Chapter 199

Cloud of dust encircled them as they continued fighting. 

"Hag--!!"

Delorio started evading the attacks but one knife still hit him. He gasped as he took the knife out of his shoulder. He tried to merge with the shadow but Niña kept preventing him from doing it. As for Lane, the woman cast her vines and trees to distract him. They were both cooperating to slowly throw him to the corner. 

"Haagagaga!"

Delorio's black blood was dripping from his head, he was wounded many times. He was already weak, the attack that Queen Lilith did damage him a lot. He weakly stood, he lifted the eye and pointed it to Lane. The younger woman didn't have a strong constitution because her ability was based on plants. She didn't have any strength to fight melee. 

Delorio dashed and swung his blade-like arm, Lane remained standing. She didn't have anything to fear, her sister always got her back.  She stared at the Demon with no worry. Years passed but she still believed in them, Niña and Miriam, she still believed and loved them. 

"I'm sorry for being a bad little sister."

Lane whispered, she stood facing the Demon with no fear. 

"Haha, got you."

Delorio's arm moved to behead her but he detected an attack coming from the sky. An arrow traveled and reached him. 

Delorio stopped his attack and dodged the arrow. The arrow sunk into the ground and the place cracked. Delorio and Lane lost their balance as the debris flew. Delorio tried to move but his eyes widened witnessing the concealed woman showing herself. 

"Kihihihi!! So this is it, so this is the time you are waiting for!"

Niña appeared, she was wearing her mask and she knew where Delorio's weak point. She charged and stabbed his heart! 

"Guaaahhh!!"

The Demon cried and twisted in pain. He struggled and fought Niña but he started losing his strength. The dagger was deep in his chest and his blood was sipping out. For a moment, his memories flashed against his mind.

"… No! I will not die here!!"

Delorio revealed his inner strength, he persevered and believed that he could overcome this moment. He experienced near-death situations many times, but he always won. This time, it would be the same. He screamed and spat his black blood.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh------!!!!!"

Delorio's shadow spread and started eating the place, he used his remaining power to end this. The shadow stretched around the place and Delorio laughed with insanity.

"Kihihihihi, goodbye!"

The shadow started consuming everything it touched. The road and the buildings near them disintegrated and turned into fine sand. Niña felt the danger and she decided to take Lane away from the shadow. 

"Kihihi, run!"

Delorio mocked.

Niña grabbed her sister and swiftly escaped from the shadow. Their vision dimmed but they successfully broke out. Niña and Lane appeared away from the wriggling shadow. 

"Sister, you can't! The Shadow Demon will escape if we let him go."

Lane tried to step in the spreading shadow but Niña stopped her and shook her head. 

"It's already late…"

Lane was frustrated and she wanted to curse herself. She let the Shadow Demon escaped again. She kicked the ground and gritted her teeth. She understood that if she got close to the shadow, it would eat her. They didn't have any choice but to watch how the shadow ate the surrounding. Even Niña was furious, she couldn't avenge Maya, she clenched her fists in frustration. 

The shadow slowly fade away and they saw how the place was eaten. The road, the buildings, all of them disappeared. Only a large crater of soil was present. Niña and Lane returned to the place since the shadow completely vanished. They wanted to make sure if the Shadow Demon was still here or not. When they reached the crater, Lane and Niña stayed quiet, they couldn't detect the man… The Shadow Demon successfully escaped. 

However…

"Hm? What is this?"

Niña found the eye of Merlin on the soil, the eye wasn't consumed by the shadow. As a matter of fact, the eye was still shimmering and didn't have any damage. 

"It seemed like he dropped this Item when I stabbed him earlier."

Niña picked the eye. She recalled that this eye had the power to prevent their Skills from activating. It's a dangerous Item. 

"Sis- Niña, what are you going to do with that?"

Lane approached her, she clicked her tongue when she saw the eye. Because of this Item, she almost died earlier. 

"Give it to me, I will destroy it."

Lane commanded her. Niña chuckled, listening to her rant.

"This eye is not destroyed even though the shadow ate everything. I bet it's one of those indestructible  Items."

Niña explained, she put the eye inside her Inventories. The eye would be a great Item if she could use it well.

"… Fine, I will let it slip this time."

Lane didn't argue anymore, she believed what Niña said. The eye released an unexplainable aura and Lane understood that she couldn't destroy it unless she used her Yggdrasil. 

"Thank you, Lane. No matter how much I see your face, you are always cute fufu. No, you became cuter"

Niña giggled and scanned Lane. The little girl who always followed them became sexy and feisty, she was gorgeous. 

"W- what!?" 

Lane stuttered and blushed. She turned around to hide her expression. She knew that she was turning red and she didn't want to show it. 

"I'm 18, I'm already legal…" 

"You are still my cute little sister. I'm so happy to see that you grow beautiful, I'm sure Miriam will be proud of you."

Niña giggled. 

"……"

Lane didn't know what to say. She felt like something warm started coming out of her eyes. She gulped and forced herself to speak, Lane was not a child anymore. She slightly wiped the tears. 

"Thanks…"

This was the only word that she could say. She understood the reason why Niña and Miriam distanced themselves. They didn't want her to be included in the suffering that they got. At that time, she was still a child, Niña and Miriam protected her by distancing themselves.

Miriam's parents died because of the enemies that they incur, even her brother disappeared, Miriam didn't want Lane to be affected. That's why she draw away from her.

As for Niña, she killed the first Princess of the Elves, and even now she was still a wanted criminal. Since that time, Niña didn't show her face to Lane just to protect her. This was the first time that they met after seven years. 

Lane understood them… but it was still painful. She was left alone, she got nothing except them but they turn their backs on her. She wiped the tear from her eyes but the tears kept rolling down. 

"I- I'm sorry…"

Lane said. That's the only thing she wanted to say. It was painful how she lost her family.

Niña widened her eyes from the sudden apology. She shook her head and approached her. 

"Lane I should be the one to say that… I know that you are lonely… I tried giving you gifts every day but I know that it's not enough to ease your feelings."

Niña hugged her and weakly tapped her back, Lane further cried. 

"I made you lonely…"

"Wahhhhh!!!"

Lane wailed and Niña hugged her just like in the past. They couldn't turn back the time but they could create the future. 

………

……

…

A few minutes passed and Lane controlled her emotions. She stopped her bawling, she was only sniffing now. 

"Sister…"

"Hm?"

"The gifts that you gave to me… I didn't use them because they are for children…"

"Ah…"

[Ah, my grammar. No matter how much I try to improve, it's still shitty.] 

[Let's all have a moment of respect for Kiryu Coco for graduating... sniff...]