Love or lust?

Emma got to her feet and gulped a mouthful of air. She could barely make out the silhouette of the creature facing Brennus. Just its crimson eyes and bestial growls sent chills up her spine. Something told her this creature was absolutely after their lives.

Her legs wobbled. However, seeing Brennus facing the creature alone brought some bad memories. She gritted her teeth.

'I can't stay like this. Even though he won't die, I can't let him face everything alone.'

Their fates were intertwined the moment she accepted his offer. If she couldn't stand up now, then how the hell will she fend off the real monsters of New York.

"Stay there. I can handle it," Brennus said and lunged at the creature. His sword lit up the creature's face.

'Is that a werewolf?'

Brennus's voice carried calmness, so did his unhesitating figure. As if he didn't put this monster right out of someone's nightmare in his eyes.

"I'll… help."

She had gained a bit more control over telepathy after subduing the snake. A small distraction will help Brennus in getting the victory.

'Be calm like him, and divert the werewolf's mind.'

She acted on her plan of reading the creature's thoughts. She could only discern overwhelming impulses of violence and urges to consume. She implanted her ideas within the creature's stream of consciousness, intertwining them in a maze-like structure.

The werewolf's claw reaching for Brennus's chest froze. Brennus instantly guessed the reason and thrust the Bloodbane through its chest. The blade sliced through its dense muscles like a knife through the butter.

"Urghaah!" The creature groaned in pain.

Brennus's innate senses kicked in as he let go of the sword and lightly stepped aside. The werewolf's kick missed him but the shockwave created a veil of dust.

The werewolf dashed, its destination was none other than Emma.

'Oh shit!'

Brennus ran, as far his body allowed. The werewolf sensed Emma's trick and wanted revenge.

The werewolf already beat him as it stood before Emma and swung its claws.

Emma shivered as every part of her body stilled, enveloped in a cold numbness. Memories far too old emerged before her. Emma realized everything that was happening.

Death was crawling toward her.

Her survival instincts took over, snapping her out of shock. She squeezed out every ounce of her mental power to stop the werewolf. A trail of blood dripped down her nose as she tried to overpower the violent creature.

Her snake friend coiled around the werewolf's neck to help her.

Emma bought enough time for Brennus. He couldn't handle the speed and crashed into the werewolf.

Looking at the stunned werewolf under him, Brennus couldn't control his anger. He threw his sword and plummeted the wolf's head.

"Damn. Your. Superhuman. Regeneration."

His fist only stopped when there was no head left.

[+3600 XP]

[Level up!]

[5 Stat Points received!]

Brennus looked over to Emma. Her pale face and the bloody nose showed how much she pushed herself. He wiped her bloody nose with his sleeve.

They both made a mistake — Emma trying to help when he denied it beforehand, and Brennus falling for the most cliché trick.

"Great job."

Emma looked at him skeptically. She had no idea if it was sarcasm or sincerity. Her little ego took it as the latter.

"Even you can lose your calm," Emma whispered, recalling his violent side. He was angry for her sake, making her a tiny bit happy.

"Let's rest for a bit."

Emma nodded at his suggestion. Her dizzy head eagerly required rest.

"Where'd we rest though?" Emma asked.

Brennus cleaned all the traces of blood from himself and Emma and picked the Bloodbane that was thrown by the werewolf.

"Look at that guy."

Brennus turned at Emma's voice. The snake was swallowing the chunks of the werewolf's smashed head.

"Let him."

He was curious what would come out of it.

Minutes later, a green glow enveloped the snake. As it died, Brennus noticed a few surprising changes — it became a level 5 Infant Ghost Snake, the scales on its body became paler, and its body grew more than twice.

Brennus deadpanned while Lady Death chuckled.

"Werewolves are mythical creatures for a reason."

The snake ignored Emma's calls and slithered up Brennus's legs before coiling around his arm.

'It will evolve from eating?'

"I don't know."

She wasn't going to tell.

"What happened to it?" Emma asked, observing the snake up close.

"It leveled up."

"Level what? Is that a game reference?"

"I'll tell later. Rest first."

"Kay."

Brennus glanced up. The moon was shining at its finest. Was it responsible for making the werewolf berserk like it happened in the stories? He could survive a bunch, but Emma wouldn't.

'I'll carry her until then.'

After all, Emma was supposed to become a strong mutant someday if Lady Death said. He always took her words with a pinch of salt. Even so, she never lied.

Brennus traveled deeper into the forest. He stopped before a river and stared at the lights flickering through the trees.

"Do you hear that? Is that the sound of a drum?"

Brennus nodded. "Seems so. Might be the barbarians I told you before."

Emma shuddered and hugged him. "Let's turn back. I read that they raped every woman they encountered."

"You think I'll let them?" Brennus muttered. "Well, you can't rest there. We need to find another place."

It will turn into a massacre the moment he encounters them.

'Can Emma endure the sight?'

She didn't react much to Lester's death, so she should be fine.

The two roamed and finally came across an empty shed. Brennus checked the surroundings to find nothing. Emma and Brennus cleaned the place and made a temporary bed.

"Someone might still live here. You can lie here. I'll keep watch outside."

Emma laid on the bed and closed her eyes. Brennus covered her with a blanket. The simple gesture earned a happy smile from Emma.

'She is so easy.'

"My legs were about to break… You haven't rested since yesterday," Emma said and flipped a side of the blanket. "Come, we can leave the watch to our new friend."

The snake hissed in agreement, at least Brennus hoped it did.

"Should we name it?" Emma nodded as she stared at the snake. "Medusa. Yes, Medusa!"

"...Sure."

The green serpent, now Medusa, rubbed its head on Brennus's palm before rushing out of the shed.

Brennus kept his sword on the side and slipped into the blanket. He wasn't feeling particularly tired, but he might as well take a nap.

It never hurt to take a nap!

Brennus allocated the new points to dexterity. The real world wasn't as forgiving as this world. He had seen a man way faster than this werewolf.

"Quicksilver, huh."

Brennus circulated his Divine Essence inside his body since it progressed his skill.

Three hours passed, he couldn't sleep. Divine Essence manipulation skill leveled up again, bringing the range up to 3.5 meters and reducing the overall cost again.

He glanced at Emma clutching his shirt in deep sleep. The sight made him chuckle, while implanting a question in his head.

"Is my heart becoming soft?"

All the women he slept with, he never cared for someone. His heart had frozen after the training they put him through.

'Is this what they call love or it's pure lust?'

It was hard to tell. He closed his eyes. Who cared if it was love or lust? He had plenty of time to think about it after wiping out Hydra and getting Nick Fury off his back.

Emma stirred from her sleep, ending Brennus's deep thoughts. She stretched with an energetic smile.

"I'm ready!"

"Women are truly hard to understand," Brennus whispered, seeing her sudden change. Perhaps the sleep made her forget the encounter with the werewolf.

Emma grinned. "Then don't try to~."

***

Name: Brennus

Level: 13 (95.23% to next level)

HP: 740/740

SP: 500/500

Current Race: Low-rank Angel

Class: Blood Reaper

Title: Limb Butcher

Traits: Barbarian, Scholar, Cosmic Dweller, Aphrodite's Child, Super Sense, Master Swordsman, Master Smith.

Strength: 60 (+5 from Unholy Vengeance, +10 from Bloodbane Sword)

Vitality: 74

Dexterity: 75 (+10 From Reaper's Shroud)

Intelligence: 50 (+5 From Unholy Vengeance)

Wisdom: 50 (+5 From Reaper's Shroud)

Luck: 35

Stat Points: 0

Skills:

[Death's Blessing Lvl. Max (Passive)]

[Beyond Death Lvl. Max (Passive)]

[Mystic Wings (Active) Lvl. 1]

[Divine Essence Manipulation Lvl. 6 (Active)]

[Ignore Lvl. 2 (Passive)]

[Telepathy Lvl. 3 (Active)]

[Sword Mastery Lvl. 6 (Passive)]

[Levitation Lvl. 1 (Active)]

[Create Dungeon Lvl. 2 (Active)]

[Poker Face Lvl. 1 (Passive)]

[Battle Instincts Lvl. 1 (Passive)]

[Shadow Blood Lvl. 1 (Passive)]

[Kill Counter Lvl. 1 (Passive)]

[Burning Sword Lvl. 1 (Active)]

[Mortal Contract Lvl. 1 (Active)]

Current Quests:

[An Eye for an Eye, a Soul for a Soul]

[The Real Angel of Death]

[The Forgotten Past]

Current Equipment:

[Unholy Vengeance (E)]

[Reaper's Shroud (D)]

[Blessed pendant (D)]

[Fire extinguisher (F)]

[Club Gaming Console (D)]