Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening-Chapter 128: For My Friends (1)

Calren had nothing to do after reporting his findings to his master. He was to return to the capital and monitor how things were going and report back.

The shadow head was not concerned about what his master did; the Count had his complete loyalty. After all, he was practically raised under the Count’s care.

A few hundred meters from the estate’s walls, Calren called out into the darkness. "We’re returning to the capital to continue our mission."

No reply came, and no one stepped out of the darkness. Calren frowned for a bit, finding this strange. He quickly raised his guard and retrieved a pair of daggers, hiding them in his sleeves.

’Something is wrong here,’ The head shadow deduced calmly, his eyes roaming around searching for anything out of place. ’They should have stepped out by now...’

"Impressive."

"!"

A sudden male voice came from right behind him. Calren’s heart almost leapt out of his chest as he reacted on instinct. He sprang out of the way and swung a left hand behind, intending to impale whoever snuck up behind him.

The head shadow landed several meters away, his stance lowered and blades held defensively before him as he looked ahead. His brows were slightly furrowed as he sensed no resistance from the strike he had just attempted.

Given that his stalker didn’t move when he swung that left, he was confused as to what happened. The stalker was too close for him to miss.

’Something isn’t adding up.’

Calren’s eyes darted around, searching for anyone else in the vicinity. Seeing and sensing no one else around aside from his past out men, he focused his full attention on the person before him.

"I don’t recall coming across someone like you." Calren probed carefully. "State your business with me."

Due to the surrounding darkness and trees, he could barely make out the person’s features. But one thing was certain: his eyes were a menacing blue he’d never come across before.

There was just this glint within them that made him feel restless.

’He took down my team all by himself. He can’t be simple.’

"I don’t particularly have business with you." The man replied calmly – too calmly, in fact. "But if I have to say something, I’d say I was part of the report you delivered to your master."

Calren didn’t immediately understand what the assailant said, however, his mind went to his master while his eyes shifted to the manor. Everything looked normal.

’Or so it seems.’ His eyes squinted in worry. ’I have to get back to the Count.’ Looking back at the man before him, a realisation hit him.

"You’re stalling me."

"Well, there’s no denying that." Once again, the reply came coolly. "My woman is in there having a small chat with your master, so just..."

Before the words could come to an end, Calren made a move, closing in on the stalker in a split second. His right dagger cut through the cold air, closing in on the stalker’s neck.

"!"

Unfortunately for Calen, the moment he closed in enough to see the person’s face clearly, he realised who he was dealing with, making his heart skip another beat; this time in dread.

’Shit, it’s him!’

Calren recognised the stalker’s style. From the all-black outfit, confident stance, carefree attitude and facial features, put together an image of someone who was gaining a lot of attention recently.

’Cal-’ ƒreewebɳovel.com

His train of thought was cut short when his stalker pulled back, knocked his hand to the left and dealt a heavy palm strike to his chest.

"Argh!"

Calren was sent flying several meters back, coming to s sliding stop when he slammed into the lower stem of a tree. That strike came so fast that he failed to respond!

He scurried back to his feet, his eyes never leaving Caleb’s figure. The area around his chest ached terribly from that simple strike, but Calren pushed down the pain.

’The Count could be in danger!’ He let out a series of coughs, the pain more than he expected. ’Could he have been sent by the –’

BOOM...!!!

An explosion came from the manor, catching Caleb’s and Calren’s attention. The former looked over his shoulders, barely showing any surprise, while the latter nearly had his heart fall into the pits of despair.

"Noo...!"

Calren roared in outrage and desperation, fear gripping his entire body. He charged at Caleb blindly, intent on bypassing him to get back to the manor.

"Out of my way!"

Blue lightning crackled around Calren’s body, lighting up the surrounding darkness as he arrived before Caleb a second time. Reaching his target, he stomped his left foot into the ground, lunging his left dagger at Caleb’s head and right dagger at his stomach.

"Anger won’t give you a power boost, you know?" Caleb chuckled and evaded the two-pronged attack with the ease of a dancer, creating enough distance to deliver his own attack.

However, Calren wasn’t done. His stomp wasn’t just for proper footing. A stream of mana flowed from his leg into the ground, causing it to rumble for a split second.

BOOM!

The ground exploded into a dust cloud, clouding Caleb and Calren’s figures. The spell came as a shock to Caleb, forcing him to close his eyes out of instinct.

Calren, on the other hand, was prepared, memorising where Caleb was just before the ground exploded. He lunged his blades again, this time sure his strikes would connect.

The shadow head even coated his blades with another spell, one on the darker end of the spectrum. It coated the edges of his daggers in a smoky blackness that lingered like flames.

This spell was a killer move Calren used on opponents much powerful than he was. He would first blind them, forcing an instinctive reaction out before striking.

’Let’s see you survive this!’

CLANG!

’What?!’

Calren felt his blades connect, but he didn’t get the results he had hoped for. It felt more like striking metal poles instead of cutting through flesh.

’Tsk!’

He didn’t have time to waste; his master was in trouble. An explosive spell had to do for now. Without delay, he spun around and leapt out of the dust cloud, reaching several meters high.

’Survive this!’

Calen looked down with glowing eyes and snapped his fingers, igniting the mana imbued in the dust cloud.

BOOM...!

The explosion was as powerful as several grenades going off at once, ripping into the earth and generating an even greater dust cloud that covered hundreds of meters. The shockwaves from the explosion pushed Calren back.

He landed and wasted no time seeing his spell’s effect, choosing to head for the manor. His speed was impressive as he managed to cover tens of meters in a second.

"You’re staying here with me."

Calren heard the hateful but calm voice of Caleb before he could go any further. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his terror grew in proportion.

A sudden force wrapped around his body and yanked him back like a rag doll, pulling him straight into the dust cloud. A second later...

Crack!

"Ah...!"