Adrien stared at his phone, shivering, looking at the texts while clenching it tightly like he's going to crush it with his bare hands.
Kuzuha: Last night at around 10:30 pm, I was going home with Clara but we were attacked out of the blue. He was wearing a mask so I couldn't figure out who he was. Before he knocked Clara out and took her by himself, he told me "if he doesn't come to Nebelweg street within 36 hours, I will kill her and you. If he comes along with anyone else or the police, I will kill Clara right away without a mere thought." and then he proceeded to knock me over with a kick and took Clara away…
Kuzuha: I know he was referring to you, because from the voice I recognized it was Kerl. He still despises you because you got Clara over him.
Kuzuha: He has gone insane, please save Clara, because if you don't, he might actually kill her…
"What are you saying????"
Adrien texted back at once with widened eyes and quivering fingers.
"Why didn't you tell me yesterday itself?"
"?! Where did you go?"
Adrien called her immediately, only for her to not respond to his call or texts at all.
"Adrien…"
Noir said while looking at his distraught face, drenched in cold sweat.
"That bastard… Coward of a man… I will slaughter him.. "
Adrien said while squeezing his jaws, the desperation on his face to save Clara and put down Kerl was fairly noticeable.
At that very moment, somewhere distant from the gymnasium
"Done."
A woman with black hair and barely noticeable facial features said with a heinous smile spreading across her face while looking at her notification bar.
Back at the gymnasium, Adrien lied down on the ground, covering his eyes with one of his hands across his face.
"She's gone..."
Adrien murmured with a broken tone, his voice nearly inaudible.
"Adrien, calm down..." Noir spoke out to him, calm yet calculative and concerned. "Something fishy is going on, why would she text you today and not yesterday right after that happened?"
"I don't know." Adrien said as frustration slipped along his voice "I don't care. Clara hasn't texted or called me since last night... She didn't come today either… So at least she's not lying about Clara's situation…"
"Fine."
Noir said while letting out a breath
"What do you want to do now? This is clearly a trap, you want to walk in it like this?"
He asked, frustration visible on his face.
"I will go."
Adrien replied, without the slightest bit of hesitation.
"That would be too stupid, did you listen to a word Noir said just now?!"
Liesel shouted at him, shocked and overwhelmed by his bold answer.
"It wouldn't be too wise to go alone..."
Elara added right after, in a worried manner.
"I will go with you,and help Clara to escape along with you. "
Noir spoke out to Adrien, as he bent one knee to offer his hand to him, asking him to get up from the ground.
"You saw what she said," Adrien replied, looking straight into Noir's eyes as he accepted his hand to get up. "They don't want anyone to come with me. I will go alone at 8 pm tonight."
Noir took a slow, deep breath and let it out upon hearing Adrien's final decision.
"Fine, go." Noir told him calmly "But remember to call me or text me if anything happens. I will be there."
"Have you gone mad, Noir??!!" Liesel shouted at him, unable to contain herself. "They are definitely luring him in!"
"Can you stop shouting at Noir?"
Elara spoke out to Liesel with a commanding voice.
"I am sorry..." Liesel looked down while speaking in a quiet manner "I got worked up… I just don't want Adrien to get hurt…"
"Trust me..." Noir whispered in her ears with a faint smile. "It will be fine, have faith in Adrien."
"Thank you for trusting me." Adrien nodded his head in approval. "I won't let you down, Noir."
Forward to 12 hours, 8 pm.
Adrien arrived at Nebelweg street, alone and accompanied by no one other than himself, as it was mentioned by Kerl.
The street was isolated, dead silent, and with no one to be seen but just trees, as far as the horizon of the street stretched.
As he walked down the narrow aisle leading deeper into the street, the dry, lifeless texture of the leaves caught his attention.
"This street is isolated..." Adrien thought to himself. "There's no one... only trees… The texture of the leaves is too dry… Not to mention the atmosphere around here seems heavier.."
"Wh-"
Adrien froze mid sentence.
Not by his own volition, but instinctively. All of his senses and he himself noticed a slight shift in the atmosphere near him. He noticed a faint shadow in front of him, coming from the back.
He tried to ignore that distinct feature thinking it was just a tree's shade, but his senses knew otherwise.
"!!!" Adrien's body stiffened "WHO'S THERE?!"
He snapped back quickly, unable to neglect it any longer, but he saw nothing but the same empty street he saw just a few seconds ago.
"What's going o-"
Adrien had been knocked out before he could even finish his words.
End of Chapter 8