FAREWELL AREX

Arex effortlessly dodged the attack, swiftly maneuvering out of harm's way.

Surprisingly, he was taken aback by the situation. Arex found himself caught off guard by the unexpected assault, but he managed to narrowly avoid it, perhaps relying on a stroke of good luck.

As soon as he saw the woman's scythe come dangerously close to ending his life, Arex couldn't help but believe that she was telling the truth. The scythe she had was truly a formidable weapon. Not only was it clear and vibrant, but it also radiated an indescribable energy.

Above all that, he believed the woman was truly determined to rid him of his soul. But Arex had no intention to let this woman have her way so easily. 

Despite her previous statement, Arex refused to back down and was determined to defend his soul.

Arex was currently grappling with a deep sense of unease. He found himself unsure of how to overcome the challenge posed by this particular woman, and whether he could even bring himself to cause harm to a woman.

"You're in luck, managing to dodge that attack." The woman's voice dripped with sarcasm as she spoke.

Arex quickly moved away from the unfamiliar woman, creating some distance between them. 

"You seem quite determined to end my life, don't you?" Arex responded, still trying to catch his breath after that intense brush with death.

Arex had a sense that his life might come to an end due to the scythe's impact, but he definitely didn't want his demise to involve being sliced in two by that peculiar woman.

"I can't believe how naive you have been all this time. Isn't that what I told you earlier? I was sent here to turf your soul, meaning you'll die."

Arex had to carefully consider his predicament and find a way to escape. Running away from her didn't seem like the most viable choice at the moment, considering she would inevitably track him down. 

Arex pondered the idea of stalling the woman's murderous intentions by engaging her in conversation. "I've been pondering this for some time, but are you perhaps a supernatural being with the ability to manipulate souls? A soul reaper maybe?"

However, the woman's response to Arex's comment was quite peculiar, leaving her staring at him with an unusual expression. She appeared hesitant to accept Arex's description of her.

"Please refrain from making comparisons between me and individuals of a lower social status. I am not a soul reaper. I am a Shikari. I turf sould afflicted by the Jinnx."

"Shikari?" "Arex inquired, raising an additional eyebrow. He remained blissfully unaware of the woman's words, though they didn't seem to bother him much. 

Arex was more focused on the progress of his strategy, pleased to see that the woman's objective was being hindered. 

"Why am I bothering to clarify things for you, anyway? this is annoying!" The woman responded. Her words were filled with a palpable bitterness. 

After that, Arex was taken aback by how swiftly the mysterious woman discovered his attempt to stall. 

The woman exudes a strong and intimidating presence that leaves Arex feeling flustered and fearful.

He wondered if her immense power would prevent him from ever escaping her next assault. Arex considered the possibility of escaping from her once again, even though he understood it would ultimately be pointless.

However, given his current circumstances, it appears to be the only viable choice he can consider in order to potentially save his life once again.

Uncertainty seemed to be holding him back, but if he refused to try, he would definitely give it a shot this time. That's why, on the third count, Arex made a daring escape from the bridge, leaving the mysterious woman and her intimidating scythe behind.

"Do you honestly believe that escaping can spare you from the clutches of death?" The distant sound of a woman's voice seemed to reverberate, as if she were standing just a few steps away from Arex.

Arex abruptly halted, scanning his surroundings in astonishment. To his surprise, the woman stood a considerable distance away from him. He couldn't help but ponder how such a remarkable occurrence came to be.

And then, out of nowhere, the woman spoke up once more. "Arex, I've seen these tricks long before coming to you. Well, it seems like you've made quite the decision to dedicate your life to pursuing that objective. Best of luck trying to evade me. Just make sure I won't locate you effortlessly." The woman's response was devoid of any noticeable surprise. 

She seemed unfazed by such actions, as if they had become routine and no longer caught her off guard. 

Later, she strolled over to the edge of the bridge and tilted her head to see if Arex had already departed. In that moment, she shouted, "Make sure you run as fast as you can. Just remember, you've got about forty minutes left before your time is up!"

As the events unfolded, Arex found himself struggling to catch his breath, desperately pushing himself to run at top speed. He quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for a clock. To his surprise, it was already twenty minutes past seven in the evening.

"Shit! I can't believe I am even believing that woman! Am I really going to die in forty minutes?" Arex asked himself.

Based on the information given by the mysterious woman, he has a remaining duration of forty minutes. If her words were indeed true, it could pose a problem for him as time runs out.

Right now, Arex's top priority was to distance himself from that obscure woman. Even then, he was uncertain of his destination, with only one person he could rely on as his sole family member - his grandfather. 

Arex couldn't help but think of the cramped apartment he shared with his grandfather as he contemplated the mere forty minutes he had left to live. 

If the woman's words held truth, Arex made the decision to stay by the side of the individual who had cared for him throughout his upbringing.

As he dashed through the bustling streets of Sarkozi, Arex couldn't help but feel a rush of urgency. Arex arrived at their modest apartment in no time. He glanced at the clock and realized it was already past seven thirty.

Time is running out for him with just half an hour remaining. 

Arex's only thought was to immediately visit his grandfather. If there was any truth to his impending demise within the next half hour, Arex was determined to say his final goodbyes.

Arex discovered him engrossed in his beloved local news program on the television. 

"Hey, gramps," Arex greeted him as he settled onto the couch beside his grandfather.

His grandfather glanced at Arex before turning his attention back to the television. "You're quite late tonight. Where did you go?"

Arex gazed at his grandfather, their eyes locked in a silent exchange. He had doubts about how he could possibly communicate his intention to permanently part ways. Arex struggled to fathom the life his grandfather would lead once he was no longer present.

"I've decided to leave Sarkozi, Gramps." Arex spoke with urgency, capturing the attention of the old man.

He failed to glance up at the television, completely neglecting the segment he had been eagerly anticipating for quite some time. Arex suddenly became the center of his grandfather's undivided attention.

"What do you mean you're leaving Sarkozi?" his grandfather inquired.

His face transformed in an instant. Arex found it increasingly difficult to bear the sight of him, as a sense of longing washed over his grandfather's face. Nevertheless, he must endure it as his time here is limited to only twenty minutes.

He realized the urgency of the situation, as he couldn't bear the thought of leaving his grandfather alone without saying goodbye. 

"I am moving to Eldoria starting tonight, gramps."

"Wait, what? Tonight? Why is it so early? And what are you going to do in Eldoria? You know how chaotic it is over there right now? It's all over the news!" His grandfather seemed quite concerned upon hearing about Eldoria. He made sure to point the television hanging on the wall as he continued to caution Arex about the news being flashed about Eldoria.

Nevertheless, Arex remained resolute in his decision to continue deceiving his grandfather. It consumed his every thought, as he grappled with the impossibility of revealing his impending demise in mere moments.

"Yes, I am fully aware gramps. And I'm sorry that I didn't get the chance to tell you right away. I had to quickly decide for this. I was offered to study in Eldoria. It would be a very slim chance that this scholarship grant may be offered to me again, especially here in Sarkozi." Arex lowered his head in a gesture of apology.

He was well aware that his grandfather would not accept this excuse. Arex, a rebellious high school student, struggled to find acceptance in any college institution in Sarkozi. His mere presence seemed to attract gang riots wherever he went.

However, Arex was being dishonest about Eldoria's offer, so he was taking a risk by hoping his grandfather would somehow agree.

"I still need to make that decision," his grandfather replied, but Arex had no time for such matters. With only ten minutes remaining, the pressure mounts for Arex, intensifying his anxiety.

He abruptly rose from his seat, feeling an overwhelming urge to bring this conversation with his grandfather to a close.

"It's not you who gets to decide on my future. It's me. So whether you like it or not, I'm leaving this house for good!" Arex declared, striding purposefully out of the apartment, paying no mind to his grandfather.

Despite the fact that he had a strong desire to return and embrace him, Arex was aware that once he did so, there would be no turning back. 

In spite of the difficulties, Arex did not hesitate to leave the apartment and continued on with his forward momentum. Because of the events that transpired, his grandfather was so overcome with emotion that he had difficulty even taking a single step and keeping up with his grandson.

When Arex emerged from the apartment, he was taken aback to discover that the woman was already waiting for him outside.

"Finished already? You do know that you still have a few more minutes to spare? What are your plans for that?" The woman dryly remarked while cleaning the edge of her scythe.

At this very moment, Arex experienced a complete and utter absence of any feeling. As a result of his mistreatment of his grandfather, he experienced a profound sense of devastation as his entire world came crashing down around him. This occurred at precisely the moment when he had the deepest desire to give him a proper farewell.

In light of the fact that time was running out, Arex's actions were very different from what he had initially planned.

Having said that, there was no going back at this point. In spite of the fact that he could only wish for a choice in this kind of situation.

"Just do what you have to do." Arex responded with a defeated tone, as if he had already lost all hope.

Arex's response generated a grin on the woman's face. She had the impression that her assignment was getting closer and closer to being finished, with only one more step left to go. The only thing that was required of her was to deftly wield the scythe in front of Arex, and then she would finally turf his soul from his body.

The woman delivered a strong and decisive blow, swiftly cleaving Arex in two. But to her astonishment, when she took that action, nothing happened to Arex afterwards.

"What the hell?" Arex responded, utterly taken aback too. Upon careful self-examination, he discovered that the scythe posed no threat to him. He was in disbelief as he witnessed the woman deliver her final strike with the scythe, yet he remained unharmed, standing there in awe.