The five ran deeper into the forest
"So much demonic creatures.. where in the world were they hiding?!"
"We can't fight that much demonic creatures, just keep your mouth shut and focus on running!"
Azreal shouted, responding to Kevin as he continued to speed up.
"Serena! Can't you make a law or something that makes them unable to move!"
"It'd take too much time! And there is at least more than a hundred chasing us! The law of equivalent exchange means I probably won't have anything to offer up right now anyway!"
Serena threw a smoke bomb on the ground, hoping it'd stop the demonic creature's advance but they continued onward
Elijah looked back, staring at the horde chasing them
'These things are hungry and weak..'
Demonic creatures typically gained more sentience and power the more blood/souls they consumed. The fact that the were simply being chased and nothing else was being done meant these demonic creatures are still mindless creatures simply chasing human flesh
'But how can they have remained hidden for so long then?'
As he steadied his breath, he made his decision and ran the opposite direction
"Elijah!"
Azreal shouted, trying to stop him, but Elijah ignored it and ran.
Kevin tried to chase him but he had his shirt held by Azreal
"What!"
"The fact that he's doing something like this means he has a plan, for now, we act as bait"
***
'Huh? Why aren't they chasing me?'
Elijah looked back as he ran, only a few demonic creatures had followed him.
He took out his sword and with a few strikes, slayed the demonic creatures, leaving their corpses on the ground to decompose.
'No way… could they have continued chasing them?'
Elijah's plan was to act as bait.
He wanted most of the enemies to chase him so the four of them would have time to either kill the demonic creatures or just find a way to get help.
But…
It seems they have… continued chasing them?
Elijah sighed as he got ready to run back as he heard footsteps coming forwards him
"Sheesh.. when can we kill that damn uncle? So annoying, can't even drink booze."
"We'll let the demonic creatures feast on them after we deal with these intruders, they seem pretty strong."
"Who cares if they're strong? They're kids! Probably just explorers if anything"
Hiding in a block of grass, Elijah peeked his head out slightly to see who was speaking.
'Mecernaries..'
Two man with scars around their body walked onwards, one of them was bald and the other one had hair reaching till his waist.
'Those 2.. they look strong'
The mana around the two men were dense, at least B rank
Elijah immediately tried formulating a plan, thinking of how to get rid of these mecernaries, when a sword appeared right in front of him.
He immediately jumped back, holding his sword up
"Ah~ it seems one of the prey has gotten away."
The man with long hair removed his blade from the block of grass
"A pretty face! What a shame, if only I could.."
"Enough with your fantasies, let's just kill the one who got out"
The man with long hair immediately ran forward at Elijah
Elijah instinctively raised his sword to block, and was met with a force that pushed him back.
Suppressing a groan, he leaped back
"Oh my~ he blocked your sword! You're getting old velhram."
The bald man walked up to the man with long hair and patted his back while holding out his axe
"Shut up, I don't want to hear that from you Jerald.
'They're not strong but I can't win if they both fight against me at the same time'
Looking at the two men, Elijah thought of running away
'I can't, they'll chase after me and catch up eventually…'
"What-cha thinking there? Pretty boy~"
The bald man charged forwards him with the axe, aiming for his head.
Elijah once again instinctively raised his sword, hoping to block it when his shirt got pulled
'Wha-'
Still staring at the axe, a pair of hands that was handcuffed went in instead, taking the blow.
The handcuffs broke off and he was brought back words
'What in the…'
Elijah looked to his side, to see Zaire
"Zaire..? What are you doing-"
"Is now the time?"
From… well Elijah didn't know where but Zaire took out a rapier and continued blocking the hits done by the man with the axe.
Elijah looked to the side, noticing the long haired man running forwards him at frightening speeds with a sword.
He braced his feet and launched himself forwards the long haired man.
The man block the first strike and attempted kicking him in the abodemen, but Elijah twisted his figure in a way to avoid it, instead delivering a kick to the man's side,launching him.
The man stopped his momentum by kicking a tree, and used it instead to launch himself forwards Elijah, who was smiling
"Wha- wait!"
His head was cut off.
'One down'
Elijah looked to the side, wanting to help Zaire, only to see the bald man laying on the ground and crying, with both of his hands cut off. On his back was Zaire's feet.
"You done?"
Zaire asked him as he removed his leg from the man's back
"Should I kill him?"
"NO PLEASE! I BEG-"
"Do as you want"
The bald man was stabbed in his heart
Zaire stared at the corpse laying next to Elijah before glancing back up at him
"You're surprisingly cold hearted"
"Those who attempt to kill should be prepared to be killed, no?besides, I don't want to hear that from you"
Elijah stared at Zaire, who was still poking holes in the bald man's corpse. 'Does he have a hatred against bald man or something..?'
"Fair enough"
Elijah stared at Zaire in the eyes before sighing and walking to the side of the forest
"…I'll ask how you got out later"
"Why? In a rush?"
"Don't you notice a shocking lack of people here? My friends are being chased"
Zaire looked at him with continueing to play with his rapier, slicing the man's corpse.
"Shall we go together then? Two heads are better than none"
"What do you mean by none?"
"Who knows~"
Zaire immediately caught up to Elijah and ran alongside him.