Chapter 347: Between Life and Death (1) (1/2)

With two of my Supplementary Skills exhausted, we wouldn't be able to have another chance where Rowena would only be standing still.

It's only a few minutes ever since they arrived and the situation has already devolved to this extent.

Up above, the map had only started showing some of the blue dots leaving the blue core to come and reinforce us. From their current location, I estimated that it would take them at least 5 minutes to reach us.

The scout that was stationary behind the enemies was still there while the other scouts also spread out to make sure that no reds would be able to come and reinforce these three.

Not that they needed reinforcements but if they were keen to win, they would either be coming in to help these three eliminate us or they would take everyone else and go straight to our core.

Either of the two would lead to our immediate death… If that's the case, are we already doomed because of these Gobos denizens?

No… It shouldn't end like this. And there's no point using my overthinking trait like this.

Where's the point of thinking about a negative outcome? None. Instead of that, I better use it to think of a solution to end this higher world denizen.

Drip…

Step…

Drip…

While I was lost in my thoughts, Rowena, after exhaling and coughing out a mouthful of blood, moved from her spot. At every step she made, the blood that was flowing out of the wounds Irja made dripped down the ground, making a trail behind her.

From the direction she was walking in, she's more concerned about Irja. Perhaps it was because my attacks hadn't really hurt her. Even that Sword Skill and Energy Explosions I left behind only gave her a slight injury. But Irja's desperate attacks left her in that state. If she hadn't mustered her energy and caused that explosion, she'd be lying down on the ground, breathless.

Without the former grace from when she was still unscathed, I could feel that the pressure from her gap in UPL between us somewhat lessened.

That's right.

It's not like what we did was useless. We damaged her to this extent!

That burst of energy from before was a desperate move from her to prevent a more serious injury.

Then we just have to conti—

…

The words suddenly got stuck in my throat.

From where I was, Irja who was just crouching after landing away from Rowena suddenly closed her eyes as her body powerlessly fell down. On her side, bloodstain that wasn't there before started to expand and as it seeped on her clothes. It's as if a hole opened beneath it.

Irja… She got hit by that energy explosion…

And pretty bad that I have no idea if she will survive that or not. I'm far away from her to check it and with Rowena between us, I cannot go to her side.

A few seconds later, the surviving Lesser Spirit beside her agonizingly chirped before it disappeared and transformed into a wisp of Dark Energy.

While my eyes were focused on Irja, the bloodied Rowena who also saw it stopped for a while. She stared at Irja's body as her clothes failed to stop her blood from spilling on the ground.

After a while, she turned around with an elated smile on her lips. Perhaps if not for her bloody appearance, it would be an enchanting view.

However, right now, it was just as terrifying or as creepy as it could get.

”… Now then. It's your turn.”

As soon as the last word left her mouth, Rowena's figure disappeared from where she was standing.

Like the first time, I sensed where she would be appearing.

And although this might sound cold or cruel, the thought of Irja instantly left my mind as my focus switched to the impending danger as I immediately dodged to the side.

I could say that it was because of my Adaptability and blame it. However, there's really nothing I could do at this moment other than to keep myself from dying.

Everything will have to come after that. I might be like a paranoid who kept on thinking about my Companions' well-being, however, that's not the case for other people.

It's a flawed mindset that those girls tried to change by saying they're strong enough that me worrying about them might become a weakness. But until now, I stood still on that thought. Perhaps, I could even sacrifice myself for them but not for other people.

Irja's status was currently unknown and for now, I could only hope for her to survive.

Forget saving her. I have to prioritize and save myself first from someone with an almost 200 UPL gap on me.

With her possibly being from another Physique-type World, Rowena's Strength stat is surely higher than the rest of her stats.

When her form reappeared behind my previous position, the two Pillar Guardians I summoned immediately went in front of me to take a hit.

They're not like my clones. They're just a manifestation of my Pillars. They have their own abilities but against someone like Rowena, I can only use them to shield me.

While they moved forward to take that hit, I took out something from my necklace.