A Gift

-Dark Forest-

*Cough Cough* Hours have passed since Ai and the others went on with their travel to the Dark Forest but unlike Ai, some of the people who are traveling with him don't have enough resistance against the miasma of the Dark Forest but even with this, they don't have a choice but to move on. The Black State must be looking for them by now.

Not a single word can be heard from the people, even the sounds of footsteps are too faint that they don't make too much noise. But then Ai felt something wrong.

"We're being followed..." Ai whispered to Deboko. A Master maybe, but now Deboko's too weak to even fight. Not to mention, Ai won't be able to do anything but walk after exhausting his Qi to the point that he won't be able to summon items he stored in his magic ring to help them with their problem with the miasma.

"I know but with our pace, it's only a bad thing to cause panic. It will only make us more exhausted than we are right now. If you're right about this place, the other survivors might be able to find and help us." Ai realized that Deboko's right. He never knew that the old man could think properly in this kind of situation.

*Sigh* "Just relax. You, getting us out of that cursed dungeon, helped us that no one could ever do or try. We're just happy that we are with Bahura's son till the end." Deboko's true feelings are showing. He might be a hard uncle to him before but Deboko cared for him from the very beginning like how Duno feels.

Ai couldn't help it, he silently cries from the back. He doesn't want the people that rely on him to see that he's crying, not because he's scared of dying but because of the trust they give him now even after all that happened.

They tried their best to continue but the deeper they get, the nearer the pursuers come. He knew that it's inevitable but he's hoping that they could still survive. Then... he felt a familiar aura getting near way too fast from the pursuer's direction, too fast that the closer it gets, the stronger the aura is.

"That's a Grandmaster's Aura... I don't think that even reinforcements, combined, would stand a chance against that person. Ai, your only chance is to talk it out. As a leader, be wise." Deboko's giving him the chance to prove something but...

"Go on, I'll-" Upon stopping, the others stopped as well. Not a single sign of hesitation can be seen through their eyes.

"We owe you our lives. It would be embarrassing for us to be saved twice so let us stay here and see it through till the end." Deboko's not going anywhere.

"We don't deserve what you did for us and because of that, we won't leave you alone!"

"We wronged you before and you still came to help us. I will not run!"

"Me too! Me too!" Everyone stayed with him. Clenching their fists, picking up stones to throw and even using twigs as a weapon. They're only here to show that they won't run away.

"Guys..." Ai, the guy who only longed for revenge, is here protecting those who he thought were his enemies. The past may have been cruel to him but he's still the heir and the true owner of the seat that rules the Black State. He looked back to hide his tears and waited for the enemy to come.

... Moments have passed and the person who emits the aura of a Grandmaster finally arrived.

"It's you... why did you follow us?" Before the huge battle happened, Ai met someone at the academy, someone who is a formidable person to his eyes. Anuna, current top student of the Black Sting Clan.

"I think you left something important so I'm here with some of my friends to deliver it and I also..." Something caught Anuna's attention.

*BAAAM* A swift kick came from below which blocked by Anuna's leg. It was an attack from Sha, her hatred being triggered by seeing someone from the Black Sting Clan.

Twirling around after delivering the attack, another one came from above. *BAAAAM* But it was blocked by her foot. An attack like that against a Grandmaster, it would never reach her.

"What?! Ack!" After blocking, Anuna reached Sha's neck with her grasp and lifted her, not touching the floor.

"Stop! You're killing her!" Ai couldn't do anything but watch. Sha looked at him and then he remembered the time Sha saved him from Kiri.

Ai readied his hands to chant an unsealing art but then... to his surprise, his hand was stopped from continuing. She found Sha on the floor trying to gasp for air. Anuna moved so fast that he didn't even see how she managed to get near him. The difference between their abilities can be seen. "I don't think using another unsealing art would be the best idea now. You've exhausted all of your qi points to the point that if you opening another point would only cause you your death."

Ai looked at her, confused. 'How did she know about my unsealing art?!' How can someone from the enemy's side follow him while the others did not. He knew that this girl is not only strong but she's also knowledgable to the point that she was able to know the source of Ai's power.

"I guess, I can tell by the way you look at me that you're impressed or... scared. But don't be afraid because I came for a different reason but before that, I'd say it would be better for your friends to come out and let's talk it out." After Anuna said that, Duno and the others came out.

Even Ai didn't even know that the reinforcement already arrived.

"I heard about a rookie from the Sting Clan Academy who rose from the weakest to the strongest. I thought it was just a rumor but seeing you now, you're not the same person as before." Duno appeared with the others and talked as if he knew her.

"Life is full of surprises, isn't it? But I came here not to cause any trouble but to join you instead. I know you're all in distress and are all about to collapse but this isn't the end of the line. I came here to help." To them, it doesn't make any sense, those words coming from their enemy.

Full of doubt, 'This could be a trap... she might have been waiting for us to gather and then ambush us when we're not ready.' Ai was alone for a very long time that trusting someone is not his strong suit.

"Let me kill you first before you could even join us!" Kiri filled with anger appeared behind a tree not far from Anuna's location.

*SWOOOOSH* Jumping swiftly with knuckles as weapons. The weight of grief and thirst for revenge coming from his hands, he was able to break through Expert Rank without the help of any soul stone material but it's still not enough to stop Anuna.

'Idiot!' Ai knew that it was a foolish idea after Sha was easily thrown away.

*BOOOOM* A powerful shockwave accompanied by dust covered the area and pushed everyone a little bit.

They couldn't see what had happened but after the dust cleared up, they saw the head of Kiri on the ground stopped by Anuna's foot. "Settle down. These siblings have a short temper, huh. And I even brought gifts so you could change your mind."

Kiri struggling, "Damn it! And what could be possibly a good gift after all that happened?! You devil!" Still trying to move but his face is still stuck between her foot and the ground.

Anuna suddenly lifted the long sleeve of her uniform to show them her magic ring and with one swipe of her hand, a coffin has appeared. With that alone, Sha and Kiri cried as loud as they could. They haven't confirmed the person inside yet, but they knew who it was.

"All I could say for now is I'm not one of your enemies. I am on my own. Whether you accept me or not, it doesn't matter but we have to leave this place as soon as possible." Then she removed her magic ring and then threw it to Sha.

Sha, catching it, Anuna helped Kiri to get up. "It's your father's magic ring. You'll get plenty of things you need there that relates to your clan."

Sha stood up and used the magic ring to store the coffin and helped the others to move.

'Why is she doing this? Who is she?' It's not the only question of Sha, but mostly everyone. But there's no need to ask more questions, as escaping is their number one priority.

"Ai, could you come with me for a while? I swear I'll get you with the others before night time." Anuna stopped Ai from going with the others.

To Ai, what she did for Sha and Kiri, he couldn't repay it even in his entire life so without hesitation, he joined Anuna.

The others headed back to the hideout while Ai and Anuna stayed.