I wonder… Why was I so damn salty?
The Unc's grey eyes quivered slightly. And he appeared quite.. stunned.
Then he blinked, clearing his throat as he awkwardly took his hand away from my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," He said in a warm tone. Suddenly, he flashed this really, really bright smile that almost blinded me as two deep dimples surfaced on both sides of his cheeks.
Hm?
My gaze softened. Slightly.
Disregarding the filth, sweat and goo on his face…
I cocked a brow.
…Unc was actually quite handsome.
I didn't reply to his awkwardly voiced apology.
He tapped me to try and gain my attention.
Now he had gotten it.
And so, I stared straight into his warm grey eyes, demanding an explanation for why I got interrupted from my Exp hunt.
He tightly clenched the hammer in one hand, his free hand scratching the back of his head. "You're quite young. A teenager, obviously…"
The next time he calls me 'kid' in any way, directly or indirectly, I'm… gonna walk away.
You have just one more chance, Unc.
His grey gaze couldn't quite meet mine; they kept searching, looking at every area on my body except my eyes.
It low-key irritated me.
Practice patience. Patience is power. Patience is rewarding. Patience is key!
"So I assume you think you're strong, and that your strength will suffice. But I've seen those…" He pointed a finger at the Rethons behind me. "Things.. kill many. Trust me," His tone grew more serious, warm eyes darkening. "I don't know what the hell is happening in the world right now, but I do know one thing. And that's the fact that those things can NOT be hunted alone."
I blinked, almost tilting my head.
"Okay?" I asked.
He blinked too, bewildered. "Okay?"
"So?" Yet again, I asked.
"Ahem-!" He cleared his throat and flashed that smile again.
I squinted my eyes.
Someone, make it stop!
"So, now that I've had a.. better look at you, and the.." His gaze flickered toward my steel pipe. "Gooey stains on your weapon — obviously the blood of those things — I think you might be able to contribute to the defense? It's way safer to defend with more people than to charge into that swarm of monsters alone."
He talks too much.
As expected of an Unc.
"We just have to hold off the monsters until the crowd safely evacuates the bridge, then we'll run and raise the center pier wall."
I nodded.
I see. I see.
Honestly, not a bad plan at all.
But, I'm curious about one thing..
"Why?" I asked with a dry voice.
His eyes widened slightly. "Excuse me?"
"Why are you trying so hard to defend those people?"
"Oh!" He exclaimed, "Haha!" He let out a laugh so hearty I felt like he was truly an old grandpa. Like those old sailors or something.
Finally, he quieted down as I stared at him tight lipped, eyebrows raised.
"Does one need a reason to do the right thing? I saw a problem. One that could be solved if I offered help. And so, I simply did just that. Offered help." He moved his neck, gazing at the advancing crowd in the distance. "It's all a matter of how many lives can be saved. If I've saved as many lives as I can, then I don't care if I di–"
I raised a hand, waving it dismissively. "Yeah, it's okay."
He shut up.
I stared at him, a thick layer of disgust swirling within my eyes.
Ugh. I almost puked.
Goody two-shoes. Goody two-shoes Unc.
I nodded.
"I see," I uttered, facing forward. My gaze fixated on the Rethons.
But… at least he isn't a coward like me.
No, he's better than me. The me that I'm leaving behind.
He could just run. Save himself. But he chose not to.
"I admire that," I whispered.
He's indeed strong.
"Did you say something?" His voice disrupted the stream of my internal monologue.
I blinked.
"Hm?" I turned to face him once more. A coy smile dancing on my lips, "Yes, I did say something."
I looked past the slightly bewildered Unc, who — for some dumb, foolish reason — didn't question why all the Rethons stopped attacking as soon as I landed, and I lightly glanced at the other three behind him.
The glasses-wearing gentleman dressed in a navy, blood and goo smeared suit, gnashed his teeth audibly as he stared at me, slightly adjusting his glasses.
The woman had narrowed eyes, just monitoring me as she tightly grasped her right bleeding arm, covered by a torn piece of her shirt.
The other one… well, I didn't bother to look at him.
I looked at Unc again.
"You're wrong. I am strong. My strength WILL suffice." I declared loudly.
My heart pumped vibrantly. It had begun to dance as it had earlier. To no music at all.
"So," I turned to face the Rethons. "Watch behind me."
I raised my steel pipe.
Unc tried to stop me. "Wait a min–"
"Hey! Wait! Are you crazy?!" The woman screamed out.
I ignored the yelling Karen, running toward the horde of Rethons.
And I began my bloodbath.
This time, it was easier. I didn't even have to bulge my biceps or any muscle in my body.
My movements were effortless. My leaps were graceful. Every swing sent a Rethon to hell instantly.
No Rethon could touch me.
I literally danced in the middle of a horde of monsters.
Ah, but unlike my heart, I had music that I danced to.
And it was the beat that said heart played!
All my ears could hear was the pain-filled screams and cries of the Rethons, and also the orders of the Unc, screaming:
"Stand behind the kid and me! Any of those things that get past us... kill them!"
It seemed he was stunned in awe, surprise or pure fear for a while before he ordered.
From the corner of my periphery, I glanced at him.
The man was by my side! Swinging that hammer like a damn psycho.
"Haha!!" I laughed out loud.
Good! Good!
I love psychos!
I turned my focus away from him, my mind melting into the constant stream of +10 Exp messages.
[Congratulations. You have leveled up!]
…
[Congratulations. You have leveled up!]
Every fatigue that piled up while I fought got deleted in my body as I leveled up. And every minor goo burn or claw injury got healed up.
I was in the zone. The zone!
Until…
"Marcus!!" The woman yelled, pulling me out of the zone.
I shook my head slightly.
"Yes?!" Unc replied with a yell of his own, his voice strained and heavy, accompanied by ragged breaths.
I blinked.
"They're… they're all dead." She breathed out.
Huh?
Are they all dead?
I moved my sight away from the ten Rethons that attacked me at the same time, surveying the entire bridge.
Unc held his knee, his waist arched as he took in deep breaths. His hammer lay just beside him.
Karen sat on the ground, her cutlass just beside her on the ground as her chest rose and fell.
The other gentleman who hated my guts for some reason also sat on the ground, staring at the now darkening sky with his glasses on the ground, as if he had lost everything in his life.
The other red-eyed young man sat on top of a Rethon corpse.
"This stuff is a surprisingly good chair…" He voiced out in between breaths.
Yes! Exactly! I like that guy!
So smart!
But, truly, we had killed every single…
I turned my neck to face the ten Rethons.
I moved, wiping them all out.
Yup. Now, we've killed every single Rethon.
I nodded, a satisfied smile on my lips.
I've got 24 free stat points. Heh.
"You…" Unc said aloud, his eyes narrowing as he looked straight at me, as if trying to discern what I was. "You're a damn beast!" He stood upright, taking long strides toward me.
I raised my steel pipe.
"Hey! Stay where you are!" I yelled awkwardly.
He paused.
My gaze fell on my raised steel pipe.
My baby was bent already.
Shit.
What weapon am I going to use now?
Then, Unc began walking once more.
"I said stop, Unc!" I spat the words out.