I emerged at the back of the crowd and almost fell on my knees. The presence of the void was overwhelming. I wanted to just puke, and collapse, but I couldn't. I had to push on. I shambled for few steps, then managed to get a hold of myself with a bit of ki reinforcement, and started to run.
Only a few seconds passed since the escape, but I knew that there is no other way than using shadow walk again, so I did. This time heading to the ally on the side. The second jump made me collapse for a couple of seconds. I puked but somehow managed to pick myself up after, and press on. Few meters of awkward shambling, trying to use the wall to support myself, then when the feeling passed, I just bolted.
While running, I couldn't think about anything other than Blue, and how he managed to do this. He turned the whole city against us with just a few words. It was almost impossible for me. There just had to be something there. Something I was missing. From the very beginning, we managed to capture that asshole, he had us right where he wanted.
Now he was a free man. We couldn't touch him. I suddenly thought that I shouldn't have escaped. This thought made me stop. No. The escape was good, but now I had to go back. If they wanted to fight, then I just needed to beat up a few of them, so the rest would finally get a grip.
I started to head back. Marching fast, but still only walking. Contemplating on what to do in such a terrible situation. I quickly realized that Blue maybe was a free man now. Exempted from everything he did. Forgiven. But he didn't have the support he used to. There were no longer dozens of soldiers fulfilling his every order, bringing him thousands of crystals every day. He was alone. Of course, he could find himself a good hunting group. With his incredible physical capabilities probably very easy, but there were no longer people around him, willing to just donate their hard-earned score from every hunt.
If he wanted a rat race, I was for sure able to giving him one.
They noticed me pretty quickly when I finally got closer. A bunch of guys in one of the alleys not so far from the city center.
- Here he is!
- Grab him!
Two closest rushed at me. First got backhanded so hard, he almost lost consciousness. I could kill him with that hit, but that would be bad, so I kept holding back.
The second one tried to grab my waist, and bring me to the ground, but I was like a wall to him. My footwork combined with proper weight distribution and strength was just too big of a difference. I knee kicked him straight into his stomach and just allowed him to collapse on the ground, puking.
The rest hesitated seeing how easily two of their friends got dealt with.
- What? You suddenly don't want to grab me? - I asked, looking them straight in the eyes.
They just ran, like a bunch of cowards. Newcomers with a weak resolve. Life just didn't kick them here hard enough to harden their skin and hearths. I followed their path to the city center.
- He is coming!
- Get the weapons!
- Get that bastard!
I heard people yelling. If they really wanted to fight, I could give them a decent brawl. I was not gonna back down. Everything I earned was thru hard work and dedication. This power was mine, and if they wanted to have a taste of it, I was willing to give them plenty.
There were a lot of ruckuses coming from the city center. People were preparing to face me. It had to be at least a few dozens, judging by the noise. When I finally stepped out of the alley, I saw around forty people. Armed, and ready to fight me. Probably all newcomers, but I wasn't sure, since I didn't look carefully enough. From the first glance, all the faces were unknown to me.
- Hay! Stop! - That was Hatta's voice.
He was coming from the side, with around ten members of Wuxia.
- Go back with your dogs! You can't stop us!
- He has to share the secrets!
- We all deserve to know!
All those shouts came from the crowd, but nobody was emerging to stand in front as a representative.
- You deserve it? You don't deserve anything! If you want to know, go out there, and find out for yourself! - was Hatta's response.
- He owns us this much! - yelled somebody.
- If you think I owe you something, then why you don't step out, so we can discuss it face to face? - I asked, still walking straight at them.
- We will beat you up if we have to! - Yelled somebody else.
- Go ahead. I'm right here.
- Stop this nonsense! Nobody is gonna fight today! You all go back to wherever you came from, and you Peter, come with me!
- Shut up! It's not your business!
I looked at Hatta and turned in his direction. The angry crowd watched my every movement and kept yelling, but I ignored them. It became obvious they just wanted to provoke me. Somebody had to be behind all of this. My first guess was Blue. He really wanted me to be public enemy number one.
Wuxia surrounded me and escorted, to their headquarters. We went straight to Hatta's office, where Will was already waiting, sitting behind the desk like he owned the place. Looking at the light of an olive lamp, resting on the flat surface of the desk. The whole place was gloomy in such dim light, but I guess Hatta didn't need more to function.
- Peter! Where the hell have you been?! What happened?!
- To be honest... I don't know...
Hatta went straight to the shelf on the right and grabbed a bottle.
- Sorry guys, but I need a drink.
- I need one too - I said quickly and sat in front of Will.
Hatta grabbed some glasses and poured me a bit of crystal clear drink. Vodka. I just one-shotted what was in the glass. The alcohol was strong. It contorted my face, but also brought me a bit of clarity.
- You know what? Fuck him! If he wants a war, I'll give him a war.
- What do you mean, Peter? - Hatta asked quickly.
He only sipped a bit from the glass.
- Yeah, what do you mean? - Will joined on the question.
- I wanted to protect people. Keep them from repeating my mistakes, but they clearly want to repeat them. So who am I to keep them from doing it? Let's make a rat race out of this. We can occupy better spots. We are ahead and used to the grind. A month in the wild? Sleeping on the ground with the sky as the roof? We have been thru this already. He wasn't.
- Even if he will be weaker than you, there are ways... He can do a lot of damage. I'm afraid he is gonna go straight after me - said Hatta, still sipping on the vodka.
- Yeah. That's a bad plan - Will agreed.
- He won't go after you. That would only prove you were right, and he is guilty.
- He might try poison, as he used to. I'm not safe.
- Then come with us.
- Peter... I can't leave the city with him here.
- Then I can't help you. But if you die, I'm coming after him, and nobody will stop me.
- As much as reassuring your words are, that doesn't fix the problem.
- Peter is right... - Will suddenly returned to the conversation. - We should tell everybody. That will create chaos. Everybody will be after power. People are greedy. He is not gonna find followers easily, and even if he has few people, you can just keep making everything as difficult as possible for them. The easiest would be to just constantly go to the goblin cave.
- I don't understand. Why the goblin cave? Rats are a way better spot to get crystals - he disagreed instantly.
- To gain power you need to kill the bosses. They are the key to unlock the power. He won't be able to kill the rat boss, and if you occupy the goblin one, he will be stuck. - I explained. - Whoever kills the boss, can unlock new possibilities for him or herself in the device.
- People won't just let me take that spot when they will find out.
- You don't need to take it. Just hold it for a couple of days, so he will go to rats nest - said Will, with a smile.
- You think he will die if he tries to fight the rat boss?
- Yes. He will definitely die. I almost got killed there not too long ago. And if he doesn't try, just slow him down as much, as possible.
- I don't like this, but what else we can do? - Hatta sighed heavily. - What are you gonna do in the meantime?
- We will go hunting orcs and come back with a lot of crystals. Then we will see... Maybe an opportunity will arise to deal with him, or he will be already dead.
- I still don't like this. For me, it sounds more like an excuse for you to leave the city, Peter.
- Then what else should we do? Keep the secret? Blue is gonna figure it out sooner than later, and he will use it to become stronger behind everybody's backs. Then what will we do? It's better to tell everybody and create chaos. Blue won't make his move until he is sure of the win. This means if we are stronger than him, he can never win. So we just have to remain stronger. We should also ease the situation with the rest of the city. If I or you, Hatta, tell them how to unlock the power, it won't matter too much. But Will can do it to become a hero of the people.
- What? - Will asked completely bamboozled.
Hatta looked at me curiously.
- If you pretend to tell them, despite me forbidding you, it's gonna boost your standings among them. You already have many friends. You can be the hero of the people Will. I'll help you become strong, so you can be somebody they'll respect, and gonna listen to. Somebody that can stand up to Blue if he tries something.
- That wouldn't hurt - Hatta agreed, taking the last sip from his glass.
- Fine. Then let's do it - said Will, and got up from the chair.
- We could also engage others, to help us keep Blue from the goblin cave. Juan, Aisha... I'm sure they will help if we ask them - I looked at Hatta.
- Ok. I'll try to contact as many trustworthy people as possible.
- I'm gonna depart in the meantime. Hatta can you get me a cart and a passage to the device?
- I think I can.
- Good. Will, let's meet at the passage to the canyon. Tonight.
He answered with a short nod. In this way, we split our ways. I made my way to the device, escorted by the members of Wuxia. The cart was brought to me shortly after.
It was time to spend some points, pushing acquiring of the manual further in time. I didn't want it, but there was no other choice. I started by upgrading every skill of barrier maker class to the third level, then did the same with monk skills, and shadow walker. Everything for 1 520 000 points. Then I boosted my strength 400 times for 700 500 points.
The changes made a big enough impact on my body, that I just fell flat on my ass, struggling to catch a breath. It lasted few seconds, during which I could feel electricity going thru the muscles. Weird feeling.
I got up and returned to shopping. Bought enough food and water for a month, then two brand new pudaos, some torches, and other useful equipment. Packed it all on a cart, right under the careful watch of Wuxia. Then I finally departed. Guards left me, as I was crossing the gate. Still partially blocked by the rubble.
The day ended with 319 877 points remaining on my account, and a single class point.