AND WHY SHOULD I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT IT!!? I AIN''T DYING HERE TODAY!!!

    I firmly gripped on the scabbard in my hand—

    CLANG—!

    —and stabbed it to the ground, letting it act as a support while I mustered my final ounce of strength to lift my exhausted body.

    "HAH— HAH— HAH— HAH—"

    It became even harder to breathe than it already was by standing.

    "Those who had forsaken me from my freedom…… must pay with their lives……."

    …Night Fury''s murmuring is scary.

    In this darkness, where I can''t even see my own five fingers…

    CLANK—!!!

    What—!?

    As if a metal rod hitting a bell, the sound echoed throughout the entire room as the ground shook.

    That was— the pillar…!?

    She''s trying to smash the pillar open!?

    CLANK—!!!

    She''s doing it again…!

    Even though the whole basement is shaking, yet it shows no sign of collapsing. So it seems she wasn''t able to smash it open.

    Crap… I''m starting to lose consciousness…

    Before she gets the last unattended pillar— I need to hurry.

    CLANK—!!!

    "Mrk……!"

    Enduring the tremors, I continued onwards— reaching the unattended stone pillar.

    "W… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE…!!?" Night Fury yelled to me.

    "Hehehe…" Despite I was tired and exhausted… I couldn''t help but to sneer at her question. "… I''m just one step ahead of you… that''s all."

    "I WILL JUST HAVE TO DO THIS MYSELF!!!"

    With an enraged outburst, Night Fury charged towards me.

    Somehow, she seems to regain her sanity as herself— she''s not running like a madwoman anymore.

    Her sword is coming low from my left… I need to be careful with the timing…!

    "DIE…!!!" She yelled.

    THUNK!

    Night Fury''s blade bounced off diagonally to the top right of my view when I blocked it with the scabbard.

    She then forcefully changed the trajectory of her sword by gripping it two-handed— swinging it horizontally to her right.

    CLANK!

    It''s heavy…!? Why is there such a big difference between one-handed and two-handed!?

    "Guh……!"

    I still forcefully pushed her sword''s trajectory upwards.

    BAM!!!

    …and sends back twice the power with a downward vertical slash. The slash extends all the way that it slices the wall open.

    "Huff— Huff—!"

    Thankfully, I dodged with a sidestep to the right. If I had tried to block that— I would definitely get cut…!

    Before she could raise her sword, I quickly reached out my left hand, pressing her right arm to stop her. Then I swing my scabbard for her head.

    WHACK!

    "…!?"

    Just moments before my scabbard could smash her head— Night Fury lands a punch on my face with her left arm, causing me to slant over to the left.

    When I was aware of it, my scabbard had already missed my target.

    Both of us are now stuck in a stalemate— a double lock. Even though I had the upper hand in terms of strength, but I''m not confident of beating her in terms of skills.

    "LET GO." Night Fury then uttered to me.

    "Do you really— HUFF— want me— HUFF— to die that badly…?" I asked as I panted.

    "YOU REJECTED ME BY LETTING THE GIRL GO. YOU''VE ROBBED ME OF MY FREEDOM. ONLY YOUR DEATH COULD PAY THE PRICE NOW."

    "If I died— who will be your master!?" I yelled.

    "I would continue to wait." Night Fury told me. "Until my next master was born."

    "There''s more than one way— HUFF— than just to pay the price— HUFF— with one''s life, isn''t it!?"

    "NO ONE WOULD EVER CHOOSE THE SECOND OPTION!!!" Night Fury screamed at me.

    …I knew it. There''s really a second option.

    "Tell me— HUFF— the second option…"

    "It''s impossible… Your will to live is too strong."

    "Just say it…!"

    "Unlike the first option… which is to take one''s life to obtain my power… The second option is to accept my blade and take your own life… to set me free." She murmured coldly.

    "…What will you do… HUFF… once you are free…?"

    I didn''t hesitate to ask.

    "I want to get out from this place. I don''t want to stay here anymore. I want to live… a free life."

    It''s as if Night Fury was crying to me when she muttered those words.

    "…I can''t… HUFF… accept those terms…"

    "I knew you would say that— I knew you would."

    "…Instead… HUFF… I will offer you a third option." I murmured to Night Fury.

    "Third option…?"

    "I will accept your blade… HUFF… and take my own life…" I said to her. "And I want you… HUFF… to use your power to those who needed it… HUFF… for the greater good… After all… HUFF… I can''t let you go on killing whenever you feel like it…"

    "Why would you do this…?" Night Fury asked. "There''s nothing for you to gain…!"

    "… I''m actually… am at the brink of death…" I told Night Fury. "And the chances for me to live on… is so low that I can''t even see it…"

    "Liar…! How could someone at the brink of death still fought so earnestly just to live…!?"

    "…I don''t want to die… a pointless death….! My life isn''t so cheap…!" I uttered. "If taking my life could let someone… as powerful as you to help the world… then it''s all worth it…!"

    I immediately released Night Fury while letting go of my scabbard.

    "…Do it," I told Night Fury.

    I welcomed her with open arms.

    Yet, Night Fury immediately took a step back— seeming bewildered by my actions.

    "Are you a fool…!? Why… for someone like me…" She muttered to herself.

    "DO IT," I uttered once more.

    "How would you be sure that I would listen to what you say…!?" Night Fury screamed at me. "How would you know I wouldn''t misuse my powers…!?"

    "JUST KILL ME ALREADY, WOMAN!!!" I mustered my strength yelled.

    "I…" Night Fury, with her blade pointing at me, ran forward. "I thank you for your kindness— master…!"

    "…Kuh……!"

    The tip of her cold blade tore through my abdomen''s skin and pierced my insides… where a sharp pain followed afterwards.

    However, it''s not as painful as I thought it was.

    No pain surpasses the effect of the Twenty Seals.

    Night Fury then gently hugs onto my body…

    "…I promise you… master…" She said to me. "…For this freedom that you''ve granted me…!"

    …then pushes her blade further in.