Chapter 185: Attack 26

This one touch coated in Susa's lifeforce revealed many things about Eri, Susa couldn't obtain solely through her eyes. Like a stream, various information entered Susa's brain to the point it started to hurt. The contact lasted only for a second before Eri threw Susa off and Susa tumbled away on the ground.

There was something. Susa didn't need to touch Eri to figure out. One of Eri's weaknesses was directly related to her scarf-like life force. While it could cut and pierced people, if directly touched it did indeed no harm. On top of that, it actually rendered Eri unable to use her scarf as long as someone directly grabbed it.

As long as Susa took Eri's scarf occupied she could harm Eri, but if Susa forcefully removed the scarf from Eri, the latter was able to get a new one out of her lifeforce and the other one would disappear.

Another weakness of Eri was the length restriction on her scarf. It could only expand up to 4 metres which meant Eri was at a disadvantage when it came to long distance fighting. So the only option for Susa was to keep Eri at a long distance and find a method to fight against Eri.

Obviously this was easier said than done.

Susa couldn't magically find a weapon or develop strong abilities to match Eri, however, on the other side, Eri now knew that Susa might've figured out that Eri's scarf was also her weakness.

In other words, even though Susa knew of Eri's weakness, Eri also saw through what Susa planned, based on that, in the end, Sua was still at disadvantage. Eri wouldn't allow her life force to be recklessly flaunted in front of Susa.

If Susa grabbed a hold of Eri's scarf, then Eri was rendered immovable and Susa could defeat Eri. Eri regretted the quick conclusion she has reached previously. The odds of winning against Susa weren't 100% any more.

It was only 90%. 10% chance for Susa to gain the upper hand. This wasn't a good sign. And Eri still hasn't figured out what power Susa had, despite Susa foolishly telling Eri the name of it.

Rule no.1: Never let an enemy or anyone find out what your power is. Always have a trump card hidden. Yet Susa didn't follow it. Eri could guess seeing Susa didn't attack, that Susa's power wasn't an offensive type. Drawing back on the conclusion, 90% was still a huge lead but the 10% was eye-glaring.

It didn't matter though, as long as Eri kept the knowledge present at all time it was practically impossible for Susa to win against her. Eri was sure of it and Susa searching for a plan was useless. However, now that Susa thought about it. What was her goal with Eri?

It wasn't to defeat her but draw out enough time to let Lia successfully get into the palace and find Min. So, what Susa had in mind wasn't to defeat Eri but to draw out as much time as possible.

The question was how much could Susa achieve and how much was she willing to achieve with the knowledge of the future she had?

Susa paused and stared at Eri. They were standing five metres apart. Eri didn't dare to carelessly attack Susa while Susa was vigilant but also lost in thought. She wondered what the others did or were doing.

Were they going over the top and tried their hardest despite knowing what was coming? Were they trying to change their fate? Hoped it would have a different outcome? Or did they all accept what Susa told them or did they have their own worries?

The rising, nagging fear of not wanting the future to become true.

How much selfishness was acceptable and how much selflessness was considered too much?

Was there even a point in all of this? Should Susa just kill herself and let fate unfold itself or was it ok for her to run away and try to protect her own life? All of a sudden, now that Susa was in this inevitable situation, fear gripped her and her brain only pointed towards one direction. Exit. To escape.

But Susa couldn't. She couldn't falter here. She had to do her best, because Susa was sure that that was what everyone else was doing. If Susa or anyone of the others had known what the future had in store for them would they've still taken the helpless hand of a despairing girl asking them to become her allies?

That wasn't even necessary to ask.

"I would," Susa said out loud and clear as Eri perplexed tilted her head. They already came so far, doubt has already exceeded the point where it should arise. It had no place here anymore.

"You'd what?" Eri stretched out her pale arm and her fingers gently swayed in tact.

"You wouldn't understand. Someone like you couldn't," Susa for the first time assumed a vicious voice and threw the broken pieces of a wall at Eri.

With ease, Eri's scarf swatted them away.

"That' fine, I don't need to understand," Eri wasn't angry. Contrary to that she didn't care, she hated people who pretended to understand, so she wasn't going to even bother humouring Susa.

The only useful thing Susa could use to defend herself with was to use the pile of ruins behind her, however, it seemed Eri read her intention and to Susa's surprise, Eri actually charged at her.

One kick of Eri's would send Susa flying, so when Eir raised her leg, Susa grabbed Eri's feet and threw her backwards. Eri stumbled backwards but only then did Susa realise what Eri's real intention was.

The ruins. Even while Eri was falling her scarf expanded and wrapped itself around the broken rubbles and flung them away. Now Susa was completely defenceless but nevertheless kept her calm because after all, Susa was already staring death in the eye.

When Lia and Nana entered the academy that was when Susa was finally sure the vision she had would become true. Yet the nightmares it gave her was unbearable. At first, she didn't want to believe it because her powers were still weak and undeveloped, so how could she receive such a grand vision?

But then the closer it ticked towards their doom, Susa understood her powers, no matter how much she trained she couldn't utilise them how she wanted to. The only reason why she received the ability was to experience a vision that would aid Lia, in the most heartbreaking way.

This was a gift and death-sentence Susa was generously given. Her purpose was none other than to make sure this vision would come true.

Susa couldn't see very well and she didn't know how things would happen or lead to one another but she was aware of the major events. She knew Lia would find Zero, knew that Zero would push her to the Mortal World and knew while Lia was away they started a war against the Ghost King.

Yet this was all in the future and didn't need to be true but it was Susa's role to make it happen. Susa debated for a long time whether or not to tell the others but then at one point, she couldn't endure on her own anymore. And for the others to know their fates was only fair. Only if they all knew could the vision become true.

And that was for Lia to succeed at the cost of their lives. They'd have to die for Lia to grow and develop. Susa knew Lia was in the Mortal World and so did everyone else but they still had to start the war, even though it could be avoided. They had to open up their own slaughter ground.

When Susa told everyone else, there was a heavy silence in the air, nailing Susa's conscience onto a coffin buried 100 metres deep, desperately trying to crawl out.

Then slowly they started to accept. To accept that they had to die because it was inevitable sinceit had to happen. Everyone muttered excuses of doing it for Lia, to serve the Immortal King, to save both worlds but Susa was painfully clear about how no one really wanted to die.

The notion of death was even more frightening to immortals than to mortals. If someone told an immortal unable to die, to die then how would they feel? Confused, lost and incredible panic would well up because immortals weren't supposed to die. They weren't, yet it once again has become a norm for them to do so.

Everyone came to terms with their impending death and so did Susa. As she ran from Eri the only thought that lingered in her mind was to drag the fight out. As long as Eri wouldn't join the captains, Lia had one less worry.

Susa had no idea how or when she or the others would die, she only knew that they would during the battle.

And Susa's time was now. At least more than two hours have passed.

As Eri's scarf pierced through Susa's chest and the pain and realisation spread. As Susa glided down a wall, her eyes barely saw the outline of Eri walking away.

'Hey,' Susa's last thoughts spiralled and reached the heavens who shed a tear and applauded her efforts.

'Was I a brave person? Were we all? Welcoming death with open arms and still trying our hardest… Will we get acknowledged? Will we be able to rest in peace? See our efforts bloom and come to fruit? Can we look upon the Immortal World and witness the glory of our deeds? Please… Give us the strength to bear witness to the end. For our sacrifices and for our victories. For everything that we have done, please praise us…'