Kapitel 14: Gray (2)

Gray stepped forward. The gleaming tip of his sword hovered dangerously close to Eden's neck.

But Eden didn't flinch. He looked up at Gray, his lips curling into a smirk that barely touched his eyes. "Aren't you shameless, pointing a sword at someone who's defenseless?"

Gray's eyes narrowed. Without a word, he lifted his baldric—the strap carrying all three of his swords—and tossed it aside. The heavy bundle landed with a solid thud on the forest floor. With his weapons discarded, Gray took a step back, allowing Eden a full view of him.

In the moonlight, Gray's form became clear. His black coat floated around him, billowing slightly as he stood with his arms crossed. A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "Now I'm also defenseless," he said, his voice a challenge.

But his "defenseless" act lasted only a heartbeat. With a faint shimmer, an energy pulse wrapped around him, and in a single, blinding movement, Gray vanished—reappearing behind Eden in a blur. His fist was ready to smash.

Eden's instincts flared. He twisted, his ankle coming up just in time to block Gray's movement. Their limbs collided with a sharp thwack, but the sudden turn threw Eden off-balance. His foot caught on a root, and with a startled yelp, he pitched forward, arms flailing as he tumbled face-first onto the hard, unforgiving forest floor.

Gray halted, his eyes widening in surprise. He waited, expecting Eden to roll over or at least mutter something sarcastic, but Eden lay utterly still, his body sprawled, face buried in the dirt. The silence stretched.

Gray let out an exasperated sigh. "What's this? You really are a coward, aren't you?" he muttered, half to himself, folding his arms. "Playing dead? That's low, even for you. But you did act as if blind, so I guess it's to be expected." He tapped his boot impatiently, but Eden didn't so much as twitch.

Rolling his eyes, Gray stepped forward and picked up one of his swords, still in its sheath. Leaning over, he pressed the sheathed blade gently against Eden's shoulder, then gave him a nudge. "Wake up, idiot," he warned, irritation lacing his tone. "I'm going to use this sword. Last chance."

But Eden didn't stir.

With a growl, Gray slid the sheathed blade beneath Eden's face and carefully tilted it, turning Eden's head to the side. His frustration mounted as he confirmed what he could barely believe: Eden was fast asleep, his breathing slow and even, his face peacefully relaxed despite the dirt smeared across it. His eyes were still covered with the blindfold.

Gray's eyes narrowed, a spark of anger flashing in them. "You've got to be kidding me," he scowled, gripping the sword tightly, resisting the urge to smack the sleeping figure. "You fall asleep in the middle of a fight? Unbelievable."

He gave Eden a nudge with his foot, just enough to vent his annoyance. "Wake up!" His voice had an edge now. "What kind of lunatic passes out after tripping? And you call me shameless?"

But Eden didn't respond. Gray's frustration bubbled over, and he clenched his fists, muttering a string of curses under his breath. For a moment, he seriously considered shaking Eden awake, if only to yell at him properly.

Instead, he let out a long sigh and dropped his sword back into place. "Fine. Sleep it off, coward. But when you wake up, we're having words. Or fists."

Gray took a step back, folding his arms, his glare never leaving Eden's sleeping form. He muttered one last curse before looking around, his irritation still simmering as he kept watch, waiting for Eden to wake.

Gray settled into a wary crouch near Eden, his gaze flickering around the quiet forest as he waited. The silence stretched on, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves. He sighed, irritation simmering as he muttered to himself, "Really fell asleep mid-fight… This kid."

But his eyes were soon drawn to something else—a strange glint. The ice sphere, glimmering in the moonlight, pulsed with a faint, almost hypnotic glow.

"Is that really… a Magical Creature evolving?" Gray muttered under his breath, skepticism lacing his words. "Tch… as much as I don't want to trust a single word from him, there might be some truth in what he said. But why bring me here?"

Still watching the sphere warily, Gray found himself wondering about Eden's origins. Who was he, really? How could he keep up with me… even track my movements so effortlessly?

Turning away, Gray continued scanning the surroundings—and that's when he noticed something else. A unique book, lying beneath the branches of a nearby tree, its pages flickering in the breeze. Next to it, a small pile of berries, their deep, dark color unmistakable even in the low light. Their shape was like raindrops.

Curiosity piqued, Gray walked over and picked up the book first. The cover had a shell texture and was barely readable, but when he opened it, the strange, flowing script inside confirmed what he'd begun to suspect: Spirit language.

"A spellbook…" he murmured, flipping through the pages. His frown deepened as he realized he couldn't read any of it. His suspicion grew as he glanced back at Eden, lying oblivious to it all.

Setting the book aside, Gray turned his attention to the berries. He picked one up, holding it between his fingers. Recognition dawned on his face, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Alzy Berries…? Just one of these can put normal people into a coma. They're used in alchemy for potions..."

The implications hit him like a hammer. Gray glanced over his shoulder at Eden, then back at the berries, piecing it all together. He was carrying these? But… he doesn't seem affected at all.

An idea formed in Gray's mind, and his gaze hardened. He crossed the distance back to Eden, crouching beside him to press two fingers against his neck. Still breathing. Pulse steady. Completely normal.

Gray pulled back, a mixture of confusion and growing frustration building within him. The berries, powerful enough to knock out a grown man, seemed to have barely affected him.

"What… are you?" he muttered, more to himself than to the sleeping figure. He fought back the urge to shake Eden awake, but the questions only piled up. With a sharp exhale, he rose to his feet, casting one last look at the book and berries scattered under the tree.

Whatever secrets Eden held, they were slipping through his fingers like sand. And Gray's patience was beginning to run out.

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