...
Laughter filled the air. It was so loud that you'd think it was multiple people laughing but no. The silence that surrounded the area, amplified the noise of the laughter. It was as if everyone was listening to the tune of death and they couldn't do anything about it but succumb in fear.
...
Was he the mastermind? No one could figure out the real answer. No one wanted to figure it out.
" It's interesting. How come only two of you are dead? When he said it would be ten lying on the floor right about this moment? " Mr. Froil tilts his head, staring at everyone with a wide grin on his face.
...
No one could speak. Two dead? They couldn't believe the words coming out of Mr. Froil's mouth, yet his eyes convinces them otherwise. Two people who were just walking to the portal with them earlier, are now just lifeless corpses waiting to be eaten by the world.
" It's fine though, let's just make that quota now... " He says turning his eyes towards us.
" kukuku. How will the great hero Gerald Mein handle this situation, I wonder... "
...
What should we do? The students, even Yang and Rena didn't know what to do. We were all stuck in the grasp of a predator no one will be able to escape from. No one knows what to do, run and get killed by some more unknown factors or by Mr. Froil himself, or hide behind Mr. Gerald and watch him hopelessly lose and die a miserable death.
They looked at me trying to see if I had thought of something, but I helplessly shook my head no.
" This... " As they look at my answer, their expressions turned grim as if I was the last option here.
Tsk...
I don't know what to do... Of all the things, Mr. Froil was the last person I expected to be a spy. In the main story, he was on humanity's side. So how come such a drastic change occurred all of a sudden?
It was too confusing...
There are so many factors that are weird and confusing that I need time to somehow process everything.
Me. Gerald who had his hands behind his back reached into his side pocket grabbing what seems to be a vial of fluid, glowing bright red.
" That's... " As if Rena realized what it was, she whispers in shock as she looks at the shiny potion on Mr. Gerald's arm.
" Oho? It seems like you're really trying it be the hero of these kids huh? " Mr. Froil smiles the moment he saw the vial in Gerald's hands.
Confused about the scenario, Yang nudges Rena trying to know what that thing was as she seems to know about it, judging from her reaction.
" Poison... "
" What? " Yang asks trying to see if he misheard her.
" A vial that will kill you in 30 minutes the moment you drink it. "
" I see... But isn't that too difficult and unreliable? How is Mr. Gerald going to use that on Mr. Froil when their gap is an entire letter away? " Yang looks at Gerald nervously.
" Mr. Froil isn't the one who will be using it... It'll be him. " She says as she points at Gerald who was holding the vial firmly.
" What?! " Yang looks at Rena with a confused look. Was Mr. Gerald trying to take the easy way out?
" It's a Mana Amplifier Potion... " Rena says weakly.
As those words come out of her mouth, Yang seemed to have finally realized what Mr. Gerald was going to do.
He'll drink the potion and try and best Mr. Froil, freeing up the kids and ultimately dying from the side effect of the potion.
" It's quite annoying don't you think? " Mr. Froil's grin suddenly vanished.
" Some fucking kid thinks a vial will be enough to kill me? "
Thud!
As he says so, he rushes down Gerald and smashes his head on the hard concrete.
" ugh! " We were standing behind Mr. Gerald so Mr. Froil was standing right in front of us, with his hand on Mr. Gerald's face, shoved to the floor.
" Let's see how you fare huh? " He grins yet again while staring at everyone.
Ku...
" Lava Manipulation: Chains! "
Chains made out of molten rock shoot out of Gerald's hand and go around Mr. Froil's arm as it tries to bind him down.
Psh!
In a second, however, Mr. Froil vanishes from his position and appears where he had originally stood.
" Kukuku, you have to move faster than that. " He says with an insulting tone.
" Tsk. " Mr. Gerald stands up from the ground and wipes the blood that came out of his mouth.
He takes a look behind and switches his focus to Rena, before ultimately facing back and bringing the vial towards his mouth.
" Mr. Gera- " Kate whispers trying to stop him from such a suicidal move. But she realizes the consequences and the effect of what the vial will do.
Should they stop him and save his life? Should they stop him but they die?
…
They couldn't.
No one except the hero would have such a big heart to sacrifice themselves for the well-being of others. And everyone knew they weren't any heroes.
" This... " Rena looks at Mr. Gerald with a complicated look.
It seems like she still somehow loves him. He was the best brother she could ever have when they were young. But he was also the worst he could ever have after a fateful day.
Without wasting any more time, Mr. Gerald hovers the vial directly above his mouth before crushing the vial in his hands into his mouth.
I could see broken glass enters his mouth, but only after a second, lava comes flowing out of his mouth.
It didn't shoot up or anything, but it just flows to the side of his mouth down to his entire body as steam releases from his body.
Shhhh....
You could hear the concrete floor sizzle and melt from the high-temperature Gerald was currently releasing.
" Kukuku, entertain me well Mr. Gerald " Mr. Froil grabs his face and looks at Mr. Gerald in excitement.
...
" Lava Arts: Crimson Mantle " Mr. Gerald with his head still tilted upwards as lava flows out his mouth, whispers. "
Rumbling...
" What's happening... " Yang whispers as he stares at Mr. Gerald.
Boom!
In the shape of a square, surrounding Mr. Froil, lava shoots up consistently making a barricade full of lava.
This...
Me. Gerald finally turns his head back down before revealing his bright crimson eyes, with lava still flowing out of the corners of his mouth.
He then brings out his arms and slowly closes them as he whispers, " Lava Arts: Homing Pit..."
Crackle-
As if there were multiple worms digging in the ground, many lines start to form from the spewing lava wall towards Mr. Froil in quick succession. It was as if nerve endings running through the concrete.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Cracks form in the ground as the lava worms go through it, with some even bursting to the surface releasing a small explosion of lava.
Mr. Froil stood there with an unchanged expression, staring at the rushing lines heading toward him.
Boom! Boom!
In quick succession, the lines that slowly crept toward Mr. Froil, finally reached him, forming a circle of bright red light ready to shoot up in a second.
" Lava Arts: BURST! " Mr. Gerald shouts as he grabs the floor with his palm.
Boom!
An explosion, bigger than what we've ever heard shot up from the walls that were already shooting up lava.
We couldn't even see what was happening, as if an entire volcano had shot up.
" This is the power of an A- tier... " Yang whispers, as he stares at the lava shooting up the sky, even reaching halfway to an entire skyscraper, showing the sheer strength of not only the vials but A-ranked Guardians in general.
Pshhh...
The lava seemed to have died down as it starts to go down.
" kuh " Mr. Gerald grabs his stomach and vomits blood, indicating that the mana amplifier's side effect was starting to hit.
...
" Was it over... " Reign's side looked at each other in nervousness as they wait in suspense for the lava wall to die down.
...
" kukuku... " Laughter fills the air.
Everyone turns stiff the moment they heard the distinct laugh.
As the wall falls down, Mr. Froil who was crouching down holding the exit where the lava should've burst out, stood up with ease.
" That burnt... " He says with an off-putting smile as he holds his wrist showing the burn mark in his palm.
" He... Did he stop that lava that burst halfway off that sky scraper with his... hands? " Yang stutters as he looks at Mr. Froil in fear.
" You might be more entertaining than I originally thought. " Mr. Froil stares at Mr. Gerald who was standing in front of him.
" But you're mind isn't fully focused on our fight... this is annoying. " He whispers as his grin vanishes from his face.
Pop.
Mr. Froil vanishes from his spot and arrives next to Reign's side.
" Wha... AHHHHHH! " A horrifying scream surrounds the area, as one of Reign's friends fall to the ground headless.
" He... He's dead... " They scream, as the remaining doubt and hope that everything was just a joke crumbled to the ground.
" You fucking bastard! " Mr. Gerald screams and rushes at Mr. Froil and tries to hit him.
He dodged it easily though, and showed up where he was just at.
" You're too focused on protecting useless children. Don't you know how shit these guys' personalities are? HAHAHA " He laughs out loud.
Mr. Gerald only looked at him in severe hatred though as he sandwiches himself between everyone and Mr. Froil.
" Hahhh. This isn't going to work. Let's do this the hard way then. " His smile vanishes yet again, and waves his right hand signaling for something.
Thud...
Thud...
Thud...
Thud...
As he does so, multiple thumps echoed from every single alleyway there.
" Help me... "
A horrifying line enters everyone's ears as not one, but multiple beaks peak through the alleyways.
" This... " Mr. Gerald looks at Mr. Froil and turns at us.
He tries to run toward every Shrieker and kill them all in one go, but Mr. Froil grabs his head.
" Hey now, I did all that so you could focus on me. What do you think you're doing? " He smiles and stares at the Shriekers and us.
" Let go of me! Fuck! What are you guys doing, run! " He screams, as the Shriekers were now fully visible.
" Ru.... Run! " Everyone seemed to have finally escaped their panicked stupor and runs to the opposite direction, hoping to escape the grasp of death itself.