"Die!"
Elara stabbed a black dagger into Zoey's heart.
BOOM!
A loud explosion resounded as they collided. An invisible force threw Zoey and Elara several meters away in separate directions.
Zoey landed firmly on the flat ground, her deep eyes locking onto Elara's with intense emotion.
"Bitch! You thought you could kill me?" She sneered while looking at Elara, lying on the ground, her face pressed against the earth.
"General... I won't kill you now. But in the end, you will die, and I will enjoy every second of it.... Cough! Cough!"
As Elara lifted her head, a mouthful of dark blood spewed forth, splattering her face crimson. She tries hard to crawl towards her dagger while cursing Zoey inwardly. Her sharp, bloodshot eyes remained fixed on Zoey, tracking her every move despite her condition.
"Kill her!" Zoey finally commanded. Her killing intent rising as she struggled to stand.
Instantly, several stronger adventurers advanced toward Elara, with John among them. The others aimed their weapons with the same goal: to take Elara's life.
Yet, as Elara crawled on the ground, she suddenly vanished from her position, reappearing directly behind Lee Han.
Everyone shocked.
'Ma-Master!?' Lara was shocked. She couldn't anticipate Elara's movements beforehand because she couldn't read her mind until Elara was close.
'Relax,' Lee Han reassured calmly as Elara pressed a sharp dagger against his neck.
'What's your plan, Master?' Lara asked, puzzled by Lee Han's calmness.
'My plan? Of course, to kill this bitch...' Lee Han's relaxed tone left Lara bewildered.
...
"Sorry, Lee Han. I don't have any choice. I need to stall for time," Elara whispered in a barely audible voice near Lee Han's ear. "I won't kill you if you stay still... Cough!"
A mouthful of blood once again splattered from her mouth. She couldn't believe Zoey and John had managed to injure her internally. She needed more time. Once reinforcements arrived, she could run and heal herself.
However, she could only stall and use Lee Han as her shield for now.
'They wouldn't sacrifice this innocent kid, right!?'
Elara's terrifying gaze, which seemed sharp enough to make a hole in a large boulder, froze the Adventurer's movement.
"If any of you move a single step, this kid will die!" Elara's voice trembled, but every word she uttered was enough to freeze everyone in place.
She smiled at the halted adventurers, no longer advancing toward her. Then, she turned her gaze to Zoey.
"General Zoey, you said this Lee Han is Princess Seraphina's people, right!? Well, I guess... if he dies now, your team will be doomed."
All the adventurers turned their attention to Zoey, waiting for her next order. Their guns remained pointed at Elara, ready to carry out orders to end this traitor's life.
Zoey met everyone's gaze, her expression darkening. However, she couldn't act rashly now. What Elara said was true; she couldn't let Lee Han die while he was on her team.
She slowly turned her gaze towards Lee Han, trying to tell him not to worry. However, she was surprised to see Lee Han look so calm, showing no fear despite being held hostage by Elara.
'Lee Han, I will not let you die... in her hands. I promise you!' Zoey's voice resonated in Lee Han's mind.
'Don't worry about me. But you should worry about yourself.'
She was confused hearing his words.
'You seem unaware Elara poison you... Don't you!?' Lee Han continues.
Zoey was shocked by Lee Han's warning. She immediately checked her body, her blood running cold at what she saw.
'Oh, God! Elara's weapon contains poison!?" Zoey immediately looked for the antidote in her space ring.
At the same time,
Elara's evil laugh echoed through the air when she watched Zoey fall, her knees hitting the ground. A sense of satisfaction washed over her as she observed the poison's effects beginning to weaken Zoey.
"General, I'm sorry to deliver bad news. You'll never find the antidote; it's exceedingly rare. There are only five in the entire kingdom. The antidote's location is known to only a select few," she scoffed, "But... don't worry, General, your pain will be short-lived because you'll die swiftly. Hmm... in about 28 minutes."
Elara's words shocked everyone. They can't help but curse her.
"What the hell, Elara!"
"How dare you!
"You bitch... Go to hell!"
"Traitor!!"
Several adventurers near Zoey tried to help her, while adventurers close to Elara moved slowly, intending to kill her. They didn't care about Lee Han anymore.
"One more step, and this kid dies!" Elara tightened her grip on Lee Han's neck.
"We don't care. There's no point in him being alive if our general dies," John roared, startling everyone, including Zoey.
Even though she felt her entire body was burning and felt excruciating pain as if a thousand nails were piercing her skin. She was shocked to hear John's words. Summoning her remaining strength, she turned to him.
"J-John... Don't... Please don't..." her voice trembled, each movement sending waves of pain through her body, even the slightest shift to speak. She really wants to end this nameless torment. "Pl-please take care of Lee Han..."
Despite his anger and desire to exact revenge on Elara, John struggled to control his emotions upon hearing Zoey's plea. He gazed at her, eyes blurred with unshed tears.
'Zoey!! You can't die. I won't allow it!' John's words echoed through their mental connection. 'Don't you dare leave us like this, Zoey Reed!'
...
When Elara was distracted from watching the touching scene between John and Zoey, Lee Han's hand moved slightly. In an instant, Karambit's tactical knife appeared.
'Lara, freeze her.'
'Yes, master!'
Without hesitation, his hand moved swiftly, stabbing Elara's stomach. Before Elara realized Lee Han's sudden attack, she felt her body heat up as if something burned inside her.
Elara was snapped. Her hand moved to slice his neck, but she was shocked beyond words when she realized she couldn't move.
"Damn it! Why can't I move?" She blinked while trying to force her power but still failed. Before she could say something, Lee Han vanished from her grip.
"What the hell are y—" Elara's voice disappeared as her whole body slowly turned purple, and all her muscles felt like tofu; she fell to the ground.
Thud!
Her entire body no longer looked like a human but like a large piece of charcoal statue lying on the ground.