Oscar did want to complete his mission. He knew his family’s life is at stake.

But when Aonair almost got killed, his heart clenched. In the end, he couldn't do it.

He stopped the soldier and let the boys ran away.

Of course, if Oscar gave an order to chase or even kill them, the soldiers could do that easily.

The soldiers were elite, but their mind and body are still like normal human. They were called elite only because of their skill.

They can shoot their skills from far away and kill Aonair and Laoch in their state with ease, but Oscar prohibited them to.

"Don't bother. They won't live that long with such injury. Let's regroup with the others to fight the Destroyer first."

Oscar commanded them and went to where Zel and Klann were fighting.

Oscar looked back one more time. The sight of two boys carrying each other brought a sad smile upon him.

(I can't kill you, after all. If you can survive, please live... I will have to prepare my escape with Diana and Diego.)

He let test subjects ran away. There's no doubt Oscar will get punished. He sighed as he ran toward where Zel is.

On his way, a person was running toward the opposite of their destination. Oscar took a look at him and his eyes widened.

"Commander Klann?!"

Klann was running like a mad man. From his track, he's going to meet with Aonair and Laoch in no time.

He shouted toward Oscar as he was running,

"I will kill those cretins! You take care of the big man right there!"

"What?!"

At this rate, Aonair and Laoch will be killed by Klann. With those injuries, Aonair can't do anything.

(As if I couldn't have more trouble in my hand!)

Oscar racked his brain on what he is going to do now.

But before he’s even able to organize his thought, an explosion crashed in front of him and his group.

The dust dissipated and a person was standing there with his greatsword on his shoulder.

"Hey, you saw where that bastard Klann went?"

Zel's eyes were serious. His glare pressured the group and made them fell back.

"Ah, so that's where he went... Excuse me."

Zel didn't get any answer, but he took a look behind them and found Klann easily.

He prepared to run toward Klann, but Oscar stood before him.

"You want to be killed?"

"No... But I can cooperate with you."

(If I stop him here, Aonair will be killed by Klann... and me too by the Destroyer. But if I didn't, Klann will personally kill me and my family...)

Thinking he has no choice but to persuade Zel, he remained standing in front of the big man.

"You realize that you're my enemy too, don't you?"

Zel stood firmly while preparing to fight Oscar's men. Zel cannot waste more time since Klann is after Aonair and Laoch.

"I know. But we better cooperate to save everyone... to save Aonair and my family too."

"You!"

Oscar didn't say it wrong, but Zel who already recognized him as his enemy interpreted it as a threat.

"I don't care anymore. You stay there, you die!"

Zel rushed toward Oscar with a frightening speed. Then, he swung his greatsword to kill Oscar.

"I told you to hear me first!"

Oscar didn't give up and instead, he raised his hands. A black, thin rope came out from his hands and as if having their own thought, they sticked themselves to Zel's greatsword.

Before the greatsword reached him, Oscar pulled the black rope that was already sticking to Zel's greatsword to the ground.

Afterwards, the greatsword came crashing down to the ground. At that moment, Oscar cut off his black rope to let it fall with the greatsword.

Zel tried to pick the greatsword, but he couldn't. The black rope sticked hard to the ground. It prevented Zel to pick it up.

"Your weapon is down. Mind talking now?"

"... Why are you doing this? I don't see the point of making deal here."

"It's for my sake and yours too. Believe me, I won't do nasty things like backstabbing you."

Oscar smiled wryly and put his hand above his head to shows his unwillingness to fight.

After the short clash, Zel understood that Oscar was more than just a mere captain.

That black rope has a sticky attribute and that could be troublesome in this situation.

(If he's serious, he can restrain me quite easily...)

Zel re-assessed his evaluation toward Oscar. But the question in his head remains the same.

"Then tell me why."

"... I don't want Aonair to die. He reminds me too much of my own son. And you don't want it to happen too, right?"

"... Your son?"

"You should know that we didn't come here willingly. Our family will be in danger if we didn't comply."

After Oscar said that, the soldiers were nodding to each other.

"For me myself, I have a special attachment toward that boy. Goodness, fate is toying with me. I will tell you my past later, for now, I want to propose my idea to you."

Oscar walked toward Zel slowly and looked straight in his eyes.

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Seeing Oscar won't back down and as he's very serious, Zel loosened up and finally agreed with him.

"Muu... To know my name, you're no ordinary guy. But we have the same goal in mind, so... fine, tell me what you got."

Oscar let out a relieved breath and the soldiers relaxed a little.

(Let's make this work...!)

Oscar thought as he explained his idea to Zel.

...

......

While Oscar and Zel were having some sort of deal, Laoch and Aonair kept running away from the battlefield.

They slowly walked toward the forest and almost reached the outer side.

"Woah!"

But suddenly, Laoch fell down with Aonair on his shoulder.

"What happened?"

"My legs... I can't move them..."

Laoch's face wasn't showing any pain, but he was confused.

Aonair took a look at Laoch and involuntary shouted.

"What the hell?!"

"What... Oh my...!"

Laoch who was surprised bent over to see his lower body and he was shocked too.

"It's happening... Your legs, it has turned into the dragonkin's."

"That's why I can't move properly... It's not part of my body anymore."

Laoch who has slowly turned into monster was scared, but he’s still able to calmly think through.

On the other side, Aonair was terrified, but at the same time, he's at lost for what to do.

Now that Laoch couldn't move, then what should he do?

Aonair couldn't move too because of his leg injury. His other injuries need to be treated as well, or he will die by blood loss.

But if they didn't move, they will be chased.

Knowing there's no other option, Aonair stood up while grunting in pain.

"What are you doing?"

Laoch asked Aonair, but before he got his answer, Aonair pulled his body and lent him his shoulder.

"Alright, you carried me here all the way from back there. Now it's my turn... Ouch, it hurts!"

Aonair smiled and started to move, albeit very slowly.

Laoch couldn't do anything but shout at his injured friend.

"Stop it! Your wound is letting out too much blood! We should stay low and wait for Mr. Zel!"

"Hey, stop shouting on my ear! Relax, I won't die because of some stab wounds."

He walked one step, two step. For each step, Aonair would grunt and his wounds will let out more blood.

Laoch certainly didn't want Aonair to suffer like this. He wanted to tell him to stop again, but an eerie shout echoed through the field.

"I found you, you bastards!"

"That man again?!"

Aonair was shocked at Klann's appearance. He was quite beaten up and his smooth hair was ruined.

But what made him scared is his warped face. It's a madman face he got there.

"I will kill you, and then I will make you suffer!"

While laughing, Klann ran toward the boys.

(Doesn't that go backward?!)

Aonair has objections toward Klann's statement, but the creepy laugh forced to push that thought away and he started to run.

"You won't get away! Hah!!!"

Klann raised his hand upward, and the ground below Aonair and Laoch began to glow.

Aonair was too focused on running away that he didn't notice it, but Laoch has seen it clearly.

"Watch out!"

Right at the nick of time, Laoch pushed Aonair to the side. Then, the glowing light emerged and made a barrier around Laoch.

"Laoch, no!"

Aonair stumbled, but he made it to the barrier. He punched it, trying to get Laoch out of it.

But the barrier was too strong. Even if Aonair is at his normal state, he couldn't do anything.

"Why... Why?! Why am I so useless?! I beg you, let him out! Let us away!"

Aonair felt he couldn't do anything. He promised the chief to protect Laoch.

He knew that Deas was waiting for Laoch at home.

But his action proved nothing but the fact that he's completely useless.

As Aonair fell into despair, Klann walked slowly toward them. He enjoyed every single moment of the broken Aonair crying out his regrets.

Laoch couldn't bear to see his friend hurting like that. That's why, he told him to do something that he knew Aonair wouldn't do.

"Aonair, run away."

"...What... are you saying?"

"I said, run away!"

"Do you think I will leave you here?! What kind of person do you think I am?!"

Aonair's confusion and regrets were turned into anger once he heard Laoch's words.

"I promised your father! I will protect you at all cost! We will live together! It's okay, I will find way to let you out! I promise!"

Aonair began to ramble and tried to find something that didn't exist.

He was talking as if reassuring Laoch, but what he’s actually doing is just him trying to calm himself.

He's reassuring himself with his words.

(Everything is fine. We can run away. This barrier must have some weaknesses. I need to find it and run away!)

Aonair's heart were filled with positiveness again, but Laoch words crushed it once more.

"Don't be delusional. This barrier is a [Level 4] skill. A kid like you can't do anything. Don't do this to me, Aonair."

Laoch knew Aonair has more responsibility than he does. He calmed his mind by telling lies to himself.

Seeing that, Laoch won't just sit still and not do anything.

"Only one of us can survive now, and it's you. Go to the forest and wait for Zel. I will buy time."

"But--!"

"Don't worry! I have my skill! Believe in me, Aonair."

Laoch smiled to Aonair, but Aonair couldn't ever smile at time like this.

After accepting the reality that Laoch won't be able to continue, Aonair started to cry.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. Now go! Tell my father and Deas that I'm sorry. Tell them that I love them."

"..."

Laoch glanced at Klann. He walked slowly as if to savor the sad scene that’s happening in front of him.

He believed that Aonair wouldn't run away alone, so he didn't do anything. He must be sure he could kill Aonair and Laoch easily.

But Laoch will never let it happen. He will make sure Klann won't chase him...

Even with his life at cost.

"What are you waiting for? That freak is getting closer. Now run! Run as fast as you can!"

Laoch shouted to Aonair again. This time, Aonair stared at Laoch, and after realizing that Laoch is serious, he stood up and turned his back. Then, he started to run away.

"Yes, that's it! Go as far as you can! Survive!"

Laoch's kept shouting at Aonair, but Aonair didn't say anything or even turn his head.

He kept running with tears flowing from his eyes. He gritted his teeth and ran faster, ignoring the pain from his wounds.

"That's right. Keep going. Don't let them catch you. And then... I can be at ease..."

Laoch who was trapped inside fixed his posture and leaned against the barrier.

"Haa... Just when I turned into adult... Just when I finally got a lover... It turned out like this..."

Laoch smiled as he kept complaining about his destiny.

"Keep your act together, Laoch. We have to buy time for Aonair."

Laoch's gaze is focused at Klann. He was ready to do what he must do, for the sake of his friend.

But there was something's odd.

Laoch couldn't help but feel something amiss.

(Why is he so calm?)

Klann didn't even bother to run. He simply walked... and finally arrived in front of the barrier while looking down at Laoch.

That creepy smile of Klann made Laoch's shudder and his composure was lost when faced with such bloodlust.

"... S-so that's... how it is..."

Realizing Klann's true intention all along, Laoch heart felt like it was clenched hard.

The feeling of Death.

"Someone... help..."

A whisper of desperation was blown into the wind.