Chapter 224

"About 2km to the target point, hurry!"

Looking at the flare fired from the vanguard, Bruno raised his voice uncharacteristically. Even while following at the very back, he kept urging the members ahead to increase their speed.

Liner was riding on Bruno's back, and despite clinging to his superior's back with just one arm, he couldn't take his eyes off the inside of the barrier.

Ominous smoke mixed with explosions covered the earth and pushed towards the barrier line. The approaching massive darkness was majestic and terrifying enough to make humans feel like mere insects.

However, there was one more thing that caught Liner's attention just as much. It was the intense golden light dyeing the sky near the barrier.

As unstable mana surged throughout the area, Liner was certain that the source of the light flashing in the distance was none other than Leonardo Blaine. If so, the Commander must surely be there too.

The problem was that the volcanic ash surging from inside the barrier was about to swallow that light.

No matter how strong and good at judgment a person might be, if trapped in such a place, there was a high risk of falling into panic and suffocating. Moreover, weren't the two people inside already exhausted from prolonged battle? It was uncertain whether they could hold out until the search team arrived and completed all preparations.

Liner, watching the situation with anxious eyes, pressed close to his superior's back and said,

"Deputy Commander, please put me down now. If we're going to break through the barrier anyway, doesn't it not matter where we are?"

However, Bruno answered firmly despite Liner's request.

"We need solid ground at least 50m in straight-line distance to install auxiliary barrier stones. This area has short lengths of land along the barrier line, and the ground is weak as it's in the middle of the lake. If we're not careful, the barrier might break midway, and the efforts of the two who came all the way south would be in vain."

Bruno spoke as if he had guessed why they had come south. Moreover, believing it to be the Commander's intention, he couldn't help but worry about both the rescue of survivors and the safety of the barrier.

But contrary to his firm tone, his voice was mixed with rough breathing. As there seemed to be urgency that couldn't be seen from behind, Liner closed his mouth without further argument at Bruno's words.

As if sensing this, Bruno added in a barely audible voice,

"We'll be there soon, just wait a little longer."

Liner was confused whether this was meant for him or for those inside. But either way, he only nodded briefly, hoping it would be as he said.

Piiiing-

Just then, another flare crossed the sky. As his gaze was drawn forward, he saw the light balls of the vanguard group, which had been far ahead, gradually getting closer.

As it seemed they were not far from the target point, Bruno squeezed out his last strength and increased his speed to the maximum. Liner also pressed close to Bruno's back to minimize air resistance. It was just as they, having traveled a long distance, were about to reach the operation execution point.

Kwaaang-!

An enormous impact sound burst forth, enough to make one's heart sink. Along with this, the barrier right next to them shook violently as if about to shatter. Because of this, not only Bruno and Liner, but all those going ahead looked up at the barrier with wide eyes.

The transparent membrane undulated violently, with sparks flying on its surface, as if enduring the impact of colliding with something.

Liner's jaw dropped involuntarily as he watched. His gaze unconsciously moved to the position of the light flashing in the sky.

But nothing could be found there anymore. The light had already been covered by darkness and disappeared without a trace.

* * *

"Augh, ugh, uwaaa!"

"Leo, calm down!"

Leonardo writhed in extreme pain enveloping his entire body, covering his face with both hands. The dark dust filling the surroundings buried even his voice in darkness.

Destructive energy unimaginable from the outside was pooled inside Leonardo's body, eating away at his very existence. As evidence, the red spots that had been spreading terrifyingly had now covered even his face.

The hideous reddish trajectories swimming under the skin touched the pain receptors. It was similar to the pain of a burn, feeling as if tearing apart the thinnest and most delicate skin.

As the maddening pain continued, Leonardo even thought he'd rather lose consciousness.

He wished to let go of everything, hoping his nerves would be cut off now. At least then it would be more comfortable than now.

"No, Leonardo! Come to your senses!"

Holding Leonardo's body, Hugo continued to shake his consciousness.

As if intending to melt even his own skin now, Leonardo was covered in golden light, becoming the fire demon itself. But Hugo, embracing the burning fireball even more tightly, contorted his expression and repeated to him over and over,

"Please, I beg you, don't give up on yourself."

A desperation he had rarely felt in his life rose to his throat. Hugo earnestly begged him not to lose himself, to please not let go of himself.

Kwaaang-!

At that moment, the barrier membrane twisted severely, followed by a heavy sound like thunder. Hugo, who had barely avoided a rock flying from the dust, looked with contracted pupils at the weapon stuck in the barrier.

As another volcano in the vicinity began to erupt, falling objects now reached the lake. If instinct hadn't sensed the flow of air, that last one would have meant instant death for both of them.

Hugo, scanning the surroundings with a tense gaze, quickly tried to secure visibility by scattering the dust. But it was meaningless as darkness filled everything around, and meanwhile, Leonardo's pain-filled screams echoed miserably once again.

Every time he saw Leonardo suffering, Hugo fell into endless self-reproach. Even the cold he poured onto him only skimmed the burning skin before quickly disappearing. As the coldness tried to touch, it was instantly swallowed by the fire demon, making it impossible to suppress the heat spreading from inside the body.

'What should I do at a time like this....'

It was a big mistake to think that just suppressing the energy would control it. Thick blood vessels bulged on Hugo's jaw as he gritted his teeth.

At this rate, they might perish together while embracing. Before that happened, some other method was needed. In other words, something that could simultaneously dissipate the heat inside and outside Leonardo's body.

But Hugo, who had been preoccupied with shooting down incoming rocks, found it difficult to think properly at the moment. Only survival instinct stood on end to the tips of his hair, barely extending life while relying on intuition.

At that moment, another rock crossing the air came flying, aiming at the two of them. As the dark shadow entered the range, Hugo wrapped mana around an ice spear and swung his arm widely forward.

With a crack, the huge rock split and passed by on both sides of him, colliding with the barrier membrane. Then, two chunks of rock bounced off and fell into the lake with a dull friction sound.

Splash-

It could have been overlooked, mixed with the explosions, but blue eyes suddenly rolled downward.

Hugo's gaze, staring at the pitch-black lake water, shone more sharply than ever.

'Water?'

For a brief moment, only something he alone could do flashed through his mind.

Then, alternately looking at Leonardo and the lake, he fired condensed cold energy below his feet.

The lukewarm water surface temporarily froze, and a spreading chill brushed his face along with hope.

After that, there was not even a moment's hesitation.

"Leo, hold your breath."

Hugo, covering Leonardo's nose and mouth with his hand, plunged into the water in one breath.

* * *

As the entangled two fell into the lake, a large splash of water sprayed around. Countless water droplets chaotically rubbed against each other, and the water surface undulated with the sound of rain.

Rocks that had fallen into the water at a similar time followed them, engulfed in the whirlpool. They sank rapidly as if to grab their ankles, but couldn't catch up with the two heading towards the depths.

Leonardo, who had been on the verge of losing consciousness, felt as if he had received a cold shower the moment his body was submerged in water. His hazy consciousness was pulled back to reality, and the burning heat was momentarily offset by the cold water temperature.

At the same time, his ears felt muffled and the explosions seemed to grow distant. He even had the illusion of dreaming.

However, the ultra-low temperature water current, like being trapped in ice, constricted his blood vessels and hardened his brain. Because of this, his muscles contracted, causing his body to stiffen for a moment, and reflexively inhaling in surprise was the problem.

'...!'

Water that had seeped through the gaps in Hugo's fingers invaded Leonardo's nose and mouth.

The faint breath that caught with a "kuk" rushed back down his throat along with the water.

Because of this, Leonardo struggled for a different reason than before, but Hugo only glanced at him without stopping his underwater swimming. Rather, he swam leisurely towards a dark and quiet place so that no other beings or objects could follow.

A light ball cut through the water first. As the abyss brightened, Hugo, who had been descending, increased his speed like a mermaid in water.

With each stroke of his arm, he swam at least 10 meters, and as if the lake had responded to meeting its master, it raised currents to move the two somewhere.

The place they arrived at, pushed by the flow, was a narrow shore below a protruding rock wall. Although the area to serve as a roof wasn't large, it was enough to protect their closely pressed heads.

In the deep water where even sound was blocked, Hugo briefly focused on the waves arising around. Yet his gaze and mind were directed solely at Leonardo in his arms.

"..."

Perhaps due to the hot heat, bubbles were rising wildly from Leonardo's entire body. Although the energy he was emitting had noticeably decreased, his face showed he was suffering greatly from lack of breath.

As he trembled, clutching Hugo's arm, Hugo immediately removed his hand covering Leonardo's nose and mouth. His held breath burst out at once, and Leonardo instinctively flailed, trying to rise to the water surface.

But Hugo manipulated water streams to grasp his limbs, then wrapped around Leonardo who was trying to rise and pulled him back in front of himself.

After making him face-to-face with himself, he gently cupped the cheeks of Leonardo, who had his eyes tightly shut. Wrapping an arm around his elegantly curved waist and pulling, their lower abdomens pressed firmly together and the distance became quite close.

Perhaps because it was like home ground in the water, various senses suddenly became acute. Because of this, a small hesitation crossed his mind, but having come this far, hesitation was meaningless.

Hugo lightly rubbed Leonardo's trembling lips with his thumb. Eventually, slowly tilting his head, he brought their faces close.

When Leonardo, sensing the strange current, half-opened his eyes, an unfamiliar sensation had already gently covered his lips.