[Salvos] 784. Precipice Of Death (Patreon)

784. Precipice Of Death

***

There she was. Safra the Lady of Glory. Haec thought it would have taken quite some time to find her, but as it turned out, she came right to them.

Before they had even scoured the fortress for long.

Haec tensed up as her piercing gaze bore into him, but she didn’t attack just yet. She just stood there, a disappointed look on her face.

“I am willing to give you one final chance, Traitor.”

Safra spoke as she glanced over at the Fairy by Haec’s side.

“Prove your loyalty to our case by killing Hartia, then aid us in bringing down the Enemy, and I am sure you will be accepted by Regnorex with open arms.”

Haec’s eyes narrowed when he heard that— he knew that the Enemy Safra was referring to was Salvos. So it didn’t even take him much thought to rebuke the offer.

“If you were asking me to kill Hartia, I’d gladly do it. But I would never harm Salvos.”

“Hey!”

Hartia glared at Haec, before clearing his throat. The Fairy turned to face the Lady Of Glory as he pointed at her.

“The only one here who’s going to be dying is you, Safra.”

“Oh?”

Safra tilted her head, then a small smile slipped onto her lips.

“And how exactly are you going to defeat me? The both of you combined do not stand a chance against me. I far exceed either of you in levels.”

Haec pursed his lips when he heard that. She was right in that regard. But Hartia had been extremely confident about obtaining their victory.

Even now, he was even snickering at the Lady Of Glory’s threats.

“Are you really? Come on now, take your best shot at me, I am sure if you’re that much stronger than me, you can take me out in one hit.”

“Hartia, this isn’t any time for games.”

Haec said as he turned towards the Fairy.

“Just activate your Grand Skill already— summon your army of Fairies and end this.”

The former Heir of the Netherworld shook his head as he urged Hartia. Unfortunately, the Fairy just floated forward, waving a hand dismissively at Haec.

“Well, I can’t do that, so I’m not going to do that.”

Hearing that, Haec blinked.

“You… what?”

“I said: I can’t use my domain, so I’m not going to use it.”

“But—”

Haec tried to work his jaw, however Hartia just swatted at the former Heir of the Netherworld like he was some sort of fly.

“So can you let me do my thing and leave me alone already?”

Haec just stared uncomprehendingly at the Fairy. He wanted to protest, despite Hartia’s confidence. Because it almost seemed like this was a completely unwinnable battle.

After all, how was Hartia going to defeat Safra without his most powerful weapon?

The Lady Of Glory seemed to have the same thought as she just smirked, striding forward.

“Oh? Is this some sort of trick? You lack access to your domain, and yet you believe you can defeat me? Ridiculous.”

She raised an arm as the metal collar or her wrist glinted, almost looking like some kind of fashionable bangle on her. The glint shone brighter and brighter, turning golden. Her hair began to rise into the air, almost like it was burning.

“Or perhaps you are just a fool— after all, you are foolish enough to bite the hand that feeds you. Did you forget the generosity our King has bestowed upon you by letting you reside in this plane?”

“All I remember is being cast aside when my usefulness ran its course.”

Hartia retorted as he came to a halt and spread his arms wide. Haec backed away hesitantly, unsure how this was going to go— what was going to happen. Meanwhile, Safra just smiled as she raised her fist, now her knuckles starting to glow.

“But if you insist, I shall oblige and kill you in an instant, Fairy.”

Hartia sneered in response.

“You can try, but nothing you throw my way is ever going to break through my [Fractal Barrier]. You’re too weak— not even a Primordial Demon.” 

“We shall see about that.”

Safra drew back, getting ready to unleash her attack. The golden light coming from her hair, her hand, and the collar grew brighter and brighter. Until, finally, she shot forward like she was released from a sling, laughing manically.

“[Crown Breaker—”

She started as she swung forward with a punch. Haec braced himself for the attack, even if it wasn’t directed towards him. Hartia just floated there, unfazed despite the oncoming attack.

Can his [Fractal Barrier] really protect him from the attack? the former Heir of the Netherworld wondered as he watched the attack about to land.

And at the very last moment, Hartia snickered as he raised a hand.

“Just kidding.”

Haec blinked when he heard that. And there was a flash of light. Safra screamed as Hartia just flicked his hand.

Eyes growing wide, the former Heir of the Netherworld watched as the Lady Of Glory… unleashed her attack against herself.

The punch landed cleanly. A powerful attack infused with Safra’s golden aura.

And it caused her head to snap back, cracking loudly at the same time.

Haec just watched, trying to process what just happened as Safra the Lady of Glory collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

***

Taburas took a moment to process what had just happened.

She didn’t understand it— she thought she had gained Aliq and Ultis’s trust. There had been absolutely zero intention on her part to actually betray Haec. She would aid him in secret by stopping the former Deathsquad Hunters from betraying when given the chance.

But… but… she had been tricked.

They had no intention to actually use her. They just wanted to separate her from the rest of the rebellion to kill her.

Oh, the realization finally settled in as she stared up at the crimson sky of the Netherworld, stained by the streaks of black clouds heading in the direction of the ritual. I made a mistake.

Perhaps Taburas should’ve been more on-guard. She should’ve realized that this was a trick. She should have known that she was making a mistake by not telling Haec about what was going on.

But… could you blame her for being upset at the man she loved for not reciprocating her?

I’m dying right now, and this is really what I’m thinking about? Taburas wanted to laugh. It felt pathetic. But she almost wanted to blame Haec for doing this— for ignoring her so much despite his promises to do better.

Just end me now, Taburas groaned as she craned her neck to face her killers. For some reason, they hadn’t finished her off yet. I’d rather die than waste the last moments of my life agonizing over this again…

But when she looked over at both Aliq and Ultis… it almost seemed like they were arguing. The former was pointing at Taburas emphatically— almost like he wanted to finish her off. Meanwhile, the latter seemed to be getting in his way. 

What are they doing? Why are they—

And as Taburas watched the two of them for a moment, Ultis suddenly conjured a sickle and swung at Aliq across the chest. The attack was sudden— abrupt. It caused Aliq to stumble back in shock.

Then Ultis spun around and sprinted straight for Taburas, before picking her up.

***

Ultis made a rash decision. She wasn’t even sure why she did it— no, she knew why she did it. She hadn’t agreed with Aliq’s idea to betray the rebellion this entire time.

She had… grown weak?

Had she grown fond of the people of this rebellion? Did she grow to care for Salvos and the others who she had gotten to know since she left the Demon King’s Domain at the start of Revelation?

No— that was not the case at all.

She had grown accustomed to her freedom. She had gotten used to being able to do as she wished. Live freely without fearing repercussions from a king who only cared about furthering his own goal.

A part of her was truly grateful to Salvos— grateful for being given the chance to be free. Even if Ultis was initially threatened into it…

But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that she remembered what it was like back when she lived in the wild— and she was not going to return to being a toy to be used by the Demon King.

So that was why she had decided to betray Aliq. She had tried reasoning with him. She had tried voicing her doubts. But he had ignored her— he didn’t even notice that she wasn’t enthusiastic about the plan at all.

He had been too caught-up in his own desire for revenge, and he assumed that Ultis would just sit back and be a tool for him to use. But she wasn’t going to let him use her like that, even if she was weaker than him.

That was also why she saved Taburas. Not because she particularly liked the [Succubus]. But because she was lower-leveled than Aliq. So she knew she couldn’t defeat him.

Taburas groaned as Ultis leapt into the air, heading back in the direction of the rebellion.

“U-Ultis…? What… are you doing?”

Taburas mustered up her words as she stared at the former Deathsquad Hunter.

“I don’t agree with what Aliq is doing— I don’t agree with any of this. I have finally tasted what being free is like. I am not going to return to being a slave of Regnorex’s desires.”

Ultis explained simply as the two of them soared through the air.

“I… see…”

Taburas whispered, before closing her eyes. Then she groaned as she clutched the wound she had suffered.

“But I think it’s already too late…”

“No.”

Ultis said, shaking her head as she headed back for the Encampments. Taburas couldn’t die— she was one of the strongest members of the rebellion. She needed to survive if Ultis hoped to defeat Aliq. Especially since she had no Grand Skills, unlike him.

“We’re getting you back to the rebellion— we’ll find someone who can heal you. Then we will…”

But before Ultis could finish, a voice screamed behind them. Aliq erupted from the ground, the earth exploding with blue flames as he shot straight towards the two of them.

“How dare you betray me, Ultis! I will kill you and everyone in this rebellion!”

And Ultis gritted her teeth when she heard that.

***

Haec stared at Safra’s corpse. He didn’t want to believe it— he thought he had imagined the whole thing. But it had happened exactly as it seemed.

Hartia had taunted her into attacking him. The Fairy had pretended that he was going to tank the attack with his [Fractal Barrier]. And maybe if the attack landed, he could’ve survived it with only his Grand Skill of protection.

But he hadn’t just waited for the attack to land. Instead, at the very last moment, he had used his control over the collars— his Grand Skill [Unseen Collar Of Space]— to manipulate Safra’s punch… to strike herself.

And it landed cleanly— directly on her head— snapping her neck back and killing her in an instant.

Haec honestly wanted to laugh. It seemed like such a pathetic death, it wasn’t befitting the Demon with the Title of Lady Of Glory. She lay there, limp. But she didn’t get back up.

“I told you I could deal with her with my Grand Skills. And hey— I even leveled up from killing her too. Twice!”

Hartia chuckled as he flitted back away from the dead Primeval Demon. Haec opened his mouth to voice his disbelief.

“Is she really dead?”

“Of course—”

Hartia started, and a second voice joined in agreement.

“Yes.”

Both Haec and Hartia jolted, glancing back in the direction of the voice. It was a feminine’s voice— a woman’s voice. It sounded exactly like Safra’s voice. But that was impossible. She was lying dead right in front of them.

And yet, as both the former Heir of the Netherworld and the former Ruler of the Border turned around, they came face-to-face with the Lady Of Glory who was just smiling at them as they stared at her in disbelief.

“She is dead. Fortunately, I still live.”

“Impossible…”

Hartia whispered as he stared at her in shock. And Haec just bit his lower lip.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the late chapter, I did an MRI for the first time. I have some nerve issues but fortunately it's not that bad and can be resolved with proper physiotherapy. But I am writing this author's notes to say that MRIs are loud and scary and I never want to do one ever again.

Read the next chapter here