Get your hands up!"
Yemon acted quickly. His hands reached the gun and pointed the muzzle away from them.
He then kicked the soldier in the stomach, making him stumble backwards.
Unfortunately for Yemon, the soldier held his ground and stopped himself from falling.
"Tsk!"
Lumen got off from the boot and tried to stop the soldier but she did not know how to do it exactly.
Her physical ability wasn't to the level of causing a hindrance to an SMF soldier. Let alone faze him, there was a chance that ignoring her was a possibility.
The main problem for the SMF soldier right now was the fox masked man right in front of him.
Seeing the strength of his opponent, Yemon tried a different approach.
For an instance, he did not push the assault rifle. Actually, he was applying zero force against the soldier.
Instead, Yemon pulled the assault rifle towards himself which took the soldier along. The momentum helped the soldier to become vulnerable against his attack.
Yemon launched him backwards and on top of the car they were hiding in previously.
*Bang!*
His body crashed on the top and broke the side windshield as well.
In Yemon's possession was the firearm that the soldier had. He snatched it when his grasp was loosened upon his launch.
Yemon was about to run away with Lumen from the car but a series of bullet flew in his way.
*Pew!**Pew!**Pew!**Pew!**Pew!**Pew!*
*Pew!*
Yemon immediately took cover behind the boot of the car. Lumen was getting scared as her heart throbbed faster when she heard the bullets fired.
They were aiming to kill. Not capture.
Lumen looked at the fox mask and asked with her trembling voice.
"...W-What should we do n-now...?"
The only way he could see how this would unfold was getting riddled by countless bullets.
Yemon took a deep breath and assessed the situation he was in. The bullets stopped making the scary noise as firing more would be a waste of bullets.
The multiple boots made clanking noise as they approached the two criminals.
Lumen nudged Yemon and complained.
"Y-Yemon. Tell me! A-Are we going to die?"
Yemon exhaled longer than usual.
While doing that, the image of Jin Yuudai flashed in his mind vividly. He opened his eyes and thought again.
'I hope he heals us.' Yemon pleaded to himself.
While remaining in cover, he stepped back and peeked over the ledge. The car they were hidden in was parked close to the ledge of the parking wall.
So it was understandable that Yemon did not have to move much, that too without worrying about getting shot.
He scanned down at the environment and mainly saw a police car that was stationed.
Only 2 policemen could be seen and there wasn't any other dangerous factor. There was also a tree rich with branch and leaves just a bit further from the ledge.
Yemon got back to cover as Lumen enquired.
"A-Any solutions?"
Yemon with a serious look spoke about the escape route he imagined right now.
"We are going to have to run and jump off this ledge, onto the tree and down. Then we-"
"W-Wait a m-minute! Did you just say jump off the ledge? We are 2 floors above!!"
"So?"
"W-....."
Lumen could not believe her ears and eyes. The calmness that Yemon exuded after suggesting a ridiculous action was staggering.
How can he make it sound normal?
Lumen was petrified of the idea put forward.
"...Is this t-the only w-way?"
"If we run both either side, there is a high chance of our body being filled with bullets. The only option is to go down."
Yemon shut down possible ways that did not even have a 1% of getting out alive.
Lumen was speechless. She did not know how to accept Yemon's decision. It was like going into a pit of fire.
"There is no other way. Are you ready?"
"....."
"Lumen."
".....Yes."
After receiving her consent, he explained to her what needs to be done. Meanwhile, the boots were getting closer to them.
The SMF was not proceeding quickly but carefully. Because they were aware that the criminal had possession of one of their comrade's firearm.
Minimum casualties were their ideal outcome.
"Understand? You need to launch high enough to at least reach the bundle of leaves."
"....Yes."
"And just to make you feel better, even if your legs are broken, I will fix them and make them anew. So do not worry about any injuries."
"H-Huh? .....How?"
Lumen started to have her hopes high by hearing the reassuring information.
"An acquaintance of mine has the power to heal. So do not fret too much about the fall. I'll take care of you after that. Got it?"
Lumen gritted her teeth, trying to steel her resolve to jump off the ledge to the tree. For a moment, she veered to Yemon and declared.
"...Let's do it."
Yemon nodded and was prepared to take action.
"Ready when you are," Yemon stated.
Lumen gulped the saliva stuck in her throat. The soldiers were closing so she did not have much time.
Without thinking too much, she dashed towards the ledge, exposing her upper body from cover.
The SMF were about to pull the trigger but Yemon suddenly peaked over with the assault rifle and sprayed near the SMF soldiers. It prevented Lumen from getting hurt.
They were inches from getting shot so they moved back to some cover.
However, they did not just sit back and wait. They returned fire and Yemon dodged behind the boot of the car.
He saw Lumen leap off the ledge and flew towards the bundle of leaves on top of the tree
Her fear peeked as gravity pulled her down to the ground. But her jump was far enough that it reached the tree
*Crack* *Crack*
"Gah!"
The branches tore off as the body of Lumen fell on it. Multiple other branches were broken or got bruised.
"Ku-!?"
On her way down through the leaves and branches, she picked up scratches and even worse, she lost control so making the landing was going to be very difficult.
Her body once turned sideways rapidly due to hitting branches on her shoulder. She did not know what to do.
And she was almost out of the leaves area.
*Bump!*
She fell and landed on her knees.....in a bad way.
"I-It hurts!!!"
Her cries of anguish did not go unheard as the two policemen by the police car detected the criminal.
"It's her!" One of the policemen pulled out his gun while the other one followed suit.
Lumen's knee was busted. She could not even stand up. Even moving a hair's breadth hurts so much.
She was stuck to the ground itself as she witnessed the pistol's muzzle aimed straight at her.
But before they had the chance of pulling the trigger, the heavy sound of the rustle of the leaves just nudged the policemen's awareness.
In front of them, next to the injured Lumen, Yemon landed almost perfectly.
Since he came through the thick leaves and branches, his centre of gravity was off-balance, resulting in a not so good landing.
However, he was quick on his feet.
He stabilised himself then fired his assault rifle.
*Pew!**Pew!**Pew!**Pew!**Pew!*
He aimed at the two policemen legs.
"Wh-Tch!" "Gahah! SHIIIIIT!!!!"
The two of them toppled over due to the pain and force in the bullets.
Instead of taking care of Lumen, first, he rushed to the fallen policemen. Then he disarmed both of them, by snatching their guns and taking them for himself.
"Here grab one." Yemon gave one to Lumen then started to help her stand.
"Aah!"
"Come, just endure this small stroll."
She was limping badly as her land was that horrific.
"Get in."
Yemon made her sit on the passenger seat of the police car. He closed the door, went around looted the two agonized policemen who were laying on the ground.
He specifically was looking for the car keys, which he successfully found. Quickly, he got onto the car and turned it on.
The SMF from above started to spray bullets on top of the car. The disaster that was raining on them was unfavourable.
Yemon had to be fast.
He shifted the gears and went full throttle.
"W-Wait! I haven't got my seatbelt on!!"
"Who cares about that right now!?"
He drove the car out of the parking area and went onto the road.
The familiar whirling noise invaded both their ears and that made Yemon clicked his tongue.
"The annoying part of the chase."
"A helicopter for me?!"
Lumen was shocked. She was not expecting her to be that wanted in the criminal world.
"Of course they want a helicopter. They have an infrared camera installed. Perfect for your invisibility power."
".....Oh, that makes sense."
"More importantly,..."
Yemon looked at his rear mirror, observing the many SMF cars and police cars that were pursuing them.
"Do you know how to swim?"
"...In my condition, it is impossible! And why do-"
"We are going to escape in the sea. The infrared camera does not pick up thermal energy signal underwater."
As a matter of fact, even a small depth of water can obstruct the infrared camera function. At the moment, it was the only plausible route to take.
"Virus, you heard us, right? Tell me."
"Go straight and turn on the second left."
"Okay!"
Yemon followed Hoga's instruction. The reason he was referring to Hoga as Virus was because he did not want to reveal his real name to Lumen.
Anyway, what Hoga was giving direction, its destination was to the nearest sea location.
Yemon really wants to lose them since Lumen was injured.
"How about when we arrive at our destination, you shoot the helicopter."
"Huh...? I don't know how to do that. I have never held a gun in my life except for now."
Yemon calmed her down and replied, "Don't worry. I am not asking much. Just shoot in their direction just so to disturb them."
"B-But..."
"Practice with your gun in the meantime."
Lumen looked at her hand and observed the pistol. She looked in the side mirror and stuck her head out.
She then aimed at the helicopter.
*Bang!"
"Waaaa....."
The recoil scared her. She was not grasping it firmly because she was still agitated.
"Hold it strongly and then pull the trigger."
*Bang!*
This time, she used it properly compared to before. Nonetheless, she still was inexperienced in firearms so there were some amateurish details.
However, he did not have the time to dwell on that.
Lumen kept shooting at the helicopter while Yemon was approaching the sea while fending off authorities' vehicles.
"Make a right and you should be there." Hoga instructed.
He veered right and saw a construction site. It seemed like they were building some kind of hotel or something like that
The most significant factor was that it was near the sea.
The hotel was in the process of getting built near a sea with no beach. There was only water next to the hotel.
So for people to not fall into the water, there was a metal railing that covered the edge to prevent people from transversing.
Yemon pushed the accelerator pedal harder when he saw that.
"Lumen! Take the assault rifle and start firing at the helicopter! Be careful with this one! Keep holding the trigger and do not let go of your grip!"
"O-Okay."
She took the rifle and sprayed it uncontrollably in the sky.
Many were missing but some made contact with the helicopter. The pilot had to move and disrupt the infrared camera's view.
"Hold on now!!!"
Using the opportunity, Yemon busted through the railing and launched itself into the sea.
*Splaashh!!*
The authorities from the helicopter did not pick up any signal in their camera.
The ground team was gathering at the site where they broke the metal railing
"Dammit! Men! Scatter around the shore and search for them!! Block every road that's close to this part of the sea!"
"Yessir!"
"Tsk." The police officer quietly cursed that fox masked man that suddenly appeared and ruined their capture.
......
"Puhuaa!! Haa.....Haa... Haa..."
Extreme exhaustion exuded from Yemon. He was all soaked as he emerged from the water.
Supporting on his shoulder was Lumen, that was still limping from the injury.
They were both tired so they dropped to the ground and laid down. The inhale and exhale surrounded their ears.
"I cannot believe you.....carried me...while swimming....that long distance..."
Lumen was genuinely surprised. For the day, she does not know how much shock she experienced.
The existence of this fox masked man, claiming to be known as Yemon.
Lumen acknowledged him to be strong. But was he the wrong kind of strong or the opposite?
"Haa.....Haaa.....Haaaa....."
"So.....? Want to come to the shelter promised?"
Lumen slowly became quiet with her exhaling noise. She contemplated how she should handle this.
But for now, she knew what has this person beside her has done to save her.
No one has gone so far as to do this.
There was not a place that she could permanently live. Always wandering alone and invisible in the dark.
That is why Lumen accepted being in the dark with Yemon.
At least, she would have company.