B Block, Joonboy Enclave.
Zaire had been dragged here today by Amelia.
It had been three days since Zaire opened his eyes. Over the past couple of days, Amelia had carefully nursed him back to his best.
Due to the deaths of a few survivors and the maiming of a couple of others, the date for breaking into Teal City was postponed. The sixteen healthy survivors were now reduced to eleven, and only eight of those eleven could fight. The situation of the League of the Messiah was dire.
Many members tried to pry Zaire for some tea regarding his skills, but every such query was masterfully deflected by Amelia. Messiah tried to inquire as well.
Zaire watched Amelia act like a docile flower, warmly wrapping her palms around Messiah's. With a caring gaze, her honeyed voice flowed,
"Don't worry, Messiah. Everything is completely under control. He is... still under you."
The last part was whispered.
Conflict flickered across Messiah's face for a second, but any critical thinking disappeared when Amelia leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"You can trust me... baby."
The last word was his bane.
His eyes turned sedated, and in a voice that couldn't bear to disappoint, he uttered,
"Of course... baby. Why would I doubt you, Madame?"
Amelia smiled in response. It was a cute smile—the sort that showed subconscious subservience.
Messiah loved it.
He loved that the tables had turned.
He loved that the world had become fairer.
He loved that it was him who now exercised power over another.
And power over the very person he had so vehemently desired.
His power had turned the predatory smirk into a docile grin.
"Why does he love you so much?"
Back in Joonboy Enclave, Zaire suddenly asked.
"Don't you notice my beauty, boy?"
Zaire rolled his eyes.
The current Zaire was conflicted.
He hadn't known the survivors who had died well, but he had known them nonetheless—even if only exchanging a single pleasantry. He had done that.
Yet the current him really did feel nothing. Nothing—not a single flicker of sadness or sorrow.
Was it Perseverance, or just... a simple human adaptation to a new environment?
Zaire pondered.
Clicking his tongue, he circled back to the worse of the two: Perseverance.
Maybe it wasn't the correct answer, but conclusions had already been established—conclusions based on legitimate fear.
Zaire feared leveling Perseverance up further before Atlas returned.
But the contract he signed would ensure it leveled up.
He was going to kill a man.
Zaire knew it would mess him up. Scald his mind.
Of course, Perseverance would come in like a knight in shining armor and heal him—healing by dulling.
Fuck that... Healing by dulling—scoff—at least it has a nice ring to it.
"Amelia, can't I just, you know, confine him or something?"
"Absolutely not. Unless you want to forfeit your own life and never hear news about your girlfriend."
Amelia replied with a wonderful smile.
"She's not my girl, woman."
"I couldn't care less, boy... You want to save her? Do what you're told."
"You suck, you know that?"
"Do I?"
"Absolutely."
"You know what, Zaire?"
"What?"
With her charming smile, she replied,
"I don't give a single fuck about how you perceive me. But hearing the same insult again and again gets fucking annoying. All I'll say is, know your place."
Zaire shrugged. It was an implicit agreement.
Zaire had called Amelia a "horrible woman" in all sorts of ways.
He had thought about how he knew absolutely nothing about her.
Of course, he didn't forgive her actions. But he knew stealing was different when done by a hungry beggar compared to some ordinary man.
Zaire smiled longingly as he immediately thought of what Nala would say:
"Zaire, she did you dirty. Her actions toward you were unequivocally evil. Thus, she is wrong. You shouldn't apologize for showing her the mirror."
She really is my opposite, haha.
The conversation died down quickly after Amelia's stern warning.
Zaire still denied being a champion, and Amelia was not of the prying nature—especially toward someone already under her "contractually."
Under the excuse of getting Zaire back to his best, Amelia organized today's excursion. The idea had been pushed to her by Zaire, as he wanted to reach his hundredth kill. Amelia acted as the front and facilitated the plan.
The other survivors were told by both that he had evolved during the last excursion and that his skill had saved him against the Level 2 beast. His skill: Rock Bullet.
Zaire mentioned that he practiced sharpshooting as a hobby, and Amelia reaffirmed his statements.
Every bloody thing told was a lie.
"How many left?"
Amelia broke the silence.
"Two."
"Good. Let's finish it fast... This huge enclave has been cleaned spotless by us, hah!"
The last couple of killings were very uneventful.
The duo spotted the beasts, and Zaire shot from afar.
Bang. Bang.
And just like that, Zaire leveled up.
Myriad lights surged from within Zaire. Amelia stepped back and watched, enthralled.
Zaire felt magike surge into his veins.
He felt no pain—just power.
Soon, the light subsided.
The purple stat sheet floating in front of him showed a new skill—one that made Zaire scoff and rub his face.
[ZAIRE ZONTES - THE GAIAN CHAMPION OF TITAN COMMANDER ATLAS]
[LEVEL 2 (0/100)]
[VITALITY - 100/100]
[STRENGTH - 12]
[AGILITY - 12]
[ENDURANCE - 16]
[WILL - 10]
[MAGIKE - 4 (1 regeneration per hour). CURRENT: 4/4]
[SKILLS:]
[PERSEVERANCE (LEVEL 4) - Increases mental resolve against tribulations. Provides resistance to overwhelming emotionality. Directly increases WILL upon leveling up. (Passive)]
[TERRA BULLET (LEVEL 3) - Bullets made of Magike. 1 Magike to create, 1 to launch. (Active)]
[BLOOD OF ATLAS (LEVEL 2) - Grants a trace of Primordial Titan power. Extremely destructive; advised for use only as a last resort. Vitality drops to 1 upon use. Current duration: 10 seconds. (Active)]
[RESOLUTION (LEVEL 5) - Increases physical capacity to withstand tribulations. Directly increases ENDURANCE upon leveling up. (Passive)]
[THOROUGH PONDER (LEVEL 1) - Peer into the life of the beast you kill. Only viable toward beasts of the same level or higher. (Passive)]
It was a fucking machine for farming Perseverance.
Goddamn it!