Chapter 54

If he had tried to cut through the fireball with Rashir, he would have been like a moth leaping into the fire.

‘It’s not that different now.’

Leonhard scoffed.

He had a rather relaxed attitude compared to the situation he was in, as he knew from the start that getting out of this situation wasn’t too difficult.

The lava monsters they encountered so far stood still and did not pursue them. Even this mass of lava would be easy to get out of if he was running at full speed. The problem was that he suffered burns all over his body.

Leonhard tried to take a deep breath, grimacing at the heat that rushed into his body.

He had no more time to delay.

At the thought, he passed through the lava mass while taking Rashir, which had been blocking the heat as much as possible.

“Leonhard!”

Celine screamed.

As he stumbled out and was covered in bright red flames, Leonhard collapsed a few steps away from the flapping lava bird. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as Celine quickly grabbed him, ignoring the pain in her hands.

She tried not to think about it as she opened the lid of the healing potion with her trembling hands.

‘If he eats this, Leonhardt will be fine. If he eats this…’

Fortunately, the flames went out quickly, probably because they had fallen off his body. However, his whole body was full of burn marks. His body was unharmed thanks to his thick winter clothes, but his bare face and hands were…

Celine didn’t even think to wipe her flowing tears, and she poured the healing potion little by little into Leonhard’s mouth.

‘…Please, please.’

Fortunately, the power of the healing potion was still there.

Leonhard’s face, which had been full of burns and blisters, gradually improved and became smoother than before he was attacked by the lava bird. Even his half-burned head returned to its original state. Still, the tears welling up in the blue-gray eyes did not stop.

Very slowly, Leonhard’s eyes opened.

“…Don’t cry.”

“How can I not cry?”

“Still, don’t cry. When I see you crying…”

His blue eyes captured Celine inside and did not let her go.

“…Because it’s more painful than burning in fire.”

At his words, she wiped her tears with her hand, which was covered in soot. Leonhard inadvertently pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket.

“….”

There was silence for a while.

The handkerchief was burnt down, leaving only the Bernoulli family pattern left.

“…That’s great, this medicine.”

“Yes, it is.”

Celine counted the number of healing potions left.

…Only four.

If this happened over and over again, there would be none left.

‘There will be a few more lava monsters.’

Celine racked her brains, but she couldn’t remember. It was obvious. Who the hell would remember how many monsters there were in the mid-stage of a game in which she had only seen the ending once months ago?

At the thought, she bit her lip.

So far, she had rushed forward without hesitation in this situation.

‘…Not anymore.’

Only then did she realize why she had been able to run and look ahead of her all this time. It was because there was Leonhard behind her.

‘Why didn’t I know that?’

Celine knew the answer without difficulty.

Leonhard was so perfect. How great was his presence that she didn’t even notice…?

“Celine? Are you okay?”

His worried voice seemed to make her burst into laughter. The person who was covered with a fireball just before was worried about her, who wouldn’t die even if she died.

“It’s okay.”

“As you can see, I am fine. You don’t have to worry about me, so let’s get going.”

Although she hesitated, there was only one decision she could make.

‘Yeah, staying here doesn’t solve anything…’

The longer they stay, the more likely they would be ambushed.

Celine met Leonhard’s eyes.

“…Thank you, Leonhard.”

“It was nothing.”

They exited the lava field as fast as possible.

Leonhard was in the best condition because he drank the healing potion, and Celine also had Hermes shoes, so she did not get tired no matter how much she ran. Fortunately, the surprise attack was the only one where Leonhardt suffered.

After a long time, the flat land that had no end in sight came to an end, and they finally reached an ascent.

“Do I have to go up here?”

Asking that, he glanced up at the Black Mountain.

“I do not know. Even in my dreams, I didn’t come this far.”

Celine hesitated.

The sixth stage of the normal route, the lava field, should end now. However, from her experience so far, it didn’t seem like the stage would end now.

“Leonhard, be careful…”

Celine stopped her words.

Leonhard, who was obviously just beside her, was not there.

“Leonhard!”

Her blue-gray eyes looked around in fear, but Leonhard was nowhere to be seen.

“….!”

The blue sky, the contrasting gray land, the burning lava… All of that was twisted together and began to mix into a jumbled mess.

Her whole body trembled.

She never saw anything like this while playing [ Celine’s Nightmare ]. Celine slumped down to the ground, and her body fell into the ground. It was painful because the half-cooled lava burned her back.

Where she was lying down… It was the sky.

She was engulfed in a piece of white cloud, and she plunged her face into the ashes in an instant. As she groaned in pain, Leonhard remained in her mind.

‘Somehow, Leonhard…!”

It was hard to imagine the level of despair and helplessness that Leonhard, who must have been in a similar situation to her, would feel. Celine tried to calm her tingling head.

‘I have to deal with it. I…’

Obviously, this was an event that only occurred in the true ending route. If so, there must be a way to clear it. Thinking so, she tried to stop her body from rolling from the sky to ashes and from ashes to lava, moment by moment.

‘All right, all right…!’

Fortunately, she was able to balance and stand on the ashes before her body was torn apart. The next moment, she looked around. Lava, the sky, and ashes continued to interlocking like a giant piece of patchwork.

‘Ah…’

Celine realized.

Not in Celine’s Nightmare though she had played this similar stage in other games. It was a stage where she had to walk only the right path while avoiding the traps.

‘…Leonhardt must be up here, too.’

“Leonhard!”

However, no answer came. She tried to look around, but there was only an endless piece of patchwork spread out.

Her heart was pounding.

‘No way…’

…Perhaps, Leonhardt disappeared into the lava earlier.

Her legs began to tremble at the thought.

‘…No, that wouldn’t happen.’

Celine rubbed the tears in her burning eyes. Leonhard couldn’t die so easily. He must be looking for her somewhere in this endless piece of patchwork. So, she had to clear this stage as quickly as possible, even for him.

Eventually, she took one step slowly from the ashes she was standing into the other ashes.

“….!”

The ashes turned to the sky as soon as she stepped on them.

Celine leaned over and hit her butt in the ashes near her. Fortunately for her, the ashes this time did not turn into lava or sky. She patted her chest in surprise, looking at the differences, though couldn’t find anything special.

“Huh…?”

The ashes she was stepping now, which were clearly fine, began to turn into a flamboyant mush.

Celine quickly jumped to the next ashes. Even though these ashes also turned to the lava as soon as she stepped on them, she was not hurt because she immediately leapt into another pile of ashes.

She no longer had time to think about anything.

Focusing only on stepping on all the ashes she saw before her eyes, her light footsteps, as soon as she stepped on one block, bounced straight to the other block. After a while, in spite of the fact that she was wearing ‘Hermes shoes, her breathing was disturbed, and her whole body trembled.

On the other hand, the patchwork still stretched endlessly.

‘What, what should I do…’

Tears fell to the ground, along with sweat. Right now, the actions that she was doing now were closer to overusing her body in order to die rather than clearing the stage.

‘You have to think.’

It was only a matter of time before she died while she was running around like this without thinking. She then gasped for breath and tried to peer around.

‘….?’

The moment she accidentally glanced behind her, an unexpected sight caught her eye.

All the blocks she had stepped on until now were all gathered and became the path to the volcano. At the same time, she felt relieved, and goosebumps rose. If she hadn’t looked back, she would have only known that path after she died once.

Celine quickly moved her legs over the path, and then she sat down. The black powder on the floor crumbled between her grips.

‘Isn’t it ashes?’

It felt cold and moist to the touch.

…A soil that was hard and where life could grow. Celine got up enchanted, and she slowly made her way to the volcano, where she stood tall.

“Leonhard…?”

Leonhard was definitely the man who was running through the ashes with a light movement, with his blue-colored Rashir.

“Leonhardt!”

Celine screamed, squeezing all her strength.

Leonhard was running, looking only in front, just like her before. Even though he was more calm and faster than her wearing ‘Hermes’ shoes, he was also human. Eventually, he would hit the limit. She shouted his name over and over again, hoping that he could hear her own voice.

‘Please, please, look back. Leonhard…’

However, her cry could not reach him because she was quite far away, and Leonhard quickly moved away from her.

‘Think, Celine Hunt!’

Her shouting till her throat broke didn’t help. She had to come up with another way… a way to let Leonhard know of her existence…!

‘Ah!’

Celine pulled Ringzor from her arms with trembling hands.

What would be the surest way to let Leonhard know of her existence? She aimed Ringzor at Leonhard as accurately as possible, then she grabbed Ringzor’s rampant magic and poured its full power into Leonhard.

Of course, attack magic.

It was inevitable because Ringzor, whose essence was a sword, could only be used as attack magic.

‘Leonhard will be fine.’

Clenching her teeth, she poured all of the magic in Ringzor at Leonhard. For an ordinary swordsman, it was so powerful that their whole body would be shattered in an instant.

The effect was immediate.

He turned his body half a turn and gracefully received her attack magic with Rashir. At that exact moment, their eyes met.