World's Best Protagonist [BL]-Chapter 94: Kidnapped

At the time when Noir and Etienne left the mountains...

"Noir, do you know where to find your mother?" Etienne asked as they arrived at the forest after an hour of walking.

"Yeah," Noir answered. He pulled Etienne closer to him after noticing a movement in the bushes nearby. He put his finger on his lips, signalling Etienne to be quiet.

The bushes moved again. Noir activated his Sensory Field, but his eyes just widened in astonishment after it failed. He brought his trembling hands up, staring at it with disbelief.

"Noir, what’s wrong?" Etienne asked. His shoulder jumped when something from the bushes flew toward them. He almost shrieked in surprise. Fortunately, it was just a small squirrel. He sighed in relief.

"Noir, what’s the matter?" He asked again, this time, more worried. He shook the frozen Noir, snapping him from his daze.

Noir looked up, fear crossed his eyes. "Etienne, my ability disappeared..."

"What?"

"I can’t use Manipulation, or even Sensory Field."

"What?! How did that happen?!" Etienne exclaimed. He grabbed Noir’s hands in shock and studied them, as if it would help.

"I don’t know. Try using yours!"

Etienne did. His hands holding Noir’s fingers glowed and warmth emitted from them, seeping through Noir’s skin, healing him.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Noir exclaimed, greatly relieved to the point his knees buckled, and he almost fell if not Etienne had supported him up. "I don’t care about my powers. But I can’t bear to lose yours. Etienne, you must heal my mother."

Etienne squeezed Noir’s hands tightly. "I promise I will, Noir."

Noir nodded, convincing himself that everything would be alright. He can save his mother even if he doesn’t have his ability.

However, Etienne was worried.

"Should we head back to the team and ask Jade why this happened?"

Noir shook his head. "We don’t need to. I think it’s because this world recognizes me as part of it, so it’s automatically eliminating anything it doesn’t recognize in me."

"So, these kinds of superhuman powers don’t exist here?"

"It does, Eti. We have mages here, but I’m not one of them. I was just a normal human here."

They continued to go down the narrow path they found until they came across a small hut at the foot of the forest. Because Noir could no longer use his ability, they were more cautious than before.

"Stay here. I’ll look around," Noir whispered. He pushed Etienne down and made him hide behind the bushes. "I’ll be back."

"Be careful."

Noir nodded. He swiftly moved from between trees, and once he reached the back of the hut, he finally emerged into the clearing, slowly approaching the hut with utmost caution.

Etienne watched Noir from his position, completely unaware of the shadows moving behind him. Suddenly, the sound of dried leaves crunching like someone stepped on them caught his attention.

He turned to look behind him, but before he could see the faces of the strangers surrounding him, his head was covered by a sack.

Etienne screamed.

"Easy, pretty fella. We’re not going to kill a fine beauty like you," someone said with a snicker.

Etienne squirmed, but his arms were caught and tied behind his back. They also tied a cloth in his mouth, turning his shouts into a gurgling sound.

"There’s another one inside the hut."

"Get him."

Two large men went inside the hut, and a few minutes later, Noir was dragged by them, getting the same fate as Etienne.

"This one is fierce. But both of them are pretty. Should we deliver them straight to the lord’s manor, or to the red house?"

"The red house."

"Alright. We’re leaving now, fellas, you gotta hang tight there, alright?"

They carried the two over their shoulders to the wagon, parked not far from the small hut they built to attract anyone lost in the forest. This group of men was clearly traffickers, and the hut was a decoy to lure stray people.

Noir and Etienne were thrown inside the wagon. They grunted because of the pain. One man shouted at the back to be careful on handling their products.

Hearing this, Noir confirmed that they were kidnapped and were to be sold to some place. Frustrated and angered, he screamed and thrashed around, but his mouth was covered, and his body was tied by a rope.

He heard Etienne’s groans, and he calmed for a bit.

Noir called his name, his voice muffled. Etienne’s muffled voice answered him. Even though they could not understand each other, having not been separated brought a huge relief to Noir.

He promised his team he would bring Etienne back no matter what. And Etienne promised him that he would heal his mother.

Now, what Noir intended to do was wait for these men to release them, probably once they arrived at the destination, and plan for an escape.

- - - - -

The haunting sounds of wind passing through the fissures of the rocky mountains woke Jade from his sleep. He stretched his hand upward after pulling himself up to sit.

Lexie was already gone.

He wasn’t surprised seeing himself inside the tent because last night, he had momentarily stirred awake, and found Lexie sleeping next to him. He almost jumped away after seeing her face just inches away from him, but the voices he heard outside stopped him from doing so.

Claude, Terrius, and Allen were talking about a serious topic back then, and he decided to eavesdrop, but he didn’t expect to fall asleep again.

Jade rubbed his eyes and yawned. He recalled bits of what he heard.

Plunderer...? Codes? Jade thought inwardly. He shook his head, trying to remember more, but his head was still foggy.

He folded the blanket first before he stepped outside.

"Morning, Jade. Want coffee?" Lexie suggested. She was sitting on the chair alone.

Jade nodded and looked around, searching for Allen and Claude. Terrius was adding another layer of thick ice on the boss monster’s body, just in case it melted last night.

Lexie gave him a cup of hot coffee and a slice of bread. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"It’s so convenient having all these things here. I honestly did not expect the captain to buy and bring all of this. He’s thinking ahead of us," Lexie commented.

Jade replied, "Yeah. Where are they, by the way?"

"Scouting the area."

"Both of them?"

"Yup. Allen’s watching out for monsters. The captain went down the path Noir and Etienne took." Lexie put her cup down. She glanced at the path she mentioned and mumbled, "It’s been a day already. What’s taking them so long?"

Silence reigned, and only anxiety hung heavily between them.