There were many truths in this world that were hard to believe until someone experienced them with their own eyes.
The same was true for the commanders of Bear Bastards. When Kale first ordered Teerath to poison Girium, he denied it.
Knowing full well of the consequences and what the man was capable of.
But neither Kale nor Risa believed a word he said. To them, Girium was only slightly stronger than them and could be easily dealt with if they weakened him and got rid of him with either hook or a crook.
But their simple plan failed and they were forced to face him after his nonchalant expression.
They learned one thing through this, that Girium was not an easy man.
For Teerath, who already knew this, he let these two experience the truth themselves.
Though a bit scared of what might entail at the end due to the offense they caused to Girium, Teerath was glad that everything ended with not much damage.
Which made it harder for him to see a man like Girium fight their boss.
Girium was strong, there was no denying it. But fighting someone who wields a God Construct without one is nothing more than foolish. The result would always be GIrium's death.
Something Teerath didn't wish to see due to all the help and support Girium has given to them in his way.
So, Teerath chose to do something which none of his higher-ups asked.
He went closer to Girium and apologized first for the offense their gang caused Girium. And obtained a similar reaction of nonchalance he had expected from Girium.
But then he asked a question.
"Have you ever seen someone wield a God Construct before?"
"I have."
"Then you should know, you don't stand a chance."
At these words, Girium just nodded in agreement, before saying. "Then I will die trying."
These proud words from a deadpan voice. It felt unreal to Teerath. He didn't know whether these were his true thoughts or the man was just jesting. But knowing his personality until now, he knew the answer to it already.
"I would still suggest you think it through… I don't wish to see a benefactor lose his life for a stupid reason." Teerath spoke his mind, saying what he wished to say to the man who sat silently in front of him.
This was the least he could do. A warning that none before him gave him. Before him, there were always threats, he wondered if his words would work.
And as he expected, these words brought no change to the intent of the man. He just asked. "If it will take a lot of time in this place, just show me the way. I will go there myself."
Teerath fell silent.
It was true that the headquarters was not so far from this hospital. The only reason they stayed here was to waste Girium's time and think of ways to deal with him.
But seeing that the first plan had already failed easily, there was no reason to keep him here. Teerath nodded and explained the place where the boss of Bear Bastards was.
While also requesting one thing.
"Please if you have to, right outside of the city. Common people are living here."
He knows that this was a useless request, his boss was not the kind to harm the innocents and from what he understood about Girium, he was not the same kind as well.
"Hmm" At which, GIrium just nodded after thinking for a while.
This was the least he could do anyways. He was not that apt at talking to people anyways.
Dropping down from the Jeep and under the shocked and confused gaze of Kale who was hiding not so far from the jeep. Girium started to walk toward the headquarters of Bear Bastards.
Which angered him.
"That man." He said looking at Teerath. He already understood what happened. But in his head, it might be Girium who forced out an answer. But Teerath still needed to be punished for exposing such information to a dangerous man like GIrium.
But when he thought of his prior suspicion of Girium working with DragonStar. This shouldn't be what would have happened. Because if he was, Girium would have already been informed of the location of the place by the other "bastards".
Unless Girium's claims were true and he was truly here for what he claimed to be.
'THough, Dragon Star is not the only bastards after the boss.'
It would also explain the alien nature of this man and the absurd story that he heard from Teerath originally.
If Girium is a goon sent by 'those' people. Then the danger to his Boss exploded by the hundreds.
He has to stop him or at least aid his boss in the upcoming battle.
Because Girium might not be alone when the attack eventually comes.
As he is the perfect being strong enough to defeat the commander and weak enough to be killed by their boss. Making him seem like a perfect target where their boss had no reason to take things seriously.
And while her guard was down, it will be the time when she will be struck by others.
"Go and check if there was a higher influx of people from Gareth Plateaus." He asked his men, before climbing into the car and driving toward the HQ.
He had to inform his boss in person to not fight this man.
This might be a trap.
"No, it is one."
Kale though. Because it was impossible for a being like Girium with his weird goal to exist in this world.
It doesn't matter that he saved and helped his men anymore.
He has to stop him.
Even if he has to kill him.
This was what he promised his boss all those years ago.
A promise that he would never fail.
*****
Walking along these poor streets, Girium found it weird that there was a lack of drunkards on the side of the streets and the children that played or worked in the vendor shops.
It was mid-day and he could even see some of the young kids coming home in their school uniform in groups of three or four.
There were rarely any parents with these children leading them. Which explained the security of this poor street was miles apart from the good parts of town he had visited before.
A fact that made him struggle with his goal.
He knows why this poor street felt more prosperous than the richer ones. It was all due to Bear Bastards and he was not blind to ignore that.
'A wielder using his weapon for good?'
This was the conclusion he came up with. He knows, what he plans to do, it might ruin the peace this street was seeing after who knows how many years.
Bear Bastards had an offensive name, but they were not bad. They brought security and stability to a part of the city that is always ignored by the city officials due to its lack of tourist attractions.
Even with old homes with paint falling off the walls, these people were happy.
And if Girirum did what he planned to do, then this place would lose its protector. And knowing there was another gang active in this city. He can imagine what will become of this place after their boss loses his God Construct.
But there was no one to say that the area was not as prosperous as this one and it was not like he would spare the other gang if he succeeded in destroying the God Construct of Bear Bastards.
As always, the condition remained.
Whether he will succeed or not will depend on how his fight with another human after so long will go.
And besides, death might be the only way he may find peace.
*****
As expected Girium arrived at their headquarters just fifty minutes after leaving the hospital.
And Kale was already here waiting for him along with Risa, frustrated out of his mind.
'Where is she?'
He thought of the boss that has disappeared for a while now and hadn't been able to contact her.
'I would have to hold him here. I have to kill him before he meets her.'
Since a while ago, he has emptied the whole building and evacuated the people that lived closed by the headquarters.
And as most of them already were part of Bear Bastards or had worked with them once, they didn't struggle.
Picking up as many valuables as they could, the people left under the lead of Kale.
And then Kale did what he was warned against countless times by not just his Boss, but other leaders of the city as well.
He hid countless liquid explosives in the building. Because it doesn't matter if he survived the blast of intense heat.
He won't be able to live if there is no oxygen to breathe.
And after learning from his previous mistake. He even masked the smell of explosives to hide it from Girium's detection.
'Sorry for doing this.' He knows what these actions of his might entail. The amount of anger pressure his boss would have to face for bombing a whole city block. Even if there were no casualties.
This will also put a huge strain on their budget for rebuilding the whole block.
But all of it was worth it.
If it meant killing this man before he met with his boss.
*****
The silence of the streets seemed welcoming enough. He can't hear anyone besides the sounds of TVs that the people forgot to close in hurry.
Even the gates were left open for anyone crooked enough to go in and steal things.
A scene like this seemed right out of a horror story his grandfather used to tell him.
Stories about a ghost town that came alive at night.
But he knew that this was no Ghost town, he had met the original owners of these houses while he was coming this way.
They were in a hurry, escaping from that place.
Which made Girium think. This should be for the better, it would make the request of Teerath way easier to fulfill.
He never wished to harm an innocent anyways.
"Hmm." Getting to the tallest building in this empty street, Girium was met with an opened door that welcomed his arrival.
But as before, there was no one in this building as well. There was nothing.
There was no one.
Not even the boss he came here for.
He was all alone in this place.
And this was the moment that Kale was waiting for.
With a single click, it would be the end of this drama.
With a single click, he will turn into a criminal.
And, he pressed it.
He didn't wish for this man to get suspicious once again and leave this place.
Kale had already set up countless people that would stop the spread of the fire and keep it under control. Making this whole place into a cage of fire with Girium stuck inside it, gasping for breath and dying a fruitless death.
But much to his surprise, the bombs didn't go off.
"Huh?" Confused. Kale pressed the buttons once again and then turned to look at Risa.
"Something went wrong."
He can't believe this, yes the setup was shoddy due to lack of time and resources. But the bomb should at least have gone off.
"No…. go off…" He said, leaving the footage room and out in the open, a kilometer away from The headquarters.
"No… It would work." He was desperate. But nothing worked.
"Kale!" Then a voice came, a voice he was very familiar with.
"Stop acting foolish and get your act straight." A cool but harsh voice. A voice he had promised to follow for his whole life.
"That man… I will deal with him myself." The Boss of Bear Bastards said, as she loosened her tie and dropped her coat.
"Take care of it."
She said, before dashing toward Girium, who stood all alone in the streets.