Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 132 (Part 1):
“As soon as he knew you were coming, he ran that way. Just a moment ago.”
Asuka, clutching his stomach, pointed in the direction Fasho had fled, adding with a triumphant tone.
“He’s bleeding. I got his arm!”
It seemed the method worked well. Looking around, it appeared that everyone was severely injured, except for Andro. In real combat, Andro might have been the most skilled. Helmut had misunderstood Asuka, which was an unfair assumption on his part.
A brief word of encouragement fell from his lips.
“You held out well.”
It was a calm tone, as if saying, “Good job.” At that moment, a deep sense of relief settled over the three boys who had fought against Fasho here.
“It’s over.”
“I’ll pursue him. Leaving him alive will be a headache. Stay here.”
At that moment, several presences could be felt rushing towards them from the road. It was a familiar presence. It seemed the instructors had teleported here using magic.
‘I’ll leave these guys to them.’
“Asuka! Helmut! Dino! James! Andro!”
A voice called out their names loudly as it approached, dripping with a sense of urgency. It was Instructor Patricia’s voice.
“Instructor, we’re here!”
Andro waved and shouted. Helmut glanced at them before kicking off the ground.
Fasho was running through the forest. He didn’t have time to properly stop the bleeding from his arm, which he had hastily bandaged with cloth. For now, his only option was to run blindly to put as much distance between himself and the campsite. There was no room for any tricks.
Fasho had given up on fighting Helmut at this point. Regardless of his own condition, fighting in his blood-scented state was a highly disadvantageous condition for him. He couldn’t attempt assassination, his forte, against such a keen opponent who could not be hidden from.
‘He will definitely chase me.’
Fasho knew this instinctively. The opponent must be furious. He should have quickly killed his friends and left, but the leisurely time he thought he had was now a candle about to be snuffed out.
Fasho’s failure was simple. Not because the opponent was strong, but because he had let his guard down.
‘I was too excited.’
If he had used his full strength to manifest his Vis from the beginning, it would have been over quickly. It had been too long since he’d been given such an interesting prey. Normally, being associated with the Baden Academy alone would make them untouchable, young boys with soft skin and full of friendship. Facing those with bright futures and strong spirits was thrilling for him.
Fasho was excited because he was human. A human who succumbs to desires! He wanted to enjoy himself, whether with words or a dagger, leaving marks and having fun, but he got too carried away.
‘Especially that commoner brat.’
Thinking of Asuka, he gritted his teeth. Among the three, he was the smallest and seemed the least significant. However, he had quite the skill. He hadn’t reached the point of manifesting Vis, but he was proficient at enhancing his muscles and channeling it into his sword.
Such an achievement was remarkable for his age. It was a difficult accomplishment for a commoner, who likely had little chance of systematic training from a young age. How could a commoner, with their disadvantageous physical condition and environment, develop such skill?
As Fasho pondered this, his eyes narrowed. He had felt an irritating sensation earlier, which he ignored due to the fight. Now, belatedly revisiting that sensation, Fasho visualized Asuka’s swordsmanship in his mind. How was he during the group fight, and how was he when fighting alone?
Fasho, who needed to remember the characteristics of his targets, recalled the features of many sword techniques. Only one came to mind, and if his guess was correct, then that boy…
‘Could that boy be…’
If his realization was true, Fasho’s failure to kill Asuka today was fortunate for him and for Black Hawk. It was good that he realized it, albeit late.
With a chill in his heart, he regulated his breathing. A lack of intelligence could have led to disaster.
‘I must report this to the higher-ups.’
It would include his failure, but the information Fasho had gathered would offset that.
Even as he thought, he was steadily putting distance between himself and the campsite. Fasho had long legs and was fast. Most would not be able to catch up to him, having started minutes ago.
Most, but not all.
Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation. Without turning, Fasho immediately threw himself to the side. Thump! Something long flew past, striking where he had been. It wasn’t just any object that had flown at him. Regaining his balance, Fasho looked around. His heart seemed to freeze.
‘Was I caught, but how and where is…?’
His gaze naturally lifted. He saw a figure standing atop a tree. Like a grim reaper, a boy with chilling black eyes holding a bow looked down at him. Along with a certain premonition, his heart pounded wildly.
It was a premonition of death.
“You’re the first from Black Hawk to dodge that. Well done.”
A languid voice echoed from the darkness. Fasho remembered the five corpses he had been briefed about. All had been pierced by branches. So this was his way.