Chapter 143

"Come here quickly."

In the cramped space like a prison, with only Agrizendro extending his hand to him at the sole exit where light entered, Leonardo almost unconsciously reached his hand forward.

However, he reminded himself of his proper role by firmly grasping the cold and smooth pillar with his fingernails raised.

He had intended to return immediately after finishing his business, but he couldn't take that hand right now. Because he had to draw the attention and time of the pursuers until Kenis reached the vicinity of a tunnel where he could hide and move with Alec.

That was also the reason he had deliberately let himself be caught in this fragile ice pillar.

However, the way he was looking at him now reminded him of when he came to save him just before the fall, pricking his conscience. But at the same time, it also aroused a strange defiance. To be honest, he still had many lingering resentments towards him due to the hardships he suffered in the water and other complex emotions.

In the end, Leonardo spoke firmly, half for his purpose and half with sincerity,

"No."

Hugo's eyebrows twitched. There was a subtle movement in his facial muscles, but he seemed to be trying not to show it. After examining his expression, Leonardo continued,

"If I go... you'll put handcuffs on me again, won't you?"

He spoke with appropriate enchantment and wariness in his eyes. He added a bit of acting as if he was pondering, but his true feelings weren't much different. Anyway, if he returned, he would be handcuffed under the pretext of preventing escape, and that was the one thing he really wanted to avoid.

To such Leonardo, Hugo brought out an answer that would reassure him, as if he had been waiting,

"I promise I won't. So don't worry and come here, Leonardo."

"..."

He couldn't be sure if those words were sincere or not, but Leonardo was inwardly surprised by the answer that came right away.

In fact, he had expected quite a fierce pursuit the moment he discovered him. And he thought he wouldn't listen to any of his demands anymore. Although he might be trying to persuade him since he was obediently caught, his action of trying to convince him with words rather than being coercive was unexpected.

Leonardo pretended to ponder a bit more on purpose and asked to verify the truth of those words,

"...Really?"

At that, Hugo nodded once and answered again in a sincere voice,

"I promise."

At least, no falsehood was felt in his eyes and voice.

Leonardo quietly stared at the blue gaze and stopped, then rolled his eyes once more to look at the blocked left gap.

Considering Kenis's speed, he still had to stall for quite some time, and he was very conflicted about whether he should take that hand or not. However, he was also worried that if he ignored it and ran away, the goodwill he had extended would be twisted, and he might break his promise.

As he thought about this and that and placed his gaze on him below again, it was blatantly visible how tense he became whenever he did this. His appearance, unable to manage his expression as usual, was both refreshing and amusing.

Leonardo lowered his eyes and silently mocked Hugo. But soon, he lowered the corners of his mouth in his heart and secretly sighed.

His inner self criticized himself for not being a little more heartless.

Eventually, Leonardo slowly stepped out and descended through the narrow hole. Even at that moment, he pondered how to lure him and the other pursuers after going down first.

According to his original expectation, the entire 1st Battalion should have come here with the Commander to catch him. But now, seeing that he couldn't feel their presence, they were either away on a completely different task or perhaps chasing after Kenis and Alec.

If it was the latter, that would be the worst-case scenario, so he had to lure them himself and buy time. Because if Alec Siles was caught and interrogated, the person who would be in the most trouble first was himself.

As he lightly escaped through the sharp tips while floating in the air, the light poured down strongly, making him slightly furrow his brows.

When he was inside, he didn't know, but now that he was out, the position where he had been trapped was quite high. Because of that, even after completely escaping through the ice pillars, he was still floating far above the ground, and the distance from him was still considerable.

As Leonardo came out, Hugo straightened his bent knee and took about two more steps forward. Leonardo scanned the surroundings once from the air and slowly descended towards him.

For Hugo, the time it took for him to approach felt excruciatingly long. Perhaps because his desperation was projected, but this flow felt very slow and frustrating, like when their hands were about to touch at the collapse site.

His figure slowly approaching in the backlight was quite dreamlike. It was the perfect situation to captivate the gaze and lose one's mind, but Hugo was not letting his guard down even at this moment.

Because it was too easy.

As Leonardo approached, his eyebrows that had softened became subtly stiff again. If he had been hiding to avoid being caught, there must be a reason, but there was almost no resistance for someone who had suddenly been caught. No, it would be correct to say there was none at all.

In the first place, if it was the strength he knew, he could have shattered that ice trap with a single punch. But he obediently got caught in it and commendably waited until he peeked inside?

It was not like him at all.

Just like Hugo thinking that way, Leonardo also did not lower his guard as he slowly descended. Because he had no intention of being caught at once.

When the distance between the two narrowed to within about 2m, Hugo, who had been hiding his impatience, took one more step first. Then, Leonardo, who had been approaching in the air, flinched and stopped.

Hugo, who couldn't pull his remaining foot from behind at the sight of him being wary, also stopped in place along with him. The gazes that met for a moment between them were close yet distant, and a tense atmosphere disguised as gentleness lingered.

"..."

"..."

In the silence, the heel of Hugo's military boots lifted slightly. It was a subtle movement that normally wouldn't be noticed, but Leonardo, who sensed his movement, slightly lowered his gaze and looked at his feet.

And at that moment, Hugo, who had been waiting for a chance of carelessness, kicked the ground and charged straight at Leonardo. At the same time, he reached out his right hand to grab his arm in front of him.

Leonardo was a little startled by the sudden action, but thanks to his excellent reflexes, he immediately moved back. However, as he had been floating in the air, he relatively lacked propulsion, and as Hugo's hand approached up to his chin, Leonardo twisted his body and tilted his head back, barely escaping his grasp.

The speed at which the hand brushed past was so fast that the whooshing sound of the wind was heard right in front of his nose. That sound seemed to mean that he wouldn't let him off easily if caught, sending a chill down his spine.

The two gazes that met in the air in that brief moment were like a signal flare announcing the opening of the second act of the pursuit.

***

Kwaaang—! Boom—!

Large and small roars resounded through the surroundings in succession from afar. As the rushing wind pressure was not ordinary, the two members and the 8th Platoon Leader who had been searching for Kenis in the forest turned their heads in that direction. The two opposing mana spreading widely in the fog flaunted their presence in all directions, wielding their power as if to devour each other.

Feeling that air current, one member of the 1st Battalion trembled and said,

"...Shouldn't we provide support?"

Then, the 8th Platoon Leader, who was behind him, opened her mouth with her gaze fixed beyond the fog,

"He said absolutely no one should come even if a loud noise is heard. We focus on our own task."

She spoke firmly as if she didn't care much. It was an attitude that was possible because she knew the Commander's strength better than anyone else. The member nodded in agreement with the Platoon Leader's words but kept glancing back, concerned about the two energies felt from far away.

Just as they were about to resume the search, the 8th Platoon Leader, who had told them to focus on the task, suddenly sensed the two energies entangled in the distance rapidly approaching.

The moment she turned her head again with a start, she could see Leonardo brushing past her side at nearly the speed of light. And Leonardo, who had flown here following the 8th Platoon Leader's mana, also turned his head the moment he passed by her side.

"Huh?"

Leonardo, who had slowed down upon discovering the ones he was looking for, immediately used teleportation to move right next to the 8th Platoon Leader. The visibly startled 8th Platoon Leader reflexively tried to grab him, but Leonardo lightly pulled his body back again and escaped.

He only circled around and neither attacked with the flame sword he was holding nor moved away. And such teasing behavior scattered the worries in her heart and reminded the 8th Platoon Leader, who had been tracking him day and night until recently, of unpleasant memories.

"What is this now—."

The 8th Platoon Leader frowned and drew her sword, starting to chase after him to catch him in earnest. Leonardo, thinking that the lure had succeeded, confirmed that they were following him and quickly increased his flight speed in the opposite direction.

As he was leaving the fog with his body moving forward and his eyes constantly watching behind, he instinctively slowed down again as the energy coming from the front was extremely murderous.

And in the place he turned to look, Hugo was right in front of him with a terrifying face.

He tried to avoid it right away, but the speed at which they were heading towards each other was so fast that his mind couldn't even register it, and the two collided as they were. Unable to overcome the inertia, their bodies became entangled and flew away, falling in a parabola through the dense undergrowth.

Rolling on the forest floor, which was covered with leaves but could never be called soft, Leonardo couldn't easily escape from the impact similar to when he hit a solid rock. He had no awareness that he was currently rolling on the ground with his entire body pressed against Hugo.

When the involuntary rolling movement finally stopped, Leonardo's vision was a jumble of the blazing twilight hanging in the sky and Hugo's face straddling him.

And a moment later, around the time he could distinguish between the two, he realized that his left forearm was firmly grasped by him and Hugo's other hand was supporting the back of his head.

Their panting breaths mingled, and their shoulders and chests rose and fell rapidly.

Rough breathing filled their ears. Their gazes silently stared at each other.