CHAPTER 52 — ABSOLUTE CANCEL

THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

CHAPTER 52 — ABSOLUTE CANCEL

The battle continued. And now... No one was cursing at Percy anymore. Because they had no breath left.

BOOOOOOM!

Elizabeth's attack... Cleaved through the battlefield. Clara threw herself to the left. If she had been half a second late... The attack would have struck her.

She rolled on the ground. Before she even had a chance to get up... The second attack came.

Clara dodged again.

BOOOOM!

The ground behind her shattered. Clara's eyes were wide. Her breathing was erratic. Because the woman in front of her... Was Advanced 12.

And Clara... Core 9. There wasn't just a difference of a few levels between them. There was an abyss.

For Clara to defeat Elizabeth... Was impossible.

She wasn't stronger. She wasn't faster. She certainly wasn't more durable.

But Percy hadn't asked them... To defeat Elizabeth. He had asked them to survive. Under the assault of full-power attacks... To think.

To make decisions while afraid. To trust one another. And when faced with death... Not to freeze up. Elizabeth vanished.

Clara:

"WHE—"

Instinct.

She ducked.

WHOOOOM!

Elizabeth's kick... Swept right over her hair.

Clara didn't think. She stomped her foot against the ground. She launched herself backward.

Elizabeth was right behind her.

One. Two. Three.

Every space Clara could escape into... Was closing off. William shouted from a distance.

"CLARA, LEFT!"

Clara leaped to the left. Elizabeth's orb... Passed by her right side. Percy, in his chair... Leaned forward.

This was it. Twenty-seven days ago... Clara would have seen the attack coming. Now... She was seeing the follow-up to the attack.

What they learned in the scorpion training. Probabilities. What they learned in the waves. Balance.

What they learned in sleep deprivation. Stopping when consciousness grows hazy. What they learned under pressure. To keep going.

All of it... Now it was paying off. Elizabeth attacked again. This time, Clara... Didn't retreat directly.

She took a step. Just one step. The orb passed just a few centimeters... Beside her shoulder. William's eyes widened.

"What is she doing?"

Arthur saw it.

"She's closing in."

Indeed... Clara was no longer fleeing. With every attack... She was getting a little closer. Not because she was faster than Elizabeth.

By reading the tiny windows... That formed after Elizabeth's attacks. One attack. Clara stepped aside.

Second.

She ducked.

Third.

Instead of retreating... She stepped forward. Percy stood up. Eleanor looked at him.

Percy's eyes... Were fixed on Clara.

"Here it comes."

Eleanor:

"What?"

Percy didn't answer. Elizabeth's palm rose. Clara saw it. Not the attack itself. The aftermath.

Elizabeth struck. Clara pivoted. The attack brushed past her back.

And... A moment. Just a moment.

Elizabeth's shoulder was exposed. Clara lunged forward.

Percy:

"NOW!"

Clara channeled all her power... Into her leg. One step. Elizabeth was already... Transitioning into her next attack.

Clara had no time. But her hand... Made it.

BAM!

Clara's palm... Landed right on Elizabeth's shoulder.

Silence.

Elizabeth didn't even budge.

For an Advanced 12... An attack from a Core 9... Was no threat at all.

But that wasn't the point.

Clara Leyvar... In a full-power combat simulation... Had cleanly struck... Advanced 12 Elizabeth Olsen.

Arthur:

"...She landed a hit."

Charlotte's eyes widened.

"She really hit her."

William said nothing. Because he was trying to figure out... How she had done it. As for Nathaniel...

"NORMALLY RIGHT NOW..."

"AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO RUN?!"

Elizabeth's hand moved. Clara had already backed away.

BOOOOOOM!

Nathaniel:

"YES, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO!"

Percy burst out laughing.

"CLARA!"

Clara looked at him. Percy raised his fist in the air.

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

Clara was out of breath. But she smiled. The pride on Percy's face... Was impossible to hide.

"THAT'S MY CLARA!"

Clara's cheeks flushed red. But right at that moment... Percy's smile vanished.

Galahad.

Where was he? Percy's eyes... Scanned the field.

Left.

Not there.

Right.

Not there.

Front.

Not there. Percy's eyes... Shot straight up. And his expression shifted.

"CLARA!"

Clara turned. Galahad... Was right behind her.

The Orin in his palm... Was so dense that... Clara's face paled.

This attack... Was real. Galahad too... Was at full power. And he was going to strike.

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Percy's foot... Involuntarily stepped forward. Elizabeth's condition... Do not interfere. Percy stopped.

But his fists clenched tightly.

"CLARA!"

Galahad attacked. There was no time to dodge.

Arthur:

"CLARA!"

Charlotte:

"NO!"

Eleanor stood up. Even Elizabeth... Turned toward Clara. Galahad's spell... Reached Clara.

And... Clara glowed. Percy's eyes widened. A flash of light. Clara leaped backward.

Mid-air... She flipped over. Galahad's attack... Was right in front of her. Clara extended her hand.

And spoke two words.

"[Absolute Cancel]."

...

The spell... Vanished. It didn't explode. It didn't disperse. It wasn't deflected.

It wasn't absorbed. It simply... Vanished.

Silence.

Galahad landed on the ground. And for the first time... He didn't attack. Elizabeth had stopped too. Arthur's mouth hung open.

All of William's calculations... Felt as though they had been wiped clean.

Charlotte:

"Absolute..."

Nathaniel:

"...Cancel."

As for Percy... He said nothing at all. He was experiencing the shock of his life. Clara touched down on the ground. Percy looked at her.

But his mind... Instantly drifted somewhere else. Age seven.

Night.

His own room. And... That message. His mother's voice.

"Right now..."

"...I won't tell you who you are."

Percy's breathing slowed.

"Nor where you came from."

"Nor why I left you."

Percy relived that night... For a brief moment. He was seven years old.

Listening to the voice of a woman... Whom he didn't know... But understood to be his mother.

She had told him he wasn't alone. That the person who left him... Had not abandoned him. That she loved him.

And that the next message... Would come when he was fourteen. Percy's eyes... Turned back to Clara. But he had no time to think.

Because everyone... Started talking at the exact same time.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!"

"CLARA?!"

"WHEN DID YOU LEARN THAT?!"

"THAT WAS ABSOLUTE CANCEL!"

"Could someone other than Percy..."

"...actually use it?!"

Even Galahad... Was staring at Clara.

Elizabeth:

"Clara?"

Clara's expression changed. She looked at her mother. Eleanor too... Was looking at her. Clara opened her mouth.

"I..."

She went quiet. She tried to say something. She couldn't. Percy... Saw this.

He saw Clara's look. And that tiny flicker of anxiety... On Eleanor's face. And... He didn't ask a thing.

Just a second ago... He had remembered his own mother's message. I won't tell you who you are. I won't tell you where you came from. I won't tell you why I left.

Percy's gaze... Softened. If Clara couldn't speak... She didn't have to. Percy stepped forward.

"I taught her."

Silence.

Everyone... Turned to Percy. Clara's eyes widened.

Galahad:

"You?"

Percy... Didn't hesitate for a moment.

"Yes."

Elizabeth:

"Percy."

"Not directly, Instructor."

Percy pointed at Clara.

"Ever since we were six years old..."

"...she's been watching me."

Clara looked at Percy. Percy continued.

"Remember when I was working..."

"on [Absolute Cancel]."

Galahad's expression changed. He remembered. So did Eleanor.

Percy:

"I was working with stones."

"Over."

"And over."

"And over."

"I don't even remember..."

"how many times I did it."

Percy shrugged.

"Clara was beside me."

William:

"So..."

"She learned it just by watching you?"

Percy looked at him.

"William."

"When I was six years old..."

"I used [Absolute Cancel]."

William went silent. Percy pointed at Clara.

"And she's been watching how I do it..."

"ever since she was six."

Nathaniel:

"Is that it?"

Percy:

"That's it."

Arthur:

"But..."

Percy cut him off.

"Why did you think..."

He looked at Clara.

"...that what I could learn..."

"she couldn't learn?"

Silence.

Clara... Was looking at Percy. Because she knew. Percy... Was lying.

And Percy... Knew that Clara knew. Yet on his face... There wasn't the slightest change. Galahad pondered for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Possible."

William was still stunned. Elizabeth looked at Clara. Then at Percy.

And Eleanor... From Percy's eyes... Didn't take her gaze away.

Percy looked at her. For a second. Eleanor understood. Percy didn't know the truth.

But he had realized... That Clara didn't want to explain. And he hadn't asked... For anything more.

What's more... By using a real memory... He had created an explanation... That everyone could believe.

Eleanor's shoulders... Relaxed slightly. Percy saw this.

Even this... Added a few more questions... To the ones in Percy's mind.

Yet again... He didn't ask.

Eleanor:

"I see."

Percy nodded.

"Good."

He acted as though the matter... Was closed for him right there. As for Clara... She was still looking at him.

Percy... Saw that look. Clara said nothing. There was no need to.

In her eyes... There was gratitude. There was relief.

And... Something else given by the fact... That Percy had protected her... Without asking a single question.

Percy looked at her. For a while... He didn't speak at all. Then he sat back down... In his chair.

He leaned back. [Absolute Cancel].

Clara.

His own mother's message. Eleanor's relief. There was something going on. Percy knew it.

But right now... He didn't care.

Because Clara... Just a moment ago... Had negated Galahad's full-power attack... With [Absolute Cancel].

The corner of Percy's mouth... Curved upward. Then a bit more. A bit more.

He couldn't hide... His happiness. Clara was still looking at him. Percy brought two fingers... To his lips.

"Mwah."

And blew a kiss... To Clara through the air. Clara's eyes widened. Her face... Instantly turned beet red.

"Percy!"

Percy smirked.

"What?"

Clara:

"Don't play dirty!"

Percy:

"What did I do?!"

Clara:

"In front of everyone..."

Percy:

"I blew a kiss."

Clara blushed even harder.

"I SAW THAT TOO!"

Percy:

"Then why are you asking?"

Clara:

"I DIDN'T ASK!"

Percy:

"True."

Clara:

"You..."

Right at that moment... Galahad arrived. Clara's eyes widened.

"Brother, wait—"

Galahad's orb... Struck right beside Clara.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

Clara... Was blown five meters away. Percy's smile... Froze.

Arthur... Turned his head to Percy. So did William. So did Charlotte.

Nathaniel... Slowly backed away from Percy.

Percy:

"...What?"

Clara was on the ground. Then... She slowly raised her head. She looked at Percy.

The color on Percy's face... Vanished. That glare... Wasn't directed at Galahad. It was directed at Percy.

Because Percy... Had distracted Clara. Clara said nothing. She just... Stared.

Percy, in his chair... Slowly straightened up. He raised his hands.

"Absolute Destroy Percy."

Silence.

Nathaniel:

"What?"

Percy looked at Clara.

"ABSOLUTE DESTROY PERCY."

Arthur:

"MAN, WHY ARE YOU..."

"...CASTING A SKILL ON YOURSELF?!"

Percy:

"I'M TRYING TO SURVIVE!"

Clara's glare... Didn't change.

Percy:

"Clara."

Silence.

"Clara..."

Clara's lip... Twitched slightly. Percy saw it.

"HAHA!"

Clara couldn't hold it in.

"BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Percy slumped back into his chair.

"THANK GOODNESS."

Nathaniel:

"DID YOU JUST..."

"GIVE YOUR OWN EXECUTION ORDER..."

"YOURSELF?!"

Percy:

"Survival instinct."

Arthur:

"Is there even a thing..."

"called Absolute Destroy?"

Percy:

"No."

Clara from the ground:

"THERE WILL BE."

Percy's face fell.

"AUNTIE."

Eleanor turned her face away.

"I'm staying out of this."

Percy:

"YOU'RE HER MOTHER!"

Eleanor:

"I'm your aunt too."

Percy:

"PROTECT BOTH SIDES!"

Eleanor started laughing.

"I'm neutral."

Percy:

"NO ONE IN THIS FAMILY..."

"PROTECTS ME."

Holar:

"I'll protect you, kid."

Percy's eyes lit up.

"Grandpa."

Holar:

"Unless Clara is in the wrong."

Percy:

"GRANDPA!"

Clara burst out laughing again. As for Galahad... He was waiting. Percy finally looked at him.

Galahad:

"Done?"

Percy:

"Brother."

"Hm?"

Percy pointed at Clara.

"Go a bit easy—"

Clara:

"NO."

Percy went silent. Clara stood up. She brushed the dirt off herself. She looked at Galahad.

"Full power."

Percy's expression changed.

Clara:

"Continue."

Galahad smiled. Percy looked at Clara... For a few seconds. Then on his face... That proud expression formed.

"Alright."

Clara took her stance. Percy looked at Galahad.

"Brother."

Galahad:

"Yes?"

Percy:

"Wreck her."

Clara:

"PERCY!"

Percy:

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAID FULL POWER!"

Galahad vanished.

Clara:

"WAIT A SECOND—"

BOOOOOOOM!

Arthur:

"FORMATION!"

William:

"COVER CLARA'S RIGHT!"

Charlotte moved. Marcus stepped forward. Elizabeth... Attacked again.

Nathaniel:

"ROMANCE IS OVER!"

"HELL CONTINUES!"

Percy:

"NATHANIEL, LEFT!"

Nathaniel, without thinking... Leaped to the left. An attack... Passed by his right side.

Nathaniel:

"THANK YOU!"

Percy:

"YOU'RE WELCOME!"

Galahad... Appeared behind Nathaniel. Nathaniel's face fell.

"PERCYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Percy's eyes widened.

"I DIDN'T SEE HIM, MAN!"

BOOOOOOM!

Nathaniel was sent flying. Eleanor burst out laughing. Percy laughed too. But the battle... Had truly changed.

Clara's [Absolute Cancel]... Inside the others... Had broken something.

The sense of impossibility. Arthur... Looked at Galahad.

Advanced.

Terrifyingly stronger than himself.

But Clara... Just a moment ago... Had negated his attack.

Arthur raised his shield.

"CHARLOTTE!"

Charlotte:

"I'M HERE!"

Galahad arrived. Arthur didn't run.

Shield.

One layer.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

BOOOOOOM!

The first layer shattered.

Second.

Third.

Arthur's arms trembled. The fourth broke. But Charlotte... Had already escaped. The fifth shattered too.

Arthur was blown back. But in mid-air... He smiled.

Percy:

"THAT'S IT, ARTHUR!"

Arthur hit the ground. He stood up.

"President!"

Percy:

"Yes?"

Arthur:

"I won't leave you alone."

Percy's smile... Instantly softened.

"That's what I like to hear."

William shouted.

"SAVE THE SENTIMENTALITY FOR LATER!"

Elizabeth's attack arrived. They all scattered.

Percy:

"WILLIAM!"

William:

"I SEE IT!"

Percy went silent. A second later... He smirked.

Now... He didn't even need... To say everything out loud anymore.

Charlotte:

"MARCUS!"

Marcus:

"ON THE RIGHT!"

Nathaniel:

"WHERE AM I?!"

Arthur:

"ON THE GROUND!"

Nathaniel:

"RIGHT!"

Percy burst out laughing. Galahad and Elizabeth... Continued to wreck them.

But now... Every time they fell... Someone would pick the other up.

With every attack... Another person saw the angle. Every mistake... Turned into the next decision.

Percy, in his chair... Leaned back once more. Eleanor came beside him. For a while... Neither of them spoke.

Percy's eyes... Were on his class. Then... They drifted to Clara. Eleanor saw this.

"You're curious."

Percy didn't answer. A few seconds later...

"Very."

Eleanor looked at him. Percy continued.

"But I won't ask."

Eleanor's eyes... Widened slightly.

Percy:

"When I was seven years old..."

He stopped. He thought of his mother's message.

"Someone told me..."

"that there were some things..."

"I shouldn't know just yet."

Eleanor remained silent. Percy looked at Clara.

"Maybe she too..."

"has things she's not ready..."

"to talk about."

Eleanor looked at Percy... For a long time. Then she placed her hand... Upon his hair.

Percy:

"Auntie."

Eleanor:

"Hm?"

"You're messing up my hair."

Eleanor messed it up even more.

Percy:

"AUNTIE!"

Eleanor laughed. As Percy tried to fix his hair... Clara looked at him from a distance. Their eyes met. Clara smiled.

So did Percy. This time... He didn't blow a kiss. Clara raised an eyebrow.

Percy immediately... Raised both hands in the air.

"I'VE LEARNED MY LESSON."

Clara:

"GOOD."

Galahad:

"Clara."

Clara turned. Galahad... Was right in front of her.

Clara:

"...Fuck."

BOOOOOOOOM!

Percy:

"NO YOU HAVEN'T!"

Clara from mid-air:

"PERCYYYYYYYY!"

Percy burst out laughing. And the battle... Continued. Until the end of the camp... There were two days left.