[IT FUCKING hurts...]
Fortunately, Zirkus didn't break his skull when he hit Enzo's forehead.
And he also managed to push the future Disaster back.
Enzo covered his hurt forehead with his hands, his head hanging low as if he got disoriented from the headbutt.
[Did I hit him too hard?]
"Zirkus Huxford, do you have a death wish?"
Oh?
Enzo raised his head, his golden eyes glowing menacingly while glaring at him. "What did you do that for?"
"You're back," Zirkus said, relieved. "You almost got brainwashed, you know?"
Enzo just frowned and didn't talk back.
Ah, the future Disaster probably remembered almost attacking Klaus Irvin.
[Come to think of it, this might be the reason Enzo killed Klaus Irvin in the original novel– he must have been brainwashed into doing it.]
That made Zirkus wonder why the enemies resorted to this kind of trick.
[They're pretty cruel for forcing students to fight each other to death.]
There was nothing Zirkus hated in the world more than harming children.
His thoughts were interrupted when the ground suddenly shook hard.
When he turned around, he caught the sight of a monster emerging from a gigantic box that appeared out of nowhere– and it was a nine-foot troll.
A green-skinned troll.
Haaah.
Right.
Before the Sea Monsters from the Dungeons came, the people of this world had to deal with monsters like this troll.
[This is really a fantasy novel.]
"Enzo," Zirkus said, pointing at the monster in front of them. "Attack."
Enzo glared at him. "Am I your pet?"
[It's not the right time to complain, you pokemo– I mean, punk.]
"No, but you're the only person here who could fight that troll," Zirkus explained. "Yelena Noonim could knock it out in a second, but she's currently busy trying to kill Klaus Irvin."
He didn't bother to watch Yelena and Klaus Irvin's fight because he couldn't follow their fast movements anyway. All he could see was a spark of flashing lights each time the Mermaid Princess and the dragon clashed.
[My eyes are too normal for that shit.]
"Are you saying that Yelena Dover could beat that troll faster than I could?"
Oho?
What was this?
[Why is Enzo suddenly feeling competitive?]
Well, whatever the reason was, he decided to use that to his advantage.
"Yelena Noonim is really strong," Zirkus said enthusiastically, even clenching his fists. "I'm not so sure about you since you appear lazy to me, Enzo. But now that I'm watching Yelena Noonim dominate her fight against Klaus Irvin, I can tell that she's probably the strongest student in the academy. She's probably stronger than Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet!"
Okay, now he wasn't sure if he was exaggerating or not.
But his bluff seemed to be working as Enzo's golden eyes continued to ablaze.
"It's a shame that Yelena Noonim is currently brainwashed," Zirkus continued with his bluff. "I should have woken her up first–"
"Enough," Enzo growled at him. "I'm going to take down that troll in a few seconds."
"Really?" Zirkus asked, acting like he was doubting Enzo's words. "Are you sure? I can help. Or maybe we should help Yelena Noonim snap out of it first..."
"Just shut up and watch."
Zirkus had to stop himself from doing a fist pump in the air. "Okay, I'll watch..."
Enzo just glared at him before grabbing the shovel on the ground, then he used the sharp edge to hit the fishnet barrier behind.
And, just like that, a hole big enough for at least two people to enter was created.
It was probably because Enzo covered the shovel with his Aura.
[Ah, he was right when he said anything can be a weapon if you know how to use it...]
"I'll be quick," Enzo said, still glaring at Zirkus. "We will talk again later after I'm done with that stupid troll."
Zirkus laughed nervously, then he clenched both of his hands. "Fighting~"
***
HUH?
Zirkus noticed that Yelena and Klaus Irvin's movements had slowed down drastically.
He could clearly see Yelena strangling Klaus Irvin with water shaped like a rope. The dragon desperately clawed the water rope, but to no avail.
[Okay, Yelena Noonim might end up killing Klaus Irvin at this rate.]
"Yelena Noonim, please snap out of it!" Zirkus yelled at the top of his lungs. He couldn't get near Yelena carelessly, so he just ran his mouth and raised his voice. "Rivo Creswell would be disappointed in you if you harmed a precious friend!"
Argh, cringe.
Fortunately, his sacrifice was worth it.
After all, Yelena finally stopped moving. Moreover, the life in her dark pink eyes returned a bit. It was as if the Mermaid Princess was struggling to get a hold of herself.
[Just a little more push...]
"Yelena Noonim, I know that you only joined this Treasure Hunt because Rivo Creswell went on a vacation with Nixie Winslet!" Zirkus yelled. Yep, it was low of him to hurt the poor Mermaid Princess this way. However, he needed to reach her emotions in order to help her snap out of her trance. "You want to prove to Rivo Creswell that you could have fun even without him, don't you? But if you end up killing Klaus Irvin, don't you think Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet would think you've gone out of your mind because of the pain they caused you?!"
Cringe.
Criiinge.
SO FUCKING CRINGE.
He felt like he was reading a badly written script from a makjang (aka drama series with dramatic and unrealistic plot twists that would often increase the viewers' blood pressure).
But what could he do?
[It works!]
"You can do this, Yelena Noonim! Just remember to love yourself!" Zirkus yelled encouragingly. "Let's end this trip on a good note! Let's show Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet that you could be happy even without them– argh!"
He wasn't able to finish his dramatic script when something hard hit him on the back of his head.
When he turned around, he realized that the fishnet barrier was already gone.
The red-haired man that led the ambush was lunging at Zirkus with a dagger in his hand at an alarming pace.
[Fuck, I can't avoid it...]
Zirkus was ready to receive a blow when, suddenly, his eardrums suddenly exploded.
"Don't touch my friends!"
It was Yelena– no, the Mermaid Princess– who used her voice to knock down the enemies around them.
However, she failed to warn Zirkus.
[At least, the power of friendship worked...]
That was Zirkus' last thoughts before he fainted, both of his ears bleeding badly.