OLD-WORLD EXTRA C.457: Worthy Followers

Out of the shadows, a whip-like snake shot forward, piercing through the bottom of Album's foot and coiling tightly around his leg.

Hidden beneath its surface were small chains that latched onto his shadow, anchoring him in place.

His foot froze, a mere inch above Sofia's neck.

Album's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the motionless limb, then slowly turned his gaze to his surroundings, scanning for the source, the attacker.

"Why did you intervene? I thought you were going to just watch."

His eyes soon locked onto Ava, more specifically, the flickering shadow beneath her feet.

"I know you're there."

A dangerous giggle resounded, and a white-haired woman materialized behind him. "Are you sure?"

Before he could react to those words, her right blade gauntlet was already slashing across his neck.

But just as the blade bit into his flesh, it stopped short, unable to sever his head completely. Album had concentrated his healing factor on that precise point, reinforcing his neck, making it nearly indestructible to someone of her strength.

Now, the blade was momentarily lodged in his neck, its entrance now healed.

For a second, neither of them moved, then, the white-haired woman-Lyra-clicked her tongue in frustration and swiftly kicked him in the back.

While doing so, she pulled away, dislodging her weapon as he was sent sprawling to the ground beside Sofia.

Dirt and dust were picked up at the impact, making quite a dramatic entrance for Ava and Arthur, who finally gained the courage to approach the new arrival.

Lyra gave them a quick gesture, her ruby eyes sharp.

"Take them. Now."

There was no time for more words.

Both of them nodded in silent thanks, not wasting a moment.

Ava carefully lifted Sofia, her broken body limp in her arms, while Arthur heaved Max, still unconscious, onto his shoulder.

They bolted from the scene, running as fast as their legs could carry them.

In the time it took them to jump out of the train tracks and onto the platform, Album was healed back up, ready to chase them down.

But before he could, a loud sound filled the air-the rumbling of the earth, the cracking of

stone.

He looked behind him and saw new faces, five of them.

Kiera, Sarah, Hiro, Leo, and Evan.

Jack really wanted to come along, but Kiera had forced him to join the others and ensure they could safely reach camp.

While he could still fight, facing a Seraphim with such an exploitable disadvantage was bounding him for failure or, even worse, death.

Rumble... Rumble...

The ground trembled violently beneath all seven of them.

Cracks snaked through the stone floor, and chunks of the ceiling above the platform's

entrance began to crumble, threatening to bury all that was underneath.

Album glanced up at the collapsing structure, unfazed.

He knew what was happening.

Those six had caused the quake.

Though... he didn't doubt that his battle had added to the damage.

Regardless, none of that mattered to him at that moment.

His next actions were more important to identify.

He stood still, weighing his options.

Album could pursue the students now-hunt them down and finish what he started-but the risk gnawed at him.

If he gave chase, those "heretics" might interfere again, and adding to that, the crumbling ceiling above threatened to bury him if he gave chase.

Even with his enhanced healing, getting trapped under tons of rubble might be his undoing.

With a final, frustrated glance at the escaping cohort, he faced his new enemies and stepped forward.

"At least I'll have six sacrifices today."

Lyra looked at the falling debris in the distance and then glanced at Album.

Without a word, she melded into the shadows, intent on leaving her family behind.

As she was nothing but a shadow, she easily crossed the flood of stones, reaching the other

side, and following the students.

Album let out a sigh, his annoyance growing.

"Will any of you escape too?"

Kiera aimed her HA-15 at him.

"Only two ways we leave this place. Either we kill you or get carried out in caskets."

"...It seems even heretics can have grace."

With that, Album began to slowly walk towards them.

Kiera's heart pounded as she, Sarah, Evan, Hiro, and Leo formed a tight circle, eyes locked on

the approaching threat.

His white cloak, torn and bloodied, flapped in the wind caused by the still-falling debris as he moved like a predator.

Album smirked at them, clearly underestimating the group.

He'd fought many, and none had posed a significant challenge.

In his mind, they were beneath him-mere nobodies that he'd crush like all the others.

He gripped his bladed staff tighter and then suddenly put some strength behind his legs, focusing it all on his next step.

At once, he appeared directly before Kiera, the one he identified as the biggest threat.

Using the resulting momentum in his movement, Album swung his staff down, aiming to cleave her in half with one swift blow.

But she was ready for him.

"Flare Shot."

Two bullets shot from Kiera's weapon, each a creation of her God's Ammunition ability.

They hit Album's chest before his staff could reach her, burying deep within his body.

The moment they pierced through him, they exploded inside, sending shockwaves of destruction through his internal organs.

The force of the explosion wasn't powerful enough to tear through his skin, but it was more

than enough to obliterate much of what was inside him.

His organs were either severely damaged or outright destroyed in an instant.

But the two bullets didn't stop there.

Kiera had learned of two types before this fight.

The first, Plasma Charge, which she had used against the constructs.

The second, Biological Ammunition, which unleashed something far worse: parasitic organisms engineered to eliminate the target from within, devouring their organs.

It was the perfect weapon against Album's regenerative abilities, at least for someone at her

rank.

Though there were more advanced bullets like Nanite Swarm Pods or Soulstone Ammunition,

Kiera knew she wasn't skilled enough to craft them yet.

Even Aquila, a Seraphim-ranked Gun Mage, had only four.

The parasites released from her Biological Ammunition crawled inside his body, gnawing away at his insides and slowing his regeneration.

Album's smirk faltered as he staggered back, clutching his chest.

His body trembled, fighting to heal, but the parasites worked fast, hindering his natural frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

recovery.

Yet that didn't go on for long.

While it did slow him down, apparently, it wasn't as effective as it first seemed.

He had only paused for a few seconds, attacking as soon as he could.

But that was enough time for the others to be ready.

"Let's end this quickly."

Evan summoned his Aetheric Bulwark.

A shimmering barrier of Aether formed in front of Kiera, absorbing Album's strike.

Wasting no time, Junior stepped to the front; just before the barrier, his Aetheric Blade

activated, his long sword slashing down.

Album leaned back at the last moment, barely avoiding being cut in half.

Still, the tip of the sword had reached him, gutting his stomach from the right to the left.

It was a grave injury, but he didn't slow down to heal.

With a snarl, he lunged forward and swung his bladed staff.

Evan immediately stepped back, and the blade clashed against the Aetheric Bulwark, sending

shockwaves through the air.

It cracked in the next moment, needing a single extra hit to break.

The force of the impact pushed them all back, but they held their ground while Evan gritted

his teeth as he channeled more Aether into his bulwark.

Just when Album cocked his hand back, about to swing again, Leo activated his ability,

Aetheric Siphon.

Album flinched, momentarily pausing, and that was all they needed.

Hiro darted to the side, out of the bulwark's protection, and activated Flash Step.

In an instant, he vanished from sight, only to reappear a short distance away, his curved blade

held bloodied and held in a ready stance.

Behind him, a clean cut formed just above Album's right elbow.

Then, blood oozed from the wound, and his arm fell to the ground, severed entirely.

Album's eyes flickered with surprise, and he quickly reacted, stomping the ground.

His right leg broke and healed repeatedly, as he used twice his maximum strength, sending a violent shockwave through the earth.

The impact hurled everyone back and sent his severed arm flying upward, allowing him to

snatch it mid-air.

Without hesitation, he slammed the limb back into place, instinctively aligning the bones.

The arm began to reattach, skin and muscle knitting together rapidly as his healing factor

kicked in.

Despite the grotesque sight and what must have been excruciating pain, Album remained

calm.

Rather, he didn't even seem bothered, more interested in something else, particularly Hiro,

his white eyes fixed on him with a puzzled expression.

'Flash Step... for such a short distance?'

Album was unable to fathom how Hiro could manipulate the ability so precisely.

Whatever technique that was, it couldn't have come from thin air.

It had to be from an outsider, not an Eartherner, someone with a different perspective,

someone who dared to ask.

....Just who was it that taught him this?

Before he could reach the semiobvious answer to that question, he was rudely interrupted.

The target of curiosity had disappeared, reappearing in front of him with blurry movements. It was his Blurred Dance ability at play.

He was nearly impossible to track as his blade closed in on Album, no longer shimmering with

darkness.

Hiro struck fast, and Album couldn't defend himself, unable to hit him, skin-deep scratches forming all over his body.

However, Album's regenerative abilities were almost instantaneous.

Every wound Hiro inflicted closed up within seconds, leaving only faint traces of the attacks.

Sarah, standing behind the group, activated Aetheric Heal while he attacked, boosting his speed even further, his body reaching a state above a hundred percent.

She kept her focus on him, constantly mending the tiny wounds inflicted by Album's fists.

Her Sacred Gift was cast on Kiera, preparing her for what they planned to do next. Leo stayed at the back, near her, his focus entirely on draining Album of his Aether. His form had split into three while everyone wasn't looking, each form performing different and utterly random actions to confuse their enemy.

When they noticed that change, Kiera whispered something under her breath and stepped out.