Youray smiled: "We'll see if you can truly keep up with me or not."
At the place where the island's inhabitants stood near the cave, Ames was standing in front of the villagers. Then, with a slight movement, the long scythe was in his hands, and he began advancing toward the others. He moved with slow steps, but in the eyes of his enemies, those steps felt like a burden weighing down upon them.
The number of enemies between the rebel followers and the lieutenant's men was 15 under Karno and 10 from the army.
One of the men spoke: "Get ready, you bastards!"
They all raised their weapons as they advanced toward Ames.
Ames raised his scythe: "It's hunting time."
Ames' bright blue eye ignited with a glowing spark, like a falcon spotting its prey, then he dashed swiftly toward them.
As soon as he neared the first one, who held a sword in his hands, the man felt an unprecedented coldness and froze in place, allowing the others to pass him—he was terrified.
They all advanced, different weapons in their hands. Most were swords and hammers, and among them were five army soldiers carrying black rifles.
The five fired their bullets all at once toward Ames.
Ames, with incredible speed, tilted his long scythe and swung it — the five bullets fired toward him were sliced in half and fell beside him.
Within the group rushing toward Ames, two of them suddenly began attacking each other.
"What's happening, you bastards? What are you doing?!"
Followers of Karnou's rebel attacked members of the army.
"You treacherous scum! What the hell are you doing?!"
When the soldiers saw their comrades bleeding, everyone stopped and turned toward the two who had started the assault.
"No wonder—you're all the same, you rebels. Deceitful and defiant!"
"What are you saying, you fool? These two seem to have lost their minds. We weren't trying to attack you!"
"What did you say? You weren't trying to attack us? What about my bleeding comrades? We won't stop until you bleed just as we did! Blood for blood!"
The soldiers attacked the rebels, and a civil clash broke out among them.
Where once they had been charging toward Ames, they were now fighting one another. Chaos erupted.
One stabbed another in the belly, another was pierced in the back — screams, gunfire, collapsing bodies, blood splattering everywhere.
The islanders were watching in utter shock:
"What's going on between those scumbags?"
Ames was shocked too:
"What's happening?"
Suddenly, he turned—and his eyes landed on the Mute.
He saw her gazing toward the rebels and the soldiers… smiling.
That smile made Ames's hair stand on end.
"She's the one behind all this... What did she do to make them fight each other?"
The soldiers battled the rebels, and the lieutenant's followers had the upper hand thanks to their rifles.
The number of rebels dropped from fifteen to six.
It was still a fierce fight — five soldiers had fallen as well. Now it was five against six.
Ames stepped back toward the Mute, then said:
"Who would've thought you had such a brilliant power? Is it a germ ability?"
The Mute gave no reply.
She simply tilted her head slightly, as if she hadn't heard him at all.
Then Ames spoke again, as if he didn't care for an answer:
"That bastard Youray took the grand prize and left me with these weeds. I didn't even bother picking them."
Amidst the mountains, Youray and Karnou stood face to face. Karnou was panting.
"So strange… strange! Even though you walk right in front of me, I can't hear your footsteps! You seem more like an assassin, you bastard, than a rebel!" said Karnou, his face grim.
Youray muttered, "Do you have other factory facilities elsewhere?"
"What business is that of yours?!"
"Leonehar… is that the rebel standing behind you?"
Upon hearing Youray mention Leonehar, Karnou was stunned:
"How do you know about the leader?!"
Youray smiled:
"This isn't the first time I've seen the factories. There were others in the Cambor Forest — and we destroyed them."
"So you were the ones who destroyed those factories? I'll tell you something, you arrogant whelp… not knowing the rebel Leonehar will cost you your life!"
Youray smiled again, then attacked:
"Bone Germ — Abyssal Bones!"
A cluster of bones, shaped like spikes, launched at Karnou at high speed.
Karno twisted his body slightly:
"Flexibility Germ — Limbs of Elasticity!"
Karno's limbs began to stretch, and his body thinned out like a delicate thread.
All the bones passed straight through him without causing any harm.
"You cunning bastard!" said Youray.
Karnou regained his breath and began to smile:
"Do you think Leonehar placed me in this position for nothing?"
"Let's end this!" said Youray, then attacked faster than before.
Karno was shocked by his speed. In just a moment—there he was in front of him—Boom!
A fist wrapped in bones struck Karnou's face, sending him flying like a paper leaf. He crashed into the wall, creating a large hole, and fell to the ground, where many stones collapsed onto him.
"Show me now what you're so proud of!" said Youray.
Karno stood up, sand and stones falling from his body:
"You'll pay for this!" said Karno.
But at that moment, Youray was no longer in his place—rather, a thick fog began to form.
"What is this? Is this someone else?"
Boom!
A strong kick struck Karnou's stomach, and he hit the wall again.
"What's going on? Why can't I see him? And what is this damned fog?!"
"Flexibility Germ!"
He extended his arm, which began to spin rapidly, forming a fan to blow away the fog—but to no effect.
"Why won't this damned fog clear?!"
Youray appeared before Karnou:
"This fog won't clear until you're dead… Tell me now, is there a rebel standing behind Leonehar?"
Karnou laughed maniacally:
"Hahahahaha! Know this, you bastard — the most dangerous one you'll face is the one you know nothing about! None of you bastards know a thing about the leader, and that ignorance has cost many lives. You'll all pay for your recklessness!"
Youray smiled:
"I'll tell you something — your proud leader will meet the same fate as you.
And I'll tell you one more thing… the reason your leader will die is because he underestimated us.
But you won't live to witness it… How unfortunate."
"Enough talk, you bastard!"
He charged quickly toward Youray:
"Flexibility Germ — Limbs of Elasticity!"
He stretched his arm toward Youray, who stood still, unmoving.
That arm wrapped around Youray's body:
"Got you! Where will you run now?
Flexibility Germ — Flexible Whip!"
His other arm moved like a whip toward Youray's neck.
"Because of this germ, long-range attacks won't work on you… but now, you're close to me," said Youray with a smile.
At that moment, Karnou heard the last words of his life:
"Bone Germ… Unyielding Bones!"
A large cluster of bones burst from Youray's body—truk truk truk truk—
and at great speed, they pierced through Karno's body.
There was no time to retreat. His greatest mistake was getting close to Youray.
His body was now full of holes, blood gushing from every one — even between his eyebrows, a bone had pierced through.
It was the reason he died instantly, without a word.