As the school bell rang, the teacher told everyone in the classroom that class was dismissed. Hearing this, I immediately assumed that the classroom would be filled with the hustle and bustle of everyone making plans on where they want to go later after school, which they did.
Heh, so what? I've got plans too! I'm not a total loser, right?
I thought to myself as I saw my classmates form into their respective friend groups. I'd go towards Pincer and the other guys if what happened earlier didn't occur. But there was still some unresolved bad blood between us. Plus, I'm still kinda mad ar them too.
It's alright, I'm sure things will die down after a while. But I did promise not to approach them again.
The moment I stood up to pack my belongings, the classroom suddenly became silent. Thinking I was the reason for their silence, I froze and yelled inside my mind.
'Oh c'mon, I know things got heated earlier, but can't a guy just pack his bag!?'
I thought to myself.
But unexpectedly, when I glanced to look around, I realized that I wasn't the reason for the silence at all.
No, it was something else, I thought as I saw everyone in the classroom anxiously looking towards the direction of the classroom's door like there was a dangerous beast outside.
Nervously looking in the same direction, I saw the one who was causing this tense atmosphere.
What the- Elio?!
I thought to myself before quickly packing my things and speed-walking towards the tall figure.
As I did so, everyone thought I had a death wish to be approaching such a scary looking guy.
Getting close enough to be heard by Elio, I scold him while whispering.
"What are you doing here? I thought we agreed to meet at the school gate?!"
"W-well, I was afraid I wouldn't notice you so I decided to run here as soon as classes were over..."
He said, sweating bullets from his forehead.
"...."
Realizing we were being watched, I decided that I should take the both of us to a place where we wouldn't bother anyone.
Sighing to myself, I signaled to Elio by tilting my head towards a direction for both of us to go to.
Elio then proceeded to not understand and instead copy me by also tilting his head like a confused puppy, making me face palm.
"Elio..."
"Yes?"
He asked innocently. Seeing his face that harbored no ill will, I couldn't even stay mad...
Sighing to myself I walk past him before telling him to follow.
"...Let's just go."
________________________________________
I let out a yawn as I stretched my back after a long day of class.
Despite my seemingly relaxed state, there's also a feeling of anxiety in my stomach as Elio and I were walking through the streets of the city on the way to the arcade.
I should be very happy, considering the fact that this is the first time I'm going somewhere with a friend.
The only problem is; I'm currently having an extreme case of paranoia, making me triple check every direction whenever I have to cross the road.
Noticing my strange behavior, Elio curiously watched me.
"Uh, you okay there, Aran?"
"Hm? Yeah, why?"
"Well it's just uh...."
He said, a little hesitant to continue. But after a while, he finally resolved himself.
"I couldn't help but notice you checking your surroundings a lot. Is there something wrong?"
Surprisingly enough, I didn't actually realize I've been doing it so much. I must've been doing it subconsciously. Trying to think of a reasonable explanation, I spoke.
"I'm just a big advocate for traffic safety. No need to worry."
"Oh, I see! That's neat!"
"Yep!"
Elio didn't think about it too much, but if you asked anyone else, they would probably not believe it and keep asking questions.
Thankfully, Elio is polite and didn't force me to spit my thoughts out. It would be weird trying to explain to someone that I died once and traveled back in time.
Having said my answer, Elio and I return to a silent walk. I figured it was alright, but at the same time, I couldn't help but think to myself that I should keep talking to him.
Trying to think of a conversation starter, I mention the recent rumors circulating in the city recently.
"Oh by the way, Elio."
"Ah, yes?"
"I've heard there's been quite a few human trafficking cases happening recently. So, we should be careful and not stay out too late."
Pointing a finger up, he replied.
"Oh yeah, I've heard of that from my mom! The news said they mostly target children. Honestly, I'm pretty scared of my little siblings' safety."
Hearing him mention his family, I try to ask him about them.
"Is that so? I didn't know you were an older brother, Elio."
"Yeah, there's four of us. I've got two little sisters and one big sister!"
He said with a big smile on his face. Seeing this, I smiled back.
"You must really care about them a lot."
"Yeah, I do!"
Elios said cheerfully, as he put both his thumb up.
What the hell is with this adorable creature....
I thought to myself as I suddenly imagined the image of a golden retriever in my mind.
Clearing my throat, I try to resist the urge to pet his head.
Even so, I admittedly would need to stand on my toes just to reach the top of his head. Elio is a tall person, after all.
"Well, I don't think they'd have a lot to worry about. If those kidnappers saw you, I don't think they'd think about laying a finger on your siblings."
Smiling happily Elio leaned closer to me before gasping.
"Huh?! Really!?"
Leaning back to put a bit of distance between us, I talked to him with a smile.
"Yeah. So those eyes you hate so much can also be used to protect the people you care about. To be honest with you, I think it's really cool."
Elio's face lit up as he gasped.
"Whoa, thanks, Aran! Hearing this makes me happy!"
"Uh, no problem. But you're a little close..."
Noticing that he was invading my personal space, Elio quickly jumped back and apologized
I waved my hand off as a response.
"No, it's alright. By the way, we're here!"
As we looked up, our faces were illuminated by the neon signs all over the arcade before we walked in gleefully. There were even more things to look at as we entered the building.
There were some fighting games, crane machines, rhythm games, and even some old retro ones.
Looking back at Elio, I asked him which game he wanted to try first.
"It's okay, I'm not really good with games so I'll let you pick first."
He said as he gestured for me to go ahead. Hearing this, I obliged and gave my first recommendation.
"Hm... How about we play President Evil?"
"Oh what's it about?" Elio asked curiously.
"Well, it's about a president who turns people into zombies and now you've gotta go through several levels to get to him."
"Oh I see... Is it hard?"
"Not really, you just gotta shoot the zombies down. Follow me, I'll show you!"
"Alright!"
Elio said before quickly walking to catch up. It's not a hard game to understand, so I'm sure Elio will get used to it in no time...
________________________________________
"ELIO USE THE GRENADE!!! THEY'RE SURROUNDING US!!!"
"AH! H-HOW DO YOU USE IT AGAIN?!"
"PRESS THE RED BUTTON!!!"
"OKAY!"
*Plop*
"WHY AT ME?!-"
KA-BOOM!!!
....
[GAMEOVER!]
[YOU GUYS SUCK!]
Our score was so low that even the game was making fun of us...
Seeing this, I rested my head on my intertwined hands while looking down... I'm honestly shocked at how badly we did...
As you can probably tell, our relaxing gaming time turned into a chaotic mess... I knew Elio was inexperienced with video games, but I didn't expect him to mess up this badly...
We've been trying several times just to get past the first stage of the game, but to no avail. To be honest, I think Elio is more of a detriment to me than the hordes of zombies surrounding us...
Friendly fire be damned!
Looking over to my left, I saw Elio frowning before looking towards me to apologize.
"S-sorry... This is the first time I've played a game like this..."
Seeing this, I quickly straightened my back and tried to calm him down.
"Hey hey hey! No need to worry, chaotic messes like this are part of the fun, man!"
"Really...?"
"Yeah! So cheer up, I'm sure there's other games you'll find fun!"
Hearing this, Elio's smile came back as he nodded.
"Yeah!"
And so, both of us set forth in finding a game that Elio will enjoy. And we will never quit until that day comes....
________________________________________
....We tried everything.
This guy's completely hopeless with games!!!
He had a bad sense of rhythm so rhythm games were a no go, he couldn't even tell which character was his when playing the fighting games and even the cake stacking one was too hard for him! And that one is for kids!
Racking my brains, I put my hands on the side of my head as I ruffled my hair.
"Haah... What do I do...?"
"Yes, Aran?"
"It's nothing!"
I said, panicking as I try not to make him worry.
Sighing to myself, I try to find another game that checks the boxes of simple and one that Elio will enjoy.
Just then, in the corner of my eye, I found my answer...
It was an old machine hidden somewhere around an isolated corner of the arcade. I had a good feeling that this machine was the one to end our bad streak.
"Hey, Elio."
"Yeah...?"
"On a scale from one to ten, how confident are you with your punching ability?"
Looking up to think, Elio puts a finger on his chin before answering.
"I'm pretty confident with it, so I'd say ten."
Grinning, I walk towards the machine.
"That's all I needed to hear."
It was a boxing machine where your aim is to beat the highest score by just punching the bag as hard as you can. The concept was so easy to understand that even a caveman could do it!
And as a plus, you'll get a large ticket reward if you beat the highest record. You can spend those tickets to get yourself prizes from the front counter.
Looking back at Elio, I explained to him what he needed to do.
"Oh! That seems pretty simple! Sure, I'll try!"
"Don't hold back, okay?!"
"Okay!" He said happily as he got into a boxing stance and drew his fist back.
Heh, Elio won't be breaking records anytime soon, but at least he'll have some fun-
WHOOSH
In a flash, a gust of air blew my hair back before hearing a loud "BANG" hit the punching bag.
...Eh? Was that a gunshot?
Everyone in the arcade stopped what they were doing to watch as the number displayed on the machine kept rising higher and higher to the point where it surpassed the digit limit...
446
750
999
[???]
[????]
[?!?!?]
[NEW RECORD!!!]
A loud celebratory trumpet music played out as a mountain of tickets suddenly poured out of the machine.
"Yes! I did it, Aran!"
Elio said as is pumped his fist to celebrate.
"Uh... Yeah, good job..."
I chuckled nervously.
My face was just filled with pure shock as I turned towards the onlookers who were just as shocked as I was.
"No way..."
"Not a single person has ever broken that record until now..."
"Did he use his ability?"
"No, it was just pure strength!"
"Whoa..."
________________________________________
....
Shortly after what happened, the machine broke down. But before we were kicked out of the place, we still cashed in the tickets Elio earned us and he got himself some cute looking plushies.
Every person we passed by looked at us with strange expressions as the sight of a tall muscular delinquent's vibes clashed with the plushies' cute vibes.
"My little sisters are definitely going to love these!"
Elio said excitedly, holding the small plushies tightly.
'It kinda looks like he's choking them...'
I thought to myself before shaking my head to clear my mind to speak. In the meantime, Elio put the two plushies inside his left and right pockets.
"Good for you, man! Still, you could've saved some tickets for yourself, right?"
"Nope! Seeing my family smile is what makes me happy!"
"That's nice."
I said as I once again had to hold my hand back from petting him.
Calm down, dude... He's a human, not a dog...
Interrupting my inner struggle, Elio spoke.
"Man, I can't wait to go back there! The punching game was so fun!"
"Ah... About that..."
Yeah, so turns out, Elio and I are now banned from ever going to that Arcade again. Which is a little sad if I'm being honest. I swear I didn't know he was that strong...
Hearing this sad news, Elio felt a little bad and hung his head down...
"Oh I see... Sorry, it was my fault but you got blamed for it too..."
"Yeah, true- I mean, no it's alright!"
That was close, I almost agreed with him...
"Besides, we've had our fill."
"But you won't be able to play games there anymore, right? That's a sad thing to think about!"
Elio said, still feeling guilty.
Seeing this, I put up a brave front once again. I wanted him to have fun, not to feel guilty.
Scoffing, I put my fist on my chest.
"Pfft! Whatever, I've got way more cool stuff to show you! So stay on your toes and don't think about it anymore!"
After hearing this, Elio's face lit up once again.
Seriously, this guy's mood changes faster than the weather...
"So buckle up your seatbelt, buddy! Because this ride's going to be a wild one!"
And with that, I threw my fist up in the air before Elio did the same.
"Y-yeah!!!"
The two of us stood there with dumb-looking poses as the people passing by watched us like we were a couple of idiots doing what idiots do.
Seeing this, I cleared my throat before scratching the back of my head.
"Or so I say, but I honestly can't think of anything right now... Hm..."
Putting my fingers on my chin, I try to think of a place where we could continue to hang out.
"Oh, my guardian won't be home tonight, so whaddya say we look for a place to eat?"
I asked Elio.
He looked at me with an expression that appeared to have a mix between happiness and nervousness.
"I'd love to! Let me just ask my mom real quick if I can go."
My, what a diligent son...
Elio took out his phone that seemed like it's been through a lot. There are cracks all over the screen and even on the camera.
I'm not going to judge its appearance though. If it works it works, right?
After a few moments of back and forth texting, Elio received a reply from his mom giving the okay.
Seeing this, Elio pumped his fist before celebrating with a "Yes!"
"So, what'd she say?"
"She said it's all good!"
"Awesome! Alright, follow me. I know a good place!"
"Alright!"
________________________________________
The place I brought Elio to was a family restaurant that I frequently eat at. It has a nice and friendly vibe to it, the staff are nice and the food is cheap but delicious too!
Honestly, this place is a godsend. Bless the heart of the owner!
I smiled proudly as I held the menu.
Looking at Elio, I noticed that he seems to be having a hard time deciding on what to order.
"You okay there?"
"Oh yeah, it's just... All these look so tasty, I don't know what to pick."
"Well, do you want me to give my recommendation?"
Elio smiled and nodded his head.
"Sure!"
I ended up recommending him the cheeseburger.
A little basic, but that doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, it's one of the restaurant's most popular items.
"Alright, I'll have it then. Thanks Aran!"
"It's nothing." I said to him as I sat back down.
"What'd you get?"
"Just some pasta. I've been craving some since earlier."
"Oh, that sounds good too. I'll try that one the next time I come here."
"Sure! It'll knock your socks off, I'm telling you."
I said, smiling back at him.
As the two of us sat there, I noticed something.
Surprisingly enough, Elio isn't as shy as before. Does this mean he's finally getting used to me?
He's got a pretty cheerful personality once you get to know him...
Wanting to continue the conversation, I try to give out more recommendations to Elio.
"You should try their melon soda too, it's...."
....?
As I tried to speak, I suddenly made eye contact with someone outside the restaurant. It was a little girl wearing a red backpack and she was holding a man's hand.
The man looked tall. He was wearing a long trench coat and a hat. Looking as if he was trying to hide his appearance.
The two of them were standing on the sidewalk, waiting for their chance to cross the road.
Noticing my gaze, the girl looked at me with a pitiful expression. It seemed like she was trying to tell me something as tears welled up in her eyes.
Reading her lips, it spelled out "Please, help me..." from her.
When I realized her words, the conversation I had with Elio earlier flashed through my mind...
("I've heard there's been quite a few human trafficking cases happening recently. So, we should be careful and not stay out too late.")
"Oh gods..."
I quietly uttered out.
Once the puzzle pieces in my mind started to come together for me, I looked back up and saw that the girl and the man had already crossed the street.
Seeing this, I quickly stood up.
This must be one of those cases...
Noticing my sudden change if mood, Elio looked up at me and tilted his head.
"Is there something wrong, Aran?"
Should I get Elio involved in this? No, I can't! I just met him today.
"I-it's nothing. Watch over my bag for me, okay? I forgot something."
"Oh, alright."
Not wasting another second, I grabbed my phone and ran outside.
As if it was a bad omen, the evening sky rumbled and started to rain heavily.
"Tch! Just my luck..."
Because of the sudden downpour, I lost sight of them, but I knew what direction they went.
Using this knowledge, I continued to run to find them. But all I ended up seeing was a large crowd of pedestrians in front of me.
Most of them took out their umbrellas while some were running towards shelter from the falling drops of rain.
This was turning out to be way harder than I initially thought.
I grit my teeth from frustration
"Shit..."
Not wanting to give up, I try to wipe the rain water off my glasses and kept looking around my surroundings before noticing something.
A red backpack!
I found them!
I quickly pushed through the crowd, apologizing every time I bumped into someone.
I don't know why I was doing this. I knew deep down I was getting myself involved in something dangerous and that I personally didn't want to get involved either.
But after seeing the pitiful look on the kid's face, I couldn't just sit around and do nothing.
It's fine, I just need to know where they're taking her. Then after that, I'll call the cops...
I planned out as I continued to run through the heavy rain.
Each step I took let out a splash as I stepped on the small puddles forming on the street.
I think I might have a savior complex or something. Even after dying once to save someone, I'm already risking my butt again for a kid I don't even know.
I might just be the dumbest person to have ever existed...
Noticing them take a turn into an isolated parking lot, I followed them before hiding behind a wall.
My legs were shaking and my heart was beating quickly.
I take a peek and see the man pushing the girl into a parked van against her will, while a different man was sitting behind the steering wheel. They didn't seem to notice me.
I quickly pull out my phone and call the number for law enforcement. Thankfully, the rain was loud enough to hide my presence.
[APD, what is your emergency?]
"There's a kidnapping going on at 5th street, in the parking lot behind the music store. Two men are forcing a child into a van."
[Alright sir, are you in a safe location?]
"I'm close by, watching it happen. I'm hiding behind a wall right now."
[Can you give a description of the men and the child?]
"The kid is a little girl. She has a red backpack and is wearing her uniform. I guess she goes to the elementary school in this area. One of the men is wearing a trench coat and a hat, and the other one is wearing a dark green jacket. Please, get someone here now. They're about to drive off."
[We have already dispatched two cars towards your location. Can you tell me what the van looks like?]
"It's white and kinda beat up. There's some damage present on the wind shield and its bumper. I can't really see the license plate because of the rain."
[Okay, officers will be there in about 10 minutes. In the meantime, please move to a safer location.]
"The other man is getting in, please tell them to hurry up!"
[Police are already moving towards the location as fast as they can, sir.]
"But..."
.....
I didn't know what to do anymore. All I know is that they're going to get away before the cops arrive.
"Alright."
I told the person on the phone before hanging up. Albeit, regrettably.
"I guess I can go back now. I did what I could..."
I told myself.
Before I walked away, I decided to take another peek and saw the man with the trench coat push the girl again because she was in his way.
It wasn't a gentle push either, it was strong enough to make the girl hit the wall of the van and for me to hear the impact despite the rain.
Seeing this, my heart dropped before my thoughts stopped flowing as I felt a chill run down my spine.
I knew it, I really am an idiot. I'm not a hero and I'm nothing special either.
"No..."
But still, I felt like this is what I needed to do.
I took a step forward.
It felt as if everything was in slow motion. So slow that the drops of rain seemed suspended in time from my point of view.
Just like what happened to me yesterday, my body moved faster than my thoughts as I drew my arm back and threw my phone at the man wearing the trench coat as hard as I could.
It flew through the air, spinning like a boomerang before hitting his head with a loud thud.
"Argh! What the hell?!"
The man said as he held his temple before looking down at my phone that hit him.
Not wasting another second, I sprinted towards the man and tackled him towards the ground, punching him a few times to make sure he was down before standing up to pull the girl out of the van.
When she saw me however, she tried to hide in a corner out of fear. Approaching her slowly, held my hand out
"It's okay, big bro's here to save you."
Hearing my words, she tried to take my hand before quickly pulling back as she saw something behind me.
"You better grit your teeth, boy!"
"!!!"
When I looked back, the man was already up and was ready to hit me full force.
I instinctively close my eyes as I saw his fist approach my face. With a thud, I fell down to the ground.
"Ugh!"
My lip was bleeding as a dull pain throbbed on my cheek.
"Not bad, you little brat. But you shouldn't poke your nose around the business of adults..."
The man said, cracking his knuckles before taking off his coat, smiling like a lunatic.
"You should've just minded your business. Now you're going to pay."
Chuckling, his arm grotesquely transformed itself into a blade made from flesh and bone. Another chill ran down my spine as I saw this.
At that moment, the only thing I wanted to do was run away, but I couldn't even stand as my legs shook uncontrollably.
My mouth opened up as I tried to scream. My entire body was shaking and paralyzed with fear.
Damn it! Move, you stupid legs!
I yelled internally as my body wasn't cooperating.
I looked up to see the man lick his blade, clearly taking pleasure at the sight of my pathetic self.
As I saw this, my entire body was instantly filled with fear.
I knew for sure that this man was dangerous.
Panic setting in, I started screaming, begging for someone to come save me.
"H-help!!! HELP!!!"
But the rain drowned out my cries.
Seeing my pathetic display, the man laughed maniacally, watching his next victim struggle in vain.
"Today's just not your lucky day, kid. If it weren't for the rain, someone might've heard you. But oh well..."
I started breathing heavily. It's the same feeling as before. The feeling of death slowly approaching.
It was going to happen again. I'm gonna die. I was given a second chance but I just wasted it by doing something reckless.
My hope all but vanished as I sat on the ground like a pig to the slaughter.
But then...
I saw her... The kid was shaking, hugging her knees at the sight of my pathetic self...
What am I doing...?
I asked myself.
I couldn't stand seeing her like that. Not after I gave her a small light of hope.
I might be shaking now, but think about how scared she must've been.
She had to endure, holding in her tears the entire time while a stranger tightly held her hand and forced her to follow him through the city streets.
She's been strong this whole time.
Now what am I doing? Sitting on the ground pathetically and already calling it quits? I should be ashamed.
I need to finish what I started.
I told her I'd save her, so I need to make that a reality!
Gritting my teeth, I summoned every once of courage I could muster to move my legs.
I was able to stand up and dash away in time before the man swung his arm at me with a slashing motion.
Clicking his tongue, he looked at me, slightly annoyed.
"Aw, why'd you dodge? Don't be such a tease!"
The man yelled as I tried to breathe slowly.
Calm down... Mr. Brok taught us how to defend ourselves. We'll be okay... Think back on his words...
Diving deep into my memories, I remember the days that Mr. Brok trained me to defend myself.
On that particular day, he was teaching me how to defend against blades. Following his advice, I followed the first step he taught me.
In every fight, you need to calm down and focus.
Okay, cool your head...
I breathe in and out before looking at my opponent's chest. Any slight twitch or movement that I see is a sign of attack.
Seeing the resolve in my eyes, the man whistled.
~~!
"Oho? Seems like you're still itching to fight! Alright, you snotty-nosed brat! Show me what you got!"
He told me. But his words fell on deaf ears as I was focusing on something else.
'His blade only extends up to his forearm, that's good... I can use that move then... '
'I need to make him do a wide swing first...'
Looking at his entire body, I look for any weak points I could exploit.
'He has a pretty average build, and doesn't seem to have any formal training if I was able to tackle him earlier.'
'The real threat is his blade that extends a bit further than his arm. This is tricky... '
Noticing the top of his head, I find my opportunity to strike.
'Wait... I can use that to my advantage!'
If I can't exploit any physical weaknesses from him, then maybe I can try playing mind games.
And I have just the perfect weapon to mess with his thoughts; his lack of hair!
Taking another deep breath, I look at him with my signature shit-eating grin.
"Pfft! Whatever, baldy! Think you're so tough?!"
"Huh?! The hell did you say?!"
I noticed a small vein popping out of his head as he said that.
'Good. It seems like he's at least susceptible to insults.'
My grin widened in response as I stood taller with a cocky attitude. Looking at me, most would say that I have an extremely punchable face.
"Heh! You heard me, Humpty Dumpty! How's it feel to be so bald, that your head works as a mirror?"
"Why you little-"
I put my hand over my mouth to sell my annoying act even more.
"Aw, was that a little too mean? Sorry about that! I'm afraid I can't relate to your baldness, since I'm still enjoying my youthful looks! I'm pretty handsome, wouldn't you say?"
"You little shit...!"
"Oh my? Don't get angry now, Egghead, we don't want you to end up getting boiled!"
I said to him, still grinning as stupidly as possible.
And it seems like that was the final straw that broke the bald-camel's back.
Growling at me, he yelled.
"I'm gonna cut your head off, you wanna-be comedian!!!"
The man charged at me with full killing intent and started swinging his arm-blade wildly as I tried to keep a cool head, watching his every move.
Despite dodging as best as I can, I was still sustaining small cuts as I tried to keep my distance.
But then, it happened. The moment I was waiting for!
Making him mad might seem like a dangerous tactic as it makes him more aggressive, but that's exactly why it's effective.
Because when a person gets heated during a fight...
THE CHANCE FOR HIS MISTAKES ARE HIGH!!!
The man threw out a very wide swing. If it hit me, it would've definitely killed me. Too bad for him though, wide swings are slower!
Ducking quickly, I dodged the blade, shocking the man and giving me a small window to perform a counter attack.
"What?!"
Not wasting any precious time, I spring back up and put him in a headlock using my biceps.
It's now or never!!!
"Eat dirt!"
I stepped forward and kicked the man's leg up to make him lose his balance.
Sensing this, I threw both of us to the ground as hard as I could.
This is a move from a martial art native to a far away nation.
"Osoto-gari!"
As we both fell, the man tried to swing his blade again. But because of the hold, he couldn't even cut me.
Realizing my advantage, I didn't want to give him a chance of getting back up. So I tightened my hold even more and put him in a triangle choke.
Feeling desperate, he tried to punch my side with his free hand, but because of my adrenaline and the awkward angle he was in, his punches didn't deliver much damage to me.
It felt like an eternity. He kept punching as I tried to suffocate him. Until finally, his hand went limp.
Feeling this, I let go.
I won.
I tried to catch my breath as I sat on the ground. Both of my hands were shaking so much, I couldn't control them.
I looked at my shaking hands before pumping them into fists and celebrated my victory but had to cut it short.
I was happy that I won, but I didn't have any time to celebrate as I still had the little girl to worry about.
Standing up, I limp towards the van to take the girl.
But as I did, I quickly fell back down on my knees when I felt a sharp pain from the cuts I sustained from earlier.
I was utterly confused by this. The cuts I got weren't even that deep.
Why are those enough to stop me from moving?!
I desperately tried to stand back up before hearing the sound of a door opening and closing. Looking towards the direction of the sound, I saw a man step out of the driver's seat of the van.
No! How could I forget, there were two of them!
Shit, I need to stand back up!
My body shook as I struggled to move myself by even an inch. Puffing out a cloud of smoke, the man looked at me with a face devoid of emotion.
"You're not going anywhere anytime soon, boy. My partner's ability has an added effect where your body slowly becomes paralyzed when cut. Even if you could move, I'm not going to let you get away that easily..."
Throwing away the cigarette from his hand, he looked down at the man I just choked out. His face, covered with disappointment as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"We took you into our organization because your ability seemed useful, but you still got beat by a damn kid? Pathetic..."
Reaching into his pocket, he took out a gun and aimed it towards the unconscious man. The next instant, a loud bang echoed through the parking lot as he pulled the trigger.
Looking towards the direction the bullet traveled, I was greeted by a disgusting sight of the man's scattered pieces of brain covering the pavement...
His blood, mixing into the puddles of the falling rain.
I didn't have any time to process what happened before the man with the gun called out to me.
"Hey, you."
"!!!"
"That was an entertaining display."
He said as he pointed his gun towards me. The sight of the barrel only fueled my panic as I desperately tried to stand up.
Damn it, I can't move! Where the hell is the police?!
Gritting my teeth, I turned my head towards the girl who was scared stiff.
I need to save her at least... I have to-
"Goodbye."
That one word sealed my fate. He really was determined to shoot me down. But no matter what, there was nothing I could do to change this.
No...
NO!!!
I close my eyes and braced myself.
"Damn it all..."
With a clicking sound, the man pulled the trigger of the gun.
Another loud bang echoed through the parking lot before my body collapsed to the ground.
Just like the man before, various bits and pieces of my brain were scattered throughout the parking lot as my blood mixed with the rain water.
The last thing I saw was the little girl crying as the light of hope faded from her eyes...
...I died....
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[CONDITION MET]
[RETURNING TO PREVIOUS SAVE POINT]
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