199 I am going to die?

[Ren Hilton's POV]

Year: 1738

Date: 6th

Month: Embera

Time: 3:32

"And this counts as last....nah you are still there," I muttered, my voice a hoarse whisper as I surveyed the aftermath of the prolonged battle.

The fight had taken its toll, not only on my mana reserves but on the very fabric of the chamber itself. The corpses of smugglers and the remnants of my clones lay strewn across the once-pristine floor, transforming it into a gruesome mosaic of blood and shattered bones.

I peered down at the mystical orb, its luminous glow flickering like a fading star. Cracks marred its surface, signaling that it had reached its limit.

"Tud*Tud*," the echoes of the two surviving clones collapsing punctuated the chamber's newfound silence.

Is this the extent of my control over these illusions? My mana was nearly depleted, and the fatigue weighed heavily on me.

Broker, his once-arrogant demeanor shattered, scrambled backward, his eyes wide with terror. It was clear that the tide of the battle had turned, and he was now at my mercy.

I took a deliberate step forward, every movement feeling like a colossal effort. "W-wait, d-don't come near me!!!" Broker's voice quivered as he launched a desperate barrage of earth shards in my direction. I instinctively summoned a raw mana shield to deflect the projectiles, a newfound skill borne of necessity.

Amidst the chaos, one of the smugglers unleashed a pack of wolf-like beasts from their cages. I had to simultaneously defend against these creatures and maintain control over the unstable illusions. Desperation led me to attempt manipulating atmospheric mana to shield myself, but it proved insufficient against the nimble beasts. Their fangs sank into my left calf, leaving a gaping wound.

'You bit one of them,' Blaze observed. I brushed off the remark, too preoccupied with my current predicament to care about minor injuries.

Finally, the battleground was cleared, save for Broker.

"L-let's talk," he stammered, his expression now a stark contrast to the arrogance he had displayed earlier.

I struggled to move towards a nearby cage where a girl had been imprisoned. "Agh," I grunted in pain as I approached, my legs weary from the ordeal. "Hey, let's have a talk," I said, addressing the girl who had endured this nightmare.

Broker, his fear palpable, offered a plea. "Yeah, what do you want....money? I-I can give you."

"For now, try not to cast any spells behind my back," I warned, detecting the subtle shift in the mana around him.

I turned my attention back to Broker. "How many beasts are in this chamber?" I inquired.

"Heh?" His confusion was evident.

"Numbers. Give me the count and their ranks. We're here to make a deal, right?" My voice was raspy, betraying the strain of the battle. I ignored Blaze's reminder of the boulder that had been hurled onto my back, the memory of its crushing weight still fresh. Instead, I reached for a healing potion concealed within my robe, swallowing it down to alleviate some of my aches and pains.

The battle had been both exhilarating and exhausting, stretching on for what felt like an eternity. But now, with Broker at my mercy, it was time to secure our negotiation.

"Twenty C Rank, Five B Ranks, and Two A Ranks, with a few D Ranks as well," Broker disclosed, his voice shaky but cooperative.

I advanced with caution towards Broker, his fear evident in the way he shrank back. The chamber's atmosphere hung heavy with tension, and the flickering remnants of my mana-infused orbs cast eerie shadows on the walls.

As Broker reluctantly provided the information about the beasts, I mentally cataloged the numbers and ranks. It was clear that he understood the precariousness of his situation and was now cooperating out of self-preservation.

"Good," I replied tersely, my mind racing to formulate a plan. The beasts could be a valuable bargaining chip, and I needed to ensure I got what I came for.

"Now, here's how this is going to work," I began, my voice gaining a steely resolve. "You're going to release the girl and provide me with all the information you have on your operation. In exchange, I won't unleash the remaining beasts on you, and we'll both walk away from this in one piece."

I don't plan on doing it that way at all..... he's dead.

Broker hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. It was clear that he understood the gravity of the situation and that his leverage had diminished significantly.

"Alright," he finally conceded, his voice trembling. "Just... just let her go first."

I gingerly navigated the grim tapestry of dismantled bodies, each one a testament to the brutal chaos that had unfolded. Bones snapped, flesh torn, and heads crushed under the merciless onslaught. My footfalls were punctuated by the crunch of bones and the squelch of blood-soaked earth. There was a particularly gruesome sight, a body whose head had been utterly crushed, and another whose hands were torn apart - all part of my desperate attempts to distract the wolves that had been unleashed upon us.

Step by step, I approached the cage where the girl had been imprisoned. I peered inside, my heart sinking at the sight that met my eyes. She lay there, motionless, her body still as death itself. Unconscious or worse, I couldn't immediately tell. Her form was frail, naked, and her face bore the traces of suffering that cut deeper than any physical wounds.

'Princess!' Blaze's voice cried out within my mind, a reminder of the peril she had been subjected to.

I couldn't deny the truth that stared back at me. The horrors she had endured were etched on her broken form, a testimony to the cruelty she had suffered at the hands of these guys.

My fingers trembled as I reached out to touch the girl's neck, my eyes refusing to avert from the painful evidence of her ordeal. Scratch marks marred her body, and the condition of her lower body was a grotesque testament to the depths of her suffering...they raped such fragile creature.

Her skin felt cold to the touch, and her chest remained eerily still, devoid of the rhythmic rise and fall of breathing. Her eyes had rolled back, her fingers curled into loose fists, and her body had surrendered to the grim embrace of death.

She's dead... She.is.dead.

"..." I don't know why, but I couldn't take my eyes off her face. It held an expression of relief, as if she had found solace in her final moments. Why?

Was she that relieved because of death?

'Ren, look back!' As if pulling me out of focus, I heard Blaze's voice. Mana depletion had dulled my senses in detecting physical movements.

My breathing grew labored, each inhale a painful struggle. The world around me blurred, and my hands trembled uncontrollably. Blood oozed from my mouth, a metallic taste that only added to my growing unease.

'H-hey.....Ren.... Y-you are fine, right?' Blaze's voice was growing more distant with each passing moment, as though it echoed from the end of a long tunnel.

My gaze drifted down to my chest, and I found myself staring at the gruesome wound, the steel shard jutting from my torso like a macabre decoration. It wasn't the only weapon embedded in my flesh; there were others, creating a nightmarish tableau of agony.

"You pulled this ingot out of your ass?" I gasped, my voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. The pain was excruciating, and my vision dimmed further as my strength waned.... but-

"Fuck you!" I gritted my teeth and pushed myself deeper into the swords, inching my way back towards the hilt. Every agonizing millimeter was a struggle, but I couldn't afford to lose consciousness now.

The searing pain, oddly enough, grounded me, making the dizziness more bearable. I focused on the sensation, using it to keep myself alert and functioning.

As I pushed myself further back onto the swords, I could sense the dwarf's desperation. He attempted to summon another shard of earth to attack me, but his mana reserves were dwindling, and he was clearly exhausted from our battle.

With my remaining strength, I summoned a small ball of lightning magic to my right hand. The crackling energy danced around my fingertips as I directed it towards the dwarf.

"Sorry, but it's time to end this," I muttered, my voice weak but determined.

I released the lightning bolt, aiming it directly at the dwarf. It struck him with a powerful surge of electricity, coursing through his body and causing him to convulse in agony.

The combined pain of his own spell backfiring and the relentless lightning assault proved too much for him to handle. He let out a guttural scream as his body spasmed uncontrollably. In a final, dramatic arc, his body was thrown backward, crashing against a stack of crates with a resounding thud.

Silence descended upon the chamber as the dwarf's lifeless form lay motionless amidst the wreckage.

As I collapsed to the ground, every ounce of strength seemed to drain from my body. My vision blurred, and the world around me became a hazy, distant realm. The pain in my chest was excruciating, each breath labored and shallow.

With trembling limbs, I attempted to move, but my muscles refused to obey. I felt as if I were sinking into an abyss of darkness, the world slipping away from my grasp.

The connection with Blaze, once a constant presence in my mind, abruptly vanished. His voice, which had resounded with urgency just moments before, was now replaced by an eerie silence.

Reflecting on the battle, I knew it had been reckless from the start.

Have I?

Haha, bullshit.

[System Notification On]

I called out in my mind as I saw a hazy plate... I knew what it was.

Initiate the level up.

I knew this was not the end for me.

I am not reckless, am I?

[A/N: Wait a bit so...he fought while like that while he knew that something was coming? Waitttyyy someone tell me!! Heh? I am the author right? Ehehe my bad ]