KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 73

His unexpected claim startled Odette.

I never intended to swallow the reins.

She planned to focus entirely on purification while the experts handled the combat.

Zion spoke with a sharp, biting tone.

[Zion] "Do you see the size of that swarm? Four S-classes won't stand a chance. If the command structure breaks, we all die."

[Odette] "……Marquis."

[Zion] "The plan is reckless anyway. If you lack the courage, quit. I would rather follow the Prince's original suggestion."

She blinked. It wasn't a lack of courage. She was ready for anything. Since the idea was hers, she accepted the heaviest responsibility. However, she never expected Zion to push this hard.

What is this lingering anxiety?

Zion was the most realistic and conservative of the four men. Yet, he now supported her with the most aggression. Usually, he would be the first to point out the flaws in her plan.

[Odette] "If it is necessary, I will do it."

She studied his face as she answered.

[Zion] "You are the one who put your life on the line for this hopeless task. Take responsibility and swallow the reins."

Her anxiety felt like a misplaced fear.

[No other method exists.]

The status window, which had haunted her vision, vanished as she accepted his plan. A new message appeared.

[♥ Don't worry about how to use the power. The status window will help you! ♥]

Does this mean there is hope?

[Zion] "Close your eyes, Odette. I am about to do something disgusting."

He unbuttoned his coat. Even with only one hand, his movements were skilled. He intended to tear the reins from his heart.

Odette turned away from him.

The air filled with a wet, heavy sound.

Thud. Thud.

The sound of military boots hitting a body followed. It was a violent noise, the kind found in the dark corners of barracks.

[Zion] "Get up, you dog."

Zion was waking the battered Karl. The sound of the blows was louder than the monsters hitting the sphere. A human couldn't take such a beating without dying.

Karl will die if he keeps hitting him.

Odette opened her eyes to stop him, but Viktor's palm covered her sight.

[Viktor] "A dog should train a dog."

He referred to the mythical beast with utter disrespect.

[Viktor] "Don't think about anything else. Focus on how to use the power of three."

His advice followed. Behind her, the sound of tearing fabric echoed. Viktor was ripping the reins from his own heart.

Viktor is right.

The plan already had a high chance of failure. Odette pushed aside the unsettling feeling in her gut. Hesitation would only ruin everything. She focused on her strategy.

Which beast is Rosaline's main force? What is her strategy now that everything is exposed?

I must remember that Viktor and Zion's powers are weak against water. What was Johan's best skill in the game?

As she calmed her mind, Viktor removed his hand.

[Viktor] "Here."

He placed a light green and a purple jewel into her hand. Three small gems now rested in her palm like tiny beads.

[Zion] "Odette. In the worst-case scenario, focus only on your survival."

Zion repeated his warning.

[♥ Don't worry about how to use the power. The status window will help you! ♥]

Odette looked at the status window like a lifeline.

At least it stopped showing those insane messages.

This was better than the system telling her to kill them because they loved her. Even if the odds were low, she preferred betting on everyone's survival.

She put the three jewels in her mouth and swallowed. The small beads slid smoothly down her throat.

Johan was right; the connection was intuitive. She felt the beasts slowly linking to her soul. A sensation spread through her body. She looked forward and met Zion's eyes.

His lips moved.

I am…… sorry?

Why did Johan's words return to her now?

As long as we are tied to human bodies, we can't match the power of a freed beast.

A blink. In that tiny fragment of time, something warm splashed against her cheek.

……?

Three corpses lay before her. The dead bodies of Johan, Viktor, and Zion.

Odette froze at the impossible sight. She touched her cheek. Blood. This was real. It happened in a heartbeat. Only a single blink had passed.

The supernatural power had torn their bodies apart. The edges of the wounds were charred black. No one burns like that unless lightning strikes from the inside. Only supernatural power could shred a Transcendent into four pieces with such total lack of dignity.

The connection to the beasts sharpened. The truth hit her hard. In the moment the reins passed from the men to Odette, a gap in control occurred. In that void, the beasts had shredded the Transcendents.

The men had wished for it. They made a pact with their beasts to die. All to ensure Odette's survival.

In that case—

Her heart hammered against her ribs. A high-pitched ringing filled her ears.

Zion realized Odette couldn't kill them, so they all acted. They lied to her so she would swallow the reins. Johan and Viktor agreed while her back was turned.

They didn't wake Karl to help with her plan. They woke him so she wouldn't be alone. They planned this sacrifice from the very beginning.

Her breathing grew ragged as the reality set in.

What a pointless way to die.

Through the connected beasts, she felt the emotions they held in their final moments. It wasn't a grim determination or a hero's sacrifice. They died happily, like fools, just for her that made her feel like she was suffocating.

[Odette] "What is there to be happy about…… you idiots."

The corpses looked like piles of black coal. The charred remains revealed the agony of their end.

I never wanted this.

Ding!

A notification rang.

---

To support the original author and publisher, please consider rating the official release on Kakaopage.