IBDFSML Chapter 48

48

CRASH!

The beast's massive front paw, which was coming down toward Diene, was suddenly flung into the air.

"…!!!"

It almost struck her, Sion had slashed it away with his sword.

Vwooong—

'That…!'

Just for a brief moment, I saw it. An intangible aura flickered like a mirage around Sion's sword before vanishing.

In that critical moment, Sion had revealed his true power in secret.

"Urgh…!"

"Garen! Are you okay?!"

Meanwhile, Garen, who had thrown himself forward to shield Diene, let out a groan as he clutched his shoulder, he must have been grazed by Tagas's attack.

Pushing him away, Diene shouted.

"Get out of here with the young lord!"

"I can't just leave you behind...!"

"You idiot!!!"

Diene and Garen were now trapped, unable to move forward or back.

And standing face-to-face with the monstrous Tagas was Sion.

The situation was dire.

'This is bad! If this keeps up, Sion will…!'

I racked my brain.

'I have to buy him some time!'

Bursting out from behind Sion's cloak, I shot straight toward Tagas.

"I'll lure its away!"

"Lin!"

Facing dozens of eyes glaring at me, I unleashed my fangirl powers at full blast.

"<Unstoppable Devotion>!!!"

'One of these has to hit!'

Pew~!

A barrage of heart-shaped projectiles flew and struck several of Tagas's eyeballs.

Splat, squish.

With grotesque noises, some of his eyeballs burst. But many more remained intact, glaring at me like they wanted me dead.

'Good. I've got his attention…!'

Confirming that I had drawn all of Tagas's focus, I soared up high above its head.

Tagas followed my movements, raising its head and swinging its massive paw.

Kikikik! Kiiik!

Dodging desperately with all my might, I yelled.

"Sion! Now!!!"

"…!"

Sion seized the moment when Tagas's gaze was drawn upward, and dove beneath the beast's torso.

And then—

Sion's sword pierced straight through Tagas's neck.

CRUNCH—!

Krrghhh…

Tagas let out a dying scream and convulsed violently.

Then, it collapsed.

THUD—

Silence fell.

Still stunned by what had just happened, I snapped back to my senses and flew like an arrow toward Tagas's corpse.

"S-Sion…!"

The thought that Sion, who had been beneath Tagas's body just moments ago, might now be crushed underneath it made my mind go blank.

Grunting and groaning, I started pushing one of Tagas's massive legs with my body and shouted.

"Garen! Diene! Help me! Sion is under here…!"

That's when a voice came from beside me.

"I'm over here, Lin."

It was Sion's voice.

"…!!!"

Without delay, I darted over to the side of Tagas's corpse.

There he was, Sion, catching his breath and getting back on his feet.

"Sion…!!!"

I rushed to him at the speed of light and threw myself into his face, hugging him tightly.

"You're okay! Thank goodness! Really, thank goodness…!!!"

"……"

After a moment of silence, Sion gently pried me off his neck where I had been clinging and placed me on his open palm. Then he looked at me directly and asked quietly.

"…Are you hurt?"

"Me? I'm totally fine! What about you, Sion-"

I suddenly let out a gasp.

"Ah!?"

I spotted a faint scratch near Sion's eye and screamed.

"You're hurt! On your precious face…!"

"……"

"Sion, promise me, don't ever jump into a dangerous fight again! Promise me, okay?"

I anxiously begged with a worried expression, but Sion's face hardened.

Then, in a low voice, he asked.

"…And what about you? Why did you do something so reckless earlier?"

"Huh? Me?"

"You threw yourself out there to draw Tagas's attention, basically, you acted as bait."

"Ah, but I have wings, remember? I planned to fly way up high so it couldn't reach me."

"That was a reckless and dangerous decision. That spider-like beast wouldn't have been hindered by altitude or height. Do you realize you could've ended up as spider food?"

I blinked at Sion in confusion, taken aback by the anger on his face.

'Why is he getting mad? It was a good strategy. We managed to defeat the beast thanks to that…'

I had thought I'd been helpful, that I'd contributed meaningfully to the battle.

But now, seeing Sion's serious expression, I couldn't help but feel a bit hurt and confused.

"…But still…"

My voice trailed off as I sulked.

Sion hesitated, then frowned slightly as if he didn't know what to say.

Just then...

"Are you both safe?"

Garen and Diene approached.

Garen's injured shoulder was now wrapped in a makeshift bandage.

"Phew… I really thought I was going to meet my end there for a second."

Diene brushed off strands of spider silk from her clothes as she spoke.

Then, looking between me and Sion with a solemn expression, very different from her usual laid-back demeanor, she said sincerely.

"We owe you both. Thank you for your help."

"It's fine. No big deal."

I lifted my chin proudly as I replied to Sion.

Garen chuckled and said.

"I was truly impressed by your quick thinking, Miss Lin. More than anything, you and the young lord worked together flawlessly."

"Right? I was kind of awesome this time, don't you think?"

I folded my arms and nodded smugly.

Then Sion turned to Garen and asked.

"Garen, how's your shoulder?"

"It's just a minor wound. I should be fine once I get it treated by the priestess when we return."

"And the spiderlings?"

"They were crushed under their mother's body. I confirmed it."

Satisfied that the crisis had fully passed, Sion let out a slow breath.

"…Still, we should check the area thoroughly. There may be more spiderlings that Tagas laid nearby."

"Yes, good idea."

"Let's go."

Following Sion's orders, Garen and Diene began walking deeper into the canyon.

Sion, still looking down at me as I sat in the middle of his palm, said.

"Lin, if another battle like before ever happens again, you must never..."

RUMBLE…

"…?"

"…??"

A tremendous roar echoed through the entire canyon.

Sion and I turned our gazes toward the source, deep inside the canyon.

"…!?"

"…What was that just now?"

And then...

CRASH—CRUMBLE—!!!

The entire canyon suddenly shook as if struck by a massive earthquake.

Moments later, a violent gust of wind came surging out from within.

"Waaah?!"

Caught off guard, I was blown off Sion's palm like a fallen leaf.

"Lin!"

With alarm flashing in his eyes, Sion immediately sprang into action and snatched me out of the air with one hand.

Clutching me tightly, he rolled across the ground several times before regaining his balance.

CRACK—!

To brace himself against the force of the wind, Sion stabbed his sword into the ground with his right hand, while keeping me firmly in his left.

"Sion…!"

CLANG—CLANG—!

Sion was pushed slightly backward.

'No! He can't hold out like this!'

Just then, two figures came tumbling out of the inner canyon like dolls rolling downhill.

It was Garen and Diene.

The moment they got back on their feet, they began sprinting toward us in a panic.

"Young lord! Get awa—uh…!!"

"Run… now…!!!"

They shouted something desperately toward us, but their words were swallowed by the deafening noise.

However, it wouldn't be long before we understood exactly what they meant.

KUUUUUUUAAAAAA—!!!!!

"…!?"

"…!!??"

Behind Garen and Diene, a massive wave of snow came surging down the canyon like an unstoppable wall.

An avalanche.

Confronted with this overwhelming force of nature that was barreling right toward us, my mind went completely blank. In a daze, I called out to Sion.

"…Sion, w-what do we do?"

Sion fixed his eyes on the approaching avalanche, his face stiff. Then, as if making a firm decision, he looked at me with a resolute gaze.

"Lin."

"Huh? Ah!"

Without hesitation, Sion grabbed me and tucked me deep inside his clothing.

Then, as he tightly secured his collar shut, he said.

"No matter what happens, don't come out. Not until I say it's safe."

"B-but…!"

I wanted to protest, how could I be the only one protected like this?

But the moment I looked into his eyes, my words froze.

Those cool, steady blue-gray eyes of his, always calm, always composed, were trembling ever so slightly.

'…Sion is afraid!'

Just as I instinctively reached out toward his face...

CRAAAASH—!!!

The avalanche swallowed us whole.

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