Chapter 95
Cain attacked Baron as if he had been waiting for the moment.
He pressed on relentlessly, striking at his face, arms, neck, and legs without hesitation. Baron’s bewildered expression was evident.
“Cain is attacking Baron.”
Melony’s eyes widened.
She had expected that Cain, upon seeing Baron, would protect him rather than attack.
But reality was completely different. Cain was truly trying to take Baron down.
“What on earth is going on?”
She could only watch Cain with a dumbfounded expression.
There were only two possibilities: either Baron’s blood was no longer in Cain’s body, or it had completely vanished.
“I hope it’s the latter… If it’s the former, I’ll just give him a bit more of my blood.”
Even as Baron dodged like a scurrying rat, Cain attacked coldly and without mercy.
It was when the smile gradually faded from Baron’s face, as if he were being cornered at the edge of a cliff.
“You won’t be able to kill me anyway.”
The rough, unpleasant voice rang out. Upon hearing it, Melony immediately aimed her gun at Baron.
She thought things would resolve easily. In a way, she felt relieved.
But, as expected, it wasn’t that simple.
“Figures.”
She watched Cain with a sneer.
“Come on, Cain.”
The fleeing Baron suddenly twisted his body, spreading his arms wide.
“Try to kill me!”
He shouted boldly, certain that Cain could never actually kill him.
Melony’s pupils widened as she squinted.
“……”
Cain, who had been twisting Baron’s neck, stopped in place. Slowly, he relaxed his grip.
Watching this, Melony let out a bitter laugh.
Cain had halted just before delivering the finishing blow, stopped by Baron’s blood.
“This… insane.”
Cain’s face contorted in rage. The same went for Melony, Abel, and Luxuria.
Everyone present was too shocked to speak.
“Now, do you understand?”
Baron, grinning like a villain, lightly tapped Cain’s shoulder and then threw a punch.
Cain staggered back and fell to the ground from the blow. The impact was so great that he didn’t react at all.
“Lilith, watch carefully! He can never kill me.”
Baron stomped heavily on Cain’s shoulder. Melony, who had been watching intently, soon felt the pain travel through her own legs.
Of course, Cain remained stiff, seemingly unaware of the pain.
Feeling it as clearly as if it were her own, Melony frowned.
“So this is what the Partner Mark is.”
The pain is shared, and responsibilities are connected—this is what the Partner Mark meant.
Cain had foolishly taken on the burden.
“Shut up.”
Melony spat the words, taking only a few steps before shooting Baron in the head with her gun.
“Because I can kill him instead.”
Baron dodged, but Melony grabbed his head firmly and killed him in one swift motion.
“Hah! Is that really so?”
However, the Baron she killed wasn’t the real one. The figure, blurred from the attack, was merely an illusion.
“Ha…”
Her neck strained—she hadn’t expected Baron to project illusions.
Just as her anger flared…
“Melony!”
Turning at Luxuria’s urgent call, she saw Abel, badly beaten, bleeding heavily. He must have been overwhelmed by countless replicas.
Meanwhile, Luxuria was struggling to take down the replicas one by one.
“Luxuria, take Abel and get out of here.”
“Uh, uh? O-okay!”
Luxuria quickly understood and hastily carried Abel to a safe distance.
Melony, face still stiff, plunged the tip of her umbrella into the ground. The soil was soft, and the umbrella sank deep.
She opened it, ready to use her strength, but remembered Cain and turned around. By now, he had disappeared.
“Was he just stunned from the shock?”
And he had even taken a hit from Baron. Normally, someone like him wouldn’t get hit at all.
Worried for a moment, she pushed the thought aside as a swarm of replicas pressed in grotesquely.
“Everyone, get lost.”
Staring straight ahead, she released her sacred energy. In an instant, a warm, bright light enveloped the swarm of replicas.
After a short while, as the light faded, nothing remained.
Sighing, Melony folded her umbrella and searched for Luxuria. She saw Abel bleeding from his chest, arms, and legs, sustaining critical injuries.
“Luxuria, who hurt Abel?”
“Baron. That bastard.”
“Cain was dealing with him all this time.”
“We could see too. That guy must have produced multiple illusions.”
Melony sat before Abel, ready to heal him.
But in an instant, Abel vanished from sight.
“Hey, Cain! What are you doing?!”
Luxuria’s scream echoed.
When she regained focus, Abel was flying in the distance, and Cain stood in his place.
Cain’s cold, dark gaze fixed on Abel was unfamiliar.
“Unbelievable.”
The stiffness he had shown earlier was gone. All that remained was Cain radiating pure rage.
Melony, who had been bent over, straightened herself.
“Cain.”
Cain kicked the injured, bleeding Abel away. Normally, Abel could have dodged or landed safely, but he couldn’t in his wounded state.
Coughing, Abel struggled to get back up.
“This is too much. He’s hurt, and Cain kicked him full force.”
Luxuria froze, stunned, unable to move. Melony, sighing, approached Abel.
She felt Cain’s sharp gaze behind her but ignored it lightly.
“Let’s rest.”
“Thank you.”
Abel smiled as usual, but a pained frown creased his brow. With a light sigh, Melony supported him and sat him by a nearby tree.
But it didn’t last long. Cain soon appeared in front of them.
“Who are you?”
Growling, Cain glared down at Abel and grabbed him by the collar. Luxuria rushed over, punching Cain.
“Let go, you bastard! Abel’s hurt! Can’t you see?”
Cain didn’t budge, rock-solid.
“Why are you carrying my clone around?”
Luxuria froze instantly. Cain, sneering, turned his head toward her.
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
Melony, who had also been frozen, regained her senses and separated Luxuria from Cain. Cain’s gaze then shifted to Melony.
“And…”
Cain turned his body fully toward Melony, naturally letting go of Abel’s collar.
Abel, coughing, leaned back against the tree, looking up at Melony with worried eyes.
Melony positioned Luxuria behind her.
“Mel.”
Cain still called her “Mel.” Melony opened her mouth to reply but couldn’t say a word.
“What’s this about?”
“…About what?”
She managed to answer with one word.
“Why are you trying to hide my clone behind you again?”
“……”
“Like you’re trying to stop me from taking it.”
“Cain.”
Once more, they faced off.
Cain bared his teeth, ready to attack at any moment. His rage radiated intensely, and Melony tensed.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, Abel groaned in pain. Luxuria dashed to his side.
“Abel, are you okay? What should we do?”
Luxuria, nearly in tears, grabbed Melony’s hand.
“Melony, help Abel. Huh? He’s dying.”
Luxuria’s eyes glistened, ready to cry. Melony, watching with a sigh, gently pushed Cain back with her shoulder.
“Let me try to save someone who’s about to die.”
“…What?”
“I’ll deal with him, so wait.”
Ignoring their shocked expressions, she sat down and carefully used her sacred energy to heal him.
Even vampires could be healed—Cain himself had once received treatment after being shot.
Abel’s bleeding had mostly stopped, but Baron’s poison had taken effect, and sweat now broke out on Abel’s skin.
“Melony… can’t Abel be healed? Is he dying?”
“He won’t die.”
“Ugh… Abel… don’t die. You can’t die.”
“I told you, he won’t die.”
Melony tapped Luxuria’s forehead and hesitated briefly before rolling up her sleeves and exposing her forearms.
Abel, dizzy and leaning against the tree, suddenly lifted his head in surprise.
