Chapter 13 — The Headless Crown

Mina was alone.

Completely alone.

She stood inside a massive castle hallway, staring at the fire mage she had just defeated.

Her breathing was heavy.

Her arms felt weak.

The crimson spikes of her newly discovered Bloodthorn Floor slowly dissolved across the stone.

Mina wiped her forehead.

“I…”

She looked at the defeated mage.

“…actually survived that.”

She smiled.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!

The entire castle shook.

Mina's smile disappeared.

“What was that?”

Another rumble followed.

RRRRRUMBLE…

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Mina looked around.

“Okay…”

She slowly raised her hands.

“Maybe I should leave now.”

She turned around.

A massive stone door behind her suddenly slammed shut.

BANG!

Mina jumped.

“WHY?!”

She ran toward it.

She grabbed the handle.

Pulled.

Nothing.

She pulled harder.

“OPEN!”

Nothing.

Mina stared at the door.

“…I hate castles.”

Another rumble echoed through the building.

Mina slowly turned around.

The hallway ahead stretched into darkness.

Something was coming.

She could hear footsteps.

CLANG.

CLANG.

CLANG.

Mina swallowed.

“Please be a friendly person.”

Another step.

CLANG.

“Or at least someone who wants to talk.”

Another.

CLANG.

Mina backed away.

“Or a chicken.”

Silence.

Then—

A figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

Mina froze.

The figure was wearing ancient armor.

A long, torn cloak dragged behind it.

Its body looked like that of a dead king.

But there was something horribly wrong.

There was no normal head.

Instead, a crown floated above its neck.

The crown itself seemed to hover unnaturally in the air.

Its red jewels glowed in the darkness.

Mina stared.

Her face went pale.

“…”

The Headless Crown stopped.

Mina's stomach twisted.

She had seen monsters.

She had seen wolves.

She had seen skeletons.

She had even fought a Treant.

But she had never seen something like this.

A dead body walking around with its crown floating where its head should have been.

Mina covered her mouth.

“Oh…”

Her eyes widened.

“Oh no…”

Her face became green.

“That's…”

She swallowed.

“…really disgusting.”

The Headless Crown tilted slightly.

Mina's stomach couldn't take it anymore.

She turned around.

“BLEGH!”

She vomited.

A few seconds passed.

Mina wiped her mouth.

“I'm sorry…”

She pointed toward the undead king.

“But WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN I SEE THAT?!”

This story originates from NovelPhoenix. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The Headless Crown didn't answer.

Mina slowly looked back.

“Are you going to attack me?”

The Crown raised one hand.

Mina's eyes widened.

“…Oh.”

A rock floated from the ground.

Then another.

Then another.

Mina stared.

“…That's a lot of rocks.”

Dozens of pieces of stone began floating around the Headless Crown.

Mina slowly stepped backward.

“Wait.”

Hundreds of pieces appeared.

Mina's face went pale.

“WAIT!”

The Crown lowered its hand.

The rocks launched.

BOOOOOOM!

Mina jumped.

The first rock smashed into the wall.

Then another.

Then another.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Mina ran.

“AAAAAAAH!”

The entire hallway exploded with flying stone.

Mina sprinted toward a pillar.

She threw herself behind it.

CRASH!

A rock slammed into the pillar.

Mina pressed herself against it.

“Okay…”

She breathed heavily.

“I'm safe.”

Another rock hit.

CRACK!

Mina looked at the pillar.

“…Probably.”

Another.

CRACK!

The pillar shook.

Mina's eyes widened.

“Okay.”

She looked around.

There was another pillar a few meters away.

Mina waited.

The barrage continued.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The first pillar cracked.

Mina jumped out.

“HOP!”

She landed behind the next one.

Another rock smashed into the previous pillar.

BOOM!

Mina peeked around the new pillar.

“Okay!”

She raised her hand.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

A crimson projectile flew down the hallway.

The Headless Crown moved its arm.

A rock intercepted the attack.

BOOM!

Mina blinked.

“Seriously?”

Another rock flew toward her.

She ducked.

WHOOSH!

It passed over her head.

Mina fired again.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

Another.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

Another.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

The Headless Crown blocked every attack with floating rocks.

Mina's expression became frustrated.

“STOP BLOCKING!”

She fired five Blood Shots at once.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Crown blocked them.

Mina gritted her teeth.

“Okay…”

She looked at the floor.

Blood droplets were scattered around her.

Her eyes lit up.

“Bloodthorn Floor!”

SHNK!

A crimson spike erupted beneath the Crown.

But the Crown floated backward.

The spike missed.

Mina stared.

“…You're learning.”

The Crown raised its hand.

The stones began floating again.

Mina's smile disappeared.

“Oh no.”

The barrage returned.

BOOOOOOM!

Mina ran.

She jumped behind another pillar.

CRASH!

The pillar cracked.

Mina jumped again.

“HOP!”

Another pillar.

CRASH!

“HOP!”

Another.

CRASH!

“HOP!”

Mina was practically bouncing across the hallway.

“WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ROCKS?!”

The Crown continued firing.

Mina fired Blood Shot between dodges.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

She jumped.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

She rolled.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

She ducked.

Her breathing became heavier.

Her arms began shaking.

The constant movement was exhausting her.

Mina fired another attack.

Her aim was weaker.

The Blood Shot struck the wall.

Mina froze.

“…No.”

She looked at her hand.

It was trembling.

She had been fighting too long.

Her body was reaching its limit.

Mina clenched her teeth.

“I can still fight.”

She raised her hand.

“Blood Shot!”

The attack flew forward.

The Crown blocked it.

Another rock came toward Mina.

She jumped.

But this time—

she was too slow.

BOOM!

The rock struck her side.

Mina was thrown across the floor.

“AAAGH!”

She rolled several times before stopping.

Her body hurt.

She tried standing.

Her legs shook.

“Come on…”

She pushed herself up.

Her arm felt numb.

Mina looked at it.

Then—

CRACK.

She froze.

Her eyes widened.

“…”

She had pushed herself too far.

A sharp pain ran through her arm.

Mina dropped to one knee.

“Ah…”

She gritted her teeth.

“I can't…”

Another group of rocks began floating.

Mina looked up.

“No…”

The Headless Crown launched them.

Mina tried moving.

Her body didn't respond fast enough.

The rocks came closer.

“MOVE!”

She forced herself to stand.

Her legs trembled.

She raised her arms.

“Blood—”

A rock flew toward her.

“—Shot!”

She fired.

The Blood Shot destroyed one rock.

Another came.

She fired again.

“Blood Shot!”

Another.

“Blood Shot!”

But there were too many.

Mina couldn't keep up.

One rock flew directly toward her.

She closed her eyes.

CLANG!

Mina opened them.

A chain had wrapped around the rock.

It stopped inches from her face.

Mina stared.

The chain pulled backward.

The rock flew away.

Then—

A familiar figure landed between Mina and the Headless Crown.

Black hair.

White streak.

Eyepatch.

Purple scarf.

Chained scythe in his hand.

Nyxhen looked over his shoulder.

“You okay?”

Mina stared at him.

“…You're late.”

Nyxhen blinked.

“You're welcome.”

Another rock launched.

Nyxhen spun Noctesgrave.

The chained scythe rotated around him.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

One rock.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

He blocked every projectile.

Mina stared.

Nyxhen continued spinning the scythe, using the chain to create a wide defensive circle.

The rocks bounced away.

Mina slowly smiled.

“You look cool.”

Nyxhen didn't look at her.

“Stay behind me.”

Mina nodded.

“Okay.”

She immediately stepped beside him.

Nyxhen sighed.

“You really don't listen.”

“I listened.”

“You didn't.”

“I listened emotionally.”

“What does that even mean?”

Mina smiled.

“I don't know.”

Another barrage came.

Nyxhen spun.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The chained scythe continued circling around him.

He blocked the entire barrage.

Mina watched in amazement.

“How are you doing that?”

“Practice.”

“Can you teach me?”

“Not right now!”

“Oh.”

Nyxhen pulled the chain.

Noctesgrave flew forward.

The scythe sliced through several floating rocks.

The remaining stones fell.

Nyxhen stepped forward.

“Stay behind me.”

Mina finally obeyed.

For a moment.

Then she peeked around his shoulder.

The Headless Crown stood at the end of the hall.

It hadn't moved.

Mina whispered,

“That thing is terrifying.”

Nyxhen looked at it.

“Yeah.”

Then—

A large cloud suddenly flew through the castle entrance.

“MOVE!”

Nyxhen looked up.

“What?!”

A giant fluffy cloud crashed through the doorway.

WHOOSH!

Mina's eyes widened.

“YUMIKO?!”

Yumiko was standing on top of the cloud.

She raised her giant scissor-claymore.

“I FOUND YOU!”

Mina's eyes sparkled.

“YUMIKO!”

Yumiko smiled.

“Are you okay?”

Mina pointed at herself.

“Do I LOOK okay?!”

Yumiko looked at her.

“…No.”

“Exactly!”

Nyxhen looked toward the entrance.

“You two reunited.”

Yumiko nodded.

“I defeated the necromancer.”

Mina blinked.

“Already?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Yumiko smiled.

“Cloud.”

Mina stared.

“…Right.”

Nyxhen shook his head.

“Don't ask.”

Yumiko jumped from the cloud.

She landed beside them.

“Now…”

She looked toward the Headless Crown.

“…that's our target?”

Nyxhen nodded.

“Yes.”

Yumiko smiled.

“Okay.”

She raised her weapon.

“Let's go.”

The Headless Crown raised its hand.

A giant rock floated above it.

Then another.

Then another.

Yumiko's smile disappeared.

“…That's a lot.”

Nyxhen tightened his grip on Noctesgrave.

“Mina, stay back.”

Mina nodded.

“I'll support you.”

Yumiko charged.

“I'm going!”

She sprinted forward.

The Crown launched the rocks.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Yumiko swung her scissor-claymore.

CLANG!

One rock shattered.

She jumped.

CLANG!

Another.

She spun.

CLANG!

Another.

Yumiko pushed forward.

“COME ON!”

She reached the Crown.

She raised her enormous weapon.

“TAKE THIS!”

She swung.

The Headless Crown blocked the strike with one arm.

BOOOOOOM!

The impact shook the hallway.

Yumiko's eyes widened.

“You blocked that?!”

The Crown suddenly moved its other arm.

A sharp wave of air shot toward her.

Yumiko's eyes widened.

“Whoa!”

She immediately ducked.

The attack passed over her head.

Her hair fluttered from the force.

Yumiko smiled.

“That was close.”

She looked back.

The air had carved a deep line across the stone wall.

Yumiko's smile disappeared.

“…Okay.”

She raised her weapon again.

“That would've hurt.”

Nyxhen stepped forward.

“Yumiko!”

She looked at him.

“Yeah?”

“Don't let it surround you.”

“Got it!”

Mina raised her trembling hand.

“Guys…”

They looked back.

Mina was standing near the pillar.

Her arm was still shaking.

But her eyes were determined.

“I can still use Blood Shot.”

Nyxhen frowned.

“You've done enough.”

“I can help.”

“Mina—”

“I can help!”

She fired.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

The projectile flew past Nyxhen.

The Crown blocked it.

Mina fired again.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

Again.

“BLOOD SHOT!”

Yumiko used the distraction.

She charged.

Nyxhen disappeared into the shadows.

The Crown suddenly found itself attacked from three directions.

Mina fired from the rear.

Yumiko attacked from the front.

Nyxhen emerged from the shadows behind it.

For the first time—

the Headless Crown was forced to defend itself from all three.

Mina smiled.

“That's it!”

Yumiko shouted.

“Keep going!”

Nyxhen swung Noctesgrave.

The Crown blocked.

Yumiko swung.

It blocked.

Mina fired.

It blocked.

Again.

Again.

Again.

The battle intensified.

The castle shook with every impact.

The floor cracked.

Stone fell from the ceiling.

Mina kept firing despite the pain in her arm.

Yumiko kept attacking despite being pushed backward.

Nyxhen kept using his shadows to reposition himself.

None of them could defeat the Crown.

But none of them were backing down.

Then—

The Headless Crown suddenly stopped.

Its floating crown began glowing brighter.

Mina froze.

Nyxhen's expression changed.

Yumiko lowered her weapon.

The Crown slowly raised both hands.

Every piece of stone in the castle began floating.

Mina looked around.

“…That's not good.”

Nyxhen tightened his grip.

“No.”

Yumiko looked upward.

Hundreds—

then thousands—

of pieces of stone rose into the air.

The entire castle trembled.

Mina swallowed.

“How are we supposed to dodge THAT?”

The Crown's red jewels burned brighter.

The floating rocks suddenly pointed toward them.

Nyxhen stepped forward.

His chains tightened around Noctesgrave.

Yumiko raised her giant scissor-claymore.

Mina clenched her injured hand.

The three stood together.

The barrage was coming.

And this time—

there was nowhere left to hide.