’What is that?’

Panic crept across her face as she noticed the blackened patches spreading along Irene’s arms and body.

Then it struck her, Ruvian’s warning just a moment before about fighting volatile Dark Mana...

Her gaze dropped to the small wound on Irene’s skin again.

That had to be it.

"Can you still fight?" Silvena asked, her voice tight.

"Yes... I can, my lady." Irene forced the words out, steadying herself as she drew back into a battle stance.

Silvena’s gaze shifted forward.

The demon was descending the broken steps toward them, unhurried, twin blue flames flickering in his hands.

"Looks like one of you is slowly losing her life," the demon remarked, its voice laced with cruel amusement.

"Ah... no matter. I’ll deal with the two of you quickly, then I can go down and finish that bastard before Raglak does."

At those words, something important clicked in Silvena’s mind.

Ruvian’s limit.

Seven minutes.

After that... his body would be completely paralyzed.

Her breath hitched.

’There’s only two minutes left... what should I do?’

Did Ruvian manage to defeat the demon below? If not... should she go after him?

But what about Irene?

Could she really leave her behind? In that condition, could Irene even continue fighting? And even if she went down there... what could she truly do to help?

Questions surged through her mind, colliding all at once, refusing to settle.

Which path should she choose?

Stay here with Irene... or descend into the depths and aid Ruvian?

From here on, Silvena knew she had to decide.

She pressed her chest lightly with her fingers, as if hoping for the answer to arise from somewhere deep within her. And just as it always had, the guidance came to her.

It told her to stay.

That was the safest path.

The path where she would endure, and the path where she would have the highest chance to live on.

It had always been like this. Every time she stood at a crossroads, her blessing would show her the way forward, and that way had never led her astray.

It would lead her towards what was best for her.

And yet, for some reason, she doesn’t want it. There was a strange heaviness in her chest, something her blessing could not ease.

But one thing she knew was that if she chose to stay here with Irene...

Ruvian will die.

But if she went down to help Ruvian, then all three of them would die.

Her strength seemed to drain from her limbs, as if the weight of that choice alone was enough to wear her down.

This feeling... it was the same as before.

It brought her back to that day.

The day she chose what was best for herself... and lost something she could never take back.

"Silvena!"

Irene’s voice cut through her thoughts, sharp and urgent, as she pulled her back just in time, dragging her out of the path of the demon’s blue flames.

They landed several steps away, putting distance between themselves and the advancing figure. "Get hold of yourself, My Lady," Irene said, her voice steady despite the strain in her body.

Silvena blinked, her thoughts still scattered.

"Ruvian hasn’t defeated the demon below yet," Irene continued, her gaze hardened. "I can feel it. They’re still fighting. But he doesn’t have much time left. Only about a minute left."

Silvena’s eyes widened slightly.

"You have to go," Irene said. "Help him get out. And bring him back up here... Then, I’ll hold them off — I’ll buy the two of you time."

Silvena stared at her, caught between disbelief and something deeper.

"What!? Buy us time? What are you planning on, Irene?"

Irene reached up and removed her masquerade mask, her disguise wore off as she looked straight at Silvena.

"One minute left, My Lady," she said, her voice firm despite the exhaustion weighing on her.

"You have to go. Now."

Silvena met her gaze, something in her chest tightening.

’No... Irene, you don’t understand. Even if I go... we will all die. You will die.’

The words pressed against her throat, but she could not bring herself to speak them aloud.

In the end, Silvena could not choose the path her heart longed for.

Irene did not wait any longer. She turned away and faced the demon, her stance settling despite the strain in her body.

"Alright then," she said quietly. "We’ll leave him."

The words did not come easily, and for a brief moment, something in her expression faltered.

She had wanted Silvena to go. She had hoped, even now, that Ruvian and Silvena could still make it out of here even without her.

That Ruvian could be saved if Silvena reached him in time. After all, their mission here was to prevent the scroll from falling into the hand of the demons.

They had already accomplished that.

But Silvena had not moved.

And so the choice had to be made.

She had to save Silvena from here and evacuate. Even if that means leaving Ruvian behind.

—"If everything turns South, don’t hesitate to flee without me."

Irene sighed quietly.

’That guy... he shouldn’t have said that.’

Another surge of blue fire rushed toward them, swelling as it tore through the air. But just as Irene was about to move, her legs suddenly gave away.

’My legs—!’

It seemed her body had already reached its limit.

The flames were already upon her.

Then, in the very next instant, the fire split apart, torn open by a forceful gust that carved through its center.

[Wind Blast]

Silvena stood beside her, arms spread wide as she pushed against the torrent of blue flame. The wind roared outward from her, holding the attack at bay.

Her gaze lowered toward the ground... hollow, almost fragile.

A quiet trace of self-reproach lingered in her expression.

Silvena refused to choose either path.

She wanted both.

She wanted a different answer.

A path of her own making.

But she understood one thing clearly now... to carve out that path, she needed strength. And at this moment, she was still far too weak to do it.

"I... don’t want this to end like this again." she pleased, voice trembling in a near whisper.

Irene could only watch her.

’My Lady...’

Then, without warning, the flames ceased.

’Huh?’

As Silvena and Irene searched for the demon, they quickly realized he was still there... but he wasn’t moving anymore.

No, there was someone else standing behind him.

A blade had already pierced through his body.

"Looks like I made it just in time," a voice spoke calmly from behind the demon.

"Hhk—! W-who... who are you!?" the demon choked out, its voice breaking in shock.

The demon’s body convulsed violently.

Dark mana exploded from him in chaotic waves as he twisted around, blue flames surging wildly through the ruined stairway.

"HAAAH—!"

His claw shot backward, aiming for the woman behind him.

But before the attack could even reach her...

"[Golden Bind]."

A soft voice echoed through the ruins.

Clink.

Golden chains of light instantly materialized around the demon’s body.

One locked around his neck, another around his arms, several more wrapped around his torso and legs. The chains tightened with brutal force, stopping his movement completely.

The demon’s eyes widened.

"What—!?"

He tried to break free but the chains did not budge. Instead, light began spreading across his body from the point where the blade had pierced him.

A sharp sizzling sound filled the air.

"Tchhhhhh—!"

Smoke rose from the demon’s flesh.

"This is.... L-Light magic!?"

Panic finally entered his voice.

Demons hated light mana.

No, more than hatred, it was fear.

The woman calmly stepped forward from behind him, finally revealing herself beneath the dim glow of the ruins. A thin braid of crimson hair fell over one of her shoulders, and her expression remained completely indifferent.

The demon struggled harder.

"W-who are you bitch—! Do you know who I am!? If you interfere with us, the Dark Lord will—"

"Aigoo~ you’re too loud."

The woman cut through his words.

Then, she placed her hand lightly against his back.

"[Radiant Blast]."

The light exploded outward.

A blinding radiance engulfed the entire stairway.

The demon screamed.

"AAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH—!!!"

His body rapidly disintegrated under the light, blackened flesh crumbling apart into ash. The dark mana pouring from him was erased piece by piece.

Within seconds, the screaming stopped.

The chains vanished.

And where the demon once stood, only drifting black ash and two black horns remained.

──────── ✦ ────────

[Chapter 168: Fall of the Ashway Stage (3)]