanced back at my brother, who still stood, struggling to maintain the barrier. “Hold the barrier as long as you can. We’ll need every second.”

Darious growled in frustration, but he didn’t argue. His gaze burned into mine, full of anger and something else—something like fear.

As I gave the orders, I noticed the Crown Prince’s gaze linger on Seraphim, clearly surprised by her eerie, smoke-cloaked form. His expression tightened for a moment, but I think he quickly shook off the thought and just nodded at me. Well, there was no time for distractions.

Without waiting for another response, I turned and dashed toward the monster, Seraphim’s smoke swirling around me like a protective shroud. The ground shook beneath the creature’s weight as it advanced, its grotesque form absorbing the destruction around it.

“Seraphim!” I called, leaping over a crumbling wall. “Hit it with everything you’ve got.”

She grinned wickedly, her eyes glowing with dark power. “Yes, Master!”

She darted forward, her form dissolving into a swirling vortex of smoke and shadow. I watched as she wrapped herself around the monster, her dark tendrils tightening like a noose around its massive body. For a moment, the creature slowed, its grotesque form twitching in response to her presence.

I took the opportunity, sprinting toward its side and driving my daggers deep into the pulsing flesh. Black ooze sprayed from the wound, but I didn’t flinch. I twisted the blades with practiced precision, tearing through the layers of skin and muscle. The creature let out a guttural roar, its entire body convulsing.

Behind me, I heard the unmistakable sound of swords clashing against flesh. The Crown Prince and Zacharias had joined the assault, their strikes precise and relentless. The Crown Prince’s face remained focused, his jaw set with determination, while Zacharias moved with deadly grace, his every motion a testament to his skill.

But the monster was far from finished.

It lashed out, its massive, tendril-like arms slamming into the ground with enough force to send shockwaves through the earth. I dodged just in time, rolling to the side as the ground shattered beneath me.

“Arthemice!” Darious’ voice rang out, panicked. “Get back!”

But I didn’t retreat. My eyes locked onto the weak point in the creature’s convulsing form, a small opening between the writhing layers of flesh. That’s it. The core.

With a savage grin, I sprinted forward, daggers in hand. “Seraphim!” I shouted. “Keep it distracted!”

Her dark form swirled tighter around the beast, forcing it to thrash in pain. “Consider it done, Master!”

With a swift motion, I drove both daggers deep into the core. The monster let out a bone-shattering screech, its entire body convulsing violently. The ground quaked as the creature began to collapse in on itself, its once-mighty form crumbling into a mass of decaying flesh.

The battlefield fell into sudden silence.

The Crown Prince sheathed his sword, his eyes scanning the remains of the beast with quiet contemplation. Zacharias stepped forward, wiping the sweat from his brow as he glanced at me, a newfound respect in his gaze.

“Well done,” the Crown Prince said calmly, his voice steady. “It’s over.”

I didn’t respond. Something felt… off. My eyes narrowed as I stared at the pile of twitching remains, my instincts screaming that something was wrong. This was too easy.

Also, the hologram didn’t appear, signaling the end of the sub-predicament...

Darious approached, his face pale but relieved. “You’re lucky that worked, sister,” he muttered, though the tension in his voice hadn’t fully dissipated. “Maybe now you’ll—”

I raised a hand, silencing him as my eyes scanned the remains again. My breath caught. Beneath the rotting mass, something stirred—a faint, barely perceptible movement, but enough to set my pulse racing.

It wasn’t over.

“Move!” I shouted, my voice ringing out across the battlefield as I backed away, eyes wide with realization.

The Crown Prince turned to me, his brows furrowed in confusion. “What—”

Before he could finish, the ground beneath the remains exploded, sending a wave of black ooze and debris flying. I shielded my eyes just in time to see it—a massive, twisted form rising from the earth, far more grotesque and deadly than the creature we had just fought.

It had been a distraction. A decoy.

The real monster had escaped.

The air grew thick with tension as we all turned toward the looming abomination, its monstrous form towering even higher than before. Its body pulsated with dark energy, radiating pure malice.

Zacharias’s hand instinctively tightened around his sword. “What in the—”

The Crown Prince’s face remained stoic, but his grip on his sword had tightened. “Get ready. This fight isn’t over.”

I smirked darkly, twirling my daggers as I took a step forward, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“Let’s end this,” I murmured, my gaze locked on the beast, a quiet certainty in my tone.

fin.