Chapter 94: The Final Struggle [4]

“Meat rots, Bjron,” I said. “And you’re already starting to stink.”

My voice came out steadier than I expected. Maybe that was all I had left—words sharpened into weapons, flung like knives at a creature that’d long since abandoned humanity.

Bjron’s grin twitched.

Something in my words had struck a nerve, even through the haze of bloodlust and madness.

Good.

His laughter faltered.

“You think—” he began, but he didn’t get to finish.

Because in that moment, I moved.

Not with Ghoststep—I didn’t have the mana for that.

Just with everything I had left.

I lunged forward, dragging my leaden legs across the stone floor, arm outstretched.

The Blood Needle snapped into form, trembling, barely holding shape. It felt like it could break apart at any second.

Bjron moved too. With a snarl, he threw his good arm up in defense.

But I wasn’t aiming for his heart anymore.

I went lower.

SHHLLICKK—!!

The needle punched into his thigh—deep. Right into the artery.

A fountain of blood erupted.

“GGRAAAHHHHHH—!!”

He screamed again, staggering, collapsing to one knee.

His body jerked as he tried to stand, but the leg gave out beneath him.

I stood over him now, panting. My vision swam. I could barely feel my limbs.

His breathing was ragged. His mouth worked like he wanted to say something, but no words came. Just guttural noises, teeth clenched through the agony.

I didn’t wait.

No speeches. No gloating.

Bjron looked up at me, blood pouring from his leg like a broken pipe, mouth trembling—maybe trying to beg. Maybe trying to curse me one last time.

I didn’t care.

I stepped closer, lifted my hand.

No magic this time.

I grabbed the hilt of the dagger at my belt, pulled it free. It scraped against the sheath with a dry hiss.

His eyes widened just a little. Then—panic.

He tried to lift his good arm, tried to move—anything—but he was too slow. Too broken.

I grabbed his hair. Yanked his head back.

He struggled, gurgled something that wasn’t a word.

The dagger slid into his throat.

THRUST —!!!

No resistance.

Just warm flesh, cartilage, and blood.

He jerked once.

Twice.

Then went still.

I pulled the blade out, wiped it on his cloak, and stepped back.

That was it.

No satisfaction. No weight lifted.

Just silence.

His blood pooled around him, steaming slightly in the cold air.

I looked at him for a moment. The man who had laughed about butchering children, who called it law.

Now he was just another corpse.

Ding!

At that moment, system notification appeared before me.

[Class Quest Completed!]

I didn’t bother to check the full notification now, because my vision is already blury enough and my mana is very low.

There was headech in my head and as time passes, it gets worsen.

During my fight with Bjorn, few my ribs has been cracked.

In short, I was just two steps away from death myself.

….And it all of me to just kill him.

I was lucky that Bjron was fallen first, Otherwise I would be the corpse now.

Lifting my trambling arm, I placed my index finger on the ring of my hand and took out half healing potion that was remain in the crystal bottle.

I have used the one and half given by Hans to increase my recovery time and left remaining incase of emergency.

Now that was emergency.

The small crystal bottle was not full, but it would have to do.

With shaking fingers, I uncorked it and raised it to my lips. The potion smelled sharp—like bitter herbs mixed with metal—and it burned as it went down my throat.

But almost immediately, warmth spread through my chest. A soft, pulsing heat that pushed back the cold. It didn’t mend the broken bones, not fully, but the pain dulled. The bleeding slowed. My head cleared, just a little.

I sank down to my knees, breathing hard.

My fingers trembled as I pressed them against my ribs—still tender, but no longer feeling like every breath would tear them open.

I leaned against the cave wall, the rough stone cold and grounding.

Bjron’s body lay sprawled a few feet away. Blood still pooled beneath him, but it wasn’t pouring anymore. The heat had already begun to fade from the room. Or maybe that was just my body starting to shut down again.

Either way, I couldn’t stay here.

I needed to move.

I needed to get out.

I forced myself to my feet, swaying as the dizziness returned.

“Get up,” I muttered to myself. My voice was hoarse, cracked.

“You’re not done yet.”

I dragged myself towards the Lila, who was bound on the metal bed with chains.

Her eyes were wide in surprised and was filled with tears.

As if she didn’t believe I killed Bjron.

My Coat that I throw over her to cover the naked body was still clung on hers.

“You did right by hiring me.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I remembered our first encounter.

“Y-Yes.”

Lila’s lips trembled as she spoke. Her voice cracked, barely audible, but it was enough. Enough to tell me she was alive. That she hadn’t broken completely.

I reached her side, nearly collapsing again as my knees buckled. I caught myself on the edge of the metal bed with a grunt, pain shooting up my arm. Every inch of my body screamed to rest, but I couldn’t—not yet.

Her wrists were raw from the restraints.

Thick iron cuffs bound her to the corners of the slab, enchanted with a dull red rune that still faintly glowed. Whatever sick game Bjron had planned, he had taken precautions to make sure she didn’t escape.

“I’m going to get you out,” I muttered, half to her, half to myself.

Lila nodded shakily. “O-Okay.”

With shaking fingers, I inspected the cuffs.

Standard military-grade suppression chains. Strong enough to hold a beastkin berserker in full frenzy mode. I didn’t have the mana to dispel the runes, and the enchantment made them resistant to physical force.

But there was one trick.

A small, almost imperceptible crystal embedded into each cuff—a backup mana source to reinforce the restraint spell. Remove or shatter that crystal, and the enchantment would weaken just enough.

I took out my dagger again.

The blade was still slick with Bjron’s blood, but I didn’t have time to care.

“Hold still,” I said, and leaned over her right wrist.

One precise strike.

Crack.

The crystal splintered, sending a ripple of light up the chain. The glow dulled. I pried the cuff open with the tip of my blade and pulled it free.

She gasped as her arm dropped, shoulder sagging with relief. I moved to the other side and did the same. Her ankles were easier now that the enchantment had faded.

As the last cuff fell away, she curled into herself for a moment, hugging her arms around her body. She was shivering violently.

I pulled the coat tighter around her shoulders and helped her sit up. Her legs trembled as she tried to move.

“You can walk?” I asked.

“I… I think so.”

It was a lie, but a good one.

I didn’t say anything else. I just nodded and crouched slightly, turning my back to her.

“Climb on.”

She hesitated for a second, then wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.

I staggered to my feet, nearly tipping over, but somehow managed to balance. Her weight was nothing compared to the burden of everything else, but it still made my legs shake.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered. “Just hang on.”

There were no more words after that.

Only the sound of my boots dragging across stone.

Only the rasp of our breathing, ragged and raw.

Only the cold wind that howled faintly through the cracks in the cave wall as we made our way—step by agonizing step—toward the exit.

And beyond that…

Freedom….For her at least.

For me? Well in few hours morning going to come and I have to get back to my job as Alice Draken attendant.

No Freedom For me.

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