Chapter 303: Where it will all end
Monica’s eyes had long stopped welling with tears. She stared into the distance, knowing what was coming yet unable to do anything to stop it.
Several men were waiting for him. The monster who had abducted them all from the house was clearly strong as well. While she trusted her mate’s strength, she couldn’t help feeling terrified at the thought of him taking on all of them at once.
"What are the chances he doesn’t show up?" Manbaru asked, turning toward Monica with a casual tilt of his head.
Those sharp brown eyes filled her with disgust and rage. If not for the thick fabric covering her mouth, she would have lashed out with every vile word she knew. Men like him deserved to be hanged in front of a crowd.
"Hmm, clearly not happy to be here," Manbaru said, getting up from his chair and stretching his arms.
Flicking the knife in his hand, he approached Monica. "Well, I have very little faith in my patience, so if he doesn’t appear soon..." He pressed the blade against her head. "I will take your life first."
Manbaru had seen how much that guy valued this woman. To rile him up, he would break her first and dismantle him piece by piece.
Seeing the fiery anger in her eyes, he snickered and backed away.
Just then, he paused. A grin curved his lips as he muttered, "Well, look who’s here."
When he turned, the previously empty space was now occupied by two people, one standing and the other barely holding on.
Luke had a dagger pressed against Gorrem’s throat. "Let them go, and I’ll spare his life."
Manbaru was surprised. You managed to defeat him this fast? Well, it’s not like I didn’t expect it.
Luke growled, "Last warning. Let them go and..."
"And what?" The man suddenly vanished and reappeared right in front of Luke, his blade already buried in Gorrem’s chest. "Kill him? Here, I made your job easier."
Luke’s eyes widened as Gorrem collapsed, blood seeping down as his body grew cold.
"You bastard!" Luke lunged forward, but Manbaru slipped away effortlessly.
"Wait," Manbaru said. "You can’t just attack me before I tell you what happens if you kill me."
He raised his hands toward the surroundings, making Luke notice something. "There are more than twenty men waiting to put a poisoned dart in your family members. You might be fast, but you can’t stop all of them."
Luke gritted his teeth as he looked around. His Special Eyes revealed the location of a few, their aim fixed on the women tied to the trees.
He knew that in this state, he wouldn’t be able to stop all of them without risking someone’s life. And there was no telling how long the armed men surrounding them would simply stand there.
Once they started attacking, it would be nearly impossible to get everyone to safety.
There was too much risk in moving recklessly.
"Okay, fine." He took a deep breath and reined in his temper. "What do you want? What should I do to let them go?"
Manbaru’s face split into a wild grin. "I like that expression. Your submission fills my heart with immense happiness." His eyes narrowed, lips still curved. "Stripped of your arrogance and hanging by my mercy."
Luke remained silent. He knew if he didn’t act calmly here and find a window to rescue them, he would lose everything.
That’s why he remained silent and let the man speak as much as he wanted.
"Hmm? Not going to speak, huh? Well, let me get started then." The man suddenly vanished into the dark, and despite using his Special Eyes, Luke couldn’t track him until—
*DHAK*
"Guh!" Luke groaned as someone kicked the back of his knee, forcing him down.
Manbaru had used a skill that completely erased his presence. It was the same skill he’d used to escape yesterday, and when Luke searched the house for any Gamma presence, he’d found none.
An annoying skill.
"Here, catch this!" Manbaru roared before pivoting on his left foot and driving a kick into his face.
Luke’s vision blurred as he fell to the ground under the sheer strength of the blow. There was no doubt that Manbaru was strong.
The man then crouched down and yanked Luke’s head back by his hair, drawing a growl from him.
"What happened? Don’t want to fight back? Is it because of them?" he said, pointing at Monica and the others.
Luke glanced briefly at them, at Monica. And the tears in her eyes broke his heart.
"See that? She’s crying, man. Don’t you want to wipe her tears?" Manbaru asked, shaking his head side to side.
Luke snickered but remained silent.
That silence irked Manbaru. Gritting his teeth, he gestured toward a nearby man, who tossed a wooden staff to his leader.
Manbaru slid the staff beneath Luke’s armpit and said, "Let’s see how long you can take it." With a slow, strong pull, he began to twist the staff, sending waves of pain through him.
Luke clutched at the grass beneath him, using all his willpower to keep from screaming.
But,
*CRACK*
The moment his shoulder popped out of its socket, "AHHH!" A scream tore from his throat, deeply satisfying Manbaru.
He got up and, gripping Luke’s head, began dragging him through the dirt. "You made a mistake last night..." He hauled him toward the center of the forest, right before his weeping mate and family members.
Flipping Luke over, he said, "You shouldn’t have touched me. You wounded my pride, and now I will tear you down."
He walked off and took a seat on the chair before giving the command. "Beat him till he can neither cry nor crawl."
His intentions were clear. Reduce the man to a state where he could not fight back and present him to the Head Chief tomorrow.
And now that Gorrem was killed, Manbaru wouldn’t have any difficulty taking what he always desired. He no longer would be answering to anyone.
He would finally be his own master.
While he was watching his dream with open eyes, all hundred men advanced.
Monica, for the first time, regretted being alive.
’Please... Lord... even if you want to take my life... please, please just save him.’ her heart trembled as she kept looking at her mate, wanting a miracle to change the situation.
Just as the first man reached Luke and raised his leg—
*SHLINK*
Something slashed through the air.
Everyone around paused in alarm.
Manbaru frowned. What was that sudden sound?
He rose slowly from the chair and stepped closer to inspect.
"Hey," he called out, "why aren’t you—" His voice caught in his throat when he touched the man’s shoulder, and the man’s head fell off.
Manbaru’s eyes widened as he looked ahead, and there he was.
Luke. Standing upright, eyes devoid of any emotion.
"You—"
*TNNGH*
Suddenly, Luke snapped his fingers, and Manbaru went silent.
He staggered back, blood spilling from his nose, vision blurring.
Yet despite his blurred vision, he didn’t miss it.
Massacre.
Complete annihilation.
~~~~~~
A/N:- People asking why he didn’t suspect Mila’s mate...I mean what could be the chances? And he didn’t sense any Gamma at all. I felt it was pretty normal for Luke to not suspect the person.