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At the Bottom of the Dark Pit – Part 03

With the newfound Instinct whispering in his mind, or even without it, Hikaru knew that Ranna was dangerous.

Whether due to Ranna’s roar or the massive amount of energy she drained, the source of malevolence grew erratic, causing a fluctuation in the released evil energy.

“Ah…”

Singling out a nearby temple guard, Ranna closed a ten-meter gap in a single stride and swept her arm horizontally. The guard assumed a defensive stance, but it appeared futile. His body shot forth at incredible speed, covering a distance of over a hundred meters. There was not even a sound of him landing on the ground.

The guard was either instantly killed by the swipe or would certainly succumb to the impact upon landing. Hikaru was shaken at the first casualty since their arrival.

“Hikaru, I can still cast Atonement Flame once… maybe even twice,” Lavia whispered in Hikaru’s arms.

But considering her remaining mana reserves, Hikaru believed even one more invocation would be dangerous. Using magic under such circumstances risked severe recoil and substantial damage to Lavia’s body.

“What you need to do right now is stay still and recover your mana.”

“But…”

“I have Mana Detection. You can’t bluff your way through this.”

Lavia bit her lip but reluctantly nodded. Inflicted with an enhanced version of the Accursed Toxin by Ranna, she harbored a fervent desire to defeat the scientist herself. But Hikaru believed that allowing Lavia to sustain damage in the process would be counterproductive.

“You’ve already made a significant contribution. Rest for now.”

At that moment, Jillarte, screaming, stepped up and struck Ranna. What set this attack apart was that although shallow, it was effective. Ranna’s arm was sliced, and dark blood flowed from the wound.

The reason for this became clear: Jillarte’s sword was aglow with a white light. Hikaru realized it was magic from either Paula or Sophie. They hadn’t given up yet.

“I’ll be waiting for a chance to cast magic,” Lavia said. She, too, had not abandoned hope.

Hikaru couldn’t be sure if Lavia’s determination solely stemmed from a desire for revenge against Ranna, rivalry with Jillarte, the wish to fight alongside Paula, or perhaps all these motivations combined. Either way, he had to respect her desire to stand up and fight with her own power.

“I will create an opening.”

Lavia pursed her lips, recognizing that Hikaru had acknowledged her.

“Okay.”

“Grrrooooaaaahh…”

Hikaru dashed toward Paula, his eyes scanning the battlefield.

One of the Beastmen had picked up Gerhardt’s greatsword, and Gerhardt swung it with all his might, but his movements lacked their earlier finesse. The lion Beastman had expended a considerable amount of stamina during his previous assault. The fact that he could still swing the greatsword was a testament to his superhuman strength.

Selyse also fought with a spare sword, but her movements were sluggish. The shock of having the White Ray Blade shattered seemed to weigh heavily on her.

A thought crossed Hikaru’s mind. Maybe it couldn’t be done. Defeating such a monstrous foe might be an impossible feat with their current strength. In that case, what was the best course of action? Should they retreat, after coming this far?

“Paula, I need your magic too.”

Hikaru rushed over to Paula, who was tending to an unconscious Beastman, and had her infuse holy energy into his straight sword and the remaining three throwing knives.

“Paula, I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes?”

“…”

“Is something wrong?”

“…It’s very dangerous, but only you can do it.”

“Of course, I’ll do it.” Her answer was immediate.

Hikaru’s request was to approach the source of malevolence and attack it directly with holy magic. He believed that only by doing so could they prevent Ranna from recovering endlessly.

Even after explaining the risk, Paula responded without hesitation, “I understand.”

“Why? I just told you this could be very dangerous.”

“Because you said it’s necessary. I won’t hesitate to do it.”

Hikaru’s eyes widened.

“I’m scared, of course. But there’s a task that must be done, and you’ve chosen me for it. It’s enough to give me courage.” Paula clenched her hands.

Hikaru felt a pang in his chest. In the past, he granted her powerful healing magic through the Soul Board to save her comrades. He had to keep it a secret, so he asked her to come with them on their travels, but she had done more than enough to repay him.

She had risked her life to protect the secret, even traveling to the Quinbrand Empire, where the Accursed Toxin ran rampant. At some point, Hikaru had thought that he and Paula would become equals, but he now realized that wasn’t the case.

Paula had unwavering faith in Hikaru. Her feelings for him were similar to her faith in her god. While gods demonstrated their existence through Blessings via the cards, Hikaru, using the Soul Board, could bestow Skills, a miracle that was nothing short of divine.

Am I living up to her expectations?

The sense of guilt he felt toward Paula might, in fact, be disrespectful. Paula believed in Hikaru, and for her, meeting his expectations was a source of joy.

I’m nothing special. I almost lost all hope in defeating Ranna.

Paula laid the Beastman down, but he seemed to be out of commission. Hikaru took Paula’s hand and activated Group Cloaking.

“Come with me.”

“Okay.”

Hikaru pulled Paula along, and she followed without a moment’s hesitation. In the distance, Jillarte, Selyse, Gerhardt, temple guards, and Beastmen battled relentlessly against Ranna, inflicting only minor wounds. One temple guard had taken a blow, rendering him unable to fight, and Sophie was occupied with tending to injuries.

Hikaru wanted join the battle, but for now, he needed to guide Paula. As they neared the source of malevolence, an eerie, hair-raising sensation swept over them. They heard what sounded like the wails of the dead, and an unsettling force seemed to tug at their souls.

“I need you to purify this thing, or at least weaken its power. Do you have any spell in mind for that?”

Paula pondered briefly and said, “There’s a spell called Purification. It’s been used in Church rituals for ages to cleanse a location.”

“That’s it. I want you to use that.”

Hikaru immediately gave his approval. His Instinct assured him it was the right choice.

“Understood.” Paula folded her hands in front of her chest and began chanting. “‘O God who art in heaven, in thy name, work miracles. In this place lies a land of impurity, by the blessing of thy truly noble self, cleanse it of its taint.'”

The surroundings, once filled with malignant black dust, were now bathed in waves of holy light. The dust was purified into a pristine white.

“Purification.”

The massive source of evil a few meters ahead of Paula quivered as it encountered the silvery waves. It hissed like water poured onto hot stones, and evil turned to holy. While the malevolent outflow hadn’t ceased entirely, Purification had undoubtedly diminished its intensity.

“Gaaaaah!”

Ranna groaned in agony. It was now unmistakable that Ranna’s power was being fueled by this source. As Ranna looked around, baffled by the turn of events, Jillarte seized the moment to slash through Ranna’s wings.

“What’s happening?! The deputy leader’s attack worked!”

“Now’s our chance! Charge!”

Attacks were landing, motivating both the Beastmen and temple guards to continue their assaults. Nevertheless, Ranna’s wounds were healing swiftly.

“Paula, if you can, keep using that spell.”

“No problem. I’ll give it my all!”

Paula had 8 points on her Mana Capacity, which should allow her to cast Purification numerous times.

“Be careful,” Hikaru said. “If you think Ranna is about to find you, make a run for it.”

“What about you?”

“I…” Ranna had revived once more, and the situation was deteriorating. “I’ll look for an opening and take her down.”

Ranna proved to be a more formidable and treacherous adversary than any foe they had encountered. But they couldn’t afford to retreat.

“Understood… G-Good luck!”

Paula embraced him tightly from the side. Her body was soft, and unlike the smaller Lavia, she possessed a generous bosom. The warmth enveloping him felt maternal, like the Virgin Mary’s embrace. Paula immediately pulled herself away.

“It’s a good luck charm to boost your courage! Well, actually, it’s me who gained courage from you.”

Paula stuck out her tongue, blushing.

“Thank you. I’ll give it my all.” Hikaru felt genuinely emboldened.

Paula had been enduring tense days recently, from heading to the Quinbrand Empire to treat the infected and suddenly joining the expedition to the great pit.

Once this is over, we’re definitely going to take it easy, Hikaru decided. Just the three of us—me, Lavia, and Paula. It’s an absolute must.

Hikaru bolted. Behind him, Paula began chanting her next spell.

When Purification was cast, Ranna writhed in agony and slowed down. In that moment, everyone launched their attacks, gradually inflicting wounds all over Ranna’s body.

Gotta aim straight for the heart.

Despite Ranna’s massive size, Hikaru’s straight sword could reach the heart, the source of her power.

One strike is all I need!