Heroes to Hunted

Several minutes passed while I salvaged equipment from the dead thugs.

I tore the most pristine portions of cloth off their clothing and used them to stem my bleeding.

'I'm going to get an infection for sure….' I thought as I wrapped my gashed wrists. I guess asking for a torture dungeon to have clean bandages around was too much.

Before setting off, I took inventory of my current arsenal.

I had two holsters fastened to my waist, one from each guard, and three knives to occupy them. It was a snug fit to put two knives in one sheath, to put it lightly. So snug, the sheath was nearly bursting. The leather was sturdy, though, so I was confident it would hold.

Lastly, I had those keys.

There was one thing that I had to leave behind. I groaned with frustration after every glance I took at it.

"Why couldn't your owner have been bigger?" I grumbled, discarding the leather armor.

Not only was it too small for me, but it would be even less of a fit for Agawa due to her bust. I couldn't even imagine hauling such cumbersome things around all day.

'It really must be tough to be a woman sometimes.'

Finally ready, I hoisted an unconscious Agawa onto my back. She wasn't extraordinarily light, probably due to her muscle tone and chest, but she wasn't that heavy either. It was uncanny how perfectly centered her weight was in the "Goldilocks" zone.

After lifting her onto my back, I faced a dilemma that quickly emerged to taunt me.

My hands were occupied with carrying her, which left me with nothing to wield my weapons. Trying to kick my way out of here seemed idiotic at best; I was no Takagi, after all.

I suppose I could carry her over my shoulder, but I don't think she'd appreciate that very much.

'Huh?' I was taken aback by how considerate I was toward her. 'When did I start caring about the opinion of civilians?'

While reflecting on my previous missions, I recalled numerous times when I was in a similar position.

Something would render a civilian unable to walk, and I'd need to carry them as a consequence. I never worried about their comfort in those situations, so long as they survived. Why was this time any different?

Glancing at Agawa's face, I had my answer.

Typically, the people I helped were never really people at all. Instead, they were just numbers clipped to a mission briefing folder.

However, she was different from them. It may have been short, but I had traveled, eaten, and even danced with her. Those experiences wouldn't let me think of her as just a "blank face" anymore.

The fact this girl now loathed me sent a pang of ache to my chest.

Since I enlisted, I have always kept everyone at arm's length. Probably because I knew they wouldn't last long anyway. It'd been so long since I truly enjoyed time with friends. So long that I forgot how warm friends could make you feel…as well as how cold.please visit panda-:)ɴᴏᴠᴇ1.co)m

'This is how it should be, Katsuro.' I consoled myself. As a soldier, I wasn't meant to have attachments.

pαпdα Йᴏνê1,сòМ Stepping outside the cell with Agawa in tow, I was amazed to see how empty the corridors were. I assumed for sure the commotion of the fight would raise some alarm, but not even a rat appeared out of curiosity.

I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I didn't question the silence and began walking away from where I initially came from. 4

There was no reason to risk a confrontation with Malgam, since the cells in that direction were empty.

During my travel, I was confronted by a chilling realization. One that was brought up by the hooked corpses I saw earlier. 'Could everyone have all been killed already?! Are we the last ones left?!'

Pressured by the idea that everyone was dead or dying, I picked up my pace to a desperate sprint.

I passed by dozens of cells, each showing no signs of having even been opened, let alone having contained a recent prisoner. The idea that Agawa and I were the only ones left seemed like the only possibility.

However, that thought was dispelled when a voice cried out in the darkness.

"No! Please! What are you doing?! N-" Following the pleas was a bone-chilling shriek and then…silence.

As I grew closer, slicing and grinding filled the corridor around me. The grotesque sounds bounced between the stone brick hallways before disappearing deep into the shadows.

I crouched low to avoid detection and peered around the corner. Within the room was a workstation similar to the one I was brought to.

Everything was the same, down to every last gruesome detail. All except one thing. On the table in the middle lay a newly deceased corpse.

Hacking away at it was a crazed-looking girl.

She severed muscles, ground bone and tore cartilage as she dug through the corpse's chest cavity. Then, with a crack from broken joints, her expression lit up in joy.

She smiled while removing her hands from the body's innards.

Within her exposed grasp lay a strange, pulsating organ that took a direct likeness to that of a heart. In fact, I wouldn't have been able to differentiate it from one if not for the irregular violet glow it emitted.

"Aren't they just beautiful when freshly harvested?!" She asserted to no one, raising it toward the torchlight above her.

I had to consider my options carefully. One option was to put Agawa down somewhere and confirm the deceased's identity. However, I'd likely need to apprehend or even kill the girl if I did that.

On the other hand, I could keep going, hoping to make it in time for the next person.

I hated decisions like these. The ones with a morally wrong "right" answer and a morally right "wrong" answer. Seeing this girl happily carving up the body of one of my countrymen, I couldn't help but choose the wrong answer.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!