250 - 256
Chapter 250 - Black-bellied Couple
The once wild and evergreen garden was now filled with rotten stench of corpses of beasts and humans. Leaves and petals stained with blood floated in the air.
In the center of the garden, the unnamed, well-framed and strong-looking man was lying on the floor. His face was pale while foam coursed out of his mouth, nonstop. Never in his worst nightmare, he expected to feel the burning sensation he was feeling. This pain swept from his balls and rampaged throughout his body.
Just minutes ago, his mood couldn't have been better. He was thanking God for giving him the happiness of seeing a gorgeous beauty like Ashlyn discarding her 'lover' for him. When she said she wants him to rock her world, he was so excited that he started unhooking his pants. He just couldn't wait to take her in front of her lover - Kiba. He was so looking forward to witnessing the reaction her lover would have.
Unfortunately for him - Man Proposes, God Disposes.
The woman he has 'conquered' ruthlessly kicked him in the balls when he was excitedly opening the belt of his pants. He was completely caught off guard. Much less kick, he didn't even see her making any movement. All he felt was cold wind breezing past, and the next moment, he was on the ground...smelling the decaying scent of the people he has killed not so long ago.
He gritted his teeth amidst the unbearable pain and slightly raised his head to observe the woman he so loved (even if it was just for a moment). What he saw made him up cough up blood in rage.
That woman was giving the Vermillion Moon Fruit to her 'discarded' lover!
Fuck!
What a bitch!
She is now going back in the arms of her old lover?!
The poor man's veins were trembling in anger. Here he was suffering through unimaginable torment, while that woman was submitting his spoils to her lover!
This felt like another kick in the balls to him. He grimaced in agony and held his balls more firmly.
How could that woman be so cold?!
Did she never truly discarded her lover?! Was everything just a part of the play?
The pitiful man was thinking this when he heard a few lines of conversation between the woman and her lover.
"I was not bad, right?"
"You were good."
Motherfucker!
The man cursed the lover nonstop in his heart. He wouldn't have been fooled if not for the 'genuine' reaction of that lover. When the woman discarded the lover, he has seen the reaction. The lover was in an utter sense of disbelief and looked at everything with shock.
But now?!
The conversation made it pretty clear!
The lover was a part of the scheme all along!
The ill-fated man felt deep, unforgivable hatred for the lover. After all, he wouldn't have lost guards if he was not looking forward to seeing the look of despair on the lover's face.
"That bitch and that motherfucker... they are a black-bellied couple!"
He swore to warn the others of this black-bellied couple. He didn't want other men to suffer under their hands.
Wait...
Wouldn't it be great if others suffer as well? After all, misery loves company!
He was in the middle of thinking when the pain took over his consciousness and he passed out.
Some distance away, Kiba put the fruit in his storage dimension while wiping the tears streaming down his face.
"Why are you crying?" Ashlyn noticed his tears.
"Nothing...just dust." Kiba made an excuse.
He couldn't tell the true reason was her learning something he never wanted her to learn from him!
Just how can his teaching result in her being an expert in nutcracking art?!
This question was like a knife piercing in his heart.
"I should not pass any more wisdom!" Kiba decided. He knew he has skills in fooling others with his words, but on Ashlyn, it was taking a drastic effect he never wanted.
"Let's go."
Ashlyn said before leaping on a branch of a tree and then jumping on another. Kiba nodded and he joined her in the journey.
Behind, the unlucky man lay unconscious while dreaming about a sinister couple...
Kiba and Ashlyn were leaping from one tree to another. This was far better than walking or running on the ground. The chances of meeting others were low and so were the chances of falling in a trap. Not like they were truly afraid or anything. They just wanted to avoid complications.
Ashlyn was in midair when she took out the storage bracelet she took from the unfortunate man. Such storage items were branded with the owner's mental energy and wouldn't open in the hands of a third party. If the owner was killed, the bracelet would be like a lock to a treasury with no key. In some storage items, there was even a self-destruction mechanism. Such a mechanism would become active if the storage items didn't regularly sense the mental energy of the owner.
While costly, such features were preferred in storage items. After all, the owner wouldn't want others to enjoy their wealth. Of course, in certain cases, the owner could leave behind a trace of mental energy for the posterity so that the storage item could be opened. But such cases were rarest of rare.
Ashlyn didn't ask the man to open since he was in no state. Also, even if she waited for him to recover, there was a chance he might activate some traps inside.
Based on the knowledge she had, the bracelet was a low-grade item. As such, it has no automatic self-destruction mechanism. She knew someone back in her 'home' who could open this type of items. This was the reason why she took the bracelet from that man.
"Let me check."
Kiba's voice entered her ears. She turned her head towards him before taking another leap in the air. She nodded and handed him the bracelet.
Kiba's eyes flashed with golden radiance. The circuits embedded on the surface of the bracelet became clear to him. He didn't have any storage device but he has researched about them when he was creating the underground facilities in his house.
Years ago, during his expedition in BSE79, he has actually seen a top grade storage ring. It was wielded by Castor Damon. Alas, when Zed became Kiba for the first time in the meteorite, and the golden lightning phenomenon arrived... the ring turned into dust. Later on, when he experimented with his newfound abilities, he realized he has no need for a storage device. So he didn't really have any regrets.
In the present, he checked the ring for some time. He discovered no traps, so he concentrated his mental energy.
His psychic force has turned stronger after he copied Akshobhya's ability. Akshobhya was a Psychic Hunter but Kiba wasn't even close to that stage. He didn't really face any enemies to practice his ability so at best he could be considered a newbie in the psychic department.
For the time being, that didn't matter. He was not trying to read a mind or hypnotize someone. All he wanted was to open the bracelet.
"In the worst case, the bracelet would explode."
Kiba mused as he recalled the poor man's aura and mental energy. Slowly, his own mental energy camouflaged into that man's and entered the bracelet.
A dazzling brightness emitted from the bracelet along with the sound of a lock being unlocked.
Success!
Kiba's lips curled up while Ashlyn was dumbfounded. She was so astonished that she didn't see a branch ahead and crashed against it.
The full body black suit prevented any injury and she somersaulted through the air before landing on the ground. She was not hurt but her cold eyes were filled with shock.
"He didn't even take a minute!"
Ashlyn looked at Kiba in disbelief.
When did opening storage devices become so easy?!
Spatial items costed a fortune. This was why very few could actually afford them. One of the major reason for the high cost was the security feature.
Now...
The person Ashlyn knew in her 'home' would have to rely on sophisticated technology to unlock the bracelet. Yet Kiba did without using any technology or tool.
Is that bracelet defective?
No!
She noticed no such defects when the bracelet was in her hands. And even if there were defects, how can they be exploited in less than a minute?!
Ashlyn found this hard to comprehend. She obviously knew he was strong but this has nothing do with strength.
Ashlyn shook her head and composed herself. While shocked, she believed it was none of her concern on how he did what he did.
"Here."
Kiba tossed her the bracelet. Ashlyn caught it and closed her eyes to observe the contents inside.
The storage space was 5m*5m*5m. Most of it was filled with flowers, herbs, flowers, pills, and other mutated plants. They were rather costly and rare. Of course, the core region was an exception, but nevertheless, Ashlyn was impressed.
After becoming acquainted with Kiba, she has learned the art of appreciating others' wealth.
Now, just like Kiba, she believed stealing was the smarter way of getting rich.
She looked further and noticed six red crystal cards. Each card has an emblem - Earth with two royal swords crossed in diagonal.
This was the emblem of world government. The swords denoted authority and also the pledge of serving the masses with honor.
Ashlyn ignored the emblem and read the below the emblem: In the name of the esteemed sovereigns - the World Bank issue $100000. Below was a sign of the governor of the World Bank.
Ashlyn retrieved the cards from the bracelet and handed them to Kiba. She would obviously share the other loot with him but not for the time being.
"Hmm?" Kiba checked the cards and was surprised.
The cards were actually similar to a demand draft. Such cards were impossible to forge so the money was guaranteed. They can be exchanged in any bank for the issued amount.
"Why would he carry them?" Kiba asked. Kiba didn't carry such cards for two reasons: money was useless in the forest and in the digital era, wire transfer was the best way. In the forest, due to lack of signal, even wire transfer was impossible. The same was true for the cards since there was no bank here. So he didn't see the need for carrying such cards.
"The Fair," Ashlyn answered.
"The Fair?" Kiba looked at her in puzzlement.
Meanwhile, back in the wild garden.
On the hard floor, the hapless man opened his eyes and coughed up blood mixed with foam. With great difficulty, he got on his feet.
The pain was killing him but since he was a level IV mutant, he could still live. He brought his right hand on his left wrist to open the storage bracelet and take out pills.
The next moment, he was struck on the spot. He only felt his fine hairs and nothing else.
No!
The ill-fated man brought his eyes on his wrist and didn't find the bracelet.
Earlier, Ashlyn took out the bracelet just after kicking him in the balls. The tormenting sensation made his mind a mess and he didn't notice Ashlyn's activity. When he gained enough clarity, he only saw Ashlyn handing over the fruit to Kiba. A part of him reasoned she wouldn't have noticed his bracelet since storage items were very rare and she wouldn't know about them.
Now...
"My treasures!"
The doomed man collapsed on the floor again. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with tears. The six bank cards were an assured sum he already has. Then there were the herbs which could guarantee him more than 50 million.
Yet everything he earned after shedding so much blood and sweat were stolen.
He could grudingly accept the loss.
But how can he handle the fact that all his efforts have benefitted a notorius pair that shattered his jewels!
"Black-bellied couple! You are shameless!"
Chapter 251 - Real Heroes Don't Wear Capes, They Teach!
"The Fair?" Kiba asked while looking at the six crystal cards in his hand.
Ashlyn nodded her head. She opened her left palm upon which faint dots of light concentrated into an electronic tablet.
Kiba wondered what type of spatial equipment she was carrying. He could see no jewelry or any accessory on her body. Then again, she was clad in a full body black suit from neck to toe so there was not much to see.
Despite his knowledge, he couldn't tell what her suit was made from. He knew she was a Cursed One and then recalling the pills she has consumed after the battle with the serpent, he has some guesses but he was not exactly sure.
Kiba shook his head as she handed him the tablet. He brought his eyes on the screen and checked the information.
"Well... it is definitely surprising."
The Fair was more like a market of sort in the northern-east corner of Desolate Blood Forest. The forest didn't have any law save for the law of the jungle but The Fair was a rare exception, at least on the surface.
According to the data Ashlyn provided, The Fair was managed by certain reputed organizations. This ensured safety and anyone can arrive without risk of getting robbed.
As for why the organizations would organize such event...it was rather fairly simple and obvious. Most adventurists didn't have any assurance of guarding their treasure -minerals, herbs, flowers, beast corpse and so on. Not even 1% of the people in the forest have spatial equipment, and carrying treasure on their bodies was just inviting trouble.
For such individuals, The Fair offered a meeting point where anyone could exchange their treasure either for other treasure or money.
Obviously, the money was not in cash. Neither it was digital transfer due to lack of communication with the other world. To overcome this problem, the money cards came in the picture. They were impossible to forge and anyone can exchange them in any bank around the globe for money. There were no checks or any documentation required.
Thus, most adventurists preferred to hold the money cards rather than the resources. There was danger involved but it was very low compared to other scenarios.
Not only that, The Fair also held auctions.
"Auction? So this must be the auction Amir was talking about?" Kiba asked.
He recalled Amir and his group talking about a certain auction where they could sell the lizard corpses.
Ashlyn gave a slight nod.
"We should visit the fare."
Kiba suggested. He thought he might even find the items he needed and could save himself some trouble.
While he didn't have the money cards - save for the ones they got from that unfortunate man - he has plenty of resources which he could use for exchange.
Ashlyn gave another nod to show her agreement. A minute later, they resumed their journey.
Just like before, they met many troublemakers in the way. Kiba didn't make a single move. He allowed Ashlyn to handle everything since it seemed to be her wish.
Ashlyn sliced the rampaging beasts with her discs. As for the treasure hunters and adventurists...well, let's say, she gave them special care as long as they were male.
"She is doing nothing wrong," Kiba pacified his guilty heart. "She is only helping the world with population control!"
He felt ashamed for seeing his gender suffering due to his 'teaching'. If not for him, so many tragedies could have been avoided.
"Yes! Earth is overpopulated and the population growth has to be controlled!" Kiba got over his guilt. "Her methods might be extreme but she is only doing what is necessary."
As they continued ahead, they encountered a large team comprised of only men. The men were reeking of blood and their demeanor was truly fierce.
Their aura was so horrifying that birds and beasts hid in tree crowns and bushes. They didn't want to risk their lives.
They were sure such powerful men can kill them in no time. So they acted wisely and left the man-female duo on their fate.
The members of the all-men team were truly stunned by Ashlyn's beauty. Not much of her flawless creamy-white skin was exposed but just her figure outline alone was filled with temptation.
Little frame, long legs, and gorgeous face. Then there were those entrancing emerald-green eyes and crystalline dark hair.
The men felt their jaw dropping to the ground. Quickly, they started whistling like wolves at the sight of a helpless sheep.
Just like Kiba expected, the team proceeded ahead with sexist and misogynistic remarks. In crystal-clear words, they made it clear they could let Kiba and Ashlyn live only if the latter satisfy them. Their red eyes and their sinister expression made it clear what they meant by 'satisfy'.
But much to their shock and amazement, Ashlyn readily agreed with their proposal. They were shocked to not hear a single word of protest either from Kiba or Ashlyn.
Much less word of complain, there was no hesitation on their faces!
Could they have resigned themselves to their fate? Or they are wise enough to know what's truly good for them?
The men wondered as Ashlyn arrived in front of them. Her smile was radiant like the bright sun, making their hearts skip a beat.
The god of luck was on their side!
Every single member of the team was excited with lust and passion. They have already thought of a hundred ways by which they would make Ashlyn satisfy them.
Kiba saw their looks and gave a thumbs up.
The men were startled. He was wishing them luck with his woman?!
Oh god!
Such a whimp! Not only giving away his woman but now even wishing them best!
Truly pitiable. No wonder the woman readily agreed!
The entire team started laughed mockingly...well, only for a brief moment.
Then countless heart-wrenching and tragic screams reverberated in the forest, startling birds and beasts alike. The birds in the tree crowns peeked below and noticed dozens of men lying on the ground holding their crotch.
The birds were confused.
Why were such strong and fierce men trembling? There was not even a single drop of blood and yet they were holding their crotch as if they suffered a grave injury.
Could it be that these men have a strong outer appearance but are weak on the inside?
Many of the man-eating and scavenger birds left out of their hiding spot. They then attacked the men on the ground to find out answers.
When the men retaliated with great difficulty, the birds remembered how the men were holding their crotch just a few moments ago.
They theorized if a single woman could defeat them all by attacking "the strong on the outside but weak inside" spot...what is stopping them from following her?
Just like sages said, a teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom. For the birds, Ashlyn was that compass!
The birds thought - "Maybe we could turn the tide and get ourselves a nutritious meal by attacking this frail spot of men?"
Almost on a cue, the birds instantaneously aimed their beads on that weak spot. With the speed that eyes could not follow, the birds swept forward with terrifying momentum.
More tragic screams followed which scared every man who was nearby. They didn't know why but they felt a chill down their spines. While they didn't know what truly happened for someone to scream in such a way, they were sure they didn't want to find out!
The scavengers and other birds hummed in joy at their unexpected victory.
Some distance away, Kiba's lips were twitching.
Just what is going on in this forest?! Wasn't one nutcracking demoness enough?! Now, there is an army of nutcracking birds!
Ashlyn has a pondering expression as she contemplated on the present situation.
After a brief moment, she said what she has read long ago, "The influence of a good teacher can never be erased. It passes from one generation to another."
"....."
"Work smart, not hard!" Ashlyn continued, her eyes sparkling. "Even the birds have learned from you."
"Do I count as their teacher as well?"
"Yes."
"......"
Real heroes don't wear capes, they teach without any racial bias!
******
A few hours later.
The sky turned to a light, dusky orange. Titanic trees continued to stand proud and unwavering under the setting sun.
On a branch of one such tree, a humongous, female red tiger stood. Her black stripes formed a contrasting picture with the setting sun. Her sharp crystalline fangs glinted with terrifying power but in her eyes, there was just gentleness. Beside her, two cubs were standing, and just like her, they were staring at the backs a golden-haired man and the female accompanying him.
The tiger wanted to leap forward and catch up with the golden-haired man to express her gratitude for what he did for her and her children over a week ago.
She then recalled the scent of his power and understood a secret which has eluded the entire world.
She was hesitant and worried. She was also afraid of the possibility that she and her children were just ants he helped to relieve his boredom.
Why would such a supreme being care about them? Much less acknowledge their gratitude.
The tiger lowered her head. She decided to not approach the only human she has admired in the world.
Just then, her children shoved their small fangs on her legs to awaken her from her thoughts. Surprised, she looked ahead just like her cubs.
She didn't know if her eyes were playing a trick on her, but for a moment, she was sure she saw the golden-haired man turning towards her and waving his hand. There was a genuine, sincere smile on his face... a smile he rarely sported in his life.
"Thank you."
Chapter 252 - Count Viper
(A/N: The chapter might be confusing if you don't remember the details from Chapter 90 and 163).
The wind swept through the enormous trees. The air was chilling but the red tiger stood straight, beaming with happiness.
Her eyes turned moist as she stared at the golden-haired man who was now becoming more and more distant as he continued his journey with his female companion.
There was no conversation between the tiger and the golden-haired man, but she was content. She thought if not today, fate might give her an opportunity in the future to converse with him.
Earlier, she was afraid, but that fear has gone. She was sure she could approach him without any apprehensions. The sincere smile he gave her a few moments ago was the proof.
It has been a week since that man saved her and her cubs, and now, she knew they were not just some ants he protected to relieve his boredom. His actions were dictated by his heart, and to her, that mattered more than anything.
"Someday I will express my gratitude with more than just words."
The tiger muttered to herself. She then thought she was being delusional. She has felt the scent of his powers so she knew just how truly powerful he was.
What can she do for him?
The tiger didn't know and nor she focused any longer on this subject. Her cubs jumped on her back and she leaped high in the sky.
Slowly, the twilight faded away as the stars came in sight...
***
Kiba and Ashlyn were sitting in front of a campfire. Ashlyn has not brought out the crystal house as there was still time for dinner and rest.
She observed Kiba and was surprised by his cheerful expression. Not like he was gloomy or sad before, but she felt his current mood was more genuine. After staying by his side for so long, she understood him a lot better and knew his different shades of personality.
She recalled his expression has been like this from an hour or so when he has suddenly turned behind and waved to someone. It was just for a moment so she didn't know whom he waved, but she was sure whoever it was, he or she was definitely in his good book. That was definitely a lucky matter. After all, she believed he was a sadist to the bone. His schemes were such that even devil would feel ashamed.
"Why are you so pleased?" Ashlyn enquired.
"Ah!" Kiba shook his head before looking at her. "I was just thinking of those wonderful acquaintances I noticed back then."
"Acquaintances?" Ashlyn was intrigued. She has thought the people he waved at were his friends or something.
Kiba understood her dilemma so he explained. "Well, let's say, they are a type I rarely meet in this cynical world."
"Oh? What type?" Ashlyn focused on his words.
"The grateful ones."
Kiba answered with a smile.
"?" Ashlyn looked at him in confusion.
Kiba didn't explain so Ashlyn didn't probe further. She opened her left hand and concentrated. The black suit has covered her from neck to toe, and the same applied for her hands.
Streams of light converged on her palm to transform into a crystal cube. She gripped the cube and threw it some distance away.
The cube flashed into a blinding radiance. As the brightness disappeared, a crystal house came in sight.
"This reminds me that I have to borrow a portable house from someone," Kiba murmured. His own portable house was destroyed by his powers due to the nightmare he had a few days ago.
He didn't know how long he would stay with Ashlyn so he needed a portable house of his own.
"Let's go," Ashlyn called out. "You have to cook like always."
Ashlyn has now used more words unlike before.
"Haha, I know."
Kiba jumped to his feet and took a step ahead. Suddenly, he stopped as he felt the entire world turning dark.
There were no trees, no house, no ground or Ashlyn. Nothing but darkness.
"Well..."
Kiba was startled but not shocked.
"I hate when my powers do this but then again it must be important."
He looked around and noticed a human-like figure covered by flame. The figure was miles away but his presence was striking in the darkness.
Currently, he was not looking through his eyes but by his psyche. To be precise, it was different from normal clairvoyance.
In clairvoyance, he would look at his surrounding by bird's-eye view which was obviously different now.
In ordinary times, as Kiba, he would 'look' at the world with both his eyes and also through clairvoyance.
Years ago, when he first transformed into Kiba, he almost turned crazy. After all, he has lived as Zed for about 17-18 years, and he was only adapted to see through eyes.
But his newfound powers gave him striking abilities. Whenever he would see anyone, he would see everything. Maybe from a pervert's perspective, this ability was godly, but for him it was deadly.
He would see things at the microscopic level. When he looked at a person, his brain would even picturise the dirt clogged in pores.
The same went for his hearing. He would hear every sound in the surrounding. His senses would differentiate every sound and transmit it to his brain. This included the sound of a heartbeat and the blood flow.
Back then, after killing Castor Damon and escaping from BSE79 meteorite, he quickly transformed into Zed. He loved what Cosmic Spark gave him, but he didn't dare transform into Kiba for almost a week.
The stronger the power, the harder it was to control it.
It took him months, but slowly, he adapted to being Kiba. For him, it was like learning everything as a newborn toddler.
He learned how to see and hear without turning insane. It was difficult but his willpower allowed him to.
The difficulty only increased further since both Kiba and Zed functioned in different ways. But the passing of time and experience made his moments fluid. He could now instantly transform into any of his forms and would have no difficulty in adjusting.
As Kiba, he has learned how to discard what he saw through clairvoyance. But there was a catch. His powers, or to be more precise, his subconscious brain in the present case, would take over his senses when they felt there was something he needed to know.
The human-like figure engulfed by flames was not truly engulfed by flames. It was just done by his powers to strike him in this world of darkness.
"He is at least twenty miles away," Kiba thought as he concentrated on that figure. Slowly, the face of the opposite party came in sight.
"He is...!"
Instantly, his eyes turned bloodshot.
The world of darkness faded and everything came back in sight.
BANG
The ground caved into a crater while the trees around blasted into fine pieces.
Ashlyn was startled and she quickly turned around. She was shocked by what she saw.
Kiba's expression has twisted into that of a demon. There was bloodthirst in his eyes and even the air around him has turned into crimson.
"What's wrong?"
Before she could get an answer, he transformed into a bolt of lightning and dashed in the woods. The titantic trees exploded into splinters while ground broke into waves of soil.
He was like a tsunami, wreaking havoc as he proceeded ahead.
Ashlyn was stunned by the development. She has never seen that expression on his face. She knew he was a sadist and he has no qualms in killing, but what she saw now was far more than that.
There was heavy killing intent!
Not even in his fight with the alien serpent she has felt such murderous aura from him.
She didn't know much, but she was sure the night sky would be dyed with blood.
Some twenty miles away.
There was a large camping house. Robotic droids and human guards were posted as sentries while drones floated in the sky.
Battle tanks and fighter units were lying dormant behind the camping house.
Inside.
On a chair, a man was sitting.
His face was yellow with patches of skin resembling snake scales. He has elliptical pupils and a forked tongue like a cobra.
He was none other than Count Viper from Lizenea - The nation of revolutionaries.
Viper has his eyes concentrated on a box upon which a black flute was placed. The flute has snake-like runes engraved on it.
"The key to the future."
Viper muttered as he closed the box. The next moment, the box transformed into threads of smoke which entered into a ring on his right hand.
He rose to his feet and observed a digital map. The map focused on only one part of the forest - the core region aka the meteorite from the foreign world,
But unlike most maps, it actually focused on the interior of the core section. Important areas in the meteorite were clearly marked along with the known traps and dangers. There were even forbidden sections marked in red as a warning.
"The day of liberation is not far away. The key would definitely help us in succeeding."
Viper thought before looking around the room.
"Where is Alina?" Viper asked one of his subordinates.
"She is taking a stroll outside," The subordinate answered.
"That girl is not taking things seriously!" Viper cursed in his heart. If not for the orders of the Elders, he wouldn't have brought her here.
She was talented and has helped whenever it was required. But unlike other soldiers of the revolution, she was disillusioned with the noble cause.
"Take some rest," Viper said as he closed the digital map. "Tomorrow we will proceed for the village."
"Understood."
The subordinates nodded in understanding. They proceeded ahead in adjacent rooms to sleep. They knew they only have a few hours for rest after which they would have to take a turn with the patrolling guards.
In the meantime, Viper poured himself a glass of whiskey. He brought the glass to his lips but just then, the glass exploded into pieces. The fine whiskey splashed on his face but for him, this was the least of his worry.
The next moment, a body engulfed in golden radiance broke through the camping house like a meteorite.
BOOOM
The entire camping house exploded into fragments. Waves of fire swept out, engulfing everything into destruction.
A few unlucky guards instantly burned into ashes while droids were knocked into the air.
Chaos filled the region with everyone running from one place to another to set out the fire and look for the enemy.
"What?!" Viper was shocked.
Have the dogs from the government attacked them?!
"Count Viper from the revolutionaries, right?" A murderous voice asked from behind.
Viper felt a chill down his spine.
How could someone come so close to him without him detecting?!
"I have wanted to meet you for a long time."
Before Viper could turn around or respond to the strange voice, he felt a hand clutching his neck. The next moment, his head was slammed into the solid ground.
Rock fragments penetrated his face from the impact and he shouted in pain and agony.
Everything happened so quickly that Viper could not comprehend anything. He tried to free himself from the grip but felt helpless.
Perhaps his actions offended the party, and the next moment, a boot stomped on his back.
"AHHHH!"
Viper felt his bones shattering into pieces.
In his entire life, he has only felt such helplessness in the presence of echelons of Lizena.
Could the enemy be a member of the world council or those trump cards of the world government?!
Viper wanted to turn around and see the enemy but sadly for him, this only resulted in further suffering. He was sent flying into the air by a kick on his face.
THUD
He landed on the scorched ground some hundred meters away. With great difficulty, he opened his eyes and looked at the enemy.
Kiba was standing with absolute madness over his face. His lips were curled up into a barbaric and inhuman smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
Chapter 253 - Payback
The night sky was filled with the sizzling sounds of fire and screams. The air was engulfed with the scent of blood and charred flesh.
"We are under attack!" A direct subordinate of Count Viper brushed dust and ash from his face.
"Help the injured!"
The temporary camping location of the revolutionaries was in full chaos. The people who survived the destruction of the camping house were now rushing to save the injured.
"Activate drones and droids to battle mode!"
"Start the tank!"
"Don't let your guards down!"
It would be an understatement to say everyone was shocked by the drastic turn of events. The surveillance droids in the surrounding woods only beeped when it was too late. By the time they understood the warning, the camping house was already destroyed.
"What was that body of golden radiance that landed on the camping house?" A female revolutionary wondered. "Was it some missile or something?"
"No idea."
"Let's find Count Viper and ask for his guidance."
"Yes!"
Sadly for them, their boss was in no state to guide them. Viper was on his knees, surrounded by debris and mortar.
Some hundred meters ahead of him, Kiba was standing with a savage expression. The scorching flames behind seethed along with his fury.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Kiba said as he took a step ahead.
"Who are you? Are you from the government?" Viper asked. He has checked the secret records of Lizenea and didn't know anyone matching Kiba's description in the world government. But then again, he thought there might be people even Lizenea was not aware of. After all, the government would try their best to hide their trump cards from revolutionaries and vice versa.
"Government? No. My identity does not matter." Kiba answered coldly. "But what you should know is that I'm here to settle score on behalf of my sister."
"Sister?" Viper was dumbfounded.
"Just how did I offend the sister of such a powerful man?" Viper thought. But then his elliptical pupils dilated as he thought of something.
"Your sister was harmed in the struggle of revolution?" Viper asked as he rose to his feet. The revolutionaries have carried out hundreds of bomb blasts across the world to seek freedom from the government.
Viper's yellow snake-like face was an absolute mess. Blood was leaking out from the shards that have penetrated his flesh. His regenerative ability took effect and his wounds healed in no time.
Kiba didn't respond. He turned into a series of afterimages, and the next moment, he appeared in front of Viper. He clenched his fist and aimed at Viper's head.
Viper quickly crossed his arms in front of his head to block the incoming attack. His scales protruded out like blades, ready to tackle the attack.
But much to his amazement, the punch never came. Sadly, this didn't give him the least bit of joy as he felt a knee ruthlessly slamming into his crotch.
Instantly, he collapsed on the floor. His yellow face turned as white as a sheet of paper and his eyes popped out. He opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out.
Earlier, he thought the attack Kiba previously launched were deadly. After all, they have shattered many bones inside him and the pain was terrible. His enhanced healing power has made his bones recover but the pain was unbearable nevertheless.
Now, he realized the agony from bones shattering was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. Every nerve receptor transmitted burning tormenting sensation that swept from his crotch to the other parts of his body.
His entire body convulsed and he gasped for air. This attack was not only terrifying but it was below the belt!
Just how can the opposite party pretend to launch a fist assault and instead charge with a kick in balls?! Such underhanded methods were not something a powerful mutant should use!
If Viper has any say in it, he would definitely make such attacks illegal!
"You made her suffer in the worst possible way," Kiba said with absolute cruelty in his voice. "So I would do the same."
In his entire life, he has only hated a handful of people that he wanted to suffer in the worst possible way.
The first was his caretaker but he has already killed him long ago in the slums. The second and third were his father and mother, but he has now moved on from his past so they were no longer in his list. Earlier, he wanted them to suffer in hell, but now, he didn't care what truly happened to them. As far as he was considered, they didn't exist for him.
The fourth person was Castor Damon for how he sacrificed hundreds of slum dwellers in the mining expedition to seek Cosmic Spark. Kiba has already killed him.
The fifth person was Akshobhya - the monk affiliated to Dharma Chakra. When the monk declared his plan of dissecting Kiba's unborn daughter, he has set his fate. Currently, he was nothing but a decayed mass of flesh, living a life far worse than death.
And the final person in his list was Count Viper. In fact, Kiba's hatred for him far surpassed the others.
Hope was yet to born and Akshobhya failed to harm her. Viper, on the other hand, has successfully harmed Felicity.
Years ago, after he left the slums, he has turned into a philanderer and deviant. All he cared about was getting in the pants of women.
But then he met Felicity...
He cared for her more than he could ever admit. For him, she offered a relationship he never thought he would crave for.
She made him cherish bonds which gave him far more joy than the pleasures of the flesh.
She was his friend...his sister.
Some familial relationship didn't need ties of blood...and that was his relationship with Felicity.
She was cheerful, playful and even annoying. But he loved every part of her personality. Even when she forced him to go to thrill park, he would complain but in his heart, he always cherished those moments.
He was strong, much stronger than the world could ever imagine. But in front of Felicity, he was just a weak brother who needed the caring and love of his elder sister.
It was just like what Claudia once said: What one wants is not what one needs.
His wants were his dreams of lust and vanity. But wants are not enough to live the entire life...
Claudia was fully aware of this. She knew the role Felicity played for him. This was why she made him design the silver bracelet for her protection.
But in the end, when the nanite blast occurred in the city, she became a victim. Yes, she survived and fared better than others but this brought no smile on Kiba's face.
How could he be happy knowing she was suffering the worst form of torture possible for her?
She could not feel or use her legs.
Can anything be more tormenting than this for a person who craved sports and adventures?
This question made him imagine what would happen if Felicity regained consciousness and found her state. He was frightened of the possibility she might take some extreme step in despair.
After all, it was easy to say being handicap was nothing to feel bad about but how can one truly understand suffering without suffering them?
Words of motivation mean nothing for a person devoured by despair.
Such terrifying thoughts engulfed him and this was why he didn't allow Felicity to regain consciousness. Before coming to the forest, he has made preparations that she would not awaken before he arrives back.
He has sworn to only awaken her after she was healed. She might lose a few months of time in her sleep but it was far better than entire life.
After he arrived in the forest, he tried his best to not think about Felicity. Thinking about her state only made him feel bitter.
He knew there were weeks for the core region to open and for him to find the components that could nullify the damage done by the nanites.
To make himself distracted, he focused on side adventures. He played around while scheming to get women in bed.
In all honesty, bedding women was the last priority in the forest. But he knew he couldn't let himself be devoured by negativity. He has to find means by which he could stay positive, and for him, such means usually involved toying with others in a sadistic manner or getting lucky with women.
He has remembered his main goal but has suppressed the feelings about Felicity. And that's what he has done so far until his powers felt the presence of Viper.
He has never met Viper but the revolutionaries he captured back then for experiment told Viper was the main in charge of planning the nanite explosions. It was Viper's scheme to wipe out government task force in Delta City that resulted in Felicity becoming a part of Cleo's plot.
He has already punished Rufus and his team along with Cleo. So how can he truly forgive the main culprit?
Thanks to advanced technology and some torture from Claudia, Kiba was able to get a detailed sketch of Viper from Rufus and his team.
He has memorized Viper's sketch and has decided to make him pay. Of course, back then, he thought the chance might not come for years.
"Argh!"
Viper coughed up blood as he jumped on his feet. He looked at Kiba as he tried to bid time to recover. He felt he could overpower the enemy as long as he was given enough time. The only reason the opposite party succeeded so far was due to the surprise factor.
Viper was confident his subordinates would have realized by now that there was only one opponent. He prayed they would be wise enough to not underestimate him and use weapons.
"Freedom requires the sacrifice of blood," Viper wiped blood from his lips and said. "Everything I did was for the greater good."
Kiba remained silent. If it was other times, he might even taunt and make sarcastic remarks on the greater good but now he was not in the mood.
Suddenly, he raised his right hand above his head. A spear of light was rushing at him with supersonic speed, carrying waves of destructive force.
The air split apart and the entire surrounding was engulfed by ear-piercing sound. Just the pressure alone wiped out the flames and turned the debris into fine pieces.
BANG
The spear crashed against his palm and dissipated into dots of light. He motioned his hand like he was wiping some dust, and the light disappeared.
"Impossible!"
The revolutionaries who have rushed at the scene let out surprised gasps.
In the sky, a man named Sandy was floating, his expression filled with shock and disbelief. He has used his entire strength to launch the attack so that the enemy would not get time to react.
Yet the enemy destroyed the attack as if it was nothing.
"Just till when do you plan to look down at me?" Kiba asked as he made a grasping motion towards Sandy.
A horrifying pressure superimposed on Sandy's back as if he was carrying the load of a mountain. His teeth shattered and his cheeks stretched out right before he smashed into the ground. He groaned for the final time as his eyes turned listless.
"Sandy!" The other revolutionaries felt goosebumps all over the body.
"No way...he was a level III mutant and he didn't even survive a minute?!"
Just how strong was the enemy?!
By now, a dozen of revolutionaries have arrived next to Viper. Behind, turret muzzle of the tanks were aimed at Kiba. The battle droids landed around Kiba while the drones targetted him from the sky.
"I don't want to carry out an unnecessary slaughter." Kiba said as he glanced at the revolutionaries.
"So scram while you still have a chance."
Chapter 254 - More Difficult Than I Thought
The revolutionaries surrounded Kiba from all sides. It took them a while but now they have arrived to kill the enemy and protect their leader.
"Scram while you still have a chance."
Kiba warned as he moved towards Viper. He has no interest in killing others but if they persisted, he didn't mind carrying out a slaughter.
With each step, the temperature dropped and the revolutionaries started shivering. They were strong in their own right and drop in temperature should not affect them in ordinary situations, but now it was like Kiba's step was bringing them close to a chilling abyss.
"What's going on?" A revolutionary beside Viper muttered. The fine hair on the back of his neck turned straight and a tingling sensation of pain passed down his spine.
In the meantime, the air behind Kiba transformed into a chaotic mass of crimson. Blood-red snowflakes started pouring out of thin air.
"Manifestation of killing intent!" Viper was stunned.
"What?!" The revolutionaries gulped down in horror.
Viper has heard of such a phenomenon but never witnessed in life. As a mid-rank revolutionary, he has planned explosions around the world which have resulted in the deaths of at least ten thousand. But he couldn't manifest such a phenomenon.
Only a person who has killed countless directly could manifest killing intent in such fashion.
Viper felt his confidence drop. The opposite party was not only strong but was also ruthless.
"If he has killed so many then why isn't his name in the records?" Viper furrowed his bows. "With such heavy killing intent, the government should have sent him to Stormseal Island."
Stormseal Island was the greatest, maximum security prison under the direct supervision of the World Government. The worst of the worst criminals were prisoned there with heavy security arrangements.
"Most likely the government dogs allowed him to kill as he please for quid pro quo," Viper gritted his teeth. "And yet they have the galls to imprison generals of revolution in Stormseal Island."
For years, Lizenea has tried to invade Stormseal Island but without any success.
While Viper let his thoughts wander, his subordinates clenched their teeth and showed no sign of backing away despite the murderous atmosphere.
"Count Viper, you sure have got loyal followers," Kiba remarked coldly. "They would prefer to die than rather save themselves."
A revolutionary named Chris growled as he morphed into something extraordinary. His muscles expanded, tearing away the confines of his clothes. Veins bulged out of his neck and forehead while his eyes turned red. The skin on his arms opened to expose teeth resembling steel hooks.
At the same time, a mutant named Ted raised his head towards the sky and shouted. The side of his chest twisted and slowly, two additional arms break out. They were clawed and glinted with sinisterness. A red, sharp tail shot out from the end of his back.
Kevin leaped high in the sky and took out two silver guns. His body flickered and he disappeared in thin air. The others also rushed at the enemy while bringing out their powers.
Kiba stopped in his path. He has given them a chance and it was clear what they wanted.
Kevin appeared behind Kiba and aimed his guns at his enemy's head.
The guns were modified to launch with an explosive force that could destroy anything in its path. The shells of the bullets, on the other hand, were made from Molsqir - a mutated mineral. It was known for its low weight and its power to penetrate even the hardest metal.
Kevin didn't dare take a risk so he went all out from the start. He fired multiple bullets at explosive speed with a terrifying might.
The other members of the revolutionaries also took action at the same time. Ewan, an agility type mutant, turned into streams of shadows and created a whirlpool of dust. He wanted to confuse the senses of the enemy to give others a chance. His colleagues were adapted to his style so they wouldn't be affected.
The bullets were just a few centimeters away from Kiba's head when Chris appeared in front of Kiba. He stretched out his muscular arms and the hook-like teeth clamped down on Kiba's chest.
Meanwhile, above his head, Ted appeared. He whipped the sharp end of his tail down while small orbs of energy appeared in his four hands.
The ground below parted and energy projectiles shot out, aimed at Kiba's feet. Everything happened in less than ten seconds. The attack was well coordinated and in perfect sync. None of the 5-6 attackers has dared underestimated their opponent so they went all out.
Ganging up on a single opponent was not honorable. If others came to know of this, they would be laughed at and mocked. But to them, it didn't matter. After all, they were at Level II to Level III while the strength of the enemy was unknown.
They were just Gamma rank mutants. Even if the enemy was a low-level Beta rank mutant, they were sure they were on a disadvantage even with the combined might. The difference between each level was striking and the gap was wider between ranks. The difference could not be filled with quantity.
For the revolutionaries, the only thing that mattered was surviving this ordeal while buying Viper enough time to recover.
Kiba's expression remained the same. The bullets smashed into pieces just as they were about to strike his head. It was like there was a thin, invisible layer protecting him.
Chris's arms clamped down on Kiba like the mouth of a savage beast. The hook-like teeth touched his white shirt, and instead of piercing through blood and flesh, the teeth shattered like a piece of frail glass.
"AHHH!" Chris shouted in pain and agony. The teeth in his arms were just like the one in his mouth, and the pain of losing them was similar to having them ripped directly from his gums.
As Ted's tail arrived to nail in Kiba's head, the latter just tilted his head sidewards. The sharptail slide past and Kiba raised his right hand to grip it.
Ted lost control of his body and the energy balls in his hands disappeared. Like a piece of cloth, he was whipped towards the incoming energy projectiles from the ground.
Ted was terrified. The energy projectiles were to clamp Kiba on one place, and yet so far they were rooted on spot. When he collapsed on the ground with his head first, the energy projectiles shot at him.
"No!" Ted couldn't make sense of a thing. The energy projectiles were launched by his colleague so why were they shooting at him?!
They pierced his palms and clapped him on the ground.
Ewan was still running around Kiba and others at supersonic speed. The air was a whirlpool of soil and stones.
Kiba made a light flickering motion. A small stone in the whirlpool flashed with golden radiance. Like a broken star, the stone rolled through the whirlpool and caught up with the true body of Ewan. Before he could react at the defeat of his companions, the stone pierced through his forehead like an arrow and shot out from the back of his head.
Ewan stumbled down and collapsed on the floor. The whirlpool dissipated and the dirt fell all around. Everyone was covered with dust except for Kiba.
Behind him, Kevin gulped down in pure horror. It has not even been a minute from the time they launched the strike, and yet they were defeated like some dolls.
"Is this the difference between quantity and quality?!" Kevin thought in fright. He didn't dare take any risk and leaped backward to escape.
He was backing away when his eyes turned wide in disbelief. Without his own will, his own hands twisted the guns towards his face.
"This is mind control!" Kevin was trembling in fear. He tried his best to take control but failed as his fingers pulled the trigger.
"Nooo!"
Kevin cried for the last time as the specially made bullets penetrated through his face and broke out through his skull. Earlier a few revolutionaries thought the bullets were faulty, but now seeing how Kevin's head exploded like a watermelon, they no longer doubted the might of bullets.
The bullets were strong but not enough to even create a scratch on Kiba.
"Monster!" The twenty or so surviving revolutionaries were stunned. The well-coordinated attack of 5-6 of them failed so easily?!
They might be just Gama rank mutants but they were the best within their ranks. Not to mention, mutants with physical transformation were special and undefeatable in close combat.
Yet they failed to land even a single injury on a single individual who didn't use any deadly move or any action.
Some female revolutionaries who didn't participate in the battle unconsciously glanced at Chris and Ted with some contempt.
What was the use of those scary looking demonic transformation?! They were completely useless against that handsome man!
"How was this even a battle?! It was a purely one-sided..." A female revolutionary muttered. She didn't fear death due to the brainwashing she has undergone but she was frightened nevertheless.
Viper noticed the reactions of his subordinates. He felt bitter. A fight does not depend only on strength but also attitude. If one start fearing in a fight then the outcome was set.
"I still have my own trump card," Viper thought. "But I don't want to use it unless I have no choice."
The pain he was feeling has subsided. Even his injuries have fully healed thanks to his regenerative powers. His snake-like face was now back in shape with his scales fully healed.
"Use Formation E," Viper passed down command.
"Understood, sir."
The subordinates quickly started taking action. Viper and many of others in the meantime started rushing back to create a distance from Kiba. Even Chris and Ted backed away while they tried to suppress the pain from their injuries.
Kiba didn't stop them. The drones, in the sky, aimed at him and started firing laser shots. He was in the same spot but the moment the laser beams were about to crash on him, they deflected and landed on the ground. Dust and soil exploded out.
Just then, two droids broke out from the ground. They didn't attack, at least not in the usual manner. They lunged down and gripped Kiba's feet. Steel-like pipes stretched out from their bodies and penetrated the ground to ensure they didn't move from their spot.
The drones sensed destructive force coursing through his feet but since they were not humans, they continued to clutch him tightly. It was like they would ensure he was rooted on the spot.
Kiba aimed a hand towards the droids. Streams of golden energy concentrated on his palm, but just as he was about to attack, he stopped.
"Hmm?" Kiba turned his head to look behind.
One of the battle tanks became active. Waves of annihilative ripples surged in the turret muzzle. With a deafening rumble sound, a column of red light boomed out at supersonic speed.
The heat in the column of red light was far greater than an active volcano, and as it rushed forward, the air distorted. Dense red ripples radiated out from the column which struck the ground and created a crater hundred meter deep in less than a second.
The walloping force from the red column melted everything in its path as it rushed at Kiba.
The revolutionaries covered their eyes with their hands while trying to create as much distance as possible. They guarded themselves with all their might for they knew just how powerful the attack from the tank was.
The tanks were actually brought for the struggle that would break outside of core region. It was one of means to fight other organizations especially the government.
Even a Beta rank mutant would be completely helpless against the might of battle tanks.
Viper and others were sure of the outcome. Kiba was already rooted on the spot by the droids so there was no way he could escape in such a short time.
Kiba's expression didn't change. He stretched his right hand towards the coming attack.
Sss
A transparent, circular shield made of golden energy appeared in front of his hand.
BOOOOM
Powerful waves of destruction surged out as the column of light collided against the shield. The drones -which have clutched Kiba- melted in an instant.
Terrifying explosion swept out, swallowing everything in its path. The night sky was instantly lit up in this part of the forest by the flames.
The revolutionaries jolted in fear. They have already created a safe distance but just the waves send them flying through the air as if they have been smashed by a hammer.
A few unlucky ones instantly evaporated into bloody mist while others coughed up blood as the heat waves coursed through their bodies.
Viper lowered his hands as the heat waves turned weaker. He opened his eyes and looked ahead.
Everything was covered in dark smoke and there was no way to see anything.
Woosh~!
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a strong gale appeared in the area and swept away the smoke and dust. Above an enormous crater, Kiba was floating in the air.
"N-No! This can't be!" A male revolutionary instantly collapsed on his knees.
"How is this even possible?" Another revolutionary stumbled down as he backed away. His entire body was soaked with cold sweat despite the heat waves.
"You got to be kidding!"
"Everything was for nothing?!"
"Could it be that he is not a Beta but an Alpha?!"
"Even if he is an Alpha, just what exactly is his ability?!
"No idea!"
Kiba ignored their reactions. He raised his right hand and observed his knuckles from which drops of blood were streaming down and falling on his white sleeve.
"This is more difficult than I thought," Kiba remarked honestly. His voice was not loud but the revolutionaries heard it clearly.
A few of them coughed blood in anger.
Kiba, in a way, was actually praising them but for them, this praise was the worst insult they have ever received. They have used one of their trump cards even before the core region opened up, and what did it result in their fight against a monster?
A few drops of blood!
We are supposed to feel honored with this achievement?!
"Fuck! We are screwed!"
A revolutionary said what everyone else was thinking from a long time...
Chapter 255 - Sacrifice For Revolution
"We are screwed."
That was a common thought among the surviving revolutionaries.
If even a battle tank with the ability to kill a Beta rank mutant was useless then what were the chances of surviving against this monster?! They didn't fear death but they didn't want to die.
Even Viper felt his hopes being crushed. The only thing which relieved him was his trump card which was lying in his storage ring.
Meanwhile, above the crater, Kiba continued to float in mid-air. He lowered his hand as the minor injury on his knuckles healed automatically. The bloodstains on his sleeves disappeared thanks to the self-cleaning mechanism of the nanofibers which made his clothes.
His body turned transparent and he disappeared in thin air. There were no motion fluctuations in the air so the revolutionaries were sure he has teleported instead of moving at a speed which eyes could not detect.
"Where did he go?!" The revolutionaries were terrified. If he can even use teleportation then just what were the chances of leaving this place?
"He is not coming near us, right?" A middle-aged man asked.
The others were startled by the possibility. They quickly started looking around themselves. They were on guards but they knew they would be as helpless as pigs to be slaughtered by a butcher.
Seconds passed but there was no sign of Kiba. This state of waiting for the dreadful inevitable frightened them more than actually facing Kiba.
"Has he left?"
"Seems so."
"No! He is there!" A revolutionary pointed towards the battle tank that has launched the attack which resulted in Kiba losing a few drops of blood.
There were two operators inside the tank and when they looked at the monitor screen, they started trembling in fear. The tank was now in cooling period and they could not launch another strike for a few minutes.
"He should not be able to barge inside...so we are safe." An operator muttered. He wiped the sweat from his forehead while thinking he was worried for nothing.
The tank was reinforced with layers of mutated minerals with strong defense properties. Not even a head-on attack from a missile can make a dent on the tank. Then there were electromagnetic waves flowing through the outer layers which would ensure a teleporter could not teleport directly inside. The tanks were supposed to as a trump card so their defense was given far too much care.
"You are right," The other operator sighed in relief. "We just have to wait for the cooling period to pass and we will launch another attack."
The two operators smiled in unison. They clapped their hands eagerly before bringing their eyes on the monitor.
Much to their amazement, Kiba was nowhere on the screen.
"What?!"
The operators started checking other screens to find out Kiba but didn't find a single trace of him.
"Where did he go this time?!" The operators were having a bad premonition. They then thought of the only place where the cameras could not detect him.
They gulped down heavily before slowly turning their chairs to look behind. A chill passed through their spines as they confirmed their worst fear becoming true.
Kiba was sitting on a spare chair. His head was resting on his hands and there was a smile on his lips.
The operators wanted to curse the gods. How can he enter inside despite the protection of electromagnetic waves?!
They could accept if he has entered after launching some attacks. But they knew the truth. He has entered the tank as it was an abandoned house.
What truly frightened and angered them at the same time was his attitude. He was sitting as if he owned this tank!
"I have always wanted to own a tank," Kiba confirmed their suspicions. "And this tank is to my liking."
"S-sir," One of the operator pointed at a virtual console. "This is the command panel."
"Ailo!" The other operator was shocked.
How can a soldier of revolution betray so easily?! They would not open their mouth even under extreme torture and yet Ailo was easily sharing details without undergoing any torture.
Ailo didn't stop and he explained the controls. Kiba remained silent and listened to Ailo.
The other operator was incensed but he didn't dare interject in between. Ailo stopped after a minute, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. He was sure he has impressed Kiba and his life would be spared.
"Are you done?" Kiba asked without any emotions in his voice.
"Yes!" Ailo nodded his head.
Kiba raised two fingers and flash of light appeared on fingertips. The next second, sound of blood spluttering filled the tank as two energy blades pierced the necks of Ailo and the other operator.
Ailo looked at Kiba with wide eyes as he gasped for the final breath. He couldn't understand why he was not spared despite him sharing information so openly.
"I already gave you all a chance to escape but you didn't appreciate it," Kiba said coldly. "And I never spare those who try to kill me."
By the time Ailo's body fell down, Kiba was already gone from the tank.
***
Outside.
Viper was surrounded by his team as they rushed away from the destroyed camp house. He gripped his ring while praying the worst situation could be avoided.
"If I use it now then the plans would be spoiled," Viper thought. "But that man is an Alpha so.."
His elliptical pupils glinted while his forked tongue made a seething sound as he conversed with his subordinates. His scales protruded throughout his body into an armor of curved blades.
He was in the middle of passing instructions when the space in front of him twisted. Viper was startled and he leaped twenty meters back.
Kiba appeared at Viper's former spot. The revolutionaries were stunned and terrified by such close proximity with him.
A few of the weaker ones collapsed on the ground. Their faces turned ghastly pale as if the blood inside them was knocked out by a giant hammer.
"Damn! The soldiers of revolution would not accept defeat till their final breath!"
A revolutionary named Ellie gritted her teeth and pounced on Kiba. She opened her mouth wide and waves of energy concentrated in her mouth into a ball.
"I would buy a few seconds for Count Viper!" Ellie was not afraid of death. She believed she was helping the cause of revolution by providing aid to a greater general like Viper.
Viper was important for the revolution. She wanted him to survive and spread the flames of revolution around the world. She would not be able to look at the liberated world but she was sure her sacrifice would be remembered.
"Everything for the revolution!" Ellie thought as she launched the ball of energy on Kiba.
Kiba shook his head in slight frustration. He could sense her emotions and understand her intentions. He decided to respect her so-called sacrifice so he allowed her attack to strike him.
Her strike was strong but against someone like Kiba, it was futile. It was like a plastic ball was striking against a steel wall. The outcome was set.
Ellie was not surprised but her lips curled up in a smile. She has tried her best and that mattered to her the most. She has delayed him for a few seconds and that was a worthy contribution.
"The flames of revolution would melt the chains of slavery!" Ellie shouted as Kiba appeared in front of her. "The world would soon be freed from the greed of government!"
Kiba placed a finger on her forehead. She felt her eyes turning heavy as if sleep was overtaking her body. She collapsed on the ground and died without least bit of pain.
"Haah~" Kiba sighed loudly. He would not show mercy against his enemies but he didn't mind being lenient and giving her a painless death.
The reason for this was perhaps what occurred over a four years ago when Castor Damon and revolutionaries collaborated to use slum dwellers to explore BSE79. He still remembered the emotion-heavy speech given by a man with short blonde hairs in the slums. That blonde man was a revolutionary who flared the emotions of slum dwellers by giving them hope of the future and explaining the importance of sacrifice. (Chapter 144).
The speech was such that Zed was both impressed and terrified. That day he learned how words could be used to manipulate the thoughts of others...
Chapter 256 - Let Me Help You!
Kiba glanced at Ellie's corpse before letting out another sigh. She was dead but her expression was pleasant as if she has accomplished a great achievement.
Ellie reminded him of the true power of brainwashing.
The world is a funny place especially when it comes to those from the lower sections of the society. They are not taught HOW to think but rather taught WHAT to think.
This principle not only applied to the territory ruled by the world government but also to Lizenea - the home of those who call themselves revolutionaries. In fact, the principle of brainwashing was reinforced in the very soul of those born in Lizenea. From a very young age, they were taught the importance of 'freedom' and the meaning of sacrifice.
Of course, the government was no better with them glorifying the deeds of the Nine Sovereigns while vilifying the ancient kingdoms which ruled Earth before the age of evolution.
But Lizenea went overhead by trying to liberate the world by using its subjects to carry out explosions around the globe. Lizenea did offer an explanation though - The explosions were to destroy the foundations of the world government. While common people have died in large numbers, the main target of the explosions were those from high society or important establishments of the government.
Lizenea reminded the masses that violent revolution was a forced outcome given the power of the government. It was a different matter that Lizenea failed to popularise its views in society since all modes of propaganda were controlled by the government. History, tv, social media, public holidays, and so on. Everything was manipulated to glorify the holy founders of the world government.
As far as the masses were concerned, those from Lizenea were evil remnants of the ancient kingdoms who governed the people in the worst possible way. They believed the Nine Sovereigns should not have spared the evil remnants back then. If they were killed, then there would be no nation of terrorists.
The revolutionaries often countered this view with standard expression - one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Kiba didn't know the true history of the world so he has no idea about who was right and wrong. To be honest, it never really mattered to him.
As far as he was concerned, every organization - no matter its vision and objective - have only one aim: to bring power for those at the top. An organization might preach freedom and liberty, but if it comes to power, it was guaranteed that it would adapt dictatorial tendencies so that it never loses its power. The reason was simple: Power was not a means but an end.
This was why Kiba never cared who ruled the world. Revolutionaries or the world council, it didn't make a single difference to him.
Sometimes he thought he was rather lucky that he spend the first 17-18 years of his life in the slums. While the life in the slums was tough, at least his world views were not shaped by the subtle propaganda of the government or Lizenea. While the slums fell in the jurisdiction of the government, they were rather forgotten.
Kiba was grateful for this small mercy. This along with Veronica - who gifted him The Eternal Wisdom of Dream - made it possible that no one could ever teach him WHAT to think.
If not, perhaps he would not be the devious deviant he was now.
"Haah."
Kiba raised his head and looked at the other revolutionaries. He then brought his eyes on Viper.
Viper's facial features resembled a cobra with yellow skin tone. Due to mutated genes, some mutants would be born with deformities which would make them look different than a human. A few of such mutants would carry animalistic features and Viper was one of them.
"I must say you revolutionaries truly know how to brainwash," Kiba said while pointing at Ellie. "Tell me something though - Don't you ever feel awkward while planting a false image of your grandeur in the minds of your followers?"
Viper's forked tongue seethed at the words.
"Those at the bottom of society must always be ready to sacrifice themselves for some noble cause," Kiba said as he stepped ahead. "But those at the top always enjoy their lives to the fullest, accompanied by comfort and safety. I'm not complaining but don't you think it is a bit unfair?"
"You are referring to the society ruled by the government," Viper replied, his elliptical pupils carrying an ominous glint. "We revolutionaries are different. Every one of us lives for the betterment of the world."
"Really?" Kiba was amused despite his anger. "Then shouldn't you sacrifice yourself for the betterment of your followers? Surely, your followers are included in the world, right?"
"You don't understand. Lizenea is in a holy war against oppression and slavery," A middle-aged revolutionary spoke. "And in any war, the life of a general is more important than that of soldiers. A general must lead and the same applies to Count Viper."
"We all know he would gladly give away his life for us," Another revolutionary added. "But we wouldn't allow him to. He has a task he must accomplish and we would ensure he succeed."
"So you can say anything you want but our unity won't be broken," Another revolutionary concluded. "We are the fire of revolution, and even if we are extinguished, we would be replaced as long as a spark remains."
Kiba was rather surprised by the response. Then again, he thought, it was to be expected.
In fact, he would be shocked if his words could actually shake the pillars of the teachings they have received through their entire lives.
Viper, in the meantime, tapped his storage ring. He has decided to use his trump card if things turned worse.
"I guess you guys are right," Kiba nodded in understanding. "You are fighting a war so sacrifices are unavoidable, and in some cases, necessary."
The anger on his face was replaced by a serene expression.
Viper and others were stunned.
"You guys are doing so much for the betterment of the world," Kiba continued, his voice filled with warmth. "And here I'm trying to kill you instead of appreciating your contribution."
Viper checked his own ears to ensure he was not hearing wrong.
The enemy's voice is now filled with warmth?! And he is no longer angry despite them harming his sister in an explosion?!
Could this be true?! But then he has no reason to deceive, right? He is so strong so he doesn't have to lie.
Not to mention, his words are filled with sincerity and understanding.
"Please forgive me," Kiba made a slight bow to apologize. "My emotions made me forget just how much you guys have sacrificed."
"N-no, it is fine," Viper hurriedly said. "We understand your pain so no need to apologize."
He no longer tapped his hand on his ring. There was just no need to rely on the trump card.
"No, I have to," Kiba shook his head. "You guys sacrifice so much but what does the world think? They think you guys are terrorists!"
"....."
A sly light flashed in Viper's eyes as he comprehended Kiba's words.
"Maybe I can get him to help our cause," Viper mused in his heart. "Yes, that would be perfect."
"You are a general of revolution," Kiba continued with a sincere smile. "You carry so many responsibilities on your shoulders but you don't get any chance to relax and enjoy life."
"Right! I could use this as a reason to make him owe me a favor!" Viper thought while beaming. "He is so strong so he can definitely help in the conflict outside the core region."
"You don't have a wife or a girlfriend, right?" Kiba asked.
The question stunned everyone in silence. How was this question related to everything he said before?
"No," Viper answered honestly though surprised by the question. Prostitutes do serve him in the bed and so does his female followers but finding a wife or girlfriend was difficult due to his appearance. After all, life partner could not be just any random woman.
"Yes! I know how I can help lighten the burden you are carrying!" Kiba said with a pondering expression.
"?"
"I will help you find a life partner!" Kiba declared with a big smile. "Someone with whom you can share all your sorrows and also copulate without any worries! Someone who would love you!"
Viper was shocked out of his wits. He has just accepted that the enemy has given up vengeance but now... the opposite party didn't make any sense!
Others were startled, not knowing how to react. A few minutes ago he was about to kill Count Viper but now he wants to find him a life partner?!
Just what was going on?!
"No, please, there is no need," Viper quickly replied. "I'm devoted to revolution."
"Nonsense! You need a partner who can get your rocks off!" Kiba loudly said. "If you are having blue balls, how can you concentrate on your mission? If you don't copulate, how can the sparks of revolution pass to the next generation?"
Viper was left speechless. When he thought of Kiba's explanation, he actually thought his words made sense.
But what type of woman would find him attractive enough to become his life partner?!
Kiba put a hand below his chin as he thought for some time.
"Right! I found someone who would love you for what you are!" Kiba's eyes flashed. "And if I'm not reading it wrong, she has hots for you!"
"What?" Viper was having a hard time understanding the current situation.
Kiba stretched his hand towards the woods. He closed his eyes and made a grasping motion.
Swoosh.
A shadow burst through the woods at light speed. The next moment, the shadow appeared in Kiba's hand.
Everything happened so quickly that others could not even register the movements. And before they could see what was in Kiba's hand, he teleported from his place and appeared right in front of Viper.
Viper's pupils dilated and he instinctively backed away.
"Hey, I'm introducing you to your date," Kiba flicked a finger towards the ground. "And here you are being so rude."
Shua.
Spikes made of rock shot out from the ground. They caged Viper from all around and made it impossible for him to make a single movement.
The others were caught off guard by his speed so they were in a state of confusion and helplessness.
By this time, Viper has finally seen the 'date' Kiba has brought for the introduction. A look of shock, disbelief, and anger appeared on his face.
The other revolutionaries were terrified. They rubbed their eyes to see they were not imagining things.
Many of them felt their jaw dropping to the ground by the appearance of Viper's 'date'.
The date spanned for twenty meters. Its head was black with two crossbars near the snout and two behind the eyes. It has shiny black scales lined with bright yellow bands.
It was a Level II mutated Cobra!
"Your mouth is wide open... I guess you must be floored by her beauty," Kiba said with a smile. "Love at first sight?"
Viper's breathing turned heavy. What love at first sight?!
The cobra flicked its tongue as it said something.
"Oh?" Kiba looked at the cobra. "I understand."
Kiba brought his eyes on Viper and said, "You are one lucky bastard."
Viper furrowed his brows. He was sure the cobra just marked its displeasure and asked to be freed. So why is he calling him a lucky bastard?
"Man, you are making me jealous," Kiba said before letting out a low sigh. "You have only seen each other now and yet your date wants a kiss!"
Kiss?!
Viper's entire body turned cold. The hairs on his body turned straight while a chill passed through his spine.
"Now, kiss your date!" Kiba pushed Cobra's mouth on Viper's. "Remember, it is your first kiss so no tongue!"