Gabriel held me tightly over his shoulder as he continued walking.
I glanced at Kiara, who was following behind us.
Slow. Hesitant. Helpless.
Gabriel stopped walking and sighed.
I blinked.
Out of curiosity, I glanced ahead and saw a man standing there.
Gabriel shouted.
"What are you doing here?"
He lifted his arm and pointed at me.
"You have something that belongs to me."
Belongs to him?
What does that even mean?
I watched Gabriel smirk and wave his hand.
"This kid? Sorry, but I got him first."
The mysterious man irritably scratched his neck and snapped,
"That's not the point!"
"You know I'll come for him!"
Gabriel took a step back before putting me down.
"Yeah, screw that."
Without warning, Gabriel raised multiple coins.
I quickly ran toward Kiara, while Loras stood in front of us.
"Loras, warn the others immediately," Gabriel said before launching his coins.
This is bad.
Kiara dragged me with her, leaving only Gabriel, Loras, and the Chief.
I kept running with Kiara, planning to warn the others.
Meanwhile, at the battlefield...
[Gabriel's POV]
"Be careful, Loras. That's Envy."
"And tell Tharen to follow the kids. We don't want any unnecessary accidents," I said as I kept launching more coins.
Loras nodded, then shouted,
"Chief, Mister Gabriel and I will take this head-on."
"Please follow the children."
Tharen slowly lowered his war axe and turned around.
After Tharen got away, I clenched one coin in my hand.
Then, I flicked my finger, launching it at Envy.
Envy dodged it effortlessly.
"Enough with your cheap tricks, Gabriel!"
I rubbed the back of my head.
"Why are you so eager, Geye?"
Geye landed on his feet, but Loras was already there and about to swing his crimson blade.
Geye successfully blocked it without breaking a sweat.
Scales?
Loras then quickly pulled back as soon as Geye blocked his attack.
"Mister Gabriel, what was that?"
I sighed.
"That's his ability."
Loras looked at me with surprised eyes.
"Ability?"
I nodded, then was about to respond, but—
ROAAAAAR!
Two sandworms connected to Geye's arms lunged toward us.
I barely dodged it.
I quickly glanced forward, keeping track of Geye's movements.
"You alright, Loras?"
Loras slowly stood on his feet.
"Yeah, just a scratch."
I glanced at him and noticed his blood hardening over his wounds, completely sealing them.
"I see..."
I watched as Geye slowly pulled back his extended sandworm arms.
Then my eyes widened.
"Loras, I have a plan."
I whispered the plan to Loras...
"What are you two yapping about?" Geye shouted.
...
Loras then stared at me for a moment before nodding.
"Got it."
Without any warning,
Loras lunged forward with his crimson blade, while I remained at a distance.
Geye started to act, growing four other arms from his back.
They then transformed into serpents and attacked Loras immediately.
Loras cut them down within a second.
Loras swung, but Geye blocked it with his arm again.
"That didn't work the first time, you know!"
When I saw that opening, I quickly launched a coin.
The coin pierced Geye's side...
Geye groaned in pain as he almost lost his balance.
I quickly lunged forward, planning to end it.
"Loras, now!"
Loras took a step back when he noticed Geye's frozen state.
Loras lifted his blade, planning to cut Geye's head.
But before Loras could swing it—
A hand gripped his blade.
My eyes widened as I saw an arm grow from Geye's shoulder.
"Loras! Get out of there!"
Loras then noticed and pulled away, leaving his blade behind.
Loras and I stood at a distance.
Watching Geye fall to the ground and violently twitch,
as if he were in unbearable pain.
I watched as Geye's body split into two.
Skin.
Flesh.
Bones.
When he was done—
Two figures stood up and smiled wickedly.
"I've had enough of your nonsense, Gabriel."
Geye started to move.
The clone ran toward the village.
I was about to throw a coin at it, but then—
A burning whip connected to Geye's arm struck me on the shoulder.
I knelt on the ground.
"Gabriel!" Loras shouted and was about to approach me,
but I raised my hand.
"Follow the clone. I got this."
I gave Loras a smile and a thumbs-up, and with that,
there was only Geye and me.
Meanwhile...
[Loras' POV]
I ran as fast as I could, following the clone ahead of me.
I must hurry.
Everyone is in danger.
As I kept running, I bit my finger and pointed it at the clone.
"Pierce!"
A needle formed from my blood and pierced the clone's leg.
The clone fell to the ground.
I stood above it, pointing my finger at its head.
"This ends here."
The clone smiled at me.
Then—
Its mouth suddenly stretched open.
SHNK!
Something shot toward me before I could react.
I looked down and saw—
A spear?
"You... bastard."
I fell to the ground, while the clone smugly smiled at me.
Then, mimicking my voice, it said,
"This ends here."
It started laughing before running ahead.