Dimensional Descent

Leonel walked slowly, using his silver rod to hold himself up.

His once handsome face was obscured by soot and grime, his brownish-gold hair loosely hanging downward. One could barely see his pale green eyes between its strands, but what one could see would make it impossible not to shiver.

There was some sadness in there. After all, now Leonel had no one. His father had gone off on his own to some unknown place, Aina was now on another world, and now, the last person he thought he could trust on Earth had turned on him as well.

Compared to the horrible things truly unfortunate people have to deal with, this wasn't much. However, to Leonel, who had never really suffered in his life, it was a huge blow.

However, this wasn't what would shake people to their core. What was so shocking in those eyes was the coldness. An indifferent, calculating coldness.

Leonel hadh't even left the range of the Fort's influence, but he was calculating. Like an emotionless machine, he ran through plan after plan, each of which would lead to the death of Miles and Simeon.

As he watched them die in his Dream World again and again, the gaze in his eyes grew colder… more inhuman.

The faint lights of dawn could be seen on the horizon. Soon, the night would end and the sun would rise.

Leonel's steps only grew slower and slower, his body becoming less and less able to hold itself together.

"Since you're already here… Is there a need to continue hiding?" Leonel spoke plainly.

He had noticed this person long ago, but hadn't said anything. He had been hoping that this person would come out and attack him. To the current Leonel, sooner was better. His body was already in a sorry state. If he was forced to continue, he wouldn't be able to take another step.

Leonel had thought of pretending to find a place to hide and rest. Like this, he could wait for this person to make their move then. However, he felt that if he lied down now, his body would shut down.

At that moment, a shadow slowly came out.

He looked like an oriental man with dark black hair and eyes. But… that was the only thing normal about him. The weird things were almost too numerous to list, but even the short version could make one's expression twist weirdly.

For one… The man was completely naked. He wore not a single thing. Other than the weird chain from his neck that held a card that dangled from one of its links, the sniper rifle strapped to his back, and the knife in his hand, he had nothing else on him.

Secondly… His body was covered in tattoos. In the 24th century, a tattoo artist teamed up with a leading expert in biological nano technology to create what they called 'Vision Tattoos'. They were essentially tattoos that moved along one's body in a repetitive, loop-like fashion. Almost like a 'gif' from the 21st century.

If it was just the fact this man had a vision tattoo, it would be fine. But… why was his vision tattoo a porno?

It was so weird that Leonel didn't even think to ask himself why it was the technology of the vision tattoo seemed unaffected. His virgin eyes couldn't leave the plump woman being plowed by three men at once. He couldn't help wondering if she was okay…

The third weird thing about this man was the fact that half of his body was covered in bandages. Yet, not only had he chased Leonel, but he was actually smiling so masochistically, as though he was enjoying his own pain.

Who else could this person be if not Xinghai?

"… I wanted to wait until we were out of the range of the Fort so that no one would interfere in our battle, but I didn't expect your body to be so weak now. I bet if that Junior Governor Duke knew this, he wouldn't have given up chasing you so quickly."

"Are you finished?" Leonel asked without much of a change to his expression.

Xinghai didn't get mad at such words. Instead, he sighed.

"It's a shame. You were good prey, but I don't have the time to wait for you to recover. Plus, I'm injured too and it's your fault. So, things are fair, don't you think?"

Xinghai licked his lips and took a step forward, but what he saw next made him freeze.

Leonel flicked his wrist and a grenade appeared out from his spatial bracelet.

"Since that's the case, let's die together."

Leonel smiled, yet it seemed colder than even Xinghai's own. Before Xinghai could do anything, Leonel pulled the pin.

However, despite the panicked look on his face, Xinghai was internally sneering.

'This idiot.' Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Xinghai laughed within his heart. Then, he prepared his blink ability and activated it. However, what he saw in the last moment before he disappeared made his eyes squint in confusion.

'… He threw the grenade away from us…? What…? Oh no!'

BANG!

The sound wasn't from the grenade. Leonel had chucked it so far away that compared to this bang, it was nothing.

When Xinghai appeared once more, he found a gun placed onto his chest, its hot nozzle burning his skin.

He looked up at Leonel in shock. Then, fell over. Dead.

Leonel watched indifferently as the last of Xinghai's life faded. At that moment, he felt like his arm was about to implode. Without Force disruption towers, the recoil mitigation technology of the handgun didn't work anymore, so he had to take the brunt of it himself. However, even though he was prepared, it had still hurt like hell.

'It's too bad that you talk too much…' Leonel thought, walking toward the card that Xinghai had hung from his neck in curiosity.

The moment Xinghai gave Leonel too much information to deduce some things from, he was finished. He never stood a chance. Even he had no idea, even in death, how Leonel had seen through him so easily.