SYSTEM ASCENSION

Yvonne’s heart sank.

”Fifty two? I killed fifty two people?”

The information broke her. She gasped, her eye registering the brutality behind what she had done.

Bodies, if you have the courtesy; pieces, if you’re trying to be blunt, and a human mess if you’re direct.

”Aaarrrggghhh!!”

She broke into panicked scream. It didn’t activate her abilities, but horrific enough to make the rest of the participants recoil. They began going around them.

[04:05]

Elias bent down and nudged her.

”Let’s go.”

”Elias...I killed...”

”Let’s go!”

She flinched.

”This is not the time for this! We need to move now!”

She glanced side, to the see it again, but he just tilted his head, clouding her vision.

”Look at me.”

Her eye returned to him.

”Me alone.”

She nodded.

”Good. Let’s go.”

She forced herself to her feets, forced herself to think of what happened as a mere thorn on her part and moved forward.

”Don’t look back. I’ll caught up. Run.”

They all moved.

He stayed for a moment longer. He gazed at the mess she had made. The number of participants she had erased in a blink of an eye.

He didn’t look conflicted. Instead, his eyes displayed a dangerous level of calmness.

Mona’s sudden cut through his mind.

”Human blood. Trilling right? Anyways, it’s a waste. We should have absorbed their vitals if they were going to die.”

He blinked.

”Shut up.”

The voice chuckled, and faded.

He turned around to follow, but a hand suddenly grabbed his leg.

He stopped, and looked down.

”...kill me...” A youth muttered. ”End it...”

He stared for a moment longer, and without battling an eye, his hunter dagger flared into life, the edge dangling from his mouth, since his hand were particularly useless now.

He tossed it up, raised his legs and caught it, before bringing the sharp blade down in a precise swipe.

[Elias Morail]

[Kill count: 206]

”Damn system.” Mona cursed.

He turned around, only to find Quil standing there.

”You’re still here.”

Quil swallowed, and turned around.

”Let’s go.”

[00:43]

The clock ticked faster now, or maybe it was just their imagination.

They ran with all strength they could mutter. The forest ground loomed ahead now. Just a little bit more.

[00:23]

A little bit more.

[00:11]

They crossed the line, entering into the forest ground.

”You made it!” Laura was the first to get to them.

Elias’s eyes scanned the crowd of panting players, and settled on Yvonne, crouched down by a tree, looking like her soul had left her body.

He made his way to her, and sat beside her. Slowly, the rest of the team took a seat beside them.

”It seems everyone made it.” Quil said. ”No one detonated.”

”Except the ones I killed...” Yvonne muttered. ”I killed them...”

”Don’t blame yourself.” Laura tried to soothe her. ”It’s not your fault..”

”It’s your fault.” Elias cut in. ”You killed them. Accept it.”

They all stared at him in disbelief. Yvonne was in a worse condition. The excuses she was trying to build crumbled.

”I...”

”I’m afraid he’s right.” Quil muttered. ”You have to accept it to move on.”

”Spoken like a true killer.” Lisa eyed him.

Quill simply shrugged.

”For now, we should scout the area.” He stood up. ”We need to prepare a good spot for camping, and search for food too. I don’t think the forest is better than the desert, so we still need to be careful.”

He glanced between them.

”Yvonne is unstable so one of us needs to stay with her...”

Elias stood up. He brushed dirt off his clothes and walked away.

”...alright...” Quil sighed. ”Then...”

”We’ll scout the left.” The twins sprang up.

Before he could say anything, they vanished through the trees.

He glanced at Roche.

”You..”

”I have something to do.”

Roche left.

They were suddenly remaining two. He raised a brow.

”I’m babysitting?!”

Wind carried his voice into the forest. He heaved a dramatic breath, then took another look at the broken young lady.

’Sharad huh? I guess this is the daughter he had been searching for.’

___

Elias stood by the river bank, dark eye scanning the space on the other side. The small river seems to be the only division between the forest.

And on the other side, he could smell them.

Serpentiles. C rank creatures.

They luck in the shadows, waiting to operate by nightfall.

”How annoying.”

He glanced left and right. One or two players lingered around, some chatting and some filling their stomachs with water.

Someone was watching him.

He didn’t turn around, but his senses heightened.

’Behind me.’

He blinked once.

’Getting closer...’

He could hear footsteps moving towards him. He put his hand forward, and created a small dagger. His eyes moved side.

’One second...’

”Water!” A girl walked past him, sighing in relief. She jumped in. ”I almost died in the desert.”

Elias blinked again.

”Not after me—”

He swivelled around, dagger raised to intercept the attack. The person who attacked met him with a spike, and the force drove both of them back.

Elias stumbled into the water, increasing the length of the dagger. People around them ran away immediately.

Elias tilted his head.

”Roche.”

”How are you fighting with that hand?”

”Ignoring it.” Elias replied.

Roche swung the spike, and attacked without another word.

They clashed in the water, dagger and spike meeting with intensity that sent sparks flying. Every swing was blocked with equal measure.

Elias left hand drove to Roche’s side, and the latter raised his knee to block it. He didn’t expect the punch that came from the right hand. It sent him stumbling several steps back.

”The water is not slowing you down.” Roche muttered.

”I’m used to it!” Elias attacked head-on, movement faster than the first.

Roche streched his hand and erected numerous spikes underneath. Elias dodged it all, and jumped, switching the dagger with a chain. He threw it around Roche’s leg and pulled him to himself, punching him out of the water.

Roche crashed into a tree, knocked unconscious for a second. When he opened his eyes, Elias was already before him, sword place on his neck.

Their eyes met in a fierce unspoken battle, until Elias broke the silence.

”Why did you attack me?”

”Do I need a reason to attack you?”

A fonding irritation flashed Elias’s eyes. He withdrew the sword and frowned.

”What are you? Cosplaying?!”

Roche grinned.

Light shimmered around him, turning his brown hair black, and the brown eyes, Black. His face sharpened into a smaller feature, and he sprang up crashing into Elias.

His hand went around Elias’s shoulder, giving him the biggest hug he had received in a while.

”I missed you! My Lord!”