The next morning, as the people of the now crowded house woke up,
✶WELCOME PLAYERS!✶
"Hey, have you guys finished Kill Count?"
Yua asked the group with a sudden realization.
"Don't worry, we completed ours with the help of some others, we were separated when that huge thing was chasing us."
Kai replied to Yua's sudden inquiry.
✶AFTER TWO WEEKS, WORLD APOCALYPSE NOW CONTAINS 1,601,341✶
✶IT SEEMS THE REMAINING PLAYERS ARE FARING WELL✶
✶THE DEATH COUNT OF PLAYERS HAS DECREASED✶
✶WHY DON'T WE FIX THAT. HAHAHAHA!✶
✶NOW, FOR THIS WEEK'S GOAL✶
✶KILL AT LEAST ONE PLAYER, HAHAHAHA, ISN'T THAT FUN?✶
✶BY THE WAY, BIGGER AND WORSE MONSTERS ARE NOW LOOSE✶
✶GOOD LUCK, HAHAHAHA✶
"I f*cking hate this damn world!"
Adler cried out in frustration, snapping the others out of their stupor. But once Alex refocused he jumped in between Adler and his friends,
"If you try to harm us because of the quest... Then I'll have no choice but to strike you down."
Adler's eyes slowly came down from the sky and locked onto Alex's, as soon as it did Alex trembled like prey in front of a predator.
"Same goes for you, if you dare lay a hand on Yua... that's when you'll breathe your last breath."
Feeling the murderous oppression in Adler's gaze Alex could only nod and step back.
"I feel like you guys should leave because it's obvious we don't trust each other, then why should we be on pins and needles 24/7 when we can just go our separate ways?"
After he calmed down a bit, Adler reasoned to the group, though the group understood that, they couldn't help but recall the Devil Master's words, "By the way, bigger and worse monsters are now loose".
They couldn't even outrun one without the help of others, how could they possibly survive if they don't stick with Adler or return to their original group, who knows where they are in this hellhole.
"Adler, I beg you, let us stay until we are able outrun one of those bigger monsters."
"That is not my problem, I said get out. The deal was you'd stay for one day."
Shot down immediately Alex couldn't help but fear the worse case scenario.
"Adler please."
Kai got down on his knees to beg for Adler's assistance,
"Give me one benefit worth it and I'll do it."
Alex jumped at the chance to negotiate as soon as he heard Adler's reply.
"If you help us get stronger we will pledge to fight for you until this nightmare ends."
Alex fell on his knees next to Kai and soon the rest of them followed.
"Can't we help them, they seem desperate?"
Yua whispered in Adler's ears, but to that Adler asked the group,
"How can I trust that you people won't backstab us?"
"We..."
They couldn't come up with a way to make Adler believe them, when they thought it was over for them,
"Fine, if you ever go back on your words... It'll be the end of you."
With that they ended the conversation, as Adler turned his back to leave,
"Thank You *sob*"
Itsuki squeaked while sobbing, a smile that radiated warmth spread on Adler's face as he left the room.
...
For the next two days, Adler and Yua caught monsters left and right while the group members killed them to get their stats and level up.
By the end of the second day, all of the members' stats had reached the 50s and 60s, while Alex and Kai reached the early 70s, they all reached levels in between 23 and 27.
✶Alex's Status Window :
Name : Alex Hamilton
Age : 22
Class : None
Level : 27
STATS:
Strength : 68
Agility : 73
Endurance : 75
Perception : 61
Energeon : 89/89
SKILLS:
Quicksilver(Level - 1)
Yua also had an amazing growth rate that led her stats to look like this,
✶ Yua's Satus Window :
Name : Yua Madoka
Age : 20
Class : None
Level : 30
STATS:
Strength : 86
Agility : 89
Endurance : 94
Perception : 81
Energeon : 458/458
SKILLS:
Quicksilver(Level - 2)
Energeon Manipulation(Level - 2)
Adler also obtained a new skill while his stats were similar to Yua's, but his energeon capacity had a huge upgrade after he wreaked havoc with his Energeon Weapon : 'Death Wielder'.
Energeon : 8300/9211
SKILLS:
UNKNOWN(Level - ??)
Energeon Manipulation(Level - 5)
Quicksilver(Level - 5)
Special Skill : Energeon Weapon(Level - 3)
Evolved Skill : Absolute Disguise(Level - 1)
When Adler checked the information on 'Absolute Disguise', it read,
Absolute Disguise:
You can take any form you wish. It is an evolved form of shapeshifting. It allows you to stay in your chosen form till you either end the skill or your Energeon is used up.
⁺₊⁺₊ Note : It does not affect players with higher level ⁺₊⁺₊
⁺₊⁺₊ Uses 1 Energeon Unit per Second ⁺₊⁺₊
He obtained this skill from a very rare skill drop, it came from one of the stronger Type-B Masked Genomes
...
That night in Yua's and Adler's bedroom, where their clothes were tossed here and there on the ground,
"Hey what should we do about you know... killing a person."
Yua asked as she nestled her head in Adler's chest and he wrapped his left hand around her shoulder.
"If we want to live I guess we have to kill someone, I swear, one day I am going to make whoever that's making us do all this pay."
Adler replied as he held Yua tighter and closer to his chest.
~Ba-Dump~ ~Ba-Dump~
Yua could hear Adler's steady heartbeat, as she listened she felt like there was no better melody in this whole wide world.
"I can hear..."
"Huh?"
"Your heart, I can hear it."
"What is it saying?"
Yua looked at Adler with a wronged expression while Adler looked at her expression with an amused smile.
"I love you..."
Adler whispered into Yua's lower lip before pulling her into an ardent kiss, Yua replied with enough passion to flood a dam. As their lips parted,
"I love you too..."
...
"HEAD TO CALIFORNIA AND GET THE NELACANITE."
"MALKAM YOU KNOW THE GENOME CODE WRITER ISN'T READY YET."
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION PROFESSOR."
"VERY WELL, I WILL GET THE NELACANITE."
"GOOD, IT WAS A COSTLY EXTRACTION MAKE SURE IT ARRIVES SAFELY HERE."
"OF COURSE"
~VRRR~
"THE REACTOR IS READY, AS SOON AS I GET THE CODE, THE WORLD WILL BELONG TO US, HAHAHAHA"
...
"Ahhh... Why?!"
Adler got up with a shout as he cursed his luck,
~THUD~
Yua who was on Adler's chest fell off with the sudden movement.
"Adler?"
"I'm sorry Yua."
Adler told Yua as he pulled the bedsheet over her, he was also about to go back to bed when,
"Wait, huh?"
Adler mumbled to himself, he left the bed and sat on a chair with his chin in between his index and thumb fingers.
"I've heard someone laugh like that before haven't I?"
Adler's mind raced through his memories,
"Im... possible, it was the same laugh... the Devil Master and that Doctor from my nightmares have the same laugh, but how?"
Adler couldn't come up with a reason as to why that person, whom he has never met appears in his nightmares.
"But then if he, is the Devil Master, how did he manage to turn the world into... what can you even call this, a horrendous mess?"
Adler's questions were on the rise with no answers for them, he couldn't think of any possible connection between him and the devil master nor could he find out how he managed to turn the world upside down.
All he could do now was complete the quests while looking for clues.
"This world is frustrating us hell!"