Chapter 40: One Venomous Plot Twist Ended It All
Dark blood sprayed across Chameleon's face, streaking through his red hair and clinging in hot rivulets. This isn't right, he thought, breath ragged. That blood should've been the kid's—so why was it his? It ran from the wound in his shoulder, dripping down his arm.
Across from him, Elias's knife caught the light, its blade glistening crimson. Elias studied it in silence.
A chill slid down Chameleon's spine as he clamped a hand over the wound. This wasn't the boy from moments ago. This felt like a different person. The look in his eyes was something Chameleon had only ever seen in seasoned killers, still and stagnant like undisturbed water.
'What happened to him? A mental break? No… madness makes you sloppy. This is precision.'
Elias regarded the blood without flinching. No fear, no hesitation like before. "Four minutes, thirty seconds—let's go."
In a blink, Elias closed in.
CLANG! Sparks burst as the atom knife met Chameleon's gun.
"Don't underestimate me, brat!" Chameleon snarled, shoving the blade aside. Elias staggered but stayed upright.
A blur of red scattered the leaves at Chameleon's feet, kicking up dust. He reappeared behind Elias.
Elias spun, slashing—missing by inches. Chameleon was already retreating, a grin on his lips. His old dagger appeared in hand. "I'm taking this back."
Elias's hand brushed the empty sheath at his hip. Fast. His gaze snapped back to Chameleon.
"I don't know how you turned into this, but it changes nothing," Chameleon jeered. He crouched, sprang back, and fired mid-air.
Elias's blade flashed, deflecting the first bullet. Two more ripped through the air, one grazing his cheek. Warm blood slid down his face.
He wiped it away with his sleeve, eyes locked on Chameleon. 'He has two weapons now. Close in, and I'll be cut. Stay in the open, and he'll shoot me.'
Ghost in the Crosshairs made him harder to hit, but standing in the open would waste its effect.
'Gotta break his line of sight and keep moving.'
He darted into the trees, weaving through the darkness. His sharp night vision, thanks to his high Perception, would guide him. He doubted Chameleon had the same edge.
Chameleon paused for a heartbeat, thrown off by the retreat. "Damn it." He charged after him, red hair whipping behind.
Elias zigzagged between trunks. A shot tore past, chewing into the dirt inches ahead and spraying his legs.
Chameleon advanced, each step deliberate, eyes straining against the dark. A silhouette flickered in and out of moonlight, slipping into the shadows of the trees. He steadied his aim, then froze.
One wrong shot in this blackness, and he might kill the kid outright. His finger eased from the trigger.
He surged forward instead, closing the gap. If he got close enough, darkness wouldn't matter. His hesitation burned away, replaced by the hunter's focus. Fighting in the dark wasn't new to him—only more of a challenge.
However, just as he began to close in, something unexpected happened.
'System, activate Berserk Sprint.'
[(BRZ) Berserk Sprint activated. Host's AGI increased by 5x for the next 60 seconds.]
[Cooldown time: 4 minutes.]
In the next instant, Elias shot forward, his speed exploding. The gap Chameleon had fought to close widened even farther. The only reason he could track Elias at all was the spray of leaves, sticks, and dirt kicked up in his wake. Chameleon's breath caught.
'How is he doing that? His speed's almost on par with an awakener's, now,' Chameleon thought, disbelief hitting his chest. He tightened his grip on his weapons as he moved forward.
This thing his boss wanted from the kid, just what was it?
Elias weaved effortlessly between the trees, even with the boost of speed from his unallocated points. He'd drilled this skill thousands of times in the capsule. He was no longer the rookie who, back when he ran from Jackal, crashed into something every few feet.
He checked the time again. 'Twenty seconds left on Berserk Sprint.' Swerving in an arc, he ran toward where Chameleon's back would be. The moment he spotted that long crimson hair, he lunged, aiming for his back.
Before the atom knife could strike, Chameleon spun and blocked with his own blade, sparks bursting from collision.
"Blocked?" Elias struck again, this time for the neck. Chameleon twisted aside, the blade shaving off a few strands of his hair.
Chameleon's Adam's apple bobbed as he watched the strands fall. 'This kid's been aiming for my vitals for a while. Damn it. And he knows I can't do the same.'
'Five seconds.' Elias aimed for Chameleon's heart, only for Chameleon to do the unthinkable. He blocked it with his forearm. The atom knife punched clean through his flesh and bone.
Elias's eyes widened. A brutal kick slammed into his stomach, hurling him backward. His body crashed through several dead trees before hitting the ground hard.
Elias rolled onto his knees, heaving before finally vomiting up chunks of his half-digested lunch. Even without emotions and with his pain dulled, that kick had left damage he couldn't ignore.
Chameleon must have learned his lesson from earlier, targeting a vulnerable spot without bone protection—rendering Elias's Steel Bones trait useless.
Elias struggled to rise, his stomach feeling as if it had been kicked into his throat. But he couldn't afford to wait, he only had a minute before his emotions returned. He didn't fully understand what the system meant about an "emotional backlash" once it wore off, but he knew it would destroy his chances against Chameleon if it happened.
Chameleon's gun cocked near his ear, the cold nozzle pressing into his back.
"Don't even think about it, or I'll shoot your spine. I don't mind taking you back paralyzed," Chameleon's cold voice cut through the crisp air, his breath misting in the chill. "I've got your weapon now, anyway." He waved his forearm, the atom knife still jutting from it.
Even though it hurt like hell, he didn't pull it out. He was used to pain and knew removing it would only make the blood pour faster. Right now, he needed to deal with this kid and he couldn't take his eyes off him. Who knew how many tricks the brat still had up his sleeve?
Meanwhile, thoughts raced through Elias's mind as he scrambled for a plan. Most of his system rewards were either useless right now or on cooldown.
'Why hadn't Bringer of Disaster worked?' When he'd used it on Jackal, it had kicked in almost immediately. Could it have been that thing Chameleon wore around his neck? He didn't know what it was, but the fact it burst into flames the moment Bringer of Disaster activated couldn't be a coincidence. It was probably designed to counter his luck.
It seemed wasted. An idea flashed through Elias's mind, he still had three things he could count on. But he'd need a distraction, because the last of his energy would have to go into one final attack before he became the normal Elias again.
Just when Elias felt like he was grasping at straws, he spotted something curled on the ground behind Chameleon's foot. His eyes narrowed. 'This could work.' It would take luck to save him, but luck was the one thing he had in abundance.
"I don't want any funny thoughts in that head of yours, kid," Chameleon said when he didn't see Elias respond. "I'm sure whatever you used earlier probably can't be used multiple times in a row, right? And sure whatever else you have you're reluctant to use, otherwise I'm sure I'd have seen it by now," Chameleon sneered, digging the nozzle into Elias's back.
He didn't want to shoot Elias if he didn't have to. They were both injured, it'd be difficult to drag Elias back with one arm and he didn't want to risk Elias completely bleeding out. He could only hope this kid didn't make any more stupid decisions.
Elias lifted his head, his eyes nothing like those of a cornered kid—making Chameleon tighten his finger on the trigger as his vigilance rose. Why did the brat still look confident enough to win?
Elias grabbed a handful of leaves and flung them at Chameleon, making the already tense man instinctively step back. He was about to get angry when he realized there was nothing harmful—was the kid just mocking him? But in the next moment, a sharp sting shot through his calf. He swiped at the spot and saw a snake go flying several meters into the darkness.
Their fight had stumbled across a snake's burrow. Since Chameleon was focused solely on Elias, he never noticed the lone snake coiled near his boot.
"Dammit!" Panic flared. 'Was it venomous?' Even with his trained resistance, immunity wasn't guaranteed.
However, before he could dwell on it, Elias's cold voice cut through the night.
"If this was a game of chess…"
Chameleon snapped his attention back, just in time for Elias to vanish from sight.
[(SLV) Ghost in the Crosshairs activated!]
[(UR) "King of Catchphrases" activated!]
Chameleon's heart pounded. "Where did he—?"
The atom knife disappeared from his arm. In a blur, his gun and dagger were both kicked away.
And then white-hot pain spread as the atom knife reappeared, buried in his chest.
"…You'd be checkmate," Elias finished, appearing in front of him.
Blood splattered across Elias's emotionless face as he pulled the blade free. Chameleon coughed in shock, stumbling back before collapsing to the ground, clutching his bleeding chest. When he hit the ground, ragged gasps tore through him between wet, choking coughs of blood.
Elias stood frozen, eyes locked on him.
When the time ended, his emotions slammed back into him like a tidal wave. His stomach lurched, and he doubled over, vomiting as tears streamed down his face.
"No… this— I didn't want this," Elias gasped. "I didn't mean to."
The real Elias was back, flooded with guilt and horror. He had never killed anyone before and had never wanted to. And even after everything Chameleon had done, he hadn't wanted him dead.
He crawled to Chameleon, tearing off his sleeves to press against the wound.
"Don't die. Don't die. Don't die. Please. I'm sorry," Elias pleaded, his hands soaking in blood within seconds.
Chameleon stared at the boy's frantic efforts, confusion flickering alongside other emotions he couldn't name.
"You… you're strange," he rasped. "You're actually crying for me? After everything I've done?"
"Shut up!" Elias yelled through angry tears, still pressing down on the wound.
He flicked his gaze to the system panel, searching for anything that might help.
[Congratulations! Host has completed Hidden Quest: (UR) Kill Assassin!]
[Reward: +350 LP, +Trait (UR) Iron Grip, +15 DEF!]
—
(UR) Iron Grip
Once you get your hands on something, it's hard to take it away. Greatly reduces the chance of being disarmed in close combat.
—
"Damn it," he whispered. None of it would save Chameleon.
'System, do something!' Elias begged. 'Two Gold draws—and spend the rest on Unranked!'
The gacha screen spun to life, colors whirling across the panel.
He prayed, not to any specific god— because he didn't believe in any—but to anyone who might listen and will his luck to pull through one more time.
But this time… his luck failed him.
[Congratulations you have received Item (GLD) Dragonhide Layer!]
[Congratulations you have received Item(GLD) Title Upgrade Card!]
[Congratulations you have received Skill(UR) Acting!]
—--
(GLD) Dragonhide Layer
Crafted from treated hide of a draconic beast, it absorbs up to 30% of incoming physical damage and stores the kinetic force. On the wearer's next melee strike, the stored force is unleashed in a devastating impact. Resets every 5 minutes.
(GLD) Title Upgrade Card
A consumable item. Select one of the Host's titles below Gold rank to upgrade it to Gold rank.
—--
Elias's heart sank into despair—nothing. There was nothing that could help.
A cold, wet hand settled over his. He turned to see Chameleon, who had grabbed his hand.
"Kid… it's okay. You did what you had to do." Blood trickled down his chin as he spoke. "You just defended yourself against me; th-that's all." It felt strange to Chameleon, comforting the very person who had caused his death.
This whole situation was bizarre. For most of his life, he had believed that when his day came, not a single person would shed tears for him… yet here was the kid he'd captured and nearly ruined, crying in devastation because he couldn't save him. The irony was almost laughable.
The memory of Elias reaching out to him flashed in his mind. 'Was I really that happy over that?' he thought with self-deprecation.
He stared up at the starry night sky as the warmth slowly drained from his body. He had always dreaded dying, yet for some reason, he felt at peace. Moments ago, he had been so desperate for freedom that he was willing to ruin the boy's life to achieve it—yet now, he felt nothing. 'Isn't this also a form of freedom?' he thought, almost chuckling. He didn't know if hell existed, but even if it did, it couldn't be worse than what he had already endured.
"Hey, kid," Chameleon rasped, his voice trembling from blood loss and cutting through Elias's spiraling thoughts. "I… did something horrible to you. It probably makes you angry, but… if circumstances had been different, I would've loved to have someone like you as a friend. I meant that."
A smile, a genuine one, spread across Chameleon's face for the first time since his childhood. Even with the telltale signs of death creeping in, his bright smile, fanned red hair, and striking features made him look so beautiful that Elias paused his crying.
Elias stared, his emotions in turmoil—anger, sadness, guilt, despair, resentment—blurring together until he could no longer tell them apart. His hands trembled as they pressed against Chameleon's chest. 'Why is he smiling at a time like this?'
"I know I don't deserve to ask favors, kid, but… when I die, could you burn my body? I'm just afraid a wild pig might eat it," Chameleon said, his expression twisting with a bitterness that didn't match the words.
Confusion flickered across Elias's face, until a name resurfaced from the dark corners of his memory: Mr. Boar. The weight of it hit like a stone to the chest. The request didn't feel strange anymore. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he just nodded, his throat tight.
"Heh, thank you," Chameleon murmured, a faint, almost relieved smile on his lips.
Elias hesitated, then spoke softly. "What's your name?"
Chameleon glanced at him, brow furrowing in mild confusion. Hadn't he already told him before?
Elias held his gaze. "I mean your real name," he said, voice low but steady. "Not Hans. Not Chameleon. The name you were born with… the name of the person I asked to be friends with that day."
Chameleon's mind froze for a moment before a flood of memories came rushing in. He hadn't used his real name in years. The last person to call him by it had been his mother, a woman with red hair and a devastatingly gorgeous face that resembled his own. Other than Elias, she had been the only one who ever showed care for him… but she'd died far too soon.
"B-Bellamy. It's Bellamy… that's the name my mother gave me," he gurgled, more blood flooding his throat. His grip on Elias's hand tightened as his breathing grew shallow.
"Bellamy… I'll keep my promise," Elias choked, knowing he wouldn't last much longer.
A single tear slid from Chameleon's eye. 'So the real thing I always wanted… was to be acknowledged by my real name. How stupid.'
Memories flickered in his mind as darkness crept in—some of his mother when he was young, others of the brief days he'd spent with Elias as Hans. It was laughable how few happy memories he had. But at least, in these final moments, none of the bad ones haunted him.
Chameleon's eyes dulled, and the hand gripping Elias's fell limply to his side. He was gone. The forest returned to silence—save for Elias's conflicted sobs, as he watched the last spark of life fade away.