Chapter 32: I believe!
"I have to tell your friends what kind of person you are, right?" The man in red armor focused his eyes on Venomous who stood expressionless. Her eyes were looking far behind him, clearly ignoring his presence.
She didn't take a step nor replied to him.
Another man popped out of the carriage and glanced at the show with curious eyes.
"Do you know her?" He was pulled by Venomous' cold face that despite what was said, still looked charming and attractive.
An executioner called Big K replied, "I know her. We used to go to the same high school four years ago. Back then, she was so popular. A beautiful, high-class girl that chose to go to the normal school despite her wealthy family. She became the center of attention with her presence alone, but her eyes were different from what you can see now."
He sounded loud so that Michu and Sandra could hear him.
"You can change your hair color and style, but it's hard to forget about a killer you used to go to school with," Big K shrugged, then brushed past Venomous. He wrapped his arm around Michu and said, "That's a nice taste you got here. I also like older women."
He shook his head and pointed at Venomous who stood next to him motionlessly, "She had everything and yet she killed her sister. Why would she do that? It's rare for sixteen years old students to get a house, choose school freely and just have that much freedom; and yet she had it all. So why did she kill her sister?"
"..." Michu didn't reply. He continued to look at Yumi's eyes carefully.
Big K ignored that as it would be shocking to anyone, "She killed her for more money. Just that… Honestly, I can't understand it… You have literally everything, a secured future and you still lowered yourself to kill your blood just for a few more zeros in the bank. Now, imagine what she can do in this world."
The executioner sneered and began to pour down all ideas that just bloomed within his mind. A heartless player was the primary focus of those; a killer that would kill any NPC and erase him from the world. A killer that would bring massacre for one's benefit and sway more innocent players like him.
All of those were insulting and Michu didn't like that.
He had to carefully look at Venomous, though.
"You got a nice blonde chick here. Focus on her instead. It's easy to get a girlfriend in this game as people are more willing to try new things here. If you play a white knight, then you are more likely to get her. Haha!" Big K laughed, then ordered, "Delete Venomous from your friend list and give up on her. That's for your future."
"Are you a gangster?" Michu replied, his eyes finally responding to the insults the man had been spitting so far. "Are you not? Then why are you ordering me around? I also don't like that hug. You have rough hands." Michu slapped away the armored arm, but he needed to exert all his strength so far.
The difference was rather too high.
[Big K Lv. 53 HP: ???/??? MP: ???/??? Guild: Death Clock Guild.]
"Haaa!" The man sighed loudly, "You need a lot of help. Listen, if you don't delete her, then I will kill you. And I will kill you each time I see you. This route… I guess you come from Mountain Cliff City? At least the area around it. I don't want to see this killer and her naive friends getting stronger." He threatened, "So delete her if you want to have peace. It's no good to have an enemy at such an early level, don't you think so? Can you afford something else other than potions? Haha!"
"You have ugly eyes," Michu said, "Your voice is irritating and makes me get goosebumps. It's disgust." He sighed, "Sister used to warn me a lot about gangsters and she exactly described a person like you. Are you the one she had seen?"
"Are you that stupid or you are pretending?" Big K pushed Michu using his strength advantage. His target fell onto the ground as if his legs broke! With his eyes looking down at Michu, Big K said, "I am doing a saintly work of saving your naive heart from this killer, but you can't appreciate my gentleness. I guess you can't think with her around you? Well, then think in the beginner city." A big ax went up.
It descended onto Michu's body and split him in a half in the blink of an eye.
[You have died.]
[You lost one level.]
[Death penalties have been applied to you.]
[Your resurrection point had been set - Kocardo City.]
It was Michu's first death.
-
A silence fell heavily after Michu's body turned into red particles that faintly floated up to the sky. Those vanished mid-way and left everyone speechless.
Wasn't there a penalty for killing a player weaker than you? The Big K didn't care, even if his name got red-flagged.
He turned his eyes to Sandra, but Venomous' faint laugh instantly retracted his eyes, "Why are you laughing?" Big K asked, "I guess it must be funny for you to see all those naive fools die like idiots for you? Even if he died because of you, he must've serviced you enough. It's been four years and you have gotten stacked Yumi." Big K spoke big words while looking at items that Michu dropped.
Those were mostly consumables and bananas, "Bananas? Who the fuck keeps bananas? They can't even regenerate stamina or properly satiate hunger…"
"Why am I laughing?" Venomous repeated the question, "You remember me, I remember you. Weren't you the classmate who had been constantly bullied by our class delinquents and their friends?" She turned her eyes at him, "It seems like you haven't matured at all. Since when does the loser become the bullying one? Is it because of the level gap? Is it because you know what the whole school knew about me?"
"I haven't matured, huh? I am doing fine in my life, you see. I have a proper job, a good gaming time, and a woman whose eyes don't look poisonous." Big K replied with pride and self-content.
Venomous quickly retorted, "And why would you compare her eyes to mine? Are you infatuated with me to this point? I had everything, you had nothing. I guess you hoped I had some loser fetish and would notice you?"
Yumi didn't stop here. She shifted her eyes to Big K's friend and asked him, "Has this man ever killed someone with equal level? NPC, monster, or player? If he did it with his party, then congratulations, a loner has found some friends. So, have you guys aimed higher at least once?"
Big K's friend didn't say anything. It would impact Big K negatively as he often said that aiming higher would bring more losses to equipment and their stuff.
Though he looked like an executioner, Big K's friends often laughed that he had a soft heart for equipment and rewards. His big red armor had maximum durability and never fell before 70%, as he would often bring it to a blacksmith to repair.
He was a person who looked strong and menacing on the outside, but carefully took steps forward and spoke big words after assessing his situation.
"I take it as a no," Venomous didn't wait long for an answer, "Big equipment, big ax, and big in name as well. Are you trying to look bigger to hide your fragile heart?"
"Haha, listen, Yumi." Big K approached Venomous, but she threatened with glare. Since the gap was here, Big K didn't stop and faced her closely. Their eyes were filled with reflections as they were that close, "You can speak as much as you want. That's all you can do to divert attention from what you have done… But it won't change anything. Everyone knows you are a killer now. Contrary to your life in prison, I had a normal life and properly matured. I wonder what you are doing in life now."
"The one who diverts attention is you. Don't you put a strong emphasis on normal life and your maturity? And you also speak about the present while avoiding the past. True, aren't you a big bully right now? Of course, you wouldn't speak or mention your past at all. Did you forget already the feeling of scorching cigarettes on your forehead?"
"Shut up. I told you to listen, so I am the one asking the questions. That snake tongue can only answer me," The man threatened and grasped Yumi's shoulder. His strong grip made her lose HP and pain bloomed from within.
Yumi didn't wait much.
She took out her sword and shoved it straight into her throat.
The blood spilled out like a fountain. It splashed on Big K's face and continued to ooze from Yumi's sword profusely. Her body entered a highly critical state with several penalties set on her.
She had intense bleeding and many others that took her HP faster!
"I am not going to listen to the fake gangster anymore. Live in that bubble of yours for how long you want… But let me tell you; you haven't matured at all. You became even worse than your bullies." Yumi smiled which made her look eerie with blood on her face.
Everyone including Sandra recoiled a few steps back from her sudden self-harm…
"On the other hand, I had a hard time in the prison. They were jealous of me. Those women cut my hair every day until I became bald. I had them kick and punch me because of my face and family behind me. I endured that and took the positives out of it after I got freed. A piece of shit like you won't push me around."
Her strong mental and suspicion towards others was born from that.
Big K's lips trembled and he stuttered, "Was it worth it? All for grandfather's inheritance that didn't even enter your hands?"
"Believe in what they say. If that makes your life easier… There are many things I regret about high school times… One of them is snitching to help you."
"..."
"I regret that. If I knew you would be the one to bring back the past to me, then I wouldn't even say a word to teachers. I found it heartless how they treated you, but-" Yumi's HP fell to zero and she turned into red particles that got swept by the wind.
Big K stood in silence.
Only Sandra's steps rang out in his eyes as she began to sprint away from them. His mind then got flooded by the past memories that he did his utmost best to seal, "Someone call the teacher… Please, please, please…"
"Aren't you in a better situation? Past is a past anyway," Big K's friend responded. He knew about the executioner's job which was the manager in one of many food restaurants. Big K had his girlfriend working here as well.
While he acted harshly and pushed people around, his woman was like a queen here and ordered others around too.
They were a compatible pair, in some way.
"Fuck it… I am the one who doesn't allow anyone to push me around." Big K snickered and returned to the carriage. "This psycho woman… I wouldn't even be able to shove a sword like that into my throat."
"She is something else, but that's what prison does to you, I guess. Fuck, I still feel some shivers…" The friend and Big K agreed, then continued their journey… "Remember that area and Mountain Cliff City."
Though he acted strongly, Big K's mind teemed with the past, and Yumi's words blended later on. He couldn't sleep that night and his employers had an easier time at work…
-
Yumi appeared in Kocardo City.
She instantly got spotted by Michu, "Yumi! Are you okay? I guess he killed you too! This is my first death! Look at all those people here. They all died too… I asked them around-"
"I am a killer," She cut him.
"Okay…" Michu responded with thoughts in his mind. But he couldn't properly lay them out and looked highly confused.
Yumi knew the monke, so she just told him to speak whatever lay behind his mind, "Say what you want. And do whatever you want… We are both at the level where we don't have to rely on each other and you can just go your way."
"But I don't want to." Michu smiled faintly, "I was looking deep into your eyes, Yumi! You see, I think a killer wouldn't have such sadness within her eyes if she killed a person due to greed! I don't know about it, but I feel like it was an accident. My heart hurt when he said that you killed your sister, but then I looked at you and it vanished. I have a strong feeling that it was an accident, so tell me what happened, Yumi."
Venomous dilated her eyes in disbelief, then took a few steps back. She was actually the one to move first and her whole body began to shake violently, "It was… accident…"
"I see!" Michu felt instantly better and looked far more at ease.
"You believe me?"
"I believe you!"
Yumi's legs grew weaker instantly upon this answer. He didn't even try to coat his words nor feelings, just instantly believed in her. She fell onto her knees and tears began to tumble down her cheeks.
Covering her face with both hands, Venomous displayed such a fragile sight that Michu went wide and looked out for help, "N-Nana…" When his mother cried, Nana was the one to help. Michu was always clueless about what to do when seeing someone else's crying. His hands waved around and surrounding people slapped his back.
"Hug her! And take her somewhere else. What the fuck are you doing?" A man with white teeth and handsome looks passed some tips! He even told her how to pick up a girl from the ground! He had some lady next to him and they quickly acted, "You two are a good pair! Thank you!"
"Whatever, dude. Just take her far away from this resurrection point. Too many people are here." The handsome dude waved his hand and took his lady away as well. He usually would be annoyed by the death, but Michu's dilemma spared him from it.
Michu raised Yumi in a princess carry, then went to the area with fewer people, "Ah, I also should tell Sandra to rest and log out." It was one of many tips from a handsome dude - tell other 'friends' to rest.
[Your Prince Charming Call Me My Sweetheart! Lv. 44 Guild: Love Paradise Guild.]
Michu wouldn't forget this guy's nickname!