Kingdom of battles ✓

Chapter 53

Five shadows were standing on one of the roofs of the buildings in Blackthorne. I, that happened to be one of them, raised my head and closed my eyes for a moment while the breeze that was carrying the smell of salt with it, blew through my hair. Then my eyes opened again and snapped in the direction of another rooftop that was a little lower from ours and about half a kilometre away. I frowned and lowered my head again, not happy about what I found out. I already wasn't looking forward to this mission, but now it just became even worse. At first it was just a feeling, but now with the help of my special analysing skill I was able to see that there really was someone following us all the way from Takesawa, the town in level 14 where we went from the headquarters of our guild to teleport to Blackthorne. 

'' Natsumi? '' Mero murmured with an expressionless voice, causing me to turn around and look at her. Her dark grey eyes were watching me while she was eating cookies that she pulled out from somewhere. '' What's wrong? ''  

'' I am worried- '' I began, but Tsukimo interrupted me. 

'' Yeah yeah, you're scared of a stupid parrot, '' she said and rolled her eyes. '' We get it. ''  

I frowned and hissed: '' Shut up. What i meant to say was that I am worried, because I'm... '' I lowered my voice, causing Nai to step closer and listen too. '' There is someone following us all the way from level 14. ''  

Mero didn't react in any way, her face stayed impassive. The next moment she nodded and murmured: '' I thought that it could be something like that. '' Her eyes travelled to Waru that was standing at the edge of the rooftop we were on, staring down at the street with an expressionless look on his face, while the wind blew through his black hair. '' I didn't see anything, but he was constantly looking around. '' 

'' But the problem is that we don't know which one of us is being followed, '' Nai spoke up, looking worried. '' This is so creepy, '' he whined and hid his face between his hands. 

'' I have a plan, '' I told everyone and grinned. 

Tsukimo rolled her eyes at that. '' Yeah yeah, you always have a plan. The problem is that your plans also always have the habit to fail, but let's follow this one too, maybe something will happen that we'll be able to laugh about in the future. ''  

'' Laugh at me? '' I seriously muttered. 

'' That's right, '' Tsukimo bluntly replied, causing Nai and Mero to sweatdrop. 

I sighed, but I didn't say anything else. I was already used to Tsukimo insulting me, sometimes when she started I insulted her back, but now I didn't because I was worried. I had a bad feeling ever since I first thought that it was like something was following us. There was something in the air of Blackthorne, something bad. Shiemi and her parrot and the members of FATE that could be nearby weren't worrying me as much as the recent discovery that someone was following us. 

Everyone turned at me and seriously waited for me to tell them my plan. I scratched the back of my head and awkwardly smiled. '' Well, it's actually pretty simple. We just separate here, each of us will go in different directions. We'll search for Mero's spy, but also at the same we'll be careful to see if the person that is following us will go after you and not someone else, okay? If they attack us we'll capture them, or try to run. If nothing happens to you and you don't find Mero's spy either then you come back here in two hours. Waru, Tsukimo and Nai, we'll have to be a little more careful not to get noticed by any members of FATE too considering that they all know us. '' 

Mero nodded approvingly and put the packet with cookies that she was holding in the pocket of her old black shirt with rolled up sleeves, showing the glove on her right arm that was made of dark metal. I knew that she had it before she entered the game and used it during practice in the dojo of the man that adopted her, but there was something else that caused me to stare at her for a few moments, thinking that there was something strange about her tonight. Then my eyes suddenly widened with realisation and I quickly looked away again, but sadly not before she noticed the expression on my face.