[Drastic slow]

Dusk activated the card as the enemies jumped at him. As the enemies floated slowly, he stabbed through the hearts of 3 of them, while dodging to a safe area, and he started running.

The assassins, with the slow effect disappearing, ignoring their losses, simply chased after him, some of them throwing paralyzing darts at the retreating figure.

[Summon: Interceptor]

A few balls of light flew to block the darts, and then they disappeared.

[Summon: Turret]

The ball of mana appeared, and rapidly fired shots towards the assassins. Most of them were dodged, but an unlucky assassin had their abdomen blasted off.

As they threw a few more darts, Dusk stopped and created a barrier behind him. The assassins in front, being unable to react in time, ran into it, and fell down, stunned. Dusk pierced the heart of another assassin, before turning to the left and ran off, again.

He had been fighting for 3 hours, and he had killed more than a hundred assassins. It was now down to the last few, but he is tired. He hadn’t slept for some time, and he couldn’t make a single mistake. Each one of their weapons has paralyzing poison on them. A single touch on one of them would spell his death.

[Space lock] He activated the card on the area behind him, and activated the next card to follow up [Gravity blast]

A wave of force smashed into the frozen enemies and sent them flying back. He then dashed forwards, and cut the throat of two of the assassins.

The last 2 assassins got up and faced Dusk.

[Time stop]

They never got their turn.

Dusk panted, and walked groggily forwards. He had no destination. He just wanted to get away. And sleep. And sleep.

And he’s so sweaty too. He raised his right arm.

Ah.

It’s on the floor.

And then he screamed in pain.

She heard his scream from afar.

She had arrived an hour ago, and as she ran directly towards him, she saw the dead bodies of the assassins.

She ignored them though. It was not of her concern. Alferdo had ran ahead of her to support Dusk if he saw him, but from

the sound, they might have been too late.

But she didn’t give up. She couldn’t give up. She owed him too much to let him die like that.

Dusk was leaning on the tree, his left hand holding his side as he stared at the gladiator in front of him.

He was tired. He was tired of dealing with the nobles. He was tired of the assassins. He was tired of this person in front of him. He was tired of fighting.

He was tired of living.

He simply stared at the gladiator.

His eyes had died.

It was too tiring to continue.

He sat down, and looked at the sneer in front of him.

And his emotions jumbled up.

He was afraid. He was afraid of the nobles. He was afraid of leaving behind the commoners. He was afraid of failing his friends. He was afraid for Shiina.

He was afraid of dying.

The gladiator pulled out the sword, and raised it. The mad smile on his face as he lusted for fame, the fame of killing one of the strongest. He savored the victory for a little more.

He swung his sword down.

Into the crossed guns of the bronze golem in front of him.

It blocked the attack and kicked the gladiator, but he recovered quickly, and charged towards the golem. At the last second, he rolled, intending to stab the person the golem was protecting.

But years of protecting the weak girl had proven to be effective. The golem simply kicked once, and sent the gladiator rolling back, although he got up quickly.

Dusk weakly pulled out a card, and poured his remaining mana into it.

[Full heal]

With a light glow, all his wounds closed. His arm did not regrow, but he stopped bleeding out. And with that, he fell unconscious.

The gladiator growled angrily. The golem in front of him was annoying. Fame and Glory had been just a moment away, and now it is running away.

He was denying the fact that he himself was the reason why he lost both Fame and Glory.

He angrily swung towards Alferdo, who staggered a little to block the attack. Before he could follow up though, the golem pulled away his right pistol from his block, causing the sword to slam into his fingers, and fired a shot at the

gladiator.

He had realized it coming, and had jumped to the side to avoid it, but before he could strike either the golem or the target, the golem swung the gun that was just fired at him by spinning, and he was forced to jump back. As he did so, it fired a shot at the man, piercing his stomach.

“DAMN YOUUUUUU.” He screamed, furious.

But it wasn’t his turn.

With a loud bang, a blue beam pierced through his head, and he fell down.

Dead.

Die, Generic Gladiator.

“…” He groaned a little as he blinked his eyes open.

“Beep.” (He’s up, I think.)

“Ah! Dusk!”

Dusk blinked at the face in front of him. It was a girl’s face. It was slightly familiar, but he was still sleepy, and he couldn’t place it.

“Angel?” But he decided that he couldn’t care less at this point. He was too occupied by something.

The girl in front of him blushed, but he didn’t seem to notice, as he fell asleep again.

“Boop.” (False alarm)

“Jeez! Alferdo!” Shiina pouted as she sat back down.

“Bzzt.” (I’ll guard. Get some sleep.)

The girl simply sighed, and laid down on the ground. “I’m so tired… But I can’t seem to sleep…”

“Bleep.” (Stop thinking about him.)

The girl got up and shouted at her golem, but even with the loud shouts, Dusk did not react, and soundly slept.

“Zzzt” (She’s up)

“I told you, I don’t understand.”

“Bzzt.” (Hohohohoho. Well, you should learn machine.)

“I give up.”

She looked between Dusk and Alferdo, and started laughing.

Dusk smiled, and laughed as well.

“Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep” (Hahahahahahahahaha)

They were alive.

And they were satisfied with it.