Among the group of 6 men, Zeno notices the middle aged burly man he knocked out last night. He was holding his hand in a rope tied from his neck, thanks to Zeno's courtesy.
'I really went overboard last night, huh? I should really not have taken his pouch too. Now see, what I have to deal with.' Zeno laments in his head.
He had just left the Guard Office and turned around the corner when he found himself surrounded. Even Profile who has 360 degree vision around him didn't notice them till the moment they appeared. Meaning they were specifically waiting here for him.
"Are you back for revenge, you Big man?" Zeno asks Billy who was seething with both anger and a little bit of fear seeing Zeno. Zeno understood that the fight last night has left some sort of fear in the big man's mind.
"You… you must be thinking you are some sort of smartass… stealing money from me and… and destroying our 2 month's hard work just like that." Billy accuses Zeno pointing fingers. He was like a dormant volcano pent up with pressure with no outlet to discharge.
"Destroy what hard work? What are you talking about, Big man? If you want your money back, just say so." Zeno offers a deal to Billy. He doesn't have to be stingy about some bronze coins when he have gold coins in his possession.
"Did you go to the house of Simon, the owner of Beastloot Enterprise?" One of the guys standing next to Billy asks. He is a tall man with a slim build and his energy level was one grade higher than Billy.
Zeno understood that the guy was not asking for clarification. He was asking as if he already knows the answer and was just asking for the sake of asking.
"What if I did?" Zeno asks in return. He knew he has landed in some sort of trouble unknowingly, but he needs to find out what it is.
"Well, you shouldn't have. Before it would have ended with just some coins. But now that you have spoiled all his plans, you need to come with us and see him."
The guy was talking on and on, that it was making lesser and lesser sense, the more Zeno listened.
"What are you saying? Whose plan are you saying that I spoiled?" Zeno asks both confused and annoyed. He was planning to go home and take a nap when these dudes stopped him out of nowhere and ranting on and on making no sense.
"Who else's? Boss Ripper's plan of course. He had planted his own men undercover in Simon's mansion to steal valuables without Simon noticing. But you and your little gang just had to go make a mess at the last moment.
Now boss Ripper will decide what to do with you and how you will make up for it."
The guy answers in his chilly tone trying to scare Zeno into submission.
Even though Zeno wasn't scared as the tall guy intended, but still the latter had managed to shake up Zeno a little bit.
Hearing Ripper's name, Zeno knew things had escalated further than expected. If his memories are correct, Ripper is the last person you would want to meet in this Village.
He is a ruthless crime lord who would take people in and make them work for him and turn them into criminals. Word around the village is that the guy is a half hearted b*st*rd who wouldn't think twice before killing his own underlings if they irk him.
Zeno wasn't uncomfortable mingling with half hearted people. The whole lot of people with whom he spent his fugitive days in his previous life were all half hearted ones. But this Ripper guy means serious business and who knows whether Zeno would be able to return if he went along with them.
'Of all the tasks I could have taken, I really had to take one involving some underworld criminal. Why is it that bad people are always after me in all my lives?' Zeno ponders in his head, lamenting his fate.
"Are you coming or do we have to drag you through the streets?" The guy asks, trying to create a dominating atmosphere.
"Yes.. I am coming. But before that, I want to tell something secret to the Big man there." Zeno says as he points at Billy. The tall guy not wanting to waste anymore time, signals Billy to be quick about whatever it is.
'What secret? What's there is to talk about?'
Billy brings his head down carefully, suspicious of any tricks the kid might pull off. After all, he was the one who had his arm broken last night and these guys wouldn't understand his point.
'Okay Muscle Strength, I am counting on you.' Zeno gathers strength on his feet as the Billy bows.
[Muscle Strength (+10) is being triggered.]
Just as Billy's head reaches Zeno's height, the latter executes a quick frontflip landing his small, but forceful childlike legs on the guy's shoulders.
"Oooowwwww owww"
Billy cries out, regretting his decision to come along to catch the kid. But he expected the kid would try something of this sort, therefore he tries not to fall over while using his other hand to catch the brat's legs on his shoulder.
But what Billy didn't expect was that Zeno didn't just stop there, but executes a backflip as the man tries to prevent his fall and get up, thus borrowing his force too, to execute long backflip that gets Zeno to pass over the encirclement of the men around him.
BAM
Billy falls over on his face, hurting his shoulder due to the double kick he got on his shoulders. If last time, only one of his arms was broken then this time, both of his shoulder bones have gotten injured.
'Owww… Why do I have to suffer like this?' Billy cries out in pain regretting his decision to have ever met with this kid.
Everyone around Billy including the tall guy is caught off-guard and takes a moment to process what just happened here. Before they could make a sense of what happened, Zeno was already jumping away.
"Ouch!!"
Zeno lands a bit away from the men, on his butt hurting himself a bit. He knew how to do flips in his previous lifetime, but he hadn't tried that out in this life before.
The muscle trait he earned this life and the experience he has in his previous life helped him take the leap he just took. But it wasn't perfect since he landed on his butt.
'For now, I think I should run.' Zeno decides in his head as he gets up and starts running, donning his bag around the shoulder. He makes sure both the money pouches in his hand are safe and secure around his neck.
The guy and the men who had surrounded before Zeno were at a loss on what happened just now that they didn't know whether to help out the fallen Billy or to catch the kid.
"You guys go on. Don't mind me. I will be alright." Billy who fell down assures his companions as he struggles to get up. The guy and the others look back to see the kid running off to the Office's direction.
"What are you all waiting for? Find the kid or Boss will carve out our skins." Saying so, the tall guy runs off first to catch up with Zeno. Others also run after him in hopes of catching him.
'You guys go on and have fun getting your bones broken. I am getting out of here.' Billy decides as he sees them go out of his vision.
Meanwhile, Zeno was evaluating the decision he just took. Whether he should have gone with them or was running away from them the right choice.
'I could have tried something with my muscle trait, if it was 3 or even 4 on 1. But to fight 6 fully grown men having Weapon Construct with my bare hands, No!! I am not that insane.'
Zeno ponders as he runs like his shorts are on fire, aiming for the Military Guard's Office.
But as luck would have it, just as he was going reach the Office entrance, he sees another 4 men blocking his path to the Office. To his misfortune, none of the guards were present outside at the time to notice his distress.
"Where did these guys come from? Why are there this many men set out to catch a small kid like me?"
Subconsciously Zeno stops his momentum and changes his direction at the last moment, running deeper into another section of the market.
"I just hope Paul and his friends are safe."
Zeno tries to assure himself, running away. Since it was evening time, the streets were pretty crowded. Zeno tries to disappear from his pursuers' view making use of the crowd.
But even after running around for straight 5 minutes, somehow someone always manages to get ahead of him from another alley blocking him in his path. He escapes by jumping over them, running over the surrounding flimsy walls or skidding through any gap he could find.
Still, somehow they continue to predict where he has escaped to and where ye would be coming from. There is only one way this could happen in his opinion.
'Someone is watching me from somewhere. Profile, check the perimeter for onlookers. If you notice anything, mention it to me.'
Zeno instructs Profile. After another whole minute of running, Profile gives out a reply.
[2 people are observing User from a high structure, southeast of User.]
Zeno turns his head through the crowd in the south east direction to see a man and a woman looking in his direction from top of a high structure.
He doesn't know who they are or how they are continuously communicating with his chasers. But now that he knows how they know his position, he plans to run away from their view point.
But just as how, Zeno notices them, they too find out that Zeno had noticed them.
"This kid isn't like the other 5. He is good. Maybe I should personally interfere."
The woman who was observing comments as she sprints off from the top of the structure to another structure in chase of Zeno. The other man who was with her just smiles seeing her go. He was watching all of this like it was an entertainment to him.
Zeno runs another 2-3 minutes through the streets, once again trying to chase off the pursuers. But his stamina was also depleting fast. He knew he can't run forever and has to find a safe haven.
[Incoming projectile from above]
Profile sends out a warning signal as Zeno reaches a large clearing within the market. Hearing the warning, Zeno who was about to stride forward dodges away from the path to notice a large shadow cast over where he should be.
THHUUDDDD
The ground in front of him gets cratered sending up dust clouds blocking his view as Zeno moves away from the ground of impact.
"For Goodness sake, this is insane."
He stops to catch his breath only to notice that his pursuers have already caught up to him.
The tall guy who stopped him before was panting along with his company while ordering others to surround the clearing to trap Zeno within the centre of the clearing. He was especially mad that a brat made a mockery out of him. But Zeno wasn't in the mood to tend to that.
He turns his attention to the ground that was cracked open and the thing that cracked it, hidden by the dust clouds. Even with his extra muscle trait, he doesn't think he can block that thing with his strength.
The dust cloud settles down to reveal a humongous warhammer wedged into the centre of the crater. The head of the hammer was as huge as nine stacks of cement blocks stacked together and the pole attached to it was thick as a man's hand. Noticing it's glow around the edges and the brittle glass like appearance even with that much power, Zeno understood it to be a Construct Gift too.
'Do they just want me to talk with him or kill me? Is this the sort of things, you use to throw at kids in this world?'
Zeno comments inwardly as he sees the Warhammer weapon.
*Thud*
A woman with a large stature jumps down from top of one of the shops into the small crater. Zeno recognises it to be the same woman who was observing him before.
But boy, she is huge. She is beautiful enough to sway many men's hearts. But her hands and thighs are large enough to crack a man's skull.
She takes up the heavy warhammer like it is a normal stick, twirls it around with a single hand and lays it upon her shoulder like it weighs nothing to her.
"Okay 8-9 men and one woman are set out to get me. My stamina is depleting and my Energy points are halfway way spent. Not a good way to start a fight, I must say."
Zeno says out aloud trying to think of a way out. He executes his skill to gather the information he would need before starting a fight.
'Scanner Vision'
[Lv9 Debbie {Warhammer Construct Gift}]
[Lv4 Diaz {Dagger Construct Gift}]
[Lv3 Raiz {Short Spear Construct Gift}]
[Lv 3 Erik {Shield Construct Gift}]
.
.
.
.
.
.
Instead of the usual full character profile of the targets,Zeno sets it so that just the name, grade and Gift are displayed this time. Thanks to that, it costs him only 10 points instead of continuously draining his energy points like when it happened during the assembly, the first day in Academy.
'The guys are 2 or 3 grades higher than me, but still I think I can manage to fight them off with the physical trait.
But this macho lady right here, looks like someone who can kick me off into the outer space. And trust me, she doesn't look like someone who should be messed with.'
Zeno concludes in his head. Truth be told, he wasn't interested in fighting anyone if there's any chance.
In his previous life, wherever he went, trouble would come to him and he would somehow make the trouble big enough that in the end it will be a headache for him and others around him.
In this life, he was planning to live his life, not getting into any trouble if possible. It wasn't because he was afraid of fights or death. It was because he was tired having to live his life this way.
But that doesn't seem possible since this world is oriented too much towards violence. He understood that only the strong have a say in this dog eat dog world.
"I am sorry for whatever you all think I did. If I knew, the task was related to any of you guys, I wouldn't have taken it. If you can leave me alone, I promise you, I will never ever meddle in any of your business."
Zeno pleads to the lady hoping to get a fruitful response. Even though it makes him look weak in everyone's eyes, if he could salvage the situation, he can avoid a fight.
"What are you all waiting for? Grab the kid!"
Unfortunately, she ignores Zeno's plea. She wasn't interested in weaklings who try to wriggle their way out pleading. Moreover, Ripper was the law and lord to her and his verdict is supreme to her. If he told her to bring the kid, she would bring him, no need for any talk.
The men regain their posture, hearing her scold them like that. They are just as afraid of her as much as they are afraid of their Boss.
Each one of them starts to create Constructs according to their Gifts after managing to surround Zeno.
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
Checking out the new displays appearing over their heads and seeing their constructed weapons, Zeno knew there isn't a chance of discussion anymore.
"I don't think crying out loud for help is going to be any useful since none of these onlookers has interfered till now." Zeno comments as he looks around the clearing for any onlookers who would be willing to help. All of them avert their faces, not wanting to get involved.
'Well, I am not planning to go down that easy either.' Zeno decides as he takes up a stance.
Just because he depends on his physical trait doesn't mean he doesn't know how to fight. He takes notice of the number of people and their weapons he has to fight off.
[Muscle Strength (+10) is being triggered.]
[User's declining stamina is affecting the usage of the physical trait]
[10 minutes before User collapse from the overuse of Muscle Strength (+10)]
'Collapse? Now of all time? Shit!!
I have to finish this fast. I need a plan. But there's no time for a plan.
Let's see. 2 bow guys, 2 shortspear guys, 4 dagger guys and 1 shield guy. Let's go for the ranged ones first. They look weak physically.'
Zeno notes in his head.
Meanwhile, Diaz, the tall guy, asks the shield guy to approach the kid carefully. He didn't believe when Billy told him that this kid was a trickster. But seeing the kid make a mockery out of them, escaping from right under their noses, he knew the kid wasn't someone who should be taken lightly.
The shield guy approaches the kid holding his glass like construct shield in front. He was taking as much as precautions since he himself saw the kid manage to incapacitate Billy when he escaped.
"The more you struggle, the more you are making it difficult for you and us, kid."
The shield guy warns as he approaches Zeno. He knew even if the kid tried to attack him, he could just block it with his shield and grab him by the neck at that time.
*Splat*
Unfortunately for him, the attack wasn't aimed at the front. Zeno executes an sidekick aiming at the back left of his head, which the guy couldn't see since he was just looking at his front. The leg connects with the back of his neck knocking him out cold before he could do anything.
*Clink*clang*
His shield construct falls from his hand which is then taken up by Zeno who checks out its condition with his still active
[Object: Shield Construct
Estimated time before dissolution: 30 seconds.]
It was lucky for Zeno that the shield guy went down without much hassle since the guy wasn't able to cancel his constructed shield.
The one plus point of Construct Gifts was that its user could always construct and cancel the Constructs he created if it's used to attack him back. But that doesn't mean he can move it around in the air like a telekinetic. That falls into the domain of another ability. He will have to use the Constructs just like how you use a weapon unless the skill is evolved or fashioned to his needs.
But if the Construct isn't deconstructed before the User is incapacitated, it will remain in the surrounding for some time before dissipating to nothingness. Till then anyone can use it just like how Zeno is using it now.
Coming back to the fight, the people not involved in any of this and were watching this, are surprised to see a Grade 3 man knocked out so easily, nonetheless by an 8 year old kid.
But the pursuers weren't surprised at all. If there was any emotion present, that would be rage. Rage of being belittled and humiliated in front of these many people.
"What? Did you think I would go down that easily?" Zeno taunts the men now that things have escalated to this degree. Since they want a fight, he will give a fight. Even if he have to collapse on this roadside.
Debbie, the woman with the Warhammer construct is amused hearing the kid's taunt. Just a moment ago, the kid was begging to let him go and it only took him a moment's time to change his attitude.
'Is he really tough or acting tough? But being a Grade 1 Advancer and knocking out a Grade 3 Advancer makes him a target that needs to be eliminated sooner or later.'
Debbie thinks. But still,she doesn't interfere as if to see how much the kid can go on. She was only planning to get involved when these goons can't seem to handle this by themselves.
The men being triggered by the taunt goes in for to attack the kid together. But before they could even make a move, Zeno takes the first initiative.
He runs aiming for the bow guys with the shield construct in his hands. With his
[
[
Seeing the kid aiming for them, the bow guys barrage him with construct arrows from their bows. But being equipped with an AI, Zeno could easily dodge each of their arrows, thanks to Profile's early warnings.
[2 arrows incoming from top left]
[1 incoming aimed at left shoulder]
.
.
Those ones he cannot dodge, he parries up with the fragile shield in his hand, which was cracking up with each hit it was taking.
*Crackle*
*Crackle*
This way, Zeno one by one neutralizes the guys with the bows by punching their stomachs only to be faced with a short spear guy aiming for his stomach.
"Oops! Almost got poked." Zeno comments as he narrowly escapes the strike. No matter how many warnings he may recieve, he can only pay attention to a limted number. That's how the spear guy was able to make it this near to him. Luckily, Zeno wasn't hurt.
He grabs the non pointy part of the spear nearer to the tip and yanks the spear off from the guy's hand. Gathering momentum by swinging, he knocks the non pointy end at the guy's head incapacitating him.
The other spear guy throws his constructed spear aiming at Zeno. The latter blocks it with the shield in his hand, which finally breaks down to tiny fragments fading into the air, before its time of dissolution.
He then runs into the one who threw the spear, taking up the spear from the first spear guy as a fighting stick and uses it to beat him senseless.
Those guys with the daggers including Diaz were looking on at the fights with no idea on how to proceed. The kid was running around like a rat all around knocking out their ranged weapon users. Owing to the fact that the kid was small and strong, it was proving to be difficult to hold on to the kid.
Even though they were enraged, right now they are more frightened of him instead of anger. Seeing their companions fall one by one to the kid's attacks has instilled some sort of fear in their minds they couldn't shake off.
"We… can't fight him off. He is too strong."
Diaz who is one grade higher than the rest of them, was also in a similar state since he knew that a small grade difference wasn't going to make a difference in this case. He turns to Debbie's direction signalling her to interfere, since she was much stronger than the rest of them.
"Useless trash!! If it wasn't for the loss of money we would suffer with your deaths, I wouldn't mind killing you retards right here and right now."
Debbie scorns them for their lack of courage. She proceeds to engage in the combat as she sees the ones with the dagger slowly retreat back.
Meanwhile, Zeno is being exhausted using his physical trait continously and fighting these many people. The construct spear in his hand also dissolves into thin air leaving him nothing to use as a shield or weapon.
[User's stamina is almost spent.]
[6 minutes before User collapses from muscle fatigue.]
[User is advised to relax and not use the physical trait anymore.]
'No… no…, there is still the dagger guys left and that woman there. I can't look weak after all this.'
Zeno responds back. That is when he notices the rest of them retreating back and the woman Debbie coming forward.
'Looks like, she is finally getting involved. Profile, look around for the nearest exit from here. I can't afford to get crushed by her large hammer.'
Zeno instructs Profile as he straightens his posture to face her.
"If you are thinking of running from here, trust me, my hammer is faster than your legs and it will not miss next time." Debbie threatens as she approaches him, holding the huge Warhammer Construct in her hands.
Zeno notices her construct to be more defined and realistic compared to others. It might be owing to the fact that she is a Grade 9 Advancer, he thinks.
'Which means she may be as strong as Adam.' Zeno ponders in his head.
"Kid, tell me one thing. Why didn't you even stab one of them, when you got a spear in your hand? Were you too naive or just afraid?" Debbie asks out of nowhere. It was an unusual question. But she needed to know for some reason.
"Neither. I just didn't want to make more trouble for myself. If I stab one of your people and he dies, won't you guys be following me for the rest of my life." Zeno answers truthfully.
Debbie expected his answer to be something like it was wrong to kill someone or he was scared to do so or something. She didn't expect such a reasonable answer from him. In some way, she felt that the kid was too emotionless and was only operating in terms of profit and loss.
She falls silent for a moment before deciding to give a chance to him.
"Since you were so honest about it, I shall give you an opportunity to redeem yourself.
I will stand here for two minutes in this position. You can use whatever means to knock me out just like you did with those men. If you can do it, I will leave you alone for now."
Debbie offers a proposition to Zeno. He doesn't understand why she would give herself such a liability. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't take it.
"What happens, if I can't do it?" Zeno asks out of both curiosity and dreadfulness.
"If you can't do it within the time, I will break both of your legs and drag you back myself."
She answers with no change in her emotions as if she is talking about crushing some peanut shells.
Zeno may think she is giving herself a liability, but in fact, it's not. In all the years she had worked for Ripper, she has never lost in a fist fight. She was sure the kid wouldn't be able to do anything to her and she would be able to bring him back to Ripper.
[4 minutes before muscle collapse]
'So either way, I am f***ed, right?'
Zeno ponders in his head heaving a short sigh. Looking at the large woman's body, he knew that no matter how hard he kicked or punched her stomach, his foot or hand would be the only thing that will hurt and that is, taking consideration of his physical trait too.
Still, he isn't ready to give up that fast. The pain in his muscles were making him more vigilant and awake than ever. If he is going down, he will only go down after using everything he got.
"Alright. Let's do it."
Zeno approaches her slowly and carefully, ignoring the muscle pain going through his whole body.
He was still wary she might attack suddenly, but she expresses no actions suggesting it. It was as if she has the confidence to catch him any time if she wishes.
Knowing this might be his last chance to escape, Zeno decides to try his maximum. He tries to recollect some important knowledge containing memories he could use in this situation.
[Title: Transmigrator is being triggered]
Seeing Zeno accept the challenge, Debbie stands still leaving her large Warhammer on the ground. She wanted to know the extent of the kid's abilities. It wasn't something she was doing out of necessity. It was something she was doing out of amusement.
Whatever it is, it's a chance for him and he wasn't going to waste it. Coming closer to Debbie, Zeno proceeds to unleash a series of punches at her stomach, which was at his head level actually. He tries to bring her down to knees kicking behind her knees. But still, she stands tall like a mountain.
Even with the physical trait, all the attacks he unleashed on her body has no effect. It was like trying to punch through an rubber sheet only to see it unharmed. Within the one minute time, his series of fast punches becomes limited to some punches once and then.
'His power is not bad for a kid his age. But still it's not even enough for my warm up. Looks like he is going back home with 2 broken legs. Atleast Billy would be happy.'
Debbie says in her head evaluating the kid's performance. It is already praiseworthy according to her that the kid managed to last this long against this many people. Still there's a limit to one's ability and luck.
Even Diaz who was afraid to even approach the kid before has become brave enough to engage in the fight, seeing the kid struggle. Still he stays in his position not wanting to anger Debbie.
[3 minutes before muscle collapse.]
'This is it.'
Zeno says in his head as he goes in for the last attack. All those punches were just his attempts to win over through raw strength. Now it's time for some new tricks. Just when it looks like he is going for a punch to her stomach, he changes his fist from a punch to 3 straight fingers as he plunges it into the gap between her stomach and chest.
*thunk*
This time, she feels something in her nerves, like a current passing through her whole body. Her body gets completely paralysed, not even able to even move her tongue. The only thing she could do was roll her eyes left and right.
'What's going on? Why can't I move? What… what did that brat do?'
Those were the only things in Debbie's mind as she was confused as to how this happened. She was getting paranoid having her body paralysed on her feet like that.
Being Ripper's lackey, she had seen her share of bizzare skills and tricks from people. But this is the first time she is seeing a trick like this.
[Universal Technique: Marmashastra added to User's list of techniques]
[User has deactivated Muscle Strength (+10)]
[User needs to undergo rest as soon as possible]
New notifications appear before Zeno's hazy vision which was already blacking out in between.
"Yes, finally some results.."
Looks like his attempt to knock out Debbie striking her vital points paid off finally. It would only give him a minute's time before she regains control of her body. He needs to run away in the meantime.
Diaz and others who were hiding and watching their doesn't know what to do anymore. Whether they should help her and get scolded by Ripper or to go after the kid who was now trying to escape again.
"Maybe we should go back. Tell Ripper what happended." One of them suggests.
"No, we will catch the kid now." Diaz suggests. He wasn't going to back empty handed, not without giving another try.
Meanwhile, Zeno was struggling to move away from the clearing with his sore muscles throughout the whole body.
"Oofff..ooff it feels like I am dragging a whole dead body with me."
Zeno comments as he tries to run away from the clearing. He was already testing his body limits trying to run when he could barely walk. He doesn't mind anyone watching and tries to make a run for the nearest exit.
[1 incoming projectile from back]
Profile's warning rings in his ears but Zeno is too tired to even pay attention to it.
*Stab*
Out of nowhere, Zeno feels sort of different pain from his lower abdomen. Moving his hands down from his chest, he finds a constructed dagger thrust into him which disappears just as he touches it. Blood starts to flow from there which he tries to prevent by pressing down on it.
"Oh Damn this!!"
Zeno was mad at himself for forgetting about the dagger guys. He falls down on his knees holding onto the stab wound. Looking back at the dagger guys who had retreated before, he sees a notification shining above Diaz's head.
[
'That tall dude really did a number on me, huh?'
Zeno talks to himself in his head, regretting his current state.
Even Diaz himself was surprised that the dagger managed to hit the kid. However he felt no joy taking down the kid like that. He felt being worthless for some reason.
The paralysed Debbie was also surprised when she saw the kid go down. But somehow she didn't feel happiness or satisfaction. Instead she felt disappointed.
"Maybe I should have just gone along with them."
Zeno talks to himself while applying pressure on the stab point to avoid the blood flow. He regretted that he didn't go along with those people when they asked. Atleast, he wouldn't be lying down on the road waiting for his death.
Strangely he didn't feel any sort of anger at them now. Maybe it was a side effect of his
"I never… noticed till now that the… sky here is… greenish blue."
Zeno says out aloud facing the sky, trying to turn his attention from the impending sense of death. His body was starting to get cold with his senses dulling with the passing time.
He could hear some footsteps approaching but couldn't make out whether it's a friend or foe.
He turns his head backwards, where the boot sounds came from. His blurry vision was making it difficult for him to make out the face of the person who was running towards him.
Strangely, the words above his head were clearer for him to read than the face.
[Lv9 Adam ******** {Symbiosis Superpower Gift}]
'Of all the people I could have appeared pathetic, I really had to appear pathetic in front of him.'
That was the last thought Zeno have in his head before blacking out.