My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 31: The Ravencourt Town [8]

"AHHHHH!!!"

With one synchronized scream from every girl present...

....They rushed toward them with the intent to kill.

’Fuck.’

Eden moved on instinct as he turned the blade of his axe inside so the blunt part was the point of impact.

"They are all being controlled!!!"

Eden shouted as he braced for impact, lowering himself.

"Don’t kill them, Abel!!"

Abel didn’t get a chance to answer.

Hundreds of blank-eyed girls sprinted with unnatural speed.

Their needles shone under the dim light of the place.

The first girl slammed into Eden.

Her needle slashed upward toward his throat.

Eden batted it away with the flat of his axe, twisting his body aside before she barreled past him.

She hit the wall but still crawled back to her feet like a puppet pulled by invisible strings.

Two more rushed him next.

Eden swung the blunt axe-head sideways.

The strike hit the first girl in the ribs, sending her spiraling across the ground.

But the second jumped at him like an animal, her hands clawing for his eyes.

Eden gritted his teeth and headbutted her.

The impact rattled his skull, but she dropped.

From behind him, Abel’s panicked voice came. "They aren’t stopping, Eden!"

"Then keep hitting without killing!!"

"That is MUCH harder than you’re making it sound!!"

Eden didn’t answer as he was too busy staying alive.

He barely had time to breathe before a third girl lunged, needle aiming for his heart.

He brought his elbow down hard on her forearm.

CRACK!

She screamed, but her eyes stayed hollow and she just tried to stab him again with the other hand.

’What is wrong with them!?’

Eden grabbed her wrist and slammed her into the ground with enough force to knock her out.

Another rushed him before he could even stand straight.

Behind him, Abel was fending off three at once, using only his fists, ducking under a wild slash.

"I SAID don’t kill them!!" Eden barked.

"I heard you the first damn time!!" Abel snapped back, parrying a needle strike with his forearm and immediately regretting it.

Reina shrank back against the wall, pulling the unconscious girl toward her.

Her eyes were wide, terrified.

More girls flooded in from both ends of the corridor now, the puppet-scream rising to a deafening pitch.

The narrow path worked in their favour as they didn’t have enough space to move together.

≤You are going to be overwhelmed at this rate.≥

Eden slammed the blunt axe into another girl’s jaw, knocking her clean out.

’I fucking noticed that!’

≤Then STOP holding back—≥

"And kill them!? NO."

He ducked under another needle swipe, planting his foot into the girl’s stomach and shoving her back into the mob.

Eden didn’t even get the chance to reset his footing, the next girl was already on him.

He drove the blunt of his axe into her collarbone, sending her collapsing to the floor in a heap.

But the moment she fell, three more scrambled over her body, blank eyes locked on him with feral hunger.

The more girls rushed at him, the more Eden felt his ribs scream in pain.

Eden was still standing because of an adrenaline rush through his body.

"Abel!! On your left!!" Eden shouted.

"I see them!!" Abel’s voice cracked as he ducked under another swipe.

Another girl latched onto Abel’s back, needle pressing toward his neck.

"AB—!"

Eden lashed out, his chain whipping through the air and wrapping around her wrist.

Eden yanked the chain back, the girl was ripped off Abel and slammed into the ground.

Just as Eden turned his focus on other girls, Eden felt a sudden strain.

’...Tosin?’

Eden quickly allowed for Tosin to come back to his side.

And once the face of Tosin appeared, his panicked voice echoed. "Eden! My daughter!!"

The panic in it was raw, frantic, nothing like the calm guidance from earlier.

Eden felt his heartbeat throb as he looked around.

"Argh!"

A needle punctured his hand making him let out a muffled groan.

He quickly slammed his shoulder on the girl attacking him.

"Where!?" Eden shouted through clenched teeth. "WHERE!!"

His shadow rippled wildly.

Tosin’s face distorted with a grief-stricken fear Eden had never seen before.

"S-she was in the crowd!" Tosin’s voice trembled. "I-I felt her clearly."

Eden’s eyes snapped to the left side of the corridor.

Dozens of hollow-eyed girls clambered over fallen bodies.

’Where is she!?’ 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Arghh!!"

A sudden crying voice of a girl made Eden turn sharply.

Behind Abel a few of the girls had already made their way to Reina and her friend.

A few of them had already begun stabbing the unconscious girl with big needles.

It was only a few seconds but for Eden the scene seemed to slow down.

Through his side vision he found Abel rushing towards Reina.

His hand moved towards the dagger that Eden gave him before.

A girl had her needle raised high, aiming to puncture Reina’s throat who was busy trying to save her friend.

It was all slow and Eden felt it clearly.

....The desperation that creeped down his throat.

"ABEL, DON’T!!!"

Despite him screaming through the top of his lungs....

....Abel grabbed the girl from the back of her head.

The chain in Eden’s hand snapped to grab Abel’s wrist but it was already too late.

SLICK!!!

The sound of flesh tearing echoed within the path.

Abel’s dagger dug deeper into the heart of the girl.

Time snapped back into motion like a whip.

The girl’s body jerked once and then she went limp in Abel’s grip, the dagger buried to the hilt in her chest.

Everyone within the place froze in their place.

Eden’s mind turned blank for a second, standing there completely unguarded.

"Sniff."

A sniffing sound echoed, coming from one of the girls.

And before long, every girl there began to cry....In one synchronized tone.

The three of them remained silent in their place.

The girls around them turned and walked back, still crying in grief.

In just a few seconds the place was empty once more.

Eden let go of the axe-chain as he walked towards Abel.

Abel gently put down the girl on the ground when he felt a jerk on his shoulder.

Without a single word, Eden threw a punch that connected straight on his face.

Abel’s head snapped to the side, his jaw slackening as he stumbled back and crashed onto the stone floor.

Reina gasped trying to get back to her feet.

Eden put his knee on Abel’s chest, his fist hitting his face once again.

"Eden!" Reina grabbed his arm, trying to get him off. "Let him go!"

"GET OFF!"

Eden snapped, pushing her aside, the girl fell back on her butts crying in pain.

Abel immediately reacted.

His arm shot up, catching Eden’s wrist just before the third punch came down.

"EDEN!" Abel snapped at him. "Stop—!"

"STOP!?" Eden snarled, he slammed his weight down harder on Abel’s chest, pinning him in place. "You killed her!"

"I didn’t have a choice—!"

"There’s always a choice!" Eden roared, his ribs screaming but rage drowning out the pain.

"They were CONTROLLED! I TOLD YOU—DON’T KILL—"

"AND REINA WOULD BE DEAD!" Abel bellowed back, voice cracking. "I-I did what I had to—!"

"Fuck her!!" Eden put more pressure on the knee that was pinning him. "Is she more important than me!?"

Abel groaned in pain but he didn’t look away. "Eden—?"

"IS SHE!?"

Abel looked into his eyes as one word came out of his mouth. "...Yes."

Eden stopped on his track as he looked at Abel in disbelief. "...What?"

Abel didn’t say anything else but he didn’t put his head down either.

Slowly Eden stood up, moving back to grab both his axe-chains.

"I have someone I need to find." Eden said as he walked in the direction they came from.

"Get out and bring help."

He didn’t look back at his brother.....not even once.