Chapter 5 04. INTRUDERS (3).

The leader bit his lip furiously, letting blood drip from it as he glared at the human-like figure in the air. Despite having the urge to kill the figure this instance, the leader resisted because he knew that he would have the last laugh.

"Six seconds more." he mumbled.

'6,5,4,3,2,' he began counting down the seconds until the scrolls activated.

'NOW,' he thought, a grin on his face.

"Frostine ru.."

He flinched when he heard the roar, but he knew it was too late for them to avoid it, so his grin deepened. Soon after a meteor appeared above the dragon and the human-shaped monster and knocked them to the ground, they saw a wave of white snow rise from the impact and soon felt a hot wave steam hit them, which was so hot that it felt like their lungs were burning when they breathed.

"Cast wind and water barriers"

He wasn't their leader for nothing, he quickly commanded his team to cast magic shields, and soon magic shields of water and wind manifested in front of the group, with a wind barrier created layer above the water barrier. After a minute, they removed the barriers and discovered a thick layer of snow forming a tomb and blocking their view. They began digging their way through the snow, but the tomb collapsed on them as soon as they began.

Only their heads poked out of the snow, and they stared at each other, dumbfounded, trying to hold back their laughter. Soon, solemn expressions replaced their smiling faces, as they realized the situation was dire and they couldn't afford to make jokes.

He walked towards the area where the meteor fell, the meteor turned into blobs of light and started to disappear, they saw the dragons back completely burnt and bones poking out, a small smile appeared on the group members face,

They started to imagined the praises of them being called the 'dragon hunters' and rewards they would receive when they return.

The smile on their faces soon faded when they saw the human figure walk to the side but as they saw his actions, they knew that he was devastated from his loss, they remembered the moment he laughed at them and it enraged them, they all started to look at each and brief silence descended.

"Pfft, sorry hahahahaha,"

The first to break the silence was their leader who was pointing and laughing at the dead dragon and the human like figure who was on his knees, a trace of shock flashed on the faces of the group members, they knew that their leader had a huge pride and was petty person but to laugh at a loss of another did not sit right with them. but,

"Pfft."

All the members turned towards the sound and saw a guy with his hands on his mouth and disgust washed the faces of the members who were looking at him.

"Do you find it funny?"

A hoarse voice was heard which sounded extremely cold, they turned stiff when they heard the voice but they soon regained their composure and turned towards the voice.

They flinched when they meet the hollow eyes of human-like figure whose legs were on fire, the figure looked like it was devoid of any emotions.

***

He was laughing while holding his stomach and pointing at the direction of the dead, he knew what he was doing now was disgusting but as he was petty person, he thought what he was doing now was correct.

'How dare you laugh at me?' he thought as he laughed.

"Do you find it funny?"

He stopped laughing when he heard the voice and let out a long sigh while looking at the ground and shook his head.

"Haaaa, what did you expect?" he said with his head still facing below.

"Well," the human-like figure answered,

'Fisssss' sound of steam rising rang out.

Splurt.

"Nothing really."

The voice came from behind this time. He turned his head to the back in an instant as chills ran down his spine. There stood a completely white humanoid figure with black aura oozing out and blood dripping from his hands.

He noticed that every member of his group was motionless in a pool of blood, each with a hole in their heart. When he saw the humanoid figure's face, he froze in terror; its bright orange eyes with vertical black pupils were emotionless, and it was smiling, which appeared traumatizing.

He was confident that if he worked with his team, they would be able to defeat any enemies or monsters that stood in their way. Of course, he was confident in his team because he had fought alongside them on the frontlines with the belief that they were defending humanity as a whole, but now he stared at the seven cold bodies lying in a pool of blood.

He raised his head slowly and looked at the human-like figure; he was completely white, like a perfectly cut human-shaped crystal, and his arms and legs were clear glass-like crystals.

"Y-you monster." he said while trembling.

"Monster?" humanoid figure started to look around.

"Me?" it asked while pointing at itself with a genuinely confused face.

'what's with that reaction?' he thought while shivering.

"No. No, no, no, no, no."

"I'm a human, or was until you guys showed up." The humanoid figure answered.

'WHAT?' he thought.

Is he a human? He seemed genuinely surprised because he had assumed that he was just a human-like monster, similar to how the dragon was an intelligent and arrogant monster. He then tried to recall why he hadn't realized that he was a human right away.

No. He simply told himself that the human figure he saw laughing at him was a monster who had to be killed.

He realized his error, but he was still furious that he laughed at him when he arrived to rescue any survivors.

'I'm a human, or was until you guys showed up.' He suddenly remembered what he had said and realized that the man in front of him is no longer human. What? How? How is he no longer a human? Many questions arose in his mind, and he turned to face the humanoid figure to ask them, but the way he was looking at him sent chills down his spine; as soon as their eyes met, many thoughts raced through his mind,

'I'm going to die.' 'I have to kneel.' 'I have to apologize.'

He had no idea why, but he knew what had to be done. The man standing in front of him had a majestic yet terrifying appearance, like an existence that shouldn't be angered.

He kneeled, his pride telling him that what he was doing was correct, no other thoughts crossed his mind, and he kneeled with his hands and head on the ground. His mind told him that everything that was happening right now was the way it had always been and would always be.

"I-I'm s-sorry."

"Pl-please spa-spare m-me."

He didn't know why he was apologizing, but he did, he didn't know why he was pleading for his life, but he did, he didn't know why he kneeled, but he did, he knew he'd die, but he needed to do it if he wanted to die painlessly.

Step, step, step

He felt the man's gaze on him and began to tremble uncontrollably. He flinched and closed his eyes when he felt a hand on his head, picking him up. He slowly opened his eyes after feeling a breath near his face and instantly froze.

He noticed that the man's face was so close that it looked like their noses were in contact. He saw bright orange eyes with vertical black pupils which were emotionless.

"Don't worry, I'll kill you painlessly, but only after I'm done."

Those were the last words he heard before passing out from pain.