Return of the Fallen Volume 11 Chapter 24
Kazuki was just thrown out of the tower and went hurtling toward the ground. His mind began to move rapidly in thought as he immediately went into survival mode.
(If I use my aura, I’ll easily be able to survive the fall, but at the same time, we just escaped a horde of giant sandworms. They would be upon me in no time. Smashing into the ground straight up may not necessarily kill me since I have my regeneration but that’s not 100% guaranteed. If there’s too much damage, is it still possible to live through it.)
Kazuki had survived many disasters but he was unsure what would happen if his entire body became meat paste.
(Fuck it. I’ll use my aura to stop the fall and I’ll use my ki to help me run away as fast as possible.)
Kazuki grew a little closer to the ground and thought this was his path when out of the tower, Marty dove out of the hole Kazuki’s body had created. She used a tiny fragment of divine energy to boost herself forward until she caught up with Kazuki and she tackled him in the air and held on tight.
“Marty, what are you doing!?”
“I’m saving your ass ok, now shut up and hang on!”
After that, Marty whistled as loud as possible. Something stirred within the tower before shooting out of the tower at high speed. From Kazuki’s perspective, it looked like a thick rod, however, the moment it dove out of the tower, this rod unfurled and changed shape and Marty’s glider appeared.
(It was the glider!)
The glider dove down at great speed and just before the two hit the ground it swept them both up. Kazuki felt a great pull on his body as if the gravity had shot up a hundred times in one go. It already felt as if it were a million times greater but with this sudden catch and pull up, it felt as if it had multiplied in a single instant. If Kazuki’s body hadn’t been enhanced so many times from the devouring technique, this single move surely would have ripped flesh from bone.
Kazuki felt no pain from this but there was clear agony on Marty’s face. The pull of this decaying world only increased the higher your stage was. Kazuki imagined Marty was suffering a good deal right now but she grit her teeth and put on a smile.
“Looks like saving you is becoming a habit of mine, hehe.”
Kazuki nodded and acted as if he were in pain right along with her.
“I guess I owe you.”
“Hmph, damn right, you owe me but forget that for now, let’s return and
Marty’s words froze there and she suddenly stomped on the edge of the glider, causing the glider to flip and spin. As she did this, the ground erupted from below, and several giant sandworms came chasing upward and nearly hit the glider. Had she been even a fraction slower, the glider would have been knocked out of the sky. The glider spun and raced upward as fast as possible. More giant worms came up and out of the ground and began firing their projectile mucus as if it were going out of style.
These missile-like shots came flying upward at blurring speeds. Marty though, was no amateur. She grabbed the handlebar and twisted it. the divine energy within caused the core to roar like a primitive beast and its speed increased. Side to side, twisting and flipping up and down. She dodged everything with perfect accuracy. At the same time, the people in the tower watched this scene play out. Some were concerned, while others were glad Kazuki had been kicked out.
The favor leaned ever heavier as time went on. It did not take a genius to see what was happening. As Marty and Kazuki were being attacked, the tower in the sky rested safely. Rather, nothing came flying toward them even though they were this close to the action. Those who thought it made no sense that the worms would be after Kazuki now had a complete 180 in thought.
The creatures went for Kazuki and Marty and left the tower alone. This math was not hard and even Stez was taken aback.
Seeing no end in sight of these attacks, Marty flew toward the tower. The thought of resisting in greater numbers was a natural one. To her dismay though, as soon as she approached, Mack shouted at her.
“Don’t you dare endanger us! Stay away!”
“Mack you piece of shit. Shut up and let us through before I get mad!”
Suddenly more and more voices rang out from the tower, all of them telling them to keep out and not return.
“STEZ! Tell them to let us up.”
Stez sighed before he got everyone to quiet down.
“Marticia. I…have a duty to this place and to the people here. I don’t know why but it’s clear those things are after Jentson and I can not let this go on. Marticia, return to the tower and leave Jentson behind, this is the only way. Jentson…please understand I have nothing against you whatsoever but this is the current situation.”
Marty’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe this was the same Stez. Kazuki, on the other hand, simply added a few more names to his list.
(I didn’t expect much but damn, to turn so quickly and spout that it’s to fulfill one’s duty. Fine. I have managed under worse conditions, let this play out and we shall see who comes out on top.)
Kazuki was ready to jump off of Marty’s glider but just before he took a leap, Marty grabbed him by the arm, and with anger in her voice, she said.
“Don’t ya fucking dare. I found ya in the sands and only I am allowed to put ya back. You understand Jentson?”
Kazuki was surprised. He and Marty were strangers and had only met half a day ago yet she was willing to go so far for someone she knew nothing about.
Kazuki smiled.
“I understand…Thanks.”
“Hmph, I’ll take the thanks but don’t ya go doing anything stupid like jumping off from here.”
She then turned her attention back to the tower and Stez.
“Are ya sure you really wish to do this? I mean, you are literally going back on your word and for what, something ya can’t actually prove. Is this the same Stez I’ve known for more than a thousand years?”
“Stop with all this! It is not the time nor place to play. Return to the tower at once. I command you!”
Marty dodged a few more projectiles and worms before putting her goggles on.
“FUCK YA!”
After that, she twisted at the handlebar, and the core of the glider roared once more before she and Kazuki took off and disappeared into the distant night sky.
Mack laughed.
“Instead of losing one useless piece of trash, we lost two. Good riddance.”
Stez grabbed Mack by the throat and lifted him off of his feet.
“You have no idea the bullshit you are spouting at the moment. If you ever pull some shit like that ever again it will be you who gets thrown down below!”
Stez then tossed Mack to the ground before sending everyone away from him.
—————————————————————————-
While things were quieting down for others, for Kazuki and Marty, the night was a harsh one. No matter where they went, the giant sand worms gave chase and found them. Attacks happened again and again and again. Thankfully, the glider could pull divine energy from the surroundings to use, otherwise, Marty would have not been able to keep up and they would have crashed long ago.
As the sun finally lit up the world, the giant sandworms retreated to the underground and both Marty and Kazuki could take a breather.
“How strange, no beyond strange. They really gave chase the entire night through. Jentson they really do seem to be after ya.”
Kazuki went quiet hearing this but Marty simply punched him in the shoulder.
“What do ya think you’re thinking about? We’ve already come this far, ya think I’m gonna abandon ya now?”
“I appreciate that. I still don’t know why you’re going this far but
“Shush. I already said I picked ya up and only I can abandon ya.”
“By that logic, it sounds like I’m your toy.”
Marty took her goggles off and rubbed her chin in thought.
“Hmm, That doesn’t sound so bad either. As far as entertainment, you’re a heck of a lot more interesting than the rest of the tower bastards. Damn, I still can’t believe Stez did that. After all, we’ve been through.”
“You say that but your tone suggests you’re not actually all that angry at him.”
Marty shrugged.
“I am but his stance has not changed. He does what he does to keep the tower in the sky, if that means sacrifices, that doesn’t change what he’s doing, I guess. I just never thought I would be among those sacrifices. Forget that though, I need ya to strip for me.”
Comment (0)