Chapter 42: The Sum of All Your Choices

The announcement continued to echo even after the sentence finished.

I stopped fighting and dropped my guard, which nearly led to my demise. Luckily, Marigold pushed me out of the way before the Fafnerheimlen could land a strike with its flail arms.

"Don't get distracted," Marigold said.

"Yeah. Sorry," I said, resuming my attacks on the Fafnerheimlen's legs. "You heard that announcement, right? So what are we supposed to do?"

"We can't leave this monster to ravage all of Polsius."

"But we can't let everyone in Zweizen die!"

"Leave this to me," Typhon said, still slicing through masses of flesh. "I'll hold back the Fafnerheimlen until reinforcements from WADI can arrive. I can call them with my communication mirror. In the meantime, you guys can head to the capital with my driver."

"I must stay and help," Marigold said.

"Don't worry. I got this. You need to back up Claudia in case things get bad with Thello. Take Sakimi with you guys, too."

Despite Typhon's strength, I wasn't sure if he could even dent the Fafnerheimlen by himself. Even if he used his special attack, that would only destroy one foot. Typhon couldn't sever the other one with his base attacks, but as long as the other WADI members could make it in time, everything should be fine.

"Okay," I said to Typhon. "I'll leave this to you."

"I won't let you down," Typhon replied with a wincing smile.

Marigold, Sakimi, and I ran to the city's edge, where the driver was hiding inside a forcefield. As the mindless minions approached, he shot them with Arcane Missiles.

Then, when the driver saw us, he opened the barrier and readied the carriage for departure.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Zweizen," I said. "As fast as possible."

"Understood."

We took off at lightning speed. It seemed that the driver was pulling all the stops, letting the horse blast forward at a dangerous sprint that threatened to dismantle the carriage if it wasn't for the magically reinforced structure.

Every time we hit a road bump, it sent us into the air, but the spectral horse remained steadfast in its gait as if glued to the ground.

It only took thirty minutes for us to cross the distance. As we entered Zweizen, we rode over a glowing red line that stretched out for miles on each side, encircling the whole capital. Thello's sacrificial circle was no bluff. He didn't care for NPCs, and he could instantly kill everyone here without even batting an eyelash.

If I could deal with Thello quickly, then I could return to Gerandum and help out against the calamity that was the Fafnerheimlen. Surprisingly, it didn't seem like anybody in Zweizen has heard about the news yet.

The driver slowed the horse's pace now that we were within the city.

Then, Thello's voice rang out again.

"Head to my colosseum."

We adjusted our course and soon arrived at the destination. Before, the colosseum was underground, but now, it had been elevated to the open air. All the seats were taken, filling the entire area with multicolored blobs of people who were doing the wave to entertain themselves.

A demon soldier then guided our driver through an opening that led to a place where gladiators could get ready for a duel. Marigold, Sakimi, and I got down while the rider stayed behind. Next, that same demon soldier from earlier escorted me down a corridor that led to the fighting grounds.

He was surprisingly polite, considering that he was working for Thello, a man who had kidnapped me so that I could die a humiliating death.

"You two stay here," the soldier said to Sakimi and Marigold.

"It'll be fine," I said. "They can watch from the doorway that leads to the arena."

"As you wish."

Once I entered Thello's colosseum, the crowd stopped doing the wave, and they all cheered.

A lone demon stood on the other end with his spiral horns reflecting the rays from high noon. His slicked-back hair was starting to come undone, and he only wore a set of trousers, revealing a ripped physique.

The archdemon Thello was not someone that I could underestimate.

In the original Serial Slain, you had to be careful when around the capital of Zweizen because you could inadvertently run into Thello, which would initiate an early boss fight. Because of this, I felt that I would be safer in Gerandum, but someone had released the Fafnerheimlen. On top of that, Thello blackmailed me into a duel.

As always, my plan had derailed. Now, I had to fight the archdemon without being fully prepared.

Still, I could rely on my over-leveling from Rivenvalius. I could only hope that Thello's full power wasn't that much stronger than when I first fought him.

"I'm glad you could make it," Thello said. "I knew you would come running right back to me."

"How nice of you to hold the entire city hostage," I scowled.

Weirdly enough, nobody in the crowd looked worried that they were going to die.

That was when I realized that they were all demons. They all held such a dogmatic loyalty to Thello, believing that his threat was simply a bluff. Whether or not he was willing to sacrifice all of Zweizen, I still came for the duel.

Suddenly, a demon announcer's voice spoke, "Allow me to introduce our challengers!"

The crowd roared.

"On one side, we have Thello, the archdemon of Polsius!"

Thello raised his arms as the audience gave a round of applause and cheers.

"On the other side, we have Ares, the Hierophant!"

"Boo!" the crowd yelled.

One of them even threw a tomato that landed next to my feet.

"Ugh," I said. "Let's get this over with."

My heart was beating out of my chest, but I had to steel my resolve for this fight. If I could defeat Thello this early on, then I could move forward with the main quests.

The announcer said, "Here are the rules of the duel: this is a one-on-one fight, you may use any weapon or spell, and lastly, no healing or items. Now, let us begin the countdown!"

"Three!" the audience chanted.

I took a deep breath and drew Laevateinn. Likewise, Iago unsheathed Frigid Edge.

Before I could forget, I made sure I was wearing the full Radiant Majesty armor set, and I equipped Holy Shield and Chromius for my spells.

"Two!"

I wasn't expecting this early of a boss fight.

Shit.

I shouldn't panic.

Keep it together, Claudia.

"One!"

This is it.

I have to fight now.

Come one, legs. Stop shaking!

I have to end Thello!

"Fight!"

From an outsider's point of view, the fighters would seem to have disappeared.

Right after the announcer began the duel, Thello and I had leaped forward with blinding speed and met in the center of the arena in a defeating clash.

We each exchanged dozens of blows within a few seconds.

In the heat of the moment, I lost all my nervousness and focused only on Thello. I've spent less than four months in this world, but intense duels had become second nature.

Every time Thello swung his blade, I could see it clearly, and I could either block it or evade it. Normally, I wouldn't have ever imagined being able to do this, but my senses were heightened in this world.

Being on the verge of death was almost thrilling.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Thello asked.

The archdemon leaped into the air and cast a spell that launched a rain of spikes. I blocked it using my Holy Shield, but Thello followed up by materializing a spear. He threw it down with immense force, shattering my barrier.

I sidestepped in the nick of time, just before the spear could skewer me. Then, Thello continued his melee assault with his sword.

"Don't be crazy," I replied. "I despise you."

"And that's why you're having fun."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't want to fight in this duel in the first place!"

"Really? Then why are you smiling?"

I was...smiling?

Now that I realized my expression, my mouth instinctively curled into a frown. He was right. I really was smiling.

As I backed away from Thello to catch my breath, he assumed a casual stance.

"That's the difference between us, Claudia. You don't actually care about the people of Zweizen. You're only playing the game for your own enjoyment, but I'm doing this for the one most valuable to me! If I can't kill you, then my sister dies. Don't tell me that you have a more noble cause for wanting to win this duel, do you?"

"A noble cause? No...I only want to beat this game because I made it my mission. And I can't return to the real world because my body is completely paralyzed. This game is my life now. So to answer your question, my cause is nothing noble."

I lowered my weapon and sighed. "To think that you were doing everything for your sister. Maybe it's selfish of me to say this, but I'm also fighting for the ones most valuable to me."

"Don't tell me you're talking about your NPC companions."

"You're right."

"You're a fool! They're not real people!"

"Shut up, Thello! They're more real than anybody I've met in my life!"

The archdemon scowled and clicked his tongue.

I continued, "Nothing in the real world could compare to the joy and suffering that I've experienced here. I've never felt more alive. If I die here, then who'll be there to help Marigold and Sakimi? I made a vow that I would protect my friends, and I'm not backing down now."

"You would prioritize the lives of fictional characters over a real person? You would let my sister die?"

"Life is a zero-sum game," I said. "People give, and people take."

"You selfish little bastard."

"I'm selfish for wanting to protect my friends? That also makes you selfish for wanting to protect your sister."

By now, Thello could barely contain his fury.

"You truly are the lowest scum," Thello seethed, charging forward once again.