Chapter 81: [81] Hidden Event (3)
[Olivia is bleeding. Her health will continually be depleted over time]
[Olivia’s health is at 50%! All stats will be affected!]
The moment Ark saw the notification appear in front of him, he felt his chest turn hollow. His head immediately snapped in her direction, only to see the golem’s massive foot coming down upon her.
His entire body felt cold, and a thousand thoughts raced in his mind as he screamed out her name.
"Olivia!"
Was spreading out the wrong decision? Was Olivia going to die just because he felt like checking out a hidden event?!
Although his first impressions of her had been bad, Olivia had shown growth, she had shown that there was more to her than the stuck-up kid most people saw.
He could not let her die... Ark could not let his friend die!
Without a second to waste, he mentally sent a command to both Jenna and Inquisitor, causing his undead to turn into shadows and race towards her—
But it was impossible to make it in time.
<•••>
"Anna, Anna!" A little girl ran through a grand hall, her eyes searching whatever room she entered.
Her face was covered in paint, and her hair was a mess, but she had a wide smile on her face as she cradled the painting she had done.
As she ran, trying to find the woman, she tripped on her own foot, falling face-first, only to crash into an elderly woman.
"Oh my goodness, Olivia, what did I say about running in the halls??"
Olivia raised her head to stare at the woman, and then a goofy smile appeared on her face.
"Anna!" She raised the painting to show her, while smiling smugly. "Look, I just had it done!"
Anna stared at the picture intently... "It is marvelous, my lady." She smiled pleasantly. "Pardon me, this old woman is not too great at art. What exactly is it..."
"Hmmph!" Six-year-old Olivia huffed. "Of course you can’t understand it, it’s a work made by a genius after all!"
"Of course, my dear. Little Olivia is such a genius." She pinched her cheeks, causing the latter to giggle.
The woman laughed and held her hand, leading her through the hall.
"Where is mom??" Olivia asked. "Can you take me to her?"
"Shouldn’t you get cleaned up first? Your genius is spread all over your face..."
Olivia shook her head vehemently. "No! Take me to my mother right now!" She demanded.
Anna nodded, albeit hesitantly. "Alright then. She is having a tea party, but I am sure she would be more than pleased to see you."
She led Olivia down the hall, past a field of pleasantly-scented flowers, and into a small clearing before letting her go.
Olivia could see the shade her mother always held tea parties in the distance, and so she ran full speed ahead, eager to meet her.
But just as she got to where her mother was, she tripped and fell flat on her face.
The conversation between the women stopped, the space turning deathly quiet.
Seated around her mother were all high ranking women from various reputable families. Olivia recognized some, but a few were new faces.
They all watched as she stood up and wiped her body without saying a single word.
Olivia, on the other hand, was panicking. ’Where is it? Where is it??’
She glanced around, looking for her art piece, when the cold voice of her mother reached her ears.
"Olivia, what did I tell you about disturbing my meetings?"
Her mother was sitting elegantly amidst the women, with her legs crossed, her sharp green, emotionless eyes fixed on the little girl.
Unlike Olivia, whose hair was a mess, her orange hair was as smooth as silk, the wavy strands packed up in a high bun.
But Olivia’s heart leapt when she saw her. Her mother was holding her art piece!
"S-sorry, Miss Harrow. I wanted to show you something."
The women whispered amongst themselves, and Olivia’s mother ushered her forward, then tapped her lap.
"Come sit. Show me just what..." She raised the paper. "This is..."
Olivia’s face brightened and she hurried over to her. Her mother lifted her and placed her on her lap, much to the surprise of the women seated around.
"So?" Her mother’s green eyes observed her closely.
Olivia pointed at the paper. It was a drawing of a dark shadow with many jagged lines sticking out of it.
"This is the family head."
The woman smiled, which caused Olivia’s heart to tingle with joy.
"I see. You captured him quite well." Her eyes moved to the other side of the paper. "And that person?"
"That is me, Olivia!"
She nodded.
Olivia then pointed at the last person on the paper, and excitedly said, "And this is you, mom!"
But as the words left her lips, the warm expression on her mother’s face turned to a heart-wrenching scowl.
"How useless..."
The paper suddenly rotted, shrivelling to dust.
Olivia felt a horrid grip her heart like a vice. Even the women gathered grew uncomfortable, shifting in their seats.
"Make no mistake." The woman’s voice resounded in the depths of Olivia’s soul.
Her green eyes darkened, blackened veins appearing all over her formerly smooth skin.
"I am not your mother."
"I could never give birth to someone so... defective."
...
"Why can’t you remember anything right? Are you that useless?"
...
"Your talent is subpar for a member of this family. Why can’t you do anything properly?"
...
"You awakened a rare race? How much more disgraceful can you be?"
’But races are assigned at random. I did not choose to become a harpy...’
...
"An evaluation of S grades. It was just like I thought..."
The voices rang through Olivia’s head like a curse, her mother’s voice plaguing her mind.
"... you truly are utterly useless."
—
Olivia’s eyes suddenly snapped open as the monster’s foot came down upon her.
BANG!
The earth quaked on impact, a cloud of dust obscuring the area. But the foot never went fully down.
"I won’t die like this!" Olivia suddenly screamed at the top of her voice.
Her wings had soared out in front of her, stopping the golem’s massive foot from crushing her to a pulp.
She felt her muscles snapping, her heart thundering, and the warm blood that drifted down her wings.
But Olivia forced her body to work, she pushed her wings to go beyond their limits. Even as her bones groaned, even as her mind was blinded with pain.
All her life, she had been called useless.
Dying in this cave, dying in such an insignificant way would only prove their point. Olivia could not die. She refused to die!
Lightning raced around her body as she poured out her mana into defending herself. Every single cell in her body burned, but the giant’s leg remained unmoved.
A scream tore through her throat, one of her wings snapped.
"I AM NOT USELESSSS!"
Olivia let out a battle scream from the depth of her soul, and then it was as though her heart erupted.
Chains of lightning raced into the clouds like colossal pillars, gushing out of her chest like an endless stream.
The golem was reduced to ashes and debris. Right from its foot, up to the top of its head, everything crumbling to pieces.
Olivia stood up like a broken doll, her entire body covered in thick, red blood. Her two wings were brushing the floor, hanging uselessly, but Olivia had forgotten the pain.
"I’m not finished..."
She smiled, revealing blood-stained teeth, and stared at the golems that stood at a distance from her.
Then she raised a shaky hand and ushered them forward.
"Come at me, you fuckers!"
Lightning erupted around her, blackening the very floor where she stood. Her mana flared, and her hair began to float in the wind.
[You have awakened a new skill, Lightning Burst!]
[You have awakened a new skill, Thunder Berserker]
[Olivia has gone Berserk! All stats have increased by fifty percent! Intelligence has reduced by thirty percent!]
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