[Lycrane's POV]
A round ball of condensed light floated in a sea of endless darkness.
Around it were small, noticeable three-dimensional symbols, radiating an ominous aura.
But suddenly—there was a ripple.
The ball of condensed light began to pulsate, as if it were overflowing with the contents inside.
Small, indistinct cracks spread across its surface.
At that instant, a bright, iridescent liquid began to cascade down, seeping through the cracks like bolts of lightning.
…
As she carefully broke a portion of the seal to release fragments of her sealed powers, Lycrane recited a familiar incantation she once used to tap into the first aspect of her sorcery:
"You who have life, who can walk, talk, or move—there is an ending. It is unavoidable, an inevitability, a fate bestowed upon all. Accept it, and reach for the warm embrace of God, so that you might find peace after your end."
Casting a scornful gaze at her target, she summoned a massive human skull, its form pierced by a strange wooden cross. It loomed behind her, shrouded in dense shadows, its edges flickering in and out of visibility, distorting the very air around it.
With a sudden flick of her wrists, she commanded the skull to surge forward.
The skull obeyed.
Lurching forward, it consumed the writhing snakes that filled the narrow tunnel. One by one, the snakes surrendered to their fate, offering no resistance to the colossal skull whose eyes blazed with endless darkness. Neither the tentacles nor the roots resisted. It was as if the monster itself had resigned to its fate, embracing death's cold grip.
At last, after vanquishing all the snakes, the skull fixed its gaze upon the headless infant—swirling darkness filled its eye sockets.
What happened afterwards was truly beyond imagination. One couldn't possibly fathom what had just taken place.
Therefore, the conditions were met. The monster had been slain in a way utterly beyond Obyron's wildest imagination.
Thus, the term 'Unkillable' no longer meant anything, for the creature was already dead.
Lycrane had killed an unkillable monster.
[Obyron's POV]
As my thoughts drifted, I realised something strange.
There was nothing but darkness in my vision.
It felt as though I had plunged into a lightless sea.
'What's happening?' was my initial thought, as I desperately racked my brain for answers.
Slowly, fragments of memory pieced themselves back together.
That's when it finally hit me.
'Shit…'
I, Obyron, had died. A pathetic ending brought on by blood loss—nothing more, nothing less.
So this is how it ends, hah… a meaningless death in some forgotten corner of the world. And the only one who witnessed it was a cold-hearted beauty who dragged me into this mess.
I really wanted a better ending to my story, though.
But, I guess I have to accept it anyway.
I was dead. And that was the truth.
But one question remained:
'Where am I?'
Honestly, I wasn't sure what this bizarre state was.
Was this what happened after death? Or was it just some distorted dream of a dying mind?
'Would I remain like this forever? In this endless darkness… alone…'
Or at least, that's what I thought.
Because the moment I surrendered to that truth, my body suddenly stirred, and a warm sensation spread through me.
With a jolt, I opened my eyes.
...
"How?" or "Why?" might have been my first coherent words after nearly dying and coming back to life.
Yet, what slipped from my lips was:
"What are you doing?"
I looked at Lycrane, who had me firmly wrapped in her embrace, her long slender limbs coiling around me as we lay on the rocky ground. Though the exact reason why we were in this situation was a mystery to me.
"..."
She looked up. Her striking midnight-blue eyes locked onto my dull amber-grey ones, warm breath brushing against my lips. My gaze became trapped in those fathomless eyes that studied me with an intensity I couldn't escape.
'How could someone possess such beautiful eyes?' That question was beyond me.
"What happened to the B-Rank monster? Did you kill it?"
I asked the question despite knowing the answer. The sight of rocky debris scattered around and the gaping holes in the walls confirmed what had transpired. The monster was gone, completely vanished.
'How powerful is she? An SSS-Rank is no joke...' I thought to myself, somehow forgetting the fact that she was still hugging me.
Her long lashes trembled softly as she blinked and spoke in a flat tone:
"Oh, you're awake. Wait a moment…"
Then, she leaned in closer, pressing her soft, warm cheek against mine.
"Wha-?"
I couldn't help but flinch at the unexpected touch.
'What's going on? What is she doing? Is she losing her mind? No, wait, could it be that she's in love with me? Is that why she brought me here, to this hidden cave, for some dark and twisted purpose?! How scary!!'
I screamed silently inside my head. What's so special about me? I'm not particularly good-looking. Maybe it's my personality? But I hardly know her at all.
'What the heck is the situation?!'
As she slowly relaxed her grip and pulled away, I asked, acting unperturbed, all while struggling to keep my swirling thoughts in check.
"What was that about?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she sat upright on the stone floor, watching me in silence.
A long awkward silence fell between us.
Even under the dim light of the narrow tunnel, her beauty was unmistakable. I was entranced by her alluring red lips, pale snow-like skin, those dreamlike eyes, and her elegant jaw—
—that suddenly burst, blood spilling as strands of flesh scattered across the ground.
Then her left leg began to bleed, and when I focused, I realised a chunk of her flesh had been torn away.