NOVEL NEXT Chapter 109
EP.109 Calamity, Nightmare, Ghost (2)
The ghost of twilight, Belnoa.
The boy’s life cannot be described as pure, even in jest. He lived a filthy life. He became dirty to survive. No one understands the boy.
Belnoa is a murderer.
Regardless of the reason, it doesn’t change the fact that he has killed. Belnoa does not think of himself as clean. He considers himself filthy as well.
However, he is not embarrassed by it.
Every person has their own value.
There are those who dirty their hands to uphold their beliefs. Belnoa is one of those. He willingly dirties his hands.
Solely for one girl.
‘Chloe.’
He is willing to get as dirty as it takes.
‘If it’s for Chloe.’
It’s fine to be called a murderer. It’s fine to be called a ghost. If it’s for Chloe, those things don’t matter. That is Belnoa’s highest value.
And now.
The time has come to display the weight of his beliefs.
“Come on, let’s see how you do.”
The wall is approaching.
The final barrier stands in the way. There is no other path. He is blocked by a massive obstacle on a single narrow road.
As always, he cannot aim for the back.
He cannot find weaknesses through persistent observation and tailing.
Everything Belnoa has relied on his whole life is now blocked. What remains is the simplest solution.
‘There’s no other way but to break through.’
What is the difference between himself and the opponent?
The opponent is stronger than him. Superior in every aspect. He is an opponent that cannot be defeated with ordinary means.
‘How do you claim victory over such an opponent?’
The answer is close at hand.
Belnoa recalls. The experience of wrestling victory from the jaws of defeat against an unbeatable foe in a clearing of the forest.
‘Observation and intuition.’
And an unexpected variable the opponent didn’t foresee.
Creeeak, creeeak.
The shape of the shadow changes.
The shadow enveloping Belnoa’s body peels away. The discarded shadow converges into Belnoa’s arms. It turns into sharp claws.
“Interesting spell you’re using.”
The knight in black armor lifts his great sword.
It resembles a gigantic wall. An insurmountable barrier stands before him. Gazing at the wall, Belnoa thinks.
‘If I can’t go over it.’
I’ll just break through it.
Belnoa lowers his stance. The knight lowers his great sword. Their eyes clash in the air.
Thud.
Both of them stomped the ground at the same time.
The leap and collision happened simultaneously.
2.
Clang, clang.
The sound of metal clashing rings out. The shadow Belnoa created with a price doesn’t scatter like before. An equal exchange takes place.
The great sword and the shadow collide.
Nothing is pushed back.
‘… Just as I thought.’
The black knight Daike senses it.
‘In that moment, it was right to suppress quickly.’
His instincts were correct.
The boy before him is dangerous. Even though he is not fully matured, his movements are those of a top-tier warrior.
‘I am superior in strength and speed.’
But he cannot dominate. The boy knows how to deal with someone stronger than himself.
Creeeak.
The shadow gauntlet grabs hold of the great sword. It disrupts its trajectory. What was aimed at Belnoa’s shoulder scrapes past the wall.
Belnoa steps forward.
He lunges with his sharp claws drawn.
Clash!
His claws glide over the black armor. But not even a scratch remains. Daike pulls the great sword out of the wall and swings again.
‘Heavy. I can’t just brush it off.’
Thoughts are short and judgments are fast.
Belnoa’s eyes move rapidly.
The pupils in his expanded eyes shake violently. He reads the movements. He acts a step ahead of his opponent.
Thud, thud.
Belnoa jumps backward.
Boom!
A heavy shock reverberates through the ground. The great sword strikes the spot where Belnoa just stood. Belnoa lands smoothly, catching his breath.
Clang, clang, clang!
No time to rest. The knight, having planted his great sword in the ground, chases directly after him. The great sword scrapes against the bricks, revealing its blade on the ground.
“…!”
Belnoa tilts his head back.
Whoosh!
The tip of the great sword skims past his chin. Splat, blood splatters. Just barely dodging the great sword, Belnoa takes another step back.
“Daike, be careful. You can’t kill him.”
“…A heretic can resurrect even the dead.”
“True, but that’s a half-baked plan, isn’t it? I doubt the heretic wants that either. Be cautious.”
“…Understood. I will be careful.”
Unlike himself, who must gamble his life in every moment, they seem to have all the leisure. However, Belnoa does not despair over this fact. There’s no time for despairing even if he had it to spare.
‘I need a way.’
Belnoa desperately thinks.
‘I need to find a way.’
His weapon cannot penetrate the armor.
The deal with the Star is nearing its end. The shadow will soon dissipate. His remaining mana is running low.
The knight approaches again.
Each step is heavy. The knight swings his great sword. Though it seems randomly swung… Belnoa must gamble his life at every moment to block it.
Whoosh.
He ducks, reading the movements. Just barely dodging it. He couldn’t completely avoid it, a long gash remains on his chest. Blood trickles down.
Clang, clang, clang!
Unable to evade, he changes his path. The great sword glides over the shadow. A scratch appears on the shadow gauntlet.
Craaash!
Weak strike. It collided head-on.
Scratches turn into cracks. The shadow begins to dissipate slowly. Blood splatters between the scattered shadows.
“Gah!”
Couldn’t block it.
The great sword swung in a wide arc crashed into Belnoa’s body. His body flies away.
Wham.
The knight’s kick drives into Belnoa’s abdomen.
A dizzying pain shakes his vision. His balance is completely thrown off. His airborne body collides with the wall. He rolls on the ground.
He could only stop after rolling several times on the ground.
Nausea and a nosebleed; blood drips down. Belnoa stands up unsteadily. His legs tremble. He looks at the blood that falls.
‘I cannot win.’
Knowing he cannot win, Belnoa raises his head.
“…Is there any meaning in this?”
The knight questions.
Belnoa does not respond. He lashes himself, raising his arm. He tightly intertwines the shadow.
“It’s tiring for both of us.”
Sighing, the knight approaches.
Belnoa’s eyes are constantly shifting. Continuously reading the movements. For a brief moment of opportunity.
A back-and-forth ensued.
The more they exchanged blows, the more scars appeared on Belnoa’s body. Blood splattered on the alley. His movements began to dull.
Drip, drip.
Blood-soaked, Belnoa lowers his head.
He spits out the blood filling his mouth. His movements have slowed but his gaze remains sharp.
“……”
Daike falls silent.
Though he is clearly ahead, Daike feels the eeriness radiating from Belnoa. Although his movements have dulled, the boy’s attacks grow sharper.
“You’re like a ghost.”
His mumbling echoes through the alley.
Daike adjusts his grip on the great sword. The weight of the swinging blade increases. The intensified strikes, yet Belnoa keeps pace with Daike’s movements.
His body has dulled.
The shadow is about to scatter.
Yet, Belnoa’s gaze still attempts to seize victory. The accumulated experience drives Belnoa’s body. While buying time, Belnoa thinks.
‘What can I use?’
A body reaching its limits.
He has no assurance that he can pierce the enemy with his own flesh. What can he utilize to create that conviction?
‘The only thing I can use is limited mana.’
There is enough mana to weave a single spell.
Within that spell, he must find a resolution. Belnoa continues to ponder.
‘With limited mana, I must pierce the armor.’
Blood splatters up.
Through the splattering blood, Belnoa recalls something. Among the accelerating thoughts, stories he had heard somewhere intrude.
Limited mana.
The target to break.
Modification of the spell.
Belnoa’s head spins rapidly. His pupils contract to a point. Before Belnoa’s eyes, countless circuits appear and disappear repeatedly.
‘Modification of the spell.’
Constraints and enhancements.
‘Modification of the circuitry.’
Belnoa finds his conviction.
Clang, clang, clang!
Belnoa’s hand moves.
With his right hand, he twists the trajectory of the great sword. The shadows on his right hand peel away, accompanied by the sound of snapping fingers. All twisted fingers converge into a single offering.
Flick.
Belnoa’s left hand moves.
The left hand sketches a circuit. The completed circuit dismantles and constraints follow. To create the best outcome with limited mana, Belnoa modifies the circuit.
‘One shot to pierce through the armor.’
His head feels like it’s burning up.
In the flickering vision, Belnoa weaves a spell.
Shadow needle.
The most frequently used basic spell.
However, the shadow-shaped completion is unlike anything he knew. Belnoa sees the spell caught on his fingers.
The modified needle is not sharp.
Rather, it’s blunt. It resembles a stake more than a needle.
“……!”
The knight’s eyes widen at the stake that appears before him. He tries to pull his great sword back. However, the spell’s completion is a step ahead.
The stake spins.
The spinning stake draws in the scattered shadows.
Watching the charged spell, Belnoa grins. This is the best attack he can muster.
“Die.”
The blood-soaked ghost lets out a laugh.
Thud!
With a thunderous boom, the shadow stake pierces the knight’s helmet. The knight’s head snaps back violently. For the first time, he takes a step back.
Clang, clang, clang!
The stake spins. Sharp shadows penetrate the gaps in the helmet. Cracks begin to form in the helmet.
Crack, crunch.
“Ha, haha.”
Laughter spills through the cracks in the helmet. The retreating knight reaches out to grab the stake. The stake comes to a stop spinning.
“Not bad.”
Crack!
The helmet shatters with a crunching sound.
The knight’s face is fully revealed, and he is laughing.
“…Damn it.”
Belnoa curses briefly.
Bam!
Belnoa’s vision blurs as he is struck by the knight’s fist. His body flies away, colliding against the opposite wall and finally comes to a stop.
“…Cough.”
Belnoa can’t rise again.
There’s no strength left to stand. His vision is blurry. His ears are muffled. The shadows have scattered away.
‘…One step.’
Just one step was missing.
That was frustrating. He thinks about the next opportunity… but it doesn’t seem like there will be another.
‘Is this the end?’
Belnoa’s head drops weakly.
Looking at the ground, Belnoa waits for the impending end. However, no matter how long he waits, the end does not come.
“……?”
Belnoa slowly lifts his head.
Looking straight ahead, he sees the knight staring at him with trembling eyes. The tip of the great sword he holds quivers as if in fright.
‘…At me?’
No matter how he looks at it, that can’t be right.
He doesn’t think the knight would show such a reaction to him, barely hanging on. Late, Belnoa realizes that the knight’s gaze isn’t directed at him.
‘Not at me, but beside me.’
The presence is suddenly felt.
Thud.
Someone’s hand lands on his head.
The touch isn’t rough. A gentle hand taps Belnoa’s head softly.
“You did well.”