Wind howled through the mountain forest.
On-screen, half of Li Xiang's body had gone rigid. Her broken right arm hung limply at her side, and searing pain tore through her body again and again.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, desperately suppressing the groans rising in her throat.
Her teeth split her lip in tiny cuts. Bright red beads of blood slowly seeped out and stained the corner of her mouth, a glaring, heartbreaking sight.
In front of her, Taiju planted his broad back firmly between her and the lions. Every nerve taut, he stared at the pride closing in step by step.
On-screen, Li Xiang's inner voice rang out.
[Damn it. Just my luck.]
[Senku and Yuzuriha got away. Thank goodness they're safe.]
[I'm so sorry, Taiju. You did nothing wrong, and I dragged you into this.]
[I shouldn't have let him stay. If it comes to it, I'll throw myself at the lions and draw them all away. I'll do everything I can to let him escape.]
[But I don't even know if I can save him in this state... Honestly, I'm so useless.]
In the audience, everyone from the Science Kingdom was filled with conflicting emotions, especially those Li Xiang had saved.
Taiju's eyes reddened on the spot, his nose stinging. Seeing Li Xiang still blaming herself on-screen, he burst into tears.
"Waaa... Even with her life on the line, all Li Xiang could think about was shouldering everything herself, sacrificing herself to protect me..."
He raised a hand and haphazardly wiped away his tears, his voice utterly resolute.
"No!! As a man and your companion, I should be protecting you! How could we let you risk your life to protect us!"
Beside him, Yuzuriha gently tugged at his clothes and soothed him.
"All right,