When the parallel world Ruvlian said that, I naturally assumed it would be cleanly severed at the legs and ankles. That’s why I thought reattaching would be easier and regeneration would be faster, and thinking that, I took off my shoes, but I never imagined they’d explode. I had overlooked the fact that he was far crazier than I thought.
The severed cross-sections were even clean. Even more absurd. I wondered if his head had gone crazy from the side effects of turning back time. To dismiss it as him always being like that—Ruvlian had only been somewhat outside the normal range. He hadn’t been this severely insane.
Since I withdrew, Montrio, Alli, and Ruvlian fought to their hearts’ content with the parallel world Ruvlian. Even in the midst of that, they seemed out of sync, yet it was amazing they matched at all. Since Montrio and Alli’s attack methods looked exactly the same as those of my companions, perhaps it was natural.
Deadrian, who had withdrawn from the battle, approached me and was helping with treatment. Even though the restraints had been released, the magnitude of my power hadn’t increased. Why? It felt somehow unsettling to treat it as a simple error. Since I’d moved dimensions, my power should have become stronger normally.
“There, all done.”
“Thanks.”
Over his shrugging shoulders as if this was nothing, I watched those fighting. Since there were three attacking, gaps began to appear in the parallel world Ruvlian’s attacks. However, since the constraint of me had disappeared on that side too, he was attacking even more freely.
I stood up from where I sat and looked at Deadrian.
“Do you have a plan?”
“Looks like you devised a strategy on that side too~.”
“I used my head a bit together with mine.”
For a moment, an indescribable emotion crossed Deadrian’s face. Complex feelings showed, as if he was thinking about the parallel world Baek Sihyeon again.
“So do you have one or not.”
“I don’t. I didn’t know a fight might suddenly break out, and we chose you as a method of revenge against Belitent.”
In a way that said to lose the only precious thing he cared about.
Deadrian added in a low voice as if exhaling. His usual benevolent smile had disappeared and a calm yet distant expression had settled in.
The only precious thing he cared about. The fact that it was me was ridiculous. I couldn’t believe I’d become such an existence. Shaking my head, I was creating a short sword with divine power when Deadrian spoke up.
“Originally we were planning to get you out of this mansion and then send you back to your original world from the temple. Things will work out easily. Though the few years of research Montrio did just in case became useless after he told us your story.”
His pale eyes held Ruvlian in view. Eyes directly facing something unfamiliar. Well, compared to this crazy bastard, Ruvlian was decent.
To his gaze that showed no intention of falling away, I extended my hand and said.
“Whatever it is, it’s fine. What you want will be achieved in the end anyway.”
It was no different from declaring I would escape from this place. Deadrian, who had been sitting, turned his head toward me. Then he let out a pfft, deflating laugh, grasped my hand, and raised his body.
“That’s right~.”
And he readily agreed. Our clasped hands separated and Deadrian created a weapon with divine power. It was a bow. Normally, a bow wouldn’t be a good choice in such a cramped place, but Deadrian’s arrows made with divine power peculiarly chased the designated person to the very end. If the power ran out midway and it exploded that was the end, but until it exploded it chased the target to the very end, so it was perfect for being annoying.
Deadrian was settled. What I had to do was make contact with Ruvlian. I didn’t know if the curse would be broken like this, but since it was broken, all that remained was crossing worlds. I was worried about the parallel world Ruvlian who would follow, but escaping first and then thinking was the thing to do.
‘God.’
[Yes.]
It was a voice that had regained energy before I knew it. For a god, he was simple beyond measure, but that made him comfortable.
‘Ask Ruvlian if it’s possible to cross worlds right away.’
[Yes, just a moment.]
It was treatment no different from a messenger, but God agreed without hesitation. Normally I would convey it with telepathy magic, but the parallel world Ruvlian was here. Among these people, he who was most skilled in magic and on par with Ruvlian whose power had temporarily grown immense would see through the telepathy magic at once.
[He says it’s possible. He’ll slip back, so come closer. He says you just need to make contact.]
‘Got it.’
That was when it happened. I felt mana crawling smoothly like a snake. Alert, I quickly avoided the spot. It seemed I’d briefly made eye contact with the parallel world Ruvlian too. To have the leisure to pay attention to me while fighting over there—it was to the degree I wondered if he’d surpassed the human category.
Bang! Kwa-kwang! Explosive sounds rang out continuously to the degree I wondered if there were any more walls left to collapse. In the rear, Deadrian shot arrows opening a path, and Alli summoned high-grade spirits of the four elements and followed along the path the arrows opened. In the front, Montrio was displaying swordsmanship with irregular trajectories that were hard to predict, and Ruvlian was swinging his staff while occasionally using magic.
And the parallel world Ruvlian was blocking all those attacks. With quite a leisurely manner at that. The sight of him demonstratively blocking attacks and counterattacking even though he could finish them all at once was clearly because of me. Making me meet this side’s hero companions was probably also to show that no matter how much they flew and crawled, they couldn’t escape—that thought occurred to me. This too was an extension of that.
It was obvious what would happen to them if Ruvlian and I escaped from here. Unlike that bastard whose head had already gone crazy, this side was charging in prepared to die. Revenge was their choice, so I didn’t feel guilt. I didn’t have time to feel that one by one either.
The parallel world Ruvlian, who checked me with magic while dealing with them, didn’t allow Ruvlian to go back either. The same went for me approaching Ruvlian. The distance didn’t narrow. I was isolated.
He didn’t interfere at all with Deadrian joining them. Was this what he was aiming for? I couldn’t let my guard down even an inch.
First, reaching Ruvlian came first, but…… what on earth should I do? While clearing away the extending mana, I thought of a plan. In the end, flash—something crossed my mind. The problem was it was close to a gamble, but sometimes boldness was necessary.
‘God. Relay one more time. Tell him to prepare.’
[Yes. I will.]
God granted my request. After confirming I’d received an affirmative answer, I cast a spell on myself to not feel pain and sprinted. Deadrian’s arrows, Alli’s spirit arts, Montrio’s sword, even the things the parallel world crazy bastard deflected. Without paying attention to any of it.
If I failed, I’d be quite seriously injured, and if I succeeded, I’d escape from this place. I ran with that thought. And in the very end, I reached Ruvlian. Ruvlian, who contorted his expression for a moment, showed a warm smile as if forcibly drawn. It was to reassure me.
“I’ll nag later. I’ll follow soon, so wait for me.”
There was no time to wonder at the fact he wasn’t coming with me. Just like that, my vision contracted and the scenery changed.
The dim sky where only moonlight had been emitting light had become a clear sky without a single cloud, the half-destroyed building and broken fragments had disappeared, and a verdant, dense forest greeted me. A fresh grassy scent tickled my nose.
I couldn’t know where this peaceful place was, different from the battle just before. I thought I was going to the modern era, but suddenly a forest. Staring blankly at the air for a bit, I dusted myself off and stood up.
Since all I could see were trees and grass, just as I was casting search magic, movement was felt from the bushes right next to me. A definite person’s gesture, different from an animal.
“Who are you.”
And a boy appeared from between the bushes. A boy with hair and eyes of the color I loved, receiving the sunlight streaming through the leaves with his whole body.
_oOo_
‘Even though I expected it, I reacted……’
It was a mistake. Among all those possibilities, I even predicted Baek Sihyeon would throw his own body…. I reflexively cast protective magic on Sihyeon running with his bare body. I should have just stopped him from running, but it was an instinctive action to the degree that he, who had been so composed, couldn’t think of that.
The parallel world Ruvlian looked at the remaining small fries. If they were others, they wouldn’t be able to call those who had taken the number one position in their field small fries, but he was different. Unless it was Baek Sihyeon, it had no meaning.
‘That brat, should I just kill him.’
There was one reason he didn’t kill. Because he knew the eyes and actions Baek Sihyeon made when the things he cherished and loved died. For the reason of not wanting to see that, he suppressed the impulse.
But his anger had flared up too much. Finding Sihyeon itself wasn’t difficult, but the constant hovering near his side was bothersome. If he just strangled that neck, it would all be resolved. Belitent thought that while blocking attacks and returning attacks in kind.
However, he wasn’t the only one with killing intent. Ruvlian Celton, who was Baek Sihyeon’s companion and the Master of the Magic Tower, was also thinking the same thing.
‘If it weren’t for that human, there’d be no need for such reckless acts.’
His anger wouldn’t subside. His anger at Baek Sihyeon who didn’t know how to value his own body wouldn’t cease. He wanted to ask why he didn’t think of himself who would worry. He wanted to beg him to please not do that.
Forcibly pushing the seething emotions back, Ruvlian looked at his parallel world self. After crossing to a different world, he was feeling his intensified power. Completely cutting off his breath like this was difficult, but he could inflict a major blow. At least he would reach a half-dead state. Ruvlian Celton thought that while glancing sideways at the others.
If they died, Baek Sihyeon would be concerned. Even if he pretended otherwise, Baek Sihyeon was on the kind side.
‘I don’t like it, but…… that side must have helped Baek Sihyeon in their own way.’
“Take care of yourselves and live well.”
“What?”
In an instant, magic circles appeared beneath Montrio, Deadrian, and Alli’s feet. They disappeared as if sucked into the magic circles.
Ruvlian, who sent the three people to a place with no connection without any explanation, was unperturbed. Since he didn’t make contact, he didn’t know if their limbs would be intact, but he considered he’d done what he could on his own.
Belitent, who saw the spot where the three people who had disappeared as if dragged away had been, opened his mouth.
“Seeing you put on pointless bravado, your life must not be precious…… Then I should grant your wish.”
Belitent narrowed his eyes and raised his deep red lips. His gaze as if devoured by madness was enough for anyone to feel creeped out, but Ruvlian smiled back unconcernedly.
If Montrio, who was Baek Sihyeon’s companion, had been between them, it would have been an appearance worth shouting this was a nightmare. To that degree, the two Ruvlians’ smiles were beautiful, but they were straightforwardly revealing their personalities were terrible.
Their gazes crossed briefly. The one who broke the gaze observing each other was Ruvlian. Ruvlian took out his staff and ran swiftly. He didn’t forget to deploy magic circles everywhere and use magic.
In an instant, the shape of a sword Belitent made with mana and Ruvlian’s staff collided with a loud sound. As the staff was swung strongly, the parallel world’s Ruvlian deployed protective magic while meeting it with his sword. Attack magic and protective magic collided, and the smoke created from it concealed the two.
