NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 59: Hunt (4)
James watched the current development in anticipation. He was just as shocked as his aggressors. At the very least, the mysterious scream had bought him a few seconds of respite. He watched as one of the men grabbed at the door’s handle. The moment he touched the handle, however, the door exploded. Wooden shards were sent hurtling around the room as the others yelped in surprise. A large, glowing, blue sphere cut through the sides of the two men closest to the door, making them drop to the ground. A figure entered the room, running straight at one of the two men who remained standing.
The man only had time to unsheathe his weapon before a fist slammed into his face, making him drop to the ground, unconscious. It was only when the mysterious figure turned to face the last opponent – the one who had threatened to rip out James’ nails – that James managed to identify what it was.
“…Michael!?”
The remaining enemy turned to him and somehow became even paler. His hand gripping the dagger visibly trembled. Once he looked at Michael, he immediately took two steps back, placing his back against the earthen wall. He opened his mouth, but Michael gave him no time to say anything. In a flash, he crossed the distance between them, and with a quick uppercut, the man fell to the floor, dropping his dagger. It made little sound as it fell on the earth. Finally, Michael picked it up and looked at James, who let out a relieved smile.
“…I’m glad you’re here.”
Michael nodded with a huff and looked James up and down. James knew that he was a sorry sight. As he took in his friend’s state, Michael’s brow furrowed. Eventually, words left his lips.
“I’m sorry that you had to go through that. Thank you for staying strong.”
He used the dagger he held to cut the restraint around James’ wrists. No longer forcefully held up, James immediately collapsed to the ground. Still, he smiled.
“Don’t worry about it. That’s what friends are for.”
“No. Not any friend. Most people wouldn’t have held on,” Michael said as he knelt down. One of his hands hovered just above James’ head. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Green mana flowed out of Michael’s hands as he let out a few whispers. The waves superimposed one another, soon restoring James to a pristine condition. He blinked. When had Michael picked up a healing spell? Wasn’t that just for Healers? His common sense was casually shattered. As the green waves washed over him, Michael spoke.
“Do you know where Derek is?”
With that, James instantly realized why Michael had appeared. It went beyond simply saving him. There was no time to ask about his healing Skills or whatever else. James tried to convey what he knew as quickly as possible.
“He’s here, he talked to me. The torturers spoke of a secret way outside from Derek’s room. Supposedly, it’s been built behind his throne, but they could have been lying to throw me off. Go.”
Michael nodded.
“Thank you. Stay here. I’ll be back to lead you outside once I’m done.”
James noticed that his friend was breathing more curtly than usual. Was it because of his rage? James held his tongue. If his friend was after Derek, there was no time for useless questions. They could talk all about it once this was all over. Michael decisively turned around and left the room, running. James was left alone with the men moaning in pain on the ground. Ever so slowly, he moved his hands toward the dagger that Michael had left on the ground. His fingers wrapped around the handle. His gaze turned to face the men around him.
His eyes were filled with hatred.
***
Michael ran through the cave, knocking out or injuring all that he came across. He had only stopped for a brief moment to question a man about the location of Derek’s room. He wasn’t lost in his thoughts or hesitating; his entire self was focused on finding and dealing with the man.
The cave was about as large as he thought it would be, but the number of guards had surpassed his expectations. He had been forced to dismiss Shroud and fight his way through them from the very start. Michael utilized his superiority in every way, even getting into melee fights when in close quarters. It hadn’t taken long for the loyalists to realize that fighting him from up close was nearly as dangerous as staying far away. His overwhelming stat advantage crossed the gap between his melee ability and their skills.
Unfortunately, there were those who had tried to kill him from the very moment he encountered them. Their blades mercilessly swung for his throat without hesitation. As such, Michael spared them no mercy as well. They were in the minority, but the destruction in his wake had left dead bodies. In one of those fights, in hopes of being spared, one of the enemies revealed information about James. Michael had made a beeline toward his friend’s holding cell, but it was now time to go back to hunting Derek. He knew that saving James might have cost this entire operation, but there was no way that he would leave one of his friends to be tortured. It hadn’t been an impulsive decision; from the moment he discovered James’ condition, his priorities shifted. He didn’t regret anything.
Michael rushed through the winding tunnel, not bothering to stop at every door he saw. Any enemy in his path was knocked unconscious, while the ones who went after his life were seriously injured. A few had been killed. Every time his hands reaped another life, Michael had to justify his actions to himself; killing was getting easier. However, he understood that he couldn’t keep Earth’s morality. This was a new world where contestants put their lives on the line.
Of course, most, if not all, of the kills had been in legitimate self-defense. Either way, he finally reached double wooden doors, big and imposing. It was obvious where they led. Michael drew a line in the air. The Mana Wave cut through the doors and the surrounding walls, allowing him to burst into the room. Mana flowed toward his eyes in a heartbeat. His visual acuity immediately improved. He saw the chairs left to the side of the room, the tables near them, the main desk with a map on it, and the makeshift, mishappen wooden throne behind it. The room was empty.
Behind the throne.
Michael didn’t stop moving. Another line was drawn, and the Wave destroyed the wooden wall behind the throne. The secret passage couldn’t really be called “secret,” given how obvious it was, but the enemy had done their best to hide it without altering the terrain, most likely due to their inability to do so. He ran through the newly revealed passage. Every firm step led him closer to his objective. He tried to do something he had never attempted before. Instead of focusing his mana to improve his sight, he tried to do the same for his hearing. The moment mana flooded his head, the world changed.
He heard the drops of water falling through the air and into the earth. The way his clothes rustled when he moved. The echoing screams of the people he had hurt. Every sound was amplified, but not to a deafening or bothersome degree. Just like it had been with his vision, the mana flow merely improved his hearing’s effectiveness with virtually no downsides. At least, none that he couldn’t deal with.
[You have made progress toward acquiring a new Skill.]
Above all, Michael could hear the hurried, harsh breathing of a man in the same tunnel, alongside the sound of his steps, with startling clarity.
Lightspeed.
His body cried out in protest, but it was at a level he could handle. He needed to reach Derek as quickly as possible.
Three seconds.
Within three seconds, he could reach his enemy. He stepped strongly and lowered his center of gravity.
Then, he shot forward.