"Father… stop, please stop. Or brother will die." Cried the young boy, trying to stop his father from killing his son.
But his weak hands and an even weaker physique produced zero results. He can only watch as a father was forced to kill his own son.
"Giri… This is the only way to save him, his mind has been sullied."
Looking at the face that looked similar to when he was young, the man felt as if his whole heart was crushed with each stab of his sword into his son's stomach.
"Bu… But he is no…"
"Listen Giri, this place. These people… they are not bad, just like your mother." At the mention of his wife, the pained expression of the man turned worse, much to the horror of the young boy.
"Wha... What happened to my mother?" He asked, fearing the worst. Then turning toward the unmoving body of his brother. A horrible idea formed in his mind.
And seeing that look, the man understood. He shouldn't have spoken these words.
But to his surprise, his child was a lot stronger than he expected. He didn't ask the same question again after seeing his father's expression. Instead, even with some tears dropping from his tired eyes. He used his frail body to drag the giant hand of his father and said. "Father, let's go… Our home in this place is no more."
The boy was tired, his knees weak and his arms heavy. The mental anguish and pressure a young mind like his has gone through were immense. But even during this time, he was able to think clearly.
The same child who was considered the weakest in the whole clan was able to maintain his sanity under that influence. And now that same boy chose the best option if the two wished to survive.
He was proud of the child, he was proud that his son was not as weak as everyone has assumed.
And this was why he knew that his son would be able to live, even if he disappears.
This is why, with a reassuring smile, he said.
"Live well and forget about this place." Before striking his son in the head.
This was also the moment Girium woke up from his deep sleep.
*****
It's been a month since the fight and the Bear Bastards have come under a lot of scrutinies. A huge part of a neighborhood had been destroyed while multiple pieces of explosives were found on the scene.
Which raised many questions. Why were there explosives stored in the homes of commoners and what did gangsters intend to do with them?
There was also the information that a day before, a gang war had happened in the outskirts of the city, which might have been the spark that started it all.
But this spark never turned into fire, as one of the bombs exploded starting the chain reaction that annihilated the whole block.
The only good news from this was the fact that the people were evacuated on time and no one was hurt.
Or so it was told to the general public.
The truth was a lot more different than the reality known by the world.
There was the truth in the fact that Bear Bastards intended to bomb someone. But they wouldn't know that this was just a singular person.
A person that now lay in the bed in a private hospital of Bear Bastards.
The same hospital that this person visited before. And had a poisoned meal.
While on the side of this person's bed was a black spear, undamaged and as crude as before.
Waiting there, for its owner to wake up.
"Hmm…" And so Girium did.
The first thoughts in his mind were the common ones.
Where was he? How did he get here? And as he's got his bearings back, Girium wondered.
How did he survive?
He clearly remembers his body getting burned facing the friction around that black hole. So how did he survive?
Unless.
"Join me." Those words, he hated them.
The same proposal was given to his father at a time, which he denied. And look at what ends up happening to him and his family.
And now that same proposal was given to him, albeit by a good person according to his standards.
"Spared me?" Girium thought, wondering whether she spared him or she spared her palms.
But as someone who fought her, he knows that the former was the true reason behind it.
"Hmm…."
"It changes nothing."
Girium attempted to get up. He won't play into these pity games that the Boss has planned for him.
And now that he thought about it. Girium doesn't even know the name of the Boss.
Neither did he wish to.
But Girium's attempt to leave his bed was ruined the moment he looked at his plastered legs.
They were not useless, as Girium could still feel every one of his toes intact. But with each movement he made, he could feel the pain coursing through his body.
He even felt that his actions had caused some error in the healing of his legs. As for how much, he was ignorant about it.
"You are awake?" A man in casual clothes walked in. A man Girium was familiar with.
Following behind him were a couple of doctors who entered the room in hurry and started to check the conditions of Girium's body.
Using stethoscopes to check his breathing. And fiddling with the heart monitor.
Not fearing his hulking figure in the slightest.
Neither did he stop them, as he knew what they wished to do was good for him.
"I thought you would struggle a lot." Teerath was surprised by Girium's nonchalant reaction to the doctors.
"Keeping that spear here earned co-operation from me for a while," Girium said while pointing at his crude weapon.
And his words were true, these Bear Bastards have earned his respect. Because in the case of others, many wished to steal his spear after learning his specialty. But this was the first time someone has given it to him even after the spear might have fallen into their hands.
"Then I guess, our Boss understood your nature pretty well." Teerath laughed. Very proud that his boss had been able to predict the nature of this man.
As for his curiosity over the spear, of course, he was curious. It was this weapon that destroyed a God Construct. And not just him, everyone was the same after they confirmed the validity of this man's ability.
The reason so many of them suggested keeping the spear for the gang. They had already done Girium good by not killing him, they at least deserved his weapon for sparing him.
And at the forefront of this group of people were none other than Kale followed by Zig. While Risa had no opinion on the matter on the surface. But one can see that she was against it.
But there was no democratic parliament and majority rule was not followed when the Boss made a decision.
Which was to give it back to the owner.
"What is her name?" Girium asked, wondering how much this woman understood him.
"Well, I don't know her full name. But some call her Boss Sia." Teerath explained while looking at the doctors. Before fear gripped his heart.
"Don't tell anyone I told you guys so. Forget what you heard here. This is for your good." Teerath threatened the doctors who acted nonchalant to his words.
Though it looked like the name was a secret, it was an open secret that many knew about. Though none would easily agree to know it.
"Sia?... Can't recall anyone with this name on the strongest list." Girium thought, thinking of many names he had learned about after paying exorbitant prices to a black market dealer.
Which can only mean one thing.
'Even while being so strong, she is not even worth getting noticed by the true strong?'
So if Girium failed to take her down, how can he take down others in the future?
Those that pose way more danger than her.
Those that will be stronger than her?
Worry filled his heart.
But his priority didn't change. At least, now he knows the kind of power he had to face. And how strong he had to get before facing it again.
So he had to leave this place and start his training once again.
Who knows, he might find another peak on this clouded path.
"Move aside." So Girium was ready.
He can't wait for that woman to learn that he woke up. He had to leave this place fast.
And under his heavy breath, the doctors left his side.
"Are you sure you wish to leave so soon?" Teerath asked, expecting this to happen the moment Girium woke up. This was why he stayed in this place to prevent this from happening.
"Do you wish to stop me?" Giirum asked while barely standing under his injured legs. The plaster on it crumbled piece by piece, exposing the new skin that had recently grown on his burnt legs.
And under the pressure, this new skin bled due to stretching.
"No, but you owe us. You destroyed the homes of many people. Attack our boss with intent to kill."
"You were lucky that our boss was magnanimous and didn't kill you after all you have done."
These words annoyed Girium.
Because of how true they were. He did destroy many homes. And he harmed a good woman just for possessing a god construct.
"What do you want?" Girium knows he has fallen into a trap.
He should have left the moment he got his bearings back.
Now it was all too late.