In the distance, Aziel observed Kaini, who was breathing heavily after running. Kaini's eyes reflected a mixture of surprise and confusion. It was a natural reaction for someone who couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
The moment didn't allow for rest: the danger they had left behind could appear at any time. Despite the doubts in his mind, Kaini decided to accept his presence as his only way out.
"Aziel, what are you doing here? Let's go!" Kaini exclaimed, grabbing his friend's hand and pulling him.
However, as he grabbed Aziel's hand, Kaini noticed something strange.
He looked down and saw red liquid in the palm of Aziel's hand. At first, he thought it was rainwater or sweat, but the reddish tint left no room for doubt—it was blood.
Kaini's expression froze in an instant of horror. He didn't know why he was reacting that way; he only knew that none of this felt natural. He let go of Aziel's hand and took a few steps back, tripping over the bodies lying on the ground, never taking his eyes off his friend.
Suddenly, a white flash on the horizon caught his attention.
It was one of the assassins, moving towards them with incredible speed. The danger became more tangible; Kaini felt fear wash over him as he realized that the threat had not disappeared.
"Aziel!" Kaini yelled desperately, trying to warn him of the danger.
The assassin, John, reacted quickly.
With a single motion, he kicked Aziel directly in the head, sending him flying several meters backward and crashing to the ground.
Kaini watched the scene, unable to process what was happening. The assassin was slowly approaching him. Kaini's eyes widened in panic, reflecting visceral terror; the threat felt far too close.
Meanwhile, John looked up and froze when he saw the surrounding area. The bodies of his companions, including his leader, were scattered across the ground, motionless. A sudden horror filled his mind, plunging him into a whirlpool of confused thoughts. "What happened here? How could this happen?" he wondered desperately.
He took a few steps back, wavering, as though the weight of reality were crushing him. His feet shuffled from side to side, his face expressing a mixture of bewilderment and absolute terror. Then, something unexpected happened: he began to laugh. The laugh burst from his lips as an involuntary reflex, a reaction he didn't understand, as if his mind refused to accept what was before his eyes.
"What the hell happened?" he murmured through his laughter, turning to look at Kaini.
But his laughter wasn't alone. An even more intense, deep, and haunting laugh echoed in the air, breaking the silence in a disturbing manner.
"Hahaha…!"
Both John and Kaini turned their heads toward the source of the chilling laughter. Before them stood Aziel, swaying slightly, with his eyes fixed on the ground. His body seemed to be supported only by his legs, while his hands gripped the earth.
"This is... incredible! Isn't it incredible?" Aziel shouted, his voice vibrant and charged with an unnatural intensity.
John felt something unfamiliar, a fear that seeped into his bones. The aura emanating from Aziel was unnatural; every fiber of his being screamed to run, to escape before it was too late.
"No… don't think you can escape… You won't escape!" Aziel shouted, his voice chilling the blood.
His head, now raised, displayed a fixed and piercing gaze directly aimed at John. Blood slowly trickled down his face, enhancing his terrifying appearance. His posture remained unmoving, as if no force could alter his stance.
John's eyes were filled with disbelief, unable to accept what he was seeing. In a desperate act, he raised the knife in his hand and pointed it directly at Aziel's eyes. However, at the precise moment he threw the knife, a sharp pain pierced his chest.
John looked down, horrified. Before him, Aziel had moved his arm with impossible speed and had pierced his chest with his hand.
"No… this can't… be…" John murmured with a muted voice as life escaped him.
Aziel yanked his arm back, leaving a trail of blood in the air. John's body fell to the ground with a dull thud, motionless. His eyes remained open, staring blankly into nothingness.