[ Winst// King ]

"Winst, what are you going to do when we're already at the top?"

I glanced at the person who asked me. She's looking at the sea while sitting next to me.

"I don't know... how about you?"

She raised her hand, as if reaching the sea.

Eli smiled. "I'll hunt everyone who laughed at me, liquify those who try to mock me, and show everyone that I will remain at the top... always." Her voice is full of determination, committed to her dream.

I smiled, then gazed at the sea too.

"Then... I'll follow you."

Dozens of wolves started moving, each one are attacking the two brats I'm facing. As if I wore a glove made of lightning, claws are sharp. I moved too, blended with the wolves.

Hindi na rin ako tumayo lang, nagsimula na rin ako kumilos. Sinimulan kong seryosohin ang laban. The two used their gifts to destroy my wolves, but no matter what they do, they kept regenerating and regenerating— they're made of lightning after all.

Full of white fire, unending thunder noises, they're both doing everything... but it's pretty obvious that they're losing it, they're tired, low in stamina.

Pinuntirya ko ang lalaking pinakamalapit sa akin, nakatutok ang matutulis na kuko na gawa sa kidlat. He's still destroying my wolves, but immediately made an action on the right time when I'm about to slash his neck.

With a dagger made of lightning, the heir of Zeus stopped my attack. We're face to face, pushing our weapons to one another.

May pwersa ang pagkakadiin ko ng gamit kong armas, pero nagagawa niya pa rin akong sanggain. Even though he's probably 10 years younger than me, his physical strength is no joke.

Despite the tension and suffocating atmosphere, I plastered a smirk.

"Who do you think is the better heir of Zeus between us?"

He gritted his teeth, pissed. Mariin niyang tinulak ang patalim niya, dahilan ng pagbitaw naming dalawa sa pagkakaipit ng atake namin.

"I would be lying if I said it was me," he answered directly.

My smirk widened. Honest, I like that.

"Experience, gift, familiarity, physical combat, you excel in all of those." Naglaho ang ngisi ko nang makitang bumwelo siya.

"But that only means, that I have more potential to be the strongest heir of Zeus."

My expression became serious. Now, I want to take him more seriously.

Serious enough to make my wolves stop attacking him, but the fireboy instead. I'll take this guy all by myself.

Napansin niya rin kaagad ang pagtigil ng pagsugod sa kaniya ng mga lobo, pero mukhang hindi siya masaya.

"I appreciate that, but I appreciate it more if you take me seriously... using all your strength."

I showed a grin. Now, I'm wearing two lightning gloves, claws are sharp.

"Believe me, I'm taking you seriously-"

"Winst! Help me!"

I was taken aback. My expression dulled. 

Mabilis akong napalingon sa pwesto ni Eli, na napako sa kinatatayuan niya, hawak-hawak siya ng tagapagmana ni Amphitrite.

"She'll— she'll burst my body! I can't use my gift!"

Tuluyang nagbago ang ekspresyon ko. Kaming mga pares ng mga dieners ay binigyan ng kakayahan na makipag-usap sa isa't isa gamit ang mga isipan. It was Joker who did it, to make the Kings and Queens closer and to move them as one.

"Winst," her voice softened. "Help me!"

Nawala ang ibang nasa isip ko, mabilis na nag-iba ang prioridad ko. I immediately think fast, body still alert for an attack.

And with just 2 seconds, not even exactly 2, I thought of an idea.

"Eli..." I said using our thoughts.

Hinanda ko ang sarili ko, naghahandang umamba sa lalaking katapat ko.

"We'll do this fast..."

"I'll attack that heiress using my wolves, and distract this Zeus' heir with a long slash... then..."

"We'll go straight to Cronus' Heiress, and let's kill her together."

Iyon ang naisip kong mabilis na paraan. It might be a coward move and petty, but this is how reality works.

With that heiress gone, we can finish the remaining others easily.

The atmosphere changed, the time slowed down. Before starting, I glanced at Eli's direction, she glance at me too— our eyes met.

"Let's..."

"End this."

Sumugod ako sa lalaking kaharap ko, nakatutok ang matutulis na kuko na gawa sa kuryente. The lightningboy's eyes are focused on mine, until two of my wolves... went to the opposite direction.

"W-What-"

Nalipat ang tingin niya sa babaeng kasama niya na sa parehong pagkakataon, nabitawan si Eli at namilog ang mga mata.

"Risca!"

With his attention not on mine, I slit his neck with my claws— or so I thought. Even if he's shaken, he still managed to stop my attack, using his lightning dagger. But he's unstable.

"Y-You-"

I smirked. The heiress is in the ground, pinned by my wolves. Eli is charging to the heiress of Cronus.

"I'll come back for you."

His eyes widened, so as my smirk. Mula sa likuran ko, tumalon pa ang isang lobo at dinaganan ang kaharap ko. Dahil do'n, walang nakaharang sa akin, mabilis din akong nakakilos papunta sa tagapagmana ni Cronus.

"Alvis!- FUCK, CLEOFA!"

My claws are getting sharper ang longer, sparking. I can feel Eli's bloodlust, as we charge at the girl sitting, eyes are bleeding.

"I will follow you... and I'll make sure that you'll reach the top."

She smiled. "And I'll make sure to pull you up too..."

I held her hand. "Yeah, no one can look down on us no matter what..."

"We will be unreachable... together."

I showed a grin, 5 feet distance from our target.

Until...

My dagger disappeared. The ground that we're just running at, liquified— like water.

It still feels like time slowed down, our expressions changed as our body sank. To the point that I'm looking up to the girl we're suppose to kill a second ago.

Dahil parang bumagal ang pagtakbo ng oras sa kabila ng bilis ng mga pangyayari, hindi pa rin maproseso ng utak ko ang mga kaganapan. Natauhan na lang ako nang magtama ang mga mata namin ng babaeng tagapagmana ni Cronus.

"Are you sure that they have weaknesses?" I asked Joker.

She showed a grin. "Of course, you idiot."

"Heir and Heiress of Cronus, are not strong as you think."

I remember what Joker said.

The... fuck?

This kid... just fucking adopt both of our gifts at the same time... and fucking used it.

And they... are not strong as you think, she said?

"W-Winst-"

Nanlumo ako nang marinig ang pagtawag ng babaeng kasama kong palubog sa tubig. Nag-aalala akong tumingin sa kaniya... at sinubukan siyang abutin, pero hindi ko siya maabot. She's crying.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I always pull you down!"

I gritted my teeth. "N-No! You don't! I chose to follow you!"

"I-If you just let me be, you could've kill them all by yourself!-"

"E-Eli!"

Just when I'm about to reach her, I saw a huge wolf behind the heiress of Cronus' back. In an instant, I knew what is about to happen.

Us, sinking on the water... and a wolf made of lightning will jump on us.

We... really fucked up.

The last thing I saw was Cronus' heiress, looking down on us. Eyeballs red, expression cold and dead.

"Don't underestimate me, fool."

CHAPTER 31
Not strong as you think