Chapter 6: Strange Encounter
Now that I think about, clawing out the flesh of that creature was greatly satisfying and stress reliving.
I don't know if this good are not but now I kinda want to go on a hunting trip.
People sought out power, I'm also the same.
But being power hungry and being stupid are two different things, so I buried that thought in my mind.
I'm still running toward that ladder that I come in, I don't want to stay in this god damn place for another second if I can help it.
*Slash*
Sounds of slashing water echo of the wall of the dark sewer as I increasing my speed.
After gaining my Mark my physical body has been greatly enhance, all my senses has also became sharper and better.
The only reason I don't count danger sense as a skill is simply because I just pump a lot of energy into my innate danger sense and turn it to the max.
Apparently, whatever energy I receive after become a "Mark Bearer", it's help me enhanced all my physical capabilities. Which is quite helpful since my body already has an additional boost from my Mark making my body no longer simply a mortal.
'I wonder if there are any other "Mark Bearer"' that thought occasionally pass my mind, aside from me and Kaula I don't think I can find any person with a Mark like ours.
Which can be a blessing or curse, I don't know.
Back to the present.
I'm still trying my best to reach my destination but, my stamina is approaching it's limit, look like fighting a Mutated beast the left you with barely any energy.
Well, I did use a lot of energy to fuel
I guess clarity has come back to my mind after awhile of not fighting for survival. Even though the fight was easy since I only need to dig from the inside, and the stomach acid is deemed useless due to my skill
All of that exhaust my mind and left me with nothing fatigues. I mean if I right look back at myself from 10 minutes ago I would also ask, 'Is this bastard alright in the head?', I mean I laughed like there no tomorrow.
Which will become true if I keep laughing. Thank Lord Transcendent for giving me back my clarity back then.
If I have to be honest, all of these events seemed very odd to me, especially the fact I have never met any Mutated creature up until now, and only find one when I decided to come to the sewer earlier than normal.
Was there someone or something that kill or chase out all of the Mutated beast before I come here? That quite odd, but that that the only possible explanation.
"Ugh, two hundreds meters have never been this long before", right I have been running for awhile but somehow still not reach the exit yet. Was my time perception been altered or was I just running that slow.
Maybe a bit of both, but I feel like I have been running for roughly thirty minutes now which is more than enough time for me to reach the ladders.
Was I wrong…?
***
*Clank*, *Clank*, *Clank*, *Clank*
*Slash*
An ominous figure released his hand and jumped down from the rusty ladder. His heavy weight created a huge slash of water, dirtying his cloak.
He looked to the side to checked the faint presence that he felt just a moment ago.
"Chik"
A rat screech as it's see the dominating human stared at its and run off to another corner.
*Slash*
"What are you looking for?"
Followed him another person jump down to the dirty sewer unlike the bulkiness of the first person, this person is more petite and lean.
Both wearing a porcelain white mask make with an unknown material, a brownish black cloak conceal their body as it's wrap around their clothes.
"Nothing… it's just a rat", shaking his head.
"Anyways, why would you need me for this round of extermination?" He glance at his companion and asked. His hoarse voice bounce off the wall as he speak.
Usually there's no need for him at all during these extermination rounds, but oddly this time 'she' seek out for his help.
"There are some reports of the abnormal increased in Mutated beast in the sewer. The Boss asked me to keep his farm in check but I don't think I can do it alone" A soft yet cold voice come out of the woman mouth as she stated her purpose of calling the man here.
"Haha, never thought I would have the chance to work with the Queen, what a blessing.", the man said with sarcasm that can be felt in the air surrounding them.
He take a step back, worried that he may be silent after he serve his uses. He know of her reputation, and he will not take any chances.
"See as you seem fit, I don't care."
Without caring about the opinion of her partner the woman turn to her left and walked away before disappeared like she was never here before.
"Woah, such a cold Queen." Shaking his head and wore a smirk in his face he turned to the right and run at an insane speed.
Like that the sewer regained it's tranquility, the disturbing presence is now gone left behind a silent scene.
*Tak*
With the sound of dripping water, a wet Raccoon show himself after hiding from the pair of dangerous strangers.
"Hah, hah, hah... What the fuck are those people" Aeter said with a pale face, his breathing started become stable after a while.
Jumped down from the sewer's ceiling Aeter started to contemplating his previous encounter.
What he was just experiencing just now was a total suppression, he can't breath, he can't look at them, their presence is the bane of him. Fear has overwhelmed him.
Just from his normal instinct only he can feel immense danger from the two cloaked figures, like a prey seeing an overwhelmingly strong predator.
Whatever pride he has left after killing the Mutated creature gone in smoke, only immense sense of fear of death plague his body.
'That was very dangerous…'
When he reached the ladder, Aeter already sense the presence of someone who is much much stronger than him.
By using
Honestly, he didn't think that today can be any worse but somehow it's still get worse. Thank to the fact that his ability to survive in all conditions is very exceptional he managed to keep his life, or else anyone in his shoe would probably die twelve times today already.
This encounter also serve as an answer for his ages old question, there are indeed people like him - the "Mark Bearer" -, this make him felt less lonely yet more than anything make his life more difficult knowing that people have access to these Mark's abilities.
He don't know what their power are but if it anything like him, killing them would be nigh impossible. Couple with the fact that he can apparently grow stronger and acquiring new path to tread on according to his newly gained information.
'This is dangerous, from what they saying, this sewer is practically their Mutant farm, and I just killed one of their cattle and stole it body part… I'm so screwed'
This is also the reason he never met any mutant despite treading the sewer for so long and only discovered them now, it is because he come earlier than their extermination time so he encountered a deadly poisonous plant creature.
With his thought come to this conclusion, he looked down at the hand that holding the body part sack. What used to be a money bag became a deadly acid slowly melting his hand.
'This… should… should I give them back and say sorry?'
That was a very stupid question, but he very scared and don't know what to do right now.
"Fuck it, let's get out of here first"
Think later, action first. Not the brightest idea but it is the beat idea right now.
He move closer to the ladder and put his hand on the bar, pulling himself up with force an sound that almost make his heart stop echo off the sewer damped wall.
*Clank*
'Shit… they should be far from hear right. I mean they practically disappeared from this place before I noticed.'
Just to be on the safe side, he expand his senses range to about two hundreds and fifty meters. A load of information shot into his head like a bullet, he can hear, see, feel, and smell ever nook and cranny, he can even taste the wall… though he would loved to not tasted it at all.
Like he has hope and expect, except for some drippings and chiking noises of rats, cockroaches and some growling of wild mutant sound. There were no man-made sound around him, which greatly relived his stress and put his mind at ease.
Unless they have a very good senses, the cloaked people would never discovered him.
"Phew, yeah… I'm safe."
*Clank*
His right hand placed one bar higher from his previous position and pulled himself up with a moderate force.
*Clank*
*Clank*
*Badum*
His heart beating louder than ever before. He had almost forget how much nervousness can a human has in such a dangerous situation like this.
*Clank*
*Clank*
He is getting closer and closer to the light. 'Look like they didn't close the lid'
That is quite fortunate for him.
*Clank*
And with one last bar to pulled himself up, finally out at last. Never before has Aeter felt that the sunlight can be so calm and pleasant, relived spread throughout his body.
Stress leaving his body, he can almost felt that he is floating on cloud. He don't want to moved at all but if he stay here for any longer he will has to take a big risk.
"Finally… out at last"
Take in a moment to appreciate the sunlight, Aeter fully pulled himself from the shithole called the sewer and run toward his turf.
Home sweet home.
Chapter 6: Strange Encounter