As soon as Choi Han and his group arrived in the capital, the festival was about to start. The people were already gathering in the plaza and were cheering for the king and crown prince.
"Fuck!"
Choi Han cursed out loud when he noticed that it was already way too late to stop the festival. He then immediately rushed towards the Bell Tower making Rosalyn, Ron, and Vicross confused but still hurriedly followed behind him.
"Choi Han? What's wrong?"
Choi Han stopped walking and then turned around to look at his friends. The panic expression clearly showed on his face.
"Bombs...."
"Bombs?"
Choi Han sighed heavily to collect himself before continued speaking.
"There are magic bombs in this plaza. I didn't know the specific place of the bombs but there are maybe around 10 magic bombs planted in this plaza."
"What?!!"
Vicross' eyes widened in shock when he heard what Choi Han just said while Ron had his eyes darkened.
"Arm?"
Choi Han looked at Ron and then nodded his head.
"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?! We can stop it!" Vicross raised his voice as he spoke to Choi Han.
Choi Han then looked away from Vicross. It's not like he didn't want to tell them, he planned to tell them as soon as they arrived at the capital but looks like he was late.... Again.
Choi Han then looked at top of the Bell Tower. He gritted his teeth as he rushed towards it. He even pushed the people that were on his way harshly.
"Move!"
His recklessness took the guards' attention and rushed toward him to stop him. However, before they could, a person with black attire and a mask appeared on top of the Bell Tower. It was the blood-crazy mage, Redika. Not only Redika but also tens of people behind him that were wearing the same black clothes as his.
"Fuck!"
Choi Han ran as fast as he could toward the Bell Tower as the King gave his order to the knights and mages. But, something caught his attention that made him immediately stop from running toward the Bell Tower.
It was hair that was red as blood.
"What are you doing, you punk?! Hurry up and go on top of the Bell Tower or else everyone will die!"
Vicross' voice didn't reach Choi Han at all. Choi Han's eyes were focused on the owner of the red blood hair.
Cale Henituse.
Without him realizing his body started to tremble so does his pupils. He remembered exactly that Bassen was the one who attended the festival in the previous timeline so why, why Cale Henituse is here?!
It's because he didn't beat up Cale Henituse?
In the previous timeline, Cale was injured when the festival was held so he was bedridden for a few months. That made Bassen Henituse attend the event that the official successor was supposed to attend.
'Maybe that's why.... that's why.......'
Choi Han bit his inner lips as his eyes were focused on Cale who kept looking at his pocket watch each second.
'He shouldn't be here.... He's now in danger.'
Countless different emotions started to fill Choi Han's heart as he stared at Cale Henituse but he knew one thing for sure.
He was scared.
He was scared that Cale Henituse might end up becoming like Bassen in the previous timeline who was seriously injured or worst.... Dead.
He didn't want to lose someone who always stay by his side till the end. Losing Cale Henituse is what he fears the most.
"Maybe.... maybe... I should just beat him up so that he wouldn't be here...."
"What the hell are you talking about!?"
Vicross pushed Choi Han so hard that he stepped backward. Vicross' action made Choi Han mad and then he glared at him. However, he knew for sure not to fight with him at this time. He needed to stop Redika and the rest of the people that he brought or else many people will die.
Choi Han glanced at Cale to make sure that he was still safe before rushing towards the Bell Tower again. He had to stop Redika before he activated the magic bombs.
However, something made him stop again. The smile on Cale's face was too shocking. He only saw Cale smile like that when he was about to sacrifice himself in the previous timeline.
And that moment traumatized Choi Han so much. He felt like his world went dark when he saw Cale lying unconscious on the ground with his body covered with blood. He didn't want that to happen again. He can't! He knew that he will immediately go crazy if he saw that sight again.
'No...No! Don't tell me that he about to put himself in front to save the other again!?'
Choi Han's face drained out of blood as he looked at Cale. Cale is still weak, and Choi Han hasn't trained him in swordsmanship yet. He will definitely die if he tries to protect others than himself. Choi Han cannot allow that to happen!
Choi Han then looked on top of the Bell Tower again to look at Redika. He already had red mana formed on top of his palms. That's why Choi Han knew he ran out of time and needed to save Cale.
"Fuck! Whatever!" Choi Han cursed and immediately run towards Cale which made his group confused.
"Where the hell you are going, punk?!!" Vicross shouted but his voice didn't reach Choi Han at all.
Choi Han was so focused on getting to Cale to hear the voices around him.
However, when Choi Han was about to reach the nobles' area, he suddenly felt a weird vibration that started from underneath the Bell Tower.
That made him completely stop moving again and looked at the sky. He saw a barrier. Seeing that barrier again made Choi Han's heart drop...... Again.
Why?
Because that barrier didn't happen at the previous timeline.
"It's a mana disturbance barrier!"
Choi Han could hear Rosalyn's voice behind him loud and clear. Just after he heard that weird noises started to fill the plaza. It sounded like an alarm.
Beeeeeeeep
Beeeeeeeeeeep
Choi Han then looked at Rosalyn. For some reason, her face brightened up a little.
"That must be the bombs! Quick we must find it!"
Rosalyn and Vicross immediately ran toward the sounds while Choi Han was standing still as he looked at his surrounding. So many things had already changed even though Choi Han did nothing. The only thing that he changed was not beating Cale Henituse to the plum.
"Why are you standing there?"
Choi Han's eyes went toward Ron who was still standing near him.
"I don't know what your relationship with young master Cale Henituse but if you want to protect him, you better hurry. Do you think I didn't notice the way you look at him?"
Ron patted Choi Han's shoulder and then walked toward the crowds to join his son and Rosalyn to find the bombs.
"Go.... And make sure he's safe."
Choi Han nodded his head and immediately ran towards Cale. He was running as fast as he could but it seemed like it was fast enough.
The mages successfully disactivated the mana disturbance which made the mana that was released by Redika for activating the magic bomb immediately rush toward the bombs.
Choi Han followed the red mana then shocked when he saw one of it headed toward Rosalyn since she was holding one of the bombs.
"Rosalyn!"
Choi Han stopped running toward Cale and headed to Rosalyn instead.
However, even before the mana reached Rosalyn, the magic bomb that was in her hands suddenly disappeared which made the red mana fly around the air again.
"Ah!"
Rosalyn looked at her empty hands with wide eyes. She then immediately looked at Ron and Vicross. The magic bombs that they found also suddenly disappeared.
"What happened?"
She confusedly asked Choi Han who was already near her. Choi Han was also confused. He didn't understand what was happening right now. Everything suddenly changed rapidly. It was different than the previous timeline.
But suddenly a loud explosion could be heard far away at the mountain.
It was the magic bombs.
"How.... How can the bombs go over there?" Rosalyn looked at Choi Han. Her face clearly showed that she was extremely shocked.
Not only her but also Ron and Vicross. They were sure they had the magic bombs in their hands but when it was about to explode, they suddenly disappeared.
"I... I don't know—"
"Hahahahaha!"
Choi Han's eyes looked at the top of the Bell Tower. Redika was still there together with his people. They seemed not planning on retreating soon.
"Fuckers!"
Seeing Redika who was laughing excitedly made Choi Han's blood boil. Rage started to build up inside his body but soon he was startled by Vicross' voice.
"The young master!"
His voice sounded like he was panicked which made Choi Han immediately look at Cale. His eyes widened.
He was shocked after seeing two men that were burning were running toward Cale.
"That men had bombs with them!"
Choi Han immediately ran as soon as he heard Rosalyn's voice. He run as fast as he could towards Cale. He regretted that he didn't go to him earlier. He kept cursing himself for being so stupid.
However, even before he could pass the gate to the noble's area, two guards suddenly stopped him.
"You are blocking the nobles' way to go out! Get away from here if you didn't want to die!"
Choi Han grunted then punched both the guards' faces then continued running towards Cale but only for the nobles to keep getting in his way. Choi Han's heartbeat increased. It was so loud that even the guards were calling for him unable to reach his ears at all.
"Cale!" Choi Han shouted as loud as he could so that Cale will look at him and tell him that they should run.
Unfortunately, Cale didn't. He did not look at Choi Han at all. His eyes were focused on the two burning men that were rushing toward him.
"Cale!!!"
Choi Han's voice cracked from yelling too loud but still, the owner of the name didn't look at him.
"Get the fuck away!"
Choi Han didn't care anymore and then started pushing all the nobles away so that he could reach Cale faster.
"Ca–"
But before Choi Han could reach for Cale—
Boooooooooooommmmmm!
The bombs exploded and made Choi Han and the nobles that were near him thrown away backward by the strong explosion.
After a moment, Choi Han slowly lifted his body and then looked at the place where Cale was standing earlier.
He saw nothing.
He saw nothing but thick smoke that was filling the entire plaza.
"C.....Cale?"