Chapter 241 Chivalry Is Not Dead!

(A/N: 3.3K+ words long chapter! Two chapters combined in one!)

The storm currents continue to surround Jane and Kiba with snowflakes and ice shards. Inside, Jane"s heart thumped loudly as she recalled what just happened now.

She wanted to berate him for taking such a liberty, but then she recalled she was the one who gave him permission! He has done what he has done after asking her properly!

And then she thought of her body"s reaction. Strangely, for unknown reasons, she has enjoyed when his tongue touched her lips and licked the blood in a pa.s.sionate manner.

Jane wondered if it was due to the fact that he saved her, or was it because of his handsome facial features. She has never seen such an attractive and striking face before.

Then there was his body which was an enemy to all men and a dream of every woman.

From his white s.h.i.+rt, she could see the outline of his well-framed and stunning chest along with the powerful, broad shoulders. She could even visualize the six-abs and the sculpted back. He was like a man the G.o.ds created after careful consideration with utmost precision.

This was especially true when she observed those eyes of his. They were spellbinding with an alluring glamour that could make the purest of women commit the foulest of sins.

"We should leave now," Kiba said.

"Ah!" Jane came out of her thoughts. "Could we leave from here?"

Barging inside a storm was different from leaving it, and that too when there was a companion. Jane could sense the force field which was stopping the ice shards, but she was not sure they could break through the currents.

"I would try my best," Kiba answered, his voice determined.

His words didn"t offer 100% a.s.surance or guarantee, but that was what made her trust him more.

After all, the storm was a part of the domain created by a Level VI flower. It would be untrue if someone offers a guarantee.

"Get on my back."

Kiba turned around and lowered his body. Jane was surprised but she understood his reasons. He would be taking the currents head-on and being on his back would mean he would be her s.h.i.+eld.

She no longer thought about his strange actions from before. How could she after he was doing so much for her despite not knowing each other?

She rolled her arms on the top of his chest while her legs moved on his front.

"Hold on tight!"

Kiba advised before leaping up. The chaotic air ma.s.s sent a powerful pressure to suppress them inside, but Kiba, gritting his teeth, charged out.

His golden hairs floated in the air, and trails of which plastered on Jane"s face as he proceeded ahead. She clenched tight to him and smelled his body fragrance that was filled with freshness despite the environment.

Her ample b.r.e.a.s.t.s rubbed on his back as the current waves attacked them. The chillness in the air and the involuntary excitement from her current situation caused her nipples to harden. She felt worried he would notice this and judge her.

But then she looked a part of his face which was visible from her position, and she felt she was overreacting. His expression was dead-serious as he charged through the ice shards.

No longer worried, she allowed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to press against him as she held him more tightly. Now was not the situation to worry about such things. The only concern was to get out of here alive.

Suddenly, she noticed thick ice debris floating towards her with terrifying speed. She was frightened and closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to arrive. She waited and waited, but when she didn"t felt anything besides the coldness and Kiba"s back, she opened her eyes.

His hand has caught the ice debris. He clenched the debris and threw it away. As Kiba retraced his hand, she noticed drops of blood flowing out of his palm.

"Are you fine?" Jane muttered in his ears.

"That was nothing," Kiba rea.s.sured her in a voice filled with firmness.

He was like those strong and determined men who would show no weakness even in desperate situations. Something she found both attractive and funny at the same time.

As they moved ahead, her pants in the front shredded apart, exposing her seductive things. Her soft flesh touched him, but his expression was the same as ever. His eyes were only focused on his goal of stepping out.

With great difficulties, Kiba broke through countless ice shards and stepped out of the storm. He fell on the ground, and so did Jane.

Kiba took a long breath and wiped the sweat from his face. Under the chilling atmosphere, the sweat has turned into icicles. He cleared his face and looked ahead.

Jane was about to thank him when she noticed him standing up.

"There are more people in danger," Kiba wiped his lips which were covered with traces of blood. "You should recover while I try to help them."

"Why?" Jane asked, confused.

He has just met them. Not to mention, they were compet.i.tors for the same treasure, and despite this, he was helping them by risking his own life.

"Because I"m a human just like you guys," Kiba answered, his voice filled with righteousness. "We might compete with each other and even have nefarious thoughts, but at the end, we all are part of a large family. In the face of external threat, we only show unity and love for each other. That"s the beauty of our race, and I want to do my bit to save it."

Jane was awe-struck by his words and heroic spirit. She lowered her head and chided herself for planning against him. She has thought of attacking him when this was over in order to have the treasure, but now she felt she was a worthless person who didn"t deserve to be called a human.

One one side there was a man who was risking his life for them, and on the other side was she, an ungrateful woman.

Kiba jumped up and charged forward.

Some distance away, Ashlyn was facing the Ice Bear when she noticed Kiba. She shook her head and wondered just what sort of scam he was orchestrating for him to become a savior.

Anya was propelling through the air. Her body was covered by a faint layer of ice which she rapidly broke as she ran from the pouring ice shards and snowflakes.

"It"s too cold!" Anya felt a bone-numbing chillness. She was s.h.i.+vering but she did her best to evade the sharp ice shards. The ground cracked open as the ice shards missed and landed on it.

As she was evading, an ice shard pierced her right foot. She crashed on the floor, and her eyes turned wide with horror as the ice shard poured like rain on her.

Shua.

The s.p.a.ce in front of her blurred into a series of afterimages. Kiba appeared and he punched out a fist towards the shards.

A powerful ripple shot out of his fist and collided against the coming shards.

BANG

Countless ice shards shattered with loud noise and fell on the floor. Anya was shocked by the happenings. Before she could let out even a surprised gasp, he took her in the arms and dashed towards Jane.

"She is cold," Kiba said in an urgent voice. "Provide her medicines and heat."

He left her in Jane"s care, and without looking back, charged at Ice Bear.

Anya sumped down in Jane"s arms. Her temperature was dangerously low, and she was at high risk of hypothermia.

"d.a.m.n! I lost my bag in the storm," Jane muttered in panic. She looked around and was sure the others were the same. They barely had any clothes left so it was impossible to have any medicines left.

At the same time, Baird and Morales caught up with their wives after taking advantage of Ice Bear"s distraction. Their expressions were ugly as they realized the condition of Anya.

"If not for him, she would already be dead," Jane pointed towards Kiba.

"Who is he?" Baird asked.

"No idea," Jane answered before reminding him of his wife. "Find a way to help her!"

Meanwhile, Kiba arrived next to Ashlyn.

"Apologies," Kiba said as he evaded a strike from Ice Bear.

Ashlyn didn"t respond and attacked the bear with her discs. Sadly, without unlocking her seals, she was no match for a level VI beast. Her discs flew right through the ice body of the bear.

"Let"s end it," Kiba took out a plasma bomb.

"It would have no effect," Ashlyn was able to judge the grade of the bomb from its outline.

"I know," Kiba responded with a smile. "It is just a distraction for the rest."

Kiba activated the bomb and shot it at the bear. A surge of orange heat waves exploded out as the bomb crashed on the bear.

The ice started melting and the entire ice field was covered in blinding orange flames. At the same time, Kiba teleported behind Iceblood Flower.

The flower was startled as it felt his presence. The mist around it churned and solidified into an ice wall.

But even before the wall could fully solidify, his hand was on the stem. Blue fog emitted from the petals, and his hand froze into an ice cube.

"Child"s trick," Kiba snapped a finger inside the ice cube, and flame surrounded his hand. Without giving it more chance to display its power, Kiba plucked the flower with full force.

Despite not using his full powers, his current form gave him a power rivaling Level VII mutant. There was no way a Level VI mutant, much less a flower with negligible intelligence, could pose any danger for him.

Streams of white light engulfed the flower and it was transported to his storage dimension. He then took out another bomb and placed it on the place where the flower grew.

Another explosion took place and the entire ground started shaking in heavy rumblings. At the same time, the snow stopped pouring and the icy mist disappeared.

When the orange flames subsidized, there was no more any sign of flower or bear.

"What happened?" Morales looked at the blasted floor with shock.

"Don"t tell me the flower was lost in explosion?!" Baird was equally horrified.

"That should be impossible, right?"

"The flower was concentrating on the bear so it might not have been on guard against another bomb."

"But that meant such a treasured flower is gone?!"

"f.u.c.k! We are alive so stop worrying about a flower!" Jane snapped in anger. "Anya is still in danger."

"Ah...yes!" Baird observed the icy pale face of his wife.

Kiba walked towards them while taking out a pill from his pocket.

"Give it to her," Kiba pa.s.sed the pill.

Baird stuffed the pill in his wife"s mouth without asking any question. He thought he should have no reason to play any trick after the help he has provided.

Slowly, Anya"s pale face regained some color. The icy layer on her body disappeared and the flesh injuries faded. She could move freely without any support but she still felt cold.

"It is still bad," Jane said after checking her temperature. "She needs more medicines and warmth urgently."

The radius of around four miles was covered with snowy trees and icy floor. There was no way to provide heat in such region and the medicines were already lost in the battle.

Kiba took out another pill. Anya"s face gained a healthy glow but her body was still on verge of hypothermia.

"Sorry but I don"t have more pills," Kiba said.

He wasn"t lying. Most of the pills in his storage dimension were specially created for his use, and those serving miscellaneous uses were not designed for treating cold.

"We do have a temporary camp house some distance away," Kiba added further.

"Oh!"

Everyone"s eyes lit up.

Ten minutes later.

They arrived in front of a small wooden cottage-like structure. Inside was covered with thick blankets and s.p.a.ce was barely enough for two people to sleep.

"We made it for a worst-case scenario," Kiba explained.

"You guys are smart unlike us," Jane muttered while giving a stern look to her husband and Baird. "We became overconfident and didn"t prepare a single thing."

Baird"s expression was downcast and he covered his wife with blankets. His own body was s.h.i.+vering from the coldness and the injuries but he gritted his teeth and helped his wife.

"Unless urgent treatment is provided...hypothermia is a sure outcome!" Baird said in a bitter tone.

"Well, you can share your body heat," Kiba reasoned with a pondering expression. "But you are also s.h.i.+vering and so are others..."

Kiba trailed off in the middle and said, "I"m sorry."

The others, except Ashlyn, were shocked by his words as they thought what he meant.

Body heat! That would mean body to body contact without any clothes!!

"Actually, you are not s.h.i.+vering!" Jane jumped on her feet and checked his body temperature. "You are also warm despite the coldness!"

"No!" Kiba quickly shook his head. "I was preposterous with my suggestion. Please ignore it."

"But why?! Do you want to see a fellow human suffer?!" Jane furiously asked.

Everyone was startled by her tone. Anya opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. She wanted to refuse, but then she thought why should she refuse? It concerned her safety, and he was also...

Anya quickly threw away her thoughts and looked at her husband who was fuming.

"Jane! How dare you suggest such a proposal?!" Baird angrily asked.

"You idiot! She is your wife and needs help!" Jane countered. "Would you let her suffer?!"

"But---"

"What but? Just sharing body contact doesn"t mean anything!" Jane knew what types of thoughts were running in Baird"s mind. "Have faith in your wife!"

"I trust her but not him!" Baird retorted while pointing a finger at Kiba.

"Please don"t misunderstand. Also, rest a.s.sured I have no intention of partic.i.p.ating in this," Kiba lowered his head in an apologetic fas.h.i.+on. "As a devoted follower of church, I"m strictly against fornication or any form of intimate touches with a woman who is not my legal wife."

Baird was shocked and so were everyone else. Their breathing turned rugged and their jaws dropped to the ground in disbelief.

In today"s era, there were people who practiced abstinence to such an extent?!

They would not have believed him if not for his firm tone and calm demeanor. There was no way it could be feigned unless he was an award-winning actor or a world-renowned conman!

"Kiba!" Jane shouted loudly. She didn"t know what to think of his claims when she recalled what trespa.s.sed between them inside the storm, but now was not the time to contemplate on that. She has to ensure he discards those teachings from the church and helps her friend.

"?"

"There is a woman"s life at risk!" Jane said with her teeth clenched tightly. "Are the teachings more important than a life?! Answer me!"

Without waiting for Kiba to answer, she turned towards Baird, and said, "He is a man who saved all of us when he didn"t have to! Everyone says chivalry is dead but he proved all of us wrong! He stepped inside a storm to save me! And yet, you are doubting the integrity of such an honest man?!"

Baird was terrified by the pa.s.sion in her words. He knew Jane and Anya were close but never thought to such extent that she would fight for her in such a manner.

Anya secretly nodded her head as she thought Jane was right. Couldn"t her husband trust her, and think for her sake?!

Jane then turned towards her husband - Morales- and said, "Dear, if I was in Anya"s place, you would have readily agreed to save my life, right?"

Morales was stupefied by the question. His mind turned blank, and he didn"t know how to answer. His heart was shouting: "Obviously no! I can"t trust any man with my beautiful wife!"

But Morales knew such answer would definitely destroy the marital bliss in his life. So, with a serious expression, he said, "Obviously yes, my love! Your life matters more than the so-called social stigmas, and besides, marriage is founded on love and trust!"

Baird"s face stiffened and his heart thumped loudly. He felt his vision turning dark and he almost fell on the floor.

Even his best friend was not taking his side?!

"Baird! I"m guaranteeing you on Kiba"s integrity!" Jane said in a heavy voice. "His character is as pure as ice!"

Baird forcefully agreed, and with a smile that was more ugly than crying, said, "You are right. I was being a short-sighted person."

Ashlyn, who was standing outside the camp, facepalmed as she heard the conversation from inside.

"If his character is pure then G.o.d save this world from pure-hearted men."

Inside.

Kiba also agreed to the proposal after Jane"s stern reminder of his responsibilities as a human to the fellow humans.

"The lady has to be willing if you want me to agree," Kiba looked at Anya, and said. "We have to respect her choice."

Anya was startled and her face flushed. In a m.u.f.fled voice, she said, "I"m willing."

"Great," Jane then told everyone to step outside.

"We don"t have to make it uncomfortable for them."

...

Outside.

Baird was feeling suffocated and his mood was as terrible as it could get. He sat down on the branch of a frozen tree, and suddenly, his eyes flashed with slyness.

He jumped on the ground and walked towards Ashlyn and others.

"I think I"m also at risk of hypothermia, " Baird said, his body trembling. "Please help me!"

As Baird said this, he cast his gaze on Ashlyn. She was the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Not even the fas.h.i.+on models he knew were so gorgeous and s.e.xy.

"What?!" Morales and Jane were startled by his request.

They could obviously understand the only person who could help him in such condition was Ashlyn. After all, her body has no sign of coldness or any injury.

Jane has earlier checked Baird"s body and she thought there were strong chances of what he said might be true. She eyed Ashlyn, unsure of how to proceed.

Jane or anyone from the team has not conversed with Ashlyn so they were not familiar with her personality.

~step~

Ashlyn took a step ahead. There was a faint smile on her cold face, and she nodded her head slightly, as if in agreement.

Baird was pleasantly surprised while others were stunned.

"d.a.m.n! Why didn"t I thought of this excuse before?!" Morales cursed himself nonstop in his heart. At most, his marriage with Jane would be ruined, but at least he would get to touch the body of a G.o.ddess! With such an achievement, there would be no regrets even if he was killed!

Morales envied Baird with all his heart. He wished he could swap his position and become the lucky man.

Baird was laughing merrily in his heart. He felt he has unlocked a treasure mine while Kiba was only getting a chance to admire gold. Kiba believed in stupid concepts like abstinence, but he didn"t!

Baird was confident in his ability to win Ashlyn in bed and do more than just share body heat!

"I"m d.a.m.n smart!" Baird cheerfully thought. On the outside, he maintained a serious expression, and said, "You have my sincere grat.i.tude for helping me."

Ashlyn"s smile blossomed further. She then raised her right leg and kicked out.

CRACK

A crystal clear sound of cracking reverberated in the entire area.

THUD

The next moment, Baird crashed on the ice floor while holding his crotch. Tears streamed down his face and he opened his mouth to gasp for air.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

Instead, Baird let out a tragic scream as the indescribable pain in his crotch swept throughout his body.

A few steps away, Ashlyn lowered her leg.

"You"re welcome."