Chương 45: Making a Truce, Then Breaking It A Minute Later

Lio activated [Mach Heart] as he nosedived into the dark. The first burst killed his initial velocity, then he activated it again, the second placing him gently onto the damp floor of the stone tunnel. He stepped down onto a large murky puddle, watching as his feet caused a small ripple across the shallow water, spreading outward in perfect circles. Straightening up, he began looking around, getting a scope of his surroundings.

The tunnel he was in was shaped as a long cylinder-shaped passage, wide enough for two people to walk abreast but no more. The ceiling above was low enough that even a dwarf would have to mind their head. The walls surrounding them were old, the original stone dark and slick with moisture, completely webbed with thin pale roots that had forced their way through cracks upon cracks. In fact, the roots were everywhere, filling almost every available gap with their pale threadlike tendrils.

Lio knew that these were Amberpulp roots. He had always found it rather impressive, the level of intelligence the founders of Trestfall had shown when planning out their settlement. It specifically shown in the design of these tunnels. See, the amberpulp species had root systems that descended further than almost any surface plant, reaching down in search of the mineral-dense water that collected in the rock far below Floor 3's soil layer.

Because running sewage anywhere near those roots would have contaminated the entire crop yield, the tunnels had been driven deep, until they sat well below the root boundary. That was the reason why the tunnels were extraordinarily far underground than normal surface sewers. Lio took a breath, both noticing how the temperature was much cooler down here, and how the air was pungent with the smell of human waste and rot. Then above him, a glow appeared, descending slowly.

As it got closer, the image of Lupin—who had both hands pointed downward, from which golden flames were jetting out steadily—revealed itself. It was almost elegant. The flames reflected off the water pooled below, so that it looked briefly as though he was descending into fire. He touched down a few meters from Lio, clenching his fist as he commanded for his flames to cut out. He straightened up, then winced as he massaged the chest where Lio had slammed him onto the ground.

Lupin looked up at the hole they'd come through. A chuckle began shaking his shoulders, as he began shaking his head.

"Damn smart move," he said.

"The sewage tunnel…" He looked around at the curved walls.

"I should have seen that coming. Did you know exactly where the main line ran?"

"Yes," Lio said.

"Of course you did." Lupin produced a small cloth from his coat and pressed it to the corner of his mouth, where blood had splattered onto from their earlier fight. He stretched languidly, his spine and neck cracking.

"They built these tunnels deep," he observed.

"They didn't want the crop contaminated from the sewage." Lupin glanced at the pale root tendrils threading through the ceiling joints.

"Practical people, the founders." He looked back at Lio.

"Are you sure your girlfriend can hold Acacia back?"

"I'm sure," Lio confirmed. Humming in understanding, Lupin rolled his shoulder once more, testing it by punching several times into the air, then seemed satisfied with the result. He straightened his coat, brushing aside a clot of displaced soil from it.

"Well," he said, in a tone of finality.

"This has been rather interesting." He glanced up at the crater above.

"I'm going to go find another exit. From what I know, there should be a drainage junction further east that connects to the outer wall." He turned and took a few steps along the tunnel.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lupin stopped. When he did turn around, his eyes had gone cold.

"We had a deal," he said.

"We did," Lio agreed.

"I helped you fake your death. You disappear from Acacia's perspective, from Rose's Bloom's records, from anyone looking." He cocked his head.

"That part is done. You're dead, as far as anyone above that crater is concerned." Lupin watched him, a scowl slowly taking place on his lips.

"We never agreed," Lio continued, "on what comes after." Lupin licked his lips slowly. Then the scowl faded, as he gave a tired sight. He turned fully back around to face Lio, folding his hands behind his back.

"You're right," he said.

"So then what exactly does come after?"

"You're going to answer some questions," Lio said.

"And if I decline?" Lio just raised an eyebrow at him Lupin rolled his eyes.

"Of course." He glanced down the dark length of the tunnel, then back at Lio.

"Just questions, right?"

"For now," Lio said. Lupin frowned.

"That's not… very reassuring."

"Well it wasn't exactly meant to be," Lio retorted back. Lupin studied him for another moment. Then, letting out another long sigh, he moved to the opposite wall and leaned against it with his arms crossed.

"Fine then," he said.

"Ask away." Lio started with a practice question, in order to ease in.

"The paper you gave me," he asked.

"What's written on it?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"I thought you already read it."

"I did," Lio said, shrugging.

"I want to hear you explain it." Lupin's features flashed with annoyance, though he did answer.

"It's a location on Floor 7," he explained.

"More specifically, it's a chamber that Rose's Bloom has been using as a forward cache for the past eight months. It has supplies, documents, records…" Lio's interest was piqued at the last word.

"Records of what?"

"A bunch of Ghenna operations," Lupin said.

"Active ones. Inactive ones. Personnel files." He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Including everything Rose's Bloom knows about the organization currently hunting your girl." Lio frowned.

"How current is the information of the records?"

"From what I know, the last refreshment cycle was about eleven days ago," Lupin said.

"So it's all current enough to be useful." He shrugged.

"I mean, that's the nature of field intelligence. You take what you can get." Well, wasn't that the truth? Lio accepted the explanation, filing it away for future reference, just in case. Now it was time for the more important questions.

"You said Rose's Bloom sent you to capture our group," he said.

"Who exactly commissioned the job?"

"I told you already. Rose's Bloom doesn't—""Keep records, yes." Lio finished for him.

"But someone must've passed the commission down to you, giving you our descriptions and everything." He looked at Lupin levelly.

"Who?" Lupin groaned, a mix of conflicting emotions filling his features. Then he ruffling his hair in irritation, he glanced back up.

"A handler," he answered.

"The guy goes by the field name of Sable."

"Sable…" Lio intoned.

"I don't know the real name," Lupin said.

"Neither have I ever met them in person." He pushed off the wall, beginning to pace around.

"Sable is up around mid-tier in the Bloom's leadership."

"Was there a stated reason for the capture?" Lio asked.

"Abduction," Lupin answered.

"Apparantly, your girl is carrying information that multiple parties want suppressed. Capturing her was the main objective." Lio furrowed his brows, sorting through everything.

"Is that everything?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Everything I have," Lupin said. He walked further away from Lio, putting some distance between them, all the while studying him.

"I've answered all your questions. Fairly, I think, given the circumstances." He spread out his hands in a non-threatening manner.

"So. Are we done?"

"One last question." Lupin chagrined.

"What now?" Lio slowly unsheathed his Adamantine knife.

"When you told me the organization's name," he asked, "what happened next?" Lupin's expression darkened as he visibly tensed.

"I told you their name," he said slowly.

"And then we talked about—""No," Lio said bluntly."

"You told me their name," he continued.

"And then I became aware that some amount of time had passed. Everything was the same, but I couldn't remember what had happened in between." Lupin coughed awkwardly.

"Now that was a strange thing to experience," Lio added.

"A gap of maybe one or two minutes, right in the middle of a conversation." There was a long silence. Then Lupin glowered.

"You're smarter than you look."

"Thank you."

"I can't answer that question."

"I figured that much." Lio immediately reached down and touched [Mach Heart]. The burst launched him forward. Lupin reacted just as fast, his hands coming up as golden fire erupted from his palms, along with a loud tringgg~, with the familiar percentage blazing to life above his head. [34%] The flames were much redder than they'd been above ground, the earlier conversation having stripped Lio of the title of 'ally'. A huge column of it swept outwards, the harsh heat and smoke making it hard to breathe.

In order to avoid it, Lio jumped up using [Mach Burst]. Then, planting both feet against the curved ceiling and kicking off, he used [Mach Heart] again to carry him down behind the flame front. Hitting the ground rolling, he scrambled up, and was already moving toward Lupin before the man could redirect his attack. Still, Lupin managed to get one hand up, sending a concentrated fire ball directly at Lio's chest. Lio twisted, taking it blaze past him.

Then, he activated [Augmentation], concentrating the power on his left arm. Lupin threw two more rapid flares, but Lio simply blocked them with his newly enhanced arm, the flames hitting the hardened skin and then scattering. Lupin's percentage climbed steadily. [41%] The flames thickened, turning from gold to something truly red, and Lio could already feel the increase in temperature. Lupin was now feeling actual anger at the betrayal, and the rune was responding accordingly.

And it also began showing in the man's fighting style. He had stopped throwing flares and had instead let the fire build around both fists, concentrating the heat until it was so intense that the very air seemed to be smoking. [59%] As Lio charged in, Lupin feinted left, then let out a bellow as he flung his fist at Lio's side, putting all his body weight behind the blow. Lio stumbled backwards, barely avoiding it.

This resulted in him losing his footing, and Lupin didn't let him rest up, continuing his barrage of attacks. As a second blow came for his head, Lio ducked under it, but he'd had to abandon his position to do so, and that put him exactly where Lupin wanted him, back against the tunnel wall. Lupin pressed in close, then his hand shot out and closed around the blade of Lio's Adamantine knife.

The sharp blade cut deep into the other man's palm, dark blood pouring out of the wound, but he didn't even glance at it, nor even flinch at the pain. Instead, he stepped back and concentrated, letting the fire build in his right fist, until it was so tightly compressed and hot that it was almost colored white. [68%] He raised it, a wicked grin splitting his lips.

"End of the line, bastard!" Lupin spat out. He swung his fist with all his might, the mighty fireball aimed squarely at Lio's face. But Lio had already been anticipating this. He activated [Isopolity]. Immediately, the Adamantine knife in Lupin's grip shuddered, its form blurring at the edges, and then splitting, a perfect copy tearing free from the original. The copy launched itself sideways under Lio's telekinetic guidance, driving itself pommel-deep into Lupin forearm.

The blade punched clean through the muscle, flesh, and bone of his forearm, the Adamantine sharp edge slashing through everything until the tip emerged from the other side. Lupin roared with pain. And at the stutter of the man's concentration, the fireball destabilized, detonating outward instead of forward, a wave of heat and light blowing Lio's hair back and scorching the front of his jacket black, but the attack had carried none of the killing force it had just a moment ago.

At the same moment, Lio directed the original knife up high. Bringing it down, he slashed Lupin's other arm, opening a long deep cut from just below the elbow to the wrist, so deep that the white of bone showed. Lupin staggered, the percentage above his head plummeting. [68%] dropped to a [42%] in no time, and continued to keep falling. Lupin stumbled, dropping down onto his knees, his breathing rough and ragged.

Both his arms hung at his sides, one with a blade still through it, both dripping rivers of blood onto the floor. Lio walked forward and crouched down in front of him, bringing himself to eye level.

"You lost," he remarked quietly. A long moment of silence passed between them. Then Lupin let out a long sigh.

"Yeah," he said. His voice came out winded and shallow.

"I guess I did."