Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 55: Rebound Strike

Chapter 55: Rebound Strike

"This time..." Lala continued, stepping forward, his aura flaring with intensity. "Let’s see how you manage to run away."

I sighed, my body stiffening, and slowly removed my hand from my pocket. The other hand remained firmly on Hina’s shoulder.

Before I could say a word, Serina moved, stepping in front of Lala with her arms wide open, shielding us. "Stop!" she yelled, her voice desperate. "They didn’t do anything wrong!"

Lala’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. His jaw tightened, and his fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. "How can you take their side," he spat, his voice shaking with fury, "knowing they killed Arthur—your own team member—and guess what? He killed the others as well."

Serina flinched but stood her ground, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I can explain... just hear me ou—"

"Gyosu..."

The sharp voice of one of the elves cut through the scene like a blade, silencing Serina mid-sentence. Lala’s head snapped toward the speaker. The elf, a female warrior with long silver hair, was staring at something in the distance. Her voice trembled as she pointed, and I followed her gaze.

"Look here!" she called out.

The entire group shifted their attention, and soon whispers spread like wildfire.

"Is that... Gyosu?"

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the elves as they took in the sight of Gyosu’s lifeless body, still propped against the wall where he died. The faint remnants of his once-formidable aura flickered around him like dying embers.

"The Grand Elder..." someone whispered, their voice laden with shock and disbelief.

Lala froze, his entire body trembling as his eyes landed on Gyosu’s corpse. The rage in his face twisted into something darker, more dangerous. His eyes gleamed with fury, and yet there was an unmistakable pain in them—a deep, raw grief.

"You killed him too?" he asked, his voice cracking. The anger was still there, burning like an inferno, but now it was mixed with sorrow.

The other elves weren’t as conflicted. Their emotions erupted all at once—shouts of rage, accusations flying. The elders in the group raised their voices, their faces contorted with anger.

"This is unforgivable!" one elder roared.

"They’ve gone too far!" another shouted.

Lala’s hand trembled as it grew its nails out, his aura flaring even more violently, threatening to consume everything around him. His gaze bore into mine.

"You’ll pay for this. I’ll make sure of it."

"Calm down!" Serina’s voice rang out, sharp and steady despite the tension. She stepped forward, facing Lala. "That’s not the truth! Esther is the one who lifted the curse. It was an artifact—one used by your Elder—"

Before she could finish, a sudden wave of aura surged from Lala, crashing into her like a forceful tide. Serina was flung against the tree, the impact echoing in the air as she gasped in pain.

"How dare you..." Lala growled, his voice low and venomous. His aura twisted violently, wrapping around Serina like an invisible chain, holding her in place. "How dare you speak that way about our Grand Elder Elf..."

"Serina!" Hina screamed, her voice breaking with concern as she tried to step forward, but I held her back.

"I respected you, but I guess you’re one of them. That’s why you brought them here, isn’t it?" Said Lala.

The surrounding elves growled in unison, their weapons drawn as Lala raised a hand, signaling them to prepare for an attack.

I glanced around, my eyes sharp as I assessed their positions, gauging their strengths and weaknesses. The odds weren’t in our favor, but I remained calm. If it came to a fight, I would do what was necessary.

"This is a misunderstanding!" Hina’s voice rang out, desperate yet firm. She took a step forward despite the threat. "We’re the ones who helped you! It was Braun and the others who were draining your life energy!"

"And you expect us to believe that?" a female elf snapped, stepping out of the crowd with narrowed eyes.

"Can you still feel the drain?" I asked, my voice cutting through the commotion like a blade.

Silence fell over the elves, their eyes turning to me. My tone was even, authoritative.

"Tell me," I continued, my gaze unwavering as I scanned their faces, "do you still feel the life energy drain that’s been plaguing you for months?"

They hesitated. The female elf who had spoken before shifted uncomfortably, her lips parting but no words coming out. Lala’s hand instinctively moved to his chest, his expression faltering for a moment as doubt flickered in his eyes.

"I can see your souls and auras," I said, my voice calm but filled with undeniable confidence. "When I arrived here, they were unstable—shaking, like they were being pulled apart by some unnatural force. But now..." I paused, my eyes locking onto Lala’s, "it has returned to its original flow."

Lala froze, the tension in his jaw easing for the briefest of moments. The elves exchanged uncertain glances, some clutching their chests as if to confirm my words.

But just as the uncertainty began to settle, Lala’s aura flared again, brighter and more violent than before. His face twisted with rage, and his voice erupted like thunder.

"No! He’s toying with us! I refuse to believe an outsider!" He greeted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "WE ARE ELADRINS! WE DON’T BOW TO ANYONE!"

In that moment, I saw it—something sharp, something deadly, surging from behind Lala. His aura flared with anger, his hatred for me blinding him completely to the danger that loomed in the shadows. My heart sank as the realization hit.

"Watch out!" I shouted, my voice desperate and loud enough but—

*GUSH *

The sound of piercing flesh froze the world around us. Lala’s steps faltered, and his body stiffened mid-step. His head lowered in confusion, his fiery aura flickering and waning like a candle on the verge of dying. Slowly, he looked down, his breath hitching as blood began to drip onto the ground beneath him, pooling at his feet.

"Lala...?" The female elf’s voice broke the silence, trembling with disbelief. Her wide, unblinking eyes reflected the gruesome sight before her, and gasps rippled through the group of elves.

The truth was undeniable now. Coming from Lala’s stomach was a long, white, solid strand of hair, its tip sharp and glistening like a blade. The strand shimmered faintly under the sunlight, coated crimson with his blood.