Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)
Chapter 739: You Can't Be Serious, Right?

739. You Can't Be Serious, Right?

“You can’t be serious, right?”

The remnants of the Archangel’s essence spoke in disbelief— the first real emotion it displayed since Edithe had encountered it. And why wouldn’t it be surprised? What Edithe had said had been so outlandish— so outrageous— that she even shocked herself.

And yet, it didn’t matter to her. Because it was both her life and the life of her friends on the line. So she shook her head as she stood steadfast.

“You’re not in a place to bargain, are you? It’s either you accept my offer and you have a chance of saving Iudex— yourself— or I say no and you die.”

Edithe forced herself to grin back at the floating ball of light. There was something she realized earlier— while she had been discussing with the remnants of the Archangel’s essence on how to save Iudex. And it was the simple fact that it did not know she needed the Archangel alive.

It did not know that she wanted its help to save Mavos Academy.

So she had some leverage— she could negotiate, without seeming desperate. And that was what she was doing.

Shaking her head, Edithe placed a hand on her chest.

“I saw what happened to the Spirit Lord’s vessel— I don’t want to just be a vessel. I want to enter a binding contract with the Archangel where I offer my body to save its life, and it offers me its power in return.”

That was the condition that Edithe had given. And as expected, the remnants of the Archangel’s essence was outraged at that.

“But that is ridiculous. I have never heard of such a thing being done before! I do not even know if it’s possible!”

“Then make it possible. I mean, you don’t know if this whole ‘vessel’ thing is even going to work out either, right? But you’re willing to try to make it work. So do the same thing here. Otherwise, Iudex is going to die here, and so are you.”

Edithe shrugged back to the glowing sphere in return. She tried her best to remain nonchalant— she hoped that it wasn’t capable of reading body language. That it wouldn’t be able to see through her facade.

And fortunately for her, it seemed this ploy was working.

“If the Archangel dies here, then there will be no one to oppose the Spirit Lord. And if his plans come into fruition, then the Arcraem will fall, and all of creation would be destroyed.”

The remnants of the Archangel’s essence said in a dour voice, and Edithe just waved a hand dismissively in response.

“So? That sounds like it’s something that will happen in another century or two. That doesn’t sound like a me problem.”

Edithe could feel her heart hammering in her chest with each word she spoke. She didn’t even know what the glowing sphere was talking about. All she knew was that she just had to pretend that she did not care.

So that it would cede to her demands.

Would it work? She didn’t know. But she needed it to work. Otherwise…

But Edithe’s racing thoughts were interrupted as the remnants of the Archangel’s essence gave a response.

“...very well.”

“What?”

Edithe blinked when she heard what it had to say. She stared at the glowing sphere in disbelief, and it made a sighing sound as it repeated itself.

“I will cede to your audacious demands, for the sole reason that the Archangel cannot die. But just know that this method you are proposing is far more risky than what I have proposed to you. Your estimated chances of survival with my proposition is around fifty-percent.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“And what about with mine?”

Edithe asked, still surprised that this was working. The remnants of the Archangel’s essence paused for a moment.

“Unknown.”

The glowing sphere replied.

“Well, that just means it could be over fifty-percent.”

Edithe didn’t even convince herself with what she said. But if she was going to take a risk, she might as well go all the way, right?

“I do wish I had your optimism. But if this fails, know that both you and the Archangel will die.”

The glowing sphere said grimly.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

Edithe replied as she took a step forward. Taking in a deep breath, she resolved herself. She might die here, but she had to do this. So she raised her head and met the glowing sphere’s gaze.

“So what do I do? Just hand over this metal thing to you?”

Edithe held up the metal sphere she held in her right hand. But the remnants of the Archangel’s essence drifted forward as its figure flickered.

“No, this process will be a little bit… different. All you can do is pray that the Arcraem will lead us away from failure.”

The redhead raised a brow.

“What do you—”

She started. And the remnants of the Archangel’s essence shot towards her, engulfing her in searing golden flames as she screamed in pain.

“I’ve got it—”

Oriur started as he held up the healing potion, running back to both Rachel and mama’s clone. But then he paused as a bright flash of light engulfed his vision. He reeled for a moment, covering his eyes. A minute or so later, the light dimmed, and his vision returned.

The juvenile Wyvern blinked a few times as he rubbed his eyes.

“What was that?”

He asked as he stared at the silver ball of fire in the far distance. Perhaps it was because of the thunderous clap that momentarily deafened him, however he didn’t even realize that an overwhelming silence had befallen the battlefield. But instead of taking in what was going on, he shook his head and steeled himself.

“Right now, what’s important is I need to save Rachel.”

Oriur ran up to the young girl and began to slowly pour the healing potion onto her. Her most grievous wounds began to heal. Her bones slowly mended, while the blood dripping from the side of her head vanished.

And while Rachel didn’t sit up immediately— she just groaned where she lay— it looked like she was going to make it. So Oriur sighed in relief.

“I’m glad…”

He whispered, before looking up to face mama’s clone.

“Rachel is going to make it—”

Oriur started, then stopped when he came face to face with nothing. Blinking, the juvenile Wyvern looked around in confusion.

“Mama? Where did you go?”

Oriur’s spinning gaze came to a halt when he spotted Clayton Skyshredder approaching from the side. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy wore a grim look on his face.

“Mr Skyshredder, where did mama go?”

The juvenile Wyvern asked as he stepped forward. Clayton Skyshredder just lowered his head.

“I—”

But before the Headmaster of Mavos Academy could speak, a terrible chittering echoed out, cutting through the thick silence that had held the battlefield. Clayton’s gaze snapped up as his eyes grew wide.

A ripple washed over the crimson ocean of Centinels that was waiting right outside of the barrier of Mavos Academy. The swarm monsters looked up in reverence as a figure emerged from the silver sphere of flames.

“No…”

Clayton whispered as Oriur looked around in confusion. A susurration swept over the crowd of [Mages] gathered right by the barrier as they watched the figure that was pulling itself out of the silver ball of fire.

Oriur narrowed his eyes, trying to discern what that figure was. But for a moment, he could barely make it out. A strange distortion— a blur that was almost like something he had seen before— covered the body of the figure.

Then the distortion vanished. Oriur blinked, seeing the blur fade away. Beneath the peeling veil of obfuscation revealed the charred and burnt body of the Matriarch Centinel hovering in the air. Her right arm was gone, and the chitin that covered her face was broken off.

Oriur squinted, but he couldn’t make out what was beneath the chin from this distance. And before he tried to get a closer look, the Matriarch Centinel shrieked again. Her chitin began to regenerate, and the distortion returned to cover her body.

In an instant, her body grew in size into that of an [Older Centinel]— except, her undulating figure was made of an iridescent light that was partially blurred by the obfuscation from earlier.

The Matriarch Centinel landed on the ground as she continued to screech. Just a moment ago, she had been injured— almost on the cusp of death. But now…

“You can’t be serious, right?”

Oriur whispered. But reality did not change before him.

The Matriarch Centinel was alive and well.

And she was going to destroy Mavos Academy.

Oriur could only look on in horror as her figure charged straight for the school as she let out a terrible distorted screech.