Chapter 39: Finally reaching the Gym

"Nooo we forgot the other chest! The loot! The gold! Hurry up, hurry up before someone else takes it!" 

He hurriedly stuffed the suit into his bag, snatching up his two-handed axe before running off towards the direction of his overlooked chest. Both Arachne and Grim quickly followed, while Arachne made sure to bring her food along, dragging the bodies behind her.

It didn't take long for them to reach the area where they encountered Grim and the other mantis. Along the way, Noah observed multiple people from time to time, either running in their direction or already heading towards the cafeteria or the gym.

"Tsk, so the ones who left for their cars are finally returning. That also means they'll be bringing 'friends' with them…"

While he tried to make a mental plan for the upcoming future, he scanned the area for the chest, which didn't take him long to find. They had encountered the dead mantis alongside one of the walkways that branched off towards a small road. Not far beside laid a chest.

However, even though he noticed the chest, Noah still managed to overlook it the first time. In his mind, it couldn't have been his because the chest was wide open. Not only did he not want to believe it, he just couldn't come to terms with what his eyes were seeing. Who goes around collecting other people's chests? What game allows someone to take another's loot? The thought spurred a deep hatred towards the thief in question.

Anger would've easily consumed him if this were truly a game. His anger subsided instantaneously as he reminded himself that it isn't a game, no matter how much he's been enjoying himself.

He processed his thoughts over the stolen loot despite the fact that he continued to walk towards the chest. He just had to see if the people were even considerate enough to leave anything behind for him.

"Urgh, Noah, you're so stupid! And the chest was even silver! Damnit!" He felt more upset with himself than the people who stole his belongings. He was so caught up with taming Grim and being fascinated with his webbly powers that he forgot about the chest. Well, it also only appeared by the mantis that Arachne killed, so he never saw it appear, but he couldn't use that as an excuse. That's money for the skill he needs!

"Hey! Watch out behind you!"

"Bailey, can you worry about yourself for once?"

"Oh, hush it! I guess I should've worried about myself instead of saving you earlier too, huh?"

After hearing the voices coming his way, Noah shook himself out of his self-loathing mood. He looked up to find a group of four heading towards him. It occurred to him that they came from the direction of the gym, but he couldn't tell what they were doing out here or where they were headed. Unlike the groups of useless people he's seen so far, this group seemed to have adapted.

It took him a moment until he finally comprehended what they were yelling earlier. Foreseeing how the interaction was going to go, he didn't want to deal with them at this time or any time for that matter, so he tried to let it be known.

"Don't come over! I don't need any help here!" He waved them off as he yelled, a lack of emotion evident in his tone. To make sure there weren't any misunderstandings this time, he walked over to Arachne to rub her hairs. She was a proud spider, but a spider that loved to be pampered, as she enjoyed the sudden show of affection.

However, his intentions didn't have the effect he wanted. The group slowed down, but for some odd reason, they continued to head over. This action left Noah frowning in annoyance.

The trio was almost upon him before one of the males held Bailey back.

Gasp! "Bailey, wait! He's covered in blood… This isn't a good idea! An-and his eyes! Look at them! He might be one of 'them'." He tried to whisper, and yet his emotions made him unaware of the volume of his own voice. How could he not feel on edge when Noah's bloody figure was threatening to see, especially if you consider the giant bugs by his side? However, what broke the line between just being threatening and being utterly horrifying was his new addition of pupils. His sclera was hardly noticeable, all that remained were the two pitch-black pupils in each eye.

It didn't help that due to his fatigue, Noah's gaze was more menacing than before as his eyes narrowed more to focus on his target.

This was one of the reasons Noah didn't want to interact with humans. They would constantly judge you, and when the majority of them believe in that judgment, then their word becomes the truth. It's frustrating to deal with.

Noah felt uncertain where this interaction was leading, but he was prepared for any outcome. As the three individuals stood before him, his sharp instincts went to work, gauging their potential threat levels. Among them, Noah sensed a maturity in the girl's stance and her clear gaze that made him assume she was the leader, commanding his highest attention. With a classic tomboyish appearance, she sported short black hair and stood at around 5'7" with an athletic physique. Despite the sincerity in her amber gaze, there was a sharpness about her that warned of her ability to defend herself. 

Noah observed her wielding a spear with both hands, the dried blood on the tip of her spear, her clothes splattered with the same. It was evident that she had her wits about her, wearing a jacket over her clothes to avoid zombie scratches.

Noah's gaze shifted to the other two figures beside the girl, only to be met with a surprising sight, a large-sized squirrel standing next to the person who had failed to whisper earlier. The squirrel reached to his knee if it were to stand on its hind legs. Its teeth resembled a beaver while its tail was twice the size of its body.

The man, likely Blake, stood alongside the girl, also wielding a spear and wearing a similar protective jacket. Noah noted his role as a tamer, and also the way he mirrored the girl's choice of attire and weapons.

Noah meticulously assessed them all, however, his eyes stopped a little bit longer on the final figure. Silent throughout the encounter, the man's vigilant gaze never wavered, constantly assessing Noah and his companions.

He was a towering figure, around 6'5'', with a full beard and a robust physique. His appearance made Noah question if he really attended this school. His appearance was staggering, but what stood out to him more was the massive hammer he effortlessly wielded with one hand, paired with a sizable sturdy shield gripped firmly in the other. This guy clearly received an achievement skill or he was simply as high a level as Noah was.

Despite Noah's assumption that the interaction would turn out the same as all the others, he noticed a shift in the girl's expression. There was a subtle hint of concern in her eyes that Noah couldn't make out why.

"Are you stupid, Blake?" She snapped, her voice filled with exasperation. "You've seen what Paul can do, yet you think 'his' eyes make him a monster? I swear I don't know why I let you follow us, go back to the gymnasium if you're so scared." With a sigh, she turned back to Noah, her demeanor softening slightly while she took a step forward.

"I'm sorry if we offended you. My friend isn't exactly bright, but he's still a good person at heart. By the way, my name is Bailey. You said you didn't need any help, but I just couldn't help but worry after seeing all the blood…"

As the two groups stood in silence, an unspoken tension began to permeate the air, thickening the atmosphere unintentionally. Bailey stood before Noah, her eyes searching his face for any sign of reaction, while Noah remained outwardly composed, quietly wishing for their departure.

As Noah's mind raced with thoughts, one in particular lingered: 'She said she wanted to check, and now that she checked, why is she still here?' was one of the things going through his mind. Alongside this pondering, his thoughts also drifted to the person called Paul, the person who was said to have a transformation skill. His eyes wandered to the big lug beside them, wondering if he was the one they mentioned and what kind of transformation skill he might possess. Before Noah could delve deeper into his thoughts, Bailey interjected.

"S-Say…." Bailey's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her nerves betraying her despite her efforts to appear composed. Her eyes, however, remained locked with Noah's.

"It's not really safe to be by yourself." She continued, her concern showing even more. "If you want, then you can join us. We're staying at the gymnasium, but right now we are on our way to the cafeteria to see if we can secure food for everyone. How about it?" She waited eagerly for his answer; he and his tamed creatures could be a huge help to their group. Additionally, he might be able to help Blake with his role as a monster tamer.

As she awaited his response, her gaze softened with hope. She saw potential in Noah and his tamed creatures, not just as allies but as valuable members of their group.

Noah was surprised that someone was actually asking him for something instead of commanding him. In the world of the egotist and the pampered, it seemed that ordering around was something common between them all. Despite his surprise, Noah was quick to see through such tactics. 'Heh…you think you can use me for protection to fulfill your own needs? Too bad I read a lot about situations like this before.'

"I was planning on going to the gym right now, but I don't plan on following anyone. Now if that's all, then I'll be on my way." 

Bailey was honestly surprised that he denied her, considering how dangerous the world is currently. She believed she possessed more knowledge than the man before her. Like many others, she had attempted to leave by car, only to find out that the outside world was just as bad as here, if not worse.

Not only was she surprised, but she was also disappointed. Unlike what Noah assumed, she also proposed to have him in their group because she was a good-natured person. Yet she knows that if you try to reason with someone that you didn't have any bad intentions, then it just makes it less believable.

On the other hand, she couldn't let it go just like that! He was heading to the place they were using as shelter. She was sure they would meet again, so she silently watched them leave, her mind swirling with thoughts and questions.

"Let's go, you two. Wait! When did you go back to get those??"

It was a peculiar sight to see; Noah appeared so serious and threatening, yet he started to bicker with his spider, which was dragging what she assumed to be eight bodies ensnared in webs.

Seeing that he never once looked at them with hostility, she comforted herself to believe that the bodies were likely just those of zombies. She was relieved that her companions weren't like the others, she half-expected them to intervene and stop Noah from leaving. However, as Noah passed by, she noticed him pause and turn back around. She almost couldn't hold back a smile, hopeful, thinking that he reconsidered.

"Also, If you have any gold, I can perhaps sell a few things to your group. Later!"

He dashed off again without waiting for their response, leaving the group confused about his cryptic message until Bailey spoke out her thoughts.

"What does he mean by 'sell'? Does he mean the gold we've been picking up from the chest? Just….how much does he know?"

"That's not important, Bailey. That guy is creepy. I'd say it's better that he didn't join us," Blake interjected, a shiver involuntarily running down his spine at the thought of Noah. "I wouldn't want a guy with so many eyes watching my back. Just his insects alone give me the creeps, unlike my little guy. Don't you think so too, Paul?"

The two turned to the silent giant, expecting agreement, but noticed something peculiar. His eyes never ceased to watch Noah running in the distance. His expression was unreadable yet somehow intense, as if Noah's presence made him doubt his own strength.

"That guy….he's too dangerous…more dangerous than the thing back there…" Paul spoke in measured pauses, his words delivered with a weight that sent a chill down their spines. Though they were accustomed to his manner of speaking, his admission still managed to shock them.

"Is it your skill? Are you sure? That thing was able to take out so many people, no way that's true!" Blake was quick to rebuke the claim. The memory of the monstrous creature they had encountered at the side entrance to leave the campus would haunt him forever, its grotesque form etched into his mind. He couldn't accept that someone as creepy and detached as Noah could be so terrifying. Despite Blake's disbelief, Paul no longer engaged in the conversation, he felt he already said what was necessary.

"Sigh…let's just do what we set out to do, we can discuss this later." Bailey's voice broke the silence, the weight of Paul's warning weighed heavily on her mind. Although her thoughts were filled with doubt and fear, she understood that continuing the conversation would only serve to further dampen their spirits.

Meanwhile, Noah finally reached the building, which was massive in scale. There was a basketball court with stands capable of accommodating almost 25,000 people, connected to this was the locker rooms serving as access points to the adjacent areas. The gym was designed in the shape of a flat T. On either side of the locker rooms were the pool area and the gymnastics area, respectively, with the latter containing a weight room on the top floor.

Noah's destination was the gymnastic area. He already considered the room to be somewhat of a sanctuary of sorts when he wasn't reading. Its expansive layout provided ample space for both Arachne and Grim to move around comfortably, making it an ideal spot for their current situation.

Circling cautiously around the building, Noah and his companions made their way directly to the gymnastic area, aiming to avoid any confrontations with others. He was particularly wary after his recent encounters and preferred to steer clear of further interactions, especially "good-hearted" people.

'That girl said they had a group here. I'm sure they are in the court area considering that area has the most space if the audience stands were folded in.' Noah recalled the information from his encounter with Bailey.

Thankfully, the gym was always open, so he didn't need to worry about the doors being locked. As Noah entered, motion sensor lights illuminated the room, revealing various gymnastics stations scattered about. Despite the equipment, the space felt uncluttered. His intention was clear; he intended to only use this area as a resting spot, preferring not to use anything beyond the confines of the locker room.

"I want you two to stay here and protect my stuff. I won't be long." Noah instructed, placing his bag and weapon on a nearby bench in the locker area. Due to his cautious nature, he never removed the metal gloves from his hands, allowing him to be ready for any potential threat if even "unarmed".

Despite the new world's lack of order, he still went into the boys' locker room. He was surprised to hear the sound of people in the showers. He couldn't understand why anyone else would decide to wash up at this time unless they were just as dirty as him. Despite their presence, he would rather ignore them, which proved to be difficult to do when hearing the discussion they were having.