The Duke's Passion

824  Switch!

The warrior's faces were blank, staring at the person who came into the scene, wide-eyed. Every single one of them would never forget Acheron's face. Some even had nightmares of him. Why was he suddenly here?

Panic instantly swelled in their chest, having their imaginations to run wild. Although a few of them took his presence as a motivation to settle scores with him, the majority of them felt slightly helpless. Did he come to take them all back to the Colosseum? No way in hell would they go with him without a fight. Just when they regained their freedom, they wouldn't allow the same person who stole it before stealing it again. Still, it alarmed them.

Acheron Roseberg wasn't only Zero's personal hellhound, but also, he was strong and capable. With their current state, their chances of winning were slim. With that thought in mind, the warriors couldn't help but shift their eyes on Claude's back. That was right. They had this person fighting with them. Maybe… if they fight alongside Claude, it wouldn't be that impossible. A tinge of hope shone in their eyes, already making up scenarios in their heads.

"Ah, shit…" to their dismay, Claude grunted before turning around from Acheron. "Can we run?"

"Huh?" The warriors' thoughts halted, puzzled at his suggestion.

"We should run. Flee from here." Claude pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "As soon as possible."

"We can't!" one warrior yelled. "That man will not let us all off! We might as well fight him —"

"He's here not because of us." Claude stopped the warrior mid-sentence, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, don't worry about him coming after us. It's just that I don't think this place is a safe place to stay idle."

"What…?" the warriors looked at each other, bearing the same confusion in their eyes. When they shifted their eyes back to Claude, another warrior raised a question. "What do you mean by that?"

"He's after me." This time, all eyes shifted to Rufus's back when the latter clarified. "Stand back… or just leave this place. Run and don't look back. Claude will clear the way for you."

The confusion in their eyes looked more apparent as deep lines between their brows appeared. Now that they thought about it, who sent Rufus flying? That question didn't stay unanswered as the warriors instinctively darted their eyes from Rufus and Acheron. Those two… were fighting.

"Let's go?" Claude urged, snapping the warriors back to their trance. "We'll just get in my cousin's way if we're around the area." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Oh… well, I guess…" another warrior cast everyone a look, nodding in agreement with them. "It can't be helped."

The warriors, although had the pride to uphold, weren't stupid. They weren't in their best shape and some of them were also injured. What they needed now wasn't to settle scores with Acheron — the warden of the Colosseum — but to find refuge. For as long as they took the injured to a safe place, they could just rest for a bit and do other things. After all, before they were warriors, most of them were knights. They believed they could do something much more important than spilling blood. For instance, searching the land for any survivors.

Pleased that these warriors were still logical, Claude rocked his head in satisfaction. With his hands on his hips, he cocked his head back, eyes on Rufus's side profile.

"Cousin, I don't have to worry about you, right?" asked Claude with a misplaced grin.

"Stop calling me cousin."

"Tch. First, you asked me to stop calling you His Majesty, and now you don't want me to call you cousin." Claude frowned, but Rufus didn't cast him a look not even once. "Just what is wrong with you?"

"Stop idling and take those guys with you." Rufus ignored the nonsense Claude was spouting at the moment, observing Acheron carefully. "I will cleanse the area, so you can go straight to your destination without a problem."

"Huh?"

"Lady Tilly blessed that place with her blood, so they can rest there and treat their wounds. Still… we still have to get out of this hell's gate as soon as possible," Rufus continually solemnly. "I don't have a good feeling about this place. After all, even when he's already dead… he just came back to life, stronger than before."

Claude furrowed his brow, setting his eyes back to Acheron Roseberg. He narrowed his eyes to see through the fog surrounding the man, and much to his dismay, Acheron's eyes were shining in deep red. Yet, there was no emotion in them. There was no anger whatsoever. It was just shining… lifelessly. Acheron's eyes were blank as if he was sleepwalking. "Holy…" Claude breathed out, grasping how Rufus was caught off guard and was sent flying in this place. Rufus was a careful and meticulous person, and for him to be sent flying only means two things: one was his opponent was that strong, or he was caught off guard.

Rufus gripped his sword as a light glow surrounded his body. His eyes were sharper, gaze fixed on Acheron's figure. "Slicing him is futile. The way he regenerates reeks of death and blood," muttered Rufus to himself, but Claude was listening. "Get away from him, Claude. I cannot guarantee anything if you stay around."

"Tch." Claude clicked his tongue in irritation but didn't refute Rufus. "Don't even dare think I'm running away! I just have different priorities."

"No need to clarify. I'm not judging you."

Claude glared at Rufus before he shook his head. He then faced the warriors once again, about to shout at them to give them a heads-up when he caught a figure from the corner of his eyes. Rufus, who was already ready to catapult in Acheron's direction also furrowed his brows. Not just them, but the warriors also could not help but knit their brows as the ground trembled.

All of them slowly turned their heads to the herd of undead running from the east to the plaza. It was as if an entire town of undead was running toward them, making the warriors panic. Meanwhile, Claude and Rufus narrowed their eyes, catching the person running in front of the undead.

"Auntie Lilove?" Claude gasped, seeing that the herd of undead was chasing after Lilou, and she was leading them all to them. "Oy, oy… why is she bringing everyone in here?"

"Rufus!!!" Rufus slightly heard his name from Lilou, watching her wave her scythe in the air. Since he couldn't hear her, Rufus' read Lilou's lips. Rufus could only make up one word by reading her lips, and that was, "switch!"  

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