Talking to the young man, explaining to Esteban, helping the Old Woman, onlookers shocked as hell.
When The trio saw what the men were doing, his aura immediately changed. Zeke's aura was already level 5 after continuously using it, and the feeling it emanates gets stronger the closer the person is. Right now, Esteban and Gaia noticed Zeke's change of mood, and they immediately felt something strangle them, making their breathing go in disorder.
"Z-zeke? What's happening? I can't breathe properly."
Gaia couldn't help but ask. She didn't know anything but she suddenly found it hard to breathe.
Esteban, on the other hand, felt something different. Unlike Gaia who haven't developed her senses yet, Esteban felt different kinds of negative emotion from Zeke. He didn't know why Zeke felt such disgust and hatred, but he found it even more impossible that Zeke could project his emotions as an intangible aura. How was this possible?!
Zeke looked at Gaia who was gasping for breath.
'What?'
*Your aura is affecting her, Zeke. The hatred you felt earlier projected itself into your aura, making it ghastly and suffocating especially for the young girl who was weaker than you. Esteban felt it too, but at most, it would only make him uncomfortable. Also, due to the sudden surge of emotions earlier, your aura leveled up to 6.*
Zeke suddenly realized. He forgot he had his Aura always turned on, and he forgot to control his emotions enough to change his aura into a suffocating one.
In fact, Esteban also felt uncomfortable earlier. He didn't know anything about Zeke's aura because Zeke always kept it to project a peaceful and serene aura and he also didn't think much of it because he thought it was naturally what he would feel now that his master was near him.
Zeke hurriedly calmed himself to stabilize his Aura, but his inner thoughts betrayed him. There was still a sliver of fury inside, slowly building up the longer Zeke sees the two men.
'System, what's their CP?'
*The older man has 750 CP, slightly higher than common people of his age. As for the young man, he only has 300 or so CP. They both focus on their Strength with little Agility and Endurance.*
'System, what are the odds of me killing them?'
Zeke hated the two men to the point of killing them. His hatred from earlier stemmed from his past memories of his foster family. Back then, they were good and hospitable to him at first, but when they received part of his parent's inheritance money, they treated him like trash. Zeke felt like he was only being treated like that in the first place so they could get his inheritance money.
This started Zeke's hate for people who bullied people weaker than them like his foster family who treated Zeke like that because Zeke was powerless to stop them, nor is he aware of their schemes before they got what they wanted. He always felt disgusted by his foster family but he didn't voice it out and instead gritted his teeth whenever they bad mouth him.
When he saw what the two men did to the older woman - as they looked over them, the two men smashed most of her fruits and spat on her face with a dirty smile - he couldn't help but remember his foster family's treatment to him.
*The probability of killing them is bleak. You only have at most 20% of killing them in a frontal battle. However, if you manage to sneak attack, then your chances would be at least 70 if not 100%. Your chances depend on how you attack.*
'I see.'
*Do you hate them, Zeke?*
The system's sudden question puzzled Zeke.
*Do you dislike them to the point of killing them?*
'.... Yes, frankly.'
*Good. I'll take this as training for your mind.*
'What?'
Suddenly, something popped up in Zeke's peripheral view.
———————————
Event Quest "Kill"
Kill the two humans you dislike. Know the law of the world you live in.
Hint:
-Sneak attack greatly increases the chance of killing.
Difficulty: C
Reward:
100xp
+10 random stats
'Murderer' Title
Skill Tome (Combat-type)
Bonus reward: Corpse Dissolving Acid Powder
Quest Failure Penalty:
-1 Life (Backup Life remaining: 1)
————————————
!!
Zeke was surprised about the quest he got. It basically told him to kill the two people! Although Zeke wanted to kill them, he didn't think it'd be right to do it with the environment and people nearby. However, he thought about the second sentence the quest entailed.
'Rules of the world?'
*The Law of the world is one of the things that won't change even after time passed by. It is something that is silently agreed upon by almost all of the inhabitants of this world, mainly because they don't have a choice either way.*
'Then what's it?'
*You'll know after the quest. If not, then I'll have to tell you myself.*
'By the way, what's the Back Life on the penalty?'
*The Backup Life is basically your extra lives. Right now, you only have 1 extra life, which means when you die or receive lethal damage, the extra life will be consumed and you will be healed back to your fullest strength. It's from your title as Pandora's Champion, as the champions of the gods won't easily die and tarnish the reputation of the deity they're representing.*
'I see.'
Zeke was happy about having insurance. However, after a few seconds, he was thinking of ways to deal with the situation before them. A few seconds later, he seemed to have an idea.
"Mr. Esteban, I want you to cover Gaia's eyes when we get close, alright? No matter what happens, I just need you to cover her eyes."
Zeke looked back and whispered to Esteban. Gaia was just standing there looking at the boy whispering to the man several times taller than him.
Esteban was puzzled.
"Huh? Why do I need to do that, Young Master?"
"Just do it." Zeke showed a determined face.
"... alright. Be careful, Young Master. They might hurt you and I might not reach you in time." Esteban's worried voice moved Zeke's heart.
"Don't worry. Also, just go in the shop after and tell them not to go out for a while and wait for me inside. Alright?"
"You want me to leave you outside, Young Master?! No!"
"Esteban."
Zeke's way of calling him startled Esteban. He could feel an authoritative aura emanate from Zeke, which made Esteban feel more puzzled inside. How was his Young Master this assertive with his aura?
"Y-yes, Young Master?"
"Just. Do. It." Zeke's slow but solid voice slightly bothered Esteban. He didn't know his master's son would have a side like this.
"... I got it, Zeke. Don't do anything rash, please." Esteban could only warn him out.
"Also, can you hand over the dagger you bought?"
"What?!"
Esteban now knew his Young Master was indeed doing that. He thought his Young Master would only beat them up and he'll need to intervene to defend him. Who would've thought that this Young Master of his was cruel enough to end this dispute by a kill.
"Y-young Master, c-can you handle this? It's sharp and dangerous, you know?"
"I know, Mr. Esteban. I promise I will take it easy."
'Easy? What part in carrying a dagger to hurt someone easy!?'
"*sigh* Please be careful, Young Master. I'll just get the dagger out."
"No, scratch that. Just let me borrow the spatial ring, Mr. Esteban."
"Alright. Again, please be careful. I can't respond fast if they attack, you know?"
"Yes, Mr. Esteban. I promise I won't be hurt."
Gaia, who was looking all throughout their conversation, still didn't seem to understand what both of them talked about. She only saw a ring being passed to Zeke.
"Hey old bitch, why don't you just give us all these and we'll let you go scot-free, eh?" The trio heard the young man's haughty voice.
"Yes, grandma. Just hand all of these over to avoid getting hurt. I promise we'll let you off. Isn't this a good transaction? Here, I'll give you these 5 coppers in my pocket. Take it as my gift to you. Come on now, Go away and leave all these behind. We'll sell them for you." Then comes the middle-aged man.
"What are you guys doing?" Zeke said as he was closing in.
"Hey, kid. Back off here, alright? or else you'll get hurt. A LOT."
"You heard him, boy. Go off now and play with that little girl. You shouldn't be here at your age, right?"
"What were they doing to you, grandma?" Zeke politely asked and walk forward for a bit. His inner feelings, however, contained intense rage and killing intent. It wasn't yet projected in his aura as he willed himself not to show it until after the deed is done.
"Young man, no! Stay away from here and don't meddle with my affairs! This is just a normal transaction. Sir, please take away your kid and leave this place." The old woman looked towards Esteban, hoping the man would take the boy away.
"Oh? It seems this kid is a bit innocent in the head, huh?" The middle-aged man walked closer and matched eye level with Zeke.
"Leave, boy." The middle-aged man smiled.
"Old woman, are they bullying you? Tell the truth, I don't want any lies." Esteban asked. He wanted his Young Master to have a clear idea of the situation before doing something. He knew it inside that his Young Master might do something inappropriate for kids to see hence his order to cover Gaia, but Esteban still wondered how could Zeke stomach this when he knew other children won't.
"Yes! Now please, go away before he gets hurt!" The old woman pleaded. Zeke heard it and felt reassured about doing the deed. If the two men were good people, then Zeke would definitely feel bad. But now that he knew the situation was as he expected, he didn't have any guilt in him.
Zeke turned around and winked at Esteban, who in turn covered Gaia's vision.
"W-what's happening? Sir Esteban?" Gaia was flustered. She felt uncomfortable having her vision stripped off of her.
"Shh little girl, this isn't for you to see. C'mon, let's go inside. Don't worry, this old man will guide you." Esteban tried to speak as amicably as he can so as to not bother Gaia more. He then turned around with Gaia in front of him while pushing her slowly towards the door of Magnifique.
"What are you doing, man? Are you-" Esteban heard the middle-aged man's voice behind him cut off as he wondered why. He turned around, only to be horrified and shudder as the scene he saw.
Zeke felt the chance has come as the middle-aged man in front of him was distracted, and he immediately performed the arm movement of Stab. He didn't bother getting into a stance as his opponent was defenseless anyways, so the piercing power of a casual Stab should be enough. He fully unleashed the thick killing intent in his heart which made his aura suffocating. The man in front of him suddenly sense the killing intent, but he was too late to react as he was slightly stunned by it. Zeke's right hand was like an arrow fired from the bow as it stabbed the man's neck, barely piercing through. Blood filled his hand as he looked at the expression of the man in front of him which contained confusion, despair, and anger. It was too fast that he didn't even see what killed him.
Zeke didn't waste time and quickly withdrew the dagger in the ring and threw it using his left hand. To Zeke's disappointment, It didn't hit the young man's vital spots but instead hit the man's leg. The man, as if he finished processing what just happened, screamed loudly, pain evident in his tone.
The scream startled the people nearby, including Esteban who was still looking and Gaia.
"W-whats's that! Sir Esteban, please stop!" Gaia became even more flustered and scared when she heard it.
Esteban, although still horrified and shocked by his Young Master's brutal method, managed to regain himself as he silently lead Gaia inside. He was planning on leaving her to Holmes quickly and go back to Zeke.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! ARE YOU INSANE?!" The young man shouted loudly, causing the onlookers to look towards them.
"How do you feel?" Zeke asked with a smile as he left the middle-aged man's corpse and walked towards the young man sprawled nearby.
"W-what?! What the fuck are you saying, you goddamn lunatic!"
"I said." Zeke walked closer with a smile still plastered on his face.
"How do you feel?" Zeke repeated.
"..."
"How does it feel to be the one on the receiving side?"
"WHAT?! IS MY FATHER'S DEATH EVEN COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE DID?!"
"Indeed! HAHAHAHA looks like karma got you two fuckers back! HAHAHAHA" A loud gloating voice was heard nearby. Zeke and the young man looked towards the source.
It was a young man in his twenties manning a stall selling food.
"You two fuckers always eat my food without paying and even batting an eye! Every day, almost half of my earnings are spent covering for the food you fuckers ate! You deserve that!"
"That's right. Karma indeed strikes back." The old man across the young man's store suddenly butted in.
"You wrecked my store, over and over and over again just because you didn't like my food?! What kind of reason is that?!" His voice contained anger and pure hatred towards the young man.
"Besides, did you forget the time when you forced your way with Old Liu's daughter?" He continued and looked towards the old woman sitting on a bench with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
"If you hadn't done it, then her daughter should still be alive till now! You pieces of shit forced her dead, it was only right to reciprocate that to you two!" The old man gloated again.
One after another, the onlookers spat out their complaints about the deeds of the father and son. It seemed like the two were hated a lot on that part of town as practically all onlookers had a gloating smile looking at him and his father's corpse. They were so ecstatic about the two that they didn't realize the identity of their attacker, which is a 5-year-old boy (1) with a handsome face and white hair. No, perhaps because of their hatred for the two, they didn't care much about the appearance of the one who did them justice. Also, they only thought of Zeke as a hidden master who had a youthful body. Otherwise, their common sense wouldn't process it if they knew that Zeke was a true 3 year-old-boy.
"NO! You fuckers! I'll kill each and every single one of you!"
"I'm afraid you can't." Zeke's calm voice resounded behind the man.
"Huh?! You're gonna kill me too? HAHAHAHA DID YOU FORGET THE RULES OF THE CITY? KILLING IS FORBIDDEN! HAHAHA, YOU'RE DEAD IF THE GUARDS SEE THIS! HAHAHA" The man's psychological wall of defense crumbled down.
"Not if they won't see your filthy bodies." Zeke calmly replied with a smile.
"There are still witnesses. HAHAHAHA YOU CAN'T ESCAPE, BASTARD! Pay for my father's death!"
"Witnesses?" Zeke looked towards the onlookers with a smile. "What witness are you talking about?"
"There's no witness here right now, am I right, guys?"
"Yes! We all didn't set up shop today so we didn't see this 'little incident'!"
"C'mon guys, pack up now! Let's take a break today."
One after another, they recommended suggestions as to how they will feign ignorance towards the murder. The other onlookers who weren't selling anything only shook their heads and smiled, indicating they also didn't have any intentions of ratting them out.
Zeke turned his gaze back to the young man who fell deeper in despair as he saw the nearby 'witnesses' pack up their shops and leave, leaving him and the demon behind him the only ones remaining on that side of the street.
"N-no! Please, good master! Please spare my life, please! I won't do it again, I promise! Please just let me go this once and I'll turn over a new leaf completely! PLEASE!"
The young man kept pleading while trying to kowtow towards Zeke while still having a dagger lodged in his leg.
"Did they say that to you too?"
"..?" The young man looked up and matched Zeke's gaze on him. He still felt the murderous atmosphere around Zeke as he gulped by instinct.
"Did they plead to you too when you did those things to them?"
"!!!"
"Did the woman you raped pleaded for help too?"
"I-it wasn't what you-"
"Shut your mouth."
Zeke's authoritative voice completely cuts off the man's sentence.
"What did you do in response to their pleas?"
"..."
Zeke pulled out the sword in his spatial ring and stabbed it towards the man's abdomen. It didn't hit a vital organ, but it definitely wounded the man's insides. He screamed and held the sword. He was dying slowly and painfully as Zeke and the man exchanged eye contact.
"Do you know why you're dying right now?"
"..." The man continuously looked at Zeke with eyes full of despair and hatred.
"It's because..."
Before the man lost his consciousness, he heard the last words Zeke spoke.
"...you're weak."