My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 75

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 75

 

Crack.

 

The moment I spotted the small spark that jumped up, my body was embraced in Azel’s arms.

 

Immediately after, the world flashed with light.

 

CRASH, CRAAASH-!

 

“…!”

 

By the time I realized it, lightning was already striking directly toward us.

 

“Azel!”

 

However, there was nothing wrong with my body. Azel, who had pulled me into his embrace with his whole body, had taken all the impact in my place.

 

“Azel? Azel! Get it together, Azel!”

 

Everything happened too quickly in an instant. The staggering Azel had already collapsed in my arms, and fortunately he was breathing, but he was half-unconscious.

 

“Tsk. How troublesome.”

 

“…!”

 

Goosebumps rose all over my body.

 

‘How can this be happening?’

 

Azel had created a barrier in front of us just like the Mage Tower Master from before.

 

But the moment the lightning touched it, the magic shattered, and it struck us directly.

 

‘The Mage Tower Master was this powerful?’

 

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

 

‘Why didn’t the blessing activate?’

 

The blessing that had activated so well in front of Magi remained docile before that attack just now.

 

‘…No, is it right that it didn’t activate?’

 

Remnants of light had fallen at my feet. Like Azel’s magic that had been torn and shattered without a chance to respond.

 

‘Come to think of it, where’s Simoer?’

 

Since Simoer had been near us, there was no way he could be safe. When I hurriedly turned my head, I saw Simoer collapsed against the wall.

 

“Simoer!”

 

Judging by the blood flowing from his forehead, it seemed he hadn’t taken a direct hit like Azel, but had been knocked away by the impact and lost consciousness.

 

At that moment, I heard the Mage Tower Master’s voice again.

 

“Who are you worrying about?”

 

However, that sound was excessively close.

 

“This isn’t the time for that.”

 

‘When did he get here!’

 

He was already behind me.

 

“Miss!”

 

“Lady Elpis!”

 

I immediately heard voices calling me from below, but that was all. At one careless gesture from the being before me, people’s screams echoed through the air.

 

“What nonsense.”

 

The next place the wrinkled hand headed toward was me.

 

‘This isn’t the time to be doing this!’

 

I had to somehow stop the approaching hand, even if it meant directly activating the blessing.

 

But even this was useless.

 

Crack!

 

“What the-!”

 

The white light that rose around me lost its form and crumbled the moment it touched the wrinkled hand.

 

I hadn’t seen it wrong. Even Gaspata’s blessing wasn’t working on the being before me.

 

“You use an interesting power. For a human.”

 

Therefore, this made it certain.

 

“You’re not the Mage Tower Master.”

 

This thing wasn’t the Mage Tower Master.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Absolutely not.

 

*

 

“What was that just now?”

 

Gaspata unconsciously rose from his seat at the unpleasant sensation that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

 

‘Did something happen to Elpis?’

 

The blessing connection with Elpis, which had always flowed quietly, was momentarily greatly distorted. It was proof that someone had forcibly interfered with his power.

 

‘Who could do such a thing?’

 

Gaspata’s expression hardened because there was no being among humans or even spirits who could cause such a thing.

 

Just as he turned around, thinking he should go check, at that moment.

 

“What are you doing standing there blankly?”

 

Unfortunately, someone caught Gaspata’s steps.

 

“Sili.”

 

“That person is waiting. Get your head together and follow me quickly.”

 

“Sorry, but something urgent came up. I’ll come back later.”

 

“What?”

 

The other party frowned at Gaspata’s refusal.

 

“What kind of nonsense is that? Today we were supposed to talk about you arbitrarily granting a blessing to a human. Where do you think you’re going?”

 

It was a valid point. This place was currently the end of the world, the Center of the Origin where eternal silence resided. Having already come to be scolded, he couldn’t just leave his post arbitrarily.

 

“It seems like there’s a problem with that human you mentioned.”

 

But still, he had to go check.

 

“A problem occurred?”

 

“I’m not sure exactly, but I have a bad feeling. I need to go and check directly.”

 

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

 

“Stop, Gaspata.”

 

However, someone’s voice once again caught Gaspata’s steps.

 

“Right now, we must not interfere.”

 

*

 

“Who am I, you ask?”

 

When the eerie voice whispered in my ear once again, I was already in a state of terror.

 

“Who are you to ask that?”

 

The intangible aura emanating from the being before me made me feel instinctive fear.

 

“Suddenly appearing and ruining my work. Do you know how troublesome you’ve made things for me?”

 

Is it human? Listening to the voice naturally made such doubts dominate my mind. I felt that much alienation from the being before me.

 

Then the thing removed the robe that had been covering its face.

 

“…Damn, crazy.”

 

The appearance was indeed the Mage Tower Master I knew, but there was a problem. Though the thing was clearly alive and speaking, its eyes, clouded with a grayish color, belonged to the dead.

 

‘The Mage Tower Master is already dead, and probably only the body is being controlled?’

 

This is truly the worst.

 

‘I said I don’t want occult stuff!’

 

Now my body trembled for a different reason.

 

Finally, those creepy fingers approached toward my cheek. But the thing’s hand ultimately couldn’t reach me.

 

“Don’t. Touch. Her.”

 

Azel, who I thought had lost consciousness, had somehow reached out his arm and grabbed the guy’s wrist.

 

Then the guy smiled.

 

“Why haven’t you gone berserk yet?”

 

Berserk.

 

Even though I looked up in shock, his gaze was still directed at Azel.

 

“By now you should have already destroyed the world. I don’t understand why you keep hesitating. The preparations should have been perfect.”

 

Belatedly, the dead one’s cloudy pupils turned toward me again.

 

“Is it because of you after all?”

 

That thought suddenly occurred to me.

 

“The voice in his head that Azel said he heard. Could that be you?”

 

Flinch.

 

Azel in my arms flinched and trembled, but it didn’t seem like my misunderstanding at all. The guy’s lips stretched into a grin when he heard my words.

 

“So it was because of you after all.”

 

It was a clear sign of affirmation.

 

Right then, explosions erupted before my eyes in an instant.

 

“Azel!”

 

It was Azel’s doing. Just as I felt my body being lifted, Azel was already embracing me and running. He too seemed to sense that staying like this was dangerous.

 

But the magic that hadn’t worked before wouldn’t work now either.

 

“This has become troublesome.”

 

Sure enough, when the pitch-black smoke cleared, the guy was standing there with an unharmed face.

 

Bang! Bang! Crash-!

 

Even in that moment, Azel’s attacks continued relentlessly. Since this was the first time I’d seen him so desperate, I naturally became frightened too.

 

“You’re injured right now! It’s too much to keep running with this body! First let’s regroup with the others-!”

 

“It’s useless. That thing is dangerous.”

 

“I know that, but-”

 

Just as I was about to say more, I saw something strange. Dark red smoke was quietly rising around Azel. It was a precursor to going berserk.

 

“Azel!”

 

Only after urgently calling Azel’s name did I realize.

 

“You, right now. Your body-”

 

“…I’m starting to hear the voice again. We need to run now.”

 

Azel’s body touching my skin was strangely hot.

 

*

 

[Why are you running? Do you think anything will change by running?]

 

[That woman will leave you eventually. Look at this. Even though she says she likes you, she hasn’t said a single word about staying by your side.]

 

[You’ll end up alone in the end.]

 

[So let’s destroy everything. Let’s destroy it all and bind her to your side forever.]

 

No. I don’t want to do that.

 

My head feels like it’s going to split. Azel shook his head as if denying the voice in his head, but it was useless.

 

[Why do you keep disobeying?]

 

The more he did so, the louder the voice in his head became.

 

*

 

The place we finally arrived at was a wide plain somewhere unknown.

 

The reason we stopped in such a place while fleeing wasn’t for any other reason. It was because Azel’s knees, who had been crying out in pain, happened to give out in this very spot. In this condition, he absolutely couldn’t run.

 

“Azel! Pull yourself together, Azel!”

 

“My head, my head feels like it’s splitting.”

 

‘What should I do now? Can I escape with Azel in this state?’

 

No, I wasn’t even sure if this was a problem that could be solved by running away. Azel was still hearing that guy’s voice, and the precursors to going berserk surrounding him remained.

 

‘Just what am I supposed to do!’

 

And at that moment.

 

“Is the game of tag already over?”

 

“…!”

 

That bastard’s voice was heard right nearby.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————