Alan looking at the men gritted his teeth as the thrown delivery was returned back to him. "Darn it! I am outnumbered…" he thought jumping back.
One of the man grabbing him from behind pulled his hairs harshly. Growling in pain Alan forcefully jumped up kicking his face, standing straight once again. His hairs scattered opening, he stared at them with his blazing red orbs mad.
"Seems, like you've really underestimated me hun?" he asked threatening, "A platinum world ranker… that's who I am! How dare you act this way before this sovereign!!?"
Clicking his fingers he whispered, "Time… Eternity Halt!" And as soon as he did, time instantly stopped paralyzing all the black suited man surrounding him. With a speed of blazing light, he smacked the acupuncture points of all the man surrounding him one by one.
Grasping the last one from the collar, the moment his skill dissolved the men collapsed. Clutching the last one tightly from his neck he threatened, "Tell me right here and right now! Where are those boys?" The man however smirking uttered, "As if I'd tell you."
Alan enraged from his words, clenched his hand into a punch, ready to hit him however, at that very moment an instant pain grew behind his neck. Later to realize that a long silver needle, had been spewed in his vein between his neck.
Throwing the man back Alan kneeled on the ground realizing his mistake. "It was a drug?!" he thought bewildered. The man standing up once again dusted his suit walking towards him.
Alan blinking his eyes which were blurry, glared the man growling, "You scoundrel! How dare you…" His voice breaking in between, his vision and strength died down. "We warned you before to cooperate with us, however, you made us chose the harsh way." the man sneered.
Alan eyeing him from the corner of his eye tried to get up grasping his ball tightly however no use. In an instant, all strength left his body, he fell on the ground with a thud. "Brother…" whispering one last time losing consciousness. Twilight breaking through the dawn a sight of complete silence engulfed the highway.
Suddenly Rauf opened his eyes taken aback. A weird sense of distress taking over him he stared at the window beyond his room. Soon, a tired sigh escaped his lips, Haruf and Evan eyed him puzzled. "What's wrong, Rauf?" Haruf asked, handing him a glass of water.
Rauf grasping the glass shook his head answering, "Nothing…" "Waking up with a startle and sweating all over. O~ Great Pirate king of the dead, don't tell me you're scared of nightmares now?" Evan teased sitting beside him. Haruf too chuckled sitting beside Rauf. Rauf smirking responded, "As if."
"Then what is it?" Evan asked seriously. Rauf staring at the glass sighed silent. "Is it about Alain?" Haruf guessed instantly hitting the point. Hearing Alan's name Rauf stood up, keeping the glass aside. He walked to the window. "Forget everything else and even death. That brat would one day be the death of me." he replied gazing at the ground below. For a while Evan and Haruf eyed each other silent.
"If you're so much worried about Alan then why did you throw those middle schoolers out in the first place? I might be taking your side in every way but, even I don't get what's going in your mind right now." said Evan as Haruf nodded. "Moreover, you knew Alan would resort to leave the base if you did that, then why?" Haruf continued.
Rauf sighing confessed, "They are weak, that's why. Including Alan, they are all still weak." "I don't know what happened back at America with Alan but, rather than getting stronger unlike everyone had thought of. He has grown sharper in hiding his pain and suffering instead. And that was not something I was expecting from him. Truth to be told, he needs the same training as the others. So I pushed him that far to expel him from the base."
"Training as the others…?" repeated Haruf confused.
"Of course…" Rauf glanced from the corner of his eye, "Those brats are weak however, not that weak to be thrown out. It's all a part of their training. A scheme devised by the higher ups including Nidou. Since, to face the world, they definitely have to go through it."
Evan hearing his words smiled alongside Haruf. "So that was it. And, here I thought you really threw them out." he sighed relieved.
Rauf looking back traced his wristband on his wrist that showed a beautiful silver crescent inside which a golden star rested as if being protected. He remembered.
"Brother Prince, look! It matches the same as my earring! See, this moon is you and the star is me. The cool you who faces the world head on, with an ingenious me who helps you from behind! So no matter what! Let's take over this world together!" The young boy with long blue locks smiling ardently was picked up by a golden haired young man. A loving smile resting his lips he whispered back, "Alright… let's take over this world together." Rauf smiling stood up picking his gear bag.
"Haruf, Evan… care for an over together?" he asked caringly. The two of them eyeing him stood up nodding, "Boy, is this something to even ask?" Evan picked his gear up soon tugging Rauf by his shoulder. Haruf nodding smiled, "It's our pleasure." Rauf slightly surprised smirked, "But, I won't let any one of you win." Evan eyeing Haruf sighed, "Before that, just make sure not to blow the base up." The three of them leaving the room walked outside to the ground.
Kenzo sighing laid straight along with the others who stared at the dark night sky. "The stars sure are beautiful…" Poseidon whispered raising his arms and traced the stars that shone from miles away.
Xavier looking around the forest stared at Ryan who slept beside Feng. Ezekiel too half asleep and half-awake rested his head on Helios's knee who sat with his legs crossed. Seraph patting Adam's head sighed as Azazel stared at his phone alongside Heber watching a previously recorded match. Gabriel too standing against a tree looked out for threats.
"What to do now?" Cassiel asked gazing at his journal, grabbing the flaring beacon with another hand. "I am clueless." Helios replied as Kenzo stared at the sky silent.
"Cluelessness won't work right now. We have to find a way out one way or another. Before the night gets even darker we should find a place to sleep. Resting over here will only invite us into catching a cold. Since we are more than a hundreds of mean sea level above. Moreover, who knows what other creatures comes here regardless of the bear? Sincerely speaking I don't want to be a forest nutrient." Cassiel said sarcastically.
Xavier instantly realizing asked, "Are we even in our city?" Cassiel shaking his head responded, "Who knows, our city is the closest to the sea, so there should be no mountains here but unexpectedly we are witnessing a full bloom of it."
"Then it's most likely that we are thrown away form our city as well?" guessed Seraph anxiously. "Yes, that's possible. More like we are thrown on northern mountains or something." Cassiel replied.
Shocked and baffled the rest didn't even had the energy to show it instead, they all just sighed. Kenzo suddenly realizing sat straight. "Right… what happened to you all before that you brought a bear alongside you?" he looked at Seraph, his brows twitching.
"Ah~ that…" Seraph whispered with sweat dripping his forehead while Cassiel evaded the talk. Heber looking at them sat beside Kenzo speaking up, "Captain, we were walking just fine and looking around to find a way out but all of a sudden we came over to an empty cave. Or so we thought, we were quiet happy that we might've gotten a shelter and could rest for the night. However, Seraph asked us to check it out first in case trouble sleeps inside. So we agreed, however, thanks to the young ones…" he continued pointing at Ryan and Adam.
"Before we could silently check, the two of them went inside the cave clapping and shrieking like madman and Feng too alongside I and Ezekiel also went in. A moment later we realized that inside the dark cave, two pair of red eyes were gazing back at us quite furiously. Little did we know and the bear growled. Like ground snatched below our feet, we saw the bear staring at us ready to gulp us down like roasted sandwiches. And, that's where we ran and ran while the bear followed and followed us behind till we reached back to you all." he ended proudly.