Chapter 7. Complex personality

As the dust from the difficult battle had settled, the team gathered together to discuss what had happened.

- What the hell are you two doing?

Mason was very unhappy.

- Do you think we should have let this creature kill Adalard and Samira!?

Walter looked down at Mason angrily.

Even though Walter was thin, there were countless lean muscles visible all over his body. He, of his own free will, brought himself to this state in order to maximize the effectiveness of his fighting style.

This is because he was obsessed with fighting. It was these factors that made Mason nervous and lower his tone in the conversation.

- We could handle it. Mizuki and I are almost done with our joint technique. While this bastard would be distracted by Samira, then we...

- Then you would have shit yourself! If you could handle it yourself, Adalard would not have lost his hand.

Walter unceremoniously interrupted Mason.

- Calm down. Both!

Conrad intervened in the conversation.

- I'm trying to convey to this wimp that we should have attacked that bastard all together at once!

- Walter! Mason acted this way not because of his own whim, not because he wanted to prove to you or anyone else that the team was capable of killing Numbered without us, but in order to save our strength.

- What's the difference!

- The difference is that perhaps two more Numbered Ones and Zero are waiting for us in the Borderlands!

Walter lowered his gaze and fell silent. He clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his skin.

- You are right. Adalard lost his hand because of me. This is my mistake.

Mason also lowered his gaze, remorse was heard in his voice.

- Understand, we are fighting against creatures that have terrifying power. In our case, nothing can be predicted for sure. Walter, you have to accept that Mason is not to blame for what happened to Adalard.

- Conrad is right.

Adalard intervened in the conversation. His left shoulder, chest and head were completely bandaged.

- You need a break.

Mason said guiltily. He was afraid to look Adalard in the eyes, so he did not look up.

- Keoni healed me well, despite the fact that I look like a mummy.

Adalard chuckled and added:

- Of course, he's not as good at healing techniques as Aisha, but I definitely won't die from blood loss.

Walter came close to Adalard. He looked at him with a serious look and silently walked away.

- Blames himself again.

Adalard said almost in a whisper, fearing that Walter would hear him.

- He's incorrigible.

Conrad breathed a sigh of relief.

- But Walter is right. Adalard, the blame for your injury lies entirely with me. I misjudged the enemy's strength, and this is what it led to.

Mason's voice trembled.

- Then it's my fault that I was too weak and couldn't protect my own hand.

Adalard put his right hand on Mason's shoulder.

- Walter didn't want to humiliate you or suppress you morally. He has such a specific communication style. He just wanted to say that you underestimate others.

- On the contrary, I well understand the value of Conrad, Walter, Aisha, Wesley and Zass, which is why I wanted to save their strength.

Hearing Mason's answer, Adalard couldn't help but laugh.

- What I mean is that Walter wants us to fight all together, shoulder to shoulder.

- But in the current situation...

- Walter doesn't give a damn what situation he's in. He was like that as a child too. Either he fights alone, or with everyone together. He is used to controlling the battlefield and is confident that he will be able to protect a comrade in trouble in time.

- I'm also sure that if Walter and the others had entered the battle from the very beginning, you would have been safe, but...

- But you don't trust them!? Do you think they don't understand the current state of affairs!? Do you think that they would deliberately waste all their strength in this battle!?

Adalard's tone of voice became harsher and the smile disappeared from his face.

- No. That's not what I wanted to say.

- Mason, look at them. Walter, Conrad and Wesley. It can be said that the three of them defeated the Third and didn't even get out of breath.

Adalard seemed to be scolding Mason. Having finished speaking, he thoughtfully raised his head up and said with a stupid expression:

- Oh, I almost forgot about Sairan's poison. This thing greatly suppresses the power of monsters, although they don't even notice it.

Adalard then patted Mason on the shoulder.

- Stop standing here with such a guilty face. Just trust us all a little more, that's what Walter wanted to say.

Mason stood silently.

- Well, what about my hand? A mere trifle! Aisha and Wesley will make me such a prosthesis that it will be better than a real hand. So forget it, I don't hold it against you. The rest too.

Adalard turned around and said energetically:

- Mistakes are part of our life, the most important thing is to learn the right lessons from them.

Despite his cheerful appearance, Adalard was thinking about something completely different in his thoughts:

«I won't be able to help them in the next battle... Shit!»

Mason looked at the back of the departing Adalard with an ambiguous look. There were many different thoughts in his head.

He was glad that Adalard didn't blame him. He was grateful to his friend for his support, despite his condition. He was disappointed by his poor judgment and his mistake.

After the team finished carrying supplies from the overturned pickup truck and distributing them to the surviving vehicles, they got into the pickups.

- Do we have a plan?

Conrad looked questioningly at Mason, who looked downcast.

- Plan... First we need to find out what happened there.

- Then we'll go straight to the central gate.

After these words, the cars set off.

Chapter end