Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 203

Breakthrough (2)

“……So ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this actually worked.”

“…….”

At Noel’s absentminded murmur, everyone responded with a shared silence of agreement.

Crossing the entire Void Zone in half a day—what kind of human in this world could possibly pull something like that off…?

“……I guess that’s why he can casually talk about negotiating with Wornil.”

Beside her, Katya muttered those words like a groan as she poked at the crackling fire, making it flare up here and there.

The equipment they had brought was lacking, but thankfully it was still enough to at least keep a small campfire going inside…

“Now that I think about it.”

“Hmm?”

“The fact that we barely brought any supplies when we entered here… doesn’t that mean he came in planning this from the start?”

“…….”

“Whatever the method, wasn’t he intending to finish everything in one swift strike?”

At Katya’s series of questions, everyone present nodded again in agreement.

That man—despite planning everything from start to finish before charging in—had a surprisingly impulsive side in the strangest areas.

“If we’re going to keep staying together from now on, I already have no idea how we’re supposed to control him.”

At Rania’s question, spoken while puffing on her pipe, Noel let out a deep sigh almost reflexively.

…It was clearly a topic that made her feel suffocated just bringing it up.

‘Ah, come to think of it.’

If things somehow worked out here with Wornil, everyone present would end up sharing one man as they lived on.

“…….”

Noel rubbed her dry face for no reason, her expression twisting as if her insides were churning.

Everything had been progressing so urgently from start to finish that she had forgotten, but now that it came back to her, it felt like her entire skull was throbbing…

‘……Who am I even supposed to complain to about this?’

There wasn’t a single person around her who had experienced anything even remotely similar, so there was no one she could ask for advice.

As she was lost in those thoughts, Katya reached out and lightly tapped her shoulder. It was clearly meant as comfort.

“Give up in advance.”

“…….”

“You know it too. It’s not just going to end with us—”

“—Shut your mouth.”

“…….”

Apparently, it wasn’t comfort but a new kind of mental attack.

As Katya shrugged and withdrew her arm, Rania—who had quietly stayed out of the conversation while puffing her pipe—looked around lazily before speaking.

“……By the way, where is that guy?”

“Huh?”

“Aiden. He’s the type to be sitting here at times like this, fidgeting over every little detail about what to do tomorrow.”

That was true.

At the question, Noel let out a sigh and scratched her cheek.

“He said he was going to find a method.”

“A method?”

“Well, he said he had something in mind, but needed to think about how to make it concrete.”

“…….”

Hmm.

No one understood exactly what he meant, but it was clear enough that he had something to think about and had gone off alone to contemplate.

And in other words—

Even that man, who constantly did insane things whenever he had the chance, had fallen into deep thought. That alone showed just how bizarre the place they were facing truly was.

“To negotiate, we have no choice but to break through that.”

“…….”

At those words, Rania stuffed fresh tobacco into her pipe, as if she could understand why he would be troubled by such a problem.

“……So we have to break through that.”

As she said that, Rania narrowed her eyes and stared at the ‘thing’ ahead.

There was still some distance left, so they couldn’t fully grasp its entire form yet.

But there stood a massive temple that looked as if all the world’s malice and wickedness had been gathered and boiled together.

The fact that they were observing it from afar meant that even they—who had crossed this place at an incredible speed until now—had been forced to stop and watch the situation from a distance. That alone showed how terrifying the environment ahead was.

It was a structure made of a blackness that seemed like the residue left at the very bottom after boiling and condensing soot over and over again.

And swirling around it was a black storm that felt like it would peel the skin off just by approaching it.

In short—

“……Just getting close to that place sounds enough to make people call you insane.”

It was a place so deranged that even those who hadn’t said a word about charging headfirst into the Void Zone now came to that conclusion.

The beasts they had encountered so far—mutated to an extreme degree—flew around in numbers like a swarm of locusts, making even previous encounters seem like dealing with mere cats and dogs. The ground constantly flipped as if earthquakes were happening.

And as if that wasn’t enough, a maddening demonic energy filled the entire region like radiation rising from the center of a nuclear explosion, affecting any living being exposed to it.

It was a place so vicious it might as well have been hell manifested in the mortal world.

“Is it even possible?”

It was a question of whether it was even possible to survive entering that place, let alone breaking through it and meeting Wornil.

But even Noel, who had known Aiden the longest, could only remain silent.

“……Well, Aiden has never said something was impossible, so… I suppose it is?”

It was clear just from the fact that she resorted to such an unconvincing excuse.

An awkward silence fell over the campsite.

It was only natural for such a reaction to come out—they had already gone through a journey so immense it could be described as a heroic feat, yet they could all feel with their own skin that what lay ahead was a problem on an entirely different level.

“……By the way, I have a question.”

Breaking through that silence, Cretin—who had been sitting quietly until now—raised her hand hesitantly and spoke.

“Why is he in such a hurry?”

“……Haven’t we already answered that question countless times? If we leave things as they are, Wornil’s resurrection is imminent, and other humans won’t be of much help in stopping it—”

“No, not that.”

Cretin shook her head from side to side as she cut in.

“Am I the only one who thinks it looks like he has some kind of personal grudge?”

“…….”

“There are rational reasons, sure. But doesn’t it feel like the biggest driving force pushing him to charge in right now and snap that god’s neck is something like the anger or resentment he’s carrying toward that place?”

“……I heard there were quite a few times when Aiden’s life was threatened by Wornil. Wouldn’t that alone be enough reason to feel anger?”

Noel’s answer would have been more than sufficient as an explanation—under normal circumstances.

Under normal circumstances.

“……Isn’t he the kind of guy who could even marry someone who tried to kill him?”

“…….”

At Cretin’s remark as she pointed at Katya, Noel’s mouth shut tight like a clam.

Being completely refuted in a single blow—there was nothing she could say in response…

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

Noel rubbed her forehead as she asked.

She could understand the general point being made, but she still needed to clarify why such a thing was being brought up here.

“What I mean is, doesn’t he have some personal circumstances we don’t know about?”

Only he would know exactly what he experienced when he came into contact with Wornil—but it was certain that something he saw there had left him burning with terrifying anger.

The problem was that he never tried to put it into words, so there was no way for them to know.

On their way here, each of them had taken turns asking him about it like passing a baton, but all he ever did was give a bitter smile. Even at death’s door, he wouldn’t open his mouth about it—it was clear it was a topic he wanted to avoid.

“……Ah.”

As that thought reached its conclusion, Cretin let out a small sound as if something had just come to mind.

It was such a meaningful tone that everyone sitting around the campfire turned their heads toward her at once.

“What is it?”

“What?”

“……Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

Caught off guard by the aggressive way they all pressed her—as expected of people who were all fighters—she faltered for a moment.

But still, as far as Cretin knew—

“There’s something he once mentioned in passing.”

It was something that seemed to have played a significant role in forming what could be called the man’s ‘family’—a sensitive reverse scale.

“He said that, in the past, he killed his own family with his own hands.”

“…….”

The first reaction that came back was the rapid and overwhelming change of expressions on Noel’s face.

Sadness, worry, anger, disappointment—those emotions passed over her one by one, until they all mixed together into something strange. With a shadow cast over her face, she stared at the ground for a moment.

“……I did hear he was a war orphan.”

She had heard from Aiden’s father that he had originally lost his family during the Allied War.

No one knew the details of how it happened—not even his father, since Aiden had never spoken about it.

If what Wornil had touched was that very memory he wanted so desperately to hide, then this level of anger wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.

However, what stabbed Noel’s heart like a thorn even more deeply was—

“……Why wouldn’t he tell me something like that—”

The fact that he hadn’t chosen to share that with her.

As a heavy gloom settled over her face, Cretin hurriedly waved her hands in all directions, as if to say she hadn’t meant it that way at all.

“Ah, no, I only said that back then because I was really anxious, and he was trying to comfort me. You don’t have to feel so down about it—”

“That’s true.”

Rania added with a sigh.

“I can tell just from the feeling. He didn’t say something like that to anyone else but you.”

“…….”

“Well, you must have been the only one who could resolve the situation back then. That just means you were that important.”

“…….”

“It’s not like you were abandoned, Lionhearted. You can still keep the position of the main wife.”

“……That’s not exactly comforting.”

“Well, at least it’s better than realizing you weren’t even pushed down the priority list by someone who just rolled in out of nowhere, right?”

“………………Hmm.”

……Ah, she was convinced.

The rapid change in Noel’s expression was so dramatic that even Cretin couldn’t help but think so.

“……You, seriously. When it comes to him, I can’t tell whether you’re strict or soft.”

Katya’s comment, spoken at the end, was probably a surprisingly accurate assessment.