"Tch. Level 1 Trash. Since you butted in my business, you'll die too. Know that dying under me, Narcis Xander, your death will be envied." Narcis waved his hand and signalled for Varian to take the first shot. He regarded the battle as a foregone conclusion.
Varian looked at Kyle. Kyle nodded with a solemn face. He understood Varian was telling him to give his best. They might die, but they must die with a straight spine.
So Kyle channeled his aura into the blue sword and assumed an offensive stance.
Taking a deep breath, he yelled "Ge—"
A strong force pulled him, and Kyle felt his eyes spin. As the dust kicked up, he saw Narcis figure diminishing in the distance. Then he realized, Varian caught him and dashed towards the city.
"I-I thought we're gonna fight." he muttered weakly.
"You're crazy! Fighting Level 3 is a ticket to hell." Varian answered in a broken voice.
Kyle withdrew his sword into the ring and looked at Narcis figure in the distance. They've approached the city and were only one km away from the city walls.
"That guy is not following us. Maybe he realized fighting near the city will attract too much attention." Kyle said, letting go of his tense heart.
He blinked and saw that Narcis… disappeared.
"I'm afrai—"
"Boom!"
Varian threw Kyle ahead and jumped to the side. Small rocks shot out in all directions due to the sheer impact injuring Varian and Kyle in the process.
"Nice Try. But the only one I don't want to fight is Abyss Lord. Even the Abyss Commander is a Level 3. His head is my honorary student ticket." Narcis Xander stepped out of the rising dust and looked down at them with a condescending smile.
Varian gritted his teeth and looked back at the city gate. The guards were alerted by the commotion and 6 of them rushed to the location.
The Abyssals wore a red light body armor, which was in striking contrast to their grey skin. They all had two tattoo marks on their chins indicating their level — Level 2, who were titled Abyss Knights.
Varian rushed to Kyle and picked him up. Leaving the Abyssals to Narcis, he sprinted to the city walls.
The City walls only seemed more magnificent the closer he got. There were at least a few hundred Abyssal Knights in sight.
Despite being chased by a terrific Level 3 Awakener, Varian never entertained the thought of entering it. That'd be suicide.
He hoped the Abyssals Knights could at least stall Narcis until he found a way out.
Their arrival attracted the attention of the Abyssal Knights guarding the city walls, as intended. A squad of Abyssal Knights galloped towards them.
Varian wasn't worried about the Abyssal Knights. He was worried about a monster. He glanced back and felt his heart stop.
The heads of five Abyssal knights rolled on the ground, and the sixth just joined.
'Monster!'
Varian gritted his teeth and looked ahead. 'I'll pay back with interest. But now, I must survive.'
"Interesting. You aren't resigning to your fate." Narcis's annoying voice sounded from behind.
Varian knew Narcis was only a few dozen feet away from them. But he didn't turn back and ran with all his strength. Despite the power differential, he'd not be caught up to so quick, but since he was holding Kyle, he slowed down. Tactically, it was a stupid choice.
Varian, however, didn't regret his choice. He already failed to protect once. He didn't want to fail again.
"Humans! Die!" The squad of ten Abyssals Knights just closed the distance and entered their attack range.
"Hahaha! It's too boring to kill you with a single slash. Fine, I'll give you hope, then I'll give you despair." Narcis didn't step forward and eyed the approaching Abyssal Knights.
"Your only hope to survive from me is to approach the city. But approaching it means the Abyssals will kill you. What will you do, Level 1 plebeian? I shall be so kind to choose your place of death, here or city gates?"
Kyle broke free from his grasp and said, "Kill me first."
He signalled with his hand on the back, 'Go!'
Varian felt like kicking Kyle on the head. Sure, Kyle was a Level 1 Space Awakener, and he had a natural advantage in dodging through low teleportation.
But… a Level 3 Morpher, especially one like Narcis, had keen senses. Even if Kyle managed to teleport and dodge the first attack, due to his low reaction speed, he'd attacked by Narcis before he could teleport again.
Even if he did manage to keep dodging, he'd eventually run out of aura. A Level 1's reserves were incomparable to a Level 3's.
"I'd rather be killed by Abyssals." Varian held Kyle once again and didn't let him break free this time.
"Hahaha. I'll grant your wish. Be honored." Narcis laughed out loud and brandished his sword.
A bright light flashed, and a sharp aura cut through the air, cleaving an Abyss Knight into halves.
The remaining Abyss Knights tensed up and got into a formation to take on Narcis.
Varian ran to the city gate, and his brain tried to figure out a solution. Any solution.
He knew Narcis wouldn't be stopped by the Abyssal Knights. The only chance to stop him with Abyssal Knights is to attract at least a 50 of them near the city gate and let them attack Narcis. Even Level 3's would be tired.
But… that'd be a mere fantasy. Narcis was arrogant, but not stupid.
In such a situation, he'd kill Varian and Kyle and escape without fighting.
"Swish"
"Swish"
"Swish"
The sounds of a sword slicing flesh resounded from behind.
"There's no way…" Varian was already in front of the city walls. He was at the end of road.
Thirty Abyssal Knights rushed towards him.
"Swish"
Narcis killed the last Abyssal Knight and dashed at him.
Varian looked at Kyle and said, "There's only one way…"
Kyle stiffened "It always leads to bigger problems."
"Haha. Trashes, I'll grant you death."
"Humans, we'll dismember you!"
The voices of Narcis and Abyssals sent shivers down Kyle's spine. He understood the situation they were in.
"Alright." He nodded and held Varian's shoulder.
At the same time, the sword slash from Narcis and spears from Abyssal Knights approached them in the blink of an eye.
"Boom!"
The ground was split apart for 5 meters and the spears pierced the ground and plunged deep. Dust filled the air, obscuring the vision.
"Hmp!" Narcis swung his sword twice and a huge wind blew off the dust.
He wanted to laugh at the corpses of the trashes but the next moment, his eyes widened.
There was no trace of Kyle and Varian!