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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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“Long time no see.”
His voice, though low and quiet, resonated with power.
Carla’s eyes flickered with fear, her grip tightening on her staff, a bead of sweat trickling down her cheek.
“H-How… How did you get here…?”
Carla’s voice trembled, her words halting. But Arnold didn’t seem interested in hearing her out. His gaze swept over the scene, assessing the situation.
“You’ve caused quite a mess.”
Arnold surveyed the carnage, his gaze sharp and cold.
The battlefield was a gruesome sight, the forest scorched and blackened, the ground stained crimson with blood, his friends battered and bruised, barely clinging to life.
It was a scene of utter despair.
“A-Arnold…”
Adria and the others, recognizing him, called out weakly.
“Master…!”
“How did you get here…?”
“Arnold!”
“Run away…!!”
Their desperate pleas echoed through the air, but Arnold didn’t move.
Their concern was ironic. They were worried about him, when they themselves could barely stand.
“Carla…”
His gaze returned to Carla, his expression complex, a mixture of resentment not only towards her, but also towards himself, for his role in creating this situation.
“Tsk……”
Carla closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, the weight of his gaze heavy upon her.
The memory of their encounter five years ago flashed through her mind.
“You’ve certainly become stronger. Much stronger than five years ago.”
Arnold’s voice held a strange mix of emotions, a tone that was neither praise nor scorn, but it struck Carla’s heart like a heavy blow.
He had realized something, seeing Carla now. Her growth wasn’t a coincidence.
He was partly responsible for her being here, a cruel twist of fate, a butterfly effect that had turned him into the hero.
Their encounter five years ago had seemed like a simple incident. But he now realized that Carla wasn’t just some random monster.
She was a boss from the game. And she had become even stronger than in the original story. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, just a series of unfortunate coincidences.
“It seems… we can’t avoid a fight…”
Carla said, her voice trembling. And as if in answer, Arnold slowly drew his sword, the ominous glint of the blade reflecting the chaos around them, the tension in the air thickening. The slight tremor in Carla’s hand betrayed her fear.
“Now that I’m here, I can’t just ignore this-”
Boom –!!
But before he could finish, a massive explosion shook the forest.
“Yes…!”
It was Carla’s preemptive strike, a desperate gamble to gain the upper hand.
“Arnold!!”
Professor Adria’s voice was filled with concern, a desperate cry. She didn’t think any human could survive an explosion of that magnitude, the ground shaking, black smoke billowing outwards.
“A-At this level of power… he must be…!”
Even Carla thought so, a triumphant smile briefly flashing across her face.
But—
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
His sword sliced through the air, a sharp gust of wind dispersing the smoke. Contrary to Adria’s fears, Arnold emerged from the smoke unscathed.
“Arnold!!”
“Huh…?!”
Adria’s pale face regained its color, hope flickering in her eyes. But Carla’s eyes were filled with dread.
“Again!!”
Flames erupted from the tip of Carla’s staff, signaling the start of the battle.
Boom –!
The forest echoed with the roar of the explosion, the clash of steel against fire and the swirling inferno.
“Kuh…!”
Carla’s unease grew as Arnold effortlessly cut through her flames and advanced towards her. She tried to retreat, but the space around her seemed to shrink, trapping her.
“It’s over, Carla.”
Arnold called out to her, his voice low and steady, each step echoing through the forest, the very air seeming to grow heavy.
Carla raised her staff and began chanting a spell, flames swirling at its tip.
“A moster…! You’re still a monster…!!”
A massive inferno erupted from her staff, engulfing Arnold.
—!
But Arnold didn’t flinch. He raised his sword, calmly slicing through the flames, the fire parting around him like water.
“Your flames can’t stop me.”
A bright light flickered at the tip of his blade.
Carla quickly recoiled, her serpentine tail whipping out, trying to ensnare Arnold in a wide arc. But Arnold, anticipating her move, easily leaped over the attack, his sword pointed at her.
“Yes, keep running.”
Arnold whispered, his voice laced with anger and mockery.
“But the ending is already written.”
“Ugh!”
Carla gasped, chanting another spell, her face contorted with tension.
“Chaos dwelling within the heart of the Lamia, protect me and destroy this foe!”
Shadowy figures materialized around her, lunging at Arnold, trying to engulf him. But with a single stroke of his sword, he tore through the shadows, his movements not merely skillful, but imbued with an overwhelming power.
“Weak. So weak.”
Arnold said, approaching her, his steps growing lighter, his sword aimed at her with deadly precision.
“Ugh!”
Carla felt a pang of fear, instinctively sensing her inevitable defeat.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t defeat the man standing before her.
“Then I’ll just have to do this!!”
But she wouldn’t give up so easily. She gathered her remaining strength, summoning a massive inferno, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and despair.
“You’ll die with me!”
Carla screamed, pouring all her magic power into the flames, the inferno engulfing her, her only option a desperate, suicidal attack.
“You want to die with me?”
Arnold looked at her coldly, tightening his grip on his sword.
Crack—
“Ugh…?!”
His sword struck her staff, shattering it into pieces, and the flames dissipated, leaving only silence.
The inferno was gone, and all she could see was Arnold, his sword lowered.
“My… my staff…”
Carla stared blankly at the fragments in her hand, her voice trembling, her previous confidence gone.
Arnold stood before her, radiating an almost godlike presence.
“Just like when we first met.”
Arnold sighed softly and lowered his sword completely, his eyes filled with a strange mix of pity and resolve.
He raised a hand and whispered a spell.
“Fireball.”
A simple, basic spell. But the heat and flames emanating from his fingertips were anything but ordinary.
A fiery orb, as intense and hot as the sun, materialized above his hand, the air shimmering around it.
The Lamia warriors instinctively retreated.
Whoosh—!
Carla let out a short gasp, looking at the flames, a whirlwind of regret, remorse, and despair swirling within her.
She recalled their first encounter, Arnold’s overwhelming power. But his magic now was far more intense and powerful than it had been back then.
“Ugh…!”
Carla closed her eyes, her hands trembling as she covered herself.
She could hear her subordinates calling out to her in concern, but their voices faded into the distance.
“Your Majesty!”
“…!”
Just then, Arnold’s fireball was unleashed.
Whoosh—!
A massive inferno engulfed the Lamia Queen. She closed her eyes, feeling the searing heat and flames, accepting her fate.
As everything subsided, silence returned to the battlefield.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
