72 Chapter 63: In the Mouth of Madness Part 4

On the mountain path there was lightning zipping through and across the entire place, Haruki was searching every nook and cranny for winter.

"Shit Ars Can you detect any human life signals around?"

[Negative, there not a soul in the immediate area. But there are a few Grimm in the area.]

Haruki sighed as he continued to March forward. He Killed off a few Grimm on the way. He stood on top of a tall tree and saw a black carriage near the cliff side. He immediately dashed towards that direction.

As he was approaching the Carriage, He could hear the sounds of fighting and struggling. He used lightning form and slammed towards the ground.

The remaining Phantom squad were struggling against the Masked men, No matter how much the shot them, unless it's the head, they would keep coming. Not even mentioning the Freed frenzied slaves, They were outnumbered as is.

Their superior officer was laying in his own pool of blood, as his flesh was being gnawed by those frenzied slaves. It was a hopeless battle, but they knew they needed to buy as much time as possible for winter to get to safety at least.

The enemies were closing in from all sides, they were out of dust bullets and their aura is almost depleted. Their weapons covered in blood and so we're they.

They could barely carry themselves, "It was an honor to serve alongside all of you, UNTIL THE END!!!" one of them charged once more straight to the front.

Soon their morale was back to its peak, They chanted together. The mantra of the phantom squad.

Once more into battle... Into the last good fight that I'll ever know. Live and die to this day. Live and die to this day. Carve a path through the darkness. Live and die to this day.

It was hopeless but they still raised their arms against the enemies, The clash resumed blood and black goo mixed on the ground as it was littered by corpses.

Haruki was observing the battle on top of a tall tree branch, "Hmm... Winter's not here, these guys are probably buying her enough time to escape."

Haruki slammed once more into the ground but his trajectory was the middle of the fight.

*Crash!!!!*

A huge dust could covered the vision of both parties. Then as the dust slowly settled back into the ground.

A lone man stood at the middle of the Crater. He was shorter than a man, so was that a child? they all thought the same. But the power and aura he was giving off was unrivalled.

He looked towards the phantom squad, "Where's Winter?"

They all furrowed their brows, thinking this guy might be a bad guy. Not getting an answer Haruki decided to make them answer by showing his power.

At first the phantom squad decided not to answer anything, But they put that idea towards the back of their mind as soon as they saw him kill the masked men easily and quickly.

After a few minutes A lot of bodies has already dropped towards the ground. He slashed towards the empty air to get rid of the blood on his guandao.

"I'll ask again nicely... Where is Winter?"

They pointed at the general direction where she ran, "Please save her... we can handle ourse- -"

But before he could finish Haruki was already gone, but he left a surprise for them. All their enemies were frozen. Now all they had to do was deal the finishing blow.

Then they saw a note, "You fuckers owe me one..."

They killed the remainders of the enemies, Then they buried all their fallen comrades. Winter is probably going to be safe since that masked boy was coming to save her.

They all sighed and mourned their losses, they lost a lot of good men today. They looked towards the top of the hill, they would charge in once again. Once they get resupplied, they will kill all of those bastards.

But when they turned around there were two Masked men with glowing blue horns that were standing on top of a tall tree branch, with arms crossed the two masked men dropped down. Bringing out two blade rings each.

The Story of the Phantom Squad ended here... In the shadows where they belong.

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Haruki saw a few figures rushing downhill, he followed them it was probably where winter was so he dashed towards their direction.

Killing all of those he caught up to, He spun his guandao and channeled lighting onto it. Then he threw it towards the enemies in an arc. And it cleared almost all of them, the survivors would be cut down by his red blade.

He then saw a lone masked man standing near an opening on a fallen tree, About to strike.

He used his lightning form and zipped through, He drew a beautiful red arc with his blade, splitting the enemy in half.

"Whew! That's the last one! Are you okay princess?"

He finally saw Winter, and in the worst state possible. She was scared out of her wits, and when she finally knew that she was safe she fainted.

He sighed, "Shit... well I guess I'll have to carry her back."

He checked his scroll for the nearest town or village but the nearest one was the village where the priest was hiding. He sighed he can't use lightning form to carry somebody because that would be lethal.

He carried her on his back, essentially giving her a piggyback ride. He was gently running to not disturb the fainted princess, And after running around he finally saw a small cave.

He sat her up on the wall, as he set up a few blankets, "Huh? why does it feel like I'm about to do something bad?"

He shook his head and laid Winter on the blanket. Haruki tilted his head, "Fuck she's drenched by the rain...

*Cough...*

It would be a disservice to all the gentlemen in the world if I don't help her now...

But on doing so I would have to explain a lot of crap once she wakes up..."

He was pacing back and forth as he was contemplating, but unbeknownst to him winter has already regained consciousness, she was observing Haruki from top to bottom.

'Huh... it seems he's the one that saved me, And come to think of it he's a child! He's probably the same age as my sister...'

Her eyes narrowed as she stared towards Haruki, She checked her clothes and as Haruki has said, her clothes were wet from the rain.

'Isn't he just a little pervert trying to take advantage of me?' She thought once more as she pretended to be asleep. Haruki slowly approached her.

"As a man... no as a righteous man... it is my duty to help a lady in need, that's right she need my help..." He nodded as he convinced himself.

Winter raised her eyebrows, 'What is this brute thinking!'

As Haruki's hands were about to to reach for her clothes, her hand shot out to grab it. She opened her eyes and glared towards Haruki.

"What do you think you're doing?" Haruki was woken up from his own perverted tho- - Ahem Uhh... Righteous thoughts.

"Um, trying to be a nice citizen?" He said, although winter couldn't see his expression that was hiding behind his mask she could sense that this little pervert was thinking of something naughty.

"Hmph, don't touch me... don't you recognize me? I'm the enemy of your organization. White Fang Boy..."

Winter said, Her sister was almost kidnapped by the white fang once, although this guy saved her. That doesn't mean that the enmity she has for the white fang was gone.

"Well calm down Ice Queen, it's not like I'm going attack you. Plus not all White Fang members are out to get you Miss Schnee."

"So you do recognize me...Well what is your goal in saving me? planning on black mailing the schnee family? planning on getting a nifty reward? What is your goal."

Haruki shrugged his shoulders, "Are all faunus in your eyes evil? Do you think that my goal is to further our cause? Do you think that every faunus in the world are greedy?

Do you think only the faunus can be wrong? Are they the only enemies in your eyes?

If that's the case wow! How have you been living till now?"

Winter gripped her sheets as the words were stuck in her throat, and before she could retort Haruki threw clothes at her.

"Change or you'll catch a cold." He slowly walked out of the cave.

Winter stared towards his departing back, She furrowed her brows, "It's still raining outside... Where is he going?"

But her questions were left unanswered, she stared at the clothes he tossed at her, She wondered where the hell did he pull it out from, But it looked nice. She like the design of the shirt it was a White Rabbit running.

After a while Haruki came back holding a few branches and logs tied with a rope, surprisingly it wasn't wet. Winter thought how this was possible, but she wasn't in the mood to ask questions right now.

And she finally noticed a sling bag behind him covered in blood, She couldn't contain her curiosity so she asked him. "What's in the bag?"

He answered simply, "Food."

He stabbed the meat with the stick and He put the meat to be roasted. Winter was staring at Haruki. This kid is pretty resourceful, Then she remembered her words towards him earlier. She was pretty harsh with her words.

She wanted to apologize to him, "Sor....ry" She said as she lowered her head, blushing hard. She hasn't apologized towards someone younger than her before.

Haruki looked up and smirked inwardly, 'Well what do you know, this girl can be cute sometimes.'

"I'm sorry what? what did you say? I couldn't hear you earlier."

Winter mustered up the courage to apologize again. "I said... That I apologize for my behavior earlier."

Haruki shrugged his shoulders, "Here... Food."

He reached food towards her, she reached for the food and elegantly bit onto the meat. "Better than My CO's BBQ."

Haruki smiled, "Of course! I might say my cooking skills are unparalleled!"

Winter giggled, "Well I didn't say it was the best..."

"Yeah, but you will soon... I am a master at this."

Winter rolled her eyes towards him. She stared at the entrance of the cave and she could see rain and lightning striking the ground.

After eating Haruki and Winter decided to sleep, and move out once the rain stops. Winter Laid next to the fire, while Haruki sat down near it hugging his life reaping Katana.

Winter stared at Haruki's sleeping figure and she remembered what she said before she fainted earlier. 'My Prince...'

She could feel her face heat up, 'What am I thinking!' As she was thinking this she finally felt a little sleepy as the exhaustion caught up to her.She slowly fell asleep staring at the one who saved her.