'Interesting' was all I thought before I looked to the side.
The nine men had fallen into a lump, piling over each other and still unconscious.
I walked towards them, searched them and area around them. I confiscated a total of nine handguns. I eight away while placing the other away in the small of my back. When I was sure that there were no other weapons around them I turned my attention towards Jordan and Rina.
They were now sitting beside Lydia on the sidewalk with Candice lying to her side, she was still unconscious but she was fine at least there were no visible injuries at least. They were all looking at me strangely especially Jordan.
"What?" I said suddenly feeling irritated.
"Since when could you fight?" Jordan said incredulously
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Just a week ago you got you ass handed to you by Jerard and over the last week I only ever saw you use a sword" Jordan replied with a hand to his chin as though he was a scientist observing a phenomenon.
"Fuck you" I said. "The least you could say is 'Oh thank you for saving me Huey' like the damsel in distress that you are"
Lydia and Rina giggled.
Jordan had an aggrieved look on his face. Ignoring him I approached Rina with the skill scroll in hand. I handed it to her.
"Here" I said.
"What?" Rina voiced out. This had surprised even her.
"We made a deal remember" I smiled.
Back when I killed the Second Star Order Monsoon Eagle we received four rewards from the Spirit Record. The first were my [Aranian Combat Gloves]; the second was [Agarth Dagger]; third was [Battle Robe]; the fourth [Black Salamander]; and the last was [Air Manipulation] skill scroll.
Back then I had taken the [Aranian Combat Gloves] and [Black Salamander]. Lydia had taken the [Battle Robe] and the skill [Air Manipulation]. Rina on the other hand had been given the short end of the stick with the mere common grade treasure [Agarth Dagger]. Of course I promised to give her the next skill that we got as compensation and back then I had really meant it.
Now I was staying true to my word.
"I-I don't think I deserve it. You did most of the work anyway. You should have it" she said with a downcast face.
"Don't say that" I immediately cut her off. "True you may be weak but you still held your own didn't you?"
"Yeah and you saved me when I was facing that Colossal Ravid. Honestly I couldn't have defeated it without you" Jordan chimed.
"Colossal Ravid?" Lydia asked.
"Right so…" Jordan begun to recall their encounter with the ravids led by the Colossal Ravid. And to say that I was shocked would be an understatement. A ravid with some intelligence and a personality that could lead swarms of ravids? It suddenly made sense why we hadn't encountered any ravids in this part of town. They had all been under its control since it was the strongest and could be considered an overlord of this area.
But still this was worrisome. It had barely been a week and yet a creature that powerful was already walking around and leading its own armies? I thought the Second Star Order Monsoon Eagle was already an exception but for another one to be about to cross the barrier between the First and Second Star Orders? This was the worst case scenario.
Mankind was on a ticking clock and had to catch up otherwise, it would fall into ruin. I shook my head as my resolve grew. This didn't change what I still had to do.
Get stronger! And not just me but those around me too.
"Rina take it. It could be very helpful to you than it is to me. And I have a feeling there is more to this skill than what the description says" I said as I handed Rina [Aura Eyes] skill scroll.
"Lydia I need a hand with these guys" I said. Walking towards the group of what I assumed were the Tiger Gang that Candice was talking so much about. I had some questions for these guys. Questions that I wasn't sure Candice would have the answers to.
Lydia came to my side and together we worked quite quickly. Soon the nine men were tied up using rope that we took from the Supermart. I walked towards a distance of about 50 meters where the man was blasted away from my sword throw earlier. I soon found the body, or at least what was left of it, among the cars that hadn't moved from the street.
The corpse of what was formerly a man now looked nothing more than meat paste with the hilt of a dark colored blade sticking out of it.
"Maybe I should have used a little less of my strength" I muttered as I wrapped my hand around the hilt and pulled it out. The black blade of Black Salamander was soaked and dripping red. With a violent swing in the air the blood splashed on the ground.
Black Salamander vibrated in my hand. With the soul contract between us the connection that I felt with it was to the point that I could understand some of its feelings. And I could tell from the vibration that the sword was throwing a tantrum?
Black Salamander vibrated fiercely.
"Okay okay. I'm sorry for throwing an elegant sword as yourself" I said. Black Salamander vibrated in response.
"Tell you what in a few minutes we're going to go on a rampage. How about it?" I said in an attempt to appease the blade.
"…"
The sword seemed to consider it for a few seconds before it vibrated once more.
We had a deal.
With what could be a comical scene over. I placed Black Salamander at my hip where it was held in place by my belt and I made it a point to find an scabbard later. I made it back to the group. The nine captives were now beginning to wake.
…
They were kneeling in a single file. Their arms tied behind their back as they looked up at me.
"Alright now who are you guys?" I asked
"Fuck off" A man said and spat on the ground close to my feet. "You think I'll tell you anything and betray our boss? Over my dead body!"
I said nothing and simply looked him in the eye. The man's gaze was resolute. This man wasn't going to say anything at all and seemed to be the fiercely loyal type of guy. I looked over at the other men. Some held the same expressions as this man while others seemed to be slightly less resolute. Among them included a young man in this late 20's.
After what seemed to be an eternity I spoke.
"So be it" the words barely falling from my lips when my right hand snaked towards the small of my back before coming back up. Handgun in hand. It was a standard issue Glock 17. I brought the gun to the man's forehead.
The man's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something but
Bang!
I pulled the trigger. The gun barely jerked in my hand as it barked and spat. A bullet travelling at speed that was still too high for me to follow tore through the man's skull. Blood and brain matter scattered to the floor as the man's body fell backwards a hole leaking blood in the center of his forehead.
The other men who had spoken in support for froze. There faces becoming pale with fright. They had assumed, that since I was a kid compared to them, I wouldn't pull the trigger. However the sight that was before them shook them to the core. They looked up at me in fear.
There had been no hesitation as I killed him. No remorse. My eyes were cold.
"Who are you guys?" I asked once more. The remaining eight remained silent.
Bang!
I fired the gun once more. Another man fell.
"Who are you guys?"
Silence.
Bang!
"Who are you guys?"
Silence.
Bang!
"Who are you guys?"
Silence.
Bang!
…
I arrived before the young man and brought my gun to his head. He trembled fiercely.
"Who are you?" I asked the question for the sixth time and wait a few seconds. When I saw the man no saying anything I frowned. "So be it"
I slowly pressed to squeeze the trigger. And I started doubting if this young man would be the one to talk. My actions may have seemed cruel and granted they were but I was trying to break this young man down using fear and by appearing to be a cruel and impatient person. So when the seconds continued to tick by the doubt started to creep in.
Maybe I was wrong, I thought and sighed inside and resolved myself to pull the trigger.
"W-Wait! We're the Tiger gang!" the young man said quickly. My frown turned to a smile.
Attaboy, I internally praised.
"You son of a bitch!" one of the remaining three men shouted at the top of his lungs. "You dare betray u-"
Bang!
I shot him before he could finish.
"Tsk annoying" I said somewhat coldly. I was starting to now lose my patience with these men. They first tried to killed my friends. In my heart they were already dead. Murderous thoughts swarm through my mind. "Go on"
The young man closed his eyes and took several breaths before continuing clearly trying to calm himself down. I simply waited, saying nothing.
"My name is Nale Stern. I am 20 years old and before the apocalypse started I was home taking a break from college after I suffered an infection." Nale said looking up at me with black eyes. He had long brown hair and had a thin body to say the least. "My parents were both killed by ravids when we are the supermarket getting groceries. Unfortunately, when we lost consciousness due to the mana and woke up hours later a three ravids were upon us. My father bravely fought them all back and with his back turned to me he gave me one last job" Nale clenched his fist to the point of having his nails sink into his palms drawing blood.
"I…I took my mother's hand and without hesitation pulled her to run with me towards the back exit of the supermarket. However…" his eyes glistened with tears. "…another ravid appeared to my side. It attacked me with its claws and for a moment I thought I was going to die. However…my mother…she…pushed me out of the way and took my place. I had to watch helplessly as the ravid took a large bite from her d-dead body.
"At that moment something inside me snapped…I attacked the ravid with a fire extinguisher and smashed it's head to death but there was nothing I could do. So I left and wandering aimlessly for days until I stumbled upon an apartment complex with people carrying guns. I approached them and the brought me to their leader.
"It was at that moment that I found out that the leader was the boss of the Tiger Gang. He is a cruel person but more than anything he is strong. I've watched him take out a group of twenty ravids that were trying to invade the complex…"
For the next twenty minutes Nale told me everything he knew. What he knew about the leader of the Tiger Gang called Jace. What his ability was. What the security was like. And even how many survivors were under his care.
By the time he was finished talking the remaining two gang members tied up looked at him with murderous eyes.
"Traitor!" one of them even managed to stand and lunge himself at him only to lose balance and fall flat onto the ground.
"What do you wanna do?" I asked him. It felt like a weight had been dropped on my chest. My heart felt heavy. I sympathized with Nale I couldn't ever imagine going through an experience like that. Watching your loved one's getting devoured right before eyes and not being able to do anything about it. For a moment I thought about my mother once again and I couldn't help but doubt if she was still alive. The thought nearly sending me into a frenzy. I didn't notice it then but for a split moment my shadow shifted beneath me, my murderous intent nearly broke out and Black Salamander at my waist trembled in agitation.
This only lasted for a moment before
According to my memory then the apocalypse should have first started during school afternoon hours, I remembered it clearly because that had been sometime after my fight against Jerard Geon. During that time my mother should have been working in London 4km from York Town. 30 minutes by care and 15 minutes by train. But it was clear that the latter was impossible, I don't think trains are still functional to be honest.
I shook myself out of my thoughts.
'Just hold on mom the man of the house is coming' I thought
…
"Nale what do you want to do?" I asked again this time my heart steady and my voice firm.
"I-I want to come with you" Nale said.
"Come with me?" I said
"Your going after the Tiger Gang right?" he asked.
A smile curled at the corner of my lips. "Of course"
"I want to come with you" he said firmly. His black eyes gazing into my brown one's. I felt something stir within me before the feeling dissipated. A shit eating grinning pasting itself on my face.
"Alright" I said. "But first you have to get rid of the trash"
I pointed my sword and the last two gang members while giving Nale a look.
"You'll have to kill at least one of them" I said. It wasn't out of cruelty but it was to make certain that Nale had no attachments to this gang of hooligans. If he could kill one of them then it was fine and good but if not then it could only mean that he had a lingering attachment to it.
Nale gulped but he nodded his head before standing which was a little bit difficult with both of his arms tied around him. I cut his ropes loose before handing him Black Salamander.
Nale took a deep breath as he felt the hilt of the black sword in his hand before turning to the man who was lying on the ground.
"W-wait a minute! Lets talk this out!" The man pleaded as he tried to move his body. His body wiggling on the ground as though he was a worm.
Nale gripping the sword in two hands, he lifted it above his head. His nerves were shaking. Even though he had killed a ravid using a gun before killing a human was a completely different thing. It took him close to ten minutes just to steel his nerves.
"Argh!" with a slight roar Nale swung the sword with all his might.
PCHU!
The man's head spun into the air, looped off his shoulders, and landed a few feet ahead. Blood pooling form underneath it.
"Mh…" I nodded before taking Black Salamander out of his hands. He was visibly shaken by what he had done. "Don't think too much of it"
Patting him on the shoulder I made my way to the last remaining gang member and with a single swing looped his head off. I didn't even flinch nor did I feel any remorse for my actions. Something that surprised even me. A week ago I couldn't even imagine hurting a dog but now I had unilaterally killed a total of ten people humans. There was no doubt that something had changed my perspective of the world and a large part of it was my killing of 'Billy' even though he had turned into a ravid that time I still considered him a dear friend.
…
"Is it just me or is he starting to resemble a demon?" Jordan couldn't help but shudder as he watched from the side with Lydia, Rina and Candice who had only just woken up recently. Of course she had heard the last parts of my conversation and she couldn't help but fill a bubble of excitement. She wasn't a sadist but the thought of seeing Jace fall seemed to satisfy her.
"At this point it doesn't matter as long we somehow make it in the end" Candice said
"Yeah" Rina nodded.
Lydia silently watched me approach the group with Nale to my back. She couldn't compare me to the Huey of a week ago who used to goof around and joke about almost everything. Compared to the Huey she was seeing now it was like she was watching the birth of an influential figure. His aura, his strength, his actions. Everything about him seemed to be taking shape in a way that she never thought it would.
'You've changed Huey Coleman or was this who you always were?'