Asher looked at his soul fragments and cried while biting his thumb.
[Soul fragments: 104/1000]
Asher whined dramatically as he lounged on the back of his Echo alongside Cassie. "It's not fair that Neph gets seven while I only get five!" His voice had the whininess of a toddler denied a candy bar, which was enough to make Sunny's eye twitch.
"You got six!" Sunny snapped, glaring daggers at Asher, clearly irritated by his antics.
Asher frowned, before remembering the one he killed. "Well.. Yes, BUT! I still got six while Neph got seven!"
Sunny gritted his teeth, planning on another retort when
he suddenly turned to Nephis, "Two scavengers coming our way," he said firmly.
Nephis considered their options for a few seconds. There was a scowl on her face. Finally, she said:
"If there's only two, we can take them."
Sunny looked at her with uncertainty in his eyes.
"But there's no time to set up an ambush."
Asher squinted his eyes, "Didn't we just kill 4 of those crabs? What is another two?" Sunny glared at Asher, "Killing one made you cocky?"
Asher cleared his throat. "Ahem. I killed two, thank you very much." He held up two fingers smugly, conveniently including his Echo's kill as his own.
Sunny snorted as he looked at Nephis. "Hey Neph, forget this bastard and tell me the plan."
Nephis went on to explain a suicidal plan where she and Asher's Echo would charge at the two scavengers and Sunny would ambush one when presented with the opportunity. Asher was tasked to 'protect' Cassie as he volunteered for it himself.
Sunny and Nephis looked at him with a deadpan expression, fully aware that was simply being a coward and didn't want to fight. Cassie, meanwhile, looked ecstatic and grateful for Asher's concern.
_______________________
Asher sat alone with Cassie.
...
As one would expect, it was extremely awkward.
"Thank you for worrying about me, Asher," Cassie broke the silence with a smile. Asher's face twisted into a grimace as he wasn't worrying about her in the slightest. He was simply scared to fight the crabs,
"Protecting" Cassie had been the perfect excuse. Besides, he had far bigger things to worry about.
Like tonight.
The Carapace Centurion.
Asher's legs began to tremble just thinking about it.
He even tried to stall them in the statue but they had run out of food due to him!
No matter what he tried, wasting the day by walking slower. deliberately making his echo walk slower. It didn't work.
Asher sighed.
It was fate.
Fate that Nephis will get the starlight legion armor.
Fate that Sunny will gain clarity in the battle.
Asher couldn't fight fate.
Then he suddenly remembered that Cassie existed as he chuckled at her gratitude, "Oh, uh, it's no biggie," he stuttered, his voice cracking like a cheap mirror under pressure. "Just doing my knight-in-shining-armor duty, you know?"
Cassie's expression darkened, her self-awareness casting a shadow over their conversation. "But those two are out there risking their lives while we're just sitting here talking. I feel so... useless."
'You are useless,' Asher wanted to reply but seeing the blind girl's teary eyes made him frown. 'Why the hell does she cry for everything!'
"I trust that they will come back," Asher said with a twitching smile but a reassuring tone. Cassie looked in the direction of the voice and gave a sad, but heartwarming smile. "You are really kind, Asher."
Asher physically blocked his sight from Cassie by putting his hands between them as he thought, his inner monologue running faster than a hamster on a caffeine high.
'This succubus is scary! I almost fell for her innocent charm!'
In the novel it was repeatedly said that Cassie looked like a doll. Asher did NOT object this statement.
He peeked between his fingers—she was still smiling sweetly at him.
"UWAHE!" he squeaked, twisting away like he'd been burned.
"Asher! Are you okay? Did something happen?" Cassie asked, panicked. Her hand shot to his shoulder.
"I—I just… got a cramp! Yup! A really bad cramp!" he stammered, trying not to combust on the spot.
He sucked a deep breath, turning to her again
Cassie relaxed slightly. "Oh… don't worry. It'll go away soon," she said gently, smiling at him.
"ECH!" he yelped again, twisting further away.
'How did such an angel turn so psychotic in the future?!' he refused to believe it.
It was scary.
'Am I also going to turn out like that??'
He didn't want to.
Why would anyone lose sight of their original self?
Just then, footsteps crunched, breaking Asher's thoughts. "It's me Sunny." A voice resounded. Asher instantly relaxed. "You done?"
Sunny nodded. "Nephis' clothes ripped mid battle, she needs some time to fix it. After that, we should be going."
Asher nodded in response. In battles like these, where they don't need his involvement, it was better to stand back. Wasn't it only logical? If something is going well, why would he stick his nose in it?
"Oh and.." Sunny grinned. "I got this." A scavenger sparked into existence. Asher grinned, "We are matching now!"
Sunny grimaced, the face clearly show that he felt insulted.
'Ouch.'
___________________________
All of the members of the cohort were riding on Echoes as it was faster. Nephis and Cassie sat on Asher's Echo, while Sunny and Asher cramped up on the other. Asher noted that their pace was probably much faster compared to the novel but was also sure that it simply cancelled out the delay of the fight below the statue.
Asher sighed as he thought, 'If I push my Echo, we might be able to make it before the storm hits, but that means we can't ambush the monster crab. So I shall let this go on the same.'
Suddenly, Asher felt a chill and looked around to see Sunny staring at him. "Sorry, I am not interested in men," Asher said with a deadpan face.
Sunny grimaced, his face contorting in disgust. "I-I am not into men either!"
Sunny wanted to insult him, but every possible insult about his face would be a lie!
"Then why the hell are you staring at me?" Asher snorted.
Sunny, caught off guard, fumbled for a response. "I was just thinking... how someone can be so... so..."
"So?" Asher raised an eyebrow, grinning. "So devilishly handsome? I know, it's a curse."
Sunny rolled his eyes. "No, I was thinking how someone can be so annoyingly full of themselves."
Asher chuckled. "Ah, Sunny, you're just jealous because even the monsters find me irresistible."
"More like they want to kill you first," Sunny muttered under his breath.
Asher leaned back with a satisfied smirk. "Well, as long as they're not into me, that's all that matters."
Sunny sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How do you even function with that ego?"
Asher shrugged. "It just happened."
Sunny finally snapped as a vein popped into his temple. "Why don't you just shut up for once? You Bastard!"
Asher looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, Sunny, I've considered it. But then I remember how boring life would be without my charming commentary."
Sunny groaned. "I would find peace."
Asher winked. "Admit it, Sunny. You'd miss me if I wasn't here."
Sunny grumbled, "I don't know."
Asher grinned. "Aw... So you would miss me!"
Sunny threw his hands up in defeat. "I give up. Nephis, can you trade places with me?"
Nephis looked at him with a deadpan expression. "I'd rather fight ten more scavengers." Asher felt as if numerous boulders had fallen on his head due to Nephis' comment but before he could respond:
"Stop." Cassie said.
Both the Echos stopped as the gang looked at Cassie with frowns.
"What is it?"
The blind girl let go of the reins.
"Do you hear anything?"
Nephis and Sunny shook their heads.
"I heard it," Asher said with a dark face.
"What do you hear?" Sunny asked as he looked at Asher.
"It's murmuring," Cassie responded.
Cassie suddenly scowled.
"Help me get off this thing."
Nephis moved to assist her, but Asher raised a hand. "Don't."
She paused, confused.
Asher's eyes flicked to the sky, then to the horizon. He gave her a casual smile, but his voice held weight. "We should probably sprint."
"Why?" Sunny asked.
Asher turned his gaze toward the rising wind and darkening clouds.
"A storm's coming."
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[A/N: Thanks for 500 collections! This is the extra chapter. I'll upload the daily chapter later. The other Extra chapter methods still stand. 375 PS, 15 reviews, an now, 600 collections! Once again, thank you!]