Chapter 418: Between Fear and Resolve? [1]
What environment counted as low visibility? Going off the top of someone’s head, they would immediately think of a dense fog or an oddly cold mist gliding through the streets of some town.
But in this case... In their current environment... Would the heavy downpour count as an environment of low visibility?
Viesta, having found out that the Leviathan was charging up for its next attack—that would devastate the ship in a mere split second—looked for Captain Righthook, so that he could intercept the beam.
However, under the rain that seemed to have gotten even worse since it started, she found that she couldn’t figure out where the Captain was. And even worse, where Lillian was.
As the rain pelted the deck harshly and the top of her hat, Viesta’s face couldn’t help but darken. She remembered that the two had gone off somewhere for unknown reasons...
Could it be... They had escaped without them? Did the Captain find that just escaping with Lillian, who was most likely the strongest out of everyone besides him, was the best-case scenario?
Had this entire time that they were firing off cannonballs... Had they just been a mere distraction for the two to escape?
"No... No way..."
Viesta gritted her teeth and clutched her hands tightly into fists. She refused to believe such an outcome. Even if her time with Lillian wasn’t that long, she doubted that the girl would leave her behind!
Nearlo, watching as a menacing blue glow in the distance grew larger and even brighter, became panicked as he recognised the light.
He watched as the bodyguard wrapped himself around his small body and shielded him from what could only be considered instant death.
But then, he watched as Viesta stomped forward and stood behind the wooden railings. He then watched as the woman took a stance and held what he assumed to be a silver flare gun towards the intimidating light in the distance.
Viesta took on a brave look as she aimed towards the general direction of the Leviathan—well, tried to.
Her hands shook terribly, so terribly in fact that her aim had completely strayed off from its intended target.
She hissed and gritted her teeth before slowly moving to biting her bottom lip. But then, she paused and slowly took in a deep breath.
Viesta wasn’t sure how she was going to do it, but she was going to try to negate the beam attack with her Sound Blaster. Perhaps by empowering the sound waves produced with Element of Echoes, she could...
"It’s hopeless..."
Viesta knew that and despite the obvious fact... She needed to do something at least. Unlike Lillian, she didn’t have that much mana compared to the girl—something she had realised with their time together.
She didn’t have the best of gear, despite being someone on the council. She was more of a researcher who happened to get picked up by Beatrice, the Council President, who had taken an interest in her element, which ironically went against what she stood for as a Cowgirl.
And compared to Lillian, who was of the 2nd Tier, she knew if the two of them fought, she would lose several times over... Just like how Beatrice.
Viesta then began to slowly remember back to her first year at the Academy and also when she first interacted with Beatrice.
***
February 22nd 2033.
That was when our class was first taken out on our first-ever trip outside the Academy. Back then, we were told we would be joined by another class with the sole purpose of trying to eliminate as many monsters as possible.
Unfortunately...
"Shit!"
During one of my hunts, I had somehow managed to stray too far from my class, leading to my meeting with the Alpha of the island.
It was a large bear, several metres tall, but not enough to be considered humongous, and had metallic fur with spikes coming out from its back like a porcupine.
I heard the monster was a Dire Wretch, something that I couldn’t possibly take on alone. And although my back was up against the wall and I was close to being mauled, I knew I would return with my life due to a talisman.
But that didn’t mean I wasn’t scared. It didn’t mean I wasn’t in the slightest bit afraid of being injured.
If possible... I would rather return without being in pain.
And my wishes were answered.
"Whoa there... You need some help?"
I immediately looked up and found someone sitting on a low-hanging branch, which so happens to be coincidentally right above my head.
They had long blonde hair, which fluttered through the wind, and blue eyes, which held clear signs of confidence behind them. The part that stood out to me was the small scar over her left eye.
And...
How beautiful she was...
I quickly broke out of my stupor and nodded vigorously:
"Y-yes, please!"
I watched as the woman smiled and nodded.
"Sure. I’ll get it done in a jiffy, you know?"
At that time, I didn’t know who this person with blonde hair was. I only knew what she looked like and that she was a noble, just like me.
But in some parts in my mind... I felt like I remembered who she was...
BOOM.
I soon broke out of my thoughts as my ears twitched at the sound of battle.
I looked back and found trails of electricity flickering around, followed by swift yellow blurs that sped around the bear, who looked around with utter confusion as its body was pelted with attacks on all sides.
And despite the monster’s durable and defensive fur, the blonde woman’s attack ignored it entirely due to its elements.
Of course, the battle swiftly escalated.
The grass became scorched, the ground was uprooted and dented, and trees that were several metres tall fell. And yet... In the middle of the destruction, only one winner stood while the other collapsed before them.
Thud...
The woman with blonde hair and a scar over her left eye had managed to win over the bear with minimal injuries, which could also be said for the bear, if one were to ignore the arcs of electricity bouncing around the surface of its fur.
I stared at this person in awe. How hadn’t I met such a person before...? I even doubted that the monster before her was even of the C rank at all...
I then watched as the woman turned around and made their way towards me. And once she reached me...