A sudden shiver went down my spine.
Pleis was a crazy bastard, but it seems like I underestimated that insanity of his. This was a situation I thought could occur, but I didn't think it would occur.
Pleis, had turned Mr. Gerald into his catalyst. And everyone knows what happens when he does.
Although Mr. Gerald was a strong Guardian, a single entity that could kill all the students here in terms of fighting power due to the stat gap, he's still just one person. He wouldn't be a threat to everyone, but to only a few people he would chase. And for that, Yang and I volunteered ourselves to be the one who gets hunted. But now that, he became a catalyst, the Shriekers who are most likely dazed from escaping the mind control, had now come back under the control of Pleis.
What we thought was a singular hunt, became a widespread hunting grounds. Although Shriekers are definitely weaker than Mr. Gerald, we weren't stronger than a Shrieker at all! And there are multiple of them at that matter.
" Shit! Mon! Now what do we do? " Yang looks at me in concern. All of that running and copying voices, had stabbed us in the back. I could even see some guilt in Yang's face, as he seems to be starting to blame himself for this situation. Many would die, and it started because of us.
" Calm down. Shriekers are easier to escape, than that bastard. " I say, but even I didn't know what to do.
' Please run... Run like your fucking lives depends on it. '
" Caw! Caw! "
...
Shit.
As we run through the empty streets, we could hear the call of a bird behind us.
" Wha- What was that? " Yang turns back, but fails to find anything of significance. He was confused, as there should be no bird in this sector. Nor any normal bird that lives in this part of the world.
So what made that sound?
Yang looks at me in question, trying to get my opinion on what it was, but I could only say one thing to him.
" Run! "
" Caw! Caw! "
" That's the fucking sound a Shrieker makes, before it imprints on a voice! " I shout without turning back.
Yang and I ran full speed, the moment I explained what it was. I didn't even know where that sound came from specifically, but I know it was from behind. It didn't take long for us to know where it was at as heavy footsteps hit the ground.
Thud! Thud!
He really didn't give us any time to breathe, huh?
" Don't turn back! Just run! " I shout towards Yang, as he seems to be curious of what was chasing after us.
" Head for the mall! "
" Caw! Caw! "
We sprinted and sprinted without slowing down. The looming calls of the monster running after us, sure did give us motivation as we ran. I was just hoping that Mr. Froil would be done with Pleis at this point, but I could hear the fierce battle erupting in the background, signaling that we were still far from freedom.
" There it is! "
Although it was hardly a mall now, due to my actions from earlier, it was still the place we have to go to. It's quite odd for me to feel happy to see it, when all I had were dangerous experiences inside of it.
" Go to the back and turn. I'll stall it for a bit but make sure you go the far back. "
Yang looks at me, asking for an explanation, but we don't have the benefit of doing that.
" There's no time to explain it, stop when you reached the back, and run after I run! "
With that being said, I stopped running and turned to my back. I wasn't looking as we ran, but now I could fully see the Shrieker that was chasing us.
" Go! " I shout to Yang, before activating my ability.
[ Fear ]
" Ca-w! " It finally stopped rushing towards us.
" Caw! Caw! " It stopped, but it didn't take long for it to walk towards me slowly. It doesn't fell pain, so fear is something that it probably doesn't know much. My guess, is it was curious about what it was feeling and only struggled because it's its first time experiencing fear.
" Caw! Caw! " It was now walking normally. I was still using my ability, but it wasn't struggling against me at all. Except for the fact that it was an entire rank above me, my ability relied on how I act and how the enemy sees me. If I was confident and if I utilize my charm more, my ability would be more effective. But it was hard to hide my nervousness when I'm going face to face with this thing.
Yang, run faster please!
I look at my back and see Yang, running full speed towards the back of the mall. It was filled with rubble, so he was struggling to go through, but he was giving it his all, so I could only rely on him.
" Caw! Caw! "
Twenty...
Nineteen...
Eighteen meters...
It was slowly approaching me, as my already ineffective ability start to fade.
Eleven...
Ten...
" Mon! I'm here! "
" You damn hero. "
" Caw... "
It could now reach me at this distance, but it's not like I'll just let it.
" Screw you..." I say and raise my middle finger towards it.
" Yang! RUN! " I say before deactivating my ability, and rushing through the rubble.
" CAW! CAW! " It screeches in a disgruntled voice and immediately rush towards me in anger.
" Come on! Mon! Run! " Yang was calling for me as he jogs away, checking if I was fine.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
I could hear the rubble getting cleared as the Shrieker runs. It was crashing through the rubble, causing it to slow down for a bit.
" Mon! " Yang shouts with a concerned look on his face.
Don't worry, you bastard, I'll be fine. As there's something in here with me and this bastard.
" Kkkk... " A quiet yet rough screech escape from somewhere around the rubble.
If the Shrieker continues to clear the rubble like that, something will ultimately escape its jail.
" KKKK!!! " At that instant, a lanky and long lizard jumps up from beneath the rubble, biting, the Shrieker that was behind me.
The Kroligator...
" CAW!! " The Shrieker screams in annoyance, as acid starts to melt off its skin. It doesn't feel pain, but seeing something bite him was enough for him to know that something is attacking him.
Kroligators remembers the smell of something. When I was jumping in the rubble, my scent was spreading through the air. And when you clear the rubble that is keeping the one who remembers my smell, it would escape and attack the thing that was moving.
" KKKK!!! "
" CAW! CAW! "
Although the Kroligator was weaker than the Shrieker, It was a lizard that could move better in the rubble. Though it would naturally die from that Shrieker, the environment and his acid, are enough to damage a Shrieker enough for it to die as well from its injuries.
Thud!
The Shrieker swings its huge arms towards the Kroligator, but it seems like I was a little too close to the battle, as I fly through the air, from the Shrieker's punch.
Urgh!
I was able to lean to the left, so it didn't hit my back. My right arm was broken, but at least I didn't die from that.
" Ugh... Damn. "
" Mon! Are you good? "
Thanks to that punch, I flew all the way to the back alley. Yang approached me in concern and picks me from my left arm.
" I could be better. " I joke
Yang looked at me in worry, but it vanished the moment I joked about it.
" You insane bastard " He smiles while looking at the fighting Shrieker and Kroligator behind us.