SSS Ranked Awakening: I Can Rewind Time!

Tak—

Tak—!

I started running, despite knowing a single mistake could lead to my death.

I had no doubt about that. Yet, I still went on with it.

’You fool! You will only end up getting yourself killed!’ The voice whispered in my ears.

Why?

I didn’t know. But as I watched Mia struggle desperately for everyone. Disregarding her life as she fought tooth for tooth, blood for blood.

It felt as though an inscrutable veil had been lifted off my mind. In that moment, the answer became clear to me. It slowly dawned on me.

’I-... I was doing it for her.’

Step! Step--!

Doing it for us. For the cohort. For Mia, For Livia, For Aezel. I was doing it for everyone.

Tak—!

I took another step forward, feeling a warm surge of energy course through me.

Despite the fact that my hands and body were trembling, quickly accompanied by a rapid increase in the rate at which my heart thundered in my ears, I kept going.

I had to. For everyone and most importantly, for myself.

To live on. To spite death right in the face.

Clench.

I had to.

A dark expression slowly crept up my face as I ran even faster, adrenaline coursing through every fiber of my being.

Making sure I avoided both figures, I ran past them as I sped past numerous natural features. With the nightmarish trees, and various monolithic structures blocking me, or rather, being used by me as a source of obstruction, it became quite an easy feat.

And most importantly, it meant I had completed the first stage of my plan.

***

"Hah, Hah..."

The nightmarish entity’s chest heaved up and down, its hand trembling in... excitement.

"Ha-hahah-aha-!" Its loud, disoriented voice boomed through the desolate landscape.

Claang! Claang!

The clangor of swords pierced through the quiet night.

Step!

Taking a step forward, it eyes gleamed coldly:

"More!! More!! More!!!"

Its laughter.

It pierced my heart from the distance.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I ran.

...For a second there, I was tempted to rush back to help Mia. But I knew that I couldn’t.

Tok-!

Not when I was this close.

At this point, I could only try to comfort myself. I could only hope that she could hold on.

’Hold on Mia.’

Clench.

’...Just please hold on.’

Clenching my hands tightly as the chains binding my emotions rattled more violently, I took another step forward.

"Huff, Huff..."

Panting heavily, and with trembling hands, a small, imperceptible smile slowly curled up my lips.

Sliding to a stop, I used the azure dagger to drag myself behind a large, nightmarish tree. One which I hoped they would move closer to.

With a solemn expression, I calmed my rapidly beating heart and... started counting.

...The countdown had begun.

***

Step—!

Stabbing the nightmarish entity in the large gaping wound that ran across its chest, the crimson haired lady proceeded to draw a larger wound that ran from its hand to its chest, its heart now clearly visible as it thrummed violently.

Ba- thump! Ba- thump!

The sound echoed through the tense silence, and blood dripped down its chest.

Drip! Drip--!

The wound should have been debilitating—

very much so. However, it was as though the nightmarish entity hadn’t sustained a grievous wound.

It only struck even more ferociously.

Its eyes still held that same gleam. That cold, hollow madness pooled within its crimson pupils to the point of sending chills down the spine of those who gazed at it.

...And the valiant Mia was no exception. However, what distinguished and separated her from most arcanists was her ability to fight under such emotional pressure.

Her eyes widened. She expected the creature to falter, even if it were for a quick second. She was sure she could capitalize on it.

But,

"...!!"

Contrary to her thoughts and expectations.

The wound. The pain.

It did nothing.

Instead, its grin only widened, its hands materializing blood-shaped constructs at a rapid, inhuman pace.

’I can’t allow him to...’

In that moment, she cleaved forward, not giving the creature the moment to breathe. However, it was able to dodge the strike with fluid ease. Right afterwards, its crimson hand suddenly shot for her face.

BAAANG!

It smashed onto her face with such powerful force that it lifted her off the ground. In that moment, the nightmarish entity grasped her leg, crushing it before smashing her against the ground.

Crack!

Spider-web cracks spread across the ground upon impact.

Once

Twice

Thrice.

Each time it did it, I felt a surge of anger rise within me.

Anger clouded my eyes, rattling the chains more and more.

Rattle! Rattle--!

It tempted me to move ahead of time.

...But I held it in.

The anger. The frustration. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

I held them all in.

Now was not the time.

’Three.’

I continued with the countdown.

Throwing her into the air, its leg slammed onto her stomach.

’Two.’

My stomach churned.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood as her face contorted in sheer agony, the force sent her crashing into the distance, each jagged impact jarring her senses.

Cough!

Coughing out a mouthful of blood, Mia forced herself to her knees, searing pain enveloping her legs. Her grip on the golden sword tightened as her vision blurred.

Drip!

A bright red liquid dripped down her forehead, its subtle sound echoing through the darkness.

Tok-

The dark entity took a step forward.

Tok-

Another.

Tak–

Each step it took felt suffocating in the stifling silence.

’One.’

Mia’s hands twitched as her face grew even paler.

’...Zero.’

I made the last countdown. In that moment, shimmering specks of golden light materialized around me.

...The nightmarish entity finally appeared before her. Its maddened gaze locked onto her, and something about that gaze unnerved her.

Something about those pairs of eyes sent cold chills down her spine.

And just when it raised its crimson sword to end it all, its grin curling into a wide smile.

’...Is this it?’

Just when Mia began to despair. Desperation and despair pooling around her chest like an iron vice.

The hair at the back of its neck suddenly stood on end, a dreadful premonition gripping its heart.

’W-hat!’

It turned back, to... Whatever it attempted to do, it was too late for that.

Puchi!

***

A black, lusterless dagger shimmered into existence, elongating into a spear before piercing right through its heart. Cracking its neck as it turned, its hollow eyes came to rest on me.

Fear gripped me, and I shrank in fear, my body trembling violently. However, I simply bit onto my lower lips.

To fight back against the fear that threatened to consume me.

I bit forcefully until I could taste blood.

The pair of crimson eyes sent cold chills down my spine, and my body trembled as my heartbeat accelerated.

It wasn’t enough.

Ba- thump! Ba- thump!

It beat harder. Faster.

And my body trembled more violently. Yet, this only ignited the fury within me. In that moment, I let loose the chains binding my emotions.

Crack!

The anger.

The despair I had felt.

The hatred.

They all came together. In a concentrated bundle.

Scowling, I roared:

’Go to hell bastard!’

They were all unleashed simultaneously.

Puchi!

However...

It was still breathing. The bastard was still staring at me with those devilish eyes.

’It wasn’t enough.’

Gritting my teeth, I pressed even further as the black, lusterless spear dug deeper into its heart. And then, it slumped-

Crash!

I stood there frozen, my chest heaving up and down as my breaths came out in short, ragged gasps.

In that moment, the anger, the hatred, and the adrenaline tightening around my chest slowly ebbed away.

"..."

As I gazed at its pair of crimson eyes that radiated madness of untold magnitude, cold chills ran down my spine.

’Fuck that! It’s already dead! Why am I still scared of it?!’

The scowl on my face deepened.

Right about then, as I glanced at the shadowy figure, a frown crept up on my features.

"..."

I took note of something that didn’t really sit well with me.

Ba- thump! Ba- thump!

As the crimson blood pooled around the nightmarish entity, its gaze lingered on them, and as though they were being manipulated by some unseen force, they slowly came together.

A-Almost as if they were being controlled by unseen threads.

Ba- thump!

Ba- thump!

I could feel my heartbeat rising tremendously. Soon, my body joined in the fray as cold chills ran down my spine. I grimaced.

’D-don’t tell me it’s coming back to life.’

The thought sent fear and dread coursing through me as I watched the miraculous transformation.

Slowly, the blood pooled together, coming together to form something wholesome. It came together to form,

"..."

A rose.

I tilted my head.

A... thorny rose.

The nightmarish entity stared at it, its eyes never leaving it. Not even once.

His now crimson eyes were on the thorny rose, a bright contrast to the monotone gray world of his.

"It’s so... beautiful."

It suddenly whispered, tears streaming down the corner of its eyes.

Drip! Drip!

It stained the ground red.

And then,

The endless darkness swallowed him whole. But...

Even in death, a fleeting smile touched his lips.

Even in death, he basked in the only color that gave meaning to his life.

The only color that brightened his colorless world.

Red.