Terminally-Ill Genius Dark Knight

Chapter 145 – Moonlight Sword [1]

“Newcomer!”

Without realizing it, I shouted, but all I could do was watch as the brazen newcomer, who had taken the hit meant for me, was trapped in the water prison.

His bleached white hair, his merciful pupils, inside unknown magic, no, inside alchemy were confined and dying

Yet, despite that. his unwavering arrogant gaze as if he doesn’t feel any pain, it can be said it was similar to his father’s

Now the situation was dire.

Even if he can manage mana to the level of an inhuman realm, can he endure it?

He could only last at most ten minutes

If I don’t deal with Jagan within that time, newcomer will die

My eyes involuntarily grow heavy,

An indescribable emotion starts to bind me

Why is that? What is the origin of this emotion I’m feeling now?

I can’t quite grasp it, but at least I know this feeling can be expressed as abnormal.

At least to me, this unfamiliar sensation is wrapping around my body, making me tremble with anger.

“Jagan”

[It was an attack meant for you… too bad]

Jagan spoke as if disappointed while licking his own lips

I take a breath and clear my head.

No, that’s what I tried to do.

But this bastard quickly figured out that it’s not that simple

Jagan smirked at me with a sly grin and continued

[Bitch… you’re afraid that piece of trash might die, aren’t you? Isn’t that right? Hahaha! This is why humans are weak. Why protect someone else instead of yourself? I just don’t get it. It’s ridiculous]

A demon like Jagan who is one of the 72 demons, can easily read the emotions of his opponent.

And right now, I’m several times more shaken than usual. Even if it’s not what I wanted, I have to endure it somehow.

If not, I won’t be able to get out of this situation.

Right

Just like when newcomer dealt with Paimon in the past.

I have to calm down and focus, or I won’t be able to do anything.

“Lunatic never betrays anyone, demon. Even if it is just a newcomer”

[Foolish]

Jagan grins and fires a stream of water at me.

Shwaah!

With the power of the second form [Full Moon], I easily block his attack with my enhanced “Cold Moon”

‘The creation of that water prison has lessened his destructive power’

I gathered that from just one exchange.

But something still feels off.

Is it just my imagination?

‘There’s no time.’

Clenching my teeth, I grip my sword tightly.

‘Right now, the priority is to kill that bastard.’

With both feet planted on the ground, I leap forward.

Now exactly one minute has passed

The scenery around me, bathed in pale moonlight, scatters the golden light reflected off my hair.

Creating a strange afterimage, which is soon swallowed by the dark moon and disappears.

Shwaah! Shwaah! Shwaah!

Streams of water shoot at me in rapid succession, with a chimera occasionally targeting me as well. While dealing with them, I press forward.

Even if he’s been strengthened by alchemy, now that he’s weakened by using that water prison.

He should be about as strong as when we first fought.

I need to finish this quickly and scold that brazen newcomer for disobeying my orders.

As that thought crosses my mind.

I’m already right in front of Jagan.

The blade of “Cold Moon” is poised to strike.

The suppressed words escape my lips.

“Die, Jagan.”

[Indeed, you are strong… There was a reason Archduke Paimon died. But do you know this? Successor of the Moonlight Sword, if you strike me down now, that boy will never wake up again.]

“… What?”

My sword wavers for a moment.

His words, I cannot grasp his ulterior motive.

Jagan, as if amused, continued.

[That water prison is the culmination of my life’s work in alchemy. Even if I die, it won’t break. Only from the inside can the prison-like barrier be broken.]

“If what you say is true”

[Indeed! To save that brat, you have only two choices: either I personally lift the alchemy or he breaks the water prison from the inside and escapes.]

But is that even possible?

Jagan laughs heartily while saying that. flashing a sly grin, as I quickly put some distance between us.

If I kill him now, does that mean newcomer will die too?

My head goes completely blank and cold.

Endlessly, over and over again.

The last time I felt something like this was when I witnessed my master’s death.

Why am I so shaken right now?

In this casino in Avilat, bathed in moonlight that shatters into white fragments.

All buildings here were destroyed, with a crimson moon hanging overhead.

The only difference from the forest I am familiar with is the enormous water prison formed from blood that’s covering the moon, painting the whole area in red and,

the dirty reality that my comrade is trapped inside.

“You’re a devil.”

[Thanks for the compliment.]

Jagan’s smile was filled with joy.

But I felt nothing.

The strength left my hand that gripping the sword, my heart pounded like crazy

It was a strange feeling, similar to when I first faced the light of the lunatic moon. I immediately knew the reason.

I can’t kill that bastard.

Because I can’t abandon my comrade.

At that very moment, I heard a telepathic message go through my mind.

[Captain, are you still okay over there?]

It was unmistakably the voice of a boy I was familiar with.

Nox von Reinhaver.

He was casually speaking to me from inside the water prison.

———————-

Water Prison

As I struggled to stay afloat inside Jagan’s ultimate alchemy skill, I looked at Luna who faced the opponent

I could barely open my eyes, and even more, the blood made it hard to see, but there was no other way right now.

With my blurred vision, I made a choice from among many options.

I had to take full responsibility for this decision.

‘Choosing to save Luna.’

If I don’t prove that this decision was the right one, a bad ending awaits me. Everyone, including myself, will die.

‘The second episode.’

When I first went through this, I never thought such a dangerous moment would come. Either way, it was just supposed to be a buildup to the third chapter.

When I was enjoying the game, it was difficult to rate episode 2 more than that. But now, I have to think differently.

I’m dying.

No, I’ve been dying from the beginning.

Every moment, every second. I’ve been dying.

I didn’t want to remember it this way, anyway, it was like that.

‘At the moment, there’s around 8 minutes remaining’

[Warning! The oxygen level in the player’s body is critically low!]

[In 8 minutes, cardiac arrest will occur, and in 9 minutes, the player will die.]

So, they’re giving me one extra minute?

After finishing that insignificant thought, I quickly activated [Telepathy]. Even then, the system was definitely scaring me.

[Warning! Using a skill forcefully can shorten the player’s lifespan.]

I know.

[Do you still want to activate the ‘Telepathy’ skill?]

Yes.

I responded shortly and reached out to Luna.

Since I had already learned her mana pattern, pinpointing one person was not difficult. After all, isn’t she the leader of Lunatic and my captain?

Even if our alliance was formed out of mutual interests, I trust her. I can only hope she feels the same.

[Captain, are you still okay over there?]

No answer.

I calmly asked again.

[Captain, I’m still alive.]

[Stop using magic right now! If you keep consuming mana, you’ll die even faster! Don’t you understand? If you don’t stop..]

Captain shouted.

Luna’s unexpected figure made me hesitate for a moment, but I quickly continued.

[I know that. But I have a way to save everyone, and it’s only possible if you trust me, Captain.]

[Trust you?]

Luna shot a question back to me.

The scene outside, where countless enemies were being slaughtered, the sight of pandemonium occasionally came into view. There really wasn’t much time left.

[Yes. Captain, I’m going to give you two choices. Choose whichever you prefer.]

Choices.

The weight of this word reached Luna.

She’s probably hesitating.

Maybe even trembling with fear.

If I think about her master’s episode in the past and the story behind it, the choice she has to make will be cruel once again.

But she has to do it.

Luna is the only one who can turn this situation around.

[The first choice is to leave me to die and go ahead and cut off Jagan’s head. Since you’ve fought him I’m sure you’ve realized, but he couldn’t exert his power properly in order to keep me trapped. If you take him down quickly..]

[I will hear the second choice]

Luna growled, urging me

She seems pretty angry.

Why, though?

The question crosses my mind like a tide for a moment.

Sure, Luna has a personality of taking good care of her team, no leader like her for those who believe in and follow her

But I’m just a newcomer who joined not too long ago. does she need to go this far for me, who’s not more than just a newbie? I don’t understand

I’m sure even she knows that sacrificing me would be the easiest choice. Jagan’s dirty, wicked words might have made her hesitate for a moment, but I was convinced she’d cut him down

So, why?

Why does Luna want to hear the next choice?

The second choice is much harder and more complicated.

The best outcome would come from the first choice…

Damn it.

But if she chooses that, I’m crooked.

No matter what, there is no other except to trust Luna’s ability now.

[The second choice is simple]

I said, closing my eyes tightly and raising my voice.

[Teach me your ‘Moonlight Sword.’]

[..What?]

I knew it would come to this.

If you didn’t want to do it, you should’ve just chosen the first choice. Why make me hope like this…?’

[…Alright. This time too, you must have a plan, right?]

Her response caught me off guard.

I hesitated for a moment, then reflected on what she said.

Is Luna, one of the three sword emperors, really going to teach me, who’s even yet to be a second-year student her sword technique?

A sword technique that her teacher had yet to pass down except to one person,

the [Moonlight Sword]?

[Are you serious?]

[Get into position and get ready. I will explain assuming you already have everything needed]

Luna seemed serious.

If that’s how it’s going to be, then I have no choice either.

A grin naturally spread across my face.

Jagan, this insect bastard, it wouldn’t be long before I cut his neck

Of course, that’s assuming I can perfectly master the third super-form of the Moonlight Sword.