"We will make this kingdom BOW BEFORE ME!"
"NO!" I screamed.
"Huh?" Roy's voice dripped with mockery. "What do you mean, no, little princess?"
"I won't go with you." I forced my body to rise."I won't follow your stupid dream."
My legs shook violently, yet the scythe in my hand felt immovable—solid, unwavering.
"I…"My eyes locked onto Roy."…WILL DEFEAT YOU RIGHT HERE!"
"AAAAHAHAHAHA! COME AT ME!""You INSOLENT LITTLE PRINCESS!"
--------------------------------------------------
Roy stepped back—and dissolved into smoke once more.I couldn't read his next move. Not even a hint.
"If that's truly your wish," his voice echoed from nowhere,"then I have no other choice…"
"I tried to save you.""But you rejected it…"
"How arrogant…"
"Shut up…"I forced myself upright.
"…I will not betray my parents… my country… my friends…"
"I know this nation is rotten," I said, driving the scythe into the ground to support my weight,"but it's still the place where I was born."
"Hooo…"That irritating voice slithered through the smoke again."So you're still that naïve?"
"Did Professor Alerian Alz never tell you the truth about this country?"
—DEGH!
What?!
"W–WHY DO YOU KNOW MY FATHER'S NAME?!"
Shock wiped the pain from my body in an instant.
"Hahahaha!" Roy laughed openly."That expression—absolutely priceless."
"Do you really think there's anyone in this kingdom who doesn't know the scientist who strengthened its military with his machines, hmm?"
Again—I froze.
The fact that Roy knew my father's classified work struck harder than any wound.
"How… do you know that?!" I shouted.
"Of course I know!""WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?!"
His voice stabbed into my ears.
"I AM THE MAN WHO WILL TAKE OVER THIS KINGDOM!""OF COURSE I KNOW EVERYTHING!"
"From public records…""…to truths buried so deep they were meant to rot."
"I KNOW IT ALL!"
"SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD!"
I didn't know what to do anymore.
Listening to him was eroding my sanity.Fighting him felt meaningless.
I…what was I supposed to do?
--------------------------------------------------
The smoke thickened again, swallowing everything.No sound. No scent. No color—only gray smoke and brown earth.
Huff…
I forced myself to breathe.
Ignored Roy's endless taunts.
The smoke…I tried pushing it away from my body—again and again—but it always returned.
Roy needed blood as payment for his power.Ten minutes ago, he cut his own hand—and the smoke grew denser instantly.
Does he have a weakness?
Every ability has one.
Then what… is his?
Nearly two hours had passed.My body was screaming in exhaustion.
CRATS!
"UGH!"
My arm was shredded again.The smoke thickened greedily.
…
Wait.
…
I get it now.
Roy's smoke doesn't require his own blood.
He can take it from anywhere.
By cutting me, the blood spilling from my wounds fuels his power.In other words—
I was paying the price for two abilities at once.
"…you sick bastard," I whispered.
Then I noticed something else.
Every wound he inflicted closed immediately.
A power perfectly designed for torture.
------------------------
GREK.
I tightened my grip on the scythe.
"…Hmm? What are you planning, Rinne?" Roy asked, amused.
Huff…
I steadied my breathing and focused on my right hand.
ZRUT!
The solid iron of the scythe began to melt.
"Hah? Have you finally lost your mind?"
No.
I haven't.
The molten metal flowed outward, filling every empty space around me.
Not yet…
Further.
Heat burned against my left eye again.But I didn't care.
Right now, I only had one goal—defeat him and escape.
Further…
"Hey—what's wrong with your precious metal?"
TING.
NOW.
ZRUK!
"Wha—?!"
The molten iron hardened instantly, forming countless thin needles, all pointing upward.
"With this…""no matter where you hide…""you'll be pierced."
The smoke thinned.
"Heh! Look at yourself, idiot!"
Roy was right.
I was an idiot.
A weapon meant to kill my enemywas tearing my own body apart.
The needles stabbed through me.
The smoke thinned further—and I saw Roy impaled as well.
"Heh… looks like I win," I sneered weakly.
"An area-wide attack," Roy scoffed,"even at the cost of your own body…""What kind of monster are you?"
"Relax," I replied."As long as we're inside your smoke, our wounds heal instantly—right?"
ZRUT!
"GHAAHH!"
"With this," I gasped, enduring the agony,"I can injure you as many times as I want."
"That applies to you too, you know!"
"Shut up… damn smoke freak."
"And you stop acting tough, rusted scrap!"
ZRUK!
"AAGH!"
I created more needles—everywhere.
"…Very well," Roy said coldly."I'll retreat—for now."
"Wha—"
"Don't ask questions.""I've been generous enough. Be grateful."
DUGH!
Roy shattered the iron needles with his blade.
"HEY—DON'T RUN—!"
"UNTIL NEXT TIME, IRON GIRL!""I WILL KILL YOU!"
The smoke thickened—
Then vanished.
--------------------------------------------------
BRUGH!
My body collapsed.
"RINNE!"
A girl's voice.
Ah… Iych.
GREB!
"AGH!"
"RINNE! ARE YOU OKAY?! WHAT ABOUT YOUR BODY?! ARE YOU HURT?! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY WOUNDS?! RIN—!"
She rambled while pulling me into a tight embrace.
"…Could you… move a little?"
"S–SORRY!"