Chapter 17: He Got Away

[Master, this is not like you. Your thoughts are being clouded. Deactivate the skill immediately.]

“I said shut… fine.”

He skidded to a stop in a dark, forgotten alleyway, the kind filled with overflowing trash cans and the ghosts of old memories. He gently set Yenna down, her body still limp, and leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath and rein in the storm of emotions raging inside him.

’Almost did something dangerous there.’

[Yeah. It seems you were too connected with Wren. You started taking on her animalistic tendencies.]

He glanced at Wren, who was now perched on his shoulder, acting all cute and innocent as if she hadn’t just been radiating pure killing intent a moment ago. “Who knew such a cute little thing could have such a strong hunting urge?” He tickled her under the chin, and she fell over, rolling playfully on his shoulder.

[It seems the evolution didn’t just make her stronger; her hunting senses have been leveled up. Unlike you, she can control them… A beast stronger than its master. Truly a tamer.]

“Shut up. Let’s just think of a plan. Should we run?”

[Yes. That is the best option right now.]

“Hey… can you feel how angry I am right now?” His eyes started to glow faintly again, the urge to hunt for Jolly and her crew coming back full force.

[Yes. But if you do this now, you will die. I have been thinking all this time. You’ve been awakened for only a few days, but in those days, you have done nothing but cause trouble for yourself. I am not saying you are stupid, but you give in to your urges too much. This might be rude of me, but you are acting like a kid right now.]

“What do you know?” he shot back, his voice a low growl. “My whole life crumbled because of lies. I spent months eating rotten food, sleeping on the cold ground, and so much worse, all because of people I trusted. Then the same thing happened right in front of my eyes. Why should I be the only one to suffer? Why should I hold back? Why should I not kill them? Why, why, why? TRASH SHOULD BE THROWN OUT, BURNED, AND IF NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT, THEN I WILL DO IT FOR THEM!”

His power surged, raw and uncontrolled, making his old wounds ache as his body struggled to contain it. The air around him felt like it was burning.

[And then what?]

The system’s calm question cut through his rage. “Huh?”

[You give in to your anger and go after them. Let’s just say you somehow kill them. Then what? How will you handle the people hunting you down? No, can you even make it out of this city? This is the truth, Master: you are weak. Terribly so. If you don’t run away now, you will die, and all your hard work will have been for nothing. Isn’t it better to go somewhere else, train, and then come back? Master, you have so much potential, but right now you are not thinking straight. You have no plan, no goal. You are acting on feelings, which is dangerous. Calm down and assess the situation carefully. You are a genius; use your intellect.]

He stayed quiet for a few seconds, the system’s words washing over him. He was right. He was being an idiot. Revenge felt good, but it was a short-term solution to a long-term problem. He’d been letting his anger guide him, letting fate push him around. It was time to take control.

He let out a long, ragged scream that echoed through the alley, releasing all the rage, all the sadness, all the frustration that had been holding him back. He kept screaming until his throat was raw and his vision started to spin from lack of oxygen. He stumbled and fell to the ground, huffing, the world a blurry mess.

“Hahaha… that felt good,” he gasped, his mind finally clear. “I can’t believe I almost threw my life away. I’m still angry deep down, but I can safely say that I’m in control now. Thanks, system. It’s nice having you around after all.”

[Just doing my job as your helper, Master.]

He sat back up and looked at Wren, who was now snuggled up next to the still-unconscious Yenna. A part of him wanted to just leave her behind. He didn’t know her, and for all he knew, she’d betray him again the first chance she got.

“Guess I should take her with me. How annoying.”

[Hmm, did your personality just change?]

“What do you mean?”

[…Nothing. Must be imagining it.]

“Let’s get out of here before people come swarming in.”

He picked Yenna up again and started jogging toward the edge of the city. This time, he was careful, sticking to the shadows, preserving his energy. It didn’t take him long to reach the border. Just a few more buildings, and he’d be out.

Suddenly, his danger sense screamed. He dodged to the side just as a heavy metal ball smashed into the ground where he’d been standing, leaving a small crater.

“Shit. So they were waiting for me.”

Two players dropped from the sky, landing in front of him. Their auras alone were enough to make him feel like he was about to pass out.

’What rank are these two to have such an overwhelming presence?’

[Apprentice rank… I know what you might be thinking, but just because players are in the same rank does not mean they are at the same level.]

’Makes sense… hmmm.’

[So what’s the plan?]

’I’ll face them head-on.’

[….]

“Wren, get on,” he whispered. “Things might get rough, so hold on tight.”

He crouched down, his eyes locked on the two players, who were smiling, confident in their victory. He then leaped toward them, not to fight, but to get past them. One of them stepped forward and easily caught him mid-air, kicking him away. He regained his balance in a split second and tried to run past them again.

And again. And again.

He was knocked away repeatedly, his body aching, but his eyes remained fixed on his goal: the edge of the city.

“Persistent little insect,” one of the players sneered, stepping forward to finish him off.

He wiped the blood from his mouth, a grim smile on his face. His legs were sore, his body bruised, but he kept running, kept pushing, determined to break through.

’Okay, I’m almost ready.’

He got up from another hard hit, his legs shaking, but his eyes never left his goal.

“Persistent little insect,” the player repeated, clearly annoyed now.

Despite the pain, he remained calm, analyzing his opponents, picking apart their movements. They were strong, much stronger than he was, but their confidence was their weakness. They saw him as nothing more than an insect to be crushed.

[Master, don’t do anything foolish.]

He smirked. “You think I’ll follow the same foolish plan, huh?”

[Yes. I just have this feeling.]

’…Hehehe, you’re right.’

He crouched low, his hands digging into the dirt. “Wren, you ready?”

She nodded, her runes slowly beginning to glow. Her entire demeanor changed, becoming deadly, feral.

He exhaled sharply, drawing on the mana from his reserve cores. “Then let’s gamble everything on this.”

He launched himself forward again, but this time, he didn’t aim for escape. He darted directly at the player who seemed the most bored by the whole game.

His movements were erratic, unpredictable. “Huh?” The player stepped back, caught off guard.

Before he could react, Wren leaped from Vell’s shoulder. Her form shifted mid-air, her claws elongating as she slashed at the player’s face. He dodged instinctively, but it bought Vell the fraction of a second he needed.

As Wren landed, she spun, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris. The second player, now on high alert, charged at him, but he rolled out of the way, using the cover to get closer to the city’s edge.

[They’re getting serious now!]

“Too late for that.”

The mana in his cores began to spin at an impossible speed. His body started to emit steam, so hot it shimmered in the air.

[Master, STOP THAT! YOU WILL SHATTER YOUR CORES!]

He ignored the warning, letting the power surge through him. “KUGH!!”

His body wouldn’t last long in this state, but it gave him the speed he needed. With an extra boost from Resonance, he dashed away at an incredible speed, so fast that the players couldn’t even hope to catch up.

It had only been three seconds, but he had already traveled at least five kilometers. He was out.

They watched him disappear into the distance, their jaws hanging open.

“Well, shit,” one of them said. “He got away.”

—

Temporary Stats:

Name: Vell

Age: 21

Title: Beast Tamer

Rank: Human

Forge Slots: 1/3

Overall Stats: E+

Skills: Taming, Resonance

Magic: None

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