Chapter 83: Sliced Pain
A giant, Elias felt the weight in his hand—about two or three pounds, heavier than expected. It had a hand crank on one side and a jagged metal spike at the end, the kind meant to puncture tin lids. It looked old, the wooden handle slightly warped, the metal worn but still sharp.
He stared at it. Then at Dot. Then back at the can opener.
"...Dot’s," he said slowly, "you realize we’re fighting for our lives here, right?"
Dot puffed up, indignant. "And you realize that thing can rip through reinforced steel cans, right? You said you needed to break through a hard shell—what’s tougher than 50-year-old survival rations?"
Elias opened his mouth, his mind still trying to process the sheer absurdity of his situation. "Where the hell did you even learn about this!?"
Dot’s voice rang out instantly. "It was in the book—"
"Hey! Focus!" Junjio’s voice cut in, sharp and urgent.
Elias barely had time to react before Vincent loomed overhead, his presence heavy, his body still radiating the heat of his molten armor. The twisted smirk on his face only grew as he cracked his knuckles.
"Now that your little military friends have been wiped out," Vincent said, his voice dripping with arrogance, "I can freely rip your shard out and retreat before backup arrives."
Elias took a step back, but it was too late.
Vincent’s hand shot out, gripping Elias by the throat and lifting him clean off the ground. His vision blurred for a second, his feet dangling in the air. He struggled, fingers clawing at Vincent’s wrist, but the grip was like iron.