SYSTEM ASCENSION

Natalie’s base was the safe zone. This was to avoid any creature that lucked in the forest. His team chatter inaudible words, while he stood by the barrier edge.

He held what he got from Roche.

A pair of eyes and his necklace.

He stared at it through the dim light of the approaching sun.

”This will fetch billions.” A member peeped at the items and giggled.

”Especially the eyes.” Natalie tucked them in his pocket and turned around.

”The problem now would be Elias, if he wants to retaliate.”

”You can just melt him right?” A girl shrugged.

”Didn’t you see the last time they shook hands?” Another member cut in. ”He’s not an easy target.”

”Didn’t you see his kill count?” Another said. ”What did he even go to get such a count in a short number of time.”

”Exactly.” Natalie nodded. ”He’s most likely an S ranker...like me.”

”Boss, someone is approaching.”

At the sound of a member’s voice, they all turned around.

Yvonne approached from the forest side, shoe sinking into the ground as she took languid steps.

They narrowed their eyes.

”She’s part of your sisters team.” One of them told Natalie.

”What is she holding?”

”Is that a...”

Natalie body went rigid. He froze up completely, eyes widening into panic. Every steps she took cover sent a shiver down his spine.

”Poor child.” Yvonne stepped into the barrier. ”You had this silly emotions and dare play the scheming game with Elias.”

They recoiled as she tossed the head at his feet.

”Yunno, there was a time someone tried this same shit as you did with Elias,” she closed the distance completely, staring into Natalie’s shaking eyes. ”He said: ’you weren’t given home training, seeing that you don’t know your elder’. Natalie, you stepped on your elder’s foot.”

”Damn you!” One of the team member charged towards her.

Natalie turned swiftly.

”No! Wa—”

Compressed blast of wind burst from her fingertip. The charging youth disappeared, flesh, blood and torn clothing raining through the sands.

Nobody even saw the projectile.

They rest gasped.

”Finger bullet.” Yvonne shrugged. ”Elias taught me. Pretty convenient right?”

She smirked afterwards.

”Come find us in the forest. Make sure to come with the things you took from Roche.”

”We can’t let her go!” Another female snapped.

”Sure he can.” Yvonne turned. ”we’re holding his twin sister afterall. You don’t think we bought the lie that Laura and Lisa were twins when you share almost identical face with Laura and not Lisa right?”

She began to walk away.

”At least if you want to lie, don’t wear matching necklaces. It’s childish.”

His hand shook as he watched her disappear. Every step she took seemed to crush the confidence he’d carried all night.

His team looked between the two of them in confusion.

”...Boss?”

”This damn maid!” Natalie kick the head away.

”Boss, what should we...”

”Shut up!”

”We should...”

He lashed out on the one who spoke, grabbing his face and melting through it.

The rest ran away completely, terrified of the person who was supposed to protect them.

As for Yvonne, she had gone through the woods, already sprinting for the Serpentile territory were the rest were. The sun had barely rose, when she got there.

The ice had already melted, leaving behind corpses and wetness.

Yvonne looked around as she walked closer.

Laura was silent, trapped in a cage of sword. Elias curled up on a rock, face hidden beneath his clothes.

Quil on the other hand approached as soon as she returned.

”He didn’t attack you?”

She shook her head. ”He wouldn’t dare. I suspect it and confirmed. Laura is his actual sister, not Lisa. That’s probably why Elias killed Lisa first.”

”About Elias,” He glanced over to the sleeping boy, and back at her. ”Is something wrong with his memories?”

She raised a brow, then frowned with a bored expression. ”Did he forget Roche?”

Quil flinched. ”Is that supposed to be normal?”

”For Elias. It is.” She shrugged. ”I lost count of how many times I have introduced myself to him. If he doesn’t see you for a while, be ready to introduce yourself again. It’s like his brain filters out unnecessary things.”

”Unnecessary? His friend died!”

”What do you want me to do about it Quil?”

”Well...”

”It’s pitiful, but he’s better off like that.” She turned her gaze to Elias. ”He has lost a lot of people, enough to go mad. Forgetting everything is his body last line of defence.”

She tapped Quil shoulder. ”Let’s prepare for Natalie’s arrival. I think he’d be freaking angry right now.”

A sudden panicked scream rang through the forest.

[Natalie Naya]

[Kill count: 50]

They glanced at themselves.

”It’s seem like he’s coming already.”

Elias raised his head.

”Oh. You’re awake.” Yvonne skipped over to him. ”I’m back. Natalie is on his way.”

Elias tilted his head. ”Natalie? Who?”

”He’s a foe.”

Quil fold his lip behind them. He didn’t expect it to be this worst.

”He pissed you off and you just have to kill him. That’s his darn sister over there.”

Elias glanced at the girl, glaring dagger at him.

”She hate me?”

”Obviously.” Yvonne gave thumbs up.

Laura lean forward. ”I’ll kill you, even if it’s the last thing I do!”

He exchanged glances with Yvonne, then tightened the sword around her to keep her straight.

”They were the curse of your hand injury too.” Yvonne added.

Quil raised a brow. ”That was...”

”Shut up Quil.”

The commotion sounded closer. Birds flew as a tree fell.

”Poison? No acid.” Elias muttered.

”Take care of it, will ya.” Yvonne was already tugging Quil’s hand, pulling him into the trees.

”We can’t get into the fight between them, especially with Natalie’s ability. We need to stop his members instead.”

”Oh. I see.”

”That’s if his members agree with him.” She smirked. ”They most likely fought after I left.”

Quil just stared at her with one thought.

’I knew it. Women are scary.’

*

*

Elias sat still, watching the trees melt and fall one after the other. Slowly until Natalie came into view.

He was angry. So much veins were popping out his neck. His eyes were red.

”ELIAS!”

”Stop calling my name like you gave it to me.” Elias stepped down, flexing his legs. ”To what do I own this visit?”

”I’ll kill you!” Natalie stepped closer, the ground melting beneath his feet.

”Aah...” He sighed. ”You both are really siblings.”

”Brother!” Laura yelled. ”Be careful.”

”How cute.” He clapped. ”You just reminded me that I have a younger sibling...”

He tilted his head, and shut his eyes. ”Was it a girl or a boy? Or both. I’m not sure. I didn’t see them before I left.”

”Stop talking bullshit!” Natalie stepped forward again.

Elias snapped out of thoughts, then furrowed his brow. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Hundreds of weapons unfolded into existence behind Elias.

Swords, spears, axes, daggers.

Their tips slowly turned toward Natalie.

”You weren’t given home training, seeing that you don’t know your elder,”

He stepped forward.

”I’ll train you in your parents place.”