Time of the Blind Beast - Chapter 124

They must have thought that because he was protecting the woman, he wouldn’t be able to leave the cover of the tree trunk at his back, so they chose to surround him. But to Ezekiel, it was an opportunity to scatter their firepower.

He immediately chose one direction and charged. As long as he could drag them into hand-to-hand combat, he was prepared to sacrifice an arm or a leg.

To keep them from noticing Lisanne, he had to move in a way that drew as much attention as possible. A person’s gaze instinctively follows movement. And especially with soldiers, whose sense of camaraderie was strong, when a comrade was attacked, the others would rush in as well.

“Argh!”

Fortunately, the spy who had been ambushed cried out, distracting his comrades. Perhaps he had expected the sharpshooter Ezekiel to shoot his head off, because he flinched and instinctively raised his arms to shield his head and heart.

But the head and heart weren’t the only vital points. And besides, it was a waste to use a rifle on an enemy right in front of him.

Ezekiel gripped his machete and slashed the man’s throat. Wrapping his arm around the spurting neck, he spun, and the bullet he had saved tore into the head of the spy aiming at him from behind. The dying enemy’s final shot was aimed well enough. Once again, a heavy impact struck Ezekiel’s forearm.

Bang, bang! Two gunshots rang out in quick succession. Levian and his subordinates had fired, seizing their chance. But both bullets struck the corpse Ezekiel was using as cover.

“Drop the rifle!”

Levian and the remaining spy, realizing that shooting was useless against Ezekiel who was using a body as a shield, drew their blades and lunged.

Ezekiel immediately cast aside the corpse and met them head-on. With the barrel of his rifle he blocked Levian’s blade, while with his machete he slit the throat of another enemy. He had to save time and strength, so his strikes grew even more merciless.

In an instant, Levian’s three men were slaughtered, and his face twisted.

“Put a weapon in your hand, and you’re no different from a demon.”

Screech—Levian’s blade scraped along the rifle barrel, making a chilling sound. Locked in the clash of power, the blade suddenly shifted course and stabbed toward Ezekiel’s side. Ezekiel parried with his machete. Sparks flew.

“Ugh!”

In sheer strength, Ezekiel was superior.

Levian clenched his teeth and poured strength into his arm. His shoulder, already struck by a bullet, kept sapping his strength. Each clash of blades made the roughly treated wound dampen further, clearly reopened.

By all calculations, the Major had taken more hits from bullets and blades. Even now, the stench of blood hung thick around him. So why did he look completely unfazed?

The nightmare of the past revived—when, chosen as the one responsible to lead spies across the border, he had run into Ezekiel and been forced into an unexpected bloodbath.

Regret surged inside him.

Should he have just captured the woman and crossed the border first?

Had he been too greedy, chasing the glory of capturing a great prize to bolster his reputation?

Was Major Valdemaira really unaffected, or was he enduring only because he had to be?

Was love, that woman, such a tremendous reason?

But where had she gone? Ezekiel’s relentless presence had drawn all eyes away, and her presence had faded like a shadow. Hiding like a mole, she became even harder to spot.

What was that woman doing?

As Levian searched for her out of the corner of his eye, his gaze suddenly gleamed.

Lisanne had no idea how the battle was going.

As gunshots rang out again and again, she fought hard not to panic. She wanted to watch, but she knew she couldn’t endure with a clear mind the sight of blades slashing, guns firing, and blood spilling. So she turned away, enduring and enduring.

She wished only that the gunfight would end quickly, that no stray bullet would strike him.

But now, with the gunfire fallen silent, it was even worse not knowing how the fight was unfolding.

She had heard that human life was tougher than expected and not easily cut short. But in reality, death could come at any moment, in any way, from anywhere. Today she learned for the first time that when people died, they often couldn’t even manage a final cry.

The ground thudded with each violent clash of the two men locked in combat. With her cheek pressed to the earth, Lisanne struggled to calm her pounding heart.

Suddenly, her hair was seized and yanked so roughly her vision spun.

“I’ll never understand soldiers. Maybe it’s because men live crammed together in barracks, but they never use their heads, always relying on brute force. Even that Levian bastard—looked soft for a soldier, but in the end, he’s still just a soldier.”

It hurt so much her eyes brimmed with tears. Lisanne twisted her head, trying to break free from Akenaus’s grip, but failed.

“Come with me. You’re coming with me. While those two are tied up fighting each other.”

Akenaus growled low, “Don’t think of making useless resistance. Even if I’m not a soldier, dealing with one woman is nothing.”

The man’s grip was brutal as he wound her long hair once around his fist, determined not to let her escape.

Her head throbbed painfully. Lisanne clawed at the dirt with all ten fingers, struggling not to be dragged away.

“This bitch always resists only me. Such a nasty temperament. Do you think I’m easy too?”

Akenaus kicked her lower back hard again and again. Lisanne clenched her teeth and endured the beating. If only she had even a dagger, but of course, she had nothing. A rifle lay near the fallen soldiers, but it was out of reach.

No matter how delicate he looked, a man was still a man. Once Akenaus put his strength into it, Lisanne had no way to resist and was helplessly tossed about.

Her strength was nearly gone. Dragged several steps by Akenaus, Lisanne, prepared for the worst, turned her head to look at Ezekiel one last time.

At last Ezekiel realized her danger, and their eyes met in the air.

Don’t come.

Lisanne quickly shook her head.

Ezekiel must not be distracted by her. He had to deal with the spies of Davis who threatened him first. He had followed her north, stayed by her side to ensure her safety, and even rescued her when she was taken by the spies. He had already done enough. No, he had done his best. So whatever came after this was simply her fate.

But faced with the choice, Ezekiel didn’t hesitate.

“Close your eyes, Lisanne!”

He hurled the only weapon left in his hand, the machete, with all his strength.

The sharp blade flew in a straight path. Lisanne squeezed her eyes shut.

Thud, a dull impact sounded. At the same time, Akenaus’s grip on her hair loosened.

It wasn’t the sound of a punch.

Could such a sound even come from a human face?

It was a strange, incomprehensible impact. The flashing question made Lisanne ignore Ezekiel’s warning and open her eyes.

When she lifted her head and looked forward, she was so shocked she stumbled. The machete was lodged diagonally in the middle of Akenaus’s face, driven by such force. The blade split his eyelid, crushed the bridge of his nose, and tore down his cheek. With one chance, Ezekiel had targeted the vital points of the face without fail.

The sudden strike robbed Akenaus of everything he valued. His handsome face, and with it, his two eyes.

Eyes and mouth stretched wide in shock, Akenaus slowly collapsed. The man who had long tormented Lisanne with nightmares died in a grotesque state.

She lived.

But Lisanne couldn’t feel relief.

Though she had survived, it wasn’t the end. To save her, Ezekiel had thrown away the only weapon in his possession.

Shoving back the hair that had spilled over her eyes, Lisanne sat collapsed and groped at the ground to turn her body.

Ah.

Ah…

Lisanne’s lips parted blankly.

She wanted to shout no, she had to, but her choked voice showed no sign of breaking free.

Levian had driven his blade deep into Ezekiel’s abdomen. The scene dragged on unbearably slowly.

She screamed without a sound.

“At last.”

With a voice full of rapture, Levian curled his lips. He meant to smile, but his blood and sweat-soaked face twisted into more of a grimace.

“At last I’ve won, haven’t I? I’ve won.”

He yanked the blade free. The war hero’s hot blood drenched his hand.

“And for what? To throw your life away for some woman.”

Had his brain broken when his eyes were ruined, was this man truly an officer of the King’s Army? The choice was laughably foolish.

Levian suspected perhaps the man had regretted it the moment he threw the machete.

Thinking so, Levian looked up at Ezekiel.

“…You’re laughing?”

You’re laughing? In this situation?

Even with death before him, the man’s face was unshaken. Though he had won, Levian felt no victory. He rammed his blade once more through the solid muscle of Ezekiel’s abdomen.

“A war hero, and this is all you are. Who would have expected your end to be so pathetic. Don’t you agree?”

Mocking him, Levian gleefully considered how to prove the war hero’s death to his homeland. Honestly, he doubted he could drag the corpse of a man taller and stronger than himself over the mountain.

Perhaps it would be better just to cut off his head and carry it.

That way, the mistake of losing all his men would vanish, leaving only merit.

As he aimed at Ezekiel’s neck, savoring the thought, the moment lingered with anticipation.