Chapter 53

Dduk dduk.

In a puddle of coagulated blood, who does it belong to?

Dduk dduk.

Even though some members knew the owner of the blood falling below, they closed their eyes and attempted to avoid looking, not wanting to believe it.

The fallen Rockt, pushed away by Morrison, has not yet touched the ground. Floating through space and time alone, everything seemed to move slowly in Kalion’s eyes. 

In Kalion’s vision, the flowing blood did not stop and traced its path.

“Rock…t.”

Rockt’s name was called out by Kalion, and only then did a thud sound as the body collided with the floor.

“Com…mander….”

Members who recognized the fallen Rockt just stared with open mouths, finding it difficult to face the situation as if it were too harsh to witness, exhaling rough breaths.

“Kuh, kuhf.”

“R-Rockt!”

“Com-Commander!”

“No, no!”

Kalion, calling Rockt, and the other members’ sorrowful voices echoed in the cave.

Kalion’s eyes focused on Rockt’s pierced abdomen. No. It can’t be. What lies on the ground, bleeding, is not Rockt.

As if someone had forcibly injected the scene into his mind, Kalion, who had self-hypnotized, repeated it endlessly.

“Roc….”

Kalion’s breath, which couldn’t bring itself to say Rockt’s full name, scattered with his hot breath. Feeling Kalion’s trembling body, Gia tried hard to regain her composure.

As Gia was held in Kalion’s arms, her body also trembled. Gia, who barely regained her composure, focused her eyes, and only then did the constantly flowing blood from Rockt’s abdomen come into view.

“I can’t forgive… Morrison!”

Even though she thought there was no strength left, Gia, who pushed away Kalion embracing her, stood tall.

Fallen Rockt.

Bleeding Rockt.

A hot lump scratched her throat, causing a burn. Although the time spent together was not long, and the first impression was not that great.

Still, he wasn’t supposed to die here like this. Gia’s eyes flashed with tears. 

Unknowingly, she must have also given affection to the members.

“Hehe.”

Crush that grinning face underfoot, and the rage might not dissipate. As Gia clenched her fist, the bones stabbed into the muscles, attempting to suppress the arm that lacked strength.

Gia, who gritted her teeth and endured the spontaneously flowing screams, leaped forward faster than anyone else. Empowering her high jump with strength, she descended like lightning.

Thud. Thud.

“Morrison!”

“Hehe.”

Gia’s cries of anger and the metallic sound echoed in her ears like a haunting refrain. 

Is this reality? Even when Kalion tried to move his frozen body, the lack of a sense of reality made his head feel numb. Although he knew someone would be hurt, would die.

As he clenched his fist, the nails dug into his palm.

Sting.

When Kalion felt the pain in his palm, he finally realized that this was reality.

He thought he treated everyone fairly and with affection. However, seeing Rockt, the oldest connection, lying on the cold ground, bleeding, made it difficult for him to continue thinking rationally.

“Blood, blood! It won’t stop!”

Jacob’s shout snapped Kalion, who stood there numbly, back to attention.

“Cool, luck. Com, Commander….”

“Don’t… don’t speak.”

Every time he tried to speak, blood overflowed from Rockt’s lips. Kalion concentrated on the wounds, trying not to look at Rockt’s face covered in blood.

Kalion tried to reassure himself. He can survive. Kalion’s hands moved quickly, pressing on the bleeding wounds.

“I’m… okay… hurry, Gia……”

“Darn it.”

An unpleasant sound burst from Kalion’s mouth. He turned his gaze towards Gia, who was still fighting Morrison. 

Gia, not fully recovered, seemed to be gradually pushed back by Morrison’s attacks.

Gushing blood, Kalion’s eyes, unable to do anything about it, shook uncontrollably, like a buoy meeting a tidal wave.

“Jacob.”

“Yes.”

“Protect Rockt.”

“Understood.”

“The rest, kill Morrison.”

Flames ignited in Kalion’s two eyes, red eyes. The flames flickering deep within exuded a bluish warmth, as if ready to burn everything.

As the members stood up following Kalion, their expressions froze frighteningly. Despite not coordinating their actions, it seemed like they had made an implicit agreement, as they all rushed towards Morrison.

Amid the members continuing their offensive to cover Gia’s vulnerabilities, Kalion’s expression was almost devoid of emotion.

“Do you think you can win by rushing in as a group?”

Morrison laughed, adopting a teacher-like tone as he imparted lessons to the foolish children. The triangular teeth were prominently displayed without restraint.

“Shut up, Morrison. I’m going to end you right here.”

Blood trickled down from a wound near Gia’s mouth. Without hesitation, Gia spat out the pooled blood on the ground, expressing her anger towards Morrison.

“Watching the last struggle of these insects isn’t so bad. After that, I’ll pick them off one by one.”

As Morrison swung his arm horizontally, the nearby members, wielding swords, fell as if proving that it had all been a mere joke until now.

“So you can witness the end of your comrades, one by one.”

Morrison’s large mouth ripped open, releasing a disgusting laughter.

“One by one.”

“Nonsense.”

Seizing the opportunity, Gia bent her body low and swung her dagger downward, but Morrison’s gloomy pupils followed Gia’s movements.

“You don’t ever learn.”

“Crazy. Ugh.”

In response to Morrison’s action, swiftly bringing down an expected pointed spear, Gia hastily changed direction.

She narrowly avoided getting impaled in the head. Fortunately, she wasn’t injured, but due to the abrupt change in direction, Gia lost her balance and rolled out to the left. 

Kalion blocked Morrison’s path as he attempted to go after Gia.

“Ugh.”

Just enduring causes a tingling sensation in the mouth. Luckily, the other arm is being blocked alternately by the rest of the members. Otherwise, Kalion wouldn’t have lasted long.

“Oho. You’re quite skilled. As expected.”

Morrison’s eyes, as if boasting that he had seen through people well, stared at Kalion without blinking.

“As expected. Tempting.”

Without paying attention to the attacks coming from the other members, Morrison parried them effortlessly. Morrison’s mouth curled upward as he flailed his arms roughly as if playing with a pet dog.

“Now, enough of the games.”

Thud.

Just by swinging his arm forcefully as if shaking off, the people who were holding Morrison were all thrown off like pieces of paper. 

Kalion was no exception.

“The order is… um.”

On the bodies of the fallen members and Kalion lying on the ground, there were suddenly numerous marks. It was astonishing how just blocking one attack could lead to being battered and bruised like this. 

Kalion gritted his teeth at Morrison’s strength, which was different from what Gia had described.

“Still, since there was an old connection, shall we start with Gia?”

Morrison turned towards Gia, who was struggling to get up, as if getting up was an arduous task.

“No!”

Kalion leaped in front, blocking Morrison, his body flying as if to intercept. 

However, he effortlessly bent to avoid Kalion’s sword.

Thud.

The sharp edge of the descending sword went out in an instant. The hand stung, and the vibration reached the bones. 

Kalion, using all his strength, managed to block Morrison’s attack, which poured down without restraint. Morrison seemed to want to impress upon Kalion the fact that he had been lenient until now, so the attacks were intensifying.

Thud.

Due to the depletion of mana stones, the sword could no longer emit a red glow. The sword rolled to the ground, and Morrison’s foot swung down, causing Kalion’s body to collapse powerlessly.

“Kuk.”

It was a slow kick that could easily be avoided if he tried to evade, but the impact was not negligible. The force was strong enough to distort Kalion’s armor.

“Kuh, khek.”

Forcing out breaths that wouldn’t burst, Kalion knelt and covered his stomach. If he didn’t have armor, perhaps his internal organs would have burst. 

Morrison, bypassing the coughing Kalion, headed towards Gia. Kalion desperately tried to grab Morrison, but he couldn’t lift a finger.

A sense of helplessness pressed on him like a shadow. 

Move. Move, damn it. 

Even when poked, his body remained motionless. 

No. Knowing where Morrison’s destination was, Kalion gritted his teeth. 

Gia. He had to protect her. 

Kalion’s red eyes burned with anxiety.

“You irritating woman.”

The sound of Morrison’s footsteps from directly above was heard. However, Gia was merely lying down, breathing. No matter how strong Gia’s regenerative powers were, it would take time for her to recover.

Now, lying down and holding her breath until the last moment before the breath was cut off was the best course of action, given that her internal organs were ruptured.

“Let’s end this fate. Don’t you want that too?”

“Gu… huh.”

Morrison squatted down, looking up at the ceiling with vacant eyes as he gazed down at Gia, soaked in despair.

“Survived by just the mouth.”

Morrison’s eyes flickered upward as if witnessing something amusing, and the tips of his nails slowly pricked Gia’s shoulder.

“G-ghuh.”

In the face of the impending pain, Gia bit down hard on her lips. 

Perhaps he was still remembering the shoulder pierced by Gia’s gun, Morrison’s hand relentlessly dug into her shoulder, stirring the flesh.

“Ack.”

As the living flesh was torn, moans escaped Gia’s mouth, and her swollen eyes bulged out to the point of becoming frightening.

“A very pleasing expression.”

Morrison’s face, smiling slyly, filled Gia’s view. 

Morrison seemed intent on etching Gia’s pain-ridden face into his memory, as he didn’t blink once. He even displayed a joyful expression.

“G-guh.”

As Gia tried to push away the hand digging into her shoulder, Morrison’s eyes gleamed with madness, putting more weight on her.

Sweat continuously dripped from Gia’s face. Her hands, soaked in blood, tightly gripped the hand with the claw-like nails.

“G-gh… ugh.”

With each agonizing groan, Morrison hummed as if listening to sweet music.

“Why? Do you want to live?”

“C-crazy… bastard…”

“Who does your mouth resemble so boldly? Especially for a girl. Well… your parents didn’t raise you like that, did they?”

Pitying tone. Truly unfortunate expression. 

Gia stifled her moans in the face of Morrison’s nauseating disgust. Had he forgotten who killed one of those parents? 

When Morrison callously brought up Gia’s parents, blood vessels popped on her forehead.

“Son of a bitch. Bastard.”

“Your problem is that mouth of yours.”

As Gia looked at Morrison’s face, blood gushed out uncontrollably from her mouth.

“I’ll save cutting that mouth for last.”

“Don’t talk shit.”

With veins bursting, Gia’s forehead turned crimson. Her face, already showing signs of impending rupture, now had a deep crimson hue.

Was this the end? There was no more strength to endure. 

Sensing the finality, Gia, with trembling lips, opened her mouth to ask the question that had been on her mind the most.