Observing the two disheartened witnesses of the brutality unfolding before them, Oliver clenched his jaw in frustration and pivoted away from their gaze.
As he did, two fiery arms extended at Ariana and Gin.
"…let's go,"
Oliver whispered with a voice laden with anguish before swiftly darting away in the opposite direction, steering clear of the horrors that had emerged earlier and those that had decimated Ariana's squad.
No encouraging words would heal the scar that showed.
The only thing he could do was sympathize with their loss since he too suffered immensely from that attack alone.
He had enough for today as well.
In that instant, all Oliver yearned for was to retrace his steps, share the harrowing events that unfolded, and finally disclose the secrets he had harbored for years.
However, it wouldn't take that long till the three would get sandwiched by this domineering force alone.
As the anticipated rescue, promised by Gin to have arrived by now, remained elusive, the grim reality loomed – their lifeless forms would likely already be imprinted onto the very ground they stood upon.
'I have to do something…' Oliver glanced at his back, 'These two also had enough on their part. It's time to do my part… even if I lose myself on this day.'
Persisting in his futile sprint, Oliver found no respite, as his own weariness, an accumulation of fatigue, clung to him tenaciously, refusing to dissipate.
Hence instead of moving faster due to momentum, he had gotten slow each time.
And slower, until he had no stamina left to carry him and the two on his back.
"Damn it! Damn it, all!"
In sheer frustration, he unleashed curses into the air, his eyes fixated on the unavoidable unfolding before him. To his left, a freshly dropped Horror loomed, poised to crush them. Simultaneously, Horrors from the earlier encounter on his right surged forward, primed for the impending assault.
Even his rear was surrounded.
A thousand Horrors? No, even beyond that.
That sheer amount of those features which is probably the entirety of the other side's troops hastily approached them.
Rustle—!
Abruptly, Gin's touch on Oliver's shoulder jolted him, and the weariness reflected in Gin's lifeless eyes conveyed that he, too, was drained from the inevitable ordeal.
Rescue?
Those eyes didn't even have hope in them.
Just pure nothingness.
Even so…
"Sir, take Ariana with you and flee." Gin paused, "Go around their army and meet with the others that came here somehow. I will distract Horrors as much as I can so leave."
At that moment, Oliver trembled as he realized one thing about Gin.
Despite the horrifying sequence of events, Gin remained untouched by a cold detachment, his emotions resilient against the chilling circumstances.
Had he succumbed to emotional numbness, he wouldn't have proposed the idea that lingered in his mind – the notion of meeting his demise right there on the spot.
Gin is just broken.
What he thinks might be efficient but that's just it.
There was no guarantee on it.
Ariana who wasn't in the right state of her mind was the same as Gin.
And so, himself.
"Gin…"
Biting his lips, Oliver brought Gin's hand down and spoke calmly, "What are you talking about?"
"I meant what I said. If we delay this, you two might not be able to escape."
'This guy… in every situation, he was the one who appeared cool-headed at most times, always finding out the best solution but now, he's just spouting nonsense,' Oliver inwardly scoffed before moving forward.
"Sir?"
Furrowing his brow, Gin observed Oliver's weary and fragile-looking back, yet the unwavering determination emanating from him conveyed a silent message.
It was telling him how reliable he is.
"You underestimate me too much, Gin."
Oliver extended his hand into the air, seamlessly passing through a pocket of subspace before retrieving the grimoire with a decisive grasp.
Unfazed and as if something he had done a thousand times, Oliver bit his thumb and sprayed an ink of his blood at the book.
Right after, he clasped his hands together, pressing the book in the middle as he bowed.
He recited loudly and clearly.
"Beyond the edge where 'you' retreat,"
The ground shuddered.
"I entreat thee, profane and unseen,"
The ambiance forming encircling Oliver was wicked and sickening.
"Through etheric canopy and astral shroud,"
Gin who was only watching it from the back, felt his stomach churning due to the intense, disgusting energy he was radiating.
"Unknown deity, in your presence I'm bowed."
Oliver released the grimoire pressed between his hands.
And in that moment, it was as if someone had answered his prayers.
"Kekekeke."
The grimoire emitted a mocking snicker as it hovered in mid-air, seemingly relishing the spectacle of Oliver's suffering and reveling in the unfolding turmoil.
"Speak."
Oliver glared at the eye in the middle of the book which was now staring at him.
"I request a power."
"Kekekeke, what deal will you place? As long as it is something real, this being will grant it. Is it the people on your back? Oh, you will receive great power all right. Kekekeke,"
With a glare full of animosity, Oliver locked eyes with the grimoire's ominous gaze before swiftly taking action, leaving Gin bewildered by the unexpected and resolute move.
Swiftly seizing a knife from within, Oliver's hand moved deftly, slicing through his other arm with a determined motion.
Slash!
Without hesitation, he caught his severed limb and extended it, offering the gruesome offering to the grimoire.
"Kekekeke, an arm? Not enough."
"I gave you everything I could offer!" Enraged Oliver, he clenched his fist that was holding his lost arm, "My fate, my soul, and everything I had has already given to you! What more do you want!?"
The grimoire looked at Ariana.
"Give her to me and I will give you unimaginable power."
"No!"
"Then, no deal."
Splash—!
Oliver was running out of time. His other arm was bleeding, the Horrors were slowly coming in, and he was on the verge of dying.
"I—"
Gin's voice tried to speak, only to be stopped by Oliver.
"Life span!"
"Oh?"
"I will offer you twenty years of my life span!"
Oliver smirked, "That should be enough, right?"
The grimoire shook in exasperation.
"Ohhhh, you never fail to impress me! All right, deal!"
As if the transaction is done, the grimoire closed its pages and its eyes turned shut.
The arm on Oliver's hard turned into an ethereal light before vanishing.
"Ugh!"
Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Oliver sensed an internal drain, causing his vision to waver as if something vital within him was being mercilessly sucked dry.
"Sir!"
Gin tried to stand but an unknown wall forced him to lay low.
What shocked him the most was that he didn't feel any power that made this happen.
'No, it's more like the power is too prevailing to be even felt by someone like me…'
Observing Oliver's back, Gin contemplated as it appeared to transform into something more dependable, robust, and ominously lethal.
'But…'
Despite the outward appearance of strength, that back carried an underlying sense of heaviness and fragility.
Resembling a reconstructed fragment of a crumbling wall, it projected a newfound strength, yet the visible cracks bore witness to the weight of Oliver's past, marked by a series of miserable experiences.
'Commander Oliver…'
The Horrors closed in, forming an impenetrable circle around the trio, offering no avenue of escape. Towering and menacing, these colossal creatures, poised to strike, showed no signs of relenting.
The hundred meters was reduced to half in merely a few seconds.
And half of those meters became even lessened as those monsters charged without fear.
"Graaaar—!"
A Horror with a huge abdomen yet had swift legs ere the first one to enter the periphery of Oliver's vision.
This creature jumped towards them resulting in much force and speed to deliver a heavy blow if it just landed at them.
That Horror that opened its mouth stopped right in front of Oliver. Then a dozen that turned into hundreds all circled the pitiful group.
"!"
Yet no matter what those Horrors did, they never crossed Oliver, nor did they touch Gin and Ariana.
"I get it now…"
Oliver looked at these Horrors with contempt before the Horrors were pushed back a few meters back.
Vwoom!
At that moment, Oliver's hand moved with a gentle sway, betraying an attack that defied conventional expectations.
Splash—!
The attack was heavy and simply incredible.
The Horrors on his front disappeared without a trace after meeting an invisible force that took their lives.
Splash—!
His hand moved very systematically and kept murdering the Horrors that jumped at the hellhole they willingly entered.
Splash—!
The Horrors that didn't know what happened, didn't even get to think what their enemies are.
Splash—!
They were just squashed like a pig that squeaked and exploded, with its blood scattering all around the place.
They weren't even remains and insides left from those Horrors that had just been killed.
Splash—!
Without expending any noticeable effort, Oliver ruthlessly smashed through the Horrors, leaving them stunned and taking a step back in disbelief at the absurdity of the situation.
"What's wrong?" Oliver tilted his head, "Are you afraid of me?"
His voice felt random as if he was talking to someone that wasn't even real, but he knew.
Oliver, cognizant of the situation, sensed that there was a puppeteer orchestrating the movements of these seemingly lifeless Horrors. The realization dawned that these creatures, supposed to be dead, were under the influence of a formidable force, powerful enough to command such coordinated actions.
Yet Oliver realized he was unstoppable at this moment.
It didn't matter if there were thousands or endless amounts of them.
He will slaughter every single thing.
"I'll track you down through the depths of hell! Even if I have to crawl through my own insides, I'll find you, and I swear I'll end you with my bare hands!" Oliver declared vehemently, his determination cutting through the chaos around him.
The Horrors growled, showing their killing intent to Oliver, who didn't seem to mind the attention he was getting.
The realization that Oliver could have easily dispatched more if the Horrors were just ordinary further supported Gin's assertion that there was a mastermind orchestrating this sinister spectacle.
"You're not coming?"
Oliver took a step forward, seeing the situation becoming more stale.
Step—!
"Then, I'll come at you."
Having meticulously assessed the situation, Oliver vanished from his location without leaving a single trace.