Chapter 18: The Weakest (Part 2)

While speeding through the forest, it is pretty easy to miss a few things here and there. I can't really keep track of every single detail I come across after all. So, it was pretty easy for us to miss this spot, but somehow we didn't.

Dragon: "What do you think?"

As we were running, we came across the corpse of a dead beast. It's a bear-like large beast that had golden fur and looked like a decoration. That is, it would have looked like that if the scarlet liquid wasn't coming out of its stomach.

Kais: "If I remember correctly, his name was Hans."

I think he matches the description that girl gave me for 'Hans' pretty well.

Dragon: "Yeah, I believe that's the name she gave this creature, not that it needed any names."

I wonder if the dragon feels any remorse over this creature. His reaction doesn't suggest anything like that but he is kneeling in front of the corpse trying to see if he can do anything to help.

Kais: "Does this affect the forest or you in some way?"

Dragon: "He was the biggest predator in the forest so the ecosystem will surely lose its balance for a while but why the hell would it affect me?

The dragon says so in a mater-of-fact tone. I guess that stands to reason. I myself wouldn't really care about a dead animal all that much, especially one I never even seen before. Sure I feel bad for it and all but in the situation we are in, one of us might end up in this situation and that would be far worse.

Dragon: "You are worrying one of us will be found dead like this one of these days, right?"

I hate it when someone else reads my mind. I mean, I don't read people's minds even though I literally can so stay out of mine. But I guess he's right.

Dragon: "Don't worry. I am pretty sure I know who did this to him. And that person is probably not targeting any humans right now."

I agree with that. The bear died because of a hole in its stomach that opens up to the back. It is almost as if a bullet, the size of big rock, went past there. This has to be the work of that rabbit-like spirit used by the woman who would have reached this place sometime ago.

Dragon: "She's only targeting me."

Kais: "Well, I doubt it will be good for either of us if we let her get to the beach before we do. We can catch up too, so why are we wasting time here?

I urge him to start running again. I don't think he is actually feeling remorse about anything. If I am to be honest, I would say he is waiting for me to start running by saying 'I'm going ahead' so he could get a valid excuse to be behind me.

Dragon: "Ah! (Sighs)"

That won't happen, dragon. Now get moving. I almost want to scream this at him but I know there's no point to it.

Dragon: "Well sure, let's get going."

Saying that, the dragon starts running towards the beach again with me following behind him.

At this point, I'd say I'm the weakest person on the island. Though if Ethan is also here, then maybe that honor would belong to him, making me the second weakest. But in either case, I can't win against any of them except Ethan.

The auras I am sensing from the beach are all much larger than mine. The dragon is obviously stronger than me as well and I really doubt I stand a chance against the rabbit-like spirit Sona controls. In this situation, I guess I should be scared, but somehow I am not. I should be thinking about how to get out of here but I can keep my cool and focus on doing what I can while I am here.

Kais: "Damn!"

My own mind is incomprehensible to me. I can't understand how and why I am acting the way I am acting. This just feels off. My mindset and emotions are perfect for this situation, almost too perfect. I really doubt a normal person would act like me in this situation.

Dragon: "You seem worried."

The dragon says so while looking at me with one of his eyes. It is kinda impressive how he can run so well with one eye facing backwards.

Kais: "Well,"

Though I am surprised he bothered to look back to see my facial expressions at a time like this, maybe the reason he turned back was different.

Kais: "Guess I am."

I shouldn't try to act when he has already caught on. But what I should do is mislead him.

Kais: "I am worried someone I don't want to meet ever in my life might be on the beach."

By saying that, I shift his attention back to the beach. If I tell him a reason for worrying besides anything related to the beach, he would lose focus.

Dragon: "I see. Then I guess the only way to find out is to get there, huh?"

Thinking that I was also worried about something related to beach would help him concentrate on the road. That in turn, allows me to concentrate on my thoughts.

Dragon: "Or do you want to stop?"

The dragon says almost as if to tease me.

Kais: "No, that won't be necessary, but be sure to tell me if you want to stop."

I decide to backfire on him.

Dragon: "Don't try to be cheeky."

A smile comes to my face seeing the dragon acting salty. But regardless, now he would not get distracted by my worries and would not stop without telling me, so it should present no more problems for me.

Kais: "Ah!"

And there it is. This whole calculating approach to the situation, trying to manipulate the dragon the way I want to. This is exactly what I am worried about. My mind is working like a machine's. It's as if something like this is only normal for me.

Kais: "Well, I guess we'll see what happens."

The dragon looks back curiously to try to understand what I mean. But there's no need for me to tell him. I decide to act like I didn't notice his gaze and soon enough, he turns away.

I can't really say if I would even get any of my answers, but I hope I do. In this situation, I am pretty sure the dragon is incapable of understanding whatever's wrong with me. Even if he does understand, it's dangerous to rely on him because he may try to twist the facts to benefit him. So I guess the only way to find out the cause of all this is to meet Ozyllus. But that would have to wait. For now, I need to focus on whatever is going on at the beach … which we should reach in five minutes.

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Ethan: "That said – it hasn't been two days here, has it?"

Ethan says while looking at the forest.

Barry: "What?"

Ethan: "You know time passes differently here and than in outside, right?"

Barry: "I do."

During this conversation, the other two are staying silent, not because of any mannerisms, but because they just didn't wanted to talk to Ethan.

Ethan: "According to what I know, two days should have passed on the island between us coming here and the night we killed Ro."

Ro: "Tch!"

Ro clicks his tongue hearing that. It's natural for him to get annoyed on hearing something about his own death in such a matter-of-fact manner.

Barry: "That's what you are worried about?"

Ethan: "I guess I am. Do you know anything about it?"

Barry looks at Ethan suspiciously and then turns his eyes away from him to the forest.

Barry: "Hmm … how about I not tell you?"

Ethan: "(Sighing) Well, I guess that's how it will be."

They all turn to look towards the forest as they sense someone coming.

Barry: "Well, I know that aura. I guess he is here to greet us, huh?"

Ethan: "From your tone, it almost sounds like there is only one person coming."

Barry: "From yours, it almost sounds like more than one is coming. I wonder why you may think so."

Barry says so as if to mock Ethan's eyes.

Dragon: "I see you're back."

The voice echoes from the forest as the figure of the slightly muscular, tan-skinned man emerges.

Ethan: "Guess we'll hold that off for now."

Hearing the dragon's voice, Ethan mutters so under his breath as he sees Barry focusing on the dragon.

Barry: "Didn't I say I will?"

Dragon: "You did. And you see –"

???: "So it was a lie after all."

Another voice comes from the forest. This time, this voice comes from someone the five people present on the beach very well know.

Ethan: "Well, I guess all the main players are here."

Ethan says so at the same time Kais walks out of the forest.

Facing his long-dead brother, the man who came to kidnap him, the woman who helped in kidnapping him, the dragon who tricked him into going in the tomb and the man who is an ordinary human but somehow is the most dangerous and mysterious of them all, for some reason, at this point in time, there forms a smile on Kais' face.

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