Carlisle suppressed the agonizing pain swirling in his head, his gaze fixed on the silver-haired woman before him.
Silver hair... purple eyes... His mind was muddled by the pain, but instinct screamed warnings.
This isn't Emilia.
Lady Emilia had long since fled to the capital for refuge; moreover, that half-elf girl could never exude such intense malice and oppressive presence. The aura was like a materialized curse, making one feel suffocated just standing before her.
The Witch of Envy?
The moment this thought surfaced, a tearing pain shot through his temples again.
Impossible... She was sealed four hundred years ago... But after eliminating all impossible options, no matter how absurd the remaining answer, it could only be the truth.
Amidst the sharp pain, fragmented images suddenly flashed before his eyes, under the setting sun, Subaru, her face streaked with tears, clutched his lapels tightly. Her voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Please... don't go... don't go back..."
"That's right! I can... we can leave the capital right now, go to Kararagi, go anywhere..."
When was that memory from?!
Carlisle was certain he had never experienced such a scene, yet the emotions in the image were so real it made his heart tremble. Subaru's despair, her pleading, and something he couldn't comprehend... fear.
When exactly was this from...? The headache intensified abruptly, like blades stirring in his brain. He gritted his teeth, forcing his thoughts back to reality.
Now isn't the time to think about this...!
Subaru... Is she still alive?
His gaze refocused. The Witch of Envy's shadow, like a living entity, was coiling around Subaru's body. Dark tendrils slowly covered her arms and neck. Subaru floated in the air, her eyes still closed, completely unaware of the impending danger.
"Let her go!!"
Carlisle snatched the longsword from the ground. The Knight's Sword, having lost the power of the Flame Sword, was now just an ordinary longsword.
The sword's tip pointed directly at the Witch of Envy, and a resolute flame burned in Carlisle's blue eyes.
What exactly does she want to do to Subaru?! Fear and rage exploded in his chest. He couldn't spare a thought for the Witch's purpose, nor for his own body, which was already at its limit.
Only one thought was crystal clear.
He must take her back.
The Witch of Envy watched Carlisle silently, her purple pupils reflecting his struggling form. Her expression remained indifferent.
The shadows on the ground surged wildly, forming several gigantic black hands, their five fingers spread wide, descending like a canopy to engulf Carlisle!
Carlisle gritted his teeth, forcibly mobilizing the remaining magic in his body.
The longsword in his hand suddenly burst forth with dazzling white light. The magic on the blade, like a burning star, tried to dispel the approaching darkness. However, the fatigue of his body washed over him like a tide, and the light flickered on and off.
Is his body... at its limit...?
His consciousness blurred from overexertion, and water magic subtly nourished his nearly depleted body.
Although his memories before losing consciousness were fragmented, Carlisle knew his body was already on the verge of collapse.
He swung his sword fiercely, the white light cutting through the air, severing the giant shadow hands that attacked him!
"Swish!"
The black shadow was split in two, but Carlisle could feel his movements becoming sluggish. His muscles felt like lead, each swing of the sword heavier than the last.
At this rate... he won't last long!
Carlisle took a deep breath and suddenly changed his attack!
He took a step back, sweeping his sword horizontally. A sharp sword aura roared out, temporarily forcing back the approaching shadows.
Immediately after, he raised his left hand.
"Al minya !"
In an instant, countless amethyst arrows condensed out of thin air, hovering in the sky, their tips gleaming with cold light.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!"
A rain of arrows poured down, piercing the attacking shadows like a downpour! Each arrow accurately struck the shadow's core, temporarily freezing it.
Taking advantage of the amethyst arrows' distraction of the shadows, Carlisle's longsword began to charge.
White light continuously gathered on the sword, its brightness gradually increasing, like a star about to explode.
However
The Witch of Envy's gaze subtly chilled.
She gently raised her hand, and the shadows on the ground suddenly surged, opening like a giant abyss mouth, and began to devour the attacking amethyst arrows.
This is bad!
Carlisle realized something was wrong. The shadows were devouring magic much faster than expected, and the amethyst arrows' distracting effect was rapidly weakening!
Without hesitation, Carlisle instantly abandoned his charge.
He gripped the sword with both hands, and white light poured down like a waterfall, slashing fiercely into the darkness ahead!
"Boom!!!"
Blinding light erupted, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield!
The Witch of Envy narrowed her eyes slightly, raising her hand to block her face. The shadows retreated like a tide, temporarily forced back beyond the light.
And in the center of the light—Subaru's figure slowly emerged.
"Subaru...!"
Carlisle's voice was hoarse and urgent. Dragging his exhausted body, he rushed towards Subaru without hesitation, taking advantage of the shadows' temporary retreat. His feet burst with his last bit of magic, and his body, like an arrow released from a bow, bypassed the Witch of Envy, heading straight for the floating figure.
He must get her to safety!
His left hand quickly condensed a flying spell. Pale purple magic flowed in his palm, forming a stable levitation array.
Just as he helped Subaru up
"Mmm..."
Subaru's eyelashes fluttered gently, and she slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Carlisle's face.
Although his brows were furrowed, his blue eyes filled with anxiety and fatigue, and there was even a trace of dried blood at the corner of his mouth, for Subaru...
This face was her most reassuring presence.
"Carlisle..."
Her voice was weak but gentle. She instinctively reached out, wanting to touch his cheek.
Thank goodness... you're alive.
The light completely dissipated.
The Witch of Envy slowly lowered her shielding arm, her purple pupils reflecting the scene before her—Subaru nestled in Carlisle's embrace, a happy smile on her face.
"Look... at me..."
The Witch's voice suddenly distorted, like the whispers of thousands of people overlapping.
"Look at me, you hear me...!!"
Her shadow instantly erupted! Black tentacles shot out like venomous snakes, grabbing at Carlisle with astonishing speed!
Carlisle reacted extremely quickly, completing the spell the moment the shadow attacked.
"Ul Mlak!"
The flying magic instantly enveloped Subaru's body, and pale purple light gently lifted her.
"Eh... what is this! No!"
Subaru froze for a moment, immediately realizing the situation. Before her cry of surprise could fully escape, the shadows had already tightly bound Carlisle! Black tentacles constricted his limbs and neck, forcibly dragging him off the ground, suspending him in mid-air.
"Cough...!"
Carlisle's throat was constricted, making breathing difficult, but his gaze remained fixed on Subaru.
At least... she's safe... However, the next second.
"Knight's magic didn't work."
"Snap!"
The flying magic on Subaru... actually began to dissipate!
Gravity reasserted itself, and her body slowly descended.
What...?!! The magic... was interfered with?!
The Witch of Envy's gaze fell on the awakened Subaru. She took a step forward, seemingly wanting to approach, but then froze the next moment.
Subaru's eyes had changed. In those eyes, there was no longer confusion or fear, but hostility.
"Let that person go!"
Subaru's voice was cold and resolute. She stared intently at the Witch of Envy, finally recognizing her identity, the Witch who had given her abilities!
Magic began to gather in her palm, her Fingers glowing faintly, a spell about to escape her lips.
However, in that instant, she clearly saw the Witch of Envy's face.
On that face, identical to Emilia's, appeared... sadness.
She was... sad?
Subaru's thoughts paused briefly, but the next moment, her eyes sharpened again.
No, now is not the time to be soft-hearted!
"El-"
Before the spell could be completed, the shadows on the ground suddenly surged! Black tendrils wrapped around Subaru's limbs like vines, binding her in place.
Unlike the brutal suppression Carlisle experienced, these shadows, though firm, did not cause her pain; it was like a contradictory gentleness.
"Let me go!"
Subaru struggled fiercely but couldn't budge an inch. Her gaze anxiously shifted to Carlisle, her pupils suddenly constricting.
In the Witch of Envy's eyes, naked killing intent surged. And that killing intent... was directed solely at Carlisle.
"Pfft!"
A black shadow hand pierced Carlisle's chest like a sharp blade!
Subaru's breath instantly hitched.
"No...!!"
Amidst her scream, the shadow hand slowly withdrew, and from Carlisle's body, a translucent sword shadow was pulled out.
Flame Sword Blaze.
Carlisle looked down at his pierced body, his blue eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. His body convulsed from the intense pain, but he no longer even had the strength to struggle.
What... is this...?
But when he glimpsed that Subaru was unharmed, he understood that this killing intent was directed only at him, and his taut nerves finally relaxed.
At least... she's safe... Consciousness receded like a tide, and his body slumped forward, completely falling into darkness.
"Stop... stop it!"
Subaru's voice was hoarse to the point of breaking, tears blurring her vision. She didn't understand why the Witch of Envy wanted to take the Flame Sword, but she knew clearly, once that sword was completely stripped away... Carlisle would be next to die!
Her struggles grew more violent, her fingernails digging deep into the flesh of her palms, yet she still couldn't break free from the shadow's restraints.
And under her desperate gaze, the Witch of Envy slowly raised the illusory sword shadow, a morbid satisfaction appearing in her purple eyes.
But the next moment.
"Big brother."
"Open the door."
A cold, electronic mechanical voice suddenly rang out. A gray, illusory curtain wall suddenly split open in the air, like a painting torn by an invisible hand. Immediately after, a figure stepped out from the crack.
"Thanks, kid."
It was a tall man wearing a retro flat-top hat and a Japanese-style black long coat, holding a pink book. He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged battlefield, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
...
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