Still within Andy's grasp, Patal and Lisa were thrown to the ground when Andy declared his delusional friendship with Gaige. They had not expected to survive, and yet, they were not entirely shocked when they were spared. Relief washed over them at being alive, but it was tinged with anxiety about the reason for their reprieve. They feared that Andy might use them as leverage against Gaige. Escape seemed impossible as they were confined to an unfamiliar, doorless room with no ventilation. The atmosphere inside grew increasingly oppressive as their anxiety mounted. "How can we get out of here?" Lisa asked, her fear palpable. The already eerie and dark room took on an even more ominous aura due to their trepidation. "What a psycho," Patal muttered. He tapped Lisa's thighs in astonishment, pondering how Andy had cleanly severed their legs without causing any pain or bloodshed. "Do you think this is an illusion too?" Patal inquired. Lisa responded by tapping his amputated legs as w
In an empty café, one man sat alone, sipping coffee he had prepared himself, while the rest of the city reverberated with screams and frantic commotion. After taking a sip of his coffee, he remarked aloud, "It's already the second day." He took a bite of the cake he had also appropriated from the café, savoring it with delight. "Hmm, so tasty," he commented. "What a life. The day is passing by so fast." Gaige was unwinding with his gun, Andy's absence leaving him with little to do. Gun's muzzle was aimed at the trembling prey outside the café as it remarked, "It may be fast for you, but for them, time is crawling." Gaige looked at Gun with surprise and quipped, "Hmm? Since when did you learn empathy?" Gun responded, "Since I became your weapon." Gaige snorted. He understood what Gun was getting at. He had also experienced the Hunt as prey, and those days were some of the most wretched. Time moved agonizingly slowly when you were being hunted; a minute felt like a second, and a d
Gaige squinted his eyes, attempting to discern the identity of the woman with vibrant red hair. A wave of unease washed over him as he recognized her as Ellise. "Why the heck is she here?" he mused. But his surprise deepened when he saw who Ellise was confronting. His eyes widened, and his body shot into the air. Mid-flight, Adal issued a chilling warning. [Alert! Your bond with Purger Ainspenser is weakening.] [Warning! Purger Ainspenser is on the verge of expiring!] [Warning! Your own existence is tied to the life of Purger Ainspenser. If she perishes, you will too.] "Adal, analyze Ainspenser! How badly is she injured?" Gaige commanded. Since Ainspenser bore no visible injuries, Gaige was uncertain how to assist her. He timed his leap perfectly, snatching his wife away from Ellise. He landed on a rooftop three buildings away, placing Ainspenser down. Adal swiftly provided him with an analysis of Ainspenser's condition, equipping him with the knowledge he needed to attend to he
"You invited me to come see you six years ago, but you never came," Apoles explained. "Six years ago?" Gaige fixed his posture and wondered what Apoles was talking about. He then remembered inviting Apoles to his home in Ademordna but being unable to see him due to his death. He quickly motioned his head to apologize, but then he stopped. "Wait, did you come to my house while I was away?" he asked. "Yes, I met Ellise there." "Woah, so it's my fault you met this strange b*tch." Gaige shakes his head at the strange connection Apoles made in his absence. He admired Apoles as he always did, but he found it odd that Apoles was siding with Ellise. "But why are you protecting her?" "She's my friend." Gaige squinted his eyes as he felt Apoles' words did not match Apoles' dazed gaze on Ellise. He crossed his arms while he directly asked Ellise, "Is he the one who helped you out?" but Ellise was not in the right mind to answer. It was Apoles who answered for her. He said, "I simply let
Gaige Feryuson absorbed Reshmin Enka as the fifth soul, satisfying the system's requirements to transform him into a purger. Little was known about Reshmin apart from her status as a purgeable being who had fallen victim to the same red-shoe purger responsible for tormenting and killing Gaige's friends. Reshmin was among the individuals Gaige had to resurrect to attain sainthood, a fate she shared with others who were caught up in the purging process purely by virtue of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gaige paid little attention to her, considering her merely collateral damage in the hunt. However, what neither Gaige nor the system realized was the connection between Reshmin Enka and Andy. It wasn't until later, when they discovered her last name was related to Andy's, that the pieces began to fall into place. From the onset of his career as a purger, Andy had nurtured and cultivated a human family – the Enkas. Rirru Enka stood as the current head of the family, and Resh
A gentle breeze carried an oily scent through the air. Distant roars, initially faint and unclear, gradually intensified in volume and significance. Suddenly, Gaige Feryuson found himself in an open, expansive area that left him feeling uneasy. Perplexed by his circumstances, Gaige slumped down, gazing vacantly at the sky while making feeble attempts to grasp at the mud beneath him. "Why am I in the mud?" he wondered, his words being spoken with his mouth but only echoing within his mind. As he continued to survey the peculiar scene, he struggled to recall what he might have forgotten. Just then, a powerful gust of wind tore through the space with swiftness. However, the wind seemed to be coming from his eyes, so he turned his head to the side to shield himself from it. Gaige's face stung as the mud struck him with force. It was at that moment that the open space abruptly transformed into a confined area, resembling a dungeon. "Haha! Seriously." He laughed as he finally realize
Except for Gaige and Ainspenser, everyone had gathered at Yawyklim Central Plaza. It was an unprecedented occurrence during the hunt, where opposing sides engaged in direct combat instead of scattered skirmishes. Purgers typically operated individually or in small groups, and rarely had they united en masse. On the other hand, purgeable beings were usually helpless and unprepared during the hunt. However, this time, they had learned how the hunt worked and gained the knowledge of how to combat purgers. The fear and vulnerability that once filled their eyes had given way to determination and a will to survive through their own strength and abilities. All of these changes had come about due to the efforts of both Andy and Gaige. Gaige had successfully persuaded the purgeable beings to cooperate, while Andy had effectively led the purgers. Even the angels observing from above found themselves anticipating the outcome of this rare event. With no clear distinction between hunters and pre
The Central Plaza was enveloped in the suffocating aura of death. Purgers opened fire fervently, even before they touched the ground. Fortunately, the purgeable beings were ready. Those with the ability to create shields covered those charging forward, allowing the others to engage the purgers immediately. As the two sides collided, the area became drenched in blood, and the acrid scent of death hung heavily in the air. The triumphant shouts of the enemy were nauseating, but no one wavered. "We can win!" declared one of the leaders upon seeing the purgers sustain more damage. The initial elation and confidence of the purgers quickly dwindled as the purgeable beings gained the upper hand. No one had expected these typically fearful and feeble individuals to respond with such ferocity. It caused the purgers to feel iffy about the sudden change. Also, the purgers' morale declines even more as they worry that they might not respawn as a result of the system's ongoing failure to co