Date Acceleration II (Complete)

Chapter 13

The shot rang out—clean, precise—a sharp crack that reverberated through the forest. Nolan's eyes widened in disbelief before he crumpled, a lifeless body severed from its strings.

He groaned, gasping for breath, followed by a violent cough. Until no more sound came out.

Accelerator, his body trembling, staggered and dropped to the ground, his mind overwhelmed by mental exhaustion. Thoughts and conflicts swirled in his head, a chaotic storm he couldn't escape.

With a slow exhale, Accelerator sank to his knees beside Matysh.

Boots crunched on the earth behind him. Wizards, faceless and efficient, moved in, their guns drawn. Accelerator felt his strength draining, his vision blurring as fatigue washed over him. He struggled to stay upright, but his mind, heavy with exhaustion, was pulling him under. Though he could easily defeat them all with a flick of his wrist, the thought  crossed his mind bute didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted it all to end and let this pass.

Accelerator could keep fighting and level this depot, this region even but he already knew it would just lead to escalation where it would be counterproductive to keep fighting to the last man even if he is kind of invincible.

The Wizards readied their guns from a distance, preparing to open fire if Accelerator became hostile. They slowly, with their guns ready, approached forward, gripping their guns tightly as they came to Accelerator. One wizard kicked the gun that was still in Accelerator's hand away.

Accelerator was not in the mood for mind games and just wanted to sleep. As his eyes slowly closed, the last image in front of him was not of the wizard's feet, but of the white cat licking the brown kitten, caring for it with a stoic face. His brain tried to fully seal it in his mind before he collapsed.

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Accelerator felt his exhaustion replaced with relaxation, as if his body had been recharged after the mental and physical strain. He felt as if he were floating in space. He slowly opened his eyes. His body may have been relaxed, but his mind was still on hold.

He then saw a beautiful angel, and behind her, a tranquil, beautiful sky. The angel had blonde hair and blue eyes. The Angel's blonde hair cascaded around her shoulders. She was giving him a small, yet kind smile. She looked at him with piercing blue eyes that radiated a warm and caring aura. She wore a white flowing gown that hugged her body tightly.

"Wait a damn second, I don't belong here," Accelerator thought, his relaxed state suddenly shattered by a sharp, stabbing headache.

In an instant, he was fully awake. His surroundings came into focus: Artemisia stood before him, dressed in a white formal dress, and behind her was a sterile medical room with blue walls. Before he could speak or let out an angry call, she pulled him into an unexpected embrace.

"Yeah, I belong here. This hell is where I belong. The devils and the angels can't figure out what to do with me, so they just brought me back to life," Accelerator thought bitterly, feeling Artemisia's embrace. To his surprise, the gesture, meant to comfort, only served to irritate him further.

"Thank God, youre okay. I was worried when I read of the report of suffering heavy casualties and the loss of someone of high value." Artemisia lightly said with a calm yet empathic tone.

Before Accelerator could wonder why Artemisia would care for a monster like him, or why she would hug someone like him instead of a true hero, the medical door slid open. Two men in heavy armor, each wielding futuristic laser shotguns, entered with cold precision. They moved in tandem, their heavy footsteps echoing through the room as they slowly approached Accelerator.