Grimacing at the blistering heat on his skin, Garfiel violently kicked at the fallen leaves around him.
[Garfiel: Th’guy’s got guts, I’ll give’m that]
It was a growl of irritation, but also of honest praise.
“Your half-assed attitude is why you’re going to lose” ――that was what Otto told him. And he was absolutely right.
Thinking that Otto had no combat capabilities, Garfiel had completely underestimated him.
[Garfiel: Fire stones…… the hell’s he tryin’ t’do’ with somethin’ as biteless as that?]
A momentary, vision-obscuring screen of flames.
With his annoyance still fresh on his mind, Garfiel thought back on that flash of searing heat.
All smoke and mirrors, it stung, but its damage was no more than that of a sunburn.
Yet, one thing was certain:
[Garfiel: If he’d used somethin’ more deadly I wouldn’t ‘ve gotten off this easy……]
In that fatal moment, his opponent made an unexpected choice.
What else to call it if not an act of mercy? The opponent he’d held back on and failed to knock unconscious turned around and taught him a lesson instead.
That was just way too wretched and stupid.
[Garfiel: Gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me……!]
What was even more infuriating was how his opponent completely ignored him while he was blinded by the flames and just straight-up ran away. By the time Garfiel thought to chase him, Otto was already nowhere to be found.
Just soft soil and fallen leaves. He certainly managed a skillful escape on what should’ve been unfamiliar terrain. Otto wasn’t lying about scouting around the forest at night.
Nevertheless, if this turned into a genuine chase scene, there’d be no way he could escape from Garfiel. Every ten steps that Otto ran, Garfiel would be able to close in two. Such was the enormity of the physical difference between their bloodlines.
But Otto had this covered as well.
[Garfiel: ――Gh! Th’hell!? This…… aghh! Fuck, my nose ain’t workin’!]
The moment Garfiel tried to sniff for Otto’s scent, an intense, painful stench pierced his nostrils. Recoiling from the stench, Garfiel shook his head as his vision strobed from the penetrating pain.
And that was when he saw a clear glass bottle lying on the spot where Otto had been standing. He could immediately tell that the colorless liquid flowing from the uncapped bottle was the source of that pungent scent. But that was all his nose could tell him.
[Garfiel: Son of’a bitch……! Does’he think he can beat me just by cloggin’ my nose?]
Baring his fangs, Garfiel flushed with rage at his dwindling options.
Just how many traps had Otto set against him? Every step of the way, these tricks had perfectly held him in check.
[Garfiel: ――――]
Touching the scar on his forehead, panting, Garfiel repeated his ritual to calm himself.
He drew in a deep breath to settle his heart and lungs and wrestled back his senses from being consumed by rage. Thinking about it now, there is no way Otto could keep him subdued indefinitely.
So why would Otto risk himself in such a reckless battle?
Besides, the fact that Otto would challenge Garfiel in the first place was strange.
He said his goal was to buy time―― to draw Garfiel’s attention while the refugees escaped the Sanctuary via other routes.
If what he said was true, then it’d be impossible for Garfiel to stop all the carriages now.
The thought of sending the Lewes clones to chase them had briefly crossed Garfiel’s mind, but since he doesn’t know any of the carriages’ current locations, it’d only be a futile effort.
The replicants lack knowledge and experience, and could only carry out very crude commands.
They wouldn’t even know to eat their meals unless instructed to, and if they were pushed beyond their limits, they’d just curl up into little balls and give up on life.
Garfiel was too sick and tired of having to run around looking for them when that happens.
[Garfiel: And in th’end, th’only one I can rely on ‘s myself. Hah! Same as it’s always been]
He was out of options, and his nose was disabled.
But Garfiel wasn’t pessimistic. He still had his powerful body. And it still had more than enough strength left to carry him through the forest and achieve his goal.
No matter what Otto’s objectives may have been, he dared to stand against Garfiel. Surely, when he decided to oppose him, he must’ve been prepared to taste Garfiel’s claws and fangs.
As far as Garfiel was concerned, Otto was no longer a simple prey.
This was now a hunt that would require all of his efforts, and he would not stop until he had Otto completely at his mercy.
――By the time Garfiel thought this, he had already all but forgotten his original intent and didn’t even realize that he was falling right into Otto’s plans.
[Garfiel: Where’d y’get th’fuckin’ gall. That bastard left y’instructions, didn’t he…… th’hell did he say?]
Just before setting out into the forest in pursuit of Otto, Garfiel turned his head, looking to the carriages Otto left behind.
The carriages were decoys pretending to be carrying fleeing refugees. Yet the two ground dragons drawing them were real, and all through Otto and Garfiel’s standoff, they had been quietly sitting there like it was none of their business.
[Garfiel: Y’think if y’just sit there I won’t hurt ya? Cheeky bastards. Yer lucky I don’t like t’kill unless I need to]
Shaking his head, Garfiel passed by the dragons and reached for the passenger car once more.
Countless items of clothing had been heaped inside the car to mimic the scent of fleeing villagers. Last time, Garfiel left it as soon as he confirmed this, but there might’ve been something else he’d missed.
Pushing apart the piles of clothes with his feet, Garfiel scanned his eyes over the seats and walls. Nothing stood out, and, after searching a little more, he was about to descend the carriage when,
[Garfiel: ――Huh?]
He saw something sticking to the back of the carriage door as he turned.
A white piece of paper fluttering in the wind, as if placed there specifically to be visible from the inside.
――Feeling a sense of foreboding, Garfiel walked up to the fluttering note, tore it off, and opened it in his hands.
And,
{――If you’re really this gullible, then it was totally worth the trouble}
Reading the message, Garfiel’s vision flashed furious red.
The next instant―― the seats of the carriage shot up as the black lumps underneath exploded in the narrow space, expelling a violent gale like a storm of insects, drowning Garfiel’s roars to nothing.
Grimacing at the blistering heat on his skin, Garfiel violently kicked at the fallen leaves around him.
[Garfiel: Th’guy’s got guts, I’ll give’m that]
It was a growl of irritation, but also of honest praise.
“Your half-assed attitude is why you’re going to lose” ――that was what Otto told him. And he was absolutely right.
Thinking that Otto had no combat capabilities, Garfiel had completely underestimated him.
[Garfiel: Fire stones…… the hell’s he tryin’ t’do’ with somethin’ as biteless as that?]
A momentary, vision-obscuring screen of flames.
With his annoyance still fresh on his mind, Garfiel thought back on that flash of searing heat.
All smoke and mirrors, it stung, but its damage was no more than that of a sunburn.
Yet, one thing was certain:
[Garfiel: If he’d used somethin’ more deadly I wouldn’t ‘ve gotten off this easy……]
In that fatal moment, his opponent made an unexpected choice.
What else to call it if not an act of mercy? The opponent he’d held back on and failed to knock unconscious turned around and taught him a lesson instead.
That was just way too wretched and stupid.
[Garfiel: Gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me……!]
What was even more infuriating was how his opponent completely ignored him while he was blinded by the flames and just straight-up ran away. By the time Garfiel thought to chase him, Otto was already nowhere to be found.
Just soft soil and fallen leaves. He certainly managed a skillful escape on what should’ve been unfamiliar terrain. Otto wasn’t lying about scouting around the forest at night.
Nevertheless, if this turned into a genuine chase scene, there’d be no way he could escape from Garfiel. Every ten steps that Otto ran, Garfiel would be able to close in two. Such was the enormity of the physical difference between their bloodlines.
But Otto had this covered as well.
[Garfiel: ――Gh! Th’hell!? This…… aghh! Fuck, my nose ain’t workin’!]
The moment Garfiel tried to sniff for Otto’s scent, an intense, painful stench pierced his nostrils. Recoiling from the stench, Garfiel shook his head as his vision strobed from the penetrating pain.
And that was when he saw a clear glass bottle lying on the spot where Otto had been standing. He could immediately tell that the colorless liquid flowing from the uncapped bottle was the source of that pungent scent. But that was all his nose could tell him.
[Garfiel: Son of’a bitch……! Does’he think he can beat me just by cloggin’ my nose?]
Baring his fangs, Garfiel flushed with rage at his dwindling options.
Just how many traps had Otto set against him? Every step of the way, these tricks had perfectly held him in check.
[Garfiel: ――――]
Touching the scar on his forehead, panting, Garfiel repeated his ritual to calm himself.
He drew in a deep breath to settle his heart and lungs and wrestled back his senses from being consumed by rage. Thinking about it now, there is no way Otto could keep him subdued indefinitely.
So why would Otto risk himself in such a reckless battle?
Besides, the fact that Otto would challenge Garfiel in the first place was strange.
He said his goal was to buy time―― to draw Garfiel’s attention while the refugees escaped the Sanctuary via other routes.
If what he said was true, then it’d be impossible for Garfiel to stop all the carriages now.
The thought of sending the Lewes clones to chase them had briefly crossed Garfiel’s mind, but since he doesn’t know any of the carriages’ current locations, it’d only be a futile effort.
The replicants lack knowledge and experience, and could only carry out very crude commands.
They wouldn’t even know to eat their meals unless instructed to, and if they were pushed beyond their limits, they’d just curl up into little balls and give up on life.
Garfiel was too sick and tired of having to run around looking for them when that happens.
[Garfiel: And in th’end, th’only one I can rely on ‘s myself. Hah! Same as it’s always been]
He was out of options, and his nose was disabled.
But Garfiel wasn’t pessimistic. He still had his powerful body. And it still had more than enough strength left to carry him through the forest and achieve his goal.
No matter what Otto’s objectives may have been, he dared to stand against Garfiel. Surely, when he decided to oppose him, he must’ve been prepared to taste Garfiel’s claws and fangs.
As far as Garfiel was concerned, Otto was no longer a simple prey.
This was now a hunt that would require all of his efforts, and he would not stop until he had Otto completely at his mercy.
――By the time Garfiel thought this, he had already all but forgotten his original intent and didn’t even realize that he was falling right into Otto’s plans.
[Garfiel: Where’d y’get th’fuckin’ gall. That bastard left y’instructions, didn’t he…… th’hell did he say?]
Just before setting out into the forest in pursuit of Otto, Garfiel turned his head, looking to the carriages Otto left behind.
The carriages were decoys pretending to be carrying fleeing refugees. Yet the two ground dragons drawing them were real, and all through Otto and Garfiel’s standoff, they had been quietly sitting there like it was none of their business.
[Garfiel: Y’think if y’just sit there I won’t hurt ya? Cheeky bastards. Yer lucky I don’t like t’kill unless I need to]
Shaking his head, Garfiel passed by the dragons and reached for the passenger car once more.
Countless items of clothing had been heaped inside the car to mimic the scent of fleeing villagers. Last time, Garfiel left it as soon as he confirmed this, but there might’ve been something else he’d missed.
Pushing apart the piles of clothes with his feet, Garfiel scanned his eyes over the seats and walls. Nothing stood out, and, after searching a little more, he was about to descend the carriage when,
[Garfiel: ――Huh?]
He saw something sticking to the back of the carriage door as he turned.
A white piece of paper fluttering in the wind, as if placed there specifically to be visible from the inside.
――Feeling a sense of foreboding, Garfiel walked up to the fluttering note, tore it off, and opened it in his hands.
And,
{――If you’re really this gullible, then it was totally worth the trouble}
Reading the message, Garfiel’s vision flashed furious red.
The next instant―― the seats of the carriage shot up as the black lumps underneath exploded in the narrow space, expelling a violent gale like a storm of insects, drowning Garfiel’s roars to nothing.
