CHAPTER 28

2

Number 102 leaned slightly out beyond the bookshelves, fixated on the Klaur, holding her breath as she watched Blur's audacious experiment.

Thankfully, the Klaur remained oblivious to her presence, and her view from her seated position revealed the Klaur's peculiarities without tempting her to make a risky call.

Nevertheless, they found themselves in a frustrating predicament, unable to take any action from where they stood.

Meeting Number 102's gaze, Blur silently implored her to remain a silent spectator.

He couldn't convey many details in that moment, but the fear in her blue eyes suggested that he had successfully communicated his intentions.

He couldn't help but fear what might happen if the Klaur happened to notice her, but that was a worry for after he had navigated the current peril he found himself in.

The Klaur stood unwaveringly in the center of the library's white marble floor, shrouded in a darkened aura resembling a cavern's darkness.

Blur knew he had to move to escape its senses, but the question remained: should he run away or run alongside Number 102?

—Save me.

He heard a voice—feeling the fear radiating from Number 102. The situation was far from simple. It was a perilous, potentially fatal scenario, yet it also presented an unexpected opportunity.

There was no guarantee that a convenient distraction would emerge to divert the Klaur's attention when he approached Number 102.

If he failed, it would all be over.

He had no way of ensuring that the Klaur would eventually move away from the area, and success might simply be Blur narrowly escaping its grasp.

Holding his breath, Blur gently began to move forward, hoping not to squander this momentary advantage. Just a little bit further—

Suddenly, a distinct sensation on the back of his head brought him to a halt.

Turning his head cautiously, he realized the source of the unsettling sensation had been the provocative gaze he felt earlier.

The Klaur had emitted some kind of mist from the slit in its mask, and ashes were falling from its back.

Number 102 had warned him about this, signaling that he should be cautious.

Of course, if he chose to ignore her warning, it could have dire consequences.

It was as if she was holding herself hostage to ensure that he would come to her aid.

Blur couldn't risk having the weight of a conscience burdened by the thought of inadvertently harming a girl.

Recognizing her concern, he acknowledged her intent.

She had effectively communicated her message, making it clear that he needed to keep his wits about him.

He knew he hadn't been as composed as he should have been.

Nonetheless, they had gained valuable knowledge about the Klaur, particularly that it could burn out if not handled carefully.

His best course of action was to create a solid plan, and right now, that plan was to distract the demon beast and make his way toward Number 102.

Blur selected a larger book from the shelf, tossed it in the opposite direction from the Klaur's head, hoping to divert its attention.

He walked cautiously, searching for the quietest path.

But just as he moved forward, a sudden gust of wind pushed against him, causing him to release a faint grunt.

As he looked up, he noticed tears forming in Number 102's eyes.

He silently urged her not to cry.

In response, a mass of ash flew right in front of his eyes, a soccer ball-sized ball of ash that unleashed a wave of heat as it soared past him and crashed into a bookshelf a few yards ahead, erupting into a violent burst.

—

Blur's body was almost broiled by the heat, and he managed to suppress the cry that almost escaped his lips.

If it weren't for Number 102's tears momentarily stopping him, he would have suffered a direct hit from the ashes.

He wasn't sure if it was strong enough to kill him, but severe burns seemed almost guaranteed.

The thought of burns covering a third of his body, potentially fatal, sent shudders down his spine.

And there was no one around to treat such injuries at the moment.

Intriguingly, the Klaur's focus had shifted back to him, despite the feint with the book on the other side of the room.

It was as if it knew he was there, and a disconcerting hum emanated from the beast.

Blur cautiously grabbed another book and prepared to throw it.

He felt Number 102's anxious gaze on him but couldn't focus on that at the moment.

The book arced gracefully through the air and fell far from the Klaur.

As expected, the Klaur's attention shifted toward the book, and it lunged at the apparent feint.

The ashes erupted again, accompanied by the eerie cries, masking the sounds of Blur's hurried steps as he scrambled toward Number 102.

One, two steps, he made his way across the marble floor. But just as he started to move—

"Ngh!"

A black ball grazed his body, and the ensuing explosion sent him tumbling.

The impact felt like his entire body had been pummeled.

He couldn't suppress a groan.

Gritting his teeth, Blur managed to steady himself on the marble floor with his hands, and as he looked up, he saw the demon beast crackling with ashes, gazing down at him.

It was clear; the Klaur had located him.

How did a klaur that relied on sound locate him while screeching?

—Echolocation!

Blur's suspicions crystallized just as the black ashes on the centaur's back grew.

The inferno swelled explosively, revealing the true force of the creature.

"[System] command!"—

"Piiiiiii!!!"

[Wind]

A violent wind struck the klaur's massive body at the exact moment it swung its flames down.

The unleashed heat caused the ground to explode as the Klaur was blown to the side by the wind.

"Guoooo?! Gaah! Damn ittt!"

Blur, doused by the smoky explosion at close range, rolled across the ground.

He used the momentum to leap to his feet and started running without looking back.