The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Reunion (1)

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Clang! Shing!

Ian's sword clashed against mine, the sound of steel ringing through the air.

A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead, clinging to my chin before falling to the ground.

There was no need to ponder how to describe this situation.

It was a disaster. How had things gone so wrong?

I glanced at Lili, locked in combat with Selina. She had planned to overwhelm Selina, who should have been exhausted by now, while I held Ian off.

But… was Lili losing ground?

"…You seem to have plenty of energy left, Berry."

Clang!

Ian, his breath ragged, swung his sword with all his might, his dwindling stamina notwithstanding.

'Damn it.'

He was right. Compared to him, I still had plenty of strength and magic left.

But who could have predicted this? That Ian and Selina would employ the same strategy as us.

And unlike me, who prioritized efficiency in combat, Ian, due to his protagonist-like nature, had endured countless injuries and battles on his way to the finals.

What should I do?

Losing to Ian now would be too obvious, too deliberate.

Should I defeat him quickly and join Lili, who was struggling against Selina?

No, that was a terrible idea.

Should I prolong the fight and wait for Lili to collapse?

I dismissed that option immediately.

My plan relied on me collapsing first, forcing Lili to forfeit.

That way, she would escape with minimal injuries, while I, already battered and bruised, would take the brunt of the damage. A less than ideal outcome, but still preferable.

But now, the roles were reversed. Lili was the one getting injured, and I couldn't allow that. Not after vowing to protect her.

"What are you thinking so hard about, Berry? At least show your opponent some respect by focusing on the fight."

Ian swung his sword weakly, a sluggish movement barely powered by gravity.

" Eek!"

Lili's scream made me turn. Selina was about to launch a large, translucent orb at Lili, who was lying on the ground.

I had no choice. I had to abandon this charade and save Lili.

I tightened my grip on my sword, preparing to strike Ian with all my might, when,

"A-Attack!! Demons have breached the barrier and are attacking the West Tower!!"

Someone burst through the arena doors, shouting that multiple demons had infiltrated the academy and were attacking the West Tower.

"…What?"

Demons? Already? Multiple demons? Attacking the West Tower, not Ian? So early? Why?

A single piece of information, yet it sparked a flurry of questions, overwhelming my thoughts.

As I scanned the arena, trying to understand what was happening, people started screaming and running for their lives.

"The tournament is suspended! We'll resume if the situation is resolved quickly, but if not, we'll announce a new schedule later! Evacuate immediately!"

The instructor acting as referee shouted at us, still standing in the arena, watching the chaos unfold.

Other instructors and teachers were either running towards the West Tower or flying there using magic.

The students in the audience screamed and fled, their voices filled with fear and panic.

The arena, already sparsely populated due to the late hour, quickly emptied.

"Berry? Berry!! Didn't you hear the instructor?! We need to evacuate! What are you thinking about?!"

"Huh? Oh… right."

Ian shook me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked around.

Selina was helping Lili, who was covered in minor cuts and bruises, to her feet.

While Selina had the upper hand, she, too, looked exhausted. Their match had been close.

Ian was still recovering from his magic and stamina depletion, his breathing ragged, his body covered in shallow wounds, expanding and contracting rapidly.

I wasn't in much better shape.

While not as bad as Ian, my magic reserves were almost depleted, and I was running low on stamina.

'It's too quiet.'

Even with everyone evacuating, it shouldn't be this silent. Shouldn't I at least hear the crickets chirping?

A growing sense of unease gnawed at me as I followed Ian towards the exit.

Then, I saw it. Ian's sword, the same academy-issued standard sword I was carrying.

A wave of fear, so intense it almost stopped my heart, washed over me.

The protagonist and the main heroine were together. Lili and I, who had usurped their roles, were also together.

All four of us were exhausted, our magic and stamina depleted.

And we were armed with standard-issue weapons, devoid of any special properties. We weren't carrying any artifacts or potions, due to the tournament regulations.

'Ian and Selina are protected by plot armor, but Lili and I aren't.'

The moment I realized that, I only had one course of action.

"Everyone, run to the main building! Now!!!"

"W-What? Why…?"

"Berry?"

"…."

Ian and Lili looked at me, puzzled. I grabbed Lili's hand and was about to drag her out of the arena when…

Tick. Crack! Shatter!

The magical lights illuminating the arena exploded, plunging us into darkness.

"Eek!"

"W-What's happening?!"

And then, I smelled it. The faint, but unmistakable scent of an assassin, a scent only someone like me could recognize.

And I knew, instinctively, that the killing intent wasn't directed at me. It was aimed at the frail girl who had been standing next to me just moments ago.

"Your Highness!!!"

Slash!

I threw myself in front of Lili, shielding her with my body.

Something tore through my back, a searing pain shooting through my spine.

"B-Berry…? What…? Your back! It's bleeding!!"

"Who's there!!"

A sliver of moonlight, streaming through a crack in the wall, illuminated the deep gash across my back.

"Ugh…! Agh!"

I gritted my teeth, suppressing a scream. I couldn't collapse. Not now.

'I can't sense anything.'

I could smell the faint scent of an assassin, a familiar scent.

But I couldn't sense any presence, any sound. I focused my remaining magic on my eyes.

…I knew this ability all too well. Against an opponent like this, sight was my only weapon.

As my vision sharpened, the world around me brightening as if it were daytime, I saw a jet-black sword hurtling towards me.

Clang!

I barely managed to deflect it and shouted,

"Your Highness!! Light! Illuminate the arena!!"

"O-Okay!!"

Lili, seeing the wound on my back and hearing the clash of our swords, realized the gravity of the situation and quickly cast a spell, illuminating the arena.

"Huh…?"

"Are these… demons…?"

"I-Ian… what do we do?"

As the light filled the arena, we were met with a sight that filled us with despair.

We were surrounded.

One, two… three… too many to count.

At least thirty.

Thirty demons, surrounding us, in the early stages of the story, when even two demons were a formidable threat.

We knew, instinctively, that death was upon us, its icy grip tightening around our throats.

"That was quite impressive, human boy. Blocking my attack."

A demon, clearly the leader of the group, smiled at me.

He was wielding a jet-black sword, White Night's twin, his gaze constantly searching for its missing counterpart.

Poras, one of the few named demons.

I didn't have time to wonder why he was here, so early in the story.

I knew what I had to do.

"Ian, take Her Highness and Selina and run. I'll buy you some time."

I pointed my battered sword at Poras, whispering,

I didn't know why they hadn't attacked us immediately, but I had to use this opportunity.

"Leave you behind? I can't…"

"Then you'd rather watch Her Highness and Selina die?"

"…"

"It's better for some of us to survive and call for help than for all of us to die here. You three can reach the main building even if a couple of demons chase after you."

He didn't wait for my explanation. A wave of killing intent washed over us.

"Ian Cedric, you idiot!! Run, if you don't want to die!!!"

"…Damn it!!"

Ian cursed, scooping up Selina and Lili and running towards the only available exit.

"W-What are you doing?! Let me go! Let go of me?!"

I heard Lili struggling in Ian's grasp, but,

Even a weakened Ian was too strong for a mage like her.

"…I can't leave Berry behind again…!"

Slash!

A sudden, searing pain in my abdomen, both hot and cold. I saw a demon, smirking down at me. He must have approached while I was distracted.

"You should be focusing on me, not looking elsewhere."

"Ugh…"

"…So that's why my blade didn't cut cleanly. That necklace."

His gaze fell on the gash across my chest, from my left shoulder to my right hip.

And the broken remains of the Trace Changer.

My light brown hair darkened, turning jet black.

My rough, calloused skin became smooth and pale, marred by countless scars.

My somewhat mature features reverted back to their boyish form.

"Of course. It takes an artifact to block my blade."

Block?

Was that even considered blocking?

While it had prevented me from being bisected, I was still bleeding profusely. I would probably die even without further attacks.

My vision blurred, and my senses dulled.

A faint voice, like a hallucination, reached my ears.

"…Finn?"

Ah… so this was it. This was where I, a nameless extra, would die.

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