Chapter 185: Hero's Head
"A-Alex?" Marie called, her voice uncertain as she looked at the burly man with murky eyes.
"I am sorry, but unfortunately, it was me, Asher Eli" Eli said with a smile.
"..Ash?"
"Take some rest" Eli comforted her, gently patting her head. He began to move away, but Marie's trembling voice stopped him.
"N-No-No, P-Ple-ase-I..." Marie stuttered, her tears streaming down her face....All she wanted was someone to stand by her side in this frightening situation.
"..." Eli couldn't bear to see her so terrified. He hugged her tightly, and Marie was momentarily taken aback before breaking down into sobs.
"awwwwwhhhhhhh!!!"
"A-Ash 'sob', 'sob'" She whimpered, trying to push his body away with her handless arms as She continued to stammer in fear, "r-run aw-away-go 'sniff' go that monst-er danger".
Eli chose to disregard her pleas and held her as closely as possible. He used his Ocean's arts to bring calmness and comfort to her.
"A-Ash Please, g-go run As..h....." Marie's voice grew weaker and more desperate. Eventually, the soothing sensation of Eli rubbing her head made her succumb to her exhaustion, and she slipped into a deep slumber.
'szzzzz'
Feeling the gentle rise and fall of Marie's breath, Eli carefully moved her and gazed at her face.
"You really resemble her" Eli muttered as he wiped away her tears. His eyes then wandered to the torn parts of her body, which seemed to have stopped bleeding.
"Hmm, as long as you guys hand over the Hero, I will let every one of you live" a stern voice interrupted his thoughts.
Eli looked at the monster, which was attempting to provoke them, and then he looked at someone else before nodding.
"Sh... go... ru...n," came a faint murmur. Eli turned his head and saw Marie struggling to speak.
"I guess you guys are really sisters...haha" he chuckled with a hint of melancholy as he attempted to lift her into a princess carry.
He wiped the blood from his nose, which had begun to leak.
As Eli took notice of the group's divided opinions, he turned to face them.
"Well then, you can have the Hero as long as you let us live" Eli declared indifferently, his eyes exuding a deadly determination.
This statement grabbed everyone's attention.
"Oh? At least someone has 'a brain'" the monster muttered.
"Eli? What?" Alexander was shocked by Eli's statement, his expression a mixture of disbelief and betrayal.....but there was a hint of happiness inside him.
Eli ignored Alexander's useless reaction.
"Could able to heal her fully?" He then turned to the two saintesses and motioned towards Marie's limbless body
Everyone present had their bodies tense and their throats dry as they finally saw Eli holding Marie's limbless body.
'gulp'
They swallowed nervously, unconsciously casting anxious glances at the monster, which simply tilted its head in curiosity.
"N-No Way" Theo stuttered, frantically searching for something. However, upon seeing Kyra and Kira nodding in response to Eli's question, he bit his lips and tried to act relaxed.
"MARIE!!!" Alexander suddenly shouted, rushing towards Eli with a 'pained' expression, surprised to find Marie still alive, 'This bitch is still alive'.
"W-What happened to h--" Alexander tried to take her from Eli, but
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"Hey"
"Huh?"
"...." Eli didn't respond verbally, keeping his indifferent gaze as if saying back off, and Alexander reluctantly backed off, his face full of 'heartbreak'.
Then, Alexander turned his 'anger' toward the monster, shouting,
"YOU!! Monster, what did you do to my friend?"
"Huh? Can't you see with your own eyes, Hero?" the monster replied with amusement.
'ggrrr' Gritting his teeth, Alexander glanced at the other students and proclaimed with a touch of elegance,
"I, Hero of Dawn Kingdom, shall rid this wretched monster from this world" and squinted his eyes at Eli then added, "It doesn't matter whether you betray me or fight alongside me".
Then he turned his focus on Monster,
"I.will.bring.justices...That's what I made for"
"Alex?"
"A-Alex"
"Alexander.."
The students looked at him with a glimmer of hope, encouraged by his unwavering determination.
Alexander charged toward the monster....but it simply glanced at him, unfazed, before continuing to pluck Tiana's wings.
"42" it counted casually.
"..."
And just as Alexander was about to strike, the dead monster's enormous stinger moved, releasing a yellowish fluid.
Sensing the danger, Alexander quickly dodged to the side and gritted his teeth in anger.
"You coward, is this how you fight?" he snapped.
"Hmm, why not?" the monster replied sarcastically.
Alexander's lips twitched in 'frustration', and he looked to his comrades for support., "I'm sorry, but please help--"
"No need to bow your head, Hero....I, we will stand with you" Amber declared, stepping forward.
However, before she moved, she couldn't resist scolding Eli, "You disgust me, Asher Eli. I never thought the Vampire Queen would choose to support a coward like you".
"Well, what can expect from a horny bastard" Pearl followed Amber without question.
But Eva hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Eli before ultimately joining her companions.
Seeing this,
"Come on, guys! We can't allow the Fallens to support a Hero over humans" Oliver shouted, taking the lead and giving Eli a displeased look.
"I am disappointed in you, Asher. I think I was wrong to befriend you" Oliver expressed his disappointment as he joined the group supporting Alexander.
"...Brother" Arlyne hesitated for a moment, conflicted by her memories of Eli curing her brother, but she decided to follow her brother's lead.
Theo, feeling 'angry' and 'betrayed', didn't hold back his disgust as he addressed Eli,
"Are you even human enough to let the Hero of humanity face that monster alone, huh?" Theo spat, clearly displeased. He reluctantly followed the others, though he cast a final look at Kyra and Kira, who were busy healing Marie.
"ssshhhh"
As the two saintesses worked on Marie, her limbs were completely healed.
"Thank you" Eli expressed his gratitude, to which Kira replied, "Don't worry. It's our job to heal wounds, no matter who it is."
"Let's go Kira" Kyra said not even glancing at Eli she pulled Kira.
Leaving Eli and Marie behind, Kyra and Kira walked to help the others who were fighting the monster.
Rize observed the ongoing battle and then turned to Eli, her expression one of concern.,
"Should we run?" she asked, knowing that she stood no chance against the monster.
"I wish that were possible..." Eli muttered, wrapping a large coat around Marie to shield her.
He then tried to move away, but as he did, he suddenly felt a barrier being placed at the entrance, preventing their escape.
'Thud'
Eli stood there, trapped by the barrier, and listened to the monster's words.
"You cannot go without my permission, but if you want..." the creepy voice echoed.
"...." Eli felt a surge of anger but maintained his composure as he turned back to face the monster, who was nonchalantly observing the ongoing battle.
The stinger from the overlord was almost defeated, its tail twitching weakly as if trying to protect its master.
The monster continued,
"I will let you go if you bring that Hero's head" Its tone grew even creepier, and Eli couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
"..."
Eli remained silent, carefully considering the situation. He knew he couldn't fully trust the monster, and his eyes darted back to the battle that was reaching its conclusion. The stinger was on the verge of defeat, and the group was getting closer to victory.
"I am not sure you would keep your word, though" Eli finally replied.
"Heheh...I am, trust me. Other than that, what else you could do?" The monster chuckled haughtily.
'chucckkk'
"Finally!!"
As the battle reached its climax, Alexander, driven by determination and anger, managed to cut off the stinger.
Without hesitation, he rushed towards the monster, determined to end this once and for all.
Alexander had the monster within his reach, poised to strike, but he suddenly halted and was forced to step back.
"What? Come on, hit me, Hero?" The monster taunted, swinging back and forth fairy.
"I... rurh..." Alexander, his eyes filled with anger and determination, hesitated upon seeing Tiana's condition.
"You Viel bastard, acting like a coward....fight me like a warrior" Alexander demanded.
The monster sighed, seemingly unimpressed
"I'll give you one more chance before I get serious" Its gaze lingered on Eli, silently tempting him to make a choice 'Come on, choose it, otherwise, it would be boring to play'.
While others present had no intention of handing over Alexander to the monster.
'That's what you want...' Eli understood the situation and felt he had no other choice. His primary goal was to save his tiny friend, Tiana.
As he took a step forward, he faced the disapproval and warning from his former comrades.
Oliver warned Eli, "Don't trust that monster. If we unite, we can defeat it".
'Yes, But I don't trust that cunning Hero' Eli thought.
Amber cautioned, "Asher Eli, don't be manipulated by that monster. We could take vengeance for what it's done".
'You guys are the ones who are being manipulated by your damn Hero' Eli muttered inwardly.
"Eli, don't be fooled by that monster" Alexander pleaded with a 'sad tone' and looked at Marie,
"We could fight together. I know you're strong, and we can avenge for he--"
"She's not dead" Eli cut off his words and looked at the monster then inquired,
"Are you the really Overlord?"
"Oh..." The monster leaned closer and responded, "Who I am doesn't matter. I want Hero's head, that's all".
"..." Eli nodded and addressed the group, "I understand. But I don't think I can fight against all of them".
"Hmm...that's right, So?" The monster tilted its head with amusement at whether to do it or die.
"Hmmm...Rize" Eli handed Marie to Rize.
"..." She simply held her like a sack.
"You said you wanted to protect everyone, right?" Eli slowly walked towards the group.
"Yes" Alexander replied with determination.
"Then all you have to do is surrender yourself so that we can be free" Eli proposed.
"I-I am..." Alexander hesitated, not sure how to respond, 'What?'.
"Alex, don't listen to him. He's playing with words," Amber warned, her gaze fixed on Eli.
"So, what's your answer?" Eli pressed on.
"I-I no-I...." Alexander stammered, 'No way bastard, I'd rather let every one of us die than sacrifice myself'.
Inside the helmet of the monster, a smile widened.
It seemed like Eli's 'plan' was working, and he was just about to take Celestria to escape when his eyes suddenly flickered with a sky-blue light.
"NOW!!"
'FFLLLASSSHH!!!!'
'sssshhhnnnngggg'
In an instant, beams of light shot towards the monster from hidden corners of the room.
"...." The monster immediately put up its gauntleted hands in defence, blocking the beams while simultaneously throwing Tiana in Eli's direction.
The monster tried to block the beam and in the meantime,
"Jump!"
"-cough-cough-aarrrhhh-"
Eli caught Tiana and.....silver-haired elf,
"Ms. Kyra, Ms. Kira heal them faster"
Everyone else was stunned by Eli's unexpected actions, while one person was particularly baffled, staring at Eli with wide eyes, wondering with dumbfounded eyes, 'W-When did he s-stole those c-crystals?'