"AKIOOO!!!" Haru yelled in rage and horror as a chill ran down his spine upon hearing about Akio's inhuman deeds against Kuga and the other students.
It was at that moment Haru finally realized — Akio wasn't the person he pretended to be, but rather, someone cloaked in the ominous veil of psychotic insanity, who did not mind killing and manipulating innocent people for his goals.
Confronted with Akio's true nature, Haru felt shock, betrayal, and a deep sense of pain that he trusted someone like him. But before Haru could do anything to him, a fist struck his pale and bloodied face.
Bang!
[3 HP remaining!]
[WARNING!!]
[HP IS VERY LOW!!]
[WARNING!!]
Haru, unable to block or retaliate due to his waning strength, collapsed to the ground as Akio's fist hit his face.
'Damn it...' His eyes felt hazy, breathing became faint, and his thoughts grew erratic feeling sense of weak and powerlessness. He was not only angry at being betrayed by his friend but also filled with rage at what Akio had done to Kuga and the others.
"Damn, that hurt, Haru! The hell? Did I just lose two HP?" On the other hand, Akio massaged his reddened fist that he had used to punch Haru. He then remarked, "How in the world is your DEF stat so high? If I had known any better, I would have dealt the final blow to that monster!"
Then as he was complaining about his hurt fist, Akio's eyes suddenly lit up as if he were listening to someone and said, "Momo, are you talking about that same Anomaly? Is he somehow linked to it? Oh? Now that's something interesting."
Akio then turned toward Haru, who was barely able to breathe from the burning pain in his chest, and said as a grin came over his face, "Haru, my new partner tells me that you, or rather, that encased Aki, is responsible for the mass gathering of these monsters in this location. As I thought, you were hiding something from me when I questioned you about your stupid girlfriend while we were getting here."
"!!" Haru's heart quickened and his eyes opened the moment Akio mentioned Aki, and despite his weakened state, he angrily raised his head toward him.
"Woah~ Woah~! Just one mention of your stupid girlfriend's name, and look at the energy you suddenly gained to glare at me like that." Akio gave out an eerie chuckle as he pointed toward Aki and asked, "Anyways, shall we burst open those chains and let the sleeping beauty out?"
"Stop..." Haru barely muttered in weakness. He wanted to stop Akio, but there was no energy left within his body to move, and he was not even able to think straight.
"Sorry, my dearest friend, I can't do that. Momo gave me a good Quest."
"Akio...---!!!" Realizing the threat looming over Aki, Haru, despite struggling to breathe and barely able to move, controlled Prana and summoned all his concentration to manipulate the chain that was near him, attempting to strike Akio. However, something strange occurred.
The moment he attempted to manipulate Prana and establish a mental connection with the chains, the Prana within his body went berserk, unleashing an even more unimaginable pain, causing him to cough out another mouthful of blood.
'What!?'
[2 HP Remaining!]
[Prana Disability Curse Detected in the User's Body!]
"Oh~? Did you just try to use that spell against me?" Akio gave out a heartfelt laugh as he said, "Did you think I wouldn't have a backup plan against that insane spell of yours? There are many wonderful things Momo has given me; amongst them was this Unique A-Rank Class Curse-Maker. And, the bolt I stabbed you with isn't an ordinary one but a cursed one which causes Prana disability for two hours! So, don't get your little hopes high."
Akio, after explaining, moved a bit closer to the encased Aki and asked, "Say, Momo, what should I do? I don't think I have any weapon to easily cut open the chains."
"Oh? Seriously? Hahaha~!" Akio evilly laughed as he summoned a few explosive grenades and said to Haru, "Haru, Momo doesn't really need her body but her soul. Do you think Aki can handle a few explosions? Haha~ I don't know about the chains, but she might really be cooked alive under that high temperature of explosions. So, shall we test that~?"
'No... No... No... This can't be!!... Aki!!' Seeing the only thing that could help them was not working and Akio using explosives directly on the chains, a dreadful feeling hit all over Haru, knowing that there wasn't anything he could do to help her.
'NO!!! I will... stop him!!! Wait... for me... Aki!!' Despite his battered and weakened state, Haru still refused to surrender.
With every ounce of determination, he dragged his bloodied body across the ground, each movement sending waves of pain through him. His weakened muscles screamed in protest, and every small movement of his body seemed like an eternity, but Haru pressed on toward Akio to stop him.
As he reached near Akio and strongly grasped his leg before he could remove the pins, Haru said as he glared at him, "Don't.... you... dare... do... that!!!"
"Sigh... Haru," Akio, seeing Haru not leaving and hurting his leg, crouched down toward him again and said, "Why can't you just give up and die already? Because there is nothing you can do except watch her burn alive."
"Don't... you... dare...." But Haru did not waver and glared at him, his eyes turning crimson red.
"Woah! The color of your eyes changed!! Damn they look scary~ Oh wait! Are you perhaps angry with me?"
"I swear... Akio... if you...---!!!!!!"
Before Haru could even complete his words, Akio took out another bolt from his quiver and stabbed it straight into his back.
Cough.
[WARNING!!]
[1 HP REMAINING!!]
[WARNING!!]
"Not going to lie to you, Haru, you sure look very intimidating right now, and your f*cking grip just reduced my HP." Looking at another bolt stabbed near the heart region and Haru coughing out more blood, Akio said as he left Haru behind, "Now, just die and let me do my work."
'Aha... Haha... again... hahah... you pathetic... weak... piece of shit... again... you couldn't protect her....' Tears fell from Haru's eyes as he helplessly stared at Akio removing the pins and loathed his own weak self.
As he watch Akio throw grenade on Aki and quickly running away, his heart was being crushed, and he wanted to move, yet his body never listened.
'I am sorry... I... let you down... again... Aki...' Haru thought as his mind blackened and his eyelids finally dropped and shut.