Chapter 20

"Howl …!!"

The sound of the scream made Howl wake up in the reflection of his mind. Looks like Anna showed up from the entrance. He looks like he's out of breath.

"Howl! Are you all right?" Anna asked—worried about what she had just seen. Anna looks around again, making sure there is no destruction caused by Howl's fight with Lucifer.

It's strange, Anna is even more worried about Howl, who is clearly a god than worried about herself who is in danger, Howl thinks.

"Howl! Why are you so quiet? You're okay, right? He didn't hurt you, right?" Anna asked, trying to make sure Howl was okay.

"Before you worry—"

Howl finishes his speech, and Lucifer reappears by clutching Anna over the border of the building. Speed is faster than wind. Lucifer hung Anna with one hand.

Anna tried to free herself from hanging over a 25-story building, just below her feet a large highway that seemed crowded with cars passing by.

"Let go! Let go!! Howl!

"Look …! You're off guard to protect your girlfriend, Howl …" said Lucifer—smiling satisfied because he managed to trick Howl.

Behind the calm look on his face, Howl is shocked by what Lucifer did to Anna. If he had committed a reckless act to upset Lucifer, maybe Anna would have died. 

And one thing if it's not only Anna who's currently being held hostage by Lucifer, but the kid who walks by herself with eyes bewitched by Lucifer. The kid Anna met before meeting Howl on the rooftop. The kid is also in danger, because the kid is in front of the crosswalk lights at the same time.

"Why are you so quiet? Didn't you really want to protect this woman? Ahh… You seem to know, if this woman wasn't the only one in danger, right?" Lucifer asked, trying to provocate Howl.

"Howl! Don't listen to this ugly creature!" Anna said fearlessly—trying to grab Lucifer's face.

"Shut up! Weak man!! You want to die?"

Anna continues to speak despite her difficulties, as Lucifer strangled her neck. Anna's face began to blush, the veins on her forehead became clear, as Anna began to run out of oxygen. If her brain hadn't gotten the oxygen channel, she'd be completely dead.

"So … Who would you choose, Howl? Your girlfriend? The kid?" Lucifer asked.

"The kid? What do you mean?" asked Anna who still had a little breath to speak. But the question was ignored by Lucifer, who was tightening her neck.

Anna is frightened until her tears flow unknowingly—looking at Howl, who seems still, does not move a bit by bit. She tries to believe Howl will help him, but strangling Lucifer is painful. The throat feels hot—the lungs feel like burning. Anna's starting to lose her sight. But Howl just stood there and did nothing.

If she goes on like this, he'll really die.

"Howl…"

The voice can't get out, his hands try to reach Howl to help her immediately. Anna can't make it. Slowly her eyes began to look dark and dark.

However, Howl still finds it difficult to choose two very important lives. If he had first helped the kid who was trying to kill himself under Lucifer's magic, he would have lost Anna. If he prefers to save Anna in order to finish her job, the poor innocent kid will die tragically. What a difficult choice for Howl that he can't move a bit.

As a god, he can't just stand by letting two innocent lives die at Lucifer's hands. Howl is already confident of the plan arranged in his mind right now to save two lives in seconds.

"Do as you please, Lucifer!" Howl said then disappeared as fast as a flash of light towards the kid who started walking past the zebra cross where a truck drove at high speed towards the kid.

But at the same time Howl gave up Anna's life. Anna's body, eventually released by Lucifer, falls free from the top of a 25-story building, unconscious after Lucifer's screeching.

Is this the end for me?

Am I really dead? Mom ... Help me!

Howl …

Anna fell without any gravitational force, so quickly passed every floor of the building. However, just below Anna who falls from the top of the building, a kid who is only seconds away from being hit by a truck, Howl quickly holds her—saving the kid who is still affected by Lucifer's magic until her eyeballs become white.

Howl took the girl to the curbside. Wiped the poor girl's face to remove Lucifer's magic. Howl doesn't have much time before Anna actually falls over the ground.

"Go away …"

Out of nowhere, a woman dressed in all red stood behind the girl. His face seemed to know what was going on. Without thinking, Howl entrusts the little girl to the woman—disappearing at the speed of light to reach Anna, who is just a matter of seconds away.

Howl hugs Anna, but she can't stop the gravitational force, causing the two of them to crash onto the ground at the same time violently. Although Howl can reduce Anna's fall pressure, Anna is still seriously injured in her right head from hitting the ground. 

Howl's right palm to reduce impact on Anna's head is almost shapeless. Even if he's a god, his body can still be hurt. They were lying unconscious with blood pouring out of Anna's unconscious head.

One by one, the people who saw it began to approach Howl and Anna. One of them called an ambulance and the police.

***

All the way to the hospital—in the same ambulance. Howl continues to stare at Anna, who is unconscious with her mouth covered with respiratory aids, while covering her regenerating palms.

The healing speed of a god who echoes into human beings is different from that of ordinary humans. Howl's body can regenerate itself very quickly. No matter how badly hurt Howl gets, he will quickly recover to his original form without leaving any traces or scars.

Howl didn't want the two nurses with him to be surprised. Howl's hand that almost broke is now back to its original form, only the blood remains from Anna's palm.

"Are you sure you're okay? I saw your hand hurt badly, let me see your hand?" asked one of the ambulance nurses, trying to confirm the patient's condition.

"Yeah, I'm okay."