Rise of the Eromancer

56  Chapter 56: Just Like That

"I can't… I can't lose anyone anymore."

"But you will…" No. 2's mask very slowly loosened and fell to the ground. And even with blood dripping from his lips, the smile on his face was even more evident, "...You will lose more people. You signed up for the suicide squad, Rhys. We… are just unlucky to meet a fucking god here. Ha... fuck."

"No… no. Arachnea!" Rhys turned to look at Arachnea, but Arachnea was just staring at him; her hand that held all the threads which were literally holding everyone's lives, slightly moving as if it was teasing all of their existence.

"Please, you want me… right? You want to eat me? Just let them go, please… please!" Rhys pleaded as he read Arachnea's desire, which was really only one thing - She wants to eat him.

"Brat!" No. 2 slightly moved, causing the blood oozing from her wounds to burst even stronger, "There's no use talking to a monster. I told you, we were already dead the moment we got off the jeep! Just fucking go!"

"I can talk to it…" Rhys opened his palm, "I can talk to it! I promise… I promise all of you will live."

"Damn it, fuck. Rhys!" No. 2 moved again, seemingly wanting to rush at Rhys, "Go, run! Don't waste our fucking effort on pretending we could actually hold a god back! At least let us die first, you moron!"

"No… no, this… this is my fault," Rhys's vision started to turn dark as memories of his mother downed his thoughts. Before he could see his mother's crying face, however, it was drowned by No. 2 wailing voice.

"Just run! None of this is your fault, Rhys!" No. 2 cried out, "This… this is our choice! Just go!" n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

No, they did not have a choice at all - No. 2 knew that from the start. He and the Faceless Crew were right, they were already dead the moment Arachnea showed herself — what they were doing was not even buying time, no; their time was up in the first place. They were merely just… hoping that somehow, even in the deepest impossibility, Rhys survives.

Rhys, however, only shook his head… tears, finally flowing down his face as he very slowly stepped forward.

"If you take another step, I am going to fucking kill myself first, you hear me!?" No. 2 once again struggled; his blood, now dripping down the ground like an open faucet, "Rhys, please… listen and go."

"..." Rhys could really only just stare at No. 2's eyes.

"I know… I know this is unfair to tell you now," a small giggle escaped No. 2's lips, "I never… I never had a child but… if I did…

Rhys did not fear death, not at all. But he will beg, he would beg… he would beg again for his family.

"Arachnea, please…" Rhys tried his best to set himself free of No. 2's shadow; even digging his fingers through the ground just so he could move closer to Arachnea, "I am the only one you need, right? Just eat me and—"

And suddenly, a thunder broke through the air as a shadow moved past Rhys, causing him to almost be blown away. And without even any sign or warning, Ayesha's fist made contact with Arachnea's face; a ripple, blasting everything as well as the threads imprisoning everyone.

"Rob!" And as soon as the shadow chaining him down faded away, Rhys immediately rushed to catch No. 2 before he could drop to the ground, "Rob, please… live, please live."

"B… brat," No. 2 practically gurgled as blood escaped from his lips, "You… you look like shit."

"Heh…" A small smile started crawling on Rhys's face, pushing away the tears falling from his face as he looked at No. 2.

"There it is…" No. 2 slowly raised his hand and brushed the tears away from Rhys's face, "...A child like you should be smiling. You—"

"...No. 2?"

And as No. 2 wanted to move his hand down, he found he couldn't move it at all.

"...Rob?" Rhys then quickly turned to look at Ayesha and Arachnea, only to see Ayesha's fist still embedded in Arachnea's face, "What's… what's happening?"

"...Shit." And even from afar, Rhys could hear Ayesha cursing. But how could she not, when she punched Arachnea with all her might… and even with her head completely turned the wrong way, Arachnea was still looking at her directly in the eyes.

And very slowly, her fist was being pushed back by Arachnea's face.

"You…" Ayesha's eyes widened as soon as she realized who Arachnea was "...What the fuck are you doing here? Why… is someone like you here?"

"...You know me?"

"!!!" And as words escaped Arachnea's pink lips, Ayesha's already widened eyes opened even wider.

"I am flattered, O' great warrior of the gods," Ayesha then slowly raised her hand, causing all the threads attached to it glimmer.

"..." Ayesha's eyes squinted as she looked at Arachnea's hand, before she quickly turned to look back… only to see the members of the Faceless Crew once again floating in the air, "...Don't."

"They attacked me first," and with a smile creeping on her face, Arachnea's fingers started to move.

"You!" Ayesha quickly reached for Arachnea's hand; trying to keep it open, but Arachnea just raised her hand in the air… and forcefully closed it into a fist, "No!"

"Rob, I'll get you out of here…" Rhys was still carrying No. 2 even as his body rose in the air—no. Rhys was embracing No. 2, carefully trying to loosen up the threads wrapping around his body even though his hands were also being cut by the thread… not willing to let him go.

"...Just wait, okay? You'll be—"

Rhys suddenly felt the weight in his arms lighten as he felt an ominous warmth suddenly wrap around his body.

"Rob…?" Rhys's eyes started to tremble as he tried tightening his embrace. As he did so, however, No. 2 slipped from his arms; his body, separating into pieces until all that was left clinging onto Rhys was No. 2's left arm and neck. Rhys looked at his now empty arms, and then onto the ground where he saw No. 2's dismembered head. And even lifeless…

…there was still a hint of a smile on his face.

Rhys then very slowly looked at the others, only to see their limbs and parts of their body fall to the ground one by one. "...Why?"

And just like that, people he learned to cherish were once again gone.

"No… no," Rhys's teeth started to show themselves as even the growls of his breath were completely drowned by the whistle of silence covering his ears. And without even thinking, he let out a loud roar and started rushing to where Arachnea was.

"Stop," Before he could even take 3 steps, however, Ayesha suddenly appeared in front of him. And without even any hesitation, she grabbed Rhys by the head, before throwing him away deep into the forest; only stopping as his back hit a tree… …and as his consciousness very slowly slipped away from him, he heard a set of words that would once again forever stay in his mind, "I like your courage, Recruit…

...But not this time, you are only going to get in the way."

I think chapters are premium after this? For those that could no longer follow the story beyond this point, thank you for reading. Truly appreciate it! I edited the last chapter by the way, to make it more obvious that the Faceless crew already knew they were dead, since I only put one line before to make it subtle.

And for those that will still continue to read, if any...

...thank you and let's do this! I actually already have the entire story plotted out, so... yeah. Anyway, vote!

Romeru