“I can’t answer that question, but it doesn’t change anything,” Theodor said. “He is still one of the Champions of Final Fate, and he must die.”
“One of?” Kyle asked.
“There must be more,” Theodor said. “Not all of them survive the journey to the top, and they need to become Transcendents to become strong enough to threaten the world. Betting everything on only one of them would be stupid.”
“You must kill him. If he succeeds, the entire world will be in danger!”
“Why do you care?” Kyle asked. “You’re an Inheritance Crystal with the purpose of taking revenge on Hieronymus and his lineage, right? If Horatio becomes the Champion of Final Fate, Hieronymus and his lineage will die?”
“Don’t be insolent!” Theodor shouted. “I might be an Inheritance Sphere, but I can still think, and I still have my own values. Yes, I want revenge on Hieronymus and his lineage, but I don’t want all of existence to vanish!”
“I am Hieronymus’ enemy, not life’s enemy!”
“Okay,” Kyle said. “Back to the initial question. Why did Horatio save me?”
“It doesn’t matter! His identity doesn’t change based on the answer!” Theodor answered.
“Yes, it does. As far as I can see, Horatio risked his own life to save me and the others. This makes him my comrade and friend!”
“He’s using a trick!” Theodor shouted. “There must be a purpose behind this!”
“How do you know?” Kyle asked.
“Because humans are like this! Humans are selfish, and they won’t just risk their lives for nothing!”
“Okay, then, what about Bormine? He jumped to his death! What was his selfish plan?” Kyle asked.
“Reward!” Theodor answered. “He just wanted to earn your trust but misjudged the risk! He thought he would survive!”
Kyle snorted. “You don’t even believe that yourself.”
“None of this matters!” Theodor said. “Your friend must die! He is the enemy of life itself!”
“And he’s my friend!” Kyle said. “I trust my friends!”
“How foolish and naïve can you be?!” Theodor shouted.
“I’ll show you!” Kyle said before walking back to the others.
“What are you doing?” Theodor asked in anger.
Kyle didn’t answer.
When Kyle came back, he nodded to Falk before looking at Horatio, who was slowly regaining consciousness.
“Falk, I need you to trust me,” Kyle said with seriousness.
“Do not dare to tell him! I will explode immediately!” Theodor shouted.
Kyle ignored Theodor.
Falk looked at Kyle with narrowed eyes before staying silent for a couple of seconds.
“Fine,” Falk said.
Kyle nodded before turning to Horatio.
“Horatio, I need to urgently talk to you alone,” Kyle said with as much authority as he could.
Horatio looked at Kyle.
Then, he smiled bitterly and stood up with difficulty.
“Everything okay?” Falk asked, looking at the two of them.
“I think I know what this is about,” Horatio said. “Don’t worry. I also want to talk with Kyle alone.”
Falk didn’t seem happy, but since both of them agreed, he couldn’t do anything.
Horatio and Kyle walked into the forest, and when they were alone, Kyle looked at Horatio.
“You will not tell him! You promised me!” Theodor shouted in rage.
Kyle ignored Theodor and looked at Horatio.
“You are the Champion of Final Fate,” Kyle said. “Why did you save us?”
Kyle could feel how enraged Theodor became.
‘If you’re gonna explode, explode,’ Kyle thought. ‘I refuse to betray my friends!’
Horatio sighed and just smiled in embarrassment.
“I noticed earlier that you had an Aristocrat’s Body,” Horatio said. “I assume you heard about that from one of your family members?”
“It doesn’t matter how I know,” Kyle said. “The fact is that I know.”
Horatio sighed again.
“Then, you should also know what I am capable of,” Horatio said with a darker tone, his smile becoming more sinister.
“Actually, I don’t,” Kyle answered honestly. “I know you’re strong, but I have no idea about the hows.”
Horatio blinked a couple of times in surprise.
Then, he laughed a bit.
“Kyle,” he said. “You’re so honest.”
The next moment, an eye opened behind Horatio, and he suddenly charged forward with incredible speed.
He pulled out his sword and attacked Kyle.
Then, he stopped his sword right in front of Kyle’s throat.
Kyle just looked into Horatio’s eyes without looking away.
Horatio furrowed his brows before pulling back.
“Why didn’t you evade?” he asked.
“Why would I?” Kyle asked. “If you wanted to kill me, evading wouldn’t do anything, and if you didn’t want to kill me, you wouldn’t kill me.”
Horatio furrowed his brows. “Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because I am doing the same thing you have done,” Kyle answered.
“I am putting my life in your hands.”
Horatio remained silent.
Several seconds passed.
“Why did you save us?” Kyle asked.
Horatio took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“I just… did,” he thought. “It all happened automatically.”
“Do you regret it?” Kyle asked.
Horatio smiled bitterly.
“I don’t know,” he said. Kyle felt like there was a deeper meaning to that sentence.
“Well, you did,” Kyle said. “You saved our lives.”
Horatio chuckled bitterly. “And what’s the point?” he asked. “Eventually, you will still die by my hand.”
“Eh, I’m not so sure,” Kyle said. “I could also just die to another random Late Knight.”
Horatio blinked in surprise.
“Also, I’m pretty strong myself, you know?” Kyle asked. “The Duchess of Twilight is also pretty strong, right? Why can’t I become this strong?”
Horatio looked at Kyle with an amused smile.
“I mean, theoretically, you can,” he answered. “It’s just… very difficult.”
“Well, there you go,” Kyle said. “Don’t go around destroying the world, okay? Otherwise, I will have to bonk you on the head with my hammer! You got that?”
Horatio sighed and helplessly shook his head.
“It’s not that easy,” he said. “Things are… complicated.”
“Doesn’t seem complicated to me,” Kyle said. “Destroy or not destroy. It’s an easy choice. Just don’t.”
Horatio sighed yet again.
“Do you know that you are asking me to die?” he asked.
“Yeah, well. Sucks to be you then. Don’t destroy the world, okay?” Kyle said.
Horatio just looked at Kyle with confusion and surprise.
“Sucks to be me?” he asked.
Kyle nodded.
Then, Horatio broke into laughter.
“Fine, I’ll not destroy the world,” he said.
Kyle nodded. “That’s good.”
Horatio looked with interest at Kyle. “Do you actually believe me?”
“Of course,” Kyle said. “You’re my friend. You just risked your life for me. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have talked to you.”
Horatio shook his head in disbelief as he looked at Kyle.
“Kyle, you’re really special, you know that?” Horatio asked.
“Hey, don’t call me a retard!” Kyle answered.
Horatio just laughed.
“I’m not,” he said. “I mean that you’re… different.”
“Yeah, thanks. Call me a retard again,” Kyle said with a nod.
Horatio just shook his head with a laugh.
“Kyle, I can’t stay here,” he said. “It’s not that I don’t trust your personality.”
“I don’t trust your power.”
“Even though you might not want to tell anyone about me, people might find out regardless.”
Kyle shrugged. “I get it. I thought something like this would happen.”
Horatio closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then, he looked back towards the distant street.
“Bormine and Tracy didn’t survive, right?” he asked.
“Sadly not,” Kyle answered.
Horatio sighed.
“I’m going to miss our team,” he said.
“We’re going to miss you as well, ” Kyle said.
Horatio took another deep breath before smiling peacefully.
“Kyle,” he said.
“Yeah?”
“I hope we never meet again.”
“Asshole,” Kyle answered with a quick chuckle.
Horatio also chuckled.
Then, he ran back to the street and looked at Michael and Falk.
“Everything fine?” Falk asked.
“Yeah, well,” Horatio said. “As our leader would say, life happens. Anyway, I have to go.”
“Goodbye.”
Then, Horatio ran into the forest again.
Falk and Michael just looked at the retreating Horatio in shock.
Eventually, Kyle also walked out of the forest.
“Where did Horatio go?” Falk asked.
“He left the team,” Kyle said.
Falk looked in shock at Kyle.
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