C43 The Forgotten Silhouette 2/2

"I do! Everyone! Get ready to run in three!"

"Are you kidding me?! We can't outrun bullets!"

"Yes you can! Char could possibly do it why can't you… possibly.. do it? too! I mean two!"

"Char?" Lily asked.

"You're talking impossible Seth!... Miss Fio! You should start run… ning? Where's the miss?!"

When Fio said she'll start running earlier, I saw her start running towards the exit for real.

"She already went on ahead when she got off you earlier. Okay ONE! Run!"

I told the worried Ari.

"Maybe we should have gone out the exit too…? These bots won't really chase us all the way to the exit. The chief of this facility isn't really that much of a bad guy. He just placed these bots here to chase people out..."

This Lily!!!

Still, if these robots were not made to kill why would they be armed with real bullets?

"Then the bullets?"

"... Of course the bullets are still real. He must've thought that if there was a fight to the death why not just kill them?"

I knew it was too good to be true.

I could tell because of the sparks it was making and the sound too were real.

"He's contradicting himself!"

"Tell that to the Chief!"

These girls. They said they couldn't hold it much longer but they sure were taking their time with their idle talks.

We're dying here for your information!

I wanted to shout at them but I shouldn't, maybe I should just leave them here.

"I said run!"

"No Seth! You'll die for real!"

"We should just let him do as he said, I think he has a death wish."

These stubborn girls!

We were still forming a line so if we were to run together I would take all the hits covering both of them while running towards the exit.

Then I should just do as I wish then!

I turned around to face the two and saw Ari's face so close to mine. It made me lose my balance as my body was still a little stiff from the buffs earlier.

Feeling wobbly from the surprise, I wanted to fix my balance so I tried reaching for her arms but because they were busy putting up the shield to prevent our deaths, I figured that if she loses concentration it would be the end of us so I held her face instead.

Her reactions were quite unnatural.

Her cheeks were blushing red and she hid her lips inside her mouth as she said:

"You can't! My first kiss is for the miss! I can't believe this guy! I just met him and he's already forcing his way on me even under these circumstances!"

"Seth?!"

"Stooooppp! Shut up! Shut up!"

I pressed her cheeks together to stop her from her nonsense but her ears turned red in return and her face became hotter as she added:

"Ugh! I don't hate this kind of treatment but the miss… *huff *huff-Okay I've decided… J-Just do it quickly! Just a peck, Okay?!"

Don't just decide by yourself! Don't I have a say in this too?! It's my first kiss too, you know!

"No! No! No!"

What was this girl thinking?! Is she that lonely that she'd rather secure her first and last kiss than her life!?

I tried pushing her away but I couldn't do it because my body was still stiff from earlier's protective spells and also, she was quite sturdier than I had thought.

"Heh! I'm a lot stronger than you think Seth! Just give up and give me that kiss!"

Wasn't I the one being blamed for forcing my way through here?!

I kept pushing Ari and this time with a stronger force, she still wasn't budging but rather she was slipping and kind of happy?-No... delighted?

"Take this seriously! We might die here for all we know!"

"huff* huff* Yes! This is it! The thrill! A thrill that will force one's true nature to arise! Arise Seth!"

Ignoring the ecstatic Ari, I kept pushing until Lily was added to the weight.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop pushing! The shields will go down!"

It's too heavy and too stupid. There's no way out…

"Isla is already alive"

I whispered to myself.

There was no point anymore.

"Seth! Stop!"

If somehow I died, again, which was most likely what would happen given how the situation was turning into, I hoped that saving these girls would make me a room in heaven where I can be at peace.

That would be great.

Or maybe, by saving these girls they would escort Isla back to Mom safely.

I made up my mind! This is going to be my final will.

I'll just act it ouy when I die later.

'Please protect Isla.' This should be good

Oh right, Mom. How many days have passed since I died again? I wonder what Mom is doing right now?

"Probably eating vines-"

*Crash

"When are you going to stop playing around?!"

A thin loud voice coming from behind me resounded the halls.

*tss!

*tss!

*tss!

The bullets that kept banging the shields deafened and was replace with a sizzling sound of metals evaporating together with a burning smell.

*tss! *tss! *tss! *tss!

I turned to face the voice and saw a silhouette of a little girl.

A faint memory came back to me.

'Don't use your thoughts! Use your brain!'

-this phrase echoed in my head and I have no idea why.

It was like my savior had appeared, my worries had faded away and a sigh of relief came out of my mouth.

"What speed!!!"

Ari shouted in awe.

*tss! *tss! *tss!

Using her glowing sword every single bullet that came out of the mouth of the minigun evaporated into thin air.

Happening before my eyes live action of a little girl stopping bullets with pure speed. Such speed-No! Not just speed! Her movements were also really clean! She wasn't just randomly hitting the bullets but rather, her every move looked like it was in sync with the bullet's paths. A single swing taking out several bullets like a painter in the zone!

Really...

I glance at the others, they were also amazed by what was happening. One particular person had glimmering eyes as if about to cry. Probably not only from the air she was gushing with her swings but also the beauty of her form.

...Godlike!

"We're safe now."

A phrase with complete confidence, I said.

"You're placing your faith in a little girl?! Are you crazy?!"

Lily frantically cried at me.

I turned my back at the red bot and walked slowly, with confidence that with each step I take was and is safe, nothing could hurt me as long as she's there protecting me.

Passing Ari and Lily while a grin at one side of my mouth forcefully forming. Unintended yet so deserving, I didn't stop it from showing and I answered:

"I would be crazier if I didn't."

Ari was still breath taken so I held her hand and pulled her slightly, Ari then loosened her stance to walk with me. Though with a slightly disappointed expression, she looked like she lost a big battle, she still followed my lead.

She looked totally defeated.

As to why?

I didn't really know I just dragged her out because even though she was walking, her head was still tilted towards the little Goddess.

Lily on the other hand ran after seeing me leave.

Finally we reached the other side of the exit.

'The entrance'

"What are you three standing there for? Bullets will still fly through even if you are out of the facility, you know?"

"Ah right!"

Three of us heeded her warning and jumped to the side of the entrance. Where bullets could never go.

"We're out now Puchi! Please focus on saving Beth!"

'Puchi' huh?

It meant small or petit in Japanese.

I heard it was a name for a boy, it seemed like a cute word so I kept it in my memory. I originally meant to give it for Char's dying wish, but at that time, when she jumped to save us earlier, I was glad that she was here.

I was really glad that Puchi was there to give me another chance. I might be a little too happy for this chance. The chance to live with Mom and Isla again.

I mean why not? They're the only people I've got.

"Seth... Seth… Seth!!! Your little Puchi! She's hurt!"

"Puchi!!!"

Puchi? What happened to Puchi? She got hurt? But how? Aren't Gods immortal? Wait… Whoever said anything about Gods on earth being immortal?

Did my confidence amount to naught?