Chapter 44: You have to
A heavy silence fell over the battlefield as William stared at the woman, frowning.
Finally, he couldn’t hold back anymore. "Are you... some kind of pervert?"
The woman blinked, then laughed. "That’s the conclusion you came to from my request?"
William shrugged. "Well, some people enjoy pain. Maybe you’re just taking it a step further—wanting to be killed for fun?"
Kevin and Natalie both stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. Their expressions screamed, ’Are you serious right now?’
But William didn’t move. He stood his ground, waiting for her to answer.
The woman’s smile didn’t fade. "It’s my dream to be freed from this body," she said softly. "And only you can do that."
"Freed?" William echoed, his frown deepening.
She clasped her hands behind her back. "We all make mistakes in desperate moments," she admitted. "And I’m no different. To survive... I gave my body to someone who might bring the end of this world."
William’s eyes narrowed. "You’re a human... who made a contract."
Her lips curved slightly. "Oh? You know about that? I’m impressed."
It wasn’t a secret to everyone—but only those who’d seen it firsthand truly understood what it meant.
Humans who made contracts with devils didn’t turn into corrupted beings. They became Emissaries—vessels who allowed beings too powerful for this world to descend through them.
Just like Emma or Kevin, whose bodies could serve as vessels for immortals—the same fate had fallen upon this woman.
"And now you regret it?" William asked coldly.
She shook her head. "Not regret... dread. I dread the day that thing inside me wakes and walks these lands."
Emma’s eyes sharpened. She racked her memory but couldn’t recall this woman—this supposed apostle of darkness. She was never mentioned in the novel.
How much has the story changed? the silver-haired girl wondered, a chill running down her spine.
After a long silence, the woman finally looked up.
"That’s why I want you to kill me... when the time comes."
William let out a short, cold laugh.
"Why wait for the future? I can grant that wish right now."
The air shifted. Dust trembled, and the ground began to quake as William slowly rose into the air. The sky dimmed, as if his very presence was stealing its light. His eyes glowed crimson, bleeding with power.
Kevin’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The sheer pressure from William’s aether made it hard to breathe.
*He’s fought against so many golems... and he still has this much strength left?!*
Every living being nearby could feel it—William was taking this woman far more seriously than he ever took those golems.
Lifting both hands, Hades tore great chunks of earth from the ground. Roots, soil, and rocks twisted together into two massive boulders. With a motion of his arm, he hurled them toward the woman.
But she didn’t move. Not an inch. Her feet remained steady, her eyes calm.
Her lips formed a small circle before she softly exhaled—
*Phew.*
In an instant, the colossal boulders turned into feathers—hundreds, maybe thousands—falling gently like snow.
"Huh?!"
"What the—?!"
Natalie and Kevin gasped aloud, but even William and Emma stood frozen, their eyes wide in disbelief.
What kind of power was this?
William’s jaw clenched. This wasn’t a struggle. This wasn’t even a fight.
Rising higher, he thrust his palm forward. His telekinetic arm shot through the air, aiming straight for her—
—but again, she didn’t move. She only snapped her fingers.
**BOOOOM!**
A massive explosion thundered in the distance, far from where she stood. The attack meant for her had been diverted completely.
"What...?" William muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief. One of his strongest attacks—redirected like it was nothing.
He tried again and again—hurling boulders, slashing through the air, even trying to crush her entirely. But nothing worked. Nothing reached her.
It wasn’t a battle. It was a display—of power that mocked his every move.
At last, the blond one descended, landing before her with narrowed eyes.
"You are insane," he said slowly. "Just what exactly are you?"
The woman smiled, the same calm, knowing smile she’d worn from the start.
"I am someone who will die by your hands one day," she said softly. "I’m sure of it now."
William scoffed, "Is this some kind of joke?"
The woman shook her head, "You have yet to realize your true potential...and when you would do, no one would be above you. Just try to keep your head still and we will meet again." The woman soon faded into thin air, leaving an unconscious Talobo behind.
William clicked his tongue. Until the very end she kept his reach away from her head.
It felt as if she was an untouchable deity who had descended to the mortal realm to remind him that he was not anywhere near absolute.
He has to push forward, keep doing it, so that the next time, this annoying helplessness doesn’t assault him.
"I-Is it finally over?" Natalie asked as the barrier around them started to fade away.
Kevin exhaled a long sigh, his palms on the ground as he stared at the blank sky.
It was one hell of an eventful day.
Not so long after, several school staff along with Lancelot and Russel appeared before them, alarmed.
Lancelot surveyed the area but couldn’t find the person he was searching for.
"I am fine. Go check on him." Emma told the medic, gesturing towards Joseph, who appeared before her.
The medic asked, "Are you really fine?"
The silver head nodded before the man finally advanced towards the fallen boy.
Emma looked at her damaged arm, still quite exhausted to heal herself.
"Guh," groaning, she tried to move, only to feel herself turning weightless as William appeared beside her, holding her by her shoulder.
She glanced at him, a bit surprised but then she remembered something and said, "Didn’t you say I am nothing to you? Why help then?"
William rolled his eyes, "Really? You have to bring that up now when you are already in a half dead state?"
Emma shot daggers with her eyes as she muttered, "I won’t be forgetting about how you abandoned me any time soon...unless you do something to make up for it,"
William heaved a sigh.
Emma believed he would leave her again...but, suddenly, she found a pair of sturdy arms lifting her off the ground.
"Huh?" Emma found her face close to his chest as he lifted her in a bridal carry.
"Is this enough?" He asked, looking down at her with his brows raised.
Emma grinned, circling her arm around his neck as she said, "I was expecting an apology kiss, but this will do too."
"..."
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A/N:- Thanks for reading.