Turning
chapter-665

The next day, the sound of Nukijo's gang unlocking the door echoed through the space.

As Yuder slowly opened his eyelids, he met Kishiar's already open gaze. Kishiar placed a finger over his lips and smiled mischievously, signaling 'shush.'

The gang's coarse laughter filled the air as they grumbled about the warped door, cursing the fate of a fallen comrade who had caused them such trouble. They speculated about the new arrivals, assuming one to be an Omega, and talked about conducting a thorough examination before sending them out, their words dripping with crude intentions.

As the door finally swung open, two of Nukijo's men peered in, snickering. "Let's see, they said he took the drug, but he couldn't have died already... What? What’s this?!"

Inside, they were met with a shocking sight. Not only was the black-haired Awakener, the second guest, sprawled out as if dead, but the first guest, who should have been securely locked in the adjacent room, lay boldly beside him. The gang members nearly fainted in astonishment.

"How did this happen? Why are you two together?"

"Who knows? I just woke up here," the first guest replied nonchalantly, yawning. He then criticized the poor conditions of Nukijo's lodging, mocking its unsuitability for a long stay.

While the gang members were still processing how the first guest had ended up there, the second guest, who had risen leisurely, swiftly struck them under their jaws.

Thud.

A bone-shaking sound echoed as the two men flipped their eyes and collapsed together.

Kishiar, who had been watching quietly, whistled softly and clapped in amusement. "Impressive. They might have to give up on chewing bread with those jaws."

"Shall we go?" Yuder suggested after rifling through the fallen men's belongings and seizing a bunch of keys. After ensuring the coast was clear, he exchanged a glance with Kishiar, who had elegantly stepped over the unconscious men to join him.

"Is your hand okay?" Kishiar asked, looking down at Yuder's hand.

"It's fine," Yuder reassured. The Nukijo gang, blinded by greed, had overlooked the most crucial item: Yuder's enchanted gloves. Relying solely on the power of drugs and Reneve's abilities, they had carelessly left the gloves, which protected his hands with magic power. Those punches were easier than splitting a piece of wood with his bare hand.

Swiftly, they unlocked the surrounding doors. The first they opened was naturally the one confining Elpkins.

"Ah..."

"I promised I'd come. Stretch out your hands for me to unbind the chains."

"You really came..."

Elpkins extended his bound hands and feet, his eyes brimming with tears. He gazed at the heavy chains falling to the ground before following Yuder with a fierce and determined look.

"How do you feel?"

"Thanks to your treatment yesterday, I'm feeling much better. My wings have reattached... I think I'll have no trouble completing the task you assigned me!"

Elpkins vigorously fluttered his wings, sending feathers flying. His feathers, restored to their original color, were large and strong enough to be used as daggers.

"Good, good. Once everyone else is freed, you know what to do next."

"Yes!"

Shortly after, most of the Awakeners were released. While they moved their newly freed limbs with a mix of tension and joy, Yuder and Kishiar headed toward the last room near the central staircase.

The key, inserted into a lock that seemed never to have been opened before, turned with force, unlocking the heavy door to reveal Reneve inside.

Reneve gazed unwaveringly at Yuder standing beyond the door, without even blinking. Yuder extended his hand towards her.

"Retract your power, and come out now."

It was as if she awoke from a dream. Reneve shuddered slightly. She slowly moved her weakened body, grasping the edge of the bed to take one step at a time, approaching the doorway.

The thin line dividing the inside and outside of the door.

After staring at it for a long time, Reneve finally bit her lip and stepped over the line, coming outside.

A deep breath, filled with numerous emotions, escaped her lips. She murmured, holding back tears.

"I’ve realized it now. Not using my powers feels like this. It's incredibly, comfortable."

Reneve was barefoot under her long, flowing skirt. Yuder frowned, guessing why the Nukijo gang had provided her with everything else but shoes.

'They meant to say, don't even think about escaping.'

"Wait here a moment."

Yuder returned to his room and took a pair of shoes from one of the unconscious men. They were slightly large for Reneve, but not too big to wear.

As she put on the shoes, Reneve finally smiled genuinely.

"Thank you."

"No need for thanks. But, I searched for your friend among the other Awakeners captured here yesterday, and couldn't find your friend. They might be somewhere else, so I'll keep looking."

"Ah..."

Reneve relaxed her clenched fist.

"I see. That’s alright... I thought as much. If my friend had been here, they wouldn’t have hidden my friend’s face from me until the end. Just knowing that is enough for me. I'm truly grateful you searched for and informed me about Cyril. I may not be able to repay this debt even in death, but I will never forget it."

Yuder hadn't done anything deserving such grand words. He shook his head briefly and led her to where the others were gathered.

Reneve, with her unusual attire, drew many glances, but the Awakeners said nothing. Seeing her emaciated form, barely alive, it was clear that she too was a victim of this brutal arena.

"Now, everyone is out as planned."

Kishiar surveyed everyone with a deliberately casual tone, addressing them with a voice lighter than usual. His face had been transformed, but his speech and mannerisms were no longer that of the ordinary mercenary he had adopted earlier; he was now back to his usual self.

"Now, we have the freedom to use our powers here as we please. This means you can use your abilities freely when necessary. The means Nukijo used to suppress the powers of those trapped here are now gone."

As he spoke, Kishiar turned to Reneve, flashing her a sly smile, which she returned awkwardly.

"However, as you informed us yesterday, there are still many difficulties inside the arena that could prevent our escape. Therefore, the two of us will head up first. You should move as instructed yesterday, but do not act alone and wait at the agreed-upon location until you receive a signal."

"Ah, yes, yes!"

The Awakeners responded naturally to his commanding tone, their expressions bewildered. Observing their awkward reactions, reminiscent of the first members of the Cavalry, Kishiar's lips curved up gently.

"Our goal is to escape from here without leaving anyone behind. Remember, those standing beside you, though forced to fight against each other until yesterday, are now survivors and comrades from the same peril. Our enemy lies above us."

With these final words, he quietly raised a finger above his head.

Above them. That was where the arena lay, where countless Awakeners had perished.

The eyes of the Awakeners blazed red. They responded with firm faces, their voices strong.

"Understood!"

"We got it!"

Yuder watched from a step behind, recalling the day Kishiar had first greeted the members of the Cavalry.

Though much had changed since then, some things remained the same.

A quiet yet distinct smile curved the corners of Yuder's lips as he looked upward.

The two then leaped upwards towards their destination.

What followed was not difficult. They boldly ascended to the second floor, easily overpowering most of those they encountered. Most were caught off guard, assuming they were fellow members of the Nukijo gang, and for those who recognized their faces, it still posed no challenge.

"Huh? What are the Awakeners doing here instead of preparing for the fight?"

The bewildered barrel manager, who had taken the two guests to Nukijo the night before, turned to them.

"We were told to come this way."

Yuder responded curtly, a question dawning on the man's face.

"Who told you?"

"My instinct."

"What?... Ugh!"

The manager was promptly taken down by an object thrust into his back.