In the Tomb Passage, Pete and another mercenary gradually grew restless, while Auston remained relatively calm as he sat across from Hobart, doing his best to recover his strength.
Watching Hobart fiddle with that Necklace, Auston still found it hard to believe that a Sequence 6 was going to challenge a Sequence 5.
After resting for over half an hour, Hobart suddenly stood and asked, "Are you ready?"
Auston nodded, rose nimbly, and dusted himself off. He was far too agile for a fat man.
Hobart took out the Teleport Stone Statue for one final reminder. "Appearing suddenly somewhere other than the entrance will definitely catch the enemy off guard, but you can't be caught off guard yourselves. Once you're up there, immediately identify your escape route. Don't run straight toward the enemy."
Auston asked, "What are the odds of victory for the counterattack you're launching?"
Hobart considered it. "I'm fairly confident I can defeat them. We might even gain something from it, such as Lina, who's already badly injured."
As though he had made up his mind, Auston said, "I want to join your plan."
Pete and the other subordinate were both somewhat surprised. In their impression, Auston had always been a rather steady captain. Why had he made such a risky choice today?
Hobart was somewhat surprised as well. "I have a way to escape at a critical moment. If there's danger, I'll leave the battlefield immediately."
At that point, Auston would be left alone. The outcome was obvious.
But the hesitation from a moment ago had vanished from Auston's eyes. "I have to try to avenge Roy and the others. Otherwise, even if I escape the pursuers, the condemnation of my conscience will make me regret it for the rest of my life."
Besides, he had thought