Mad Hatter's Guide to Clearing The Game
Chapter 153: Ch151. [World Quest] (11) - Deadly choice

Chapter 153: Ch151. [World Quest] (11) - Deadly choice

During that brief moment, while Sarissa and Miles’ blades collided, with sparks exploding in all directions, they could almost feel each other’s emotions, almost as if they were talking their hearts out, aside from their yelling at each other.

But there was another being to blame for that.

"It’s been a while, Miles, my dear boy..." Cheshire purred in Miles’ mind.

He avoided Sarissa’s upward slash and kicked her in the ribs. She held her ground, letting go of her sword with one hand and punching him in the face, making Miles stagger for the first time as soon as her fist landed on his chin.

"And it had to be in a fight where none of us cares if the other lives or dies, yeah?"

Miles saw stars, but did not waver, holding Sarissa by the collar of her armor, and landing a headbutt that made her vision go blank for a second.

"You know that’s not true, right?"

"Can you tell this to her?" Miles growled, interlocked with Sarissa in almost feral violence. "I’m pretty sure she’s out for my blood!"

"I tried, my boy. But ever since I took her to Wonderland, she suppresses me from talking, and only uses me as a weapon!"

Miles punched her ribs once more, and this time, he heard a sonorous cracking sound. She staggered for a moment, and he hesitated.

However, as soon as he did, she buried her teeth in his neck, giving it her all to rip a chunk of his flesh in that bite.

"Then DO SOMETHING! One of us will die here if it keeps dragging on like this!" Miles let out a beastly scream as he felt her teeth burying on his skin.

"There’s one thing I can do, but you’ll have to trust me, my boy!" Cheshire’s voice was urgent, but his underlying tone sent a familiar sense of comfort through Miles’ heart.

Even though he was entangled in pure, feral brutality, he felt like he was back at Wonderland once more, when everything was easier.

Well, not easier, but surely less complicated than this.

"Do it!" Miles grunted, lifting Sarissa with all his might, and throwing her to the other side of the arena.

Sarissa got up, and spat a small chunk of Miles’ neck, looking at him with murder in her eyes.

Before that, however, before Miles became sure that one of them was not leaving the arena alive, before his resolve steeled, Cheshire spoke to him again one last time.

It was more of a flood of concepts and emotions being sent directly into Miles’ mind, but it was enough for him to understand it.

’Are you... Sure...?’ His eyes widened in shock and perplexity.

But there was no time to think anymore, Sarissa was already charging at him, [Cheshire’s Gleam] in her hands, aimed at his heart.

"It’s the only way..."

If Miles could hear Cheshire now, he would feel the longing, anger, and defeat in the cat’s voice.

Miles felt the betrayal from when he found out in the worst way possible that Sarissa was Alice’s legacy, of Cheshire abandoning him to stay by her side. He felt the loss of making a poor choice, even though it was a justifiable one, that caused him to lose an entire year by his best friend’s side.

He felt the pain of never being acknowledged even once by the most powerful figure in this hellish game they were began to play...

Sarissa charged, and the world narrowed around Miles to the sound of her footsteps and the shimmer of [Cheshire’s Gleam] howling with purpose.

It wasn’t just a weapon. It never had been.

And now, it had a purpose far greater than the one Sarissa herself had given it. Grater than just aiding her in her fiercest battles.

Greater than just being a sharp and powerful blade to cut her enemies down.

Miles held his ground, breath ragged, every nerve screaming to fight back, to not let his guard down, but he did not lift his scythe. His fingers flexed around its shaft, and then, slowly, deliberately...

He dismissed it, a storm of black sparks swirling around him like countless butterflies.

His heart thundered, but he took a step forward, and then another.

***

Sarissa’s eyes flickered in confusion just for a second, but the blade did not stop. It couldn’t. Even Cheshire himself couldn’t stop it now, after being forced back into this shape, after channeling all her pain, all her fury, into this one single strike.

Her mouth parted, but the motion was automatic, the understanding of the inevitability of her breakdown too late to be stopped. Her mind warred against her body, her instincts at odds with the unbearable certainty that this was wrong.

She felt as if something was amiss there, as if something was fundamentally wrong, and in that brief moment, she even thought that it had to do with her choice, but no.

It had nothing to do with her choice to eliminate that threat.

She would correct the balance of power, clear the [Mouth of the Abyss], and see what happened next.

She would teach Miles his place, and it would be the last thing he would learn.

But no...

There was something very wrong in all this, but what?

’Cheshire...?’ She thought to her blade, allowing him to answer for the first time in that long last year and a while, but her weapon did not say a word in retort.

It only hummed with power.

Her power.

Her emotions, her anger and pride, her blade pulsing like a living heartbeat.

She screamed at the sight in front of her. Not in agony or despair, but pure, raw fury at the slow realization that she was being led to an inescapable trap.

***

Miles looked at her, the bloodied and swollen face of someone who held her pride above all else. Of someone who probably just seized the opportunity of him being away to steal more from him.

Of someone who was worse than evil...

And opened his arms, welcoming Sarissa’s piercing blade.