CHAPTER 168: LUCK IS NOT EVERYTHING...

A few moments ago,

’WAKE UP, ESSA!!’

Essa flinched violently as her eyes snapped open. She looked around in confusion, realising she had been kicked so hard that her body was embedded deep into the building wall.

Iron rods bent and screeched under her weight, and the concrete behind her groaned with cracks spreading outward like a spider’s web.

She forced herself to move. Every muscle shook as she pushed away from the wall. Her legs wobbled as though they could give out at any second. Blood poured from the ragged wound in her stomach.

A hole gaped there, slowly knitting together with faint pulses of regeneration. She groaned low, then let out a weary sigh as her gaze tilted upward, staring at the moon.

"Master... I really hate this," she whispered, trembling with exhaustion, almost as though she was ready to surrender.

’Save Leo immediately!’

Essa’s lips parted with another sigh, "I think... he’s already dead by now," she muttered.

She didn’t dare glance back at the battlefield. She knew that woman—faster and stronger.

She could tell what had already happened to Leo in the very moment she had been kicked away like nothing.

’Then I’ll fucking kill you all!!!’

"..." Essa exhaled, her shoulders sagging before she forced an awkward smile, "O-Of course not... he’ll be fine. After all, he belongs to you," she said, almost pathetic flattery, clinging to anything that would stop the fury in her master’s voice.

Shaking her head quickly, she bent her knees and launched herself into the sky.

The night air tore past her as she flew, her hood trembling with the speed. When her eyes finally locked onto the scene, her chest eased in visible relief.

’Thank goodness he’s still alive,’ she thought.

She told her master about it and seemed to sigh in relief, too.

’Good. Now it’s time you use it.’

Essa froze mid-flight, her eyes widening.

’But... our connection is weak,’ she whispered inwardly.

’I said... use it, even if it costs your damn life!!’

Essa blinked rapidly, before sighing again—this time long and resigned.

She shook her head once, as though trying to steady her courage, then tucked her arms in and dove.

She caught sight of Leo, his palm snapping across the woman’s cheek.

"Damn, he actually has the nerve to do that," she muttered, a strained smirk flashing briefly across her lips.

She struck down like lightning, appearing between the woman and Leo in a blink. From behind her hood, her eyes blazed into gold.

For the first time, the woman faltered, her body flinching back for a second at that glare.

Essa wasted no time. She lashed out with her boot, copying the same brutal kick that had sent her flying earlier. But the woman only skidded back across the asphalt, boots grinding sparks.

"Tch." Essa clicked her tongue, then she turned sharply to Leo. "Are you alright?"

Leo blinked at her, dazed, then nodded slowly.

The woman’s eyes narrowed, "You..." she muttered, voice tinged with intrigue.

Essa’s grip closed tighter around her curved blade.

She forced her eyes to sweep the battlefield quickly... Ophis lay with her head smashed into the ground. Valra sprawled in the middle of the street. Raphael and her friend cowered together, trembling with fear.

’Guess I really don’t have a choice,’ she admitted inwardly. Her gaze slid back to Leo,

"I’m going to use my full energy... be ready and leave this place as soon as po—"

Before she could finish, Leo stepped forward. He bent down and picked up his broken katana, his fingers trembling as they closed around the ruined hilt.

"I made a mistake... and it’s my responsibility. I..." His voice cracked as he clenched the blade tighter, raising it toward the woman, "I am not selfish," he muttered.

His eyes turned slightly misty, glinting with something between grief and resolve.

"I’ve done enough running, Caelindra..." His voice steadied as he stared at the woman. She met his gaze with a sly, amused smirk, stepping forward with the calm confidence of a predator closing in.

BANG!!

Chuk!

A bullet pierced her shoulder.

The woman flinched, eyes snapping back. Raphael stood behind her, arms trembling but steady enough, smoke rising from the barrel of the gun.

"D-Don’t you dare... touch my Leo again!" Raphael shouted, her voice quivering with fear yet furious desperation.

The woman raised her brows, then chuckled,"Haha... did you really think you’d corner me?" Her voice rang out, arrogant and mocking. Her smirk widened at Leo. "What can you do with that broken sword of yours? Hurt me? Do you even have the faintest idea how to wield that thing?" She laughed louder, almost entertained by their sudden show of courage.

Where was this confidence coming from?

Just because Essa had arrived, did they truly believe the tide had changed?

The woman lifted her blade and levelled it toward them, "I can kill you all at once... come at me," she beckoned.

Raphael steadied her hand, finger twitching on the trigger, ready to fire again. But before she could, her friend leaned close and whispered nervously, "It doesn’t have any bullets left."

"...." Raphael’s eyes widened in horror.

Her friend shrugged helplessly. "You should have asked before shouting like a hero."

Raphael bit down hard on her lip. But still... the enemy didn’t know that, right?

As long as she kept her composure, she could still bluff, keep the gun steady, and maybe—just maybe—use their fear against them.

However...

Ssslllnnncccnnngggg~

A sharp vibration split the air.

Suddenly, three distinct lights erupted, blinding everyone in the street.

The glow consumed the battlefield, forcing squinted eyes and raised arms until their vision adjusted.

From the cascade of green shimmering particles, a nightmare emerged.

Its body was clad in jagged black scales that glistened with a sickly green fire. Horns curled upward like wicked blades above eyes that burned with ravenous hunger. Its maw leaked venomous light, fangs dripping with eagerness to tear flesh from bone. Gigantic wings spread wide, their membranes etched with ghostly skulls writhing in faint luminescence. [Imgincmt]

"Hello~ guys~" Fallen Camazotz muttered with a dangerous grin.

From the haze of blue shimmering particles, a plague stepped forward.

Draped in blackened armour rimmed with eerie blue, every plate was etched with the twisted visage of skulls. A jagged crown rose from his head like a crown of thorns, his eyes burning with relentless blue fire that pierced straight through the shadows. In his grip rested a massive flail. [Imgincmt]

"You shall plunge into the darkness," Fallen Nergal growled as he tightened his grip on the chain.

And... finally, from the crimson shimmering particles, a bloody vampire emerged.

His skin was pale as moonlight, sharp features carved with unnatural perfection. Long silver hair flowed down his shoulders like liquid frost, gleaming under the eerie glow. Crimson eyes burned with predatory hunger. His attire was regal yet deathly—woven from black silk and blood-red velvet, draped upon him like a monarch of nightmares.

"Death is not mercy for you all," Dracula muttered in his cold and indifferent tone.

The sight alone drained the colour from every face.

Shit—that was it.

They were fucking dead!

Thud!

The gun slipped from Raphael’s trembling hands, clattering onto the ground. Her pupils shrank, as if no path of survival existed anymore.

Her friend clenched her jaw and grabbed Raphael’s hand tightly.

’Fuck, fuck, fuck!! It’s like they’ve gotten stronger—boosted, levelled up,’ she thought as her eyes darted toward her side people... who were barely clinging to life.

Yup... they were going to die.

Essa ground her teeth together and glanced at Leo. His hands shook violently, his weapon rattling in his grip. Of course, he was trembling—he knew as well as she did that this was not going to end well.

Everything was already on the line.

Still... he was standing there.

Even with the odds impossible, even knowing it was over, Leo refused to take a step back.

A faint smile curved Essa’s lips beneath her hood. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, the sudden touch making him flinch. He turned toward her, his face etched with horror. He already knew what she was about to say, and the thought alone twisted his chest.

"Take them and leave," Essa said softly.

Leo froze. His eyes trembled, his grip on the broken weapon faltering. He looked at Raphael, at Valra, at Ophis.

"I... I... am... so—" His voice broke.

The words wouldn’t come.

Could an apology ever repay what she was about to do?

Of course not.

"It’s fine..." Essa murmured, her voice low but steady. "I said I would give my life to protect you, right?"

"Oi, oi... did you think you could escape them?" Dracula asked, lips curling into a smirk, his voice laced with cruel amusement.

"Tonight, you’re all dying like apathetic worms. Got it?"

Essa stepped forward. Leo’s body trembled, his arm lowering, helpless.

Mana surged and pressed down on the street, crushing the lungs of everyone present. Essa’s hood flared, her cloak whipping as power swelled. In her hands, the twin curved blades gleamed dangerously, their edges singing.

Fallen Pride’s eyes widened, "You won’t!!" she shouted, clutching her sword tight. Her senses screamed... Essa was pulling in every fragment of mana from the surroundings, gathering it into herself. She wasn’t just preparing an attack.

She was ready to blow everything apart... and take the enemy with her.

From beneath the shadow of her hood, Essa’s lips pulled into a smirk. "Oh? I can... and I will," she hissed, her golden eyes flashing as she raised her hands. Her lips parted, and the first tones of a chant left her mouth, low and resonant—

^#!@--

However,

Wee... Woo... Wee... Woo...

Suddenly, the sharp wail of sirens echoed, red and blue lights flaring at the end of the street.

Everyone flinched, freezing in place, their movements cut short in the middle of the chaos.

Thuck, thuck, thuck, thuck...

Even the helicopter sound echoed.

Dracula grit his teeth. "We could kill them too!" he snarled, preparing to strike down the newcomers. But Fallen Pride lifted her sword sharply, blocking his path.

"You’ve caused enough problems... let’s leave."

"But... we could ki—"

"Let’s. Leave."

The tone made even Dracula and the others shudder into silence. She turned her gaze toward Leo, her eyes narrowing. "You really have good luck," she said flatly, before kicking the ground. Her body launched skyward, vanishing into the darkness above.

The trio of monsters growled in frustration, stomping once before fading away as well.

Essa and Leo blinked, still unable to process what had just happened.... then they smiled weakly, grateful they were still alive.

"We cannot stay here either," Essa said quickly, "If we remain, we’ll be dragged into the situation... and if the truth about Raphael and her friend knowing magic is revealed, who knows what the Magic Association will do."

Leo’s face hardened. He would never let his family suffer... He nodded, and without another word, they moved.

Leo hoisted Ophis into his arms, while Essa took Valra. Raphael leaned against her friend, who supported her as they hurried away.

"What about him?" Leo asked, glancing at the unconscious man.

Raphael’s friend snorted. "He’s still alive. Leave him. The police will deal with him."

Leo hesitated for only a moment, staring at the man, before turning away. Together they slipped into the nearest alley as they ran into the night.

Minutes later, police cars screeched to a halt across the broken ground.

Officers came out, their eyes widening at the destruction spread before them... collapsed buildings, shattered pavement, and smoke still rising from the street.

"What in the world happened here?" one officer muttered, voice low with shock.

Above, a helicopter circled, its spotlight scanning the ruins. A sudden crackle on the radio came with an urgent voice:

"There’s a survivor!"

The officer nearest the car nodded quickly. "Copy," he said, signalling to the medical team to move in.

But this officer... this man Leo knew very well.

He stared long and hard at the ruins, then slowly lifted his gaze.

High above, on the edge of a building rooftop, a lone figure stood. A wide-brimmed hat shadowed his face, and a long coat whipped around him in the night air.

The figure tilted his head slightly toward the officer, as if in silent thanks. Then his gaze shifted down the street, following Leo’s fleeing form.

"Luck is not everything... " the figure muttered under his breath, "and you don’t have enough time"

The helicopter’s light swept across the rooftop. But when it landed on the spot, the figure had already vanished.

The officer stared at the empty roof, then exhaled a tired sigh. "How long are we going to keep doing this..." he whispered to himself.

Then, as though snapping back into duty, his expression hardened into the usual grumpy scowl of a veteran cop. He turned, barking orders as the others scrambled to secure the scene.

____

Author’s Note:Please forgive me. Due to some real-life problems, I wasn’t able to release Chapters yesterday and today, and I might not be able to tomorrow either. I sincerely apologise for the delay. We’ll return to the regular schedule starting Monday onwards.