Part Twenty-three

I sigh, feeling the frustration and complexity of the situation weighing heavily on me. "Sera, I don't have to do this, you know. I can leave you here and deal with more pressing issues." Internally, I debate the options. I could leave her, but how long would she have before the larva takes over again? If it does, it will certainly take her body and hide.

Sera, however, doesn't relent. She charges at me, her sword slicing through the air with remarkable precision. I block the attack, gritting my teeth. Her smile, a mix of challenge and understanding, is disarming.

"I know that, but I also know you won't leave me like this, right?" Sera says, her voice tinged with a hopeful defiance.

Damn it, Sera, why do you have to be such a kind person? It's making this whole situation more difficult than it needs to be.

As she enhances her speed with mana and circles me, attempting a kick to my waist, I block and counter, redirecting her kick. I'm about to land a punch when she casts a magic shield and backs away. Ugh, what the hell am I supposed to do?

"Hey Sera, you know it was planning on killing your brother to end you," I say, trying to make her see reason.

She pauses, her eyes trembling slightly, but then she smiles. "But you predicted it, right? So in the end, nothing bad happened." She's unbelievably optimistic, almost impossibly so. Is she a child of god or something? Despite everything she's been through – poverty, pain, hardship – she's still incredibly kind and law-abiding, yet fierce in battle.

I grab my face, feeling a headache coming on. "Sera... you're giving me a headache," I groan, my frustration evident.

Sera looks at me with a pleading expression. "Please, can you at least try to save her? I don't want to see her die..." Her voice is soft, filled with a genuine concern not only for herself but also for the parasite that's threatening her existence.

Speeding up, I can't help but think, Tsk, why do I feel like I'm the bad guy here? Dammit.

As Sera tries to block, I use my palm to redirect her attack and am about to land a kick when she swiftly dodges, sending me off-balance. I recover quickly, elbowing her to the ground and pinning her down.. Not missing a beat, I instantly elbow her down and pin her, my strength enhanced with aura.

"Dammit, Sera, stop struggling. I'm going to deal with it whether you like it or not," I say, holding her down as she fights back.

As I reach for the picture and vial in my bag, Sera cries out, "This is murder, Kael!" Her strength is surprising; I'm using aura to enhance my own, yet holding her is proving difficult. Sorry, Sera, I have to...

But before I can complete the action, a monstrous creature, the size of a horse and resembling a dog with fangs and porcupine-like spikes, charges straight at us. "Shit," I mutter, pulling Sera out of the way. The monster isn't after us; it's running away.

As the dust settles, I look down to find the vial broken. Shit, what a fucking pain. It's the only one I had... I can't use the array to kill the parasite since it's not only the highest rank but also evolved.

Sera, noticing the broken vial, smirks. "Hehe, looks like you can't kill her now."

Frustrated, I clench my fist and punch her in the face. "Dammit, Sera." It's a harsh response, but her stubbornness is making this impossible.

She wipes the blood from her nose, still smiling warmly. "I did deserve that, but I don't regret it," she says, her smile somehow both infuriating and heartwarming.

Looking at her smile, I feel a stomachache coming on. Her optimism, in the face of all this, is maddening.

Groaning, I lay on the ground next to Sera, the rain pouring down on us relentlessly. "Dammit Sera..." The situation is more complicated than I anticipated.

Sera, lying down herself, groans in pain. "Ugh... You beat my body painfully while she was in control, you know." Her voice carries a mix of discomfort and annoyance.

Rubbing my eyes, I ponder over my options. Making another potion like the broken one would require rare and expensive plants. "I should've beaten you a bit more," I mutter, half-jokingly.

Sera, rubbing her stomach, looks at me quizzically. "Hey... just what the hell is going on?" she asks, her voice tired, the rain drenching her.

I pause, contemplating how much to reveal. "It's not something you want to know about," I finally say.

She sighs, accepting my reluctance to explain. "I see... So how will you save her?" she inquires, her gaze fixed on me.

Tsk, who said anything about that? In my frustration, I turn to the system for advice. Hey system, can you not be a bitch today and give me some advice?

[No, why would I give you advice if I'm a bitch?(≖ᴗ≖)]

Seriously? Are you going to be like this? Rubbing my temples, I try to coax the system into helping. Come on, System. Please give me some advice... without charging me.

[No.]

Please, I plead.

[No.]

Please, I persist.

[No way.]

Come on, system, just tell me what you want from me that is not points, and I'll do it.

[( •̀ᴗ•́ )و ̑̑]

[beg me, and never curse at me again.]

Ugh... this damn system... Are you really going to act like a child? 

[You don't have to do it.]

I think you know I have no choice...

Sitting up, I reluctantly give in to the system's demands. Fine, fine, you win. Please System, I... be- "cough, cough" of you to help me out, just this once. I promise not to curse you out as long as you don't curse me out. What do you say?

[If you had asked me instead of fighting like an Idiot, I would've told you how to solve the issue long ago.]

I let out a frustrated sigh. Okay, okay, no need to rub it in. Just tell me what to do. I need to hurry up and get into position. Right about now, Rose is probably fighting that old man.

[What Seraphina has in her head is no longer a parasite but a larva. That is an entirely different creature. It contains the weaknesses of parasites, but a larva does not go through the same life cycle as a parasite.]

[There is no need to explain how larvas work in further detail. The big difference between the larva and a parasite is that a parasite requires its physical body to force a bond with the brain. When it evolved into a larva, the physical body changed. Larvas do not require as strong a bond as parasites to connect. If you wish to kill the larva, you can simply stab Seraphina's left eye with an 8-inch needle, killing it.]

I ponder the solution. Healing her from an injury like that wouldn't be a problem, but I doubt she'll let me do that...

[Larvas can lose their bodies and survive if done correctly. You simply need to have the larva bond with Seraphina's frontal lobe. If you wish to save the life you created, which you should, you playboy god. You should cast a magic circle according to my instructions.]

[Note that what you are doing is stuffing the consciousness of the larva into Seraphina. This will completely cut its connection to its physical body, which will disappear. Seraphina will have to share her body with the larva.]

I exhale, accepting the plan. "Hmmm... okay, fine, I'll do it. The magic circle doesn't look too difficult." I turn to Sera. "To save it... you will be sharing your body with it... Are you sure you want to do this? Think about it because once its consciousness is put in your brain, you won't be able to get rid of it."

Sera smiles, her decision clear. "I knew you could do it. I'll do it-" But I interrupt her, needing her to understand the gravity of this decision.

"Okay, but you need to listen to what I have to say. First, it's still your body, so it can't make important decisions for you. Second, I will be talking to it personally, so whenever I'm around, I need to make sure you understand that you can't see or listen. This is for your own safety. You two will no longer be sharing memories. Do you understand?"

Sighing, I stand up, feeling the weight of the task ahead. Sera groans as she also rises to her feet. "Why... don't you want me to see when you talk to her?" she asks, her curiosity evident.

I shake my head slightly, knowing I can't reveal everything. "Sera, do you not trust me? Do you think I'll do something bad?" I question her, trying to gauge her level of trust.

Sera steps back, biting her lip. "I trust you... I'm just curious," she admits, her gaze steady.

I stretch my arms, feeling the strain in my muscles. "It's for your own safety, trust me when I say I won't hurt it in any way," I assure her. She nods in agreement, "Alright, I understand." I appreciate her trust; Sera's intelligence and sincerity make her one of the few people I've put effort into saving.

Turning my attention to the magic circle displayed on the system's screen, I rub my temples in confusion. What the fuck is this...?

Sera tilts her head, noticing my perplexity. "Is everything okay?" she asks, her voice laced with concern.

I sigh, one hand still on my head. "It's nothing, I'm just trying to make this new magic circle."

Sera steps back, her eyes wide with astonishment. "H-huh? A new magic circle? Is that even possible? How can you just make a new one so fast..."

I scrutinize the magic circle, which is in a constant state of flux, its letters and numbers continuously changing. Oh, I see... How the hell am I supposed to replicate this? "Alright, stand still Sera, I don't know how accurate this is," I tell her as I begin to cast the magic circle, increasing its size. Unlike others, the shapes are moving in three dimensions, not just circles.

"What the hell is this?" Ilka appears on my head, equally baffled.

"You've never seen this before?" she asks, sitting atop my head.

"No way. How long have you been knowing magic like this?" Ilka continues, her curiosity piqued.

I don't even know what it is myself. The circle feels natural; it's using pure mana from the surroundings, not draining any from me. I decide to memorize and study it later, suspecting the system knows I'll try deciphering it. It would be stupid not to, I mean this is crazy 

Sera's mouth hangs open in awe as she watches the shapes move around her. "Uuggghh, Kael. W-what is this?"

I respond, improvising, "This is what you call a perfect magic circle." It's the best explanation I can muster.

The magic circle glows, emitting pure white particles all around. Ilka starts hitting my face in frustration. "Oi, why have you been hiding this from me, you fucker? What else are you hiding?"

I sigh and mumble, somewhat amused and perplexed, "I just learned whatever this is right now, actually..."

Focusing intently on the magic circle, I try to decipher the ever-changing pattern of letters and numbers. It's a bewildering array, seemingly random and without any discernible sequence. The circle's glow intensifies, oscillating between white and blue hues. This is getting increasingly challenging to execute.

Gritting my teeth, I pour more concentration into the task. The magic power begins to swirl around Sera, intensifying until it all converges into a flurry of sparkling particles. What just happened?

Sera blinks, a hint of surprise in her voice. "I think it worked... maybe?"

Just then, the system chimes in, confirming the outcome.

[Body scan complete]

[The larva is in the process of evolving into a human. Seraphina is now safe. You're welcome]