Dark Fantasy: Super Coward Mode-Chapter 177

A blast of cold air, so frigid it felt as if my fingers might freeze solid, descended between us and the Second Princess.

Though the chill came from the Second Princess’s powers, my body instinctively reacted to the palpable tension in the air. Every nerve in my body seemed to shudder, making me feel the weight of the moment more than I ever expected.

It wasn’t just us who felt it. The Second Princess didn’t immediately attack but stood, watching us silently, her gaze cold and calculating.

I cast a glance at Gaia, bound by the ice.

Her complexion seemed to be returning to normal, so it appeared the situation wasn’t as dire as it had seemed.

Why was I even worried? It was because of her that everything had gotten this way. Once everything was over, I’d be asking Oko to handle the damages for what we’d endured.

Shaking off the stray thoughts, I refocused.

The power of the Fourth Exalted was strong enough to forcibly strip away divine power.

The ability to use elemental affinities to overcome any foe.

The endurance to freeze this world solid.

It was intimidating, to say the least.

It wasn’t the prospect of my death that scared me; it was the aftershock of failing. The thought of it made my hands tremble, and the will to fight seemed to slip from my grasp.

This was probably the first time I had truly provoked the Second Princess like this.

Just look at her face.

Even with her already cold expression, she was proving that a person’s face could become even colder.

Despite the surprise attack, even Gaia, who had experienced fear in the face of death, had felt a moment of panic under her power.

But me—an ordinary human—what chance did I have against her?

I began slowly going over my options.

The sword forged by Shimtol.

It was sturdy, resilient.

It was comparable to a weapon made from fragments of a divine being. It would deal damage even to a divine entity like her, no doubt.

But it wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t land a hit.

Zumya’s dragon molecules.

I briefly considered whether they could be a counter to the Second Princess. After all, the fireballs could deal with her, but considering the nature of her abilities, it didn’t seem feasible.

Her powers weren’t just about generating ice. They were about draining warmth—life itself.

Could I rely on Oko’s help?

If the Second Princess had been a full divine being, I might have been able to expect it.

But she was half-human, half-divine.

I couldn’t risk using Oko’s strength while ignoring half of the Second Princess’s nature. The consequences could ripple throughout the entire universe.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized my pupils were twitching with fear.

Had I really become this unprepared?

I had thought I was well-prepared.

No—I had underestimated her.

I had never imagined she would have the power to crush even Gaia.

The Second Princess moved.

She simply raised her arm, but the sheer weight of the action sent a surge of adrenaline through every part of my body.

Was that my brain telling me to prepare to run or my instincts as a knight urging me to fight with honor? I wasn’t sure.

“Iphomia!”

Suddenly, the Princess stepped forward and called out loudly.

Iphomia.

Was that the Second Princess’s name?

In this moment, I couldn’t help but admire the Princess’s resolve. She was determined to speak her mind. But when I looked at her face, I realized something wasn’t right.

The corners of her eyes, the corners of her lips—

They were trembling.

She was afraid too.

Not the fear of her life being threatened like mine, but the fear of confronting her own trauma.

“…Don’t call me that.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. But there’s something I have to say to you! Please, just hear me out, Iphomia!”

“Don’t call me that name!!!”

The Princess’s words seemed to trigger something in Iphomia. With a scream, she hurled ice in all directions, sending shards flying at breakneck speed.

By the time I realized they were coming, they were already inches from my face.

I twisted my body at the last second.

Thanks to the protective gear the Princess had provided, I avoided injury.

But the Princess wasn’t as quick as I was.

“Aah!”

The Princess’s powers, tied to her life force, could heal and restore vitality.

So she wouldn’t die from this attack.

But she had already pushed herself to her limits protecting us.

Even if she didn’t die, she wouldn’t be in good shape.

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“Princess!”

“What’s all this nonsense now?”

As I turned to check on the Princess’s condition, I heard Iphomia’s growl behind me and quickly shifted my focus back to her.

Her expression had contorted into something hideously bitter.

“Something you want to say? Then why didn’t you say it earlier? All this time, you’ve ignored me, hoarded your love, and now that you’ve finished, you think you can relax and call me by the name you decided on for me?”

Iphomia took a step forward, drawing the sword from her back and assuming a defensive stance.

A wave of ice-cold air, so sharp it felt like it could freeze my fingers solid, settled between us and the Second Princess.

Though the cold came from her powers, it was also the palpable tension of the moment that made every muscle in my body seize with the chill.

It wasn’t just us feeling it; the Second Princess didn’t immediately attack but stood silently, coldly watching us.

I glanced sideways at Gaia, bound by the ice.

Her face seemed to be returning to normal, so it seemed there wasn’t much damage after all.

Why was I even worried? This was all her fault. Once it’s all over, I’d ask Oko for compensation for all the damage we’d endured.

I pushed aside those thoughts and refocused.

The Second Princess had enough power to forcibly strip away even the powers of the Four Exalted.

Her ability could overcome any divine being by exploiting elemental affinities.

Her endurance was enough to freeze the world solid.

It was intimidating, to say the least.

It wasn’t fear of dying that gripped me, but the thought of the aftermath of failure. The idea of failing made my hands tremble, and my resolve started to wane.

This was probably the first time I had truly provoked the Second Princess like this.

Look at her face.

Even with her cold expression, she was proving that a person’s face could get even colder.

Even Gaia, who had felt fear for her life before, had experienced a moment of terror from her.

But me, a mere human—could I possibly win against her?

I slowly reviewed my options.

The sword Shimtol forged for me.

It was strong, resilient.

It was comparable to a weapon made from fragments of a divine being, so it would surely deal damage to her, no matter how strong she was.

But that only mattered if I could land a blow.

Zumya’s dragon molecules.

Could they counter the Second Princess? I considered it, but the mechanics of her powers made that plan fall apart.

Her powers didn’t just create ice; they drained warmth, the very essence of life itself.

Could I rely on Oko’s help?

Maybe if the Second Princess were a full divine being, I could count on her.

But she was half-human, half-divine.

If I used Oko’s power while ignoring her divine nature, the consequences could be catastrophic.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized my pupils were twitching in fear.

Was I really this unprepared?

I had thought I was ready.

No—I had underestimated her.

I never imagined she would be powerful enough to crush Gaia.

The Second Princess made her move.

She simply raised her arm, and I felt adrenaline coursing through my entire body, a surge of instinct that told me to either run or fight.

Was that my brain telling me to flee, or my knight’s instinct telling me to stand and fight? I couldn’t tell.

“Iphomia!”

Suddenly, the Princess stepped forward and shouted.

Iphomia.

Was that her name?

I admired the Princess’s resolve for speaking up, but when I looked at her face, I realized something wasn’t right.

The corners of her eyes, the corners of her lips—

They were trembling.

She was afraid too.

But not the fear of death—more like the fear of facing her own trauma.

“…Don’t call me that.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. But there’s something I need to tell you! Please, just listen, Iphomia!”

“Don’t call me that name!!!”

Iphomia’s words seemed to set something off in her. With a scream, she hurled ice in all directions, the shards coming at us faster than we could react.

By the time I recognized the attack, the ice was already almost upon us.

I twisted my body just in time.

Thanks to the protective gear the Princess had given me, I was unharmed.

But the Princess wasn’t as fast as I was.

“Aah!”

The Princess’s powers, tied to her life force, could heal and restore vitality.

So she wouldn’t die from this attack.

But she had already pushed herself too far in protecting us.

Even if she didn’t die, she wouldn’t be in good condition.

“Princess!”

“What are you talking about now?”

I turned to check on the Princess, but Iphomia’s snarling voice caused me to snap my focus back to her.

Her expression twisted into a look of disgust.

“Something you want to say? Then why didn’t you say it earlier? All this time, you’ve ignored me, hoarded your love, and now that it’s all over, you think you can just call me by the name you decided for me?”

Iphomia stepped forward, drawing the sword from her back and getting into a defensive stance.