"Alan?"
My lips quivered; a sense of dread and fear crept under my skin, making tremble as I looked at the man with light auburn hair taking Alan out of the stadium.
...That man looked back at , gesturing for to follow before he vanished.
"A-Az."
I slowly turned towards Ashlyn, her eyes bloodshot, her hands pressing on Tiffany's stomach, trying to stop the bleeding.
"H-help."
Her lips were pale, bloodless; they fluttered, asking for help.
I remained silent as I looked back at the place where Alan was taken.
'...What should I do?'
If I leave now, Tiffany will die, but if I don't, Alan could also die.
I bit my lips, blood trickling down from them as I looked at her crying, holding her dying sister.
"A-Az, p-please help." Her grieving voice echoed in my ears, making my head burst with remorse.
'..Please, please be the right decision.'
Crawling towards her, I prayed reaching towards Tiffany.
'.....'
But my body froze once again as my gaze lingered on the two dead bodies of the soldiers.
...Their bodies were crushed, mingled with the ground, spread with the fragnts of their skulls, brains, hair—and blood.
...Weren't they the ones whom I threatened in the na of their family?
The guilt of forcing them to protect her hit like a wave, making nauseous.
...I did what my mother always does—using their loved ones against them.
...And now they are dead.
...How many innocent lives am I going to destroy?
'..Not the ti.'
I bit my lips again, forcing the guilt aside as I focused on Tiffany.
A part of her midsection was cut open close to her stomach.
She got lucky; if whatever cut through her was just an inch longer, she would have been split in half.
"Move aside," I instructed softly.
"B-but A-Az."
"I said move aside!!" I snapped, making her flinch.
Sniffing, she nodded, giving way to sit close to her wound. Blood leaked from it at an alarming rate.
'Okay, it's just this part.'
Due to those two soldiers taking most of the damage, her body was mostly unhard.
I don't know about the internal bleeding, but for now, the only problem is blood loss.
"Haah."
Taking a deep breath, I brought both my arms close to her injury.
[Az! Az, what are you doing!?]
'..I am using my life source.'
[Hey! Don't do that, Az! Use Ruah!]
'...I can't. I don't have enough ti for that!'
[No, don't do it, Az. The damage would be permanent. You already have a short life—]
'I will be fine!!'
[Seriously, which idiot taught you this!!]
'I don't know!! Okay! When I was five, I already knew how to use Ruah!'
...And it's not the first ti I am using it.
...One month's life source would be more than enough.
Closing my eyes, I touched her injury, channeling my life source.
It was a vague feeling, but once again, I felt a part of myself dying.
Unlike Ruah, which channels the life energy, life source is different.
It's like a container that holds the life energy within it.
My life source is already broken, so it's easy for to break another small part of it.
[...Don't make it sound easy. Using life source is like slowly going through the pain of slowly killing yourself. No sane person would do that.]
'..But it does its work.'
I grumbled, opening my eyes and looking at her wound that healed, leaving only a mark.
"I-is she a-alright?" Stuttering, Ashlyn crawled closer, holding her sister's hand.
"We need to move from here," I ordered as I stood up, trying to pick up Tiffany.
"Arghh!!"
But I imdiately fell to my knees, a gripping pain crushing throughout my body.
Only then did I notice my condition: fractured ribs, cuts that oozed blood on my arms, thighs, and shoulder.
"Azariah!!" Ashlyn tried to support , but I quickly stopped her.
"Pick her up." Limping, I stood up, looking at her.
She nodded, picking her up before she looked back.
"Aunt Mina." She muttered, tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Ashlyn!!" I yelled, grabbing her and forcing her to move.
Her sister was still in her arms, but she wasn't out of danger.
I still don't know if she is suffering from internal bleeding or not.
I looked around as I stepped down the stairs.
I found Arianell helping the citizens to evacuate.
I also found Shyamal... dancing and playing happily with a scythe in the middle of mayhem.
...Crazy girl.
'..She isn't here?'
I felt a knot in my stomach as I couldn't find Lauryn anywhere, nor Christina.
'..Did sothing happen to her?'
I shook my head at that thought. She should be safe. Nothing should happen to her.
...But what should I do now?
Halfway through his words, another explosion happened, this ti on the northern side of the stadium.
I was planning to ask for Lauryn's help.
"Azariah!!" As soon as I got down, Aimar, Miley, and Ethan quickly ran towards us.
"Hey, what happened—"
BOOOOOOM!!!
Halfway through his words, another explosion happened, this ti on the northern side of the stadium.
People still hadn't evacuated from the stadium, making this explosion take another hundreds of lives.
"Look for David!!" I yelled, grabbing Aimar, forcing him to look at . "Tell him to co to the western side as soon as possible!!"
"Why?"
"Alan is in danger!! Just do as I say!!" I ordered as I moved past him.
"What about Christina!!" He shouted, making halt.
"Don't drag her into this!" Turning back, I grabbed his collar. "Don't say a word to her!!"
...I don't want to see that.
I don't want to see that broken look on her face.
No matter what happens.
"Okay, fine!" He grumbled, removing my hand.
I didn't look back as I staggered towards Alan and that man.
[...What if this is a trap.]
'...It's a trap, I know that.'
[...Why go there then?]
'.....'
[...You are in no condition to fight, Az.]
'...I know.'
With how painful my body is, I am sure I can't fight to my fullest.
...But that doesn't an I can't stall for ti.
...I just have to make sure I don't fall into their hands before David arrives.
Limping in pain, I moved towards the western part hosting the building that covered most of the parts.
'...Is it there?'
I wondered, my gaze fixed on the billowing smoke.
I strengthened my legs, feeling strain on them, but that didn't stop from running towards the smoke.
The closer I got, the more the pungent sll of burning flesh assaulted my nostrils.
I quickly arrived at a wide pathway, my legs faltering as I looked at the man standing beside a fire.
"You are late." The man mocked with a smirk on his face.
But I couldn't tear my eyes away from the grueso sight before : a headless body engulfed in flas, the acrid stench filling the air.
"No, no."
My hands fell helplessly to my sides. My body turned cold, and a wave of nausea washed over .
...No.
...It can't be.
...Not like this.
"Hmm?" A surprised voice ca from behind, making glance back.
"What are you doing here?" asked a tall man with dark hair, his voice filled with confusion. "...Shouldn't it be that boy's father or sister rushing here?"
My heart pounded in my chest, a burning pain spreading through as I heard his words.
"What did you do?" I asked, my reaction lukewarm.
The rage and fury I had expected to feel were absent, replaced by a cold numbness.
Perhaps my mind hadn't registered yet that the man standing in front of was the sa man who had tortured for months.
"Nothing much," he replied, a smile plastered on his face. "I thought of catching a small fish with the worm, but who would have thought I would get my desired fish."
"I see," I replied, turning towards him.
'Willis... help .'
Dada.
I took a step forward, the veins in my legs becoming visible, burning in a hue of orange before crumbling into pieces.
But I didn't stumble or fall; instead, my vision blurred, my body spun, and before I knew it, my leg connected with his neck.
Boom!!
An explosion occurred, the ground beneath him shattering into pieces like a lightning strike.
But...
...He remained still.
"Hmm, an angelic being from the knees below?" he mumbled, observing my leg before looking at . "Isn't your spirit fascinating?"
Boom!!
I didn't reply but twisted my body, kicking him again.
His hands blurred as he grabbed my leg. "I may have just ascended to Overlord, but that doesn't an you can win!!"
He turned around before throwing my body into a nearby building.
"Urghh!!"
Crashing through the wall, I felt the impact reverberate through my bones.
Dust and debris filled the air as I struggled to get back on my feet.
Pain radiated through my body, but I pushed it aside, forcing myself to stand.
"Aren't you tough?" he asked, walking leisurely through the debris. "...Ahhh, I wish Mother would let have you to complete my experints."
I didn't reply but prowled toward him again, taking out my axe-hamr.
My vision blurred as I lunged the axe side toward his head.
"Arghh... Urghh!!"
Before it could connect, a kick to my midsection sent flying away.
"Do you not understand the disparity in our strength?" he questioned, grabbing my leg and crashing down.
"Huff... Huff..."
I struggled for breath as he looked away.
"This isn't fun," he mumbled. "Mikhail, show it to him!"
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