Chapter 18: Calling
After confiscating Norman’s team’s weapons, Nith soaked his enemies to the bone in his Eclipse Venom, which siphoned off their strength and transferred all of it to Nith.
Just as he had told Roman, his current weakness was that he could become stronger over time but lost all his boons the moment his enemies died.
Another weakness was that Nith didn’t know how much strength he could store within himself. So far, he hadn’t sensed any limit, maybe because his body naturally produced poison instead of mana.
That said, he was sure he’d meet the first hurdle soon enough, which would compel him to increase his stats.
‘If I had mana and a status, I’d be able to calculate everything… but for now, I’m working only on my instincts,’ Nith thought, noticing that his black venom had started fading into thin air.
Once the dark mist entirely subsided, the corridor revealed six people lying on the ground, sprawled out.
Their chests barely moved as they did their best to inhale air, their natural instincts forcing them to cling to their lives.
Their equipment, which didn’t protect them against Nightshade, became even more detrimental to them, the weight burdening them as they gasped for air.
Nith stood over them, his hands in his pockets and back hunched.
Behind him, Kyouka analyzed the situation. She could see their status through the party, aware that their lives were in jeopardy. However, the scene before her brought the reality crashing down on her.
‘A legendary player to a fault,’ Kyouka thought as she gazed at Nith’s back, which brought her comfort despite the half-corpses around him struggling to breathe. ‘I’m a terrible human if I find comfort in this situation… but I’d rather have us survive than them.’
“How do you feel, Nith?” Kyouka asked, concerned about Nith’s mental state.
Nith looked at her over his shoulder. “Honestly?”
“Yes,” Kyouka nodded.
“Now that we’re safe and no one can threaten us, it does feel distasteful. I laughed along with them, shared stories, and learned about their worldview. Maybe we could have talked it over with them, right? But recalling their grinning faces, their principles of abandoning everyone but their friends, and how they instantly turned their backs on us, I don’t regret going all out on them,” Nith explained, strolling toward Norman.
Thanks to his increased strength, he easily lifted him by his face and threw him against the moss-covered dead end. Something invisible caught Norman, gluing him to the wall. It then began sucking away his vitality, much to Nith’s discontent.
“S…t…op… it… he…lp… me….” Norman muttered as the unknown force absorbed his life force and everything he had worked on to become a proficient adventurer.
His skin became saggy, his muscles tight and cramped, and his bones shattered from within. The entire process wasn’t fast or merciful, but rather the opposite—sadistic.
Nith stared at the man’s face. “That’s what you get for aiming at my birthday present.”
Suddenly, two arms wrapped around Nith’s neck, and something soft pressed against his back. A mixture of fragrance and sweat wafted over to his nose, a unique aroma in which Nith couldn’t find any fault. A little nose pressed against the back of his head. This combination felt too warm, filling him with warmth from both inside and out.
Under Kyouka’s embrace, Nith felt conflicted.
He didn’t only learn that killing others truly felt terrible and that one could lose themselves in killing intent, but also that he disliked relying on others.
He’d stayed behind archers and mages until the betrayal, using his poison from a long distance and keeping himself away from danger.
This didn’t suit him. Yet, he’d considered it crucial because he was no longer in a game world as a player but as a living being, a part of the world with a single, precious life.
He didn’t know what lay ahead or how much the world had changed… but the real thrill he felt was truly from going against the adventurers alone. When his poisons took over the battlefield, only then did he truly feel that adrenaline.
It felt awesome. It felt like he lived true to himself.
“This won’t stop here… I’ll keep moving forward, killing more people like them,” Nith whispered, aware that Kyouka wouldn’t like it.
“There was no other way this time,” Kyouka said, still clinging to Nith from behind. “You feeling terrible says enough about your humanity and heart. It made me so happy, you know? You reflected on your venom constitution and inquired about your plans with me. I clearly told you that you’d be an asshole if you got rid of the sanctuary blessing. You confessed to me that killing others feels terrible despite their ill intent… Now, I know that this humanity of yours has been keeping me safe, confident, and comfortable since we met, long before you awakened your skills.
“If my calling is meant to help everyone as a whole, I’ll achieve it by nurturing your humanity,” Kyouka added, her face beet red.
She squeezed him so much that he couldn’t turn around, let alone peek at her face. She would have broken his ribs if she had any strength-related title!
Nith clicked his tongue, “Your taste is so fucking horrible. Not gonna lie. You seriously need to get your eyes checked. Don’t shove your damn calling onto me, too.”
“Shut up, bastard!” Kyouka added as much strength as possible into her grip.
Nith cried out, “Silly bitch! I didn’t reject you!”
“A man is supposed to take the final step, not a woman!” Kyouka cried.
Out of frustration, she bit into Nith’s shoulder. “And it’s about time you’re honest with me, too!”
“I’m as honest as the day is long! I ain’t signing marriage papers, either!”
Meanwhile, the half-corpses and a single corpse fixed to the moss-covered dead end stared at the banter of a couple that couldn’t make the final step. Never did they think in their wildest dreams that their last moments would be spent witnessing a romcom between a legendary player and a brilliant alchemist.
What a way to die.
