A deafening roar suddenly erupted from a rushing river outside Carmignano. An underground cavern collapsed under the force of the river water flooding into it, and amid the torrent, a hand flailed wildly in struggle.
After drifting with the current for several minutes, the hand finally caught a protruding rock on the riverbank. He gripped it tightly, then pushed hard and finally hauled his body out of the river.
"Cough, cough, cough-"
Gunther Jason spat out the river water in a sorry state. The salty, damp taste in his mouth was deeply unpleasant. The tremendous pressure of the water flooding in had crushed his mosquito swarm to death. The little black specks still floating on the river were their corpses.
I need to find somewhere to hide quickly, before he spots me...
Just as Jason was about to flee, an enthusiastic greeting reached his ears.
"Hi, we meet again."
At that amiable laugh, Jason felt his body stiffen. Then he began shivering all over with cold. He did not know whether it was because he had spent too long in the water or because of that amiable voice behind him.
Jason stiffly turned his neck. A young man with blond hair and golden eyes came into view. The blond young man was using his left hand to slick his soaking hair back, while his right held a futuristic-looking shotgun.
"Wait, don't attack yet. I'm willing to de-"
Jason hurriedly summoned the Yellow Card, intending to use [Defection], but the blond young man opposite him pulled the trigger without hesitation.
[Stheno!]
Bang-
Six clustered spheres of red energy blasted Gunther Jason apart, sending bloody chunks of flesh flying.
Plop! Plop! Plop!
Those were the sounds of flesh falling into the water. Quite a few fish gathered to enjoy this meal bestowed