CHAPTER 203: SHE WASN’T A HEROINE
Érica still could not assimilate what was happening.
A few minutes ago, they were escaping from Cithrel, and now they were heading to a mob lair where they were taking a hostage.
“Apparently, the sacrificial magic circles are simple and can be avoided. The problem for us is the hostage,” Aurora reported and wisely paused in the sky after activating a cloaking scroll.
Her gaze was now on different warehouses where a man was pulling a hostage out of his car.
The hostage looked slightly pale, not only from fear, but pain, but it was her captor, he showed no reaction to moving her.
He forcibly grabbed her and carried her as if she were an object.
“We must move now,” Aurora said and when Érica looked at her in surprise, she added. “Inside there are some thugs. They are ready. Maybe that man informed them.”
Érica didn’t know how Aurora could get all that information so thoroughly, but she trusted her with no doubt.
“Isn’t it better to wait for reinforcements?” Érica asked, unavoidably.
The other side seemed to have larger numbers and while that wasn’t a serious problem, the hostage was.
She had faced several enemies and Érica was confident that she could at least resist or flee if things got ugly, but it was the hostage that worried her.
She wasn’t confident enough to rescue her.
Instead, if they wait for reinforcements, they had a larger number of people and at the same time, they could negotiate to end up with the hostage safely.
“Give time to a lunatic who creates these kinds of rituals? No, thanks,” Aurora replied nonchalantly and seeing that the seriousness was making her anxious, she gave a sigh and relaxed.
Érica was a little embarrassed at that answer, which was somewhat sarcastic and in her defense, she was too anxious at the moment.
“I will see to her rescue. I assure you I will do my best to do so.” Aurora said with a serious expression.
She was taking all the burden and responsibility, trying to avoid the weight on her as much as possible.
It wasn’t confidence Aurora had, it was the proof that right now, before her eyes were her goal, and to reach it, she didn’t mind giving everything.
Érica clenched her fist and sighed, pushing away all her fear.
“I understand. I will see to it that I give you the chance you need,” Érica said as her eyes shone with determination.
Aurora nodded at ease and told her their plan as they prepared some items.
Break in, surprise everyone, and try to rescue the hostage... That was the simplicity of a plan that could be developed at any time.
Érica nodded, understanding that she would be the one to try to draw all the attention.
When Aurora pulled out a small folding scroll, they both nodded and dropped to the roof of the warehouse.
Aurora was the one who descended first and swooped her way down.
*BOOM*
The warehouse broke apart, creating a large hole, and Érica could quickly see what was happening.
Three individuals led by a man with the appearance of a thug, while on the other side was the man carrying the hostage.
“Shit!” shouted the crook in surprise.
Maybe they didn’t expect them to arrive so quickly, but such a surprise was excellent.
“Stop cursing and attack!” shouted the man carrying the hostage by the waist.
Erica moved first as she watched Aurora charge forward.
Casting two ‘winter area’ spells around the group of three, she made the men’s movements freeze for a second.
Aurora moved closer and when she saw them swing swords at her, she took advantage of that slight slowness, to dodge the attacks with surprising speed and agility.
With just a pirouette in the air, she was on the other side heading towards the man carrying the hostage.
To continue to give her a chance of not being interrupted, Érica, who had prepared her spells, cast a combination of ‘ice cannon’ combined with some ‘ice spears’ right in the middle of the three crooks.
“Ugh...!”
From the center of the area, everything exploded and those three thugs could only jump to escape, but one of them had his leg pierced by a spear.
However, that attack gave the opportunity to Aurora, who approached the man to hit him.
“...”
With a smirk, the man used the hostage as a shield to cover himself, succeeding in making Aurora have to parry the blow.
Still, she placed the scroll on the hostage’s back.
Before Érica could sigh in relief, the man’s combat suit shimmered, and he moved next to the hostage.
That scroll would cause the wearer to have a personal barrier and move far away to avoid any dangerous situation, but now that spatial movement was canceled because of the man’s intervention.
“Concentrate on your combat, the barrier is active and unless it stops he can’t hurt her,” Aurora ordered, and seeing that the man was starting to flee with the hostage, she added. “I leave you all here. If you are in danger, run away.”
With those words, she began to follow the man at high speed.
Érica took one look at the three individuals, and her eyes flashed with determination and strength.
Three A-ranks, one of them had taken out the spear that pierced his leg and was about to take a healing potion.
The lead thug lunged at her with his sword and Érica blinked with the skill of the combat suit and moved close to the man, who was about to take a healing potion.
“Wh... UGh...”
Before he could react, with her wand, Érica released her ice spear straight at the man’s chest.
The spear went all the way through him and penetrated the ground behind the man’s back, while the blood dyed the blue ice red.
Érica felt bad the first time she killed someone, but she realized that sometimes she had to do it.
This time she didn’t have the confidence to beat everyone by avoiding murdering, as she didn’t have enough strength to do what she wanted to do.
The lack of strength bothered her, but she did what she thought was best.
“...”
Silence stretched out, and the expressions of the two remaining individuals changed.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
“I won’t let you guys interrupt Aurora,” Érica announced with a cold tone as her A-Rank mage aura spread.
These words were not for the crooks, but it was for herself.
Even if she had to kill both of them, she wouldn’t let them interrupt Aurora... That was the only thing she could do on her level.
******
Aurora broke through the door in her wake and, noticing the figure fleeing with the hostage, continued the chase.
The man was employing one arm to carry the hostage by the waist and with the other hand; he pulled a wand from the space ring and, looking back, fired two spells.
*Boom*
*Boom*
Two fireballs shot out of the wand and Aurora, undeterred, ran towards them, receiving them head-on without losing strength as she continued.
The personal barrier withstood some of the damage, and her body resisted the remaining slight burns.
The man was not a mage and was using a wand with spells engraved on it, which made them weaker than those cast by a real mage.
However, as she watched him run, Aurora’s expression became more serious.
While the scroll didn’t work completely, with the personal barrier covering the hostage completely, it kept her from taking any superficial damage.
That meant that even if the man tried to break her neck, the barrier could hold long enough for her to intervene.
Still... She felt she had to go beyond being a fighter.
After all, she now felt that every move was going to be stopped, since the man could use the hostage as a shield.
—I’ve taken control of the cameras up ahead. You can use it to move and intercept it.
Her system passed the image from the cameras directly to her mind and Aurora moved using the ‘blink’ ability of her combat suit.
Previously, she had not used this move because she could be intercepted, but now seeing the position, she did not hesitate.
The next moment she appeared in a small warehouse and, without wasting any time, she ran in the direction of the wall.
*Boom*
“What the...”
Perfectly surprising the man whose position became unstable, Aurora hit him with full force in the face.
Her charge was powerful and the force of her blow was very high, managing to make even the hostage break away from the man.
Aurora steadied her stance again, and when she was about to run to the hostage to grab her, the man stepped forward.
Crawling across the floor, he grabbed the hostage’s leg and activated the same blink ability to pull himself to safety at the end of the hallway.
“You’re amazing for a girl... An excellent plan,” the man said... No, because his mask had broken, he pulled it off and revealed that he was an old man.
Aurora looked at him seriously, ready to attack back, but the old man gave her no chance and, taking the hostage by the hair, pulled a dagger from his space ring and put it close to the young woman’s neck.
In the middle was the barrier and on the other side was the young woman’s thin skin... All while, the sword aura covered the dagger.
Aurora’s expression turned serious at the sight of it.
She knew that if the old man tried with all his strength to break through the barrier at a single point, he could do so thanks to A-ranked strength.
The old man gave a smile.
“I like that expression... Yes, quite nice, don’t you think?” the old man asked, pulling the hostage’s hair as he revealed the young woman’s neck.
“Uhmm...” The hostage could only whimper and cry in fear.
Aurora’s expression kept changing for the worse as she clenched and clenched her fists.
“A heroine accompanied you, so you must be one, right?” the old man asked, and giving a smile, he murmured. “I guess this young lady isn’t.”
Aurora’s look became serious, but her eyes began to get a slightly cold glint in them as her fists shook.
Frustration or anger?
The old man whose smile only grew relished all her emotions.
“The authorities are about to arrive. You’d better let her go,” Aurora said, trying to contain her emotions.
Slowly, she was reaching her limits and the old man pulled the young woman’s hair tightly, and even though the barrier was still active, the dagger grazed him.
“Yes, that’s true, but I’m sure they will arrive when this young woman is a corpse,” replied the old man with a smile full of amusement.
Not caring about Aurora’s expression, the old man continued.
“Let me go... I’ll take her and then, when I think it’s safe, I’ll release her.” Said the old man with a gentle smile.
Let him go and then he would release the hostage?
Those words seemed like a mockery to Aurora.
Trusting an old man who was performing rituals to sacrifice innocents... It was just stupid.
“Or else...” the old man said and, as his expression turned fierce, he announced. “I’ll slit his throat and the blood of an innocent will be on your hands, heroine.”
As if to put emphasis on his words, his dagger pierced the barrier and subtly cut the hostage’s neck.
That was enough to make Aurora move.
In her left hand, her sword appeared and with her right hand, she grasped the handle and swung it, producing a thin line in the air.
Before her eyes, everything changed.
Like a painting cut in half quickly and precisely, the building seemed a little tilted, as did the old man, who still maintained his smile.
In that view, the only one who remained in place was the hostage who remained as before she acted.
The next instant, everything returned to normal, and the hostage fell to her knees.
Aurora went to catch her as she watched the old man’s body fall on the young woman’s back.
“It’s okay... It’s all right,” Aurora said with a smile, trying to calm the young woman as she used a healing scroll and when she saw her embrace her sobbing, she murmured. “It’s all right.”
The young woman hugged her tighter and Aurora saw the corpse split in half, whose blood and organs were littering the floor.
Even after seeing that scene, her expression did not change.
She wasn’t a heroine... She was just a person trying to follow her goals.
Doing what she had to do.
******
Emperor Victor secretly watched as Alice handed over the individuals she had captured and then turned his gaze towards the other person.
“I’m fine... I just got a few cuts, nothing much.” Said Érica, the mage who couldn’t reveal in the end that she was an A-Rank mage.
The combat suit she was wearing was slightly cut and next to her was Aurora, who was checking her over carefully.
“You don’t have to worry. I just did what I thought was right.” Érica said and looking at the bagged corpses, she commented. “Even if it meant having to kill.”
She ended up killing two of the three individuals she confronted.
To some a remarkable feat, to others a tough decision that was made by a young woman only eighteen years old.
“I understand,” Aurora murmured, letting out a long sigh and looking at the hostage being cared for in an ambulance, she commented. “It was worth it.”
Although Emperor Victor’s expression didn’t change upon seeing Aurora’s expression, he couldn’t help but think that she wore a solemn expression that didn’t match her age.
What would they be willing to do for their ideals? For their goals? For their beliefs?
The answer to that complex question depended on each person, but once the answer was found, it would define them.
Emperor Victor gave a signal to an official who could see him and pointed at the young ladies to move.
“His Majesty Victor thanks you for your excellent effort. All your companions are safe in your hotel,” the official reported and, with a serious tone, he lowered his head and stated. “We apologize for what happened and for our oversight. His Majesty Victor promises to reward you for your excellent work as heroes.”
He was accepting this mistake... Yes, a mistake.
A mistake that extended to the lack of local security because of their focus on another area, the mistake made by those who believed that old man was gone without knowing him, and a mistake in outsourcing individuals who took on the task on their own.
Too many mistakes were made today, but instead of hiding them, Victor made all the individuals who overlooked them own up to them... Including himself.
“Emperor Victor’s closing party will be in the evening. I hope you can take part,” added the official speaking to the group and with a serious expression, he commented. “If you wish, we can postpone the party until you feel comfortable.”
Those words were not out of pure consideration, but he was speaking honestly.
Aurora and Érica looked at each other, but it was the latter who shook her head.
“We’re fine. This party is exciting for everyone, I think going will be nice,” Érica replied.
At those words, Aurora fell silent, giving a half-smile.
Murdering was a strange matter that depended on the personality, morals, and beliefs of the people themselves.
Some couldn’t stand it and broke down, others did it as if they were performing an insignificant task, and others tried to avoid that action until they had no other choice.
But now for them, a party to relax was in itself something they needed.
Clearing their heads and letting it all out with friends was a way to keep the traumas from festering.
Watching them leave, Emperor Victor looked away and walked into the warehouse.
This was the last building where Aurora and Érica took on their own.
In the other buildings, the authorities were already checking everything so that nothing would escape them.
However, this one, unlike the others, had more hectic battles.
First of all, the princess of the Falion Empire and her guardian were more than they seemed.
Victor, who had interacted with their kind, knew them well.
Entering the warehouse, he could see how the entire interior was frozen.
Spikes and spears of ice stretched everywhere and in many places, the blue ice was tinged with red.
“A great source of magical energy, she was kept hidden since she entered the tournament and she was another hidden card of the Hero Academy,” Ersin reported, who appeared beside him unnoticed.
“Remind me to see her ‘random’ reward... It needs to be arranged to help her,” Victor said, looking into the white eyes of his ‘secretary’.
Then, observing the ice, he kept walking, opening his step to where the other battle had happened.
“Tonight’s party will continue. Despite what they did the Atlantis city information network, we’ll let it go,” Victor said in a simple tone and with a sigh, he commented. “As for the young man who ended up moving up in rank... We’ll see how to reward him with the ‘random’ rewards.”
Actually, those rewards were not ‘random’ had that name, but most of them were arranged.
A talented student was sent to a talented person for further improvement, and in other cases, students who ended up pleasing him, he would reward them with what he thought was necessary and best for them in mind.
“Today the owner of Cosmos Company is also coming. It would be good for the mechanics if they approach him,” Victor muttered, thinking about the party and when he reached the hallway where the final battle had happened, he stopped.
Taking a few steps and getting into a certain position, he felt as if he was looking at a painting split in half.
The entire wall had a thin gash that slanted the hallway.
The concrete was cut through like butter in a near-perfect clean cut.
“Alice asked us for a fighter elixir?” Victor asked with an intrigued expression and when he noticed Ersin nodding, he just gave a smile.
If he intervened, could it be taken as compensation for today?
“Come on, we need to get ready for the party,” Victor said, letting out a soft smile.
As for how to reward them for their work and for his mistake? He had already found a way.