Without looking back, I used my legs to run as fast as possible.
The wind rushed past me, whipping my hair.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins, my heart was pumping like crazy.
With my forehead scratched and an arrow pierced through my leg, I clumsily dodged trees and leaped over fallen branches.
Yet no matter how fast I tried to run, it seemed like they were always just a step behind me.
THWIPP!
An arrow flew past my side as my heart pumped even faster.
"Hi-eeh!" I let out a high-pitched scream.
For the second time, it almost struck my head. If it weren't for my maxed luck stat, maybe I wouldn't have dodged that consistent wave of arrows.
"Don't let him get away!" The sound of their heavy armor clanking could be heard, growing louder with each passing second. Seriously, didn't they have anything quieter to wear?
They keep chasing me with my ever-diminishing strength, I can't have them on my tail forever.
My lungs were on fire, I could feel my legs becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second, burning pain as it twitched with each step I took.
The sky was getting redder and redder, casting an eerie glow over the forest.
I didn't know if it was the effect of my eyes being immersed in blood or the twilight that penetrated the forest canopy that was expanding as I ran in a daze.
If I was in an anime or some sort maybe it added a dramatic touch to my already thrilling of comically absurd adventure.
I just hoped it wasn't a sign that things were about to get even worse.
I gritted my teeth as I ran. The pain shot through my body, intensifying with every step I took.
My forehead throbbed, blood trickling down my face, while my leg screamed in agony, a cruel reminder of the arrow that had pierced it not too long ago.
I winced, trying to steady my breathing as I stumbled through the dense forest, desperately seeking a temporary safe haven.
Firstly, I need to treat myself.
My vision began to fade and my head felt like it was about to explode.
But I couldn't stop running. If I did, I was dead meat or at least jailed meat?
I continued to take the winding route, trying to lose the guards behind me, I, Satou Kazuma wouldn't end my story here.
With my pursuers closing in, I spotted a large vein of roots amongst the trees, perfect for a hiding spot.
"[Lurk]." I whispered the skill lowly under my breath.
Desperation took over as I dove behind the roots hiding from them, hoping they would run past me.
I took out my adventurer card, not waiting for myself to gasp for breath.
Frantically, I scrolled through the endless list of spells and skills I could learn.
Shadow Step, Fire Ball, Fortress, Decoy, Blessings, Nature's Beauty, Wind Blast, Critical Point, Lip-Reading, Taunt and so on.
There were so many skills that I could learn from the adventurers in Axel town.
Their experience and expertise were just a few clicks away. But for now, I needed something more immediate.
I needed one specific skill above all else—a magic spell to heal the wounds on my forehead and legs.
If only Aqua, that useless goddess, were here, then I wouldn't have to spend my hard-earned points on low-level healing magic that could only close wounds.
But alas, this was an emergency, and I had no choice but to rely on myself.
My trembling fingers traced the words inscribed on my card.
It read Light Heal, a low-level healing magic, which can only close wounds and merely stopped bleeding; it was akin to first aid, still, it had more than enough for this situation.
In the past, I had promised Aqua not to learn her healing magic, not out of empathy because healing magic is the only reason she is useful for the party.
But for me learning healing magic is very wasteful, especially if you have to spend a points and you can't undo or restore points from the magic or skill you'd learned.
The cost of points that needed for me to acquiring such powerful resurrection magic that Aqua has, was unimaginably high.
It would take me fifty. No, sixty even seventy or more levels, an unattainable feat for someone of my adventurer class.
"[Light Heal]."
Without seconds, I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst the sounds of my labored breaths.
And in an instant I touch my forehead, a pale green light enveloped my wound, tenderly caressing the surface of my skin.
I quickly tore the fabric off my trousers, revealing an arrow that had penetrated my leg.
Ouch! It hurts like hell.
Taking a deep breath, I knew I had to do something about the arrow sticking out of my leg.
I broke the arrow into two pieces, hoping that it would make the extraction process easier.
Carefully gripping the front end of the arrow.
I mustered up all my courage and pulled it out as fast as possible.
"Kkrggrhh!" I bite my lip as I hold my scream in agony.
A mixture of relief and agony rushed through me as the arrow left its cozy spot in my legs.
"[Light Heal]." As the incantation left my lips, a warm, soothing sensation enveloped my wounds, slowly stitching them back together. It wasn't a miraculous recovery, but it was enough to get me back on my feet.
"Where is he?" Shit, they're close.
I screwed up, what have I done? What do I do...
I accidentally killed two guards, if they catch me, they will definitely throw me in prison, skipping the trial part, then worst, they might execute me and wont letting Aqua ressurect me—
"He's around here somewhere."
"It's his blood right here!" I must've gotten up and run, the thing is that this forest gave me an advantage, skill Lurk and they won't even catch me.
The sound of heavy footsteps dampened through the narrow forest, amplifying my panic-stricken heart.
"Satou Kazuma! Give yourself up!" a voice bellowed, filled with authority and determination. It was one of the guards, and I knew they were closing in on me.
"Either you turn yourself up and be a good adventurers, we the guards will forgets anything that happen here and forgive of what you've done as I aware that one of your party member could ressurect our dead comrades."
The guard's voice resonated in my head, promising forgiveness if I turned myself in. But I couldn't help but feel that it was all a trap.
The options were clear: either surrender and face an uncertain future behind bars, or fight tooth and nail to elude the guards, and then the aftermath is even more bad, becomimh a runaway convict that cannot even sleep with both my eyes closed.
Both outcome looked bleak. Both scenarios held the promise of misery and regret to my already absurd story called a life.
"—or, if you tried to run away, then you would be a wanted man, a criminal."
I helped defend this town from not only the Destroyer but also the Dullahan, and when things get serious I'm thrown under the bus? Even my worthless teammates turned their backs on me.
"By the mean of trying to assasinate a noble, Lord Alexai Barnes Alderp, you would be regarded as enemy of Belzerg Kingdom."
"!?" Oi oi oi are you kidding me? I mean, when I say that i'd take any reponsiblity from Wiz's teleporting that coronaite, I did but, it's still ridiculous isn't it?
There were no casualties, and just an incident where the manatite unfortunately teleported into that noble guy's house.
The big thing that is, we just destroyed a walking nuclear machine that rampaging and could possibly trampling or blowing up an entire Axel town and say that I was their enemy?
Even if I get it why the noble is angry about his home but, can the town of Axel and even the adventurer guild help me, defend me? To let it slide? Do something at least.
After all that is a walking apocalypse you have there, I heard that crap has destroyed at least three kingdom!
"There would be a bounty on your head, you would be hunted by everyone, adventurers and even the royal elite guards, there's nowhere to go, nowhere to run."
Royal elite guards, the only information I knew about this organization is that they work under the king and could slay a dragon at ease without breaking a sweat.
Hearing them hunting you, it already makes my nape sweating cold.
Maybe... I should turn myself in? What's the worst thing that could happen?
But...
No, this guy is clowning me. If I go then he would fuck up too.
Seems that he is some sort of high ranking, a senior maybe, a captain? Leader of some sort of his so called "guardian".
So, he's just trying to secure his position by doing his job right, which is taking me to jail or whatever the order is. He could even kill me.
The only way to go now is...
A runaway convict, huh? I think it's not that bad.
All I needed to go is get away from this idiotic Belzerg, as far as I could right?
Live a normal life, changing my name if it must. As far as I am aware, Belzerg is the most powerful and strongest kingdom in the continent or in this case the world.
Just running away with your name scattered all around the place helps Belzerg to catch me.
Seems like it was a good time to flee, but somehow, I don't feel like running away.
I felt betrayed, they really turn their back on me didn't they? My worthless hell of a teammates.
That idiotic explosive loli.
Masochistic crusader.
And useless goddess.
When I think about it again, looking at everyone turning their back on me, it hurts me.
Am I that worthless? After defending this town against dullahan? Against The Destroyer.
Subconsciously, I took a deep breath.
Well, it doesn't matter, my new life will began soon right.
Screw Axel, screw Belzerg, screw all of my teammates, or in this case, my former teammates.
I felt an itch in my backhead.
Even though they're quite useless and unusual, but they're still the people closest to me the most, yet they're abandoning me.
Before long I could feel my eyes stings.
Out of vent, I feel like, I wanted to kill these guys too.
So I activated my passive skill "[Enemy Detection]."
Three? No, four—five.
Five person, using a medium-not so heavy armor. Three guards using long sword and two others using bow.
What could I do? Using Steal to get the sword? But in this environment, long sword is at disadvantage.
Let them use their sword, that makes me at an advantage position at least.
I could use Create Water combined with Freeze and then jump them.
Or.
I look into my adventure card once again, scrolling trough skillset, and then found it.
Smokescreen from rogue class.
Before I touched my card, my hands were shaking.
What's this? I'm hesitating? I'm scared? Even though I accidentally killed two guards earlier, why am I afraid to kill them now?
I see, killing them seems like going too far huh, my virtue-inclined morals won't let me kill someone out of venting my feeling.
They just doing what they told.
For one last time, I look at the guards to make sure something.
Well, I've made up my mind.
It'll be a long way journey, so I really need their equipments and gear right?
'So, be it then?'
[Skill : Smokescreen - Acquired]
"Sir." One of the archer said in a worry.
"Yes farl?" The captain responded.
"It—it will be dark soon, I think we should go back." His worried is justifieable.
"No, we must find him. We cannot let him get away." Yet the captain still presistent.
"I know but, we've been searching for a while, yet we don't find any trace of him, last time his blood track stopped back there."
"Farl! Can you stop yapping about anything and keep focu—There!" His words were cut short when he saw a green cloth hanging from the roof of the tree.
'Huh? A decoy?' thought the captain.
Meanwhile the guards were distracted.
Kazuma came out of his hiding spot, dashing at the archer that was far behind the group.
"[Drain Touch]" Using his skill, he grabbed the archer girl draining the girl from her neck, while his other hand covering her mouth.
Kazuma swiftly pulled back himself and the archer girl he was holding hostage. "Arcgh-"
the girl groaned and struggled a bit but soon, Kazuma won the bet.
Being an archer class, Kazuma assume that the girl has little to none mana affinity, so it only takes a few seconds from Kazuma's drain touch skill to paralyze her.
"Captain! He got Clara!" The last archer was the first to see Kazuma holding the archer girl captive.
Without hesitation and waiting for the captain's signal, he released the arrow he had drawn.
"[Snipe]." the arrows blast like it was pushed by a mini explosion.
That arrow travel as if it was a bullet. Almost hitting Kazuma's head.
So, that was a high level archer capability, to shot an arrow as fast as speed of sound.
Even though the arrow is fast, Kazuma dodged faster using his lurk skill.
If that wasn't luck, then Kazuma didn't know what was.
Once again, Kazuma managed to escape, lurking in the shadow.
"Huh?!" When the captain and the rest looked back, all they saw was Clara lying down limp, paralyzed.
"Everyone gather!" The captain's shout told them, immediately the four people formed a circle, guarding each other's backs.
But before they perfected their formation, Kazuma jumped out from their blind direction.
With a grin on his face, he wisphered. "[Smokescreen]."
And before they knew it, a dark mist enveloped the area around them.