CHAPTER 5: HUMAN EXP

""Thank you, sir and ma'am," the elder of the group said, his voice filled with heartfelt gratitude. His kind eyes, etched with worry lines, conveyed the depth of their reliance on Hazel and Blossom. He knew they owed their lives to these two strangers.

"You're welcome," Hazel replied, though a part of him still felt a little detached. "But it looked like you had things under control with that barrier."

The elder shook his head, a sad smile touching his lips. "Ah, no, sir. That was a skill one of our people possesses, but it's not without its drawbacks. It requires monster cores to sustain."

"Monster cores?" Hazel asked, his curiosity piqued. He hadn't encountered anything like that in the monsters they had fought.

"They're usually found within the monster's brain, though sometimes in other parts of their bodies," the elder explained, his gaze drifting downwards with a hint of sorrow.

"What happens if you use the barrier without a core?" Hazel pressed, noticing the elder's change in demeanor.

The elder's shoulders slumped. "The barrier can still be activated, but in exchange for the missing core's energy, it drains the user's life force. We've already lost two young men and a little boy that way," he said, his voice heavy with grief. Hazel could see the pain etched on his face; the loss was clearly profound.

"I... I don't know how to thank you enough," Hazel said, a sense of responsibility settling upon him. "To repay you, I promise to find enough monster cores to power your barrier for a long time."

"Oh, no, sir, I couldn't ask that of you," the elder protested, waving his hand. But Hazel was resolute. "Consider it repayment for your kindness," he insisted.

Suddenly, a frantic shout echoed from outside. "They're back! Everyone inside, quickly!"

The elder's eyes widened with alarm, and he hurried towards the entrance. Hazel and Blossom, who had been in a small room, also rose, their instincts screaming danger. They reached the doorway just as the elder was about to step out.

"No, please, let me handle this," the elder pleaded, blocking their path. Hazel frowned, wondering what the old man could possibly do against another monster attack. He glanced out a nearby window and saw a group of rough-looking individuals on motorcycles gathered in front of the building.

"Old man, what do you have for us today?" the leader of the biker gang demanded, his voice laced with menace.

"I... I'm sorry," the elder stammered, his voice trembling slightly. "We don't have any monster cores. We've tried to hunt, but..." Before he could finish, one of the bikers threw a rock, striking the elder's shoulder.

"What the hell are you saying, old man?" another gang member snarled. "Go inside and bring us the cores, now!"

"Please, I'm telling the truth. We have none," the elder pleaded, sinking to his knees.

A wave of displeasure washed over Hazel and Blossom. This wasn't a monster; it was something far more human, and far more cruel.

"If you don't bring out the cores I'm asking for, we're going to kill all your children and come back tomorrow for the rest of you," the gang leader threatened, his tone chillingly serious.

Hazel was about to intervene when he noticed Blossom. She had already moved past him, her face a mask of cold fury, a look he had never seen on her, not even in the face of the Grim Reaper.

"Leave this place," Blossom stated, her voice dangerously low, "and never return if you value your lives."

The gang leader dismounted his bike, a smirk spreading across his face. "Wow, you're a feisty one, aren't you? Think you can take me on, sweetheart? Surrender now, and maybe I'll consider making you my personal attendant," he said, leering at her.

"Boss, don't hog her all to yourself," one of his cronies called out, and others chimed in with crude suggestions.

A raw surge of anger erupted within Hazel. His aura flared, an invisible pressure building in the small room, causing the survivors to gasp and clutch at their throats. A young boy tugged frantically at Hazel's sleeve. "Sir... please... stop..."

Hazel blinked, the haze of his rage dissipating. He looked around, horrified to see the distress he was causing. "I... I'm sorry," he stammered, his control returning.

Blossom remained silent, her intense gaze fixed on the gang leader. His arrogance grew. He strode towards Blossom and grabbed a handful of her pink hair, yanking her head back. The elder, witnessing this blatant aggression, lunged forward, grabbing the gang leader's arm.

"Please, sir, let go of her," the elder pleaded, his grip surprisingly firm.

"How dare you, you filthy old man!" the gang leader roared, raising his free hand to strike the elder. In that instant, Blossom moved. Her katana flashed, severing the gang leader's hand at the wrist in a clean, swift motion.

The gang leader shrieked, clutching his bleeding stump, his bravado dissolving into terrified sobs. His gang members scrambled off their bikes, ready to avenge their leader. But then Hazel emerged from the building, his face set in a grim, almost demonic expression. His dark clothing and hair seemed to amplify the menacing aura that now radiated from him.

The remaining gang members saw the deadly intent in Hazel's eyes. They knew they were outmatched. Without a word, they leaped back onto their bikes and sped away.

Hazel summoned his scythe, the black metal gleaming ominously. Fueled by his rage, he hurled it after the fleeing gang.

The scythe returned to his hand, seemingly without having touched the bikers. For a moment, Hazel thought he had failed. But then, one by one, the bikers' heads detached from their bodies, their motorcycles veering wildly before crashing and exploding in fiery bursts.

[Player has killed 5 other players]

[Player has gained 500 EXP]

[Player has leveled up ×5]

[Player has gained 5 soul points]

[Soul Summon has leveled up]

[You can now summon a total of 3 warriors]

Wow, you can get EXP from killing other players, Hazel thought, a dark smirk twisting his lips. A strange, monstrous energy seemed to thrum within him.

"I don't know what soul points are, but I can check later," he mused. More subordinates... maybe I will become a ruler one day.

The gang leader, miraculously still alive despite his severed hand, witnessed the gruesome end of his crew. His bravado was completely gone, replaced by whimpering terror. He began to beg for his life, offering anything for their mercy.

"Prove your worth, or die," Hazel said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, his face an impassive mask.

"I... I have a thousand monster cores stashed away! And I know a core exchange station! I can take you there!" the gang leader stammered, his eyes wide with desperation.

"Okay," Hazel replied flatly. "Take us there."

The gang leader, his remaining hand clutched tightly to his bleeding stump, led Hazel and Blossom towards an abandoned police station. The building was dilapidated and half-destroyed, a testament to the chaos of the new world.

"Where is it?" Hazel asked, his tone still hard.

"It's inside, sir," the gang leader replied, his voice weak.

"Lead the way," Hazel commanded.

They entered the decaying building, eventually reaching a room containing a dusty, non-functional computer and a bag filled with golden, spherical objects.

"Where is it?" Hazel repeated, suspicion lacing his voice.

"Here, sir," the gang leader said, pointing to the bag of golden balls. "These are the monster cores. And that," he gestured to the broken computer, "is the core exchange station."

"How does it work?" Hazel asked, his curiosity battling his distrust.

"You just... place your palm on it, and it turns on," the gang leader explained nervously.

Hazel's skepticism was evident. "Try it yourself. Let me see."

The gang leader, wincing, placed his remaining hand on the computer. To Hazel's surprise, it flickered to life. "It depends on how many cores you put in," the gang leader continued, "that determines what you can get in return."

"Every player has their core storage in another dimension within the system," the gang leader elaborated, "It depends on how many monsters you've killed. You can access and withdraw them whenever you want."

Intrigued, Hazel focused his thoughts. "System, show me my core storage."

A notification appeared before his eyes: [Player Core Storage: 1050]

"Wait a minute," Hazel exclaimed, surprised. "How do I have so many? I haven't killed that many monsters."

"Well," the gang leader mumbled, "it's probably because of my gang... the ones you killed. They had cores too."

"How many cores do you have, Blossom?" Hazel asked.

"Mine is 1500," Blossom replied, her voice as even as ever.

"That makes sense, I guess," Hazel mused. "She's been doing most of the killing."

Suddenly, a bright flash erupted from the computer screen. In that same instant, the gang leader pulled out a small pistol with his remaining hand, aiming it at Hazel. But Blossom reacted with inhuman speed. Before the gang leader could even squeeze the trigger, her katana flashed again, severing his other hand.

"You should have thought twice before trying to double-cross me," Hazel said, his voice chillingly calm. "Finish him, Blossom."

Blossom complied without a word. Her blade ended the gang leader's life. A new notification appeared in Hazel's mind:

[Your subordinate has killed a player. You have gained 1 soul point.]

Hazel turned back to the elder, a bag of golden cores now in his hand. He offered it to the old man. "Here. This should help." Without waiting for a response, Hazel and Blossom turned and left the abandoned police station, stepping back into the uncertain dawn of the ravaged world.