Astral Online: Cursed by the Demon Lord to Become the Strongest Beautiful Girl, I Rapidly Grow and Dominate with Cheat Skills Despite Being the Weakest Profession - Chapter 205

Chapter 205: The Decisive Battle in the Sea Kingdom (3)

 

The boss… escaped?

 

No, that’s not it. This feels more like a monster relocating to a different area, as seen in hunting action games.

 

Using Insight skills to read the enemy’s movements, Shino and I control our positions in the air and land on the ground.

 

We didn’t take any damage, but we lost our chance to take the boss down at the very last moment.

 

When we exchange glances, Shino gives me a small, serious nod.

 

The battle isn’t over yet.

 

As my mentor, she communicates this to me with just her eyes before swiftly turning and hurrying back to our allies.

 

The unexpected development sends shockwaves through both the raid team and the Enoshigaios knight squad led by King Tobia. My own companions are no exception.

 

“Hey, hey, hey! Did the boss *really* just flee?!”

 

“No way! I didn’t think it could actually fly with those wings! We totally let our guard down!”

 

“This is bad. The other adventurers must already be overwhelmed by surrounding monster attacks. On top of that, the castle’s main forces are all here, so the remaining Enoshigaios guards are going to struggle to handle it…”

 

Shin, Inori, and Rou are drenched in sweat, their faces grim in response to the dire situation.

 

Even if this is just an area transition, it’s hard to imagine the boss calmly waiting for us in its new location. And the ground troops, who have no idea what’s happening, might assume we’ve been defeated and launch an attack on their own.

 

The worst-case scenario would be that by the time we return to the surface, ?Asmodeus?’s ?Enchantment? has turned everyone on the ground against us.

 

The thought alone sends chills down my spine.

 

Although the Songstress can dispel ?Enchantment?, the range of her power is limited. To minimize the risk, we have to return to the surface as quickly as possible.

 

“Damn you, Great Calamity! Fleeing as soon as the tide turns against you!”

 

Even King Tobia begins to show signs of impatience, while Queen Sara calmly approaches the Enoshigaios knights struggling to open the door we entered through.

 

“This door has been corrupted by the resurrected ?Asmodeus? and is sealed shut. I’ll purify the corruption with my song, so please step away from the door.”

 

“Your Majesty, how long will it take?”

 

“Lady Shino… It will take at least five minutes. After that, the fastest we can get back to the surface will be three minutes. In the worst-case scenario, those on the surface will have already been enthralled by ?Asmodeus?’s ?Enchantment?.”

 

“I see… Understood.”

 

Frowning, Shino steps back to avoid interfering with Sara’s purification process. She and Shio immediately open their virtual screens and begin typing on their virtual keyboards at lightning speed, likely to communicate the situation to the adventurers above.

 

Given the circumstances, where movement is restricted, their calm and precise actions are the best course of action.

 

Despite the unprecedented peril, everyone else seems to steel themselves, their faces pale. Grasping disposable items like ?Repair Cloths?, they begin wiping down their equipment to restore the durability worn down during the previous battle.

 

“……”

 

Even though I possess the power of an angel, I can’t do anything, and the frustration makes me clench my molars in anger.

 

If only I had wings, like the angels described in myth, I could fly through the sky and chase after the enemy.

 

But my unique skill only grants me unlimited MP and access to ?Seraphic Skills?. It has no effects that let me soar freely through the air.

 

No matter how many people call me the strongest, when the enemy is out of reach, I’m powerless.

 

*…I’m not omnipotent.*

 

That’s just the way it is, I tell myself.

 

Even so, standing here doing nothing fills me with a deep sense of helplessness. It’s as though a blade is stabbing into my chest, sharp and unforgiving.

 

As Lucifel, who shares my being, silently watches over me, she suddenly poses a question in my mind.

 

?…Master, do you wish to fly??

 

(Yeah, of course I do. But even if I can leap high, I can’t actually fly…)

 

?If you desire it, I can unlock that power for you.?

 

“What?”

 

Her sudden words catch me completely off guard, and I blurt out a bewildered response.

 

Feeling everyone’s eyes on me, I hastily shake my head and mutter, “It’s nothing,” before turning my back to them to avoid further attention.

 

Kuro, standing beside me, only tilts her head cutely in confusion but doesn’t press me for an explanation.

 

Relieved, I take a deep breath and mentally reach out to Lucifer again to confirm her earlier statement.

 

(Lucifel, what do you mean by unlocking the power to fly?)

 

?When you acquired the second ring, Master’s transformation into the fallen angel ?Lucifer? fulfilled the conditions to break the first seal. However, unlocking that seal would impose a significant disadvantage on you, which is why I have kept it hidden until now.?

 

(A significant disadvantage? What kind?)

 

After a brief pause, Lucifel answers honestly, explaining the problem that would arise from evolving my unique skill.

 

?By breaking the seal, Master would no longer be able to take on your current male form when using ?Lucifer?. Ever again.?

 

“…!?”

 

I barely manage to suppress a shocked voice.

 

Not being able to return to this form. What does that even mean?

 

When I ask for clarification, Lucifel continues in an unusually serious tone.

 

?The unique skill you currently possess is, in fact, one originally taken by the demon lord Shaitan from the archangel. It is bound to you through a curse. As a result, much of its potential is sealed, and its output has always been unstable.?

 

So that’s why I was able to obtain a unique skill through a curse. It all makes sense now.

 

I was surprised to learn it’s been sealed, but looking back at my battles so far, it’s clear just how powerful this skill is.

 

Without the curse as a downside, it would have been the perfect gift. But of course, that’s just the nature of a wicked Demon Lord.

 

?Until now, the instability of your angelic transformation has temporarily allowed you to revert to your male form. However, if the seal is broken, that instability will be resolved, and this reversion will cease.?

 

(Why are you telling me this now?)

 

?Master, while you outwardly pretend to be fine with your current female form, deep down, you feel a strong sense of resistance. That’s why I chose to withhold this information.?

 

In other words, Lucifel kept the skill’s evolution hidden out of concern for me.

 

That’s not something a typical AI would do, but then again, the world of ?Astral Online? defies conventional logic in every way.

 

Lucifel, despite being part of the support system, has always exhibited a clear sense of self, acting in ways indistinguishable from a human.

 

So I wasn’t surprised that she had stepped beyond her system-defined role and made the decision not to tell me.

 

Instead, as I noticed the faint air of guilt around her, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

 

(I see. Thanks for being considerate.)

 

?Master??

 

(But what I need right now is the power to protect everyone. Sure, I was happy to briefly return to being a man, but I can’t stand the thought of being too weak to protect those around me. That hurts far more than losing my form.)

 

?However, Master… it’s not just that. As your angelic power strengthens, there’s a chance that your existence will shift further away from being human and closer to that of an angel. Even knowing this, are you still…??

 

(…That’s fine. If I can grow stronger, even if it means becoming a true angel, I’ll accept it.)

 

?…Master.?

 

The image that came to mind was that of a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl, Ilya. She got hurt and harshly judged.

 

Seeing her lively and well in this world had eased my heart a little, but the memory of that time remains etched deep inside me.

 

If only I had been stronger, things wouldn’t have turned out that way.

 

I’m done with the pain of regretting my own weakness.

 

Now, I have even more to protect than I did back then.

 

The monsters and disasters from ?Astral Online? could bare their fangs at the people I hold dear in the real world at any moment.

 

I want to protect everyone who’s important to me—

My sister,

My friends,

My mentor,

My comrades who fight alongside me,

And the girl who always stands by my side, my closest partner.

 

If it means I can protect them all—

*I’m willing to give up being human.*

 

Lucifel, who had received my resolve directly, remained silent for a long time before finally displaying a single window before me.

 

?…Understood. I will now proceed with the unsealing of the skill ?Lucifer? for player ?Sora?.?

 

The window presented a simple choice: ?Yes? or ?No? to breaking the first seal of the skill.

 

For a decision with no room for hesitation, I tapped the option that marked the point of no return.