THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED

"This girl is a maniac..." Arden thought, staring at Edith, whose expression had twisted into something almost feral.

"We'll force our way out, just like you planned," Edith said, her voice calm yet unnervingly intense as she slowly licked the blade of her sword, the edge glinting ominously in the dim light.

Arden couldn't believe he had once thought she was soft. 'No, this is her true nature,' he realized.

Even Cedric, who he assumed would be the one carrying Edith along, was silent, his mouth agape in shock.

It was Edith, the smallest and seemingly most fragile among them, who was now fiercer than Cedric had ever been.

Understanding Edith's intentions with a resigned sigh, Arden looked at both of them. "Just don't get in my way," he muttered, turning back to continue his advance.

Edith squinted, spinning her sword with a casual flick of her wrist. "Cedric, let's move."

Cedric snapped out of his daze, blinking at Edith. "Huh? Do we have a plan?" His voice was still laced with disbelief.

Edith's lips curled into a grin. "No, not really. Just remember what I said—we're forcing our way out."

"But you said there would be a lot of guards outside," Cedric protested, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Edith glanced at him with raised eyebrows, her tone almost mocking. "What? Are the guards scaring you?"

Cedric straightened up, trying to regain his composure. "Of course not. I can handle them," he replied, though the grin he forced felt hollow.

Edith scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "It's not about saying it..." She began walking forward, each step echoing ominously in the cold, empty hallway. "It's about doing it." A cold, predatory smile crept onto her face.

Cedric clenched his fists, nodding. "Fine then, let's go."

"Good," Edith muttered, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.

They both quickened their pace, determination evident in their eyes as they prepared to break out of the prison.

Meanwhile, Arden had reached an iron door. He gripped the key tightly, inserting it into the lock.

*Click*

The door opened with a soft click, the sound sharp in the stillness. Arden moved forward, his steps deliberate as he approached the prison's entrance.

"From here on, there will definitely be guards," he whispered to himself, his brow furrowed in concentration.

As he was about to peek outside, he heard light footsteps approaching from behind. He turned, unsurprised to see Edith and Cedric, their expressions now focused and sharp.

'Looks like Cedric has snapped out of it,' Arden thought, noting Cedric's newfound resolve.

Edith smiled at Arden, though her smile was anything but warm. The sliver of moonlight that filtered through the window illuminated her face, casting her expression in a sinister light.

Ignoring their presence, Arden continued with his plan. He peered through the small window and, as expected, saw guards patrolling the prison compound. They were spread out, not as numerous as he had feared, but still enough to pose a challenge.

"It's not impossible to get out of here," Arden muttered, deep in thought.

Edith folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "What's the hold-up? Are you actually hesitating now?"

Arden glanced at her, still trying to reconcile this new side of her with the person he had initially met. 'She's not the type to hesitate when it comes to killing...' he mused.

Cedric remained silent, deep in his own thoughts, considering the possibility of getting past the guards.

Arden decided to focus solely on his own plans, leaving the others to theirs. He had already made deals with the system, so there was no need for further delay.

He glanced at Cedric and Edith, pondering something. 'Tch... it doesn't matter,' he thought.

With a swift motion, he opened his inventory, and suddenly...

"What the—?" Cedric's voice was a whisper, his eyes wide as he watched a dagger materialize in Arden's hand out of thin air.

The dagger was jet black, both the hilt and the blade. The blade had a slight curve to it, yet it radiated sharpness, unmistakably deadly.

'No ring on him… so where did that come from?' Edith narrowed her eyes, intrigued.

The mystery of the dagger's appearance lingered, though they were unaware it came from Arden's inventory.

When Arden had been in the prison cell, he had decided to spend his Revenge Points, knowing they would aid him in escaping. After digging through the system store, he found "something" unexpected—something both intriguing and surprisingly cheap.

Immediately, he had purchased it for 320 Revenge Points, leaving him with 50. Then he found a Rank 2 Dagger for exactly 50 Revenge Points. That was the dagger he now held.

Taking a deep breath, Arden unlocked the final door with the key, gripping the dagger tightly, ready for the confrontation. Edith's crazed grin returned as she crouched, her sword at the ready, her eyes alight with killing intent.

Cedric clenched his fists, taking a stance. "Edith," he said, glancing at his sister. "If things get tough, use your Magic. It'll help more than you think."

Arden frowned, trying to understand why Cedric was reminding her. 'Why wouldn't she use her Magic? Does she need a reminder?'

Edith rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever."

Cedric nodded, and in the next instant...

*WHOOSH*

Arden pushed the door open, revealing the prison compound, where guards were already patrolling.

The chilly night wind swept in, ruffling their hair, as the moonlight bathed them in a cold, pale glow.

The guards turned at the sound of the door, silence hanging in the air as they processed what was happening.

Then, suddenly...

"THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED!"

The shout broke the silence, and the guards sprang into action.

Arden closed his eyes for a brief moment, inhaling deeply. Cedric and Edith were ready, and with that...

The battle had begun.

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[A/N]

Hey guys!! The character art for Edith and Cedric is now available. Please check it out, and vote for them. Thank you!!