Venderwood stared intently at Perrian, who lay defeated on the ground.

"Ugh...ugh..."

Perrian, still conscious, gasped for air.

"Where's the mana stone then? The one created by the necromancers."

"Ugh..."

While they exchanged words, I assessed the situation.

With Perrian down, the restrictions on spatial magic were lifted.

Yet, I couldn't use spatial magic.

Lacking experience, I couldn't focus properly to use it without concentration.

Bleeding profusely and the throbbing pain from the wound where the spear had pierced made it impossible to concentrate properly.

Standing was all I could manage at my best.

"I'll ask again. The mana stone. Where is it?"

"You think...you can survive...after this...? Cough..."

Perrian barked out, coughing up blood.

"Still got a lively mouth."

Venderwood pressed his foot down on Perrian.

"Ugh...haha..."

Perrian let out a rough breath and chuckled.

Then, a strong mana presence was felt.

Venderwood, sensing something odd, stepped back.

"What's this?"

The strong presence of mana was unmistakable.

It was impossible for such mana to emanate from someone dying.

Perrian pushed himself off the ground to stand.

A bright light pierced through his clothes from his chest.

A glowing object, pierced by the sword through his clothes, was faintly visible.

"The mana stone?"

The mana stone was embedded in his chest.

It was the very mana stone we had been searching for.

"Did you think...I would fall just like that?"

The wound on his chest slightly healed.

Life Drain.

He had embedded the mana stone in his own chest, using his body as a magical tool.

"You think I came unprepared?"

Perrian looked at Venderwood with a faint smile.

Venderwood narrowed his eyes, pointing his sword at Perrian.

"What do you plan to do in that state?"

"You, you have a regenerating body."

Perrian reached out towards Venderwood.

A red glow leaked from his eyes.

"I'll take some of that vitality."

Perrian lunged at Venderwood with a push from the ground.

Venderwood swung his sword at the approaching Perrian.

"What's happening here?"

I watched the situation bewilderedly.

Priscilla nudged me.

"Rudy, they're fighting. Now's our chance to escape."

I was doubtful of Priscilla's suggestion.

Is it right for me to run away here?

Can I even escape?

"No, I'll watch for now."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"Their primary target isn't each other. It's me."

It wasn't a matter of whether to run or not.

If I ran, I'd die.

There was no escape.

Even if I tried to escape on Priscilla, Venderwood would catch us.

All I could do was wait for someone to come.

Then, a strong wind blew towards me.

The pressure from Venderwood's sword strike caused a gust of wind.

"Ugh..."

I shielded myself from the wind with my arms and watched their fight.

The battle was one-sided.

Perrian was a wizard, and Venderwood a swordsman.

Normally, Perrian would maintain distance, while Venderwood would charge in, but the situation was reversed.

Perrian tried to grab Venderwood to use Life Drain, but Venderwood dodged and countered with sword strikes.

Severely wounded and forced into close combat, Perrian was at a disadvantage.

"You...!"

Perrian staggered, shouting at Venderwood.

"What's an old man with a pierced chest trying to do, flailing like that?"

"I won't forgive you. I won’t forgive...!"

Perrian was desperate.

Despite his efforts, he couldn't even touch Venderwood.

Even using spatial and necromancy magic, he couldn't catch Venderwood's movements.

Meanwhile, the light from the mana stone grew stronger.

As Perrian's condition worsened, the mana stone's light intensified.

I narrowed my eyes at this sight.

Crack!

"Agh!!!"

Then, Venderwood's sword struck Perrian squarely in the stomach.

Perrian flew back, tumbling to the ground, while Venderwood stared down at him.

"Let's end this now."

I kept watching.

Something was off.

As Perrian's wounds deepened, the mana stone's light grew stronger.

Yet, the mana stone did not provide any other benefit.

It didn't appear to increase mana or heal wounds.

Then, Ian's words came to mind.

'If that mana stone explodes in the capital, it would obliterate the city.'

"Ha ha..."

Despite the dire situation, Perrian smiled.

Even with severe injuries and unable to fight back.

"Priscilla...!"

"Understood."

Priscilla, sensing my intention, immediately moved.

"What are you doing?"

Priscilla blocked Venderwood, who was approaching Perrian.

I spoke up.

"I have no love for that man, but killing him now is a bad idea."

"What?"

"The mana stone embedded in his chest. If he dies, it will explode."

Hearing this, Venderwood took a closer look at Perrian.

The mana stone's light was intensifying.

Normally, mana stones shine only when exerting power, not continuously.

This indicated the mana stone was activating.

If Perrian dies, the stone would explode.

It was a warning.

"Even if it heals most wounds, there's a limit, right? If you don't want to die, leave it be."

"Hmm..."

Perrian laughed maniacally.

"Ha ha ha! Yes, kill me and the mana stone explodes. Kill me and you all die. Go on, kill me! Ha ha ha...cough!"

At Perrian's words, Venderwood looked at me.

"You're right. But."

Venderwood approached Perrian without hesitation.

"I think I'd prefer to detonate this mana stone and destroy the capital."

"What?"

Venderwood was crazier than I had thought.

He prioritized the rebels' cause over his own life.

"Move aside."

Venderwood charged at Priscilla.

Priscilla summoned ice around her and launched it, but it was all swept away by Venderwood's sword.

"Priscilla!"

Priscilla tried to resist as much as she could, but couldn't muster much strength.

My mental energy was already depleting, preventing me from using any significant techniques.

Priscilla was sliced and sent flying to the side.

"Ha ha...?"

Venderwood passed Priscilla and reached right in front of Perrian.

"Then die."

"Ah...ah..."

Perrian, unable to even scream, tried to crawl away from Venderwood on the ground.

"Right, time magic..."

Perrian recalled something, rummaging through his pocket and pulling out a clock.

"If I use the time magic artifact..."

As Perrian touched the clock, a strong light leaked from it.

And then.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted from the clock.

Shrapnel flew everywhere, and Perrian's head was gone.

That was Perrian's end.

"Did you really think it was a genuine time magic artifact?"

"Ah..."

I couldn't close my mouth upon seeing this.

It was a pitiful end, unbecoming of someone who had held a ducal title.

"The mana stone..."

Then, the mana stone began to emit an even stronger light.

"So, next is."

Venderwood, unconcerned with the mana stone, looked at me.

"You need to die as well."

"What? If that thing explodes..."

"It doesn't matter. We're all going to die anyway, but Lord Aryandor specifically said you should die by my hand. You're too much of a wildcard."

Venderwood walked towards me.

"Rudy...!"

Priscilla, who had been slashed by Venderwood, got up and charged at him again.

"Annoying."

Priscilla, unable to manipulate ice, was easily cut down by Venderwood.

"Pr, Priscilla...ack..."

As Priscilla was forcibly recalled, a sinking feeling overwhelmed me.

The cost of reverse summoning.

While creatures like Behemoths dying wouldn't exact a heavy toll, the reverse summoning of a spirit inflicts severe internal injuries.

My already poor condition worsened.

"So..."

I could see Venderwood approaching with his greatsword.

And in the distance, the mana stone ready to explode.

"..."

I couldn't do anything in that state.

Spatial magic.

Spirit magic.

Dark magic.

Martial arts.

I was incapable of any action.

Is this what it feels like when everything collapses and is lost?

"Ugh..."

I wanted to resist Venderwood with all my might, but my body refused to cooperate.

If things continued this way, everyone would die.

The people quietly living in the capital.

The nobles.

My acquaintances.

Everyone would die.

I clenched my fist.

This couldn't happen.

I must resist somehow.

Even if it meant squeezing out every last bit of mana from the ground.

I must think of some way.

However, no method came to mind.

All I could see was Venderwood approaching me.

I was powerless.

Just as Perrian had said, I was a weakling.

If there's no one around, I can't do anything.

"Ah...?"

Then, a sound came from Venderwood.

Thud.

I felt a sensation above my head.

White smoke appeared beside me, and the smell of tobacco stung my nose.

Boom!!!!!

A loud explosion sounded.

It was a really loud noise, but it wasn't from Perrian's mana stone.

I wasn't sure if I was crying, but my vision blurred.

After wiping my eyes with my sleeve, I could see ahead.

Somehow, Venderwood had been sent flying far away and was rolling on the ground.

As I stared blankly at that scene, a voice came from beside me.

"What are you, a kid? Stop your sniveling."

I turned my head to look beside me.

There was a man, Robert, with a white cigarette in his mouth and one hand resting above my head.