#19
Helmut
Episode 19
‘It would be nice if we could catch him.’
Helmut was not overconfident. I took advantage of the opportunity that Naho gave me, and that opportunity has now come to an end.
In any case, his sword cannot cut Naho’s solid body. A significant amount of vis was consumed in the previous attack.
The sword Darian gave me is not dull. However, a huge amount of vis was consumed to pierce Naho’s magical energy.
‘I’m leaving like this.’
Helmut moved his legs. But soon, something terrible happened.
– Damn it. Stupid head!
-Quad!
A terrifying noise followed by crunching. The sound of tough, thick flesh being chewed was heard.
Helmut, who was running, suddenly looked back.
One head was swallowing the head that had lost its eye. A sight that is both bizarre and horrifying.
Naho’s only head attacked the other, who was left defenseless, and threw the head of his old brother down his throat.
Naho’s body swelled to the size of his head and then sank.
Dark red blood and demonic energy surged from the cut cross section. The wound was healing quickly.
-Now that the useless parts have been removed.
Naho’s eyes turned to Helmut. Eyes burning with venom and anger.
Naho was now a one-headed snake. One undivided murderous intent!
-I’ll put you in my stomach and melt you with my head!
A snake full of rage flailed its body as if it were being exploded. It was as fast as running with tens of thousands of legs. The distance that Helmut had widened was immediately narrowed.
Helmut put his hand to his sword. Once he gets perfectly behind his back, he counterattacks.
However, the moment I turned and tried to get out of the way, I was hit squarely in the head with sudden acceleration.
thud! The tremendous impact, like colliding with a rock, paralyzed my mind.
Helmut was thrown helplessly into the air like a piece of paper.
‘This place… … .’
The place where I suddenly came to my senses was on top of a tree with lush leaves. It was barely possible without losing sight of the sword.
I was crying and blood was pouring out of my mouth.
Helmut checked his physical condition. Pain surged throughout his body, no matter where he was pinned.
‘Are your ribs broken?’
It looks like several bones were missing. My stomach was a mess.
Helmut spat out all the blood that had accumulated in his mouth. His head is pounding. It was a shame because the bis I instinctively pulled up protected my body, otherwise I would have died.
‘Where is Naho?’
If I had started practicing right away, I would have died.
I felt demon energy. The guy is around.
Helmut only moved his head to check its location. The guy’s shadow was looming towards him, so he found it right away.
It was a short distance, about fifty paces away. Through the leaves, I saw a huge snake raising its head and looking around, emitting vicious demonic energy. All around him has already been devastated.
Helmut’s figure was barely noticeable as it was hidden by the tree branches hanging above.
If it had been the original Naho, we would have found it right away, but there seems to be something wrong with one of the heads missing.
The guy was staggering, shaking his head from side to side.
‘My senses must have become strange.’
A person who has lived with two heads will need time to adjust to one head.
‘Meanwhile, I have to get out of here.’
Helmut gave strength to his throbbing body. Bis, which had almost reached its lowest point at one point, was slowly rising. The forest atmosphere, full of magical power, helped recovery.
The body that seemed unable to move at all started creaking.
But then.
-Keuuu! What a rat! Where are you hiding?
Quaaaaa! The wave of demonic energy rushed like a strong wind.
The aftermath shook the tree Helmut was in with the force of falling over.
Helmut lost his balance and fell.
thud!
My teeth clashed up and down hard. Sparks flew before my eyes. It hurt so much that I couldn’t even breathe.
“Ugh!”
It was a small moan. But that was enough. The tall head moved immediately.
The evil snake laughed sharply.
-You were there!
-Grrrrr. The snake moved with the vibration. The speed at which it crawled across the floor was as fast as a wave.
Absolute death was approaching. Like the reaper’s scythe. There is no way to deal with it.
‘I can’t die like this!’
A desperate heart made me stand up. Helmut’s eyes lit up.
Coogung! Helmut opened his eyes wide. Something huge fell with a heavy sound, blocking the view.
Helmut looked at the back of the pure white leopard that had miraculously appeared. His pure white fur was shiny with demonic energy.
“Elaga!”
-Good work. Leave it to me from now on.
Heavy breathing was heard mixed with the growling voice.
When he realized that something strange had happened, he ran beyond the boundary of the territory.
I knew it the moment I found Helmut lying down and smelled blood. That it’s late.
But it’s not completely too late. Elaga glanced behind her.
-You go.
“Me too.”
The moment I was about to say that I would fight, Elaga screamed.
-hurry!
Naho’s eyes sparkled as he was blocked. The man who had not noticed Elaga’s approach exploded with death from his entire body.
Incomplete condition. Naho normally would have avoided a fight, but the pain he experienced threw away his reason.
A snake with venomous venom after losing its prey.
“Elaga, me too.”
Helmut hesitated. But Elaga’s back was as solid as a cliff.
Like Darian before he faces death, his back doesn’t allow any other words.
‘Anyway, it’s just a burden as it is.’
I was taught to always think calmly. Helmut gritted his teeth.
“… … Thank you for that time.”
Will we ever see each other again? If the breakup with Darian was an eternal breakup, this might also be it.
I couldn’t be calm in the face of our planned breakup. She was Elaga, who had been with her for a long time. A warm current spread through her chest.
Helmut turned his back. He began to force his feet to move.
Only when he disappears will Elaga be able to fight with peace of mind.
-This sweet-smelling white cat! How dare you come into my territory?
-You’re now worth looking at because your ugly head has shrunk to one?
-But you always bothered me. I’m going to finish it today!
-What couldn’t be done with two heads can be done with one? Give it a try!
Soon the rulers of the two regions clashed. Two demonic energies that spread across space and into the realm.
Fierce howls and roars were shaking the air and destroying the surroundings.
It was a noisy battle, as peaceful as the Pahe Forest had been.
Helmut was walking away from there.
*
Vis is almost depleted to the bottom. My body is also a mess.
However, there will be no monsters attacking Helmut, who has the scent of Naho and Elaga all over him.
Helmut entered Elaga’s territory smoothly. A dull wave shook the air as the fight between the two monsters was still going on.
The aftermath of the battle must have stimulated instinctive fear, so the monsters didn’t even move around.
Helmut sat on a rock and caught his breath. His body, which was damaged enough to be useful for walking, was now able to do so without difficulty.
It’s incredible resilience. Helmut knows that even with vis, humans cannot have this kind of resilience.
‘Sprout of darkness.’
The moment Vis almost fell to the ground to protect himself from the impact of falling from the tree, Helmut felt something like a burning ember deep in his stomach.
The embers were growing slowly, the size of which could not be estimated.
It was cold rather than hot and had an eerie force that seemed to freeze blood.
It was natural that the moment Vis, who was in check, left his position, the sprouts of darkness were freed.
The force that quietly reached out to the spot vacated by Bis seemed to be trying to repair a damaged vessel.
It consumed the surrounding demonic energy and regenerated damaged muscles and flesh. It feels as if you are being forced to use a drug that is more harmful the more you use it.
If left as is, he will not only recover his body, but will also attempt to take over Helmut.
‘First, recover Vis.’
Helmut held his sword and surrendered himself to the flow of power. Vis, the power of the sword that governs him. It was a gift that Darian gave him.
“hmm.”
A few hours later he sheathed his sword in his belt. The rising vis was filling his insides, pressing on the buds of darkness. It is a power that I have become so accustomed to that I feel empty without it.
Helmut clenched and unclenched his hands to check his condition.
“There is no problem with moving.”
It’s not in perfect condition, but I feel like I’ve recovered to the extent of my arm. It will get better along the way.
“I’ve passed the important juncture, so it’ll be okay.”
There is no room for delay. Although it succeeded in suppressing the sprout of darkness, it absorbed a little bit of demonic energy and became bigger than before.
Helmut became a little impatient.
“Now the sacred barrier is the problem.”
Helmut reached into his arms and pulled out a booklet. Although he was in tatters, fortunately it didn’t have much trouble reading.
I looked at the map, remembering Erugo’s words. I’ve never been there, but I think I roughly know the location.
“Now all that remains is to pass the barrier.”
Just pass the barrier and you’re outside. If it’s a long time, haven’t you worked hard for it for a long time? My heart is already pounding.
Outside the forest of Pahe, the human world. What kind of place is it? Will my mother remember Helmut? I couldn’t imagine any of it.
Helmut, carrying his luggage, looked towards Naho’s territory.
Elaga was such a powerful being that it felt strange to say she was worried.
But I couldn’t help feeling anxious.
‘Elaga can easily defeat Naho.’
Naho, who lost a head, can’t be fine. And Naho, who was in good health, did not dare to fight against Elaga.
Elaga will be victorious. But that natural flow didn’t seem to have materialized yet.
‘The fight is getting longer.’
If Naho struggles desperately, it won’t be easy for Elaga to deal with him.
Anyway, it was Helmut who made Naho like that.
No matter how strong an opponent is, if he shows an opening, he can be cut down. If you concentrate until the end, you will be able to mount a counterattack.
Helmut reflected on that fact.
‘If you swallow Naho’s core, Elaga’s power will also increase.’
There were also positive points. When I thought like that, my heavy heart became lighter.
In this forest of Pahe ruled by the strong, Naho’s core will be a great gift to Elaga.
Of course, Ella might not have much use against a lazy leopard like her.
“Bye.”
Reciting a greeting he had learned somewhere, Helmut packed his bags and left Elaga’s territory.
Now only the final task remained.
