Aril and Putri had just finished their lunch and both were now on the terrace sitting on the long bench.
It was 1 at noon and as usual, a sunny day.
"So, how many more levels before your system evolves to (mutant system)?" asked Aril who started the conversation.
"I don't know, I honestly don't know," replied Putri.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"There was no guide or clear explanation of the level cap."
"So, you have to level up until you pass the cap?"
"It seems so."
"It seems very troublesome. I wish we had an acquaintance who has the (mutant system)."
"Yeap, it's a pity," said a stranger's voice that instantly put Aril on alert.
Aril looked in the direction the voice came from, a man standing not far from the house. Wavy hair with sunglasses. It was the raptor man.
Aril and Putri immediately stood up and ran away but they were surrounded.
About 20 men were carrying machetes. One person was the raptor man and seemed to be another one that stronger than the raptor man.
A man in his 30s with a t-shirt and baggy pants. His head was bald, and he stood with his arms crossed.
The bald man just stood at a distance and observed. Next to the bald man, there were two men standing with machetes ready to slash at anyone who came near them.
The situation was grave, too grave, even Putri knew that they were in a very unfavorable situation.
"Aril. What should we do?" asked a worried-looking Putri.
Aril chuckled. "Looks like it's time to pay the debt."
Putri tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Debt?"
Aril took something from his pants pocket. A flashbang.
"Run!" said Aril as he pulled the pin from the flashbang and threw it at the machete-carrying troops in front of them.
Without needing to ask about what happened, Putri immediately ran away.
Everyone immediately covered their faces.
All except Aril who ran to one of the men holding a machete.
The flashbang that Aril threw was just a toy. It was all just a bluff in order to get 2 precious seconds.
Aril jumped forward, grabbed the head of one of the men and throw his knee attack straight into the man's face with full force.
*BHAK!
The man on Aril side instantly realized it was just a flashbang bluff, but it was too late.
When the man opened his eyes, he saw Aril bring the middle and index fingers of his right hand together and stab the man straight in the eye.
The man screamed and made everyone realize that the flashbang was just a bluff.
Wasting no time, Aril picked up the two machetes thatlying around and slashed the necks of the two men he just defeated.
The other two men ran up to Aril and the young man lunged straight at them and swung his two machetes simultaneously.
The two men raised their machetes to block Aril's attack, but as they raised their hands, Aril released his machete, widened his stride and delivered a double uppercut punch to the groin of the two men.
Both men fell and someone suddenly slashed Aril's back. The young man jumped away while feeling a sharp pain sensation in his back.
A man shouted from behind and alerted Aril instantly. Aril immediately turned around, bent his knees and prepared to deliver an uppercut to the groin.
The man who approached Aril from behind immediately fell silent and covered his groin with both hands.
That was the expected reaction for Aril, who now stood up and punched the man in the throat.
The man fell to his knees while holding his neck.
Aril's head was suddenly struck by a kick from the side and cracked his front skull.
Aril lay on the ground with his vision now swaying.
The kick had come from the raptor man.
Two men came and lifted Aril up. Both of them forced Aril to stand up while restraining him from moving.
"A man-on-man fight?" asked the raptor man who walked up to Aril.
"You're not a man!" shouted the raptor man who punched Aril in the stomach and made Aril's stop breathing for a second.
"Fair fight?" asked the raptor man who took off his glasses.
"You cheated!" shouted the raptor man who punched Aril's cheek with such force that blood flowed from the young man's mouth instantly.
The raptor man grabbed Aril's bowed head and lifted it up to face the raptor man.
"Tell me, you coward. You call yourself a man? With all those unfair attacks?" said the raptor man.
Aril grinned. "You'll have to add 20 more men to fight me, you weakling."
The raptor man ran out of patience and delivered an uppercut punch to the abdomen that knocked Aril unconscious instantly.
---------------------------------------------
White...
All white...
Once again, Aril was in an all-white world.
There was no one but him and the black horned figure who chuckled while looking at Aril.
"What's so funny?" asked a visibly annoyed Aril.
"I didn't expect you to make a contract with me so soon."
"Huh?! Since when did I agree to make contract with you?!"
"Sorry, I misconstrued my sentence. But soon, you will make a contract with me," replied the black figure who was now laughing out loud.
"I won't," Aril said confidently.
"But you're going to die. Are you sure?"
Aril was now grinning widely. "You think my death will make me want to make a contract with you? How naive."
Now it was the black figure who grinned widely. "I knew you would say that."
Now Aril was confused. Why did the black figure seem happy with his rejection?
This did not make sense.
The black figure raised his right hand into the air. "In that case, I'll give you a gift. Don't worry, it's free."
The black figure snapped his fingers and Aril's consciousness returned to reality.
Aril lay on the ground and looked up at the sky.
"Why am I not dead yet?" asked Aril who did not understand his current situation.
He tried to sit up with difficulty and immediately saw someone standing in front of him.
The girl who stood confidently in her taekwondo stance.
Aril's eyes immediately widened. "Why did you come back?!"
"I couldn't leave you. I thought you'd run too, but instead you fought them," said Putri.
"Of course I'll fight them! Are you stupid?! Someone has to buy time!" shouted a desperate-looking Aril.
"It's not usual for you to choose to fight against someone stronger than you."
"Of course, you idiot --"
Aril fell silent, immediately imagining the face of the black horned figure laughing at him.
'Damn it! So, this is what it means?' thought Aril who was still sitting on the ground.
'I'm ready to die and don't have the slightest intention of making a contract with that demon, I'm ready to die, but...' the monologue in Aril's mind was interrupted when he saw Putri who was very ready to protect him.
'I can't let her die.'
Putri looked at Aril and smiled so sincerely. "Sorry, hehe... Because of me, things are end up like this."
That smile...
The smile of one who was ready to die. Putri knew what she was doing and Aril was fully aware of it.
'SHIT!' Aril shouted in his mind.
He failed to protect Putri, he failed to save her, he failed to help the girl who was the daughter of mister Rizka.
Aril stood with his head bowed. 'Should I? Should I make a contract with that demon?'
Putri chuckled. "Big brother Aril, it's bad. It looks like I'm not as brave as you. Both my legs are shaking."
Aril walked forward with a very serious look. He stood in front of Putri who seemed to be trembling slightly.
"What are you doing?" asked Putri who was surprised by Aril who standing in front of her.
Aril took a deep breath and then exhaled.
"Putri, whatever you do. Don't die," said Aril seriously.