Illya shook Fyar’s shoulder roughly.
"Fyar! Fyar!!"
Across the square, the half-beast woman, 05, glanced at her partner.
" Let me enjoy them 06," 05 said quietly. She pointed her chin toward Zaefal and Rasie.
06 didn’t respond. His eyes were fixed straight on the ruined Eutas shop.
"Whatever," 06 muttered flatly.
He started walking casually across the square. His steps were calm among the corpses.
"Thanks," 05 answered, grinning.
06? 05?
Zaefal’s pupils constricted. Cold sweat ran down his back.
Don’t tell me they... Members of 000?!
000 working with Whitening?!
The objective? That shop? Why does he want to go there? He mentioned ’that girl’. Is it Cyhas?! He’s targeting Cyhas? Zaefal’s mind raced.
"Ooooooi."
05’s voice broke Zaefal’s concentration.
"Where are you looking attttt..."
When Zaefal’s gaze locked back onto 05, the woman smiled broadly. Her fangs were clearly visible.
"Well, no—"
BLAM!
A gunshot rang out. The sound was far louder and sharper than the previous explosions.
05’s head snapped back.
Half of her upper skull shattered into pieces. Blood and brain matter sprayed onto the cobblestones behind her. The woman’s body was thrown to the ground.
06’s footsteps stopped. He began to turn his head.
BLAM!
A crystal bullet struck the side of 06’s head. His skull cracked and shattered. The man fell to his knees.
Zaefal, Illya, and Rasie jerked in surprise. They turned their heads.
Fyar?! T-that’s his power?!
Zaefal stared in horror at Fyar.
"Pu-Purple hair?"
Fyar slowly stood up.
His legs were still trembling, but his back was straight.
His eyes were empty. Flat. Emotionless. His gaze locked onto the two figures in front.
He blew thin smoke from the barrel of his pistol.
"Illya," Fyar said. His voice was hoarse and low.
"Get on my back. Now. Prepare your short-teleport jump magic. Continuously."
Illya stared at Fyar’s face. She didn’t ask questions.
She immediately jumped and wrapped her arms around Fyar’s neck. Her legs locked around the man’s waist.
"I’m ready, Fyar."
"Sssst!"
The sound of knitting flesh was heard. A white blur rushed toward them.
It was 05.
Her shattered head had already formed new flesh and bone. The regeneration was unnaturally fast.
She lunged. Her claws aimed straight for Fyar’s neck.
"Hey, what did you just do?"
Fyar raised his pistol forward.
"Neutralize."
BLAM!
A third shot hit 05’s chest.
A purple energy explosion tore through her chest. The woman’s running momentum stopped instantly.
05 was thrown backward. She skidded over stones slick with blood. She landed awkwardly. The wound on her chest closed very slowly.
Fyar shifted his cold gaze to 06. The man was standing again, holding his half-shattered head.
"Zaefal. Rasie."
Fyar pointed at 06 with his pistol.
"Handle that assho—"
"YEAH YEAH I GET IT! KILL THIS BITCH, RIGHT!?"
Before Fyar finished his sentence, Rasie had already run forward. Her sword was enveloped in blazing orange fire.
"DIE BITCH! DIE BITCH!" Rasie screamed. Her voice cracked with rage. "DIE YOU BASTARD!!!!!"
She roared and lunged at 06. Her fire sword raised high.
"Rasie, wait! The plan!" Zaefal cursed. "Damn it!"
He ran after her, sword drawn to protect Rasie’s side.
Fyar... he’s acting a bit strange. But his power has a huge impact on both members of 000. We might be able to win if he’s here! Zaefal thought.
"Interesting..." 05 said quietly. She wiped blood from her chin.
She turned to Fyar. She smiled again and rushed toward Fyar.
"Now, Illya," Fyar said quietly.
WSSH!
Illya muttered an incantation.
Their bodies vanished. 05’s claws sliced through empty air.
05 landed, claws digging into the ground. She was confused.
"Umu. Teleport magic... clever."
WSSH!
Fyar and Illya reappeared right behind her.
BLAM!
Fyar shot 05’s back from close range.
The bullet pierced her spine. 05 jerked. Her back had a hole in it.
"Ouch, that hurts," 05 said flatly.
She spun, slashing her claws backward.
WSSH!
They vanished again. Reappearing on top of the roof of an overturned wooden stall.
"Still good Illya?" Fyar asked.
"Yes!" Illya whispered in his ear. Her breath was ragged and hot.
On the other side.
06 raised his hand. The man’s head had almost fully recovered.
Stall debris, Guard corpses, and cobblestones vibrated then lifted into the air.
"What level are you guys?"
"Rasie, dodge!" Zaefal shouted.
06 thrust his hand forward.
A rain of sharp projectiles shot toward them.
"You guys are interesting. Hey, want to join us?"
Rasie and Zaefal jumped in opposite directions. They rolled between the corpses.
Large stones smashed into where they had stood, creating holes in the ground.
"Bastard bitch! Shut up FUCK!!!" Rasie got up. She lunged again.
"Ohhh nice mouth, Ma’am," 06 said.
06 raised his hand toward Rasie.
Heavy air pressure descended to crush Rasie.
BLAM!
Fyar’s shot from across the square hit 06’s shoulder.
Purple energy popped.
06’s concentration broke. His telekinesis failed.
"Damn, that again... What actually is this?" 06 muttered, looking at his smoking shoulder.
Zaefal saw the opening. "Now, Rasie!"
Zaefal rushed forward. His sword slashed low toward 06’s knees.
06 parried Zaefal’s sword with his bare hand.
His palm was sliced deep, but Zaefal’s sword stopped.
Rasie leaped into the air.
She raised her sword high. "Fireeeeeee!"
"Ohh, fire Hunter," 06 commented casually.
SREK!
Rasie’s fire slash struck 06’s shoulder. Flesh burned and tore.
However, 06’s wound began closing instantly. His strength had returned.
SST!
He vanished.
Appearing right behind Zaefal.
"You’re decent," 06 said.
He kicked Zaefal’s back hard.
BUGH!
Zaefal was thrown forward.
06 raised his hand toward Rasie who was still in the air.
A telekinetic shockwave exploded.
WOSSH!
Rasie was flung far back. Her back hit the shop wall with the sound of cracking bone.
"Ba-bastard.." Rasie groaned in pain. She fell into a sitting position.
Zaefal got up with difficulty. He turned and lunged. His sword coated in thin black energy.
Seeing that, 06 teleported again. He appeared right in front of Zaefal’s face.
THUD!
His fist struck Zaefal’s stomach.
Zaefal coughed blood. His eyes went white for a moment.
WOSSH!
Fyar and Illya teleported again.
Dodging 05 who jumped onto the stall roof. The stall wood shattered into pieces.
WOSSH!
Fyar and Illya reappeared on the ground, amidst the rubble.
Fyar aimed his pistol again and fired.
BLAM!
The bullet hit 05’s shoulder. The woman staggered.
"Ouch, that hurts" 05 said flatly. Her face starting to look annoyed.
Meanwhile.
06 choked the injured Zaefal’s neck. He lifted the man’s body off the ground.
His free right hand gathered dense white energy.
BOOM!
Fyar’s shot from a distance hit 06’s head again.
"This again..." 06 said. His tone sounded annoyed.
Purple energy spread. His grip on Zaefal loosened.
SREK!
Zaefal seized the moment. He swung his sword and severed 06’s wrist.
Blood sprayed. 06 stepped back, losing balance.
Zaefal thrust his sword into 06’s stomach.
"BASTARD IM NOT DONE!!!"
Rasie, who had gotten up with blood on her head, ran and slashed her sword horizontally. The blade sliced through 06’s chest.
Seeing her partner in danger, 05 turned and rushed toward Rasie.
WSSH!
Fyar and Illya appeared in her path, blocking 05’s run.
Fyar pressed the barrel of his pistol right into the woman’s stomach.
"Neutralize."
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Four consecutive shots. Point-blank range.
One to the head. One to the chest. One to the right thigh. One to the left thigh.
Crystal explosions and purple energy detonated simultaneously.
05’s body shattered. Chunks of flesh and bone scattered into the air. She was thrown back and fell as a pile of wet meat.
"One... down," Fyar breathed heavily.
"Fyar! Look!" Illya shouted from his back. Her voice panicked.
Fyar turned toward Zaefal and Rasie.
He expected 06 to be dead.
But he was wrong.
Rasie lay on the ground. Her sword thrown far away. She didn’t move.
Zaefal was thrown against the stone wall. His body slumped down. Blood pooled beneath him.
Between them stood 06.
His right arm was severed. His stomach had a gaping hole. His chest was sliced open. His head was only half recovered.
He should have been dead.
But he stood.
Telekinetic energy crackled around his body, holding his organs from falling out, propping up his legs so they wouldn’t collapse.
"M-monster..." Zaefal muttered weakly, coughing blood. His vision blurred.
Is it over... no... Not yet....
Cough!
If I die then humanity... humanity.. .. Zaefal tried to get up. His body shook violently and failed to stand.
I won’t let Seraphina’s sacrifice be in vain...
06 stared at Fyar.
He started walking slowly toward Fyar.
"Kid..." he said. His voice rasping.
"What kind of power do you have?"
"Honestly, this is the first time I’ve seen that..."
"And as for that strange object of yours... I
feel like I’ve seen a small part of it..."
He stopped five meters in front of Fyar.
"You’re the one who killed our bandits?"
Behind Fyar, the sound of tearing flesh and shifting bone was heard.
Fyar turned slightly.
The pile of crushed flesh that was 05 began to move.
Pieces of her body crawled and fused back together. The woman’s head formed again from her neck.
"Oh, you think so too, 06?" said 05’s newly formed head. Her mouth grinned wide.
Slowly 05 got up. Her body was still deformed and not whole, but she stood.
"Hmm yes... you know 05... I think it would be more interesting if we recruited him..." 06 replied.
"Illya..." Fyar asked. His voice tense.
"I... I... am almost out, Fyar," Illya whispered. Her body trembling violently from mana exhaustion. "Maybe... one more jump..."
06 continued walking closer from the front.
05 slowly rose behind them.
Fyar raised his pistol toward 06.
He pulled the trigger.
KLIK.
Empty.
Fyar’s heart stopped for a second.
He reached into his pouch quickly.
His hand shook as he tried to grab a new bullet. The bullet was slippery with sweat.
05, now standing even though her body was still in the process of healing, smiled.
"He’s interesting.."
06’s steps stopped two meters in front of Fyar.
His shadow covered Fyar’s face.
He raised his remaining hand.
"Kid, what is your name?"
Fyar looked straight into 06’s eyes. His gaze was cold.
"Go fuck yourself," Fyar answered briefly.