Chapter 668: Comrades Meeting Again

"Mr. Tate," called Selena as the middle-aged man tried to find a trace of their enemy. "If I am holding you back, I can be bait! As long as he attacks me, then we have a chance to kill him."

"I cannot let you risk your life," said Mr. Tate with a frown. "As long as we hold on, there should be a chance for us to win. I was asked to protect you…!"

"Please trust me, Uncle Mirani," Selena changed how she addressed him. "I am like my father, a calculating person. I wouldn't throw away my life like this. However, I have a trump card too. Therefore, as long as you protect yourself and attack his body, then we will be fine."

"…alright, kiddo," smiled Mr. Tate. "You have the same eyes as your mother, who was also our friend at that time. There is nothing that she cannot do once she sets her eyes upon it, including wooing your father!"

Selena smiled in response, and Mr. Tate rushed forward once again. There was a slight pause from the bodiless swordsman, but the attack arrived as expected, accompanied by disdain.

"Do you think I wouldn't hurt her because she is a target? The only target was that old woman!" said the voice as the ground was slashed beneath Selena, and the attack reached her. "She would die, Tate!"

However, despite the threat, Mr. Tate did not turn back. Instead, his eyes carried trust in the young woman he had just met, knowing she wouldn't throw away her life.

"Accept your fate, woman!" attacked the swordsman toward Selena, and the slash connected the ground with the ceiling, splitting her in an oblique cut. "You are next, old man!"

Mr. Tate did not stop and rushed toward the body. As soon as he reached it, Mr. Tate kicked the body, sending it flying and crushing the underground walls. As the tunnel began to crumble down, the pained screams of the swordsman reached their souls.

"It seems that he can still feel the pain inflicted on his body," muttered Mr. Tate with a frown before turning in a hurry. "More importantly, Selena…!"

"Yes, Mr. Tate?" smiled the young woman while standing behind him with blinking eyes. Although she still had her wounds from earlier, she was otherwise fine.

"You are unharmed?"

"I gambled and won," grinned Selena. "I can turn my body ethereal, but that swordsman can cut through anything. However, he started destroying the tunnels ever since he turned into a soul. So his attacks turned to be purely physical, in the end."

"That… is indeed a gamble?" muttered Mr. Tate while pondering the situation. "However, shouldn't it be the opposite? His attacks should be ethereal since he is nothing but a soul."

"If he wanted to attack you, he should have used his ability. However, since you are still alive with just a fleshy wound, he couldn't use his ability anymore but still trained to attack with spiritual energy."

"…Jude has raised a monster," laughed Mr. Tate before falling back. "It seems that he either died or followed his body. Both ways, we need to run away now."

"Aunt Sarah is still here," said Selena before supporting him. "We need to find her and run away, not to mention Oren."

"I don't understand who would target such a peaceful family," sighed Mr. Tate. "At first, they lost Seref, and then it was Arthur. What has this family committed to deserves tragedies raining down on them?"

Selena was silent as if she was thinking about something. Then, the two of them rushed out of the collapsing tunnel, returning to the way they came from. Finally, they reached the point where the paths split into three and ran to enter the middle.

"This is the one Aunty Sarah took," said Selena while supporting him. "Quick, as the other soldiers might be after her. We need to…."

As they were about to rush in, a group came out. The two stopped with a frown and stared at two men carrying two women.

"You are… the clouds user that chased us," muttered Selena before turning toward the one he carried. "Master Melania!" shouted Selena with her eyes widening.

"This… does not make sense…" said Mr. Tate as his whole body shook while staring at the other man. "Seref… Silvera? And… Sarah Silvera?"

"Mr. Tate, that cloud user is the swordsman's friend, " Selena said before realizing what he said. "Are you saying the other man is Oren's father?"

"…this is unexpected," said Seref while raising his brows in surprise. "I did not expect to run into an old friend here and in this place, under these circumstances. How are you, Mirani?" smiled the cloaked man.

"How am I?" said Mr. Tate with a confused voice. "You are talking as if it has been a few days since the last time we met and forgetting that you should be missing! What is the meaning of this, Seref?!" pointed Mr. Tate at Sarah and Melania. "Why are you with these people?"

"…this would take a while to explain, so I would rather that you stay away from these family matters," said Seref before turning toward the cloud master, Jono. "You can leave first. This matter does not concern you."

"I understand," nodded Jono, taking Melania and walking past them. However, before he could leave, Selena left Mr. Tate's side and blocked Jono's path, raising her sword at him.

"Give master back!" shouted Selena with sweat rolling down her face. "I don't understand any of this, but give her back!"

"Do not act as if I am kidnapping her," said Jono, glaring at her. "She is my blood-sister, and I am the one who is saving her from this world. If you have the strength to stop me, then do it."

"I… I…" Selena stuttered as she tried to compose herself, but her body did not stop shaking. She could tell that the man in front of her was a deme-ranker, capable of killing her with just his stats.

"Instead of interfering in my matters, how about you save that idiot that wanted to protect you?" asked Jono, making Selena blank.

"Oren? He should not be… here…."

"As I said, the idiot followed his mother here with Melania before I caught up to them. Oren believed he could win; fools are the fastest to die."

"You bastard!" her face morphed in rage before she rushed toward him, piercing his body. However, Jono raised his hand and blocked the attack with his skin.

"You are even weaker than he is and more idiotic," said Jono before he sighed. "Oren is not dead, but he will be. So go down this path and save him if you love him."

After realizing that she could not even pierce his flesh and hearing his words, Selena turned ethereal before she ran deep into the tunnel. Neither of them tried to stop her, and Jono continued to leave.

The only two left were the two old comrades, with one unconscious woman carried by her husband. Mr. Tate seemed confused as he looked at Sarah and then at her husband.

"That girl Selena said that these men tried to kidnap Sarah, and she fought against them. So, I don't understand. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"As emotional as ever, Mirani," smiled Seref before he sighed. "It almost brings me nostalgia: the countless years we spent as a team. However, I ask you again not to interfere with my business. You are not a character in this chapter, not yet."

"…have you lost your mind, Seref?" glared Mr. Tate as his mana began to leave his body. "These men tried to kill Selena and me, and I'm sure they tried to do the same with your wife. If Oren is truly dying at the end of this tunnel, then why are you leaving now?"

Seref Silvera was silent before he raised his hand toward his friend. Mr. Tate waved his arm, and a shield appeared around him. Seref Silvera smiled before he clenched his hand, breaking the shield apart.

"Have you forgotten my ability, old comrade?" grinned Seref. "As before, I am still the invincible one between us. It seems that your wounds have healed nicely since the time we last met."

"…it cannot be," muttered Mr. Tate with shock. "You were the one to break the shield at that time? So you were the one… who killed our comrades?"

"That is an accusation, friend," said Seref. "It was their weakness that killed them. Regardless of whether I intervened, those fools would have died anyway."

"I always believed… that you sacrificed yourself… to save us," said Mr. Tate with gritted teeth as he glared at Seref. "You were the one left behind after we escaped, so I carried the guilt of leaving you behind!"

"Ah, yes. I remember that sentimental sacrifice," smiled Seref. "It was necessary to leave a few alive to make sure Arthur believed I was a hero."

"Arthur is dead," glared Mr. Tate.

"You are still as naïve, Mirani," laughed Seref. "Regardless, move. I spared you once and wouldn't do it another time."

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