Kizaru sounded a little surprised. He raised a finger and wiped a few raindrops from his face. Looking at his damp fingertip, he felt the sudden rain's chill.
Cough, cough!
His gaze settled on the slowly thinning dust. Zephyr was still coughing, though not as violently as before. His body seemed to have recovered for the moment, and he looked at the slight figure before him with mixed feelings.
Kizaru, too, seemed surprised. A little bored but curious, he said slowly, "Just now, you were stopping him. Why save him now? What exactly is your position here?"
Ain finally reached them. A smile appeared on her pale face, though traces of blood still marked the corners of her mouth, a sight that stirred pity.
Her smile was genuine. She was profoundly relieved: Zephyr had risen again before her eyes and had not been hurt further. None of the terrible things she had imagined under Kizaru's attack had come to pass.
It was all because of the man standing in front of Zephyr. Bright red blood still flowed from the wound on his shoulder, yet as he guarded Zephyr, he gave her a sense that she could rely on him.
"Wuli."
Ain spoke his name softly. She was still a young woman, and tears spilled down her smiling face. Guilt joined the tears in her eyes. She was the one who had inflicted that wound.
"You're at it again. If you don't agree with my ideals, why not just leave me to my fate and spare yourself the trouble?" Zephyr said grimly.
If Wuli had not stopped him earlier, he might well have finished what he needed to do before Kizaru arrived. Yet this man had blocked his path at the most critical moment, then stepped forward to help him at