Chapter 165: Attack 6

From behind the male, several soldiers in black climbed out. They were waiting here in ambush, for some reason knowing what plan Lia and the others had.

It was unmistakably who this proud and arrogant captain was. Kil. Not Leo.

As Kil and Noel stared each other down, neither of them moving, Susa looked at Xavi.

Kil squatted on top of the wall while Noel still stood where he was.

"Come fight me," Kil's voice roared across the whole place. Lia could feel the vibration resonating in her bones. There was no mistake, Kil got even stronger than before.

"I've been waiting and waiting for you until I got all excited for nothing."

"What an honour," Noel remained unfazed as Kil's loud laughter tore holes in the air, "It'll be a blast finally to face off with you, C'mon!"

Kil jumped down and approached Noel.

"Xavi…" Susa whispered as Mika held his men back.

"I know," Xavi pointed at 5 of his men.

"I'm sorry," Susa sounded as if she was ripped into pieces but Lia was left confused.

"It's ok, we agreed already. Lia, I'll take care of Kil, you guys leave as discussed. I'll hold him down."

"No!" Lia reached out for Xavi but Nana stopped her.

"Why?"

Nana shook her head. Now that Lia looked at them closely. It seemed like they all weren't in the least bit surprised that Kil was here. Only Lia.

"I can take care of him, don't worry," Xavi had his back turned to Lia and forced a smile before facing her, "I'll come back to you."

Xavi quickly hugged Lia and before she could register anything, he already charged towards Noel and Kil with a power orb forming in his hand.

"Noel retreat!" Xavi threw the power orb between Kil and Noel. The impact was so great, it tore a large hole in the street, forcing Kil to jump back. He whistled, "Not bad, lil boy."

Noel was conflicted.

"Go Noel. Lia need you and," Xavi whispered, "Convey my wishes if you last longer."

With this Xavi pushed Noel back as Kil stood opposite to Xavi and smirked, "What? You gon be my opponent? Hmm."

The moment Kil was distracted, Lia and the others already ran away while only Xavi and his five men and Kil and his men remained.

"Not bad, might be worth it," Kil laughed as he charged at Xavi. There was only one chance for Xavi to win this fight and it was to take this fight away from the open space.

Lia looked a few times back. Her worries were mirrored on everyone else's faces but they remained quiet. Even if Xavi had powers and was stronger, it still felt impossible for Xavi to beat Kil.

Kil was a monster, even Lia could see it. Not even Yano had such a strong aura. Yano's was tranquil and deep, luring people into a false sense of security when in truth his power was bottomless but Kil was the exact opposite. Hot-headed and blood-thirsty, his aura was a roaring fire, conveying his menacing desires. He let everything leak out while Yano hid everything.

Both were dangerous and Xavi couldn't match either of them. But Lia still believed and trusted that Xavi knew what he did. There was no way Xavi went into a fight without having a plan. There was no way he wouldn't have not prepared for it.

They were only a short distance away but the loud and explosive fighting sounds that erupted immediately caught up to them. Lia wanted to go back and help Xavi. The worry that something might go wrong didn't ease, instead, it only grew.

"He'll be ok," Susa took notice of Lia's behaviour and stopped Lia by taking her hand, "Don't forget what your mission is."

Further away from the Z mansion, they hurried towards the secret passage that was located in the dead-end of an alley.

Time was running out but they didn't dare to jump onto the roofs to take it as a shortcut, in fear they would be discovered.

Lia nodded, understanding Susa's worry that Lia might abandon the mission, and led the way. With each step, she took towards the first layer, the louder her heart raced and the heavier it felt.

If everything went smoothly, she would soon face Min and settle her grudges once and for all.

Behind Lia, the others shared the same sentiment, buried deep in their hearts refusing to show on the surface were emotions that even Lia barely felt. They raged inside of them, desperately fighting against their consciousness to well up and pour out for Lia to understand, for Lia to see and for Lia to stop them. But they made their decisions and there was no turning back anymore.

In the far, they saw the maze of buildings and streets colliding with each other, the dark light the sky cast, presented a gloomy reality. Only by memory, could Lia find her way through this. She has been here once and it was night back then but the current weather helped her a lot to remember.

With one last turn, Lia once again faced the dead end. A tall building that seemingly showed that nothing could pass apart from the surrounding houses. It was thick and of concrete. It was cold to touch. Hard and gritty under the fingertips.

Everyone held their breaths as Lia's hand sunk into the wall. She has found the way to trigger the secret passage. With a loud rumble, the part of the wall retreated before it went to the side revealing a blackness that seemed to spin on the eyes.

Nothing could be seen.

Lia took a step towards it as Noel held her back, "It's dangerous, I'll go lead first."

Just as he said that clattering footsteps, slow and light, echoed out of the back passage. No one could be seen but it was clear that the person was approaching.

In an instant everyone retreated a few steps before the footsteps multiplied and merged into many marching towards them. The original one got lost under the oncoming force.

"Run!" Noel shouted but it was too late.

Before he could even finish the word, a hand grabbed his collar from behind and threw him to the ground. It all happened so fast, everyone froze in their steps to watch. It only took a second, maybe even less but Lia saw a lighting speed.

He knew they wanted to escape. After all, while he and his soldiers were shrouded in the darkness of the passage because Lia opened it, light flooded in and once their eyes got accustomed, they could see Lia and the others.

Then in the blink of an eye, he charged out and smashed Noel onto the ground. They also knew of their plan to use the secret passage. That was why they didn't even wait outside the passage at their control point as Xavi pointed out. Instead, confident they marched into the passage to prevent them from getting to the first layer in the first place.

Leo and his squad.

Lia took a deep breath, her eyes fixated on his bright blonde hair and the cold face. The bright Leo she once knew was washed away with this new alien appearance of his.

From behind, the soldiers poured in, at least 30 of them, while Leo stood next to Noel who slowly sat up. Then as if intentionally, as if inevitably, Leo and Lia met eyes. His frosty ones rested on her for a second before they widened, "You… are the one form the academy."

Everyone looked between Lia and Leo. Mika, Susa and Nana were ready to fight as Mika's and Xavi's men pulled out their weapons. Right now, the atmosphere was calm. No one moved. No one made a move. But in their hearts and above their heads was a storm brewing. If anyone made a move, this fight would start.

"We met?" Lia almost forgot Leo indeed saw her as teacher Kim at the academy.

"You don't have to remember," the surprise in Leo's voice faded, his tone was indifferent and his eyes coldly stared at her with no emotions. Completely different from their encounter in the academy, completely different from the past.

"Timo was right then. Stealing what belongs to Min and even being part of the hidden families."

Lia thought she saw wrong but it was true. Hatred was in Leo's eyes as noticeably as his anger flared.

"I'll never forgive the hidden families."

Lia had no idea why Leo hated the hidden families so much, what they did to him but it was visible to the naked eye that his rage wasn't normal. It was on par to the loathing Lia felt when she came out of the abyss. Full of desire for revenge.

"Run!" Noel's voice woke everyone up. Once again, he charged a light blue circle at Leo who dodged it. But it was enough for Noel to escape Leo and for everyone to move.

Move out of here and find a new escape route into the core. When Leo appeared here, Lia hadn't calculated it.

"After them," not even a few steps away, Leo's command instantly had his soldiers charge at them, while Leo seemed to have his sight set on Lia.

With Leo's troops after them, they had no choice but to scatter, "I'll distract him, you guys find a way to get inside,'' Noel told them as he fell behind.

Lia wanted to say no, stop him but her feet already carried her away from him. As she looked for another way into the first layer. She realised everyone has fallen apart. They've completely scattered.

Lia was on her own. Behind her were at least 5 soldiers. In usual situations, five soldiers were easy for Lia to take care of but right now they weren't just normal soldiers. They were exorcists who have honed their powers.

Lia could continue running away, after all, her goal wasn't to fight them but to get into the palace. However, a sharp pain hit Lia and warm blood ran down her face. They started attacking.