Spring-Autumn lifted his sword off and looked at the [Suppression Sword] in surprise before saying, "I don't mind letting him off. Keep your dog in check next time,"
Winter nodded his head and tossed Shadow over his shoulder before leaving. The previous field which was full of sand and gravel was now filled with marks from the battle. There was only silence left.
Spring-Autumn placed his hand over the part where he was hit and closed his eyes.
[One as Before]
In the blink of an eye, the pain was gone. A green light flickered in his eyes before vanishing mysteriously. His sword flew off his hand and returned in the form of a cloak. His eyes did not linger on the departing figure of Winter and Shadow. He merely turned his back and returned to his house.
That night, Spring-Autumn and Rainmist enjoyed dinner together as usual.
"It's about time we leave soon," He told her.
Rainmist was informed of this beforehand. She did not mind too much and nodded, "Okay,"
At Winter's Estate.
Winter tended to the wounds of Shadow. Enough time had passed that Shadow was able to fully reattach his arms.
The room was bright with white walls and marbled floors. Shadow lifted his body off the couch. It was unknown what he was thinking.
Winter sighed and told Shadow, "Forget it. He'll be leaving soon anyway,"
He was now the most influential man in Diamond City. It was unknown what method he used to get this piece of information.
Shadow did not say much. He bowed and expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for saving me again, young master,"
"It's nothing. I wonder if you can tell me why you attacked him so frantically?" Winter asked as he sat back down.
"What is young master's relationship with that man?" Shadow replied by asking another question.
"He is my half-brother. I don't care too much about him, though," Winter replied carefully. The last sentence was unnecessary but was used to probe Shadow's reaction.
"Does young master's deal for cooperation still hold up?"
"Of course," Winter nodded with a smile.
"I will get back to young master in a few days. I am a man that repays gratitude two-fold. I will make sure you don't lose out in this," Shadow said. There was no expression on his face. He stood up and prepared to leave.
"I will see you out,"
They walked out together outside. The summer wind was cool. A warm breeze passed by and Shadow vanished into the night.
Winter's gaze lingered on the departing figure of Shadow before walking back into his house.
Shadow walked alone in the dark night. Blood lust filled his eyes. He could not help but think of all the suffering he had gone through under Sirius while in that lab.
"Since he's related to that man, he must die!"
It could be considered the first step to his plan of revenge. A man as powerful as that would surely hold enormous value in the eyes of Sirius. He himself was previously the number one test subject but that man was stronger than him.
"Spring-Autumn…" He muttered under his breath.
It did not matter that Spring-Autumn was related to Winter in the eyes of the hatred-driven Shadow. This was this, that was that. When a man was focused on something, what was the use of morals and ethics?
Shadow was a man that valued family values. The watching of his family members dying from experimentation one by one was enough to warrant him pursuing revenge with all his heart! However, that value only applied to him. Every action taken by himself is justifiable because he had seen all the events leading up to it.
It's often said that one cannot judge oneself like they judge others. That was why it didn't matter that he would exact his hatred on Spring-Autumn, the brother of his savior.
Shadow's body began to enlarge.
Howl!
A howl of a wolf screeched through the night. It was a call for his men.
In front of his hideout, a crowd began to gather.
Ten.
Twenty.
Fifty.
One hundred.
Five hundred.
One thousand.
More and more people gathered in the fallen part of the city that had yet to be rebuilt. Shadow stood on top of a roof, basking in the glow of the moonlight. Under the light of the moon, his fur glistened a dark radiance.
Tens of men in cloaks stood out among the crowd that gathered below him. The crowd that consisted of [Users]. The crowd that consisted of former ordinary people. In the crowd, there were guards that were off their shift. There were people who were teachers before the apocalypse. Former teachers, former doctors, former lawyers, former shopkeepers.
This was what the crowd mostly consisted of. Ordinary people who had their taste of power. Ordinary people who now had the power to contend against [Users], under the guidance of the [Great Human Method]. This was exactly why they were willing to follow the orders of Shadow in order to attain more power. The ripe fruit that dangled before their eyes that they could not reach, the second part of the [Great Human Method]!
The tens of men in cloaks were the people that had received the second part. They were a cut above the rest. The reason for having to hide their identity was obvious. While they were working for Shadow, they were also working for Winter's party.
Shadow stood in his werewolf form. His eyes were cold. "I have another task for you all."
"If you complete this successfully, you all will have your hands on the second part of the [Great Human Method]," Shadow said slowly, enticing the crowd below.
From the way they were acting, it was working pretty effectively. An excited gaze that couldn't be hidden lit up in the eyes of the crowd below.
"A few days from now, a man will be leaving the city. You just have to capture him,"
"Such a simple task?" Someone asked from the crowd.
"Yes. There's more than a thousand of you. Such a task should be easy, no?" Shadow chuckled.
The crowd chuckled as well. Under the veil of the night, Shadow's plan was brewing.