Chapter 12 - A possibility

"Sniff, Hic..."

Celeste had awakened.

Just like me, she had also been rolling on the floor after being thrown by Ursine.

Her naked lower body, still covered in blood, left blood stains on the floor where she had rolled.

I hurriedly rushed to her.

Feeling scared while checking her condition, I looked at Celeste's face. She had regained consciousness and was currently sitting on the floor with her back against the wall.

"Hiiii."

The girl tried to move away as I approached her, while her face was on the verge of tears.

Of course, that was understandable. Her life had been threatened when she was suddenly kidnapped by that crazy person, and it seemed like she would become some kind of sacrifice.

"It's okay," I said. "I'm not an enemy. I came here to save you, but we have to leave here soon."

The girl stared at me closely as I said that.

As for Ursine, the only thing I could do was to believe that he would be okay.

"...okay," Celeste said softly.

"Can you run?" I asked.

"...I don't know," the girl said, checking her body.

We have to move quickly, there is no time to waste. So I slipped my right hand under her knee while my left hand held her back. Then with my strength, I lifted the girl.

"Huh?" Celeste seemed confused by me suddenly carrying her.

Celeste might be a teenager around 13 or 14 years old, her body in a growing and developing phase in the right place.

But even so, I could carry her as if she were as light as a feather, she was lighter than I thought. No, maybe it's because of the buff effect of the potion.

While carrying Celeste, I started to run.

Leaving behind any problems

*****

Currently, I have been running at full speed since the beginning. I know that this game also has a "fatigue" debuff. And not only that, but maybe because of the situation I'm in, my legs are shaking. Jiya looked carefully at my status screen, an abnormal "Fear" dubuff was being displayed.

Nevertheless, I suppressed it and made my top priority to never leave Celeste.

"By the way..."

Trying to distract my mind from the current situation, even if just a little bit, I called Celeste.

I wanted to ask a simple question and also lighten our minds with it.

"Where should I take you?"

I couldn't take her out in her current appearance. For a princess, her current appearance was very inappropriate, but we didn't have another choice.

Well, maybe I could get her some clothes when we get out of this sewer.

"To the church..."

Yes, I think she needs immediate medical attention.

"We'll have the wedding ceremony there soon."

"Okay... WHAT?!"

What did she say in this situation? I shifted my gaze to her.

Ah

The girl also seemed to be forcing herself. Well, was that a joke to distract my mind or her own mind, to be honest, I didn't know either.

As we talked, we had passed halfway. Now we only need to finish the other half. If it's like this, we'll definitely be able to escape.

Tak tak

Suddenly, a heavy footstep accompanied by the sound of iron pounding on the floor came from behind.

That was an instant reaction.

I tightened my grip on her waist and jumped to the side.

Shortly after, a full black armor appeared from behind us and passed through the spot where we were just now. It was the kreyja that had been destroyed by Ursine a while ago.

"No way!"

Was this the same kreyja that had been destroyed by Ursine a while ago and restored by Barbarossa?

Or a different kreyja that Barbarossa had pulled out of his storage?

However, the real problem here is, no matter which choice is correct, I have no way to fight against that monster.

I tried to look at my status screen while praying; however, I'm still level 0 and Saga in my left hand hasn't hatched yet. Moreover, even if it has hatched, I'm very unsure if a newly born Saga can compete with an enemy that can even repair itself after being destroyed.

As my heart pounded with fear and anxiety, cold sweat flowed down my forehead and back. Everything felt so suffocating that I felt like I would die just by feeling it.

"Where do you think you're going, Noob?"

A voice came from the direction of the full armor, the voice of someone I hate, Barbarossa.

"...so this is it, huh."

There's no way I could win against an enemy of this caliber. I'm truly ashamed of myself for ever thinking I could face it.

But,

Right now, Celeste, who has a frightened expression, is still in my arms.

She's an NPC... an Isan. And unlike us players, she can't come back to life after dying. From what Rex said, even if an important person like the king dies, then he will remain dead. I don't think this girl will experience something different. Here, in the Unbound Boundary world, she will truly die.

I put the girl down from my arms.

"Celeste, can you run from here until you get back to the entrance? You just need to run straight."

"Eh?"

The girl looked at me with anxiety in her eyes.

"You see, I have to beat that crazy bastard first."

As soon as I said that, I saw a fist flying — and as if hit by a truck, my body flew in the air until it hit the ceiling.

"Gaah, haah ..."

It was a terrible impact, even worse than when in the city, when I collided with Liana.

But, I was still alive.

I have received 93 damage, and now my HP is left with 10. Because of the effect of the Invincibility Potion, I received a 90% reduction in damage from the monster's attack and managed to survive.

Then, I forced my numb body to move and drank one of the "Heal Potion Lv4" from my storage bag. My HP was fully restored and my body could move freely again.

As I looked away, Celeste was still there.

"Run! I will follow you soon!"

That was a big lie.

Of course, I couldn't do anything. But I had to buy time so that the girl could escape safely.

When she heard me, Celeste stood up and ran towards the entrance. I'm sure if she reaches the entrance and gets out of this sewer, there will be some players or Isan out there who will help her.

So it's okay, as soon as that thought crossed my mind. I was attacked again for the second time, I managed to avoid Barbarossa's attack. Even with a beginner status, if you make a move at the right time, it is not impossible for you to be able to dodge that attack.

Apart from that.

"!?"

A kick sent me flying into the air in this underground sewer.

With no significant change, the damage put my HP back in the death zone, and I once again survived thanks to another heal potion

.

"Damn it..."

There's only one heal potion left, I think.

Celeste still hadn't reached the dungeon entrance. At least, I have to buy her time until she manages to escape.

As I thought that,

"HAHAHHA!!" Barbarossa laughed out loud.

The target changed, she focused his gaze on the little girl.

"Hey, where are you looking, damn it...."

That bastard ignored me and suddenly ran towards Celeste.

"STOP THEREEEEE!!!!!!"

Although I ran at full speed, it was not enough to match the speed of Barbarossa, and a punch flew towards the girl.

As if it were just a leaf blown by the wind, her body floated in the air.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!!"

Without any hesitation, I jumped and caught her falling body. At that moment, my body received the weight of her falling body, with a great shock flowing through me and causing great damage.

But that wasn't the issue right now.

Feeling scared as I checked her condition, I looked at Celeste's face. My heart felt pain - a different kind of pain from the physical pain you usually feel with your body.

"...."

She had fainted, but was completely unharmed. It seemed that the effects of the tonic of resilience had activated without any interruption.

However, the effect had disappeared. Not only that, but the time limit of my Potion of Invincibility had expired.

We now had nothing left to withstand Barbarossa's attack.

There was really nothing that could be done with this situation.

"The time limit has expired."

"The Darahsuja Skill can be activated immediately."

Uttering "words" that could not be understood right in front of us, while Barbarossa was still not bored playing around, she now looked trembling with happiness as he could finally finish this forever.

The possibility for Celeste and me to survive was... zero.

"...."

I looked at the girl who was unconscious in my arms.

Her weight, body temperature, breathing, and expression displayed were all no different from my previous world.

As a living creature - as a truly realistic living creature - she was here.

And following the concept of life and death in the real world, her life would soon disappear.

"..... DAMN IT!"

I will not give up now.

For me, a player, someone who has been invited, this is just a game world. There is no problem if I die.

But even though I understand this is just a game, just thinking about this girl disappearing forever from this world is enough to make me feel disappointed.

With frustration, I clenched my fist with all my might. Embedded in the back of my hand was an egg-shaped Saga, and it was still in its zeroth form.

"Hey..."

I....

"If a Saga can give a player... if you can give me... A possibility to surpass my limits"

...I beg of you.

"Give me that possibility..."

Right now, in front of Barbarossa, who is currently giving a coup de grace while raising his fist, I plead with you.

"Give me the possibility of a happy ending, a possibility that can save this child, please....!"

For the realization of a world full of boundlessness, called "Unbound Boundary" that is in my left hand, I plead from the bottom of my heart.

"Wake up now... and even if it's just 1%, give me the possibility to destroy my boundary!!"

And Barbarossa started his final attack....

"Oh, my Master is too forceful. However, I was born from your side. I don't hate this."