Gray spoke in a mocking tone, his side-smile growing wider."The runaway number 96... and I see you're not alone anymore."
The boy stepped forward slowly, staring at the line of men with sharp, glowing eyes that carried something analytical— not fear.He took a deep, calm breath… then suddenly, the brown in his eyes shifted into a faint golden hue, and the air around him seemed to freeze in time for a few seconds.
His eyes moved quickly, scanning right and left... as if memorizing the entire scene in his mind, counting, analyzing, and measuring the distances within seconds.He muttered quietly, barely audible:"Thirty-three men... sixteen with firearms... seventeen with auto crossbows... and two on the left preparing to attack from behind..."
He turned sharply toward Jack, whispering in a firm tone:"I'll start the attack... you, protect the girl behind me."
Jack tensed up, his eyebrows lowering as he replied in confusion:"Wait, what—?!"
But the boy had almost vanished before he could finish his sentence...He launched forward in a flash, his body so light it stirred the wind around him.The soldiers were caught off guard — no time to think.In a blink, he snatched a grenade from one of them, tossed it to the ground, and gray smoke exploded everywhere.
Jack grabbed Yuki, pulling her behind a nearby rock and shielding her with his body.Inside the smoke, vision was nearly gone — only sounds spoke now.Fast footsteps... gasps... muffled screams... and gunfire followed by chaos.
Shadows moved insanely fast through the haze, and flashes of metal cut through the dark.The boy appeared for a moment, yanking a guard's weapon, stabbing him with a sharp dagger, then hurling a grenade to the other side —"booom!"The explosion thundered through the air.Several dropped dead instantly, while others writhed in pain, crying out amid the noise.
Gray shouted in furious rage through the confusion:"What are you doing?! Shoot, you idiots!"
But fear had spread... one of the men screamed while running backward:"He's... he's not human! We can't hit him!"
Gray clenched his jaw, muttering under his breath:"Damn it..."
Men fell one after another amidst the gunfire and groans...Jack watched from a distance, his eyes wide with silent shock."He's so fast... he took them down in seconds..."
After a few moments, silence settled.The curtain of smoke slowly faded away, revealing the boy walking out from the ashes in steady, calm steps.His face was splattered with light traces of blood, the dagger still dripping from its edge.
He smiled faintly, his tone tired yet light:"Bingo... from thirty-three to three."
He raised his hand, flicked the dagger in one swift motion —The sound of stabbing pierced the silence... a body dropped without a word."And now... two."
The second man ran off without looking back, leaving Gray alone among the corpses and fading smoke.The boy sat on a bloodstained rock, waving lazily at Jack:"I won't step in a man-to-man fight... your turn now."
Gray smiled darkly, taking a calm step forward."Well said... but don't celebrate yet... after him, you're next."
The boy replied with a tilted grin and an eerily calm voice:"I don't mind... as long as those flames, the spark in that boy's eyes before you, die down... because his thirst for your blood is already leaking into me."
Jack looked at Gray, his eyes glowing with a dark, mysterious gleam.His breathing quickened, his voice mixed with anger and dizziness.Yuki watched in shock, unable to understand what was happening inside him... that once calm face now carried something almost beastly.
Gray removed his heavy military jacket, revealing a metal bulletproof vest underneath.He put on a metallic glove on his right hand, pulled out a gun and a knife from his belt, his tone lowering into a cold, deadly pitch:"Ready to die, Number 96?"
Jack didn't answer... he only clenched his fists tightly.The sound of cracking joints echoed as he rolled his arm and shoulder, his face dark, his silver eyes reflecting the moonlight like twin sparks.
...Both of them charged at each other at once —the first spark of blood.
End of Chapter.