'I can't die here!' Nel muttered under his breath as he ran past the trees with Kora beside him.

He couldn't believe that the Warden rushed into his base just like that. How did she even find out where he was? And how in the world can she take on those trained Acolytes all on her own?!

'She is a real monster. Not someone I can deal with.' If only he had the specimen or that being who fought Annebelle at Skulth's previous base then Nel wouldn't be the one running away.

"Ou! You are hurting me!" Kora complained, making Nel growl,

"You want to die here?" He asked, glancing at her with his gaze sharp.

Kora snickered, "She won't reach us, not with my prediction. I can tell where she will appear."

Nel knew that Kora never makes wrong predictions that's why he was carrying this dead weight with him in the first place.

**BOOOOOOM**

'Shit…' He cursed again as a huge explosion ensued back at the base.

He could hear the cries of his men, the scent of death was thick in the air.

It was unbelievable how much destruction a single being could cause.

'But I won't die tonight…or it will be all over.' He has a far more important role in this world to die just yet.

Beyond this forest is a secret tunnel that leads to the capital of Aritveil. He would hide in the palace for the time being and when the time comes, he would just reform the cult.

As long as he was alive, he knew he could recover from any damage.

He just needs to live!

"Where is it?" Kora asked as they finally stepped out of the forest.

Nel glanced around before pointing towards a small boulder across from the route.

The two rushed towards the boulder before the man brushed away the dirt and held the two bars of the secret door.

*CLINK*

He pulled the metal doors, intending to jump in and escape from this hell…but when he opened the door, he found hell waiting for him.

Cold blue eyes stared at him.

Resting on the ladder with a smile on her face was the same woman from whom he was running away.

Annabelle was here.

"Hello, were you going somewhere?"

*Thud*

Kora fell on her butt, her eyes widened in shock.

Bella slowly climbed out of the tunnel and stood before the duo.

The stench coming from the woman nearly made Kora puke out her lunch.

The appearance of the woman was horrifying enough to make a grown man tremble in fear.

Nel's eyes were stretched wide as he asked, "H-How…"

"How I found you?" Annabelle asked, a smile of joy on her face as she revealed, "Well, praise my darling for that. He implanted a tracking device inside you so I knew where to find you. Isn't he a genius? Eheh~"

Color drained from his face as Nel realized what a fool he was to believe he was always two steps ahead of that man.

It turned out, Adrian always knew where to find him. He was just not taking Nel seriously enough to attack him all this time.

Kora suddenly barked, "Don't fuck with me! You can't go against my visi-"

*CRACKLE*

The woman's eyes widened, her words dying as thunder sizzled through her body and splitting her from the middle.

Annabelle put a finger on her lips as she muttered, "Shush now."

Nel took a deep breath.

It felt a single wrong word here and he would bid farewell to this world.

He couldn't even imagine fighting this woman normally. Forget about now when she was wearing bloodlust like a second skin.

Annabelle turned towards Nel and said, "Alright, let me bring you to my Darling."

"No, wait!" Nel suddenly raised his hand—and instantly a burning sensation assaulted him

*THUD* *THUD*

His trembling eyes shifted slowly to the ground and he found his arms lying there.

"Ghaaa!" A deep cry resonated as the man fell to his knees, his eyes filled with tears.

Annabelle clicked her tongue and said, "Three seconds. Stop crying or I will change my mind and kill you right here."

She raised her index finger.

Nel's eyes widened as he raised his hand to press them against his mouth, only to realize they were severed.

She raised another finger.

Frustration built as he bit his lower lips to prevent himself from making a sound.

Blood oozed from his lips, his eyes brimming with tears but he didn't let out another sound.

Annabelle gave an appreciative nod before saying, "Alright, let's go, doggy. Master awaits you." She took off her formless sword, wrapped it around Nel's neck before dragging him.

Nel experienced hell in those few minutes when she dragged him through the dirt.

His arms were still bleeding, and the blade was giving him cuts on his neck.

She showed not even an ounce of empathy as she pulled him towards her Darling.

….

Meanwhile, inside the base, Adrian couldn't help but sigh. Looking around, he felt he had seen something like this before.

This wasn't the first time Annabelle lost her mind like this.

"I am sorry, Adrian…" a soft voice came from the left.

As he turned, he saw Ruby had her head lowered as she muttered, "I should have been mindful of my words."

Ariana nodded, "Yeah, you should have been. Not because of this all but because Bella could have been at risk."

Ruby didn't say anything, accepting all the blame since she committed a grave mistake.

Jean couldn't help but mutter, "I have never seen her this angry."

Eros nodded, "Her stoic front always gives me the impression that she is displeased with something…maybe the society or Acolytes. But…it turned out, when she is actually displeased, she becomes a completely different person."

This was not something any other Warden was capable of in this world.

Jean was again reminded that the person who took away the title of world's strongest is in an entirely different league than her.

Truly terrifying.

Adrian turned towards Ruby and told her, "I would be lying to say that I am not upset a little but the fact is…Annabelle did something which we have been planning for so long. So in a way, whatever happened it was for good."

Ruby parted her lips to say something but then, someone called out,

"DAAARLING!" They all turned towards the voice and saw Annabelle waving at him with a bright smile.

And behind her, on the ground, was a familiar man whom Adrian was looking for.

'Fortunately, she didn't kill him.'

°°°°°°°°

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