C335 - Justice
Everyone watched as Leonel vanished.
In truth, it wasn't that they didn't consider the idea of Leonel using one of his rewards for a chance to escape, it was just that none of them had expected him to leave without practically saying a word. Had it not been for Hutch trying to get him to stay, he would have probably spared them all just a single a glance and left.
It was pure disdain. He couldn't even bother to try and defend himself regardless of whether or not he was in the right. He felt no obligation toward them.
Yet, somehow, his gaze was burned into all their minds. He never said the words 'I'll remember this' aloud, yet they somehow felt as though it was echoing in their ears again and again.
Hutch sighed and shook his head.
'Seems that brat is finally slowly awakening to his true self.'
Leonel's final words constantly reverberated in his mind… 'Something about that umbrella makes me itch all over'…
Suddenly, Hutch began to laugh. He looked no different from a madman in the midst of the rain. But, no one dared to take a madman holding a machete lightly.
Catris expression flickered numerous times before it settled into a sneer.
"I'll be sure to report all of this back without missing a single detail, Hutch. Not only did you bring such a scourge into the Slayer Legion, you didn't even care that one of the geniuses under your charge died due to his actions."
At that moment, Hutch seemed to remember something.
Suddenly, his vision sharpened.
Catris' hair stood on end. He immediately shot backward, his nerves tense.
In that instant, the world seemed to slow. No matter how hard Catris tried to move, he couldn't seem to accelerate. It was as though he had been slowed to slow motion or that the world around him had suddenly been fast forwarded.
PCHUU!
Blood spurted as a limb twirled into the air. The crimson was quickly washed away by the endless barrage of rain, but even then, it was just as quickly replaced by a new flow.
Catris paled, looking down at his right arm which now lay on the ground.
"Since you didn't make the choice, I decided to make the choice for you." Hutch said casually.
His indifferent voice made everyone freeze. His complete nonchalance in the face of blood and gore made them feel as though he wouldn't lose a wink of sleep even if he killed them all one by one.
"Consider this a simple reminder that you can't just speak to anyone as you please." Hutch continued. "And, as for the death of Mayfly, you seem to forget that I raised her practically as my own daughter."
The indifference in Hutch's voice soon became coldness.
His gaze swept over, landing on Monet.
In that instant, Monet felt as though she had been thrown into an icy hell. Her knees uncontrollably buckled, causing her to almost fall to the ground. All the lofty demeanor she had, even when she was facing the demons of Camelot, came crumbling down with a single look.
"I would really like to know what her superior officer was doing as Mayfly died. You all seem to want to focus on the fact that Leonel wasn't meant to enter, when the truth was that Leonel was originally on the list of entries, the one who wasn't was Monet who self inserted. Isn't that right?"
Monet shivered.
This was true. Originally, Badger and Mayfly were meant to enter as one. They were so used to partnering with one another that the sum of their teamwork was far beyond themselves individually. To say that they could surpass a Supreme when working together wasn't an exaggeration at all.
This was the new world order, after all. Being older didn't necessarily mean you were stronger since Earth was still in its infancy.
Monet grit her teeth and squeezed out all her strength to speak.
"Leonel injured Badger before their entry. There was no choice."
"Oh?" Hutch laughed as though he was amused that Monet dared to speak back. "And why would he hurt Badger? Hadn't they just worked together to escape the beast tide on the Project Hunt Island? I wonder what made them enemies in such a short time?"
Hutch's questions seemed light, but they all put more and more pressure on Monet. The latter felt as though her heart might stop completely if she was pressured any more.
At that moment, the situation suddenly changed.
Hutch's gaze narrowed as he looked off into the distance. An older man with a head of white, flowing hair approached with a pair of massive white wings. He looked no different from a deity descending upon the mortal world. Whether it was his demeanor or looks, he seemed impeccable. Even the winds and rain bent around him.
"That's enough Hutch."
Hutch looked up but didn't say much of anything. He only sheathed his blade and began to walk away with broad steps.
The angelic man frowned toward the disregard.
"I hope you understand Hutch, that among the retired Supreme, you aren't the only one who's awakened a Variant ability. If you make an enemy of us all…"
At that moment, the angelic man found the world around him slowing. His eyes widened, a blinding golden light emitting from his body. But, before he could react, Hutch had already appeared in the skies, snatching a handful of white feathers and landing heavily on the ground.
"I wonder, how many more do you think I need to pluck off before you can't fly above me anymore?"
The angelic man suddenly seethed in rage. But, remembering Hutch's ability, he also felt his heart go cold. Why did such a madman have to awaken such an ability?
In the end, the angelic man remained silent, watching as Hutch walked away. Though Hutch seemed slow, he had already left the range of the island in the blink of an eye, gliding over the black, raging waters…
**
At the moment Hutch was gaining some interest for Leonel, the latter had found himself in a completely unexpected situation.
Unlike Aina, Leonel was teleported to a proper place. There was a well elevated platform located in the middle of a bustling city. In fact, Leonel's initial appearance didn't garner much attention until… well, until it did.
Leonel hadn't even stepped off the platform yet when a dozen armed guards charged forward, spears and swords in hand as they completely surrounded him.
Leonel turned his gaze back to the first person he had seen after entering this place. She was a woman of average looks who gained a salary for manning and maintaining the order of the teleportation pad. In fact, Leonel and her had just had an amicable exchange.
The dictionary had begun to work again, so Leonel only had to rely on it to communicate in this odd, new language. He didn't think there was a problem with doing so as he had already noticed several translation treasures in the hands? or on the bodies of others.
But now, for whatever reason, that same woman who he had just been conversing with was avoiding his gaze.
Leonel wanted nothing more than to find a hotel and take a nice long sleep. But now he was suddenly being threatened from all sides…
Where was the justice?
To be continued