Five Days on the Run

Being a fugitive was far from pleasant.

The pursuers never stopped coming, and even when we passed through a village or a town, rest never came easy. Every stranger who walked by set off the same reflex — was this one of them?

At least I had it better than most.

Kang Myeong-jin and the rest of the A-Plan Legion seemed to believe I was being controlled by a Subjugation skill, after all.

Today marked the fifth day of our flight.

We found a village, but the place was crawling with mercenaries, so I made the call on the spot — we would camp rough. There was no other choice.

"…The pursuers are skilled. I think they know where we are."

Federica frowned as she spoke. Exhaustion sat heavy on her face.

I already had a pretty good idea who was responsible.

Ju Seo-hyeon. One of her skills — Brand of Vengeance — is specialized for tracking.

They were definitely using her skill to hunt us down.

In a situation like this, a Spatial Transfer scroll would be the best play…

As if Kang Myeong-jin would be that sloppy. The moment we ran, he locked it down.

This game of tag would end soon enough. Of all people, our opponent was Kang Myeong-jin — thorough, relentless Kang Myeong-jin. He was never going to let us go easily.

"Federica. Give me the drug."

The second we finished setting up camp, Santanu spoke. The drug again. Until now ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Federica had handed over the narcotic without a second thought, but this time she bit down on her lip.

"Santanu. The enemy is closing in. This is serious. Do you really need it right now? Can't you go without for just three more days?"

Irritation edged her voice.

Santanu, however, could not have cared less about Federica's mood. He thrust out a hand that trembled with withdrawal and snapped at her like a man already half-mad.

"Federica. I'm already holding out. I'm not using it the whole time we're running — only when we sleep. Just allow me that much. Give me the drug, Federica."

Federica exhaled a long sigh and passed him the narcotic. If she refused, he looked ready to do something truly ugly.

"Good… yeah. That's the stuff…."

Santanu swallowed the dose at once. His eyes went glassy, unfocused, lost to the high.

Federica and I left him behind and prepared for sleep. We spread furs on the ground and lay down. That was all. Pitching a tent or lighting a fire would only draw the trackers' eyes. Even camping like this was already a risk.

Federica sprinkled a yellow potion around us — a repellent that kept insects away. Until morning, at least, we could sleep without bugs crawling over us.

I lay still on the furs. Ordinarily I would have been all over Federica by now… but tonight she looked thoroughly out of sorts. Push her in a mood like this and you got the backlash. Living with the temperamental Han Harin had sharpened my sense for that sort of thing.

Apparently I had misread her.

Federica didn't settle beside me — she settled on top of me. Rose perfume and the warmth of her breath washed over my face. She looped an arm around my neck and looked down at me with the needy eyes of a cat begging for affection.

"You're being awfully well-behaved tonight. Have you gotten tired of me too?"

"You looked like you were in a bad mood. I was trying to read the room."

"I am in a bad mood. Which is why… I think I need your comfort tonight. Do you mind?"

"As if I would."

I took hold of her waist. Her full breasts pressed soft and heavy against my chest. Federica closed her eyes and kissed me.

"Haahng… mm…."

She was more aggressive than usual. I stroked her red hair and lost myself in the kiss.

We kept at it until just before sunrise. As always, we cleaned up the area before Santanu came back to his senses — washed with the water we'd prepared, sprinkled potion to erase the telltale scent. It never took long.

Today was different.

"What the fuck is this shit!!"

Santanu, who should still have been deep in his high, had woken earlier than usual — his condition better than expected, apparently.

Naked, still tangled together and riding the afterglow, Federica and I jerked upright in shock. Federica's arm flew up on reflex, covering her swaying breasts. Sweat-slick skin. My semen running down the inside of her thigh. There was no talking our way out of this.

"S-Santanu. This is… I mean…."

Federica stammered, clearly unable to invent an excuse on the spot. We had been caught completely bare — whether any excuse would have worked was doubtful anyway.

"I thought something felt off…. Federica, you shouldn't have done this. I should've killed that bastard from the start."

Murderous intent rolled off Santanu as he came toward me. His one remaining fist clenched tight, rage burning hot in his eyes.

"Santanu! Calm down! This is not the time for us to fight each other! I'll explain everything!"

"Yeah, it's not the time to fight. But it's not the time to fuck either, is it?"

Even Federica could not rein in a man whose fury had climbed all the way to the top of his skull. She still refused to give up. She rose from the ground, meaning to stop him — and Santanu shoved her aside.

"Kyaah—!"

"You stay put, Federica. While you're at it, wipe that goddamn cum out of your cunt. Fuck. He really painted you, didn't he."

I got to my feet as well. I had no intention of just taking it. Killing Santanu here and now didn't sound like a bad idea at all.

Santanu raised his mana. His muscles rippled; blue energy gathered around his fist.

I raised mine too. Crackling sparks leapt from both of my hands.

"Look at you, standing there all cocky. Anyone watching would think I was the bad guy."

"You should've just stayed high. Why the hell did you wake up?"

"Someone's groping my woman right in front of my face and I'm supposed to sit still? I've hated your guts from day one. Don't expect a clean death."

"You're not the man for Federica. I'll take good care of her myself."

"You little shit… not even a shred of remorse."

Santanu's fist came for my head. I had expected the attack — I tilted my head and slipped it with room to spare, and in the same breath I activated Charna.

Slow. The sun's coming up, so he's not getting the full effect of his unique trait, Wildness — but even accounting for that, he's slow. His eyes are unfocused. Still half-high on the drug.

I drove an uppercut into his jaw. His face crumpled; his body lifted a fraction off the ground and toppled backward.

"Y-you son of a bitch!!"

Santanu surged back to his feet. At the same time, sand sprayed from his one remaining hand. I threw up my left arm to shield my eyes.

"You idiot!"

Santanu cackled. He clearly thought he had completely cut off my vision.

Heavenly Eye — activate.

My arm and eyelids turned transparent. I saw the fist streaking straight for my solar plexus. I twisted my body at an angle, let the punch skim past by a hair, and slammed a counter into his face.

Crack!

Blood and teeth sprayed from his mouth. I had no intention of stopping at a few teeth. The follow-up came immediately — I hammered his body without pause. Wet, meaty impacts; he staggered, bleeding freely.

"Ghk—! Agh! Ghhhk…."

I was about to stomp his head into the dirt when Federica threw herself forward and locked her arms around my waist. Soft skin against me. I lowered my blood-slick fist.

"Stop! Stop it!"

My heart clenched in sudden, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vicious pain. Rose's Subjugation (S) was taking effect. If I ignored Federica and kept attacking Santanu, I would be the one who died.

I let out a long breath.

I had assumed Federica felt nothing for Santanu — that she was only using him. Apparently some part of her still cared.

"Ghhhkk…."

Watching Santanu thrash on the ground sent a fresh wave of irritation through me. Ending it like this felt incomplete. A way to screw with him came to me — simple, really. I reversed my grip on Federica, who was still holding my waist, and pulled her hard against my chest. Right in front of Santanu, I kissed her.

"Hmph?! Mmph— mmph!"

One hand closed over her full breast and kneaded. The stiff, rose-pink nipple rolled between my fingers.

"AAAAAARGH!! Die!! You fucking bastard!!"

Santanu howled and charged. I kicked his knee out from under him and dropped him. With the joint wrecked, he couldn't get up easily; he just glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

My hand slid down to her ass. I was hard, lining myself up to push into Federica's pussy — intending to make him watch her pant and moan in pleasure right in front of his face. Federica refused. She pounded my shoulder and shoved me back. Whether she had triggered Rose's Subjugation (S) again or not, my heart seized with blinding pain. I had no choice but to let her go.

"Santanu! Are you all right?! I'll treat you right now!"

Federica dropped to her knees beside him, checking his condition. Her G-cup breasts hung heavy, gravity pulling them down; her pale, full ass was on full display. Looking at her again, she really was wasted on a man like Santanu.

"The drug… give me the drug…!"

"I have plenty of potions. This one will stabilize you. The pain will ease too."

"Not that—! The narcotic! Federica!"

The concern on Federica's face went cold.

"…Santanu. Even now, after all this, you're still begging for drugs? You told me once that for you, the drug was nothing more than a cigarette. That even if you got addicted, you could quit whenever you wanted. Won't you keep the promise you made back then?"

The potion had restored a fraction of Santanu's strength. His face twisted as he reached for Federica's throat.

"Shut up! Federica!"

"Ghk—?!"

"You're just like him! You liked having his cock in you, didn't you? Fuck. The only reason I haven't killed you is the drug. Hand it over!!"

"Ah— ghk… uh…."

Federica thrashed. It looked bad. I moved at once — seized his arm, twisted, and snapped it. Santanu screamed and writhed. I ignored him and checked Federica. Clear handprints stood out on her neck.

"The drug! Give me the drug! Federica!!"

"……Fine. Here."

With hollow eyes, Federica tossed the narcotic to him. Santanu writhed like a caterpillar across the dirt and swallowed what had fallen.

Her body swayed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hard. I caught her from behind and held her up. Federica leaned into me without a word.

"You all right?"

"Haa. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I don't even know how it came to this. I'm sick of all of it. Maybe I should just give up on everything."

"…It's still too early for that."

"I'm glad you're here. You have no idea how much comfort you give me right now. ……Do you want to get free of me?"

"Would you even let me go?"

"……I'm sorry."

Federica burrowed into my arms like a child seeking comfort. She kissed me. I kissed her back, stroking the small of her back. We still had time, so we tangled together right there.

Her red hair spilled across the pale expanse of her back as she lay face-down on the ground — and it was beautiful.

Afterward we dressed, grabbed the nape of the unconscious Santanu, and started toward our destination. I would have gladly dumped him then and there, but Federica still seemed to have some lingering attachment — or maybe she still saw some use in him.

Either way, a part of me was almost grateful for the man. This one-armed junkie had dug his own grave to perfection.

Santanu came to around noon. His remaining arm was broken and his knee was in bad shape, so he limped. He glared at me as if he wanted me dead, but he kept glancing at Federica and made a point of ignoring me as best he could.

"…Federica. Earlier was my fault. I was high — I wasn't thinking straight. The stuff you make is just that strong. I couldn't help it. I'm fine now. It was an accident. You're not still mad, are you?"