Ch 35: Rift in Friendship

They passed through the dense forest and arrived at the open area not far from the Mountain Range.

Here, they noticed three figures clad in masks darting urgently in a particular direction. Despite their haste, they were laboring under the weight of two bodies, bloodied and barely conscious.

It was evident that the two victims still clung to life, but their precarious condition suggested that time was running out. They might die at any second.

Strangely, the trio in masks appeared indifferent to the dire situation of the two people, showing little concern for their fate.

"These people in masks appeared to be people from the Darkborne Family. As for the two bloody figures, they entered the abandoned mansion after accepting the mission from the Federation."

Emrys observed the five people and muttered in a low voice. Rohan and Cairo nodded their heads in agreement.

The three people in masks were all Advanced Bronze Soul Masters.

Emrys and others exchanged glances and made a decision on the spot. They decided to rob these three people of their masks.

They spent a little time making a plan. After that, Emrys disappeared, appearing behind the three people in masks.

"Flying Knife Technique!"

The moment Emrys materialized behind them, he unleashed a swift and powerful strike with his knife.

His opponents were caught off guard, never anticipating an ambush.

Despite their lack of preparation, they were not weak. As Emrys attacked, they sensed a surge of pure Soul Force and realized they were being attacked from behind. Reacting instinctively, they swiftly turned and delivered powerful punches.

However, their response came too late. Although they reacted promptly, they were ultimately unprepared. They struggled to muster their true strength, and their counterattacks lacked the force necessary to effectively confront the incoming assault.

Bang!

"Arghh!"

"Thud!"

With just one slash, Emrys severed an opponent's hand, sending the second opponent flying backward. Meanwhile, he effortlessly dodged the third opponent's punch by stepping back and lowering his body before delivering a powerful punch aimed at the opponent's abdomen.

The third opponent doubled over in pain, clutching his abdomen and groaning in agony.

However, this battle was far from over.

Rohan and Cairo arrived just in time to join the fray. They each targeted an opponent, directing their punches at the head.

The individuals on the receiving end cried out in pain, but Rohan and Cairo persisted, delivering relentless blows. Gradually, their screams weakened and soon they lost consciousness.

Seeing this, Rohan and Cairo redirected their attention to the third person in the mask and smiled cruelly. Similar to their companions, the third person succumbed to their onslaught and swiftly lost consciousness.

While Rohan and Cairo were beating the three masked men, Emrys approached the two heavily injured people, only to discover that they had already passed away. It appeared that their lives had been lost shortly after he attacked.

"What a pity!"

Sighing, Emrys shook his head.

"Here, take it!"

Rohan tapped Emrys on the back and handed him a mask with the number 17 painted on it. Rohan himself took the mask with the number 18, while Cairo selected the mask with the number 19.

"What should we do with them?"

Cairo pointed at the three unconscious people and asked.

To be honest, Emrys found himself at a loss as well. These three people had not directly wronged them, and he hesitated to take harsh action against those who hadn't offended him.

However, it was an undeniable reality that a grudge had formed between them. If they left these people here, upon regaining consciousness, they would undoubtedly seek them out and create trouble for them.

What to do?

Emrys started thinking about what to do in such a situation.

Rohan, clearly aware of Emrys's soft nature, shook his head and said, "Shall we restrain them and confine them to a hidden location?"

Cairo thought of something and was about to nod his head when Emrys said, "No!"

Umm?

Rohan and Cairo looked confused and darted glances at Emrys.

Emrys took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his long knife, and approached the three unconscious people. Without hesitation, he swiftly slashed their necks, giving them an immediate death.

This...?

Rohan and Cairo stood stunned, particularly Rohan, who knew firsthand just how kind and gentle Emrys's heart could be.

When did Emrys become so tough and cruel?

For a moment, Rohan felt he never knew Emrys. The Emrys in front of him appeared completely different in his eyes for the first time.

Emrys secretly extracted Soul Points from the individuals he had just killed, then turned to face Rohan and Cairo, who wore expressions of stunned disbelief. With a small smile, he spoke, "No hard feelings. You both should understand how the world operates. If I hadn't taken action and killed them, they would have sought revenge and endangered not only us but also everyone close to us upon discovering our identities. Moreover, we're on the brink of entering their territory. If they were to return while we're still in Lion's Valley, we would become targets of the entire Darkborne Family. Surviving such a scenario would be next to impossible."

"So, as grim as it sounds, killing them was the best choice. What is more, we are not talking about good people. Look at those two, they died after being dragged for who knows how long in such a state."

What could Rohan and Cairo say?

This was the first time they were facing such a scenario. They had never killed a person before. Although Emrys was the one to kill the three Darkborne Family members, they were struggling hard in their hearts.

However, what should happen has already happened. There is no benefit in thinking about this any longer.

In the end, they chose to stay quiet and did not say anything. They silently wore the masks on their faces.

However, Emrys sensed an invisible line being drawn between himself, Rohan, and Cairo—a line that threatened to strain their friendship. This line might become the reason that will end their friendship.

Emrys sighed inwardly, puzzled by his own decision. Killing someone for the first time should have evoked strong emotions, yet he felt oddly detached. It was as if taking the lives of those three individuals had come unnaturally easy to him.

Shaking his head, Emrys donned mask number 17 and joined Rohan and Cairo as they departed, their destination still set for Lion Falls.