73: Second Sun
Hans and Joe felt their scalps become numb when they saw the approaching multitude of beasts which were as uncountable as the sand by the seaside.
"Fuck!"
Without hesitation, Hans let go of Silver and ran for his life. Despite the wealth and benefits he would gain from selling Silver, nothing was worth more than his life.
Joe was a little bit slower, but his instincts kicked in and he dashed after Hans, leaving Silver behind without a care in the world.
He cursed out loud, "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HANS?! WHY'S THERE A FUCKING MASSIVE BEAST TIDE?!"
"HOW THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT ME TO KNOW?! AM I A GOD YOU STUPID AND USELESS BUFFON?!" Hans snapped with an irritated and rageful tone which was born mainly from fear.
Hearing Hans' derisive words and tone, Joe felt something within him snap, and he shouted back.
"EVERYTHING'S YOUR FAULT YOU FUCKER! I'LL KILL YOU EVEN AFTER DEATH IF WE DON'T MAKE IT OUT OF HERE ALIVE YOU GREEDY UGLY FUCK!"
Hans' eyes widened in disbelief and rage. "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING GREEDY AND UGLY?!"
"YOU WERE THE ONE THAT TOOK THE JOB FROM OUR EMPLOYER AND SHOWED IT TO ME! YOU'RE THE CAUSE OF OUR CURRENT SITUATION, YOU UGLY BASTARD!" Hans' roared.
"WHY DID YOU ACCEPT IT?! IF YOU DIDN'T ACCEPT IT, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS SITUATION!"
Hans could not believe his ears. Did that bastard just ask why he accepted the job HE BROUGHT?!
Hans felt like he was going to run mad.
"EVERYTHING'S YOUR FAULT YOU SAD AND PATHETIC ORPHAN!" Joe fearlessly and ruthlessly replied, and Hans had the immense urge to kill Joe right at that moment.
His murderous intent flared to life.
"WHAT?! DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME?! TRY IT IF YOU CAN!" Joe shouted with a mocking tone filled with nothing but disdain and murderous intent.
Hans glanced at Joe, and then his gaze shifted to the beast tide that was getting closer and closer to them. The number of powerful beasts he could sense in the beast tide made his scalp turn numb, briefly dispelling the murderous intent in his heart.
Just as he was about to speak, he felt his surroundings become brighter and hotter.
"Huh? What now?"
Hans looked up, and when he did, he blinked.
"Tell me this is a nightmare."
----
(Two minutes prior)
After the duo ran for their lives, leaving Silver behind who barely had thirty seconds before the beast tide reached him, Silver knew he had to get up and start moving.
He groaned in immense pain and with tears in his eyes, he stood and started moving at the fastest speed his brain and body could currently muster. However, his pace was even slower than a mortal brisk walking.
"Ah Fuck."
The tears in his eyes increased when he saw his pathetic pace despite the incoming beast tide.
Was this how he was going to die?
"Move, please. Move please." His voice came out as a croak, and the pained and fearful expression on his face became pronounced.
"I don't want to die."
Silver struggled to increase his pace, however, the pain and the terrible condition of his body made it difficult for him to instantly increase his pace.
His mind also seemed more sluggish than usual.
Silver glanced at the beast tide, and in the next moment, he slapped himself without holding back.
PA!
He did it again on the other side of his cheeks.
PA!
After slapping himself, he felt his mind become more active. He quickly looked around, and after coming to a decision, he quickly ran to a nearby tree.
He looked up, and his expression changed slightly when he saw how big the tree was. It would take at least five grown Spartans to fully hug the tree.
He looked at his severely injured left arm and clenched his teeth. He then brought out his short sword and short spear. Not wanting to waste a single second, he placed the short sword in his severely injured left arm and held the short spear in his right hand.
With a soft grunt, he jumped and with another grunt, he stabbed the short spear into the tree with all the force he could muster.
His expression instantly changed to one of pain as he felt a stinging pain in his left arm.
"Fuck Fuck Fuck."
He cursed multiple times as he dreaded the next action he was about to take. With his lips clenched to the limits, he raised his left arm with immense difficulty and tried to stab the short sword into the tree.
However…
Clang
"ARGHH!!"
He failed miserably, and he screamed in pain because of the pain in his left arm. The pain was so terrible to the point where he felt it throughout his body and mind.
He exhaled and inhaled repeatedly, and he curiously looked back to observe the beast tide. And when he did, his breath stopped.
The beast tide was now so close to him that it would only take the nearest beast five seconds to reach him. Silver felt something within him snap, and with a shout of unwillingness, he raised his left arm.
"AHHHHHH!!!!"
With all the power he could muster, he pushed the pain he felt to the back of his mind and stabbed the short sword into the tree.
Knowing at the back of his mind that this was an opportunity for him, he raised his right hand without stopping and stabbed the short spear into the tree.
He continued, and without stopping, he raised his severely injured left arm and stabbed the short sword into the tree.
Right hand, short spear.
Left hand, short sword.
Right hand, short spear.
Left hand, short sword.
Right hand, short spear.
Left hand, short sword.
Right hand, short spear.
… Silver continued this set of actions like a man possessed, and before he knew it, he reached one of the branches of the tree.
His instincts took over, and without waiting, he immediately moved to the branch and sat on it. The moment his body relaxed, an intense and insane amount of pain flooded his entire body.
Silver tried to hold it in, but the pain was too much for his young mind, and he released it as a loud cry.
"ARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
As Silver released a massive cry of pain, he subconsciously knew that it could attract some beasts and that his current position and location were anything but safe.
However, the pain was just too much for him to hold in.
He had repeatedly stressed his already severely injured left arm, further causing more damage to it. He knew that he would be lucky if his left arm was not crippled already.
After releasing the pain and agony in his body, he felt his body becoming hot. He started sweating profusely, and he felt his lips become dry instantly.
"What the hell?"
Silver opened his eyes and looked around, and what he saw made his heart skip several beats. With the number of times his heart had skipped several beats in the past hour, it was a miracle he was even alive.
"Haa, I'm so dead aren't I?" Silver spoke with his tone containing awe, reluctance, and also acceptance as he looked at the sky where a second 'sun' could be seen.