Free Web NovelChapter 161: A Crazy Plan to Escape (2)
Dorian heard what Kai said, and his heart immediately raced.
He could see the edge closing in, but thought nothing about it, as he believed in Kai. Having fought together in the Blood Rite made their bond that close, and he did not mind putting his life on Kai’s decision.
But when he realized what Kai was planning to do, he changed his mind.
"Fuck that," Dorian looked to the side, searching for another way out to escape their chasers.
As expected, it was really bad.
Even though turning sharp right and running straight would give him time to think of a way to escape, this would also mean going into uncharted territory. It wasn’t the inner area, but it was still dangerous.
He didn’t know whether there were scourges of steel-tusked boars in that area.
Or worse, whether there was a group of fish monsters waiting underneath the water surface.
Going that direction would be dangerous, but he also couldn’t run left.
Some of the students from Ichor Legion were on the left side. If it’s only one or two, then maybe he could force his way through, but there are at least four of them. Four against one isn’t good odds at all.
’If I could bait them, then maybe I could go through without a fight. But...’
Dorian looked over his shoulder, and his chest immediately tightened.
There—in the distance, yet far too close for comfort was Chester. And the sight of him sent his heart hammering against his ribs. Chester came to be from nothing, stepping out of invisibility like a predator shedding its camouflage.
And his speed was incredibly fast.
Dorian understood with clarity that there’s no outrunning Chester.
Even if Chester kept on chasing Kai, he would be caught later without a doubt.
Other than following Kai’s reckless plan, he has no other way out.
"Lesser Angel!!" Chester’s voice reverberated through the air. "Don’t run away from me like a coward! Don’t you dare run from me!"
"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Dorian cursed under his breath while still running. "I fucking hate Kai."
"What?" Bryan, who was running right beside, asked. "What are we doing again?"
"Grab Bree’s hand!"
"But why though?!"
"Just do it!"
Further away from them, Kai, without hesitation, leaped off the edge of the Fire Swamp along with Bree on his shoulders. He flailed his free arm and legs, trying to glide further away from the Fire Swamp.
At the same time, Bree shouted while stretching her arms, "Milo!!"
"Jump!" Dorian roared as he made a big leap, reaching out his hand to grab onto Bree’s. "Jump right now!"
"Nobody told me about this!" Bryan shouted in utter fear as he also made the leap.
Both of them flailed right behind, eyes widening in a panic as they desperately tried to reach for Bree’s hands, but missed. Their hands were inches away from Bree’s. Fortunately for them, Bree was quick to react.
She created two circle-shaped membranes right beneath them.
Each one was big enough for them to use as a platform to make another step forward.
Dorian and Brian made the step—and held onto Bree’s hands for dear life before the four of them began to free-fall from extreme height; the wind whistling against their ears hard. The Fire Swamp and the Dead Range were separated by more than half a mile.
None of them could leap that far.
On the edge, the students from Ichor Legion dropped down to stop their running momentum.
Some of them stopped right on the edge, staring at Kai and the others in shock.
"Are they crazy? Where are they even going?"
"Even if they are grade three Awakened Supernal, falling from this height to the barrier would flatten them."
"Move!" Chester shoved the students aside and looked down over the edge, watching the four figures plummet—into the churning sea of cloudlets beneath the Fire Swamp. His mind was already counting.
It took approximately half a minute before anything dropped from this height met the barrier.
"I don’t think he’s stupid enough to leap carelessly..." He thought aloud. "Don’t tell me!"
Just as he spoke that aloud, the cloudlet broke apart.
Swoosh—!
Kai, along with Bree, was mounting a Pegasus.
One was holding onto Dorian, and the other Bryan as they dangled under the Pegasus.
Every single student from the Ichor Legion gasped at the sight of Kai and the others riding a single Pegasus. All of them knew how to ride a Pegasus, and this shouldn’t be possible. From the timing of the Pegasus, the weight, or even the coordination; everything has to be perfect.
It should be impossible.
But seeing that the Pegasus was bigger and more muscular, this made sense.
"Such a strong and fast Pegasus..."
"How in the hell did their Pegasus carry four fucking people?"
"Never mind that, it reacted to Bree’s call in seconds!"
Chester whistled loudly, calling his own Pegasus as he glared at Kai and his group. He pointed at them in utter anger. "Don’t run away, you bastards!" He roared—and then settled his eyes on Bryan. "How dare you poach one of mine?! I’ll kill you!"
"That’s a lot of shit talk for someone who can’t even catch us," Dorian, who was already back in his regular form, stuck out his tongue and tugged down his lower eyelid in a childish taunt. "For one of the strongest groups, you’re awfully sloppy. Your Patron God, Perseus, would be disappointed watching you fail to hunt a mere Lesser Angel."
As he laughed, he slapped Bryan’s back, encouraging him to let out everything.
It was Chester who had treated his life as nothing, after all.
"You know what, Chester? Fuck you!" Bryan’s middle finger shot up, arm trembling with raw, vindicated rage. "I’m glad I left your damn defective group. At least here, with these guys, I’m not treated as someone disposable. I’m not cannon fodder." His voice cracked, but he did not stop. "For every piece of shit you ever threw at me... Fuck you, and fuck your whole group!"
"Bhahaha!" Dorian laughed louder. "That’s a lot of fucking!"
Kai looked down at them and smiled acutely.
Guys... I don’t need him angrier.
Despite being in the same group, Chester’s target was clearly him.
And yet these two were having fun taunting, making Chester angrier than he already was.
Bree gestured for her Pegasus, Milo, to fly forward, leaving the Fire Swamp behind.
After almost a minute, Kai and the others had already reached the Dead Range in the distance, and Chester’s Pegasus finally arrived. Burned with anger, he reached for the saddle to mount it, but a student stopped him.
"Don’t be reckless," He said, pulling him back. "That’s Barbara’s territory."
"I don’t give a fuck!" Chester roared, his eyes still burning with fire. "I’m not going to let them mock me and leave like it was nothing!"
"You’ll get your chance," the student shook his head. "Focus on hunting the Star Beasts. Get stronger. Once you reach the Aspirant Supernal rank, those guys... or should I say the Ambrosia Pact would be no match for you."
Reluctantly, Chester got down and patted the Pegasus’ back, sending it away.
"Fine," He then walked back to the Fire Swamp. "Let’s continue what we’re doing." free𝑤ebnovel.com
Moments later.
With a single, powerful sweep of its wings, the Pegasus steadied itself and landed on the very edge of the Dead Range. Its descent was so smooth and steady that Kai felt as though he were riding an entirely different creature.
Something far beyond the ordinary breed.
Kai dropped down and stared at the Pegasus.
Since he was in a rush earlier, he hadn’t realized that Bree’s Pegasus was a beautiful beast.
It was bigger, more muscular, and its feathered wings spanned wider.
Just these details alone told Kai everything he needed to know; that this was no ordinary breed of Pegasus. It was a different one entirely, superior in every visible way. Heck—Bree’s mount was larger than most of the Griffins in the Aerial Stable, which was unnatural. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
Obviously, this Pegasus was the reason his plan earlier worked wonderfully.
Had it been a normal Pegasus, it would not have been smooth sailing.
Not that they would fall to their deaths as the normal Pegasus couldn’t lift them; their imprints could help with the flight, but crossing from the Fire Swamp to the Dead Range would be far more difficult than it was.
"Such a high-quality Pegasus..." Kai muttered.
"A gift from my father," Bree shrugged, looking at the Pegasus—as if she wasn’t impressed in the slightest. "If he wanted to give me something, at least give me the Pegasus with four wings. He’s really stingy."
"Stingy...?" Kai smiled sheepishly. "How much is a Pegasus?"
"A normal breed? Probably around five to ten million," Bree said nonchalantly. "For the one with four wings, it’d probably cost five times that. Not that expensive considering the one with four wings is triple in overall strength."
Kai’s heart sank to his stomach when he heard the cost.
For someone who worked solely as a night courier, even having one million is a pipe dream.
And yet Bree and her family dropped five million dollars like it was spare change.
Is this the same girl who was happy getting flowers from me?
"Wait a second," Bryan intervened; he was on his knees, clutching his heart from how nerve-wracking flying while his feet dangled under the Pegasus was. He raised his gaze to look at Kai. "You mean to tell me you don’t know Bree has a high-quality Pegasus?"
"Mn. Something like that."
"You damn lunatic!"
"What else are we supposed to do? Chester could’ve killed us in the Fire Swamp without any repercussions. Besides, it’s not that we can’t make use of a normal Pegasus to reach this place. We won’t die."
"I have a heart condition!" Bryan screamed, but that’s obviously a lie.
"Stop being dramatic," Kai picked his ear. "At least you feel good now, right?"
Bryan paused for a second.
He recalled how he cussed Chester and his former groupmates out, and the corners of his lips naturally curved into a satisfied smile. Kai was right; he was really satisfied after that. Almost like being reborn again, "I won’t deny it," He admitted. That felt really good."
"Pussy," Dorian sneered. "Had it not been for me, you would’ve stayed frozen like a bitch."
Both of them wrestled on the ground like cat and mouse.
On the side, Bree was looking slightly up at the edge of the Fire Swamp.
"He’s not chasing after us?" Kai asked and stood beside her.
"Nope," She shook her head. "I guess he felt like you’re not worth offending Barbara."
Kai was hoping for this. Since the Auric Cabal and the Ichor Legion were in an agreement, he was banking on the fact that Chester would not chase after them—at the risk of starting a war with the Auric Cabal.
He exhaled in relief and turned around, sweeping his gaze at the scenery.
"Now... Let’s see what prey the Dead Range has in store."
