(Rabuki's POV)

  "What the..?" I jumped up, watching Arkgrim limply slump right into his plate.

  I rushed over to him and pressed my fingers to his neck. His skin was unnaturally cool. One... two... three... the pause was frighteningly long.

  "Rulf! His pulse is barely reaching twenty beats per minute! This isn't normal, this... this is death!"

  Rulf, who usually maintained his composure even during an earthquake, instantly changed his expression.

  "Lady Rabuki," his voice remained polite, but steely notes of panic cut through it. "This is a critical condition. Lethal. I am immediately calling our medical team, please step away!"

  He bolted from his spot and ran off somewhere, breaking all rules of etiquette. I was left alone over the unconscious body. Swearing to myself, I lifted his head—his entire face was covered in soup. I had to quickly wipe it with a napkin, feeling my own hands starting to tremble.

  Suddenly, my phone in my pocket went crazy. A notification from the estate's security system popped up on the screen: "ATTENTION! PERIMETER BREACHED. 20 ARMED HOSTILES. THREAT LEVEL: RED."

  "What the hell is going on here?!" I yelled into the emptiness of the dining room.

  The phone rang. Father.

  "Rabuki!" his voice boomed, drowning out some noise in the background. "Grab the kid quickly, jump into the car with Rulf, and floor it to the Exterminator Corps headquarters! Immediately!"

  "Yes, Father, but..."

  "Don't forget to activate your bio-suit!" he interrupted.

  "What is happening? Who are these people?"

  "Not now, Rabuki! There's no time to explain, just save him and yourself! Run!"

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  I tossed the phone aside. There was no time left to think. I grabbed Arkgrim around the waist—his body felt incredibly heavy.

  I exhaled, activating the bio-layer under my clothes. A familiar heat surged through my muscles, granting me strength.

  I literally threw Arkgrim over my shoulder and dashed toward the garage through the side exit. The heavy garage doors were already crawling upward. Rulf stood by the idling armored sedan.

  "Faster, Lady Rabuki! Get in!"

  I jumped into the back seat, holding onto Arkgrim. As soon as the door slammed shut, Rulf slammed the gas pedal to the floor, and the car flew out onto the driveway, tires spinning.

  "Rabuki!" Rulf tossed a metal auto-injector to me over his shoulder. "Into his thigh! Quickly! It's concentrated adrenaline!"

  I didn't hesitate. I forcefully drove the needle into Arkgrim's thigh right through his jeans and pressed the trigger. In that very second, the bracelet on his wrist lit up with a blinding light, emitting a piercing sound. On the display, his pulse rate began to climb at an insane speed: 60... 120... 180!

  "A-A-A!" Arkgrim suddenly sat bolt upright and screamed, his eyes wide open.

  I recoiled against the door.

  "Why are you yelling?!" I barked, trying to calm my own frantic heartbeat.

  Arkgrim fell silent, looked around with a completely sober gaze, and scratched the back of his head.

  "Just 'cause..." he yawned. "Where are we? And why are we driving so fast?"

  "I don't know!" I snapped. "You tell me, which one of us is being hunted by an army of mercenaries?!"

  "My head is splitting..." he ignored my question, patting his pockets. "Where are the pills? Damn, gone. Ran out. Pity. Oh well..."

  I looked at him, not believing my eyes.

  "Why are you so calm?! We were just attacked, we're speeding down the oncoming lane, and you're upset about pills?!"

  "And why should I be nervous?" he looked out the window lazily.

  This was not normal. I had injected him with a dose of adrenaline that would have been enough to make a dead man run a marathon, and he was just... normal. Even his pupils weren't dilated.

  "Rabuki, we've got a tail! Two cars!" Rulf yelled. "Hold on!"

  He sharply yanked the steering wheel, taking a tight turn onto a narrow street. Arkgrim, who hadn't bothered to buckle up, simply went flying to the other end of the cabin, slamming into the door.

  "Why are you guys in such a rush?" he grumbled, rubbing his shoulder.

  "DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?! WE'RE BEING CHASED!"

  "Nope," Arkgrim sat up straight and looked at the pursuers through the rear window. "Listen, just stop here. I can handle the situation myself. Why waste gas?"

  "Mr. Arkgrim!" Rulf didn't even turn his head, his hands working like clockwork to control the drifting car. "Sit still and don't do anything stupid! We are protected by armor, we will break through to the Corps!"

  Arkgrim sighed and leaned back against the seat again, looking as if he was bored to death watching this action movie in which he was playing the lead role.