บท 499: Chapter 480 ( The Thrill of the Hunt )
A huge smile was present on Cloud's face as he watched his prey escape at full speed, though there was something that was bothering him, and that was that the effects of the elemental overload were still present, that meant that his speed had been drastically reduced in compensation for enormous power and weight.
"Maybe I shouldn't have let him get away, but there's nothing I can do about it anymore" - Cloud said as he shook his head, only for his gaze to grow increasingly wild.
Cloud quickly calmed his breathing as he shook his head because he knew it wasn't good when his instincts overpowered his reasoning, so he decided to take it easy, though he couldn't deny it, the thrill of the hunt a feeling he wished to continue to experience.
Nobunaga was a worthy prey to satiate his appetite, and at the same time he understood that repressing his instincts was not a good idea because it could grow unchecked without him realizing it, so letting them out was something he had to do from time to time.
"Let's see how long you're going to be able to amuse me" - Cloud muttered with his eyes with pupils shaped like four-pointed stars - "Let the hunt begin."
* * *
Nobunaga was running with his whole body covered in sweat as he thought about everything that had happened.
More than half an hour had passed since he had escaped from the amphitheater where the auction was being held, and from that moment on, he felt as if a dangerous beast was chasing him.
No matter how much he did, or how far he ran, the beast was still breathing down his neck.
Nobunaga was a man with nerves of steel, a person who did not show his emotions very easily, someone who had been on the brink of death countless times, but this situation was something he had never experienced in his entire life.
An absolute fear that came from his soul and slowly devoured his whole being, as if every second that passed, a part of him was consumed.
It was as if he had returned to his childhood, when he was still an inexperienced boy who only wished to escape from that damned city that did not appear on any map.
"I can't let others experience this" - Nobunaga muttered as he tried to calm himself down, only to feel the cold sweat on his back getting bigger and bigger.
He could feel it, how the beast was getting closer and closer.
"If this man manages to find Chrollo" - Nobunaga muttered as he remembered his leader and former comrade, one of the few people he respected and could give his life to - "No, I don't have to let that happen."
Nobunaga quickly stopped as he gritted his teeth firmly, he couldn't let fear consume him or he might end up making a mistake that would even haunt him in the afterlife.
Slowly, he turned around and looked back to where he had come from, as if he was waiting for something, only to feel his heart give a small leap when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps.
It was as if his pursuer was doing this in hopes of throwing his victim's thoughts into disarray, and though Nobunaga hated to admit it, he was doing a good job.
Nobunaga was prepared for anything, what he never thought would happen, was that he would see how his sword was flying in his direction and embed itself just inches from his body - ". . ."
"Aren't you going to keep running?" - Said a voice he immediately recognized.
". . ." - Nobunaga maintained his silence as he watched the blond step out from the shadows.
"Really? Just that?" - Cloud said as he frowned and shook his head.
It was obvious that he had expected something more from all of this, but Nobunaga's abrupt action had left him confused.
"Why don't you want to keep running away?" - Cloud asked as he looked closely at Nobunaga.
"Because I know that if I do, I might make a mistake that I would regret for all eternity" - Nobunaga replied as he gritted his teeth - "I know that if my companions see me in dangerous, they will jump to help me, and that would be lethal for them."
"Companionship, interesting words coming from a criminal" - Cloud said as he started to think - "But this is not good, I was hoping to have a little more fun."
"You're a monster, one who should be on this side of "justice"..." - Nobunaga said as he bit inside his mouth to resist the growing fear that had appeared in his heart - "Why don't you join us?"
"Recruitment now that you know I'm harder to handle than they thought?" - Cloud asked disdainfully as he narrowed his eyes - "Sorry, let's just say I'm happy working for 'justice' "
"That's too bad, I guess that would be it" - Nobunaga muttered as he stood on guard - "At least you could tell me what you are."
"Oh? Interesting words, what makes you think I'm not human?" - Cloud asked as his smile grew slightly.
"I've met crazy bastards who enjoy hunting their prey like you do, but I can feel it, you don't enjoy it, you do it by instinct" - Nobunaga said as he narrowed his eyes - "That's the difference of a madman, and a beast. No matter how much you try to enjoy it or what appearance you take, there are things that won't change, such as this being nothing more than a game to you."
Cloud was silent for a few seconds before he started clapping - "Wonderful, though I want to refute a few things, such as I do enjoy the hunt, though you are right, this is due to my instincts, that makes it contradictory."
Nobunaga kept his guard up because he knew he needed the right moment, and that would be when Cloud let his guard down, the problem was that no matter how much he talked, or how much time he bought, the blond still didn't show an opening for him to land a critical hit, but what made it worse, was that the moments there was an opening and he didn't take advantage, the second later he would find out it was a trap.
Cloud was using his own safety as bait, and that meant only two things, one, he wanted to end the battle fast, or two, he had full confidence in his reaction speed, as well as the stamina to be able to fend off his opponent's blow should he fail to block the attack.
"Sorry, I started to ramble" - Cloud said with a peaceful smile, one that quickly turned into a monstrous grin - "And answering your question."
Slowly, countless black scales with silver markings began to surround Cloud's body.
His hands began to transform into sharp claws while his teeth transformed into sharp fangs.
Nobunaga's eyes widened in terror at the transformation of the blond, who from his hair two strange horns had appeared on his head.
"I am a dragon, one whose desire is to reach the pinnacle" - Cloud said in a distorted voice - "My duty is to evolve, my instinct is to consume, I am a [Tyrant], the dragon of the end."
Nobunaga quickly stepped back with his guard up, only to be surprised to see a sharp claw impact with his sword.
The criminal, quickly impacted against a wall after receiving such a strong blow, only to as the beast in human form, was calmly walking in his direction - ". . ."
"Come on, I hope that's not all you can do" - Cloud said as his red eyes glowed with mischief - "If you don't amuse me, I'll have no choice but to devour you!"
Nobunaga quickly removed himself from the wall he had impacted and glared hostilely at the creature in front of him - "You're a much bigger monster than I thought."
"You could say I am [Gluttony] incarnate" - Cloud replied neutrally - "I devour to evolve, and I evolve to devour, a vicious cycle that I am slowly beginning to control, although even I have to admit that there are times when impulses are hard to control"
"I do not pity you, monster" - Nobunaga said as he looked at his sword in terror because he could see the dent in his sword resulting from the clash with the claw of his predator.
"I don't seek your pity, neither do I seek your pity" - Cloud replied with disdain - "And now that your curiosity has been satiated, it's time for us to end this."
Nobunaga quickly looked down at his sword as he felt everything was coming to an end.
"At least with this my companions won't be in danger, though I fear things won't end here, not when I'm sure Chrollo is going to try to take revenge" - Nobunaga said as he sighed regretfully - "I suppose it's useless to ask you to spare their lives."
"Would you guys have done it if I were a weakling?" - asked Cloud with a huge grin.
"No, we'd have killed you without a second thought" - Nobunaga replied honestly - "Let's go on."
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