For I Am A Side Character - 32: Soril Vs Jessabelle part 3

Laying hopelessly on the floor, he could feel the gaze of Jessabelle…

And although Jessabelle would grin to him in certain manners, he felt that something was wrong with the Jessabelle that stood in front of him today.

Flames…she was surrounded by flames that was hot enough that it chard the very floor that he layed down upon.

“…” silent and only feeling ever so cautious, he looked to her with a curious gaze.

“Soril! Get out of there!” out by the distance, he could hear Jessica’s voice cry out to him…but he could not turn to her, he had to put all his attention in front of him.

Looking at her, he felt the gap between their strengths widen even more…so much so, that it made him fell certain of himself that he could never win against what was in front him.

She was no longer something he could naturally call a human…but she wasn’t also entirely a monster…she was nearly more like a star burning ever so furiously that it churned his very stomach in a nervous manner.

‘this…this must be her birth skill…’ he thought to himself as he looked to her.

Through his memory, the introduction of Jessabelle’s Birth skill was not yet made…not until the ending of the first volume which was still far off from today’s event.

And basing off of the story, he never really expected that she would have been able to use the skill now…and against him of all people.

Comparing the two, what he read in the story was slightly different from what was in front of him.

‘…Fallen Phoenix feather, It was the ability to receive the blessing of the phoenix, the kind of skill that awakens her ability to control fire at an unbelievable level. But compared to what was described in the book, it wasn’t as grand as this…” he thought.

Based on the book where Jessabelle was able to display her Birth skill, the Fallen Phoenix feather was much more tamed compared to before. Less fires and more control was what happened in the book…but now, it felt like there were more fires and less control.

It made him worry that maybe Jessabelle wasn’t in control of her power at all.

And maybe he was right to assume this…this development was too early for it to happen…

Maybe this was her first time using this ability.

He presumed a lot of things that were happening right now, but even with this set of thoughts, it never really helped since he had nothing else to do with this information.

He was put into a corner with no advantages to put to use.

His body was severely injured and his mana was only about a quarter full…so with these odds put against him, he was starting to lose hope

But as he was losing hope…he suddenly saw the system pop right in front of him.

[Side Mission Complete!]

[Rewards: The Aranean Sword and Shield Form-style.]

[Would you like to learn this Technique?]

[Y/N]

Seeing this in front of him, the first thoughts came to his mind were…

‘Huh?’

To have this system pop right in front of him meant that he had succeeded in winning against Jessabelle Morrison. But how can that be? She was still standing there and was brimming with power?

Did the system made a mistake or was it that the person right in front of him was no longer Jessabelle Morrison?

To it, he considered the latter. To his certainty that with God’s power; the System, he would never make a mistake, so it was probably the latter.

That person in front of him was no longer Jessabelle.

So with that considered, he was open to an option.

With the reward granted by the system, he stared at the screen ever so tempted to push it. With the yes and no option displayed, he could only push to one direction at that moment.

‘If I push this…what will happen?’ he thought.

But as he did, he saw the glimpse of the person using Jessabelle’s body…and he saw that she was nearing him at every second that passed with her devious grin.

‘…Shit, I already what’s going to happen!’

After this thought, he accepted the reward without hesitation, and to this action, the system gave him his reward.

***

‘Why now…why did it happen out of all the times we’ve tried?’

In this question, Professor Morrison was seen angrily looking by the side of the railings, not interfering with the very situation presented before him.

In all the years that he has tried to activate the very birth skill blessed in the body of Jessabelle, his daughter, not once has he succeeded. But now, in this simple event, the impossible has happened.

In his curiosity, he turned to the injured boy that was layed down on the floor like an injured animal.

‘Hmm..it could have only been done because of you boy…but why you? What made it possible for you to bring out her power?’ he asked himself as he looked to Soril with quite a curious gaze.

‘Should I interfere in the duel before things get more serious? Or should I let this play on and see what happens until the last second?’

Professor Morrison was a man who was one of the strongest mages in the world, seeing the event happen before him, he could have easily stopped it in just a mere second of his time. But his curiosity won over him…and he wanted to observe what clicked in the event for his daughter to turn out like today.

***

The moment Soril received the reward, he felt an overwhelming pressure surge into his mind.

It only lasted a second, but the moment when it did passed, he felt something different has changed within how he looked at himself and the weapons that he carried.

With the shield and sword on his hand, he unconsciously knew what it took to properly hold a sword and a shield to their utmost power.

But his body was still injured…he could not brace himself against the pain that was overwhelming him at the moment.

But as he layed injured and unmoving, all of a sudden, he felt as if time has stopped and he was approached by a body of a transparent man who sat beside him amidst the flame that was surrounding him and the stage.

A ghost was by his side…a warrior that wore a mask that was as red as blood and armor as rugged and tainted as history was. He carried an Aranean shield and an Aranean sword just like him.

“Hmm, so this is what God has put our lineage into? A feeble boy unmoving against the dangers in front of him? How disgraceful!” said the ghost.

“W-who are you?” asked Soril.

“…I am one of the many warriors that holds mastery over the very weapon that you hold on your hands.” said the Ghost.

“…Y-You’re an Aranean?”

“Correct, I am an Aranean Warrior. And I came here to see who it was that gained the acknowledgement of the God and observe how you will carry the very symbol of our existence into this world.” said the Ghost.

‘…’

“You’ve been given the blessing to fully learn the ways of an Aranean warrior…but I am not satisfied, so answer my questions.”

“…”

“…Do you wish to become strong, boy?”

The words strongly resonated with him…it ignited his desire to simply be strong. To his defeat against Jessabelle on their first fight, to his constant defeat against the armored warrior in the void…all those loses simply brought him to respond to the warriors question truthfully.

“…I do.”

“Do you wish to overthrow every challenge that stands before you?”

“I do.”

“Do you wish to gain the acknowledgement of all those that saw you as weak and pathetic?”

“I do.”

“Then I suggest that you stand up and fight like a true warrior!!”

“!?”

“A true Aranean warrior would have stood up even at the lost of his leg and arm!”

“A true Aranean would have faced death in the eye and put death in his place!”

“Fear means nothing to a true warrior, so stand up…embrace the pain and face the challenge that blocks your path.”

“…”

“Carry the legacy boy!…become a true warrior!”

In that speech, Soril was motivated to stand up even against all the pain that was burdening his body and mind.

“Khk!!” with blood and sweat dripping down like a faucet, Soril could feel his entire life flash before his eyes..

“!!!!!!!”

Like a warrior that was standing on deaths door, but he simply turned his back and went back to his position as a fighting warrior.

And as he made his stance like the living dead, time went back to its state, and he was now standing against the flames that boiled even the floors.

And in front of him, Jessabelle had already made a remarkable close distance.

“Burn.” she said as she pointed her finger to Soril.

“…Burn? Your asking me to burn?” he asked…

“.…”

“…Well tough shit, you bitch.”

With those words said and taunted, she brought out a wall of flame and rushed it at Soril like a wave.

What stood in front of him was an overflowing wave of fire caused by the simple sway of the Phoenix’s hand.

A fire so hot was turning the very floors its passed through into a charred state.

Each milli-second that passes, Soril’s burning face continued to roast, but to it, he didn’t move away from the flames.

He only stood in front of it.

With his hand and shaking body up and about, he raised his sword…and to it, inside his soul, a warrior’s scream was heard.

“!!!!!!!” he brought out all that he could in that moment, strength and all.

And as he swings, guided by the ghost of the aranean warrior, a powerful wave of the pure essence of a warrior clashed against the very waves of flames…and to this, he created a path to the Phoenix…to Jessabelle.

And with his shield on his other hand, he rushed his way to Jessabelle.

No fear…

No hesitation…

Simply the desire to overthrow her was what motivated him…

“Be true to your desire’s boy…as you have a sword and shield on hand, never forget that these weapons symbolizes the very essence of a warrior…the very essence of an Aranean.” said the ghost, following him through the path of flames.

In just a mere second, his shield quickly reached Jessabelle’s body and he clashed against her,  against the body of the burning woman, and to it, he rushed again against her and pushed her off of her feet.

“Khuu!!!!”

Carrying her out of the stage of the duel area and straight into the wall of the training centre.

*THUD!*

Her body clashed between the wall and Soril’s shield…sandwich between the two, she could no longer move well enough.

“Submit!!” shouted Soril in front of her in the temper within his soul.

“…” but she simply turned to him and smiled ever so with the same devious expression.

And she extended her arm and caressed his cheek unsuspectingly.

“!?” Soril was shocked by this.

“I don’t want to hurt you any more than I am, so submit!” he said to her.

But as he said this, She simply opened her mouth and spoke.

“…I’ll come back for you, warrior.” and in that answer, she lost consciousness and she simply fell to the floor as if she was a leaf.

The fires were put out in the instant she lost consciouness, and to it, Soril was left standing in front of the body of Jessabelle’s worsened state.

“…” as he stood there quite bewildered by what she had just said, all fo a sudden, a hand reached out to touch his shoulder.

When he turned, he saw Professor Morrison and Sergeant O’riley standing by and looking him quite so.

But as he stared at them with a bewildered expression, he suddenly lost all strength in his legs and he fell to the floor quite easily so.

Seconds after he fell, a lady came and jumped off the railing run to him.

“Soril!” she shouted.

It was Jessica. And to her shout, Soril had enough strength to turn to her.

Without waiting for the nurses to arrive, Jessica did everything that she could to try to help him. Checking his injuries, seeing if he was badly hurt, she was in quite a panic, looking over his condition.

“I’m…fine.” said Soril.

“No you’re not! Don’t be an idiot, your burned all over and both your legs are sprained…you’re obviously not okay!” she said.

And she said his condition, tears began to fall from her eyes.

She was crying in front of him.

“!?” shocked by her reaction, Soril felt sorry for her.

So in his instinct to comfort her, he reached out his shacking hand and simply patted her head.

“…Thanks for worrying…and I’m sorry.” he said.

“A sorry is not enough you idiot.”

“Then what should I do?” he asked.

“…Just…shut up.” as she said those words, she hugged the injured Soril.

“Geh-” feeling the pain of his injuries in her hug, he only remained quite still as Jessica had her way with him.