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Chapter 60 Part 1 – The Descent of the God of Combat

「…… Nuahahaha ……!! Serves you right. The red-haired princess will die. And it’s all your fault, maid girl.」

Addis the Faceless sneered as Bradd held him to the ground.

「You ……!!」

「That’s a good expression. I wanted to see that tearful face.」

Blood bubbles were gushing from the gap between the mask and his face, but he didn’t care.
He was so absorbed in watching Bradd’s agony and anguish that he forgot about his own pain.
What a twisted guy ……!!

…… Hey, this is no time for me to do a calm analysis!!
I’m currently dying from Addis’s mysterious attack!!

There was a whooshing sound, then a whip-like thing left my chest.
That thing was extended from around the waist of the fallen Addis …… and was covered with fur …… and moved in a flailing motion …… No way!? Could this be an animal tail!?

「You see, this tail. When I am in a life-threatening crisis, it tries to eliminate the enemy. Regardless of my will. Usually, it tries to keep itself out of sight and erase its presence. You guys also have a tailbone right. That tailbone is a remnant of a tail. In other words, my body is like those of the ancestors.」

I realized that the sense of discomfort I had felt earlier was correct.
That was why the six-armed Addis, with its unbalanced center of gravity, was able to maintain a stable aerial combat style.
An animal’s tail has an amazing ability to keep the body in balance.
I should have realized this earlier!!

「Nuahahaha!! This is not a hidden card, but a hidden tail!! Even the maid kid couldn’t sense it right? Puhiii!! Your lack of cautiousness has driven the princess into a corner. It’s all your fault!」

Bradd trembled. The light in his eyes wavered.

You idiot!! Why are you stopping your fist!!
You are straddling a dying Addis!!
This is a hard-won opportunity to defeat him!!
Hurry up and strike with your fists!!
Smash that irritating masked bastard’s face!!
Even if the tail attacks you automatically, now that it has shown itself, you’d be able to dodge it, won’t you!?

I tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Seeing Bradd’s condition, Addis sees that there is a response and tries to continue the conversation further.

「Oh, what’s wrong, maid girl? Your hands can’t move? Come on, leave the suffering princess all by herself and finish me off. It’s a thrill to beat up a weak man, isn’t it? Just like what I did to the princess. That’s the true nature of humans. You got so caught up in the violence that you neglected to take care of the princess’s safety. Am I wrong? Nuahahahaha!! You’re just like me!!」

「I …… I never meant to do that ……!!」

Addis mercilessly gouged out Bradd’s heart as he looked like he was about to cry.

「Why haven’t you taken off that hypocritical mask of yours? You’re spoiling the mood. In that case, let’s do a quiz. Take a good look at the princess. If you answer it quickly, you won’t be able to help her, you know? Now then, what is the cause of the princess’s suffering? What is it? What is it?」

Addis’s throat was crushed, so his voice was muffled and mixed with blood phlegm.
It was obvious why Addis was even bothering to talk to Bradd when even swallowing his own saliva should be painful.

It was in order to create a chink in Bradd’s armor and to buy time for his recovery.

And he even used me as a hostage!! How cowardly!!

If Addis had made fun and ridiculed Bradd himself in order to agitate him, Bradd would have turned a deaf ear and finished him off.
But with me being used as a shield, Bradd was completely frozen.
Moreover, the cunning Addis stirred him up and made Bradd feel guilty that it was all his fault that I’m suffering.

The current Bradd is strong. Even if he is still a young boy, now that he has mastered the 「Blood Atonement」, he will even be able to contend with the adult Bradd in the previous 「108 times」. However, this Bradd is not so ruthless. That gentleness brought out more strength than he was capable of during the battle against Gallam, but it completely backfired this time.

Bradd!! Don’t mind me and quickly finish Addis off!!
Don’t listen to him!! There is no way that what he says is true!!

I tried to scream again from the ground, but I couldn’t speak as if I was having trouble breathing.
My limbs went numb and I gradually lost my strength ……!!

I remember this pain.
It is the same feeling I experienced in my final moments of the previous 「108 times」.
At the hands of the adult Bradd.
This is …… the ‘heart-stopping technique’!!
At the same time, Bradd came to the same conclusion as I did.

「…… You bastard, how rotten can you be ……!!」

「…… Nuahahaha!! That’s right!! It seems like you’ve finally realized it!! The princess will be killed by your specialty technique, the ‘heart-stopping technique’. Ahh, how exhilarating!! My tail is truly skillful. It was born capable of using the ‘heart-stopping technique’. There’s not much time left until the princess’s life is over!!」

Bradd didn’t even listen to the rest of his words.
Even though it was a hard-won opportunity to finally be able to sit astride Addis, he immediately got up.
He turned around, rushed over to my side as I writhed on the ground, and held me in his arms.

「…… Don’t worry. Scarlet, I’ll heal you right away. If it’s about the ‘heart-stopping technique’, I’m the expert.」

I can feel the warmth from Bradd’s hand on my back.

Ahh, I feel a little better. But I know. The pain in my chest is still there.
I’m sorry Bradd, but I don’t think I’m going to make it.
So, you have to defeat Addis!! You can’t let that demon loiter around.
Don’t worry about me anymore.

「Nuahahahahaha!! You can’t do anything!! As you have mastered the ‘heart-stopping technique’, you must know very well that this one-hit-kill technique is not such a simple thing.」

Addis cackled.
Putting up a pretense by agitating Bradd, he is slyly trying to recover.
At this rate, he would be able to stand up again ……!!

「…… Shut up!! Shut up!!」

Bradd yelled at Addis without even turning around.
He’s concentrating so hard on trying to help me that sweat is dripping from his chin.

Stop it!! Bradd!!
If Addis recovers, I will not be the only one killed, you will be killed as well!!

「Scarlet!?」

「Scarlet-san!!」

I heard my mother’s screams and Seraphy’s shouts.

They were both so worried about me that they somehow managed to come all the way over here while fighting against that powerful enemy, Phantasma. Ahh, there are so many people who would risk their lives for me. Bradd, too. They all haven’t given up on helping me yet.

If that’s the case, how can I give up!!

I mustered what little energy I had left.
I must reflect on this. My bad habit was showing itself again.

Having been killed or nearly killed so many times in the previous 「108 times」, I had become accustomed to death. Of course I am afraid of dying, but deep down inside I have a feeling of resignation. A feeling that it can’t be helped.

But now I have to struggle. It’s different from my final moments when I was a queen, when everyone I loved had died and I was left all alone. I still have many things I want to protect ……!!

I prayed desperately to the 「Ruby of God’s Eye」.

Please!! If you recognize me as the owner of this ruby!!　
Please help me!!
At this rate, everyone will be killed in order to save me!!

Even though the spirits of the Light Bat Tribe are sealed away, this ruby has a mysterious power.

That’s right!! It’s 「him」!!　

「He」, who acted as a bridge to break the curse of the Light Bat Tribe during the battle against the demon dog Gallam, may also be inside the ruby!! It was a brief encounter, but I felt an unfathomable strength coming from 「him」.

Aahhh!! But I don’t know 「his」 name!!
How can I call out to him!!
P-Please!! Master Ruby!! Master Nameless Person!!
Cute Scarlet-chan is in big trouble!!
Please save us!!
Please give your heartwarming support for the Scarlet Rescue Mission!