Chapter 140 Grab The Distant Constellation With Your Hands
"Zuuooaa!!!"
Making noise is important. Throwing, hitting, holding, running. Yelling while moving changes how well you perform. Even I know this famous science. So I yelled.
(Ruthlesssss!!!)
My heart yelled too. It felt like I was about to cry out loud. Just a few steps into the barrier, and the drain was already crazy bad.
(Okay, okay, heart full speed go)
──THUMP!
My voice was the opposite of calm, but Ruthless did her job. Like a chainsaw starting up, my heart raced with a loud thump. Even though my mouth wasn't hurt, I could taste blood.
But thanks to that, my legs weren't dead. It felt a bit awkward to run, but I was definitely moving forward. I passed the entrance bookshelf, went under the middle floor, and could clearly see the altar ahead.
Behind the altar, there was probably a huge stained glass window. Maybe because of some shock, the part right behind the altar was shattered, and pieces were scattered all around it.
"Yo, look who's causing havoc in the damn library! Scale freak, did ya forget how to keep your hands off books?!"
[────]
Maybe because I had struggled so much, I couldn't help but blurt that out, but there was no reply. The source of the trouble, Libra:RE, just emitted a creepy green light.
"Tch... what was that..."
However, when I got within 5 meters of the altar, something strange happened. I heard ringing in my ears, got a headache, and felt dizzy. It felt like the early symptoms of a cold, all hitting me at once.
But this was nothing I couldn't handle. It was just a minor annoyance I could push through.
(Well, this Ruru (Ruthless) pollution doesn't affect you, Master. If you get groggy from something like this scale, it would lower my status, right?)
(What the f*ck are you rambling on about now? You sound like it's a good thing.)
(Insensitive Master, don't mind me~)
(...?)
Ruthless's surprisingly cheerful tone aside, maybe what I just felt was the 'second level of mental pollution' that Quollio mentioned. If that's the case, it's a bit of a letdown.
So, Quollio, were you trying to scare me with a tall tale? I know that's not really your style, but maybe you were just being a bit cheeky.
Anyway, it's fine. As long as it doesn't get in my way, I'll just step right in and get closer to the altar.
[────]
"!!"
Suddenly, 4 colored orbs appeared around the balance scale.
Seeing this strange change made me cautious, and the 4 colored orbs each transformed.
Red turned into flame.
Blue became ice water.
Yellow changed into rock.
Green morphed into a wind blade.
And just like that, it's not over...
[──gnome]
"Whoa!?"
Just as I thought, I heard some noise, and the yellow rock shot towards me like a bullet. I was on guard, so I managed to dodge it with Ruthless, but I could see the next attack coming right after.
[──Undine]
"Whoa!"
Next up was the blue ice water. Unlike the rock, the ice water curved and came at me from the side. Its tricky path was like a snake, and while I managed to dodge it, I lost my balance.
[──sylph]
"Ugh, gah!"
Then came the green wind blade. It flew straight at me again, but being wind, it was super fast. By the time I noticed, it was right in front of me. I tried to guard with Ruthless, but the impact knocked me off my feet.
[──Ifrit]
"...!"
(This is bad)
So, the red one is the real threat. The swirling flame was like sharp claws, ready to tear into me.
This is bad, I won't make it in time. The red claws were closing in. My bangs sizzled with a sound. I instinctively tried to shield my book with my back, but in that moment,
I heard a familiar voice in my ear.
"Not gonna let you do this!!"
"Here we goooo!!"
The words reached me, and the owner of the voice rushed past me.
The fiery claws that were about to touch me were wiped away by a combo of blade and iron ball.
"Shura, Sham! Why ya both here?!"
"We heard you were being reckless all alone!"
"How the hell did you make it here? And that damn barrier?"
"I managed to dash through at full speed. But, this is tough. I might not be able to stand anymore..."
I can't believe Shura and Sham rushed to help me in my pinch. Dashing through that barrier, I gotta say, that's some serious muscle-headedness. Their determination is impressive. Thanks to them, I'm saved.
But unlike me, with my heart racing, the two of them are getting drained by the Magi. Just look at the crazy amount of sweat and their pale blue faces. It's clear that Shura and Sham are already close to their limits.
"──, u, a... beast... a, Aa... ."
"Y, ah, ah... Uwaaaah!!!"
"!?"
(What's going on? Suddenly, the two of them...)
But before they hit their limits, something strange happened.
It was like the little bit of strength they had left was completely wiped out, and they both collapsed with a loud scream. I panicked at the sudden change in my friends, but I had a feeling I knew what was causing it.
"No way, what is this? Scary, scary, scary, ah, uaaah──, ..."
"Beast, beast... I'll... kill you!"
"Damn, so this is what they call mental corruption...!"
(Ah man. Weak minds are like this.)
The second barrier that Quollio warned us about hit the two of them hard. It was like a string snapped, and Sham lost consciousness, which is better than what happened to Shura. Even while crawling, Shura's eyes were filled with rage.
Despite the heavy burden and corruption, she was burning with an extraordinary passion, glaring at the balance.
"...Again, you're trying to take something from me...!"
[!──Yu──L──?]
It's been a while since I've seen Shura's true self. The grudge of the Ash Valkyrie hunting beasts seems to be trying to break through the Star Crown Beast's barrier.
Sparks crackled around Shura.
Ash-colored embers danced in the air. The burning air created a red trail swirling around her. That scene reminded me of the end at the old orphanage.
(...!)
A red light that seemed to swallow everything, appeared. If something like that activates here, everything would burn away. I can't let her carry that kind of sin.
"────Shura."
"!"
I'm kneeling in front of Shura, trying not to let the scales show in her view. I gently place my hand on her head.
"Why are you stopping me... you're getting in my way..."
"Stupid bastard! Thinkin' you can steal my shine like that? No way, Ash Valkyrie!"
Shura's breakdown at that orphanage was like a child throwing a tantrum. That's probably why my voice turned soft, like I was talking to a little kid.
"...But the beast... the beast took everything from me..."
"Ya ain't givin' nothin' to it, ya hear?"
But this is okay.
It's a hero's job to calm a heart that's swallowed by fear.
──Masked Hero... here I am!
Hey there, kid. Now that I'm here, you can relax! ──
"Trust me."
"......uh, mmm."
A gentle pat on the head made her fiery eyes close. The swirling madness quietly faded away. Maybe she reached her limit, or maybe she was trusting me.
If it's the latter, then I feel a bit proud.
(Tch. I thought the next fireworks would be more flashy.)
(F*ck it, keep your dumb ass in check.)
(Muu.)
I soothe my grumpy partner and turn to face forward with Shura asleep on my back. Even though unexpected trouble popped up, my goal hasn't changed.
A hero's path is always straight ahead.
"Listen up, scale boy. You been waitin' on me? Thought I was gonna have to do this alone."
[──Y──Li──]
"......Huh?"
(...Hmm? Did he get a bit quieter?)
Normally, it wouldn't be strange for a 4-colored ball to come flying in during our chat. But the scales didn't do anything, so it's not like they suddenly got the hint.
Yet, even now, facing each other again, Libra:RE wasn't floating that 4-colored ball. It just kept making strange noises and flickering its green body line.
(...)
However, the barrier's pressure hasn't stopped. This means the Aegir Library is still in danger.
Nothing has changed about what needs to be done. In fact, this is a perfect chance. I can't let it slip away.
I shook off the small feeling of unease and quickly closed the distance to the altar, and then.
"...Time to hand over what you owe."
[────]
After a journey that felt both long and short, I finally reached the balance.
* * *
When Quollio saw that scene, he fell to his knees in despair.
"How could this happen..."
In the distance, on the altar. The plate of Libra:RE.
Hiiro had taken the book he entrusted to him and, after much hardship, managed to deliver it. So he had no fault in this. That reckless friend did his best.
"...My mistake."
The balance, receiving Snorri's Edda collection, wobbled.
It swayed, swayed, and then stopped──just barely off balance. It was just a little bit too light.
Quollio hadn't guaranteed anything. It wasn't certain it would balance. That was obvious. He hadn't measured the weight directly beforehand. Finding a book of nearly the same weight among the thousands in Aegir Library was already an achievement.
"..."
But that didn't comfort him at all. Quollio's knees buckled under his own disappointment. Hiiro was probably at his limit too. Soon he would be kicked aside by the Star Crown Beast.
That image filled his mind, and overwhelmed with guilt, Quollio could only glare at the floor.
So, he was the only one who noticed too late.
────Wait, the balance... stopped?
"...Huh?"
When he looked up at someone's stunned whisper.
In the distance, on the altar. The two plates of Libra:RE were perfectly level.
It was balanced. How could this be? Wasn't it too light? Many question marks floated in his mind.
But when he saw with his own eyes 'Hiiro bleeding from his arm' and 'the plate of the balance stained red,' the answer was clear.
"Could it be... he adjusted it with his own blood?"
Hiiro's bloodied arm was holding a piece of broken stained glass. He must have cut his palm deeply. The endless fresh blood flowed from his fingertips, spreading across the altar floor.
In other words, he compensated for the missing weight by offering his own blood.
"Ha, haha... what a truly reckless guy."
Collapsing down, Quollio muttered under his breath.
It was too far away for anyone to hear.
"Ya heard me, man? I got that?"
But as if he heard it, Hiiro grinned, twisting his face.
He raised his blood-stained arm to the sky.
"Listen up, this is Hiiro's stage! Crazy and reckless!"
It was a red victory cry.
A battered, blood-soaked villain's look. Far from the hero of a fairy tale.
But his back stood straight, grabbing hold of the star of victory.
A deafening cheer echoed through Aegir Library.
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