Chapter 38 : Pain, Too Much Pain

“Am I dying?”

Her vision fractured into red shards. She could hear her heart cracking—each beat pumping more warmth out of her body.

But she hadn’t avenged herself yet.

Hadn’t made Stacy suffer the same way.

She’d transmigrated for nothing—endured endless torment—only to die like this? Was that all her purpose was? To be a victim?

Through blurred eyes, she saw the tail’s owner approaching.

The scorpion-like beast ignored the roasted Thunderwolf beside it—its hunger fixed on her.

Agony seared every nerve. Milly tried to rise—but couldn’t move even a finger.

Closer. Closer.

She could smell its rotting stench now.

Was this how it ended? Eaten by some monster in the middle of nowhere?

Then—

A sound.

Clear. Beautiful. Like divine chimes.

“Ding. Ding. Ding…”

Before the beast could bite off her head, her once-paralyzed fingers lifted.

No lightning. No flash.

But the scorpion staggered back, as if struck by an invisible force.

What the hell?

Did she just activate something? Or was the monster faking?

Though pain still ripped through her, strength returned. Milly pushed herself up—instinctively checking the hole in her chest.

New flesh pulsed, knitting the wound shut at visible speed.

“This is… a cheat ability?” Milly licked her sharp little fangs. Her blue eyes blazed with fury. “Grilled scorpion? Extra meal!”

But fighting barehanded felt wrong. A cheat should come with gear.

She reached into the air—expecting nothing.

But light coalesced—forming a glowing longsword, starry patterns swirling along its blade.

“Ohhh… now we’re talking.”

But the moment the sword appeared—her healing wound ruptured again. The reopened gash sent her doubling over, blood bursting from her mouth.

She collapsed to one knee, barely catching herself on the blade.

Taste of blood in her mouth. A familiar phrase echoed in her mind:

“Pain, too much pain! Hurts so bad… I’ll call you ‘Broken’!”

As she cursed, the scorpion’s eyes flickered with dread.

This human—moments from death—now radiated a terrifying aura.

But only slightly.

Her life was still a candle in the wind. One more strike—she’d die.

“Tail Stinger!”

It whipped its tail—too fast to dodge.

But her body moved on its own.

She sidestepped—effortless.

Missed.

The beast charged, claws raised.

She wobbled before—but now, she flowed—dodging each strike with impossible grace.

She was… getting stronger?

Milly lunged—sword raised.

She attacked.
She swung.
She hit—

And then—

One step forward—one sloppy swing—and she was flung by a tail sweep, airborne.

Mid-flight—another stinger strike—piercing her body anew.

She crashed down like a meteor.

No time to breathe.

The beast raised its claw—final blow.

She had one breath left. Nothing more.

For a heartbeat—her breathing stopped.

And in that silence—she swung.

The claw shattered.

Her body moved for her.

Then—breath returned.

And her vision changed.

She could see weak points.

On the scorpion’s armored shell—faint glowing spots pulsed red where magical lines intersected.

Like targets.

She didn’t understand—but she remembered their positions.

She held her breath.

Her swordsmanship—once pathetic—became masterful.

The blade struck true—into the glowing spot.

The shell shattered like glass.

She dodged—just in time—avoiding a spray of foul green fluid.

Knowing it lost, the beast turned to flee.

But Milly wasn’t letting it go.

“You stabbed me clean through and think you can run? Dream on.”

She picked up a stone. Lightning danced on her fingertips.

The electrified rock shot—striking the beast.

KRA-KOOM!

After flying dozens of meters, the creature collapsed.

Exhausted, Milly fell too.

No more monsters, right? If another came, she’d die.

She collapsed. The sword—Broken—dissolved into light, returning to her body.

Without Broken absorbing magic, her wounds healed rapidly.

Fatigue crashed over her.

Just before sleep took her—she thought she heard voices.

………

“Captain, the monster we were sent to eliminate should be nearby. But ahead… that’s the forbidden core zone.”

The leader—a young woman named Tifna in light armor—led her squad toward their target: the Shadow Scorpion.

They’d searched deep into the forest for days. Now, finally, they found signs.

And battle sounds in the distance—maybe the scorpion fighting another beast.

Perfect chance to finish both.

“Hurry. We must arrive before it ends.”

When they reached the battlefield—silence.

The Shadow Scorpion—dead. Shattered carapace everywhere.

Nearby, a charred Thunderwolf lay motionless.

“Mutual destruction?”

“No.”

Tifna spotted something beneath the wolf’s fur—

A white-haired girl, leaning against the corpse, asleep.

She knelt. Her silver-white armor—embossed with iris crests—brushed the scorched earth. Fingers hovered over Milly’s neck.

Her breath was faint—like a candle in wind.

Yet… unnaturally resilient.

“Captain… why is there a little girl here?”

Tifna stared at the sleeping child—complex emotions in her eyes.

Only one explanation: She killed both.

“Take her with us. We’ll question her when she wakes.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Gently, Tifna lifted Milly. Others gathered monster parts—materials, cores.

After cleanup, they set out to find a safe campsite for the night.

Meanwhile, watching from the shadows—

Stacy.

If you asked how she felt…

She nearly passed out from sheer outrage.