Chapter 16: Truth

He moved through the city like a ghost. The casual, almost playful demeanor he’d shown earlier was gone, replaced by something harder, sharper.

[Master, are you sure it was a good idea to kill her? Judging by her mana strength, she was definitely someone of high status. Won’t they come looking for revenge?]

“You’re right,” he admitted, ducking into an alley as a patrol of city guards passed. “This is getting more and more annoying, not to mention dangerous. Luck like this will eventually run out.”

[Yes. So I recommend you move to a different city. It’s 1,000 miles away, but it’s better than dying here.]

“…You’re right. We should leave.”

[Good. Let’s pack—]

“But I still have unfinished business here,” he cut in, his eyes glowing faintly. “If I’m right, they’ll come looking for her in about three hours. If we’re not back by then, Yenna will be in trouble. So let’s hurry.”

[Alright. But this should be the last thing. Where are we going?]

He walked out of the alley, making sure no one suspicious was around. “I’m going to track down Yenna’s ’friends’ for some answers. After that, we’ll come back, pick up Yenna, and pay a visit to my ’loving’ family.”

[…Please don’t do anything stupid.]

“What do you mean? I’m thinking straight right now.”

[If that’s the case, then I’m even more worried.]

He ignored the system’s sass and closed his eyes. The symbols on his skin and the glowing marks on Wren, who was still perched on his shoulder, began to pulse in unison. His whole demeanor changed, his movements becoming more fluid, almost feline.

[You managed to figure out Resonance in that short time?]

“It’s my skill. Why wouldn’t I know how to use it?”

[Is this how you defeated that woman?]

“Yeah. She tried to put me to sleep by hitting a pressure point that would cut off oxygen to my brain for a short while. But in that split second, I activated Resonance. My senses reset, nullifying her move completely.”

[That makes no sense.]

“Who cares? It worked. Wren’s skills are very useful, especially this tracking ability.” He took a deep breath, his senses expanding. “And if you’re wondering how I snapped the neck of someone so strong, I used a skill that made my arm wrap around her throat like a snake. Then I just used all my mana to boost my strength. Both her neck and my arm were broken.”

[You are crazier than I thought. And about that arm… you’re going to look for them with it broken?]

“Relax. I’m not going to fight; we won’t even talk. I’ll just track them down and see if they betrayed Yenna or not.”

[Why are you going so far for someone you just met?]

“Why did you help some beggar on the streets?”

[…Fair enough.]

He ran, his movements impossibly smooth and silent. It was as if he had become a weasel himself, darting through the city’s shadows with fluid agility. It didn’t take him long to arrive at the place where he’d last seen Jolly and her crew—the small park with the broken-down bus stop.

He crouched low, inhaling the air. Wren, on his shoulder, did the same. They both began sniffing around, trying to pick up their scent. It took less than ten seconds before they locked onto it.

“They’re not that far,” he whispered. “Hm? The scent is getting stronger. Are they heading here?”

He wasted no time, finding a good spot to hide in a nearby abandoned building, peering through a window.

A few minutes later, they arrived. The smart one, the angry one, and Jolly. They sat down on the same bench where Vell had been taunted by the teenagers just a day before.

They were all quiet, not saying a word, which confused him. Why were they just sitting there?

Then, just as he was about to leave, he heard them burst into laughter. It was a cruel sound that made his stomach twist. He knew what they were laughing about, but he wanted to hear them say it.

He needed to hear them say it. So he watched, his hands clenched into fists, holding himself back.

“Jolly, you are so evil,” the smart one said with a villainous smile. “Your acting was so good that even I was convinced.”

“True,” the angry one added, though he still looked annoyed. “But was it necessary to sacrifice Yenna in the process?”

“It’s a shame, but she just doesn’t fit our group,” Jolly said, her voice dripping with condescension. “I’ve seen her try to defy my orders before. It’s no big deal; we can find another member easily.”

They all laughed again, and Vell felt something inside him break. He was on the verge of losing control, but Wren’s soft fur brushing against his cheek brought him back from the edge. He looked at her and smiled, a small, sad smile, then took a deep breath to settle himself before continuing to listen.

“So, do you think what that guy was saying was true?” the smart one asked.

“About the corrupted mana nonsense?” Jolly scoffed. “He probably just made that up on the spot so we wouldn’t turn on him. I wanted to knock him out right away, but I just couldn’t help myself. Raising someone’s hopes and then crushing them… ah, it gets me so excited.”

She touched herself, a lewd, satisfied look on her face. The two guys looked at her, and their expressions shifted. “Hey, should we head to our spot?” one of them asked.

She looked at them and smiled, a predatory, inviting smile. “Sure. Let’s go.” Licking her lips, she got up, spinning around to give them a better look at her figure before walking away. They followed close behind, their own lewd thoughts clear on their faces.

’Men are so stupid,’ she thought, her expression turning sinister the moment her back was to them. ’I’ll keep these ones for a while before moving on to new toys.’ She paused, her eyes flicking toward the abandoned building where Vell was hiding.

She didn’t see him, but her instincts told her something was off.

’We came here just in case they escaped and came looking for us, but it seems that was unnecessary. I’ll enjoy myself and then go to the Association to see her expression… but before that…’

Her instincts screamed at her to go after the strange feeling she had, but her baser desires won out. She shrugged and continued walking.

Vell watched them disappear into the distance, his thoughts a storm of rage and disgust. A voice in his head told him to run back, get Yenna, and escape the city immediately.

He had always trusted his instincts, so he turned and ran without looking back. As much as he wanted to hunt them down and make them pay, he knew he was too weak right now.

’Hm? So he ran? Who was that? Maybe it was him? No, there’s no way he could have escaped the Section Chief. It’s probably just someone… why do I have such a bad feeling about this?’ Jolly thought, a shiver running down her spine. But she pushed the feeling away and followed her two “friends” into the night.

Vell arrived back at Yenna’s house in a flash, his heart pounding. He rushed in, scooped her up from the sofa, and ran out the back door without a second thought.

He didn’t know where he was going, he just knew he had to get away. He ran, the unconscious girl in his arms a stark reminder of the world he was now a part of.

“…I will not leave them alive.” His voice was a low growl, a promise to the night.

[Master—]

“Know your place.”

The air around him grew cold, charged with the raw power of his Resonance. His hunger to hunt, to kill, was beginning to consume him.

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