Chapter 44
Diana, who had fallen for my provocation, screamed my name like a madwoman, and I let out a snicker before moving again without hesitation.
Splash! Splash!
Of course, teasing Diana was entertaining in its own way, but right now the most important thing was securing the Orb.
Just as I was stepping closer toward the dragon statue—
Whoosh, whoosh!
“Hm?”
I turned my head at the strange sound coming from behind.
“What the—? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
There she was—Diana—swinging her whip like a vine, using it to launch herself across the pillars.
Whoosh, snap! Whoosh, snap!
No, seriously, what is she, Tarzan of the jungle? Swinging around with a whip?
“M-Miss! That’s dangerous!”
“Shut up and just wait for my signal!”
She shouted at her subordinates without pausing for even a moment.
“I’ll tear you apart with my own hands, Camon Bade.”
Her crazed eyes locked solely on me made goosebumps crawl down my skin.
‘D-Did I provoke her too much?’
No.
I had already crossed a river I couldn’t return from.
Ignore her and move forward.
But then—
Vwooong, vwoooong!
Clutching her whip with both hands, she swung around a massive pillar, building a frightening momentum as she rocked back and forth.
Like a circus acrobat, she launched herself with terrifying force.
Whoosh! Snap!
Without hesitation, she let go of her whip and hurled her body through the air.
“M-Miss!”
“She’s going to get herself killed!”
Everyone screamed as they saw her fly.
“Now! Magic! Freeze the floor!”
At her command, the waiting mages thrust their hands out toward the rushing water.
Crack!
In an instant, the torrent froze, forming thin sheets of ice.
Crack, snap!
And then, with light footwork, Diana stepped onto the frozen surface and leapt back up into the air.
‘She… she actually pulled that off?’
Mouth agape, I quickly shook my head and pressed forward again.
Splash! Splash!
Damn it, at this rate she really might catch me.
“Stop right there, Camon Bade!”
“Why the hell would I stop, you lunatic?!”
Her voice rang so close behind me it sent shivers down my spine.
Whoosh!
A sharp sound tore through the air.
Splash, boom!
I dodged sideways just in time as her whip lashed the spot I’d just been about to step on.
“What the hell?!”
“Ha… almost got you!”
She had closed the distance enough that I was now within her whip’s range.
Swish!
Another lash. I barely evaded again, shouting back at her:
“Would you stop already?! Just piss off, you crazy bitch!”
Tap!
Launching herself into the air once more, Diana snarled back at me.
“I told you.”
“What?”
“I will kill you. You dare covet what’s mine? I’ll rip you apart. Into shreds!”
Her deranged eyes, half gone from reason, made me push my legs even harder.
Splash! Splash!
And honestly, let’s get the facts straight.
It wasn’t me chasing her. I came after you, Diana!
Splash, splash.
At last, I reached the dragon statue and scrambled up toward its maw.
But then—
Whoosh, snap!
Diana’s whip lashed out faster than me, coiling around the statue’s arm.
“Don’t you dare!”
Swish!
She used it to sling herself forward and latch onto the statue.
“So that’s what you were after, huh?”
She smirked wickedly, then lashed her whip.
“N-No!”
Horrified, I thrust my hand out.
Whish!
Her whip hurtled toward the Orb even faster—until—
“Got it.”
“What?”
With that short exclamation, her whip suddenly shifted and coiled around my arm instead.
Whip crack!
“Ugh!”
The leather constricted, binding my hand and arm tight.
Diana sneered.
“Heh, heheheh. You’re finished now, Camon Bade.”
“What the hell are you babbling about, you psycho?!”
“I won’t let you die easily. I’ll—huh?!”
“Ha!”
I yanked on the whip around my arm, hurling myself down toward the rushing water beneath the statue.
“Y-You’re insane—gah!”
She tried pulling back, but the sudden weight dragged on her mercilessly.
“Wh-Why are you so damn… heavy?!”
Because I drank a potion to increase my weight, duh!
The very potion I’d used to survive the torrent trap was now my weapon.
“Grrrgh!”
Clutching her whip with both hands, she strained to hold me up. I just smirked.
“Pretty heavy, huh? But guess what—it’s about to get heavier.”
I grabbed onto the whip myself.
“What are you doing?!”
“Taking you down with me.”
“You bastard—aaagh!”
Caught off guard, she couldn’t let go in time, and we both plummeted.
Whoosh—splash!
I landed first, then she crashed into the torrent behind me. Using my weight, I planted myself on the riverbed—
And then—
Gasp!
I clambered back up onto the statue.
“Camon Bade, you son of a bitch!!!”
Diana had lost her whip and was clinging desperately to the statue’s edge, screaming bloody murder.
“I’ll never forgive you! I’ll kill you for real this time!”
She flailed wildly against the water threatening to sweep her away. I just shook my head.
“How many times are you going to say that? It’s not even scary anymore. And honestly, you’ll probably drown before you kill me.”
“Graaaaah!”
Her shrieks echoed as I turned my focus back to the Orb glowing inside the dragon’s maw.
But then—
Crack!
I heard ice forming again.
“Hurry up, you idiots!”
Astonishingly, Diana, who’d been on the verge of being swept away, was climbing back up thanks to her men freezing more platforms for her.
“God, she’s persistent.”
I muttered and ignored her, reaching for the Orb.
But she was climbing with terrifying speed, spiderlike despite being drenched.
‘Holy shit. She’s not just crazy. She’s a monster.’
“Caaaaamoooon!”
She roared my name like some demon-possessed beast, right as my hand—
Snap!
—closed around the Orb.
“Got it. It’s over—”
Grab!
“Who said it’s over?!”
Diana clutched my leg, eyes bloodshot with rage.
“You crazy—huh?”
Vwoooom!
“What the—?”
The Orb in my hand suddenly pulsed with energy.
‘Is it… absorbing mana?’
Vwooooooom!
The milky-white sphere glowed brighter and adhered tightly to my palm.
“Wh-What the hell?!”
A horrible force sucked at me like a giant vacuum cleaner.
“Gaaahhh!”
Unbearable pain tore through me, my body paralyzed.
Diana screamed.
“What is that?! Give it to me! It’s mine!”
‘Shiiit! What the hell is this thing?!’
“Urghhh…”
Just when I thought I’d be ripped apart—
Bzzzt!
The Orb’s glow intensified.
“Huh?”
Crack!
Something inside it shattered, and suddenly—
Fwoooosh!
It sucked in the very air itself.
“What the hell—”
Diana’s voice cut off—
BOOOOOOM!
An overwhelming shockwave burst out, obliterating everything around the altar.
BOOM! CRASH! RUMBLE!
Even the floodwater trap evaporated in an instant.
The only shocking thing was—
“What… the hell?”
I was the only one untouched.
Drip, drip.
All around me, people lay unconscious. Even Diana, who’d been clinging to my leg, was blown off and knocked out against the statue.
Her soldiers on the stairs were down too.
“This is…”
Stunned, I stared at the Orb in my hand.
“Did it… go berserk?”
Maybe it wasn’t just a disposable trap tool after all.
I shook myself.
“No, no time for this. I need to get out of here.”
Both Elliot’s people and Diana’s forces were out cold, and I had the Orb.
Escaping quietly was the best choice.
Tap!
I dropped down from the statue.
“…Bade.”
Even unconscious, Diana still mumbled my name.
“God, that’s terrifying.”
I shook my head and tried to push away the lingering dread.
I was just about to leave when—
Crash!
Something shattered behind me.
And then—
“Stop!”
‘That voice—?!’
Step… step…
Footsteps squelched on the wet ground.
“Camon Bade. Don’t you dare move a single step.”
No way.
“Ka… Kyle?! Why the hell are you here?!”
