Chapter 65: Heist (5)

“Escaped after 8 years… huh? Experiment 17.”

“Ugh…!”

A voice that feels instinctively repulsive, as if scratching deep inside my head. Elissa’s expression turned pale.

It was instantaneous for the girl, who was stabbed in a painful memory by the object she least wanted to see, to break down.

For a moment, forgetting Sian’s existence, the emotions that Elissa had been holding back in her mind exploded.

Blue eyes that held the sea were filled with anger. With the army of the dead slowly approaching, Elissa raised her mana.

Nevertheless, the guy continued to speak without a care.

“You’ve grown a lot in the meantime…? 8 years ago, you seemed to be obedient, saying you’d do anything if only your family was saved…”

“It was a funny sight. Your family was already long gone… the sight of you volunteering for experiments to somehow protect your non-existent family-“

“Shut, up.”

Bang-

Before the guy’s words could finish, three bone golems standing in the front row exploded. Pierced by sharply honed water blades, they could not stand again. Eerily honed magical blades floated around Elissa.

[Elissa (Lv.45) activates her unique magic ‘Water Domain’]

[Elissa (Lv.45) activates her fake Stigmata ‘Enhanced Mana Manipulation’]

With an ominous sound of kiiing-, the magic circle engraved near Elissa’s collarbone shone red. The boiling water attribute mana vibrated ominously and water flowed backward.

Experiment 17, is that the name when Elissa was experimented on? Seeing Elissa’s expression, which was terrified until then, change.

If so, I shouldn’t let this go. I didn’t want to lose Elissa to a rampage either. If I can’t protect Elissa here, I might have to meet Elissa as an enemy someday. I’ll have to cut Elissa’s throat with these hands.

I don’t want that.

“Elissa, calm down!”

I shouted with mana and snatched Elissa’s left hand. Elissa’s lifeless eyes, mixed with fear, anger, and guilt, reflected my appearance.

Shock therapy is needed in times like this. Fortunately, I had a way to shake Elissa’s mind. Thanks to the stupid guy talking to buy time, the cooldown of the Stigmata has returned.

The dark light flickered under the glove. The skeleton legion slowly fading from the other side of the rooftop, and the earth is turned upside down, and dark particles envelop the body.

The last thing seen through the dark particles covering the field of vision was the crumbling midterm boss, Benedicto, with a bizarre smile.

“Huu, haa, fuu…”

Appearing in the room of an unknown girl on the 2nd floor of the girls’ dormitory, I grabbed Elissa, who was breathing heavily due to the aftereffects of Blink.

My voice unknowingly became sharp. Elissa might go insane because she did such a thing to her family, but unfortunately, now was not the time to understand that.

Our location will be found out soon. In the first place, since the guy had driven us to the rooftop, we were half like rats in a trap.

At first, seeing us running away from the magical beasts, he probably guessed my ability. He would have figured out that it was an ability with a not so wide range.

Perhaps he’s searching the rooms of the dormitory by now. The remaining time is probably five minutes at most. I grabbed Elissa, who was breathing heavily.

“Elissa. Are you a little sane now?”

“Yes.”

Elissa took a deep breath and swept her hair. With a complicated expression, she slowly opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t stand it. When I faced him, the suppressed emotions poured out. The painful time, the corpses of my corrupt family that I found in prison kept coming to mind….”

“I understand. But don’t use the fake Stigmata. If you feel like that again while fighting, rather, let it all out to me after everything is over.”

“Ugh, how can I do that to Sian…”

“I’m sorry. I know how cruel it is to tell you to run away in front of your parents’ enemy, but we have to do that now. Honestly, do you think you and I can beat that person?”

“…No.”

“It’s okay if you know.”

I nodded lightly and awakened the spring-colored mana that was sleeping in a corner of my body. The appearance of the Stigmata engraved on the back of my hand changes.

I gently stroked Elissa’s left hand, and Elissa flinched and was surprised, realizing the power of the Stigmata.

“Keep this, a secret?”

[The set Stigmata is changed to ‘Cherry Blossom Garden’]

[Activate Stigmata ‘Cherry Blossom Garden’]

No brilliant flower garden or beautiful cherry tree appeared. Instead, a small pink circle was created around me and Elissa.

A sweet flower scent was felt along with the spring breeze that gently wrapped around us. Mana particles shine in spring colors and are absorbed into Elissa.

[Stigmata ‘Cherry Blossom Garden’ grants Elissa the ‘Mental Healing’ effect]

[The ‘Mental Healing’ effect lasts for 10 minutes]

“How, are you feeling better now?”

“This is…?”

“My second Stigmata. Please keep it a secret?”

Putting my index finger on Elissa’s lips, I changed the Stigmata again. The black mana familiar to me fills my body.

“Well, let’s move now. It looks like they’ve already searched the entire 3rd floor.”

A heavy sound of kung- is constantly heard from the upper floor. I grabbed Elissa’s hand, who was looking at me blankly.

The anger and killing intent in Elissa’s eyes had disappeared. Now she won’t use the fake Stigmata recklessly like before.

“Elissa.”

“Yes…?””

“If it’s really dangerous, just use the fake Stigmata. But don’t lose your mind. If you still cherish me, I can calm you down even in a berserk state.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I nodded in satisfaction at Elissa’s answer and looked out the window. The undead were surrounding the building and wandering around.

Yelena and Regina’s appearances were not yet visible. Did they not see our signal? Or did something happen to them too?

The attack of the guys was faster than we expected. However, thanks to Elin-sensei’s preparations and the activities of the teachers, the situation was gradually being sorted out.

Thirty minutes after the outbreak. The eight spatial transfer magic circles that had appeared in the dark sky had been reduced to two.

What I did running around for a week to prevent the attack was by no means meaningless.

Thanks to the priests of the Holy Kingdom who were on standby and the teachers who were monitoring the students suspected of being fake Stigmata holders, the initial suppression was quick.

“Did Yelena and Regina, not see the whale you floated earlier?”

The best thing is for the teacher to come, but that’s difficult. The teacher doesn’t even know that Elissa is the target yet.

It would be difficult to abandon the main building and come to save Elissa and me. Even if she comes, it will be after the situation is somewhat sorted out.

It’s impossible for the two of us to hold out until then. In this situation, should I forcibly make Elissa’s Stigmata go berserk and suppress it with my second Stigmata?

If Elissa is caught here, it’s all over.

Even if I somehow survive and return, it will be more difficult during the final exam. I didn’t want to deal with Elissa, who had fallen into the clutches of the Dark Cult.

“I have to take a gamble…”

As I muttered that, I saw ice pillars rising from the back of the undead procession. The trace created by Yelena’s Stigmata, ‘Winter’s Boundary’.

“Oh, that’s Yelena’s…”

“It’s a relief. It’s a bit late, but she arrived on time.”

Holding Elissa’s arm, I checked the armament one last time. At this point, when half of the undead army’s quantity is concentrated here, we can’t avoid battle.

“Elissa. Be careful this time.”

“I’ll keep that in mind!”

As soon as Elissa nodded, the door shook. I held Elissa and jumped out the window without hesitation.

For a Stigmata holder, the 2nd floor was not a very high height. As soon as I and Elissa stepped on the ground, a loud noise was heard from behind us, and the undead occupy the room.

“Run!”

Cutting down the three skeletons that jumped from the rooftop, I grabbed Elissa’s hand and ran. The bone golems blocking the front are shredded by the jet-black sword path.

“…This, it’s a bit troublesome.”

However, it seems that the necromancer guy also expected this. As soon as we came out to the devastated flower garden, dozens of undead popped out around us.

Clatter- as dozens of corpses pop out of the ground and get a new life. And, a creepy voice was heard from behind.

“Hmm… it’s a shame. I wanted to go quickly, but.”

“Ugh…!”

The ground shakes and a huge bone barrier rises. The sticky mana that fills the space sticks to our bodies and makes our movements dull.

[Benedicto (Lv.73) activates his unique magic ‘Colosseum of the Dead’]

[Benedicto (Lv.73) grants the ‘Movement Speed Reduction’ effect to allies within the range of ‘Colosseum of the Dead’]

“This is the end of the escape. Now, what are you going to do…?”

The guy muttered confidently and reached out to us. The undead army rising from the ground fills the view. Even while looking at that appearance, I smirked.

[Yelena Frost (Lv.50) activates ‘Winter’s Boundary’]

At the same time, one wall of the colosseum exploded.