MDBC 10

Chapter 10

I could feel the heat of living flesh surging violently. That burning presence rushing straight toward me.

My own vitality had already faded, but not everything had disappeared.

A sword was still in my hand.

I thrust the blade toward the ear-splitting scream.

—Squelch!

Hot blood burst into the air. The sensation of thick, massive wings being severed transmitted through my hand.

The crystal bat thrashed on the ground, screaming in agony. I shouted toward Cezare.

“Cezare, this way!”

With this much blood in the air, he should be able to sense it. And just moments later, his voice came closer.

—Crunch!

The sound of flesh and bone breaking. Blood splattered in all directions as the crystal bat convulsed.

While Cezare dealt with it, I turned toward the entrance.

—Boom!

I channeled what little mana I had left into my sword and swung. Part of the collapsed rock was shattered by the sword’s force.

A sharp pain stabbed at my heart. As expected… it was too much in a 1st awakening state.

Still, it was enough to open a passage where light could enter. As brightness spilled in, I saw the crystal bats pierced and dead on the ground.

Only blue blood remained everywhere. Cezare looked unharmed. He shook his spear clean.

“Whew… I barely blocked them with my spear. I thought it was going to break. How did you kill them?”

“You held them back well. That was enough.”

“I didn’t really do anything… I just cleaned up at the end.”

Cezare scratched his head awkwardly and looked toward the nest. The workers’ faces brightened as light returned.

“We, we’re alive! We’re going to live!”

“Hurry, get out!”

They began crawling out of the nest. I shouted urgently.

“Stop! The floor is—!”

But the workers rushed out and stepped onto the ground.

Cracks immediately began spreading across the floor.

Crystal bats build nests near mica that easily shatters under shock. The moment enemies enter the nest, the floor collapses like a trap.

Before I could stop them, the ground gave way. A dark abyss opened its maw.

“Aaaagh!”

The workers clung desperately to the edge. The head of the orphanage also held on at the edge, but it was hopeless.

The distance was too far. I ran toward him in panic—but then he lost his grip.

With a scream, he began falling. I couldn’t reach him.

Then a spear shot past my side.

It plunged into the darkness, and Cezare appeared where it landed. With one hand he grabbed the spear, and with the other, the man.

“I’ve got him!”

He must have been squeezing out the last of his mana. All that was left was to return.

But then—

—Crack!

The spear shattered into pieces. It had already been used beyond its limit.

I remembered what he said earlier—that it could withstand two bursts of his mana. That must have been it.

Cezare looked startled, then threw the orphanage head toward me. I caught him and dropped him onto the ground.

He was alive. But Cezare…

Our eyes met for a moment. He smiled without hesitation.

Then he fell into the darkness.

I quickly looked around. Nothing nearby could carry his mana back. No living creature, no object.

There was no way to bring him back.

My disciple had chosen death—and smiled while doing so. You foolish child. Did you think I would smile just because you did?

I clenched my fist so tightly it felt like it would break. Then I noticed the blood on my hand. It hadn’t dried yet.

It was Cezare’s blood from earlier, when I treated him.

My hands trembled. I quickly absorbed his mana from the blood.

“Cezare! Come to me! Now!”

But no matter how many times I shouted, he did not return.

“Cezare, come back!”

No impact sounds yet. As I moved toward the edge of the hole—

Pain suddenly exploded through my body as if it were being torn apart. Blood filled my mouth, and light flashed above me.

It was Cezare.

—Thud!

He fell directly onto me, and I caught him with my whole body. He groaned.

“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

He was alive. Breathing. My disciple had returned.

All strength left my body. Whether from mana backlash or relief, I couldn’t tell. Cezare gasped for breath.

“Man… I almost died. Master, are you okay? The mana… urk!”

I struck his forehead.

“Master, that hurts! I’m already dumb—you’re making me dumber!”

I hit him a few more times.

Drinking, swearing, acting like a fool—those were tolerable.

But not this.

Not throwing away his life.

“Why were you trying to die?”

“I didn’t think the spear would break!”

“Then you should’ve told me to absorb your mana!”

Cezare blinked and looked away.

“I mean… I thought it would hurt you… and I heard water below too.”

“Water?”

“Sounded like a river… strong current—agh!”

I hit him again.

I scolded him relentlessly as he tried to defend himself.

“So what? You judged depth from water sounds? You risked your life on that?”

If the water below hadn’t been deep enough, he would have died instantly.

Eventually he muttered:

“Well… I survived, didn’t I?”

“You little—”

I kept hitting him until he stopped talking.

Cezare held his head and sulked.

“Master… saving Xenia was my responsibility… so I tried to take responsibility…”

“That is not responsibility. You don’t do that again.”

He hesitated, then nodded. Not sure if he truly understood.

Then he suddenly pulled something out.

“Right, I grabbed this while falling. It was stuck in the wall. What is it?”

A deep indigo crystal glowed in his hand. Strong mana radiated from it.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this. Spirit mana crystal… it takes hundreds of years to form.”

“What is it?”

“A crystal that cannot be destroyed by mana. It also resists most physical damage.”

A rare, expensive magical material. Enchanters would go crazy over it.

Cezare stared at it, then infused it with his mana and handed it to me.

“Then you keep it, Master. So I can always come back.”

I silently looked at him, then nodded and accepted it.

After dealing with the orphanage head, I asked:

“Do you remember Xenia?”

“Xenia? What… was she one of the orphans?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, greed flashed in the man’s eyes.

“She was taken to a place called Whiteston.”

Whiteston—a rural town some distance away.

As I left the cave, I spoke to Cezare.

“Cezare.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t die. Don’t take risks or go on reckless adventures.”

He stopped walking.

“Master… I’m a mercenary. My life was cheap. I threw it away for money.”

“….”

“But if I can die for Xenia, then it’s worth more than anything.”

“You think you’re worthless?”

“Yeah. I’m not a good guy. My hands shake, and I can’t even handle alcohol.”

He smiled faintly.

“Guilds would kick me out.”

“But we’re not a guild.”

“Then what are we?”

“What we want is you. Cezare. No matter who you are.”

Cezare fell silent. His hand trembled slightly.

“You’ll be disappointed in me.”

“I can’t promise I won’t be. But you are still precious to me.”

After a long silence, he laughed softly.

“…You used to say things like this when I was a kid.”

He smiled toward me, his hand still trembling.

“I forgot. It’s been too long since I heard it.”