Into the Darkness.

“RUN!!!!”

Man, I don't know if I should start apologizing for being born or what. I expected that I'd jinxed myself, and it really happened. Maybe if I predict misfortune, it's likely to transpire.

"Eu, we're turning here." As I was dragging Eu by hand, I quietly whispered. "If we can exit this forest, we should be away from the orphanage grasp. Tsk, but those fuckers were scattered in every direction; we can’t take a straight path. More off, we can’t shake off those on our tail.”

Eu, remain silent as we dive into darkness; it's reasonable as she's keeping concealment with sound absorber magic around us, and I bet she got a lot of questions as well. Like, why is this happening or something like that? I don't know, but I know my luck is fucked up for this to happen right off the bat.

Even the sky was not on our side; not a single light was peeking out, making the entire place absolute darkness. Our pursuers encircle us; they know what they are doing; they're shrinking places we could go to.

We heightened our sigh. I didn't dare use my mana as light; I had been scattering my mana shaped like us all around, and I didn't want a slim chance of leading them to us. However, it only provides us with a few minutes. Without a doubt, it can fool human mana senses, but they're fast to check on those decoys.

Without a doubt, they’re using some sort of device, like a drone with mana sensors.

Eu's hurried whisper cut my thought.

“Voice.”

Nodding my head, I tighten my hold on Eu, lowering ourselves to nearby trees, avoiding bush that may cause a predicament. In this distance, I can definitely sense some people; it seems that due to my constant distribution of mana, dulls my other senses.

"Tsk, how hard is it to catch two brats in a forest??!!"

A familiar, annoyed voice echoes.

Hmmmm, that voice... thinking that I peek my head to take a look; amidst the lights, a familiar face pops up.

Realizing who it is, I inevitably sneer. “I thought so; if there was anyone to lead the search, it would be this pig.”

He's a human, but his build was no different than that of a pig—the very same dude who talks shit about me and tries to hit Lhina.

Maybe this is a godlike opportunity to kill him. I doubt it’ll be that easy.

Like Oscar, he's specialized in clearing the monsters around the orphanage. If he's here, Charles has his neck.

Retracting my head, I sit with Eu, giving a grin. "That bastard Charles, prepare a peculiar birthday party for us.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I know we're not in a situation to joke, but Eu's response lacks humane emotion.

"If you let me, I'll wipe them out alongside the orphanage."

"No, don't give them more reason to go after you."

When she said that with a blank expression, shivers ran down my spine. Yes, she's capable of that; that's why I can't let her do anything. Innocent people will be a by-product of her massacre. I don't want to say it, but she is a terror in the novel.

Her relatives might be waiting outside the forest and that's why they're hastily taking action now. They need to extract a sample from Eu before she gets rescued.

My ears pick up the screeching sound of the machine.

“However, sir, it seems the drones are malfunctioning; they keep detecting the mana of the boy all around the place."

"I don't care!!!! Were all fuck up if we fail!! It's the girl we're after, not that inept trash!!!! Go look for her with your own eyes!!!"

I can sense that they are leaving one by one; thankfully, the drones were powered by mana. One operator and three drones were left behind. After taking a moment, I got a good look at the drone.

Ugh, it's really those scrap metals. No wonder it can reach my decoys so fast.

The Falcon model was specially developed for a situation like this for military use, and the orphanage coincidentally has them. Bullshhit! It doesn't even look similar to a drone in my past life.

It’s more like a jet, with heavy guns on both sides and a single lens that looks like fierce eyes. If the situation calls for it, I can destroy it. But looking at the operator, his morale was low; it seemed he was not into the job.

He doesn't seem to be strong. Should I?

Before my thoughts progressed, Eu's mumble caught my attention.

"That wench weed, where's she when someone needs her?"

Wench weed? Is she referring to Lhina? As she didn't finish her words, I concluded that must be the case.

“……..”

All I know is that Lhina was out on an important matter. Even at this moment, I don't sense her mana anywhere, including Oscar. If we get dragged back to the orphanage, it's probably the end for us. Well, if all I can do is rely on them, there's nothing I can do in the future.

I have been preparing for this; I mustn't let it end horribly.

"Eu, let's go."

I wouldn't fail here; after all, I still need to meet those two. I hope you two are doing well while I'm having the time of my life here.

***

3rd person pov

As if the world has been turned outside down, a total mayhem as far as the eye can see. The once-total blank white space was now full of devastation. Not just the sky; eerie cracks scatter all around the place. Swirling fire, large rocks, mountains of ice, dark particles, and enormous threes spreading countless vines with roots piercing the sky...

“Sniff….uwahh!!! Why does it need to be redirected to my home? ”

Amidst the distraction, a woman cries, watching her place get wrecked.

"It's not like we can bring it to the Araeh," Alaric reasoned to her, who’s now in a full set of mage equipment, holding a long wooden staff with a chain and a skull with a keyhole at the top.

“Well, at least your dull place gains some decoration... " Oscar jokes, which earns him a glare that silences him. He is still in his home attire, with a jet-black sword in his hand.

"All types of monsters just keep coming without an end!!" She falls to her knees, dripping tears from her eyes. "Ain't this too much just for this?"

"Well, someone is messing with fate and all; obviously there's a big consequence." Alaric narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "But I must agree, this was really over the top. Fissures were all around the place, spawning monsters and hostile entities from random places in the universe."

"There are countless fluctuations in the universe right now. With several times that the fate was altered here, the fate was in chaos as well. Thus all the force was pointed here.” She shrugs, heaving a sign. “We can say that they were already mad, and the new distortion that is taking place here makes it target us."

“It’s either fate will fix itself or destroy it, huh?” Alaric mumbled, thinking to himself.

“That’s why we’re here. To make sure, my comrade, they’re not going to be disturbed...”

The moment Oscar said that all eyes landed on a person far from them.

Standing amid the growing nature was Lhifhina, who was staring afar. Looking at the surroundings, most of the damage was done by nature-type magic; even at this moment, Lhifhina's destruction sends shivers through all three of them.

Despite them remaining silent, it's evident to them that Lhifhina was letting out frustration. Knowing this, a sense of dread is shared by the three of them. It’s dangerous to approach her.

It's possible to say that she and Carus are not that different from each other.

Lhifhina, on the other hand, was keeping her promise; she was watching over Carus even now.

“Sigh, if it’s like this, I can’t watch on the side lane.”

Oscar is about to try to lighten the mood, but an ominous sound reverberates in the surroundings.

"Again, is there no end to this?!!" Despite whining, the woman jumped out from the ground.

Alaric prepares his staff. “Get ready!"

Countless enemies start emerging all around. In response, giant roots grow out from the ground, piercing the sky one after another and erasing monsters from existence before Oscar and others can respond.

They're already shaken by Lhina, yet a new fissure emerged right in front of them before. Its size stands above the others and has a variant appearance.

Oscar widened his eyes, as what came out of it was something familiar to him.

"Oi, if ain't that, fate fragment. It really hates us at this point,"