19 Capture

Jerouch again looked at the figure with wariness, and his face was dying to get an answer, and so was his fear creeping out.

The figure looked like someone in his mid-twenties, and his sword-shape dark eyebrows accentuated his sharp raven eyes.

'' Of all the people they could send, he was the one they chose. '' Karah muttered, frozen in one position in fright.

A gentle breeze blew as the young man moved forward, and white scattered petals blew in every direction.

The young man didn't speak, he only stopped when he was a couple of distances away from karah.

'' You defied the imperial decree. ''

A soft voice, that carried power and authority, reached Jerouch's ears.

It was as if someone whispered. But the air of elegance and impassiveness that coated the voice made cold sweat travel down Jerouch's spine.

'' I can ex… ''

''You're not allowed to talk. '' The young man cut Karah off.

Waving his hand, a purple chain made of mana was formed. The chain travelled, almost like it teleported from Jerouch's senses, and it wove around Karah's hands.

'' Hey, you can't attack a harmless girl, no? ''

Jerouch knew he was being ridiculous and impulsive, but he couldn't help it.

He and Karah were not friends. They were not even accomplices, and the relationship between them wasn't that good either.

However, she had helped him a multitude of times. In his opinion, she was probably one of the strongest warlocks he had ever seen, well, not that he had encountered many warlocks before.

Yet, the aftermath of the battle here spoke a lot about her strength. Seeing her now, looking powerless and hopeless, created a knot in his heart.

'' Oh no. '' Karah screamed inwardly. '' Even though he couldn't escape if he ran, he could've stayed by the side in silence. '' She bit her lips with genuine worry.

'' I brought this upon him because of my selfishness. '' Out of frustration, she clenched her hands that were wrapped by the purple chain.

She wanted to run forward and pulled Jerouch back as he passed beside her, she wanted to, but could she?

'' Freeze! ''

'' Urgh. '' Karah gasped as she suddenly froze mid-air. This time around, she actually froze not because of fear, but rather because she was under the influence of the young man's ability.

Jerouch felt the surrounding mana change as he heard the young man mutter a word he barely heard.

He wasn't affected through. Hence, he rushed forward to come in between Karah and the young man.

Jerouch believed that Karah's strength was enough to save them from this perilous situation, and he only needed to buy her time to get out of her traumatized state, since that was the only reason he could link to why she was acting weirdly.

Since the system said he couldn't escape by himself, he would just place all his bets on Karah. If she could defeat an A rank so easily, then this shouldn't be that hard either.

Jerouch took a step forward again, however, the figure of the young man was no longer there.

'' You're slow. ''

'' kk. '' Jerouch's throat cracked as he heard a cold whisper behind him.

Turning slightly, he saw the figure of the young man looking at him with an unfazed look that held no emotion.

'' Even when you, think, you're so slow. '' The young man muttered.

Karah watched from the distance, unable to hide her regret.

'' If even I couldn't see that attack, he probably might not know how and why he died. ''

'' Agh. '' Jerouch wanted to scream, but only a low grunt escaped his mouth.

A fountain of crimson blood gushed out from his body as a large gash appeared on his chest.

'' W-what just happened? '' Jerouch wondered in horror as he collapsed, his face sinking into the soft ground.

'' It happened again, someone died because of me due to my selfishness. '' Karah looked down, her body spasming.

'' First, it was her, and now him. '' She bit her lips, trying her best to get a hold of herself.

The young man didn't spare Jerouch one more look as he turned and faced Karah.

He clicked his right hand and the purple chain wove around Karah's whole body, forming a purple cocoon.

He stretched his hands forward and a thick black gate appeared in thin air.

The gate opened and light rushed out from the other place that the gate led to.

The purple cocoon that contained Karah was first sent through the gate, followed by the young man who walked casually, his white robes and hair being steadily blown.

As he reached the gate and took his right step forward, he turned his head slightly, looking at the unconscious figure of Jerouch.

'' Why is this mana fluctuation familiar? '' He muttered, his eyebrows arching, and he eventually passed through the gate.

The gate soon closed, which cut out the blinding light that was coming from the other side, although something else managed to slip through.

***

'' Urgh. '' Jerouch felt a sharp headache and dizziness attack him, and he fell unconscious again.

After several hours again, he opened his eyes but closed them. This continued for about five times within three days that he had fallen unconscious until he eventually regained his senses.

'' It hurts. '' He weakly uttered as he squinted his eyes trying to avoid the new sudden bright light that rushed his vision.

The whole of his body ached, and his muscles stiffened as he tried to move.

He looked around with his slightly blurry vision, and even though everywhere looked cloudy, he was able to interpret the information he got.

He managed to clench his fist as he remembered the event that transpired before he passed out.

'' He is insanely strong. '' He muttered helplessly.

He was fascinated though. The power to even render a warlock that could kill an A rank monster so powerless.

'' I wonder what he would do to her. ''

'' He did mention an imperial decree. '' Jerouch sighed.

Karah was not a friend, but she was handy. But that made many questions rise in his head.

Who is she? Who was the young man? And why was he spared?

His head hurt as he thought of every possibility he could think of, but he soon dropped it.

There was no use making a fuss over something he could not solve currently.

Presently… he needed strength and as for that strength, he could see it nearby.

He had a large grin amidst the sour situation as he read the system notification.

[Quest- Survive]

[Reward. ]