The entire battalion of enemies converged to surround Core and Voron in front of the research facility, as well as prince Zane, who came rushing outside after them.

“My my, this is an unpleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting the entire Orthlysian army, along with 2 generals of Crypt to gang up on me,” Core shrugged playfully as Zane reacted to his words.

“Orthlysian army..? You don’t mean…”

“Yep, the same schtick that we had to put up with 6 years ago. They’re trying to frame Econica,” Core surmised, making Zane shake his head in denial.

“Cease your baseless accusations! My father would never do something like this!” He claimed, defending his father and his homeland.

“Is it really baseless though? They did the same thing 6 years ago, and don’t tell me you don’t recognize some of these soldiers in the crowd,” Core pointed out, to which Zane twitched, the acceptance finally dawning on him.

“Enough chatter. You’re coming with us, kid,” Galo interrupted their conversation, descending down on them with his arms crossed.

“Alrighty. I’ll let you have me,” Core put his arms up, making Chloe and Sho, who had just arrived on the scene gasp in shock, along with the others they were with.

“Oh? Is this a trick?” Galo asked as he raised his eyebrow.

“Oh no, I assure you it’s not. But I have one condition,” Core added. “Once you get me, you and your army have to leave the gulf without hurting anyone else,” he proposed, the entire army growing silent as tensions rose between them.

“Hmm, it’s a tempting offer. But a rather stupid one, don’t you think?” Galo remarked, making Core’s smile fade away, turning into a slight frown. “While our top priority is to capture you, it should be a fairly easy task. So I see no reason to compromise our second priority, which is to slaughter the population. You understand?” He continued as Sho and Chloe tried to act, but being stopped by Roki, who guarded the armies rear.

“I see. So you have no intention of letting us escape then? Or do you just have a soft spot for Clyde?” Core spoke, urking Galo.

“They’d already escaped. I saw no reason to waste our time pursuing them,” Galo excused his actions.

“Whatever. Master Galo, let’s capture this brat already,” Jona stepped forward and turned his arms into drills, Zane jumping in front of the 2 in defense.

Core suddenly bit his lip, trying to think of one final plan to escape the predicament. However, he suddenly heard Voron whisper behind him.

“I’ve seen your resolve, Core. Now, let me show you mine,” he uttered, making Core turn around in confusion, Voron suddenly taking him into a chokehold and pointing a knife to his neck, making the entire army halt as Galo raised his arm in signal.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Galo asked Voron, to which he laughed.

“Don’t take another step, or this kid’s life ends, you hear?!” Voron yelled, turning everyone’s attention to him, including Saphrilla and Emria, who were with Chloe.

“Father..?” Saphrilla uttered in confusion.

“Wait… But Core’s immortal. Grandpa should know that though,” Emria’s perplexed voice whispered.

“H-hey! Old man, the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Core struggled, also oblivious to what was happening.

“I’ll give you the boy on the same condition that he gave you. Let everyone else go, or else,” Voron threatened as he closed the knife near Core’s neck.

“Hahaha, you’re a funny old man. I can see the passive nature in your eyes. You’re bluffing. You could never end someone’s life,” Galo called his bluff, making Voron suddenly lodge the knife into Core’s neck, blood beginning to gush.

“Are you sure about that?” He reiterated, Galo recoiling in shock, flabbergasted.

“You senile heathen! This is not honorable in the slightest!” Shuna, who was fighting Chloe, remarked.

“Damn, you think you’re the self-sacrificing type? Heh, you’re only sacrificing that kid right now,” Jona laughed.

Galo scoffed, clenched his fist, then raised his hand again.

“All troops, stand down! Let everyone else escape! We can pursue them after they leave the gulf!” Galo commanded, making Roki riot in anger.

“ARE YOU FUCKIN’ KIDDING ME YOU GRASSY BITCH?! HELL NO, I AIN’T LISTENING TO YOU,” he rampaged.

“Roki! Remember who put me in charge! Are you going to go against the grandmaster?!” Galo yelled after him, making Roki halt in his movements, paralyzing him. “Everyone, follow my orders! You’re not to hurt any of them until they’ve left the gulf!”

All of Voron’s allies quivered with uncertainty, dumbfounded by this turn of events.

“Escape..? Are we just supposed to run..?” Sho uttered as his widened eyes stared at the vast army in front of him.

“It seems that’s the only choice we have…” Wallace put his hand on Sho’s shoulder, making him close his eyes in reluctance, beginning to step towards the east exit, along with Lillia and Reggie.

As they passed by Chloe, Sho stopped and looked at her and the 2 girls.

“Come on… Let’s go…” He uttered to them as the stood there in shock.

Sho stood and stared at them with a pained expression for a few seconds, then turned his head and continued up the tunnel.

“Prince Zane and Miss Tincer, please go. Their patience is bound to grow weary,” Voron uttered, making the 2 reluctantly flee, passing by Chloe as well on their way out, Zane trying his hardest not to act in an overprotective manner.

“Come on you 3, we don’t have all day,” Galo rushed them.

“What… Do you…” Saphrilla trembled with her head down. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, FATHER?!” She yelled with tears in her eyes, snapping Chloe out of her trance.

“I’m sorry, sweety. But this is the only way to ensure everyone’s safe,” he apologized, bowing his head down in remorse.

“Are you an idiot?! Everyone is safe?! What about yourself, you imbecile?!” She continued crying as Galo sighed with impatience.

“I’ll give you 10 seconds to leave. After that, I won’t be held responsible for what happens,” Galo remarked, putting his open hand up in the air, and beginning to count down with his fingers.

“Saphrilla… Let’s go,” Chloe picked her up and began walking to the east tunnel, Saphrilla struggling as tears flew out of her eyes, reaching back over Chloe’s shoulder for her father.

Emria stayed staring at Voron with a still, emotionless expression, Voron noticing it and smiling warmly at her, with a gaze that communicated Voron’s thoughts clearly to her. ‘Take care of everyone’, is what she understood from him, making her furrow her eyebrows and nod sternly, turning around and following Chloe and Saphrilla, who was still crying. A single tear fell down Emria’s cheek as she walked away. Chloe and Saphrilla were already through the tunnel, and Emria was about to join them. But as she was at the threshold to the tunnel, she heard Roki yelling.

“And that’s 10!” He happily screamed, charging at Emria with his hammer wound up.

“No! Don’t!” Voron yelled out as Roki’s hammer slammed down on the little girl, his actions even surprising the army of men.

However, as the smoke cleared from around them, they saw Roki struggling to push his hammer down as the blow didn’t even dent the girl.

“The hell are you made of?!” He shouted as the girl’s face came into view, turning her gaze at him.

Her glare sent shivers down Roki’s spine, making him recoil and twitch in fear, releasing Emria from the hammer blow and letting her up the tunnel, joining Chloe and Saphrilla.