“...”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaJ9VwDvjq
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“...”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjI2IGe9Z2a
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I couldn’t explain how it wound up this way. Maybe it was how I always lagged behind, or that other members were simply more courageous than Juke and I. Maybe it was bad fortune becoming of me, an ugly trait that reared its head in inconvenient times. Pondering an explanation was a useless endeavor anyhow. At this point, I realized it just wasn’t always needed.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29aj2I126q
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0hlNzQDsz
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I didn’t have any evidence, but my gut screamed at me that the final floor would be the most challenging to combat. I readily acknowledged that the Harbinger was on a lower floor, but all the suspense that had been accumulating in my body informed me that wasn’t the worst of it. Perhaps it was a superstition– no, it absolutely was –but I was still compelled to tell Juke of my hypothesis.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SFu4IkaTM
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“I have a feeling–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yIkxP6rlW
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“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcdrDsRnT4
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I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosM94nQIkv
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“Do you also have that feeling?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lgWly3iLj
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“Nothin’ like it. I could just tell by the look on yer face. Either way, I don’t think we’re gonna deal with somethin’ so meddlesome.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ42jTGf0Fq
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“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3VltZzSek
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His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnOjB9rpJe
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But, ultimately, I reminded myself yet again that that hardly mattered. Now that we’d arrived on a flat surface, there was nothing to do but to walk through that door and eliminate whoever was behind it. So we made sure to make a loud entrance. As I was able to match his pace, the both of us busted the door down. We ran into the master’s room, a spacious office stacked with papers. It was different, and far, far messier than the Foreign Pillar’s.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEbpASfrc0
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“Y-You!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCtW3uzMF4
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I was shocked by a sudden voice from my left. I turned my head and saw a skinny gentleman, one I could only assume was the Pillar’s Dean.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsUApTQ9wn
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“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMJinAN9Ka
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“A-Alright!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBlHmxgL6i
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Whether his words or his pathetic visage swayed me, I ran to untie him all the same. But I was stopped in my tracks by a hand grabbing my shoulder.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7lge519p9
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“Hey! Juke, what are–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1VL17mb5i
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My question was cut short the moment I looked at where he was point. Now, I was looking at the reason behind the different papers, the reason why the dean was tied in rope.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopXUY0dRvK
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A man stood on the desk. A man with a robe I knew all too well, but more importantly, with a style of hair that I recognized. He turned his head towards us as he put a paper down, and frowned.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUKogX7ISO
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“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1r1cjEQvZn
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With almond-shaped eyes and a jagged, unusual hairstyle that screamed “punk,” the Bringer in the streets of this city right as this mess began glared at us with the sheen of his blade.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcLuDRGkQo
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“He’s alive!?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda8LkvnyuO
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The shock of it all was one thing, as the last time I saw him, I was sure he was pulverized and left to bleed out. But what truly made me yell in such volume was that he still had both of his arms.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfHruvEWgj
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“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJta4la9jP
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“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1waffSrdgv
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He said it matter-of-factly, as if none of it should be a surprise. Missing limbs weren’t impossible to restore with highly potent, albeit rare and extremely expensive potions, but processes like that took months, often years to complete. And they would only proceed smoothly with frequent tending and doctoral observation.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5nmlg7TFA
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And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm5ybj1Aoj
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“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6eiRX4Xkx
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“...Well, not exactly.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4fA3W2yMe
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I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCViFx7y1A
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“Restoring limbs isn’t impossible; I tried and failed to make a few like that myself. But to be able to do it that fast, there’s only one explanation.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYVZFXVMJ5
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“Tell me, won’t ya?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM4SCqyxNw
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“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJnHv9ouPI
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“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7YorVbFs0
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“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cEvvs7RFH
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“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED8kUG2HYe
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I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVod48SpZKZ
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“There’s someone among our ranks who’s a world-class healer. It’s phenomenal to see her work, really. I was out like a light, but by the time I woke up, I was better than new!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PFY0PcTjK
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He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAETmZNKKOU
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“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNb1Px6Jf0
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The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcNCdd1u6M
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“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhDDs2CGmW
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The Bringer hopped off the desk and reached for the other scabbard on his belt. Wielding two curved blades yet again, he stared at us with crazed, narrowed eyes.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpdOoSENln
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“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNjxxkNOPr
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He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU6saCDuGz
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“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNKtiI6CBA
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And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkXA3bTymk
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–
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–
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–208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNIKFfKDY2
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The Bringer’s immediate dash complicated this whole mess. It might’ve been my fault for not taking Juke aside and speaking of a plan, but there was nothing I could do now. I didn’t have time to speak with him about our battle strategy. It helped not that the Bringer’s gesture was so sudden. It stunned me for a moment and forced me to think of a counterattack. But Juke thankfully had a quick, simple proposal:: he just drew his sword and matched the Bringer.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4ecZMWdCL
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The first collision of the battle followed right after. Juke blocked a double swipe with his single sword, and immediately I noted that Juke had more physical strength than the Bringer, as he was able to keep him in a lock. The Bringer dashed away shortly after, glaring at us while humming curiously. I was oddly disturbed by that gesture, but I had no time to contemplate. I drew my tendril and sprouted the perfect plant for the occasion: the Thistle-Bloom. One of the first plants I ever copied from Prince’s garden, Its spikey bulb protruded from the tip of the tendril. I squelched its root as if I was choking it.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbaO5FqYjC
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Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3D7MlzAXd
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“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEACV7nGmY
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He nodded right after, boldly charging at the still-humming Bringer. I put one knee down and bent the Thistle-Bloom, aiming it directly at the two fighters.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBCs9x4kx6
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It was impossible to safely shoot while the two were in close combat, but that bothered me barely. Juke’s endowment gave him a defensive edge, and with the constant threat of his sword and wind magic, the Bringer would be forced to back away eventually. I just had to wait for that moment, and as I did, I keenly watched the battle unfold.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffzqiFIgdM
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Juke played the offensive role spectacularly. I wasn't sure if the Bringer was hesitating from past experience or gauging him in some fashion, but the end result was that swings were being thrown his way. None of Juke's swings connected, however, and the Bringer kept too small a distance for me to shoot.
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Eventually, the Bringer retaliated. He swung his swords across and Juke blocked them at the center. From that position though, Juke was forced to back away. Almost losing his sword, he awkwardly stepped a few paces back while swinging his arms to keep from falling. In that moment, the Bringer dashed and thrust his weapons.
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**CLANG**
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"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
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The tip of his blades practically bounced off Juke's skin, and from the looks of it, made only a scratch on his helmet. Juke looked relieved, and the Bringer looked annoyed, and though I was distracted by relief of not seeing my friend be penetrated, I surged mana through the tendril.
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"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
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All of a sudden, right before the thorns of the bulb spew like the water of a dam, the Bringer flung one of his blades my way.
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"I can just chip away."
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I tripped over myself trying to dodge it, and though all but a clip of my hair avoided it, it managed to glide through elsewhere.
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My body reacted immediately.
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"Urg--Glurrgh!"
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The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
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"Kid! Ah, shit!"
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I collapsed to the ground, limp and lethargic in my lazy legs. I mustered the strength to tilt my head up and look at the fight. Juke kept the Bringer occupied, but everything about the sight was wrong. That Bringer was missing a sword, so why was Juke forced to block every attack? Why did his posture falter while the Bringer's only strengthened?
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Familiar shivers ran through my spine. My limbs denied my commands, and even my eyes forced themselves blind to the scene. Then the word "run" entered my head. And then I–
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"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
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"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
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A rush of adrenaline helped me endure the pain of forming the Dragon-Maw, but with my other hand, I quickly created a ball of fire and lobbed it at the two fighters. I didn't hit anyone, but the blaze separated them, giving Juke crucial time to breathe. He shot me a thumbs up while brandishing his weapon, threatening the Bringer just enough for him to back off.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1Yp1gcoBL
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The Dragon-Maw snapped at the Bringer, knowing by instinct who the opponent was. But to my surprise, it didn’t uncontrollably charge.. Rather, it retracted, hissing at the adversary as if he encroached on its territory.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEx0O2V6Ij
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“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMjIvfDo6o
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After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeo7Nwr1FtI
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Though carrying such a dislodged, extended mass was difficult on my tiny body, I put no energy into making attacks. Dragon-Maw complimented Juke’s fighting patterns superbly, striking at times when Juke reeled from swinging his sword. The Bringer was put on the backfoot almost instantly, and the pressure was obvious from his drenched face. Despite our suffocating offense, we never managed to break the guard of his blistering blade.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNDzAsPqGh
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He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sS4rYLRVq
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Though my arm strained and heaved, I kept the tendril out. The Bringer carried Juke and Dragon-Maw around the room, lining its edges and narrowly missing the paper piles. At some point, though, I noticed that the Bringer had to block less and less. I thought for a moment that exhaustion from Juke or I was to blame, but as I narrowed my eyes, I noticed his feet moving further and further back.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7OecLQkSd
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQin1nOhGZ
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“Crap!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3xtTRnDij
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I stopped supporting my right arm with my left and quickly began mana expulsion. I didn’t have the time to make anything dangerous, so I conjured a messy ball of water and flung it at the Bringer. But I didn’t put enough for or mana for it to be meaningfully threatening. It merely splashed his face, not enough to stop him from picking up his other sword. But that brief moment of blindness afforded me a–208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzBJlZTygr
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**CRUNCH**208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhY8oNovCG
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The Dragon-Maw managed to clamp the Bringer at his side. It didn’t bite anything off, but from the grunts of the Bringer and the new hues of red, it was clear that the wound was deep.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMdr4AfDW6
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsBW5qaV3Y
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Like it was a basic reflex, the Bringer swung his sword and cut the head of Dragon-Maw off. I clicked my tongue and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the ensuing, and brutally-arriving pain. My preparation suppressed it adequately. I was still on my legs, after all. But it was offset by my dwindling willingness to use the tendril, and by the way its brown roots shed its sheen, I figured it felt the same. I had to ask it for one more favor, though.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PI6k6oi2z
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I realized it was reckless, especially with how small the room was, but I didn’t want this fight to drag on any longer than it already had. Thus, I procured a–208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzR0daBf8gg
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“Child! Child, please!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4pumpdnN9
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“W-What!?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQG3DFyPOnt
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My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAytuG0fod
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“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ040m72UBAI
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“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttiDeQp48x
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“...”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9BUnfTrn4
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I had this sick feeling that the Dean was far sleazier than I initially thought, but under this kind of situation, I could hardly blame him. I didn’t turn to save him, however. As a Freeze-Dry bloomed from the tip of my tendril, I stared with sweaty palms at the dueling two. Juke matched the Bringer far more comfortably now, even with him having two swords, as that injury was unignorable.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98kCYrUH7S
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With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDlgzRFJjS
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“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGm1h1qTcw
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“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJg8iHkM93
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Even though it would just take making a small dagger out of earth, sinking that time to free him felt like a terrible idea. I knew it was possible, I knew Juke could last long enough for me to do so, and yet– and yet–208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXs847o9Zd
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And yet, the option caused my arms to shiver. To be responsible for his freedom, would just mean I was responsible for everything that followed.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVN0ySBfWb
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegmU8S7Yqj
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZQZEbSreo
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqqeCtCsQ9
“Kid! Watch out!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWW4XZY4PM2
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASvx3N6UDf
“--Huh?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdM1B0Zldh
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8yp467j88
I was swept from my trance by Juke’s loud, worried call. My vision registered with me then, and I realized that the Bringer was charging directly at me.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qkpeoqQbW
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1OfJ3n7DG
“S-S-Shit!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJocwSTL2gR
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLDzspW9Zz
I did the first thing that came to mind: I conjured a hasty spell, shot it, and jumped to the side, causing me to land on my hip. Only, it didn’t go so smoothly. The spell I created wasn’t one of earth or fire, as trying to rush those would erase nearly half of my mana supply. So I created a large wave of water before moving. It blinded the bringer sufficiently, just enough for his thrust to miss me.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFTHM94f9k
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**SQUELCH**208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2236Xhkbj
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But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjbk43HHmI
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwktgSJoXI
“--H-Hrk!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHrCUYu0EI
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTbFxh01Q1
“Oh?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOoTaJF5n9
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq6PjQWirN
The Bringer rubbed the water out of his eyes and looked at where his sword had been lodged. He wasn’t happy or upset, nor did he look amused or angered. He had the look of someone who made a simple slip-up, like a man putting a box in the wrong place and merely shrugging his shoulders at the sight.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKW5ZYoYmp
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvjx769pm2
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChjOGtE8LR
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYOwM86pTH
“Ark… W-Why?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9gF2ffyw3
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYHS8Vc4rU
“I don’t have a reason. It was an accident, relax. Goodness, just relax! It’s not as if I hit your lungs, did I?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxKRRDLpB4
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETfRHZLD4J
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wT7UcIvEq
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzIjKA2FjT
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroVkJmkqGk
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC4W5QNmBQ
“A– y-you monster!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlBwJedb6u
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLSx3ni0is
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcd1j5P8hIC
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r3pT7Y5X6
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxz4CwyLIRc
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGE8D2NsZ9
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAUUKDidNH
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOv36lkkqo
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuKuQVZ2xx
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7muBo0jWx3
“A-Afraid?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxerplnwKu
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdqUcn12ac
I was stunned, undeniably, but it wasn’t paralysis. That wasn’t the case, because I saw the Dean right there, writhing but breathing, trying what he could to cover his wound. But to call myself afraid wasn’t incorrect. I could hardly keep myself from melting.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXqVcqHSp7
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDScJhUXpc
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAU4dDa2d4
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIwBAAP8sd
But then Juke’s words resounded from my side, and the sight of the Dean became enough for me to move. Though, I didn’t do so before giving myself a necessary rebuke.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfV1aVxJ6TL
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjDDWPEQXe
“Damn it. Damn it!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLH3fRSa1xs
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VKAlES2Hj
I aimed the Freezey-Dry at the bringer and let it work. The Bringer stepped to the side, avoiding the wall of ice that formed until the end of the room. I didn’t have to face any counterattack either, as Juke kept the Bringer occupied while I ran to the Dean, forming an earthly knife.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡludCJNlhfX
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhIfuph4KF
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvWclaQXoX
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy59usKHUk6
I hurriedly cut the ropes, slicing one of my own fingers in the process, but still managing to free the Dean. He grasped his shoulder and got on his legs.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbflMYs0Usd
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMgIfCBpag
“T-Thank you.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6Yt1diK6Y
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAC11ImK5U
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNsy1kMFFM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9N9aOEcnUa
The Dean meekly nodded, which made me greatly relieved. I conjured up a quick earth spell and shot it through the ice wall, creating an opening.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYjI5X3WFa
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sP55pQjUB
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWMprG8fkC
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQxr52YIpU
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTMCvryj51
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmj3IAjPSt
Though his run was gaunt, he managed to leave the parameter without being stopped. I walked around the ice wall to make sure of it, seeing him go through the entrance, and then I returned my attention to the Bringer.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7E1yIEs7p
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLiQe9vUy6
He and Juke were still fighting. The Bringer landed stray hits far too often for comfort, but I saw a window when the two clashed their swords and stared.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph6mMDUoVp
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZLl4pL11L
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMY9DZSx33
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHZ4si82uu
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzuQK5fgjh
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtM8vVfRizC
“Juke!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bKp6RFBt2
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCdNEmNoSb
I interjected as quickly as I could. I formed a ball of earth and shot it at the Bringer. He moved to dodge it, but his toilsome wound forced him to hiss and I managed to nip his shoulder. Juke took advantage of the generated momentum, swinging his sword barbarically but only scratching the Bringer’s cloth as he dodged. The Bringer clicked his tongue and massaged his shoulder. Though it was a reach of a call to make, I felt confident that his shoulder was dislocated.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLoW3IYyVa
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95sG85NiBZ
“That kid is such a nuisance!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX0wKxWGaG
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLMfGNTghE
He yelled an enraged sentence, jerking his head to me and glaring with dagger-like eyes. I brought my tendril out in front of me as a kind of shield, though with the ferocity of which he sprinted, it clearly wouldn’t do anything.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWstrGNQO95
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Fortunately, it didn’t have to.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2cqeTiT8U
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“Ahck!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxVF7lGkd4
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriKVePadxf
A gust of wind came from my right, slamming the Bringer hard enough for him to tumble to the floor. Juke followed his spell by charging with his sword raised. He swung down and collided with a shielding scimitar, unable to break its barricade. But as they struggled, I made my move.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiz42Uc7kAQ
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfJhUiTlkc
A spell wouldn’t do me good, and this wilting Freeze-Dry wouldn’t fare any better. My other offensive flower had been pierced and shredded, so I only had one thing at my disposal.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvV6lLc3jM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGHrOSwLUI
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQjLdpvazG
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RchCE0yEb
Juke moved his sword in the nick of time. The tendril caught the flat side of his scimitar– to my great relief –and crashed directly into his stomach. The air escaped from his lungs, and remnants of his meals flew out of his orifice. The blow stunned him well, and I retracted my tendril so Juke could quickly finish the job.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBUzCiZHrN
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt9PUixBMT
But, that did not happen.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUrGJu16yI
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With gritted teeth the bringer kicked himself from the floor to his feet, keeping Juke and I at a distance while pointing his swords. In the midst of it, I prepared a spell with my left hand: the embryonic stage of a geyser that would hose him to the wall. Preparing it took a while, however, and it was within that window of time that the Bringer208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyoBIrZf98
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“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecomjCeh6o
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDajtcE1XK
He twirled his core along with his blades, swindling himself like a leadenknob. His arm covered every feature of his face but his eyes, and he glared at us with the eyes of a feline.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLrVYUv1qR
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UCnh6Vdgc
From his body language, posture, and exasperated voice, it was clear to me what was coming: that bizarre technique that troubled Juke and I when we first fought.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt24LAt8nfW
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And he let it rip just a moment later.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgTReG5ey1
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His speed was unprecedented, his rotation made him blurry, and his rapid blades howled in the wind it sliced. Though he spun in a rocky direction, it was just accurate enough to gain ground on Juke and I. And I knew that helmet of his wouldn’t last under such a flurry.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IdpS1gGHK
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoNH6kbv72
But true as that might’ve been, it wasn’t his helmet that would be put to the test. The Bringer veered from Juke right into me, approaching at a speed I could hardly react to. React I did, however. I produced a flower from my tendril and injected mana into it as fast as I could, and before his flurry of blades came, I had something to guard myself.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7nmmy2kyG
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA8JAaVV8K
The beige and jagged texture of the Valencia-Bloom’s shield defended me. Small enough for me to carry, but large enough to stop speedy metal from sneaking past. It kept up with the flurry miraculously, as every cut it received closed immediately. Dozens and dozens of cuts, and none strong enough to pierce through.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxf5HhdNIy
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“...!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fBrNKNJaH
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None so fierce to kill my plant.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhJeRsqklE
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“M-My arm!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvq83yG9wVD
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But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoPa0iqYQM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJu2hgzZJs
“Juke!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0jci3Z7kd
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70u20MIegt
“Gotcha, kid!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY1aB4NP9n
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnoFdK7Moq
The barrage had no effect on the shield, but my puny arm couldn’t stand against such pressure. It was impossible to keep it up. I could already feel the fear seep into me; flashing images of what would become of me should those spinning blades connect.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtUHlR3MVh
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVQxaAQRTx
But something unusual happened in light of that. An action I didn’t know I had the capacity for, but was driven by nothing but my own will.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Rz8ABnqVr
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYWc2yvygg
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAdHMHu9F1
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uIh9thOuQ
It wasn’t a clean hit– the complete opposite. I couldn’t aim my palm in any useful direction, but the force of the spell was so great it still adjacently struck the Bringer. As I didn’t have time to plant myself firmly, I was sent flying as well, colliding into the wall to my right and across the room.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgqktrOExE
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwv7Yqx8Fi
“Hrk!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhv76D5jg6B
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xvO4tLqBF
The slam was ugly, and I slid to the floor like mushy food. I didn’t let myself rest then, however, because that Bringer was still alive. I stood up and peered over the Dean’s desk, at the Bringer.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeuUaFuN5J
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2owtHcn7l3
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnL9eI4enXy
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“...”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavFeyHP2cm
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“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5n99S4sIl
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhThWvILfFq
I didn’t respond to Juke’s praise. All my attention tunneled to the Bringer. His gaping mouth, his constricting eyes, the fading strength as his staunchblades slipped from his grip. He finally turned his eyes to me, then to the man who left him in such a state.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZlM5lYS1p
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“Curse…”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39aXZ2ShHx
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1mYakhwJW
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaV4i4MbM9Y
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDi5KF3DcU
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PMHWlZAFV
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqvTwfar8s
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfg3wDC1MR
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVNC17YFDR
“May they, be few.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eINgwY0km
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUESfSXEuuv
Another fit of coughing followed. It was intense and abrasive, ripping at his throat with each installment. Their strength eventually dwindled. His noisy coughs turned to raspy whispers, ejecting all the piling blood that clogged itself in his throat, lower and lower volumes as it progressed.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NR31saCdv
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4Wv9G8YRD
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PFBBwHRsW
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSUriAFpTS
“That was… sad.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9w89AH2cV
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkJWvJzwZY
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Tul5lfTbQ
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNz4RbGtbsv
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlEnyEUa0M
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMKlLyUyTQ
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAb4TfGFEP
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8clg99tco8
I chuckled at his assessment. He had a point. I should’ve just been glad to be alive, shouldn’t I? I showed my gratitude by taking a few steps over to Juke, raising my palm with as sweet a smile I could make. He matched my gesture, and we high-fived.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4uLi4wOPQ
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14zLjms2lv
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OGb34LljM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8nQPNeKr5
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xBrnUnAvV
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcs2povKK6G
“Don’t continue.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ftFGnAYpO
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oUgdt5zPZ
I looked at the Bringer’s corpse. In a twisted way, it was a trophy. A tangible token that indicated our success, our reclaiming of the Central Pillar. If the lower floors have succeeded, that is. I didn’t want to think like that now, however.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHbrGryc7H
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Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4baVEGx9Uf
