Villain's POV: The Heroines Want Me!

Chapter 62: Chapter 62- Run (Part 3)

Chapter 62- Run (Part 3)

Rize found himself in a different part of the factory. It was much smaller, with a longer corridor that cut through the entire place. Doors filled the entire path to his left and right. They were all closed and clearly hadn’t been used in God knows how long. The spider webs and the dust were more than enough of an indication that this place was truly abandoned for ages.

However, the boy didn’t have time to explore the place as he ran as fast as he could. At the same time, the Zatharis chased after him.

”Shoot him!!” They yelled as they aimed their guns at him. There weren’t one or two; there were several, all trying to shoot him down.

Rize stared over his shoulder as he instantly activated Endless Hunger.

’Defense mode!’ He yelled, just in time for them to pull the trigger. His Gift manifested in the form of a wall, covering his body from behind.

All the bullets rained down on the barrier endlessly. The entire place was lit up with the gunfire. Rize clenched his teeth and continued running. Meanwhile, each bullet lodged into the barrier would fall after getting crushed.

’The substance could harden enough to stop bullets and an entire attack from that awakened... This is great!’

However, Rize was certain that it wasn’t invincible or hard enough to handle that many barrages of attacks. After a few seconds, Rize looked back and saw the barrier crumbling and melting under the pressure.

Then he looked ahead as dread took over his mind. He was far from the end of the tunnel, and the barrier was about to break. If he couldn’t do something, all those bullets would riddle his body and turn him into Swiss cheese.

However, as if fate was mocking him, Rize stared ahead, just as several more Zatharis appeared in front of him, blocking the path completely.

’You have got to be kidding me!’ Rize clenched his teeth just as he saw them load their guns and aim at him. The boy came to a screeching halt as he looked to the side at the closest door. He used his leg and kicked it powerfully, breaking the lock with ease before he leaped inside.

*BOOOOOM*

The barrier broke, and the two parties fired their guns wildly as the entire hall lit up like fireworks.

”Hey, stop!! It’s us! It’s... AGH!!!”

”Shit!!!”

”Where did he go?!!!”

The two sides hit each other, injuring several before the fire stopped.

’Fucking idiots.’ Rize clenched his teeth as he rolled on his feet and quickly ran to the door, closing it and pushing the nearest furniture to block it. He knew that wouldn’t be useful for long, so he quickly turned around and searched for any escape.

There was nothing. The room seemed like an old storage area with some old machine parts, rusting away for years, some old clothes with nametags on them that were completely torn to shreds, and a small window at the highest part of the wall, far from his reach.

*BANG* *BANG*

”He’s inside!”

”You have nowhere to go, bastard!”

Rize gulped as he ran to the window and tried to jump to it. However, even with his enhanced physical abilities, the window was far out of reach. He couldn’t grab the ledge even after several attempts.

”Fuuuh... Ok, think...” Rize looked left and right. There were no ladders or stairs or anything he could use to get closer. So, instead, Rize decided to do something different. An idea that was quite odd but seemed like his only chance.

”Utility Mode,” Rize muttered. Immediately, his now-trusted Black Substance appeared out of nowhere.

”Grab that ledge and pull me up. Can you do that?”

*BANG* *BANG*

”I’m kind of in a pinch, you see.” He said jokingly.

The substance seemed to understand as it easily reached for the ledge and grabbed onto it.

’Let’s see if it can handle my weight.’ He thought to himself as he grabbed the arm and used it like a rope to start climbing. He looked behind him. The door was being pushed open with the force of many men. He didn’t have much time.

’Come on.’ Putting his entire weight on the makeshift, quirky rope, he pulled himself up a bit, then a bit further. He thought for a moment that his idea was working. However, not even a second later, the rope started slipping. ’No, no, no, no...’ He panicked as he started climbing in a hurry.

It slipped even more.

’Just hold on tighter!’ He prayed. ’Just a bit more!!’

*Swish*

Not even a moment later, the arm lost all strength and let go of the ledge. Just then, Rize leaped up using his arms as propellers. Normally, such a feat would be impossible, as he needed to almost leap two meters high with his bare arms, something most people can’t do.

However, his adrenaline and the Essence that wildly boosted his body to the brim made it possible. Rize’s eyes widened as his fingers reached the ledge and held on. He then grabbed it with his second hand as he punched the window open.

At the same time, the door was already half open as a few tried to get inside.

”He’s escaping through the window! Get him!!”

The wave of Zatharis flooded the room, just as Rize climbed up and went through the ledge. Some tried to shoot him. The boy tried to pull his leg out. But at the very last second, one of the bullets hit his ankle.

”AGH!” Rize groaned as he fell outside roughly, rolling on the dirt and mud. ’Goddamit, my leg!’

He grabbed his ankle and twisted in immense pain. It hurt and burned a lot, like someone was torching his ankle mercilessly. However, Rize clenched his teeth as he stood up, hearing the men rushing to the doors to get him.

He started limping forward as fast as he could. Ahead of him, he saw what seemed to be the entrance to a forest, the perfect location to hide. He rushed through the trees, trying to go as far away as possible. At the same time, he started seeing flashlights cast their light on the forest.

Rize didn’t stop, didn’t hesitate, and didn’t look back as he ran and ran and ran. His life depended on it; freedom was not that far away. Even when he was bleeding profusely, covered in mud and scum, his leg completely numb, and he had a gash in his head... He still didn’t stop.

Even in that darkness, Rize could see the light at the end of the tunnel. He was escaping that hell he experienced. For a second, a faint smile of hope appeared on his face. They can’t find him in this darkness quick enough.

He could find a good hiding spot and wait for Venera to send help.

’She will send help soon. I’m sure they will arrive within minutes. Right...’ He thought to himself as his smile widened before it slowly started disappearing as a grim, almost hopeless look appeared on his face.

The words he hallucinated not that long ago were still in his head. He didn’t forget them, and deep down, as much as he didn’t want to believe it, they had a point. Wasting resources and time to save him when they could find an equally capable kid to take his role.

Which was better?

’No, no, I can’t think that way. I will survive. Venera will come for me. Right...’

His face darkened.

’Right?’