"Before I go back to meet with my lackeys, I shall leave a farewell present."
Hans took one of his Katzbalgers. Unlike before, the MIND wasn't coated in any kind of power or glowy particles like before, as it was none other than a normal short sword from the appearance.
He then aimed it at his chest, before pushing it. Blood was gushing out of the wound. He then thrusted his hand into the gap, and grabbed an organ before casually pulling it out.
It was a giant lump of organic heart, covered with a hexagonal pattern of energy, beating and pulsating despite there being no more blood that it could pump.
"From this day and onward, the news of a man who wounded Hans the Golden Beard will be spread through every Association and Hives." Not a single look of pain was shown, as he showed his stupid grin more wider, even though one of his vital organ was gone. "The Rottmeister challenged him to a duel-
"Only for the man to thrust his weapon at his chest, and take his heart." Hans then crushed the heart with his hand. "Before destroying it with a single bare hand."
"Oy, the hell are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"
"I don't know if you will change for the better or worse, but regardless of that, I know that you're trying to stay away from many things with perfectly executed lies.
"With this, the Associations, Heads, Offices, and even Syndicates will think twice before they look you in the eye. Ain't that right, the Man who dealt with the Devil?"
It was so absurd yet reasonable at the same time, to the point that I couldn't help by putting my palm on my face, just to hide the mixed amusement I had.
"Does being a living legend contribute to your current recklessness?"
"Don't worry. I have two more hearts. So I won't die anytime soon."
"I'm afraid that I can't pay back that cost."
"Hahahahah! Be rich then!"
"Easier said than done!"
The dome barrier that separated both of us from the outside world had changed back into its former spherical form of a mere gadget. It fell onto the ground somewhere within the area, but Hans couldn't care less about it.
"I'll be leaving now." He showed his last set of annoying grin. "The next time we meet, I'll treat you with proper liquor."
"I'm probably the one who will pay next time, you have treated me nicely in this reunion."
"Heh, it's nice to be of service to you."
He turned and walked away, showing his wide back.
Huh, now that I realize that I'm not satisfied with my life, I can see things more clearly than before.
Now, I know what made me really mad at that ninja-wannabe. He took my eye that kept seeing into nothing but the past, leaving me the eye that looked forward into the future, facing my own fear.
Maybe, just maybe, it was the time for me to be aggressive in this game of life. Waiting for things to change while sitting on the backseat won't cut it anymore.
It was time for me to step onto the stage, what song would I sing?
The grand theater that I loathed for a long time, the grand scheme of the universe. Maybe it was the time for me to join the fray and be an actor on that shitty show called 'life' once again.
Yes, I will perform better than anyone else.
And then nothing.
Nothing would ever stand in my way.
"Hans!"
"Hmm?"
"Next time we meet, let's do another spar, ey? So before that happens, I don't want the almighty Golden Beard to be taken down just yet. You hear me!?"
"Aight." He threw a flimsy salute before continuing to walk. "I Roger that!"
That sentence I stated was mostly directed at me. It was a promise that I made, a contract that I have signed with reality that I should fulfill.
Gradually, Hans have been immersed by the colorful watery illumination in my sight. Soon enough, he would reunite with his Rotte and handle the whole Nihil's suppression report and its large scale extraction.
Before things could get messy, I scoured the area to look for the barrier device that Hans had left.
"Heh, this will be handy in the future."
I escaped from that area, becoming once again with the veins of the City that I dreaded so much. I did think that I would be immobilized longer, but it seemed like it only took a couple of minutes of break for me to be able to move my legs again.
My left arm was still unusable, but that didn't bother me as much. I could just make more money and go onto some shady clinic for recovery treatment or get some prosthetics.
Hans knew that giving me a free healing potion and serums would only make me mad, in which I'm happy that he still remembers that.
"The exact 3 AM, huh. That spar did mess up my perception of time. I thought it would be longer."
Despite the fact that thousands of people on the northwest corner of District 67 took a huge collateral damage and massive loss of lives, the rest 90% of the whole District weren't nearly as affected, knowing how big a single District could be.
Which was 1.530.000 square kilometers on average. To take into perspective, the City itself had 100 Districts in its bowels.
The night on the world above would still be as festive as it was before, even if a half of the District got annihilated. The Head would provide their Hives' occupants with the best comfort in both materialistic privilege and mental stability.
While both the Lowstreet and the Hives got a different treatment, the apathy of the people residing within those two parts of the City was no different than one another.
Even now, the serenity of the City's veins were the same as ever. Why would they care about the unfortunates that got fried alive on the corner of the District? Even if there happens to be someone they know. Most of the time.
They would just sigh and go on with their days.