「... Then I will ask you one last time.」

「If... there was a path where you could definitely return home, and a path where returning home became uncertain but you could definitely save people. If these two were your options... what would you choose...?」

* * *

The sensation of letting go of a stubbornness she had maintained for thirty years was truly refreshing, but even more so, it was painful.

It was natural, since it was a pain she hadn't been confident she could handle even back then, hiding it away by deceiving herself that the bonfire she'd made was the sun.

"Haa."

However, the situation wasn't exactly good enough for her to stay caught up in that agony.

["The s-s-snake..."]

"If only it weren't for you bastards."

If a life-threatening situation hadn't arrived, would she have never tasted this pain? Even if not now, wasn't it a sight she had to face someday?

But who cares about that. The Berserker picked up a stone with bloodshot eyes.

The loss hurt so much it was unbearable. It didn't really matter that she would have had to experience it someday. It didn't matter that it was truly the path for her sister and a choice for herself, either.

The only thing that truly mattered was that she was in pain right now, and the target to vent the resulting anger on was right in front of her.

["Y-You m-mustn't b-be angry."]

The Berserker smiled thinly as she looked at the demon clumsily imitating language.

Due to its oral structure, it would only ever spout slurred pronunciation for its entire life, and its skill at moving its body was vastly superior to its human language skills.

["I, t-t-took, g-good c-care of, th-the t-t-turtle."]

"I'll kill you."

Even that, she was going to kill off anyway.

She sprinted forward with a feeling she couldn't tell was her own will or an impulse created by demonic energy. Even in the moment her reason was being chipped away, her body faithfully followed her mind's commands and accelerated in an instant.

SPLASH!

The continuously rushing current gradually deepened until it now swallowed even her waist. The bloody water seeping into her torn wounds added to the corruption and madness.

The black veins sprouting all over her body began to bulge prominently.

["I-I d-don't know. D-D-Die."]

And finally, her and the giant Merman's bodies drew close. CRASH! The moment the Merman's tail smashed into the ground, the bloody water parted to the left and right, revealing what lay beneath.

Of course, the Berserker was not crushed beneath it.

SPLASH.

Having dodged the tail by a paper-thin margin, she, who had flattened her body in anticipation of the current parting, exhaled her held breath.

The bloody water that had enveloped her receded in all directions, no longer binding her.

The stench of blood pierced her nose.

CRASH!

Ignoring the stickiness of the blood, she put strength into her legs. Her body, moving much more comfortably as the waist-high blood drained away, shot straight up several meters into the air.

SLASH!

Not to be outdone, the Merman swung its claws. The distance was lacking. She confirmed one hand passing by without even managing to cut her, and stared straight at the hand coming next.

The hand, whether trying to cut or grab her, was suitable enough for her to use as a foothold.

STOMP!

Before the giant hand could grab her, the Berserker stomped on its finger to bounce off, then threw the stone in her hand.

While her body spun and landed on the opposite side, the flying stone smashed into the Merman's brow. She had aimed for the eyeball, so it was a shame.

The slippery outer skin deflected the stone, leaving only a slight scratch.

SCREECH!

The Merman's tail moved freely, trying to strike her down as she landed nearby.

The Berserker lightly dodged it, then grabbed it in reverse. Though slippery, it had a handle—the fin grown on the tail—so it was quite wieldable.

Despite the immense weight, the moment the veins on her arms bulged, the Merman's body moved according to her will.

"Hup!"

Adding centrifugal force by spinning round and round, she hurled the Merman to the other side.

Meaning it was thrown all the way to the space existing like an island in the middle of the blood lake.

THUD. The Merman managed to land, dodging the concavely protruding object in the middle of the island. No, it might have actually hit it, but the protruding part was so hard that it simply didn't break.

Either way, it wasn't a big problem.

["H-H-How d-d-dare you."]

Throwing the enemy and standing still wasn't her style. She ran across the exposed ground before the blood scattered by the impact could return. Her torn and ruined traditional clothing fluttered with only tiny scraps remaining.

["I-If the t-t-turtle g-gets h-hurt, th-the s-s-snake w-will b-be mad."]

BOOM!

And the moment she leaped so powerfully that the normally invisible flow of air became visible, her body instantly reached the Merman's vicinity.

["I s-s-said i-it'll b-be m-m-mad!!!"]

SLASH!

As if refusing to just take the hit, the Merman's claws powerfully cleaved through the empty space and shredded the air. However, she was smaller than the Merman. It meant she was at an advantage in evasion, even if disadvantaged in attacking.

SWISH. Having dodged skillfully, using her flesh like an acrobat, she slammed into the Merman's belly. The impact seemed to disperse due to its slippery outer skin that had no scales, nor was it brooding eggs, but that didn't mean the impact was zero.

Because biologically, the Merman also had bones and internal organs.

SCREECH!

For that reason, the Merman, exposed to the dull pain, immediately showed its annoyance. Its massive body moved calmly, slamming its claws into the space directly in front of it.

The Berserker's feet moved to a position that masterfully evaded it. SMACK! In rapid succession, her roundhouse kick struck the Merman's arm. It was an attack aimed at bending the joint in the reverse direction.

["G-G-Get out! G-G-Get out, of h-h-here!"]

However, it seemed she lacked the strength to completely break it. The fully provoked Merman moved its arms to chase her, and the Berserker leaped backward to dodge the attacks.

If only she had a weapon. If only she had something sharp.

Her thread-like remaining reason demanded a tool for her fists and legs, which were seeing no success due to the outer skin.

"Ha!"

And then it snapped completely. A tool? A toooool??

Such weak words! She already wielded the greatest weapon. A sturdy body, refined muscles, and keen five senses!

Therefore, she didn't need a tool. Her flesh alone was enough to kill that thing. Maybe if she wanted to save time, sure, but there was no reason to look for a tool to turn the impossible into the possible!

"I'll show you how a Weapon Master fights, demon!"

Weapon Master. The world misunderstood it as 'one who can wield all weapons'. But the true meaning was 'one who can turn everything into a weapon'.

True to that name, the being who made even her own body a weapon gritted her teeth and threw a straight punch. Her attack, controlled down to every single muscle fiber, dodged the Merman's strike and slammed into the back of its knee.

SCREECH!

A Merman and a human have very different body structures. But as long as they have limbs and a head, there are bound to be overlapping points.

The Berserker aimed exactly for that. Struck in the back of the knee, the Merman's foot twisted slightly.

SMACK!

She didn't stop there. Utilizing the fact that her body was smaller than the Merman's, she continued her strikes from an awkward position right between its legs.

Following the muscle striations visible even through the Merman's slippery outer skin, she gauged the position of the bones beneath, attacking the joints in what she deemed the most rational manner.

Of course, the Merman didn't just stand by and watch. Though that was all it managed to do.

The Merman was too big, and being big meant it had many blind spots. It was to the extent that even the Berserker, whose reason was being torn away thread by thread by the demonic energy, could dodge it with her instincts replacing her discarded reason.

After shifting positions a few times and trampling its tail and arms a few times, she landed on the ground once more. And her wrist, which had touched the ground instead of her feet to support her body, twisted, shaking her entire frame.

A roundhouse kick drove into the reverse direction of the Merman's joint, finally snapping its leg.

SCREEEECH!!!

The Merman screamed and toppled sideways.

"Ahat, ahahahaha!!!"

The Berserker, having skillfully dodged the falling body, burst into maniacal laughter. Blood steadily trickled down from her red eyes, where no trace of reason could be seen anymore.

"Die!!"

By nature, a Merman wasn't a creature that would die just because one leg was severed. She jumped up, dodged a tail attack, tenaciously grabbed the broken leg, and ripped it right off.

The cartilage connecting bone to bone tore away, and the muscles ripped apart, pouring out blood. The Merman screamed even louder, thrashing its tail and limbs.

But she was already holding a new weapon. Indeed, one must not forget that a Merman possesses sharp claws.

CRUNCH!

Having ripped off the leg and then torn off the toes, she swung the claws attached to them. It was the moment the sharpness capable of cutting even its original owner turned into poison.

SLASH!

The Merman's limbs were instantly severed, and its tail was cut in half. It was practically a miracle that its life hadn't ended even at this moment.

"Huu."

But it was a bastard destined to die soon. The Berserker laughed with a phlegmy voice and climbed onto the trembling Merman's body. The claws were no longer necessary.

She broke off something resembling a protruding bone and gripped it like a stone.

『Y-You! What are you doing—!』

『This is what you wished for.』

『You damn bastard! Do you think I wished for a dogfight like this!? What I wished for was...!』

『A sacred duel, and a rightful death. I know. That's why I'm doing this.』

『...!』

『Die the most miserable death, Skoll.』

『You damn brat—』

The past dimly flashed through her mind, only to be consumed by madness and disappear.

CRACK!

The bone fragment imbued with faint mana shattered the Merman's scalp and crushed its brains.

It was similar to when she smashed her master's head in.

CRACK.

And where the blood splattered, inside the concavely protruding spot in the middle of the island, a reaction she didn't know about occurred.

A crack formed on the round egg sitting there.

* * *

If it was a question like that, I... I definitely want to go home. I do want to go home, but...

That doesn't mean I can go while cold-heartedly abandoning the Inquisitor or the other people. It would be one thing if we were just parting ways, but this was akin to leaving them in a fiery pit while I ran away to survive on my own, wasn't it.

On the other hand, returning home becoming uncertain... to put it differently, it meant the probability of returning wasn't completely gone. In other words, I might be able to return later.

So I... I... want to choose the path that definitely saves people. Because, in my opinion, that is the right thing to do.

「Even though you've struggled so much until now?」

That is true, but shouldn't we be accurate here?

It's true that I was struggling and suffering, but that was because of certain someones hiding in the back without coming out or explaining anything. If they had cooperated, I feel like I would have overcome it a long time ago and rallied together with everyone.

And besides. Above all else, is that the fault of the people in this city? Do those reasons justify me giving up on them?

They don't.

「...」

So it's fine.

I'm fine. Since I'm fine... if there is a method, use it. You must have brought this up now because there's a method you can use if I postpone my return.

「... I'm sorry.」

I didn't answer those words. Suddenly, I felt as if the warmth supporting my head sank and vanished.

My vision, which hadn't yet cleared, instead faded into darkness.

* * *

Deathbringer clenched his fists tight while holding the goggles the Meister had given him to his eyes.

Should they aim for the Great Demon, aim for the structure, or aim for the sealed person. The choice they made after long deliberation seemed to be quite effective.

The structure that looked like a temple was no longer spewing out demons. It was worth risking their lives to come all the way here.

"How did it go!?"

"The demon nest has fallen silent!"

"That's great!"

The reason they didn't aim for the Great Demon was that the target was small, and there was a high chance it would block the attack.

The reason they didn't choose the sealed person was because the strike might go beyond breaking the seal and actually hit the sealed person, and it was unknown whether that person would immediately become a fighting force.

On the other hand, what about the structure that was endlessly pouring out soldiers?

There was a possibility that the attack wouldn't work on this either, but if it did, they could block the demons' forces from increasing. In other words, it was a guaranteed result for a somewhat manageable risk.

So they chose it, and fortunately, it worked.

It was a very good sign.

"Uh..."

Well, the flying demons soaring toward them all at once—perhaps having received the demon's command—wasn't exactly good news, though.

"I expected this, but we're fucked."

"Is it the Great Demon, or the minions?"

"The minions. But there are more flying ones than I thought."

"We're fucked."

Still, because it was something they expected, the two didn't fall into a panic. They had only expected it without being able to prepare—which was natural. Stripped of a little bit of personal talent, they were just ordinary people—so they were somewhat worried for their lives, but that was that anyway.

"I have one good piece of news and one bad piece of news."

"Can there even be good news in this situation?"

"I think we can fire one more time."

"That's fucking good news."

"But it probably won't be ready before they get here. Even if we die trying, it won't be."

"That's fucking bad news."

Feeling like he was being doused with alternating hot and cold water, Deathbringer moved his body for now. Right, just because their chances of surviving here were close to 0% didn't mean they could just sit back and die.

Deathbringer liked living a little more than dying, and the Meister was someone who felt that even more strongly.

To survive by any means, they packed their gear and moved as promised.

The first floor, the basement, the canals where the entry of water was blocked due to collapsing buildings. All sorts of places served as their escape routes.

CRASH!

"Fuck, they're so fast!"

"God damn it. It's filled with water!"

"What?! You said this place wouldn't fill up even if the canals burst!"

"When did I say that! I said there was a high chance it wouldn't!"

"That's the same thing!"

"It's different! It's completely different?! Do you think 100% and 80% are the same!?"

Since they didn't want to die with their heads ripped off by flying demons, they only used spaces where those things couldn't properly shove their heads in to move.

Due to a slight miscalculation, some of the canals were flooded with water, but even that was manageable in its own way.

Cradling the magical device, which was no different from their lifeline, in their arms like a precious child, they sprinted wildly through the canal. The demons landing above them clacked their beaks, trying to peck them to death.

"These fuckers..."

However, even that escape of theirs was eventually blocked. The flying demons had finally collapsed a building, blocking their escape route.

On top of that, having dug their own graves, the canals they burst to help the Hero struggling in the lava began to squeeze their lifelines.

The water was rising.

"There's a hole over there. Let's run there."

"A sound judgment, indeed."

They couldn't stay in the rising water of the canal. If the device got wet, it would be a disaster, and they were too exposed to the demons.

For now, there were only large flying types so they couldn't catch them, but it would be a big problem if small ones capable of fitting inside arrived, wouldn't it.

So they entered the building through the hole. It was a building where the canal and the house's basement had been separated only by a single stone wall, but they were now able to enter as parts of the wall had crumbled.

BOOM! CRASH!

Of course, the demons didn't have knot-holes for eyes, so they kicked up a fuss the moment they entered the building. Though they couldn't be sure, the first and second floors made of wood would probably be smashed to pieces and collapse in no time.

THUMP, THUMP!

However, the houses here were built close together. With perfect coordination, Deathbringer and the Meister smashed through the walls first. The house next door welcomed them.

"Cross over more, more!"

They jumped through windows across alleys so narrow that only one person could barely pass through—it was hard to avoid the demons' eyes, but it was better than throwing away their lives—and occasionally broke down walls to move through a few more houses.

It was fortunate that the eyes of the flying demons were only fixated on the building they had entered first.

At least for this moment, they caught their breath.

The two flopped down in the hallway of the house, supplying oxygen beneath their deathly pale skin.

"That was a chase I never want to do again."

"... I don't want to see eye to eye with you, but I agree on this one."

Why were they filming a chase scene with demons with the bodies of ordinary people. Even as they writhed in a sense of shame, they didn't regret it, thinking, 'If it was going to be like this, we should have just run.'

"... This time, phew. I'll admit it. To think the day would come when I'd get help from a guy with abysmal intelligence like you."

"Either insult me or compliment me, just pick one. But well, you did pretty well too."

Because the stunt they just pulled off was something only they could do, it was their best effort, and it was something they could proudly boast about to anyone.

"Which is why I'm saying this, but let's shoot one more time."

"What, you punk?"

"You said we can fire one more time."

"Do what we just did again? You're completely crazy."

"What we just did probably helped the Hero and the city, but it wasn't enough to completely change the tide of battle, was it? We need to do it one more time."

"Hah, who doesn't know that..."

The Meister made an exasperated face at Deathbringer's proposal, then soon grabbed his head. The reason being that his reason had actually come to a similar conclusion.

"... God damn it. Alright, let's do it! The chances of us making it out of here alive are close to zero anyway, what difference does it make if we do something again?"

If they were going to die anyway, they should burn out properly before dying; backing down out of fear would leave them with nothing to show for it.

The Meister's pride stood upright. It was good news for Deathbringer, who had given up on returning alive from the start.

"Go up. We need to set up in a tall building."

"Don't worry."

Adjusting their grip on the things they had carefully brought all the way here, they set foot on the stairs. Fortunately, the place they were currently in was the tallest building in the vicinity, so there was no need to look for a taller one.

Taking a spot by the window on the third floor, the Meister began to reconstruct the equipment.

"Two of the amplifiers are broken, so it won't have the same power as before. Its stability is completely fucked too, so it might just explode instead of firing. Meaning we might just draw a shit ton of attention from the demons and gain nothing from it. You prepared for that?"

"Fuck, I already prepared for all that when I came here."

"Good."

Every time an amplifier broke, the power dropped disastrously. Furthermore, there were only three amplifiers left. They had to assume it wouldn't produce proper power.

Compared to the first one, the difference would be like that between a sword and a toothpick.

"The target is... the Great Demon?"

"... No, rather than that, let's aim for that over there."

"What? The seal?"

"I don't think we'll have much fun aiming at the Great Demon, so we should at least try to free a person."

"I don't think freeing that side will give us much fun either."

The Meister clicked his tongue as he looked at where Deathbringer was pointing.

"But, alright. I'll trust your judgment this time, I suppose."

However, Deathbringer's judgments had mostly been correct on their way here. Therefore, he decided to trust him this time as well.

The completed gun barrel aimed at the cocoon sealing the person. Since the person couldn't be hit and melted away, the trajectory was aimed slightly away from the person themself.

"Then here go—!?"

CRASH!

And before he could activate the device, the building shook. "Damn it! We've been spotted!" Deathbringer pulled out his impure sword and thrust it forward. CRACK! It was the very next moment that the building's wall was torn open.

"Don't worry about me, just shoot!"

If he turned the barrel even now, he might be able to kill the demon right in front of them.

However, Deathbringer rejected that in advance.

BOOM!

Therefore, the Meister had no choice but to respect that decision. Along with an explosion, a light shot across the city.

["Ah, finally."]

Someone woke up.