Chapter 82: What stands in the way in the end
{TL: By Creed}
"Alright, we've made it to the first floor!"
Doctor's private soldiers seemed to pop up from nowhere, making things quite tricky. But somehow, we managed to make it back to the first floor.
That's when I noticed something.
"This sound...?"
Around the mansion, a war was raging.
Shouts and screams. The clashing of swords. The blasts of magic.
We hadn't realized this while we were underground, but the surface was in a terrible state. The mansion looked like it had been ravaged by a horde of monsters. The battle was fierce enough to have caused this much destruction.
"Cliff's reinforcements, right? Good, he actually sent them."
Given my past experiences, I couldn’t help but have some doubts. So, it was a relief to see Cliff keeping his promise and acting to expose Doctor's wrongdoing.
I'd like to capture Doctor and bring him to justice, but... Sorry. Right now, I have to prioritize Aisha's safety.
"Aisha, hold on tight to me, okay?"
"Hmm."
A small hand clutched tightly onto my back.
I'll never let go of this hand again.
With that vow, we dashed through the mansion, now transformed into a battlefield. We ran straight down the corridor, turning a few corners.
Soon, we reached the entrance hall. All that was left was to go through the front door and escape to the outside...
"Well, I've been expecting you."
As the final obstacle, Doctor stood in our way.
In his hand, he held a jet-black sword. His body was clad in jet-black armor.
He was fully equipped and ready to confront us.
"Ah, I didn’t expect you to make such a bold move. I must be losing my touch in reading people."
"Did you really think I would cooperate with someone as evil as you?"
"If I'm evil, then, of course, you wouldn’t have cooperated. But I'm not just some common thief."
"What do you mean by that?"
Was there a certain conviction behind his string of misdeeds?
"What I've done may be considered evil, yes. But I didn’t do it for personal gain."
"Then what was it for?"
"Of course, to protect the happiness of the people."
Doctor spoke as if he truly believed in what he was saying.
"To ensure the happiness of those without power, they need a wise ruler to guide them. I have the qualifications to be that ruler! I have exceptional talents! Therefore, I have a duty to lead and guide the people."
"Don't tell me you resorted to evil deeds to acquire what you needed to achieve that?"
"Exactly. The world isn’t a place where you can achieve things with just pretty words. To climb to the top, you need money."
"That’s absurd. How can you bring happiness to people by causing them suffering..."
What a contradiction.
But Doctor seemed completely convinced of his own righteousness.
This person was a lost cause. His worldview was too self-righteous. Like a monster, he couldn't be reasoned with.
"I took quite a hit with everything that's happened, but I can still recover. All I need to do is eradicate Cliff and those who oppose me. If I do that, there won't be anyone left to defy me. Come to think of it, maybe this is a good opportunity to take care of everything."
"..."
"So, let me make a proposal. It's not too late for you to join me."
"Did you think I'd accept?"
"You have talent. The kind that surpasses even the Sword Saint. It would be a waste to kill you."
"..."
"And by using that girl, you could gain even more power."
"Aisha?"
"Don't you want to become stronger? To possess absolute power, one that no one could defeat? Then take my hand. Together, we can..."
"I refuse."
I cut off Doctor's gleeful talk and answered without hesitation.
I gripped my sword with one hand and firmly held Aisha with the other.
"It seems you misunderstand something... I'm not interested in power."
"Then what is it that you want? Money? Women? Fame?"
"It's something you'd never understand. That's why I'll never join you."
I declared, pointing my sword's tip directly at Doctor.
Doctor watched in silence, and after a moment, he sighed.
"Good grief... Opposing me, are you? How foolish. I thought you had potential, but it's only in terms of power. Your heart is still utterly immature."
"If you call this immature, then I'm fine with it. I never want to become a cowardly and corrupt adult like you."
"Negotiations have broken down, then."
The smile vanished from Doctor's face.
"I'd like to say 'let's fight to the death,' but before that, you should put the girl down from your back."
"Planning to snatch Aisha again in the meantime?"
"I'd like to, but unfortunately, my subordinates are busy dealing with others outside. There's no one here to take her away, so rest assured. I'm just suggesting this because it would be inconvenient for me if she got caught in the crossfire."
Why does Doctor care about Aisha? It couldn't be out of pure concern. That was unthinkable.
He didn’t treat her like a slave. And his treatment of her seemed strangely favorable—these were things that made me curious.
But I could save those mysteries for later. Right now, I needed to focus on getting past the wall that was Doctor.
"Aisha, do you see the desk at the corner of the room? Can you hide there for a bit?"
"Ugh... But—"
"It's okay, don't be scared. Just wait a little while. I'll get you out of here soon."
"...Okay."
With tearful eyes, Aisha got off my back. She glanced back several times before hiding behind the desk in the corner of the room.
She peeked out, watching us. She seemed worried, but she was staying in place, following my instructions.
With that, I could fight without holding back.
"Alright, get ready!"
"…Ha ha, ah ha ha ha!!"
Doctor laughed. He sneered. He mocked. His expression twisted as if he couldn't contain his amusement.
His face was like that of a devil.
"Despite your talent, you're nothing more than a fledgling. And this little chick thinks he can bark at me."
Doctor raised his sword, and a burst of pressure whipped through the room.
"Defying me was a foolish move... You’ll regret it in hell!!!"
TL Note: Let the boss battle begin.
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