The Return from the Other Shore: The Willful One (Part Two)

"--If you can't bring yourself to do it, then I'll do it."

"..."

"What's wrong? Are you feeling a little embarrassed? It's okay, I can understand to some extent. Even if you're rational and prioritize the big picture, some things aren't as easy to do as they seem."

"... Hey, isn't this little Nid? Long time no see, you seem to have a different vibe."

"You too, you look all tattered. What happened to those barbed wires? Did your cute little girlfriend bully you?"

"Hehe, although I might look like the henpecked type, actually... I guess I kind of do have that feeling?"

"Hahahaha... Forget it, it's not funny at all. You know, every minute and second wasted is precious!"

Nid drew his Greatsword, and a sharp gust of wind shot straight at the spirit! However, the moment it touched the pillar of light, the gust of wind vanished on its own.

Nid frowned.

"My attacks can travel through a medium, but this light doesn't seem to be included; its propagation path is blocked... There's no other way but to use my sword at close range."

He shrugged, hoisted the Greatsword, and headed towards the spirit offering, but stopped halfway there.

"Hey, Yu Jie, you're blocking my way, aren't you? Or have you changed your mind and want to handle it yourself?"

"I've changed my mind... but that doesn't mean I want to handle it myself, does it? Rather... sigh, I really don't want to see her die."

"Then cover your eyes and plug your ears."

"Tch, you've got a joke now, huh? You're the one who's not funny at all!"

Yu Jie suddenly plunged his foot into the pile of rubble, the overflowing darkness instantly soaking the stones. Then, with a powerful kick, a barrage of black pebbles shot towards Nid at extremely close range, each enhanced shot comparable to a bullet. However, Nid merely flicked his sword, and the spreading gust of wind simultaneously knocked down all the pebbles, not missing a single one.

Although Nid reacted quickly, he still subconsciously took a step back, increasing the distance between himself and Yu Jie.

"... What does this mean, Brother Yu Jie?"

"Stop asking questions you already know the answer to. You're not suited to playing dumb. Sigh... Is this my tragedy?"

Yu Jie sighed deeply, picked up the Sword of Judgment to the ground, turned his back to the sacrificial spirit, and faced Nid.

"Sorry, young man, I still don't want her to die."

"Don't call me 'young man'... But are you serious? You don't want her to die? You've completely changed your mind?"

A promise made is a promise kept.

"Hmm... okay, I understand."

Nid swung his Greatsword, executing a beautiful sword flourish—

"I understand. It seems the only option is to defeat you as well."

"Huh? Wait, wait, wait, wait, I thought you were going to ask me for my reason with a furious look on your face."

"There's no need to ask, because I can understand it to some extent. It's simply a choice between two options. If I had to choose between Sister Xue's life and the lives of all people..." Nid narrowed his eyes slightly, "I would definitely choose the former, without a doubt, so I'm not surprised by your choice."

"... I thought you'd use those grand principles about the greater good and the safety of hundreds of millions of innocent people to pressure me. To be honest, if you really question me like that, I'd be speechless. After all, this kind of behavior that makes countless people pay the price for their own willfulness is just a cliché big boss from the last century."

"Too many people have already done the thing of 'making innocent people pay for their own willfulness,' it's just that yours is on a larger scale... But so what? If you sacrifice this girl for the sake of the common people, even if you can gain temporary peace, you will definitely regret it to death later. Isn't it better to be willful? You must be the kind of person who 'would choose the option that you will least regret when faced with a life-or-death decision,' right?"

"You're so clever, you really know me well, huh?"

"But I'm a little different... Unlike you, I hate the act of 'making choices' itself. I'm the kind of person who would 'cut out all the extra options and keep only one.'"

"Well, there's really no need to be so tense. I'm not that kind of cruel person. Aren't there other ways? If we join forces, along with those incredibly strong girls over there, it's not a dream to take down that ugly thing in ten minutes, right?"

"What utter nonsense! The quickest, easiest, and least costly solution is right in front of us. If you were in that situation, would you take the long way around?"

"Wow, you call me willful? You're just as willful! You've become more mature, but your willfulness is more childish than a kid's."

"Then let me be willful to the end. I'll say it one last time: get out of the way, Yang Yujie, let me kill her!"

"--I refuse. I don't want to regret it anymore, and I don't want her to die!"

What exactly drove these two to act?

Responsibility? Obligation? Personal opinion? Love for someone? Hope for the future?

Or is it simply a willful wish of mine?

Or perhaps something simpler... fate?

The battle began in an instant.

The two men simultaneously raised their swords and charged at each other.

The monster and three women fought their way from outside the main gate into the city.

Two men are fighting fiercely at the side door.

The unfaithful woman with the child has yet to make a move.

Hundreds of thousands of paladins Divine Spellcaster are in a state of utter unconsciousness.

The Cathedral of the True God, which should have been a grand stage, was instead deserted and quiet at this moment.

--No, that's not right either. Amidst the towering churches emitting wisps of smoke and various buildings whose purpose is unclear, a long, languid voice slowly echoed.

"You stinking old man... you damned old man... you wicked old man... where are you hiding?!"

A purple-haired girl was lying on the giant, floating bubble, shouting at the top of her lungs. Her voice was already a little hoarse, and she no longer had the same enthusiasm as before.

Little Ying was chasing after the Pope to stop him from escaping—of course, she lost him after a short while. She could only be sure that the old man had flown into this area full of obstacles and cover, but where exactly?

"Come out... if you've got the guts, face me head-on! Young lady... no, I mean, this lady is going to get angry!"

... utterly silent.

"Ugh, seriously! Come out, come out! Believe me or not, I'm going to start blowing things up randomly! I mean it!"

... Still, complete silence.

"It's really going to explode! Watch out, waa..."

Little Ying started swinging her arms rapidly, her movements quite comical. One after another, bubbles rained down like raindrops, colorful and beautiful under the holy light of the sky.

But this beauty is merely a disguise for ferocity.

The bubbles paused briefly in the air before hurtling towards buildings in all directions at astonishing speed. A series of booming explosions resounded, and the once magnificent religious buildings were instantly reduced to flying debris and billowing dust. Large chunks of stone fell, walls collapsed, and some even had their roofs blown off.

The bombing lasted for more than half a minute before it ended. After the dust settled, the buildings were completely destroyed by the craters created by the bubbles. The craters ranged in size from as small as a fist to as large as buildings that had been snapped in half. The scene was one of utter devastation. Little Ying truly lived up to her reputation as Demolition Genius.

Ding dong~~ You have unlocked the achievement: One-Man Demolition Team!

"Huh? Did I just hear a weird notification sound? Maybe I misheard... Hey! Old man! Come out here! Do you want to see your lair destroyed like this!?"

"--It's alright, keep blasting, why stop?"

"Alas!!!???"

With a deafening crack of lightning, the aged face appeared before her like a ghost, face to face.

"Stay away from me, you perverted Pope!!!"

Little Ying screamed and released a huge pile of bubbles. Anyone who got hit by them would definitely be blown up badly, but the Pope's Thunder Wings flashed, and he was already a hundred meters away!

"You lack flexibility, little girl! You think you can fight me?"

A chill ran through the Pope's eyes.

Little Ying seemed completely unconcerned about what he was saying.

"Perverted Pope sexually harasses!"

"Hmph, suddenly getting close to you is sexual harassment? How could I, a clergyman, possibly be interested in a little brat like you?"

"No interest!? Could it be... the gay Pope!"

What did you say!?

"You're right!?"

"That's not right!"

"If he's not gay—I see, the Impotent Pope!"

"..."

"That seems too direct? Then... how about the impotent Pope?"

"... If being good at provoking others is a talent, then you are definitely a one-of-a-kind genius in this world."

"No way... I'm just smarter... hehehe~"

"I'm not just praising you! Demon Extermination Holy Thunder Burial!"

"Eeya!!!"

Silvery-white lightning appeared at the Pope's fingertips. Little Ying dodged awkwardly, but the clumsy flying bubble's agility was truly pitiful.

So all three things happened at the same time.

Thanks to the great inertia and Newton's victory, Little Ying made a silly "Eeya~~~" sound and fell into a bubble.

A bolt of lightning shot from the Pope's fingertip, just missing the spot where Little Ying had been a moment before.

Little Ying's flying bubble went out of control and crashed directly into the Pope.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah~~~~~"

What's going on?

Boom!!!!!!

The bubble burst the moment it approached the Pope, and flames and thick smoke instantly engulfed the unsuspecting man. After a flurry of activity, Little Ying successfully released a second flying bubble, which landed smoothly on the roof of a small chapel. She patted herself down, making sure nothing was missing, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whew~~ As expected of me, it's great that I wasn't hurt at all--"

"--Good my ass!"

A thunderclap boomed overhead, dispersing the smoke and dust of the explosion. A disheveled Pope emerged, cursing, and landed on the roof of the chapel as well.

"Wow, your face looks dark."

"No need for you to tell me—damn it! I was fooled by your seemingly idiotic appearance. Turns out you had a backup plan, an exploding vehicle or something..."

"What? The flying bubble I was riding can pop?"

Huh?

"That's strange, wasn't it already set to not explode?"

"You didn't even realize it yourself!? It was precisely because I thought you wouldn't be stupid enough to fly around in something that could blow you up that I was so lax in taking precautions!"

"Wait, wait, wait... so the thing I've been using as a mount can explode? I thought it wouldn't? Turns out I've almost blown myself up countless times!?"

"How could I have been reduced to this state by such an idiot!?"

"..." "..."

"... Hahaha! Actually, this was my tactic! Look at you, looking so silly!"

"Stop hiding it! I'm going to kill them all!"

The Pope, who was about to roar in anger, suddenly stopped.

The sudden, terrifying pressure made his hair stand on end.

That terrifying feeling came from the central tower of the Cathedral of the True God.

Just as he turned around, a tsunami-like surge of blood roared out, rushing and roaring along countless streets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Little Ying's true superpower:

Lower the opponent's IQ to your own level, then defeat them with your extensive experience in being a goofball.