Chapter 43: Princess Carry vs Grocery Bag

To be honest, Summer had already lost count of how many mutated creatures she had killed or how far she had run.

However, one thing was certain. Her legs and arms were starting to feel numb.

Unfortunately, she had always known this would happen sooner or later. Her current body simply couldn’t keep up with the fighting skills she still remembered.

When her hands started trembling so badly that she could barely hold the spear anymore, Summer finally let it drop to the ground. "Forget it."

She switched back to her rifle instead, but even that wasn’t much better.

After firing so many times, the recoil had already started to punish her shoulders. Every shot sent another dull ache through them.

[Warning! Warning!]

[Mutated Ground Snake Detected!]

[Distance: 432 meters]

[Threat Level: S-Rank]

Summer froze for half a second. "S-Rank?"

The ground ahead of her suddenly cracked. A massive snake slowly pushed its way up from below, dirt and broken stones sliding off its body as it rose higher and higher.

Its thick body was covered in dark brown scales that looked strangely glossy under the polluted light.

Maybe it had just shed its skin or maybe it had just evolved because of the polluted energy explosion.

Either way, one thing was obvious: this thing was much worse than everything she had fought so far.

After all, the last time she fought S-Rank creatures, she had Archer’s help, so everything felt much easier.

But fighting one alone? That was a completely different story.

Even Saddie understood that clearly.

The moment she saw the S-Rank snake, she didn’t even think about fighting it. She turned around and ran.

"Summer, run!" Saddie grabbed Summer’s hand and pulled her along. "Let’s find Captain Ilya instea—"

Saddie didn’t finish her sentence because she heard a heavy sound behind her.

Summer looked back just in time to see the giant snake twist its body. Its thick tail swept across the ground and headed straight toward them.

"Shit!"

The tail slammed into both of them from behind, and Summer felt the air leave her lungs as her body was thrown forward.

The impact was so strong that she was sent flying high into the air.

"SUMMER!"

She couldn’t even tell if the scream came from Saddie or someone else.

Summer swallowed hard as her eyes turned downward, and she realized that the ground looked so far away.

She had been able to fly before with the machine in her legs, but now that she didn’t have any flying mechanism, somehow this height scared her a little.

Not long after they were thrown high into the air, their bodies began falling rapidly toward the ground, making Summer feel like her stomach had dropped.

She wasn’t even able to hold onto her rifle, letting it fall as well.

[Holy shit! I can’t watch this anymore!]

[Noooo! My two favorite streamers!]

[If only I could add the Fallen Angel soundtrack.]

[OMG, stop thinking about your video edit!]

Summer suddenly felt Saddie reach for her hand. Before she could even understand what was happening, Saddie pulled Summer above her own body.

Summer widened her eyes as she realized that Saddie was planning to take the impact first.

What if she shifted into her rabbit form? Could she even do that? She had never tried it even once since coming to this world.

But before she could test it, something moved through the air at high speed.

In the next second, an arm suddenly wrapped around her. Summer gasped as her falling body was pulled upward again.

She closed her eyes on instinct and breathed so fast that her chest hurt. But when her face pressed against something warm and firm, she slowly realized that she wasn’t in danger anymore.

"The evaluation is over." Ilya’s voice came from above her. "I’ve seen enough, and you’re clearly reaching your limit."

Summer opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Ilya’s face. When she looked up a little more, she noticed the huge golden wings spread behind him.

One of Ilya’s arms was wrapped firmly around her waist, keeping her pressed against his side as if carrying her with one arm was the easiest thing in the world.

Summer blinked several times, and then she suddenly remembered someone. "Saddie!"

"I’m here!"

Summer quickly looked to the other side and saw that Ilya’s metal arm was carrying Saddie by the back of her clothes.

He wasn’t even holding her properly, as if she were a grocery shopping bag.

Saddie dangled in the air with both arms hanging down, and her face was completely blank.

Summer stared at her, and Saddie stared back. She sighed and then slowly asked Ilya, "Why am I being carried like someone’s groceries?"

Ilya didn’t even look at her. "Because my other arm is occupied."

Saddie sighed once again. "I see..."

[Ilya, at least, don’t be so obvious!]

[One gets princess treatment and the other gets grocery bag treatment. I’m crine lolol]

[Captain Noctis, the difference is CRAZY.]

[Poor Saddie lmaooo.]

Summer tried very hard not to laugh. She really did. But when Saddie continued hanging there with the same dead expression, a small laugh still escaped her.

"Summer!" Saddie protested.

"What? I’m just—"

Fortunately, Summer didn’t have to come up with an excuse because the mutated snake suddenly opened its mouth and a thick stream of dark green venom shot straight toward them.

Ilya dropped lower without warning. Summer immediately grabbed his shoulder as her stomach flipped again.

At the same time, Ilya swung his metal arm and threw Saddie toward a large emergency tent canopy that had somehow survived between two collapsed buildings.

"WAIT—WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Saddie flew through the air and she landed right on top of the canopy. The fabric sank deeply under her weight before bouncing her once.

"Captain Noctis!" Saddie shouted at him after realizing what had happened. "At least give me a warning first!"

Ilya ignored her, then said to Summer, "Hold on."

His arm tightened around her waist as Summer wrapped her arms around his neck. Somehow, being carried through the air by someone was scarier than flying by herself.

Or was it because she just wanted an excuse to hug him?

Nah, that was impossible.