prevoiusly in chapter 16
Gray ducked just in time, feeling the air from the blade whistle past his ear. He came up with a hook aimed at the man's jaw, but the man blocked it with his forearm, twisting his body to slash again, this time at Gray's shoulder. The knife found flesh, and blood dripped from the shallow cut, but Gray didn't falter. His healing was already at work, the wound closing even as they danced around each other. The man moved with skill, keeping his feet light, his movements sharp and deliberate. He was fast for a normal human, striking with quick, deadly precision. But Gray was faster, and stronger. He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, launching a powerful kick at the man's stomach. The man was thrown back, but even as he stumbled, he flipped the knife in his hand and slashed upward. Gray leaned back, the tip of the blade barely missing his throat.
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Chapter 17
With a growl, Gray surged forward, his fist slamming into the man's chest. The man gasped, the impact driving the air from his lungs, but he spun with the blow, using the momentum to cut at Gray's thigh. The blade bit into his flesh, but again, the pain barely registered. Gray's body was healing faster than the man could deal damage.
The man feinted left, then right, trying to catch Gray off guard. He jabbed the knife toward Gray's ribs, but Gray twisted out of the way, grabbing the man's wrist in a vice-like grip. He yanked the man forward and slammed his knee into the man's stomach. The man gasped, folding over, but he didn't relent. He slashed upward again, aiming for Gray's face. Gray ducked under the strike, spinning behind him in a blur of motion.Gray landed a solid punch to the man's kidney, making him stagger forward. Another punch followed, this time to the ribs, the impact so forceful that Gray heard something crack. The man grunted in pain but pivoted quickly, slashing downward in desperation. The knife nicked Gray's arm, drawing more blood, but he hardly noticed it.
The man moved with deadly grace, but Gray's speed and raw power were overwhelming. Gray delivered another blow, this time a straight punch to the man's jaw, snapping his head back. Blood sprayed from the man's mouth as he stumbled. Gray didn't let up, throwing a series of punches—one to the ribs, another to the side of the man's head, a third to his stomach. Each strike landed with bone-crushing force, pushing the man back with each hit.
The man, breathing heavily, gritted his teeth and lunged forward one last time, aiming for Gray's throat with the knife. Gray dodged and in one fluid motion, slammed his fist into the man's throat. The man choked, his body crumpling to the ground as his hands flew to his neck, gasping for air. Gray loomed over him, watching the man struggle to breathe. Blood dripped from the cuts on Gray's arms and side, but the wounds had already started to heal. The man, desperate, reached for his pistol, his fingers shaking as they fumbled with the holster. Gray, without hesitation, brought his foot down in a powerful kick, connecting with the man's head. The sound of the man's neck snapping echoed through the forest as his body went limp, collapsing to the ground in a heap.
Gray stood over the body, his chest rising and falling slowly as he caught his breath. The adrenaline still pumped through his veins, but the fight was over. "Botanist, huh?" Lara said, her voice tinged with disbelief. Gray sighed, wiping the blood off his hands. "My job comes with certain risks," he replied, his tone casual, almost nonchalant. He turned to leave when his eyes caught something in the distance—a figure, standing at the edge of the trees, watching. The man stood there for only a brief moment, but it was enough for Lara to whisper in a shaken voice, "Dad..."
Without another word, she took off, chasing after him into the dense forest. Gray stood there for a moment, watching her disappear before he let out a long sigh, which made him realize something. "I've been trying not to think about it, but since arriving on this island, I've taken life after life. I mean, it was self-defense, but it's still a human life that I took, not some magical giant spider." He had been trying not to dwell on what he had done, but now, having killed a man with a kick and not a weapon, the realization dawned on him as he looked at the corpse still staring at him. His hand shook slightly, but he clenched his fist. "Just because I'm in the body of a 12-year-old doesn't mean I am 12, and I have a mission, and no one is going to stop me from accomplishing it," he chanted to himself as he steeled his nerve before getting back to work.
He resumed his search for magical plants, which he found after a couple of hours until Lara found him again. This time, she was wielding a bow, and there was something about her that had changed, which Gray noticed. "Looks like you found what you were looking for," Gray said as he packed another plant, wrapping it in a leather cloth. "Looks like you haven't," she commented, making Gray shrug before she spoke again. "You said you were here for special plants, right?" she asked, getting Gray's attention.
"Well, how would you like to grab some from Himiko's tomb, which has been sealed for who knows how long?" she continued. Gray replied, "And I'm guessing, in order to point me to the location, you need my help, and it's not going to be easy," he said, glancing at her bow. She seemed ready to fight as she answered, "Yeah, I want to attack Vogel's camp and his men. Would you come?" Gray chuckled a bit. "An ancient sealed tomb of a supposed shaman queen, with plants—how can I refuse?" he said, and with that, they left together.
Gray and Lara stood at the edge of the camp, crouching behind some foliage, surveying the scene. The camp was bustling with armed guards patrolling the perimeter and several captives bound near the center. Lara tightened her grip on her bow, her eyes flicking between the guards and the layout of the camp.
"I'll provide the distraction," Gray said, eyes scanning the area. Lara raised an eyebrow, her grip loosening slightly.
"How are you going to do that?" she asked, her tone curious but cautious. Gray smirked, reaching into his pouch and pulling out a small test tube filled with an orange liquid. "Remember," he said, holding the tube up to the light, "I'm a botanist."
Before Lara could react, Gray hurled the test tube as far as he could into the camp. The glass shattered upon impact near a guard post, and for a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, in an instant, the orange liquid ignited, producing a violent explosion. The force of the blast sent tents flying, shredded equipment, and threw guards into the air as flames erupted across the camp. The ground shook from the impact, debris flying in every direction. Lara felt a wave of heat wash over her, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Holy shit!" she gasped, instinctively ducking lower. The explosion set several tents ablaze, and the guards were now in complete disarray. Some screamed in panic, while others rushed to grab their weapons.
Lara didn't waste another second. She sprung into action, her bow coming up as she nocked an arrow. With precision and calm, she loosed the first shot, the arrow whistling through the air before piercing the throat of a guard who was scrambling to organize his men. He fell, clutching his neck as blood spilled onto the dirt.
Her second arrow was already nocked before the first man hit the ground. She drew, aimed, and fired, hitting another guard in the chest just as he raised his gun. He crumpled to the ground, twitching. Gunfire erupted in response, bullets spraying wildly as the men tried to locate where the attacks were coming from. Lara rolled behind a large boulder, narrowly avoiding a barrage of gunfire.
One of the guards yelled, "Over there! She's behind the rock!"
Lara quickly adjusted her position, her movements fluid and practiced. She peeked out just long enough to loose another arrow, striking a man squarely between the eyes. His head snapped back as he fell limply, and Lara pressed forward, moving swiftly through the chaos.
Amid the gunfire and explosions, Lara shouted to Gray, "Got any more of those explosions?"
Gray, still crouched beside her, shook his head with a grin. "No, but I've got something better." He reached into his pouch again, this time pulling out a small test tube filled with a swirling red liquid. "What the hell is that?" Lara asked, but Gray was already winding up.