Merging Worlds, Merging Views, New Risks

Chapter 49

(A Few Minutes Ago)

After managing to exit the carnival through its entrance, Ruby's group resume fleeing from the place while taking a bunch of Y/N's captives with them.

Yang: "Phew, we made it out!"

Blake: "There's still other people inside!"

Weiss: "We can just retrieve them later!"

Winter: "She's right! Keep moving, people!"

They do just that, trying to stay as far away from the carnival as possible. Especially since several face-painted Blitztanks and numerous clown-masked duplicates are still chasing after them out of the carnival. The tanks even start shooting white orbs of energy at them, though the group keep dodging and weaving.

Glynda: "Annoyingly persistent."

Oobleck: "Keep them at bay, students!"

Port: "Don't let them anywhere near us!"

As instructed, the students begin shooting their gunshots and projectiles while continuing to dash away. A couple minutes of just fleeing and pushing back their adversaries. This is when Y/N's captives they have with them slowly start commenting to them.

Mai: "You should've left us be."

Tager: "There is no point."

Orie: "He's going to get us."

Noel & Makoto: "..." 

Es: "You all should've left us to die."

Ruby: "We're not letting that happen!"

Pyrrha: "Please don't say such things!"

Penny: "You people matter just as much as the rest of us!"

Abruptly, the dazzling Y/N launched himself down before them, causing a brief shockwave upon his landing. This prompts the group to cease their running and stand to see Y/N, straightening himself as he comments on their remarks.

Y/N: "Hehe, I beg to differ."

Ruby's group are visibly baffled to see him just show up out of nowhere like that. This gives the smirking Y/N the opportunity to slam the entangled Susano'o at them. This prompts the group to immediately hop out of the way. But Y/N anticipated this as he sprouted out a bundle of his red rope-like tendrils to snatch his tied-up hostages from them and over to him. Landing on the ground, Ruby's group watches as Y/N's tendrils dangle Es, Mai, Makoto, Noel, Tager, and Orie around him.

Y/N: "You clones sure are something else. You enter my domain uninvited... try to ruin my show... and put in so much effort to save these people... and for what?"

Ruby: "We're saving them from getting tormented again... because it's the right thing to do... because we wanted to find you and help you from whatever is wrong with you!"

Seeing her stern and yet resolute expression, Y/N actually becomes quiet for a moment upon hearing her response. This causes the red crack on his chin to extend as it reaches the middle of his red smile. He then chuckles and answers back.

Y/N: "Heh, how cute of you... but you all left behind the rest back in my carnival."

Ciel: "Because you had your doppelgangers and tanks to go after us!"

Y/N: "Hah! All I'm hearing are excuses. If you people are the real deal like you claim you are... then try saving them."

This left the group quite puzzled as the shining Y/N jumped over them in order to stand between them and the approaching tanks and clown-masked clones. Ruby's group turns around to see Y/N's armed force holding the remaining hostages with them a good distance away from them and Y/N.