By Zephyria 
Dane retorted sharply at the gaze that seemed to accuse him of betrayal.
“Who was it that said it’s okay to kill in self-defense?”
It was Grayson. He knew it himself, so he was momentarily speechless. But, after a brief silence, he opened his mouth.
“If you kill, you’ll hate me.”
Grayson’s voice was heavy with self-pity and resignation, as if saying, I know it all. Dane, who was walking ahead, turned around with a frown.
“Who says killing guys who kidnap and torture people is murder?”
Grayson paused at the unexpected words. When he looked up, Dane added in his usual cynical tone.
“That’s cleaning. Reducing carbon dioxide, environmental protection for the Earth.”
“But, still.”
Grayson protested, genuinely flustered this time.
“You got mad at me last time when I said I was going to kill that bastard.”
That’s why he had been holding back until now.
Dane frowned at the words that sounded almost wronged.
“I only got mad because you were saying you’d kill him to look good to me. Or am I wrong?”
There was nothing to say to that. Grayson was quickly subdued and nodded slightly.
“…Right.”
“Of course.”
Dane snapped back before turning and walking away again. Before turning the corner, he stuck to the wall to check the hallway, and Grayson, who quickly stuck to his side, asked.
“Did you call the police?”
“Why would I call the police?”
At the immediate response, Grayson was about to say something, but Dane added first.
“Firefighters never call the police.”
Most people knew how much firefighters and police were at odds. Dane was the same. As a firefighter, he would rather run through a minefield alone than call the police. In the end, Grayson had no choice but to shut his mouth.
“Shh,” Dane said, putting his second finger to his lips, signaling to be quiet. The moment Grayson held his breath, Dane, who seemed to be waiting for something while sticking to the wall, suddenly dashed out into the hallway.
Grayson, startled, followed, and immediately a thud echoed. Dane, who had knocked down an armed man with a single blow, glanced at Grayson as if telling him to follow. Grayson whispered, careful not to raise his voice in excitement.
“Cool, sexy, you’re the best, my love.”
Dane, who was about to lead the way, staggered for a moment. He turned around, dumbfounded, and a large man with sparkling eyes was in his view. Soon, he sighed as if he couldn’t help it. And the moment he was about to turn around again.
“Dane!”
Grayson suddenly screamed. Before he could even grasp the situation, Dane’s feet were suddenly lifted into the air.
…Huh?
In a daze, his body suddenly soared. A huge bald head flashed into his view.
What is that…
Dane was flustered, but there was no time to take any action. As it was, his whole body was mercilessly slammed into the wall.
“Dane, Dane!”
Grayson ran to Dane, his face pale. Dane, who had fallen to the floor in an unsightly manner, belatedly regained his senses and raised his head. The man approached with ominous footsteps, thump, thump. The giant, taller than Grayson and almost three times his size, was walking towards them.
“Get out of the way.”
Dane pushed Grayson away as if he was a nuisance and hurriedly got up and took a stance. He had been dispatched to several local war zones, but this was the first time he had faced such an opponent. The man, with a fierce face and gnashing teeth, was empty-handed, but his body itself was a weapon. Dane quickly pulled out his military knife from his waist. He had a gun, but if he used it, the noise would bring the other guys running, which would be very troublesome. He had to somehow take down that giant with this.
“Dane, it’s dangerous!”
Ignoring Grayson’s urgent cry, Dane readjusted his grip on the knife and charged at the man. The man reached out his arm, trying to grab his body as it was, but Dane twisted his body and climbed up the wall. As soon as his feet touched the wall with his legs wide apart, he kicked off and flew up. In an instant, he landed behind the giant man, and at the same time, Dane swung his military knife. Swish, the sound of flesh tearing was eerie.
“Kkeueuk…….”
The man, stabbed in the back, groaned in agony. Dane landed on the floor, crouched down, and swung his knife again. This time, he aimed for the man’s Achilles tendon, but failed. The man barely dodged his foot, leaving only a shallow scratch. Tsk, Dane clicked his tongue and charged at the man again. Quickly scanning the man’s body and finding an opening, Dane swung his knife again. Suddenly, the man’s eyes widened, bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth.
“You bastard……!”
A large arm flailed through the air. Ah, Dane realized his mistake in an instant, but it was already too late. He was hit in the head by a thick, large hand.
“Dane!”
Grayson shouted again. Dane’s body, thrown helplessly to the floor, bounced once before falling back down. Then, the man rushed towards Dane. Before Dane could even recover, the man, who had charged with loud footsteps, thump, thump, grabbed him.
“Keuk, keueuk…….”
The man, who grabbed his neck with one hand, widened his eyes. He put all his strength into his body as if he was going to tear Dane to pieces. The man was furious that he had been injured, and his expression showed that he was about to die. This little runt, I’m going to kill you, I’m going to kill you……!
“Iit……!”
The man drooled from his mouth, grabbed Dane’s neck with one hand, and grabbed his arm with the other, trying to tear it off as it was.
“Eueo……?”
Suddenly, the man made a dazed sound. Soon, the hand holding Dane loosened. Dane, who was struggling to get out of his grasp, frowned, feeling something strange. And the next moment, an unpleasant sound of pudeudeuk was heard. Following the sounds of pudeudeuk, pudeudeuk, pudeudeuk in succession, a clear stream of blood suddenly scattered everywhere.
“Eo…….”
The giant man left only that one word and his eyes rolled back. Then, behind the man who was collapsing forward, Grayson was seen covered in blood. The back of the man lying on the floor was widely torn. Dane realized then that Grayson had completely torn the wound on his back that he had cut. The exposed vertebrae protruding from the widely opened crack in his back were clearly visible. It looked as if he had torn the flesh with his bare hands and pulled out the spine inside. Unbelievably. But seeing the still-wet blood soaking Grayson’s hands falling to the floor, he had no choice but to believe it.
He felt an unpleasant stench of blood. Dane was so surprised by the gruesome sight that he stopped breathing. He widened his eyes and looked down at the man who was still gasping for breath, then slowly raised his gaze. Grayson, stained with crimson blood, stood there looking down at them with a blank face.
“Self-defense.”
That was all he said. Dane said nothing. It was after that that he opened his mouth.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Dane hurriedly got up and lightly patted Grayson on the shoulder, as if to say he had done a good job.
“Let’s go.”
That was all Dane said. Grayson’s mouth slowly opened at the sight of him starting to run down the hallway again.
“Okay.”
With a slight blush on his cheeks, he hurriedly chased after Dane. At this moment, he didn’t feel any pain. Rather, his feet were so light that he felt like he could fly.
Bang, a loud noise echoed. Emerson, the head man, who was checking the situation that had just occurred in real time through the surveillance camera installed in the hallway, trembled with anger. How dare they, how dare those bastards……!
The guys standing behind him, who were watching him slam the desk hard with his fist and glare at the screen, were uneasy and spoke with difficulty.
“Um, well, Mr. Emerson. Wh-what should we do? Sam, Sam got taken down…… What should we do now?”
“What do you mean, what should we do! We have to stop those bastards!”
Emerson shouted roughly.
“Grab your weapons right now, shoot and hit them anywhere! If those bastards escape from here, we’re all finished!”
“Yes, yes, sir. I understand, Mr. Emerson……!”
The men were flustered and rushed out of the control room, competing with each other. Emerson, who was watching their backs, gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
It’s okay, I still have a trick up my sleeve.
He turned around and thought, glaring at Dane and Grayson reflected in the surveillance camera.
If necessary, I can just use that to get rid of them all.