I Reject Quests

The boy's eyes were left open. Hanging by the spear that went through his body taking out his beating heart, blood spilled down his chin from his mouth. 

He could no longer be considered to be alive.

Rewen gave a single glance before taking out the spear ruthlessly. 

He didn't need to kill.

He was in a different league from Kennard.

He could overpower his opponent with ease without needing to kill.

Didn't he say that he isn't going to kill unless it's absolutely necessary?

Why is that he killed then?

Could he be just another self-righteous hypocrite who acts upon things he repeatedly said he didn't want to? 

Or… did he change?

That is a question only he himself can answer.

Rewen had no visible emotions on his face.

He neither had a solemn look nor a frown. His expression was just… natural.

Seconds later, a sharp headache engulfed him. Clutching his head, he couldn't remain standing and got on his knees. Biting his lips, he tried enduring the pain but finally, couldn't contain it. "Urgh…"

He didn't know the reason behind the headache but felt a strong sense of fear from it.

Ten seconds passed by and the pain slowly subsided.

Those ten seconds were like an eternity to him.

Rewen got up with the spear in his hand and wondered about the headache. 'The pain is similar to the time I was in hospital. System, what's this?'

No response came.

'I can think of this later.' Sighing, he walked down the stairs. His pace was normal and it didn't look like someone who was supposed to be chasing someone.

***

Marla gasped for breath as she reached the last apartment building. She looked back and upon seeing that there were no signs of Rewen, she heaved a sigh of relief.

When she entered through the main door, her eyes immediately shined when she saw a large steel cylindrical container about the size of three meters that was red in color. 

Three figures were standing beside the container. There were respectively - Brooke, Jennifer and Violet. 

Before Marla could say anything, Violet opened her mouth. "Marla, is he coming? Where is Kennard?" 

Marla's eyes dropped. "He is blocking the target."

"What? Is he even alive?" Being a member of Metal Squad, although she wasn't very much fond of the guy, she knew that he was an important component of their squad. 

"I'll tell the details later. First, Brooke. The target could be arriving at any second. Take note of the main door. Double lock it immediately after he enters. We only have to force him to stay here for a few seconds."

Brooke nodded. "I have made the preparations." 

"As for Jennifer and Violet… I don't expect both of you to do anything. Just properly wear the masks." Marla said before taking out a face mask with a small nozzle tube attached to it.

Jennifer appeared dubious. "Is this going to do the work?"

"This is a product of the Old Tech Era. Even if you don't trust me, you have to trust the scientists of that time, right?"

"I guess." 

"There he is." Brooke saw a figure from some distance.

A red-haired figure walked to the main entrance with unhurried steps.

Just as he was fully inside, a metal wall fell from the top. This was a mechanism designed to take precautions against terrorists. It isn't very helpful if the terrorists themselves got hold of the system but it had it's benefits.

Rewen's eyes swept past the four people silently. He didn't seem to mind the fact that they were wearing masks.

Marla looked at him with dead eyes, then turned to the red container behind her. "Jennifer, shoot." 

The red container was a piece put by their superiors. In case their mission has a critical chance of failing, this was a last resort. Inside the red container contained a poisonous gas which when inhaled can damage internal organs within a minute.

Everyone's gazes settled on Jennifer who took out a revolver from her waist and shot towards the red container.

*BAM*

With a loud sound, the red contained leaked a white gas which steadily moved in the surroundings.

With this, a smile appeared on Marla's face. "It was quite a chore to capture you but we have finally got you under control. Here's my advice. Kill yourself before you die painfully."

Rewen didn't say anything. He moved his hands to his pocket and took out a face mask. Wrapping it around his head, he shook his head calmly. 

This action froze the smile on her face. 

Brooke, Jennifer and Violet also looked at each other. 

It didn't take more than an instant to figure out that something is wrong.

Rewen said a single sentence. "You have been betrayed."

"..."

The four people had many questions in their minds but didn't know where to start from. Everyone had different thoughts but the one thought that remained common was - 'Would this face mask work?'

Soon, they got their answer.

They tried to speak but found that they couldn't.

In despair, they collapsed on the floor.

'Is this the end?'

'Who was the traitor?'

'That bastard Kennard!'

'I guess this is it.' Brooke was the first to close his eyes. 

He wasn't dead but unconscious due to extreme shock. Needless to say that it was only a matter of time before he died.

Just like that, within a few seconds, Jennifer and Violet also went unconscious.

For some reason, Marla was still standing. Looking at the young man  with bloodshot eyes, she approached him taking small steps. Eventually, she couldn't walk anymore and fell on her knees. Her expression was aggrieved but her mouth was constantly moving and her index finger was pointed to her belly.

Although she couldn't make a sound, Rewen completely understood what she was trying to say. He opened his mouth but his tone was cold. "Just like you, your unborn child is suffering. Even after you become unconscious, your senses to feel pain might be lost but the child might still suffer." After saying that, he lifted his spear and thrust it on her chest. He couldn't afford to have pity.

Marla eyes were wide open. Her expression was a mix of confusion, anger and pain. 

***

"That was anticlimactic." Rewen got out of the building through the primary exit and took off the mask he was wearing.

[If you want to survive, then listen carefully. When you enter the last apartment building, wear this mask.]

That was the only thing Kennard told him when he fell from the twentieth floor. After that, he shot him in his thigh. The bullet just grazed past touching his thigh.

"It was a precautionary measure." Rewen lightly said and walked to another apartment building.

***

"There you are. It's fine. You can open your eyes."

Lane, who was leaning on the hallway, opened her eyes. "Are they dead?"

Rewen nodded.

"What are you waiting for then? Do you need my invitation to kill me?" 

"Do you want to be killed?"

Lane laughed. "If I say no, would you let me go?"

"No." He flicked his spear and thrust it on her face. 

*Splash*

It was the most brutal way to kill someone but it is also the most painless way.

[Ding! A main Storyline quest has been successfully completed! Would you like to receive the rewards?]

[Yes] [No]

Rewen ignored the screen in front of him and fell on his knees.

His whole body was trembling.

The more he self-reflected on his actions, the more stifled he felt.

Previously, he had repressed every single emotion because he knew that he can't act upon emotions.

With all the negative thoughts entering his mind, he could direct his thoughts to one single word - circumstances. 

But he didn't want to.

Because that would be oversimplifying what he did.

However, despite everything, his beliefs weren't in conflict because from the moment he accepted the quest, he had already thought of not letting anyone live. He wasn't interested in the rewards. He was more worried about not being able to use [Mana Manipulation].

His survival heavily relies on it.

'To me, [Mana Manipulation] is more important than eight… no, nine lives.'

He was not a strong person.

A couple of days, he was a normal village man with no grand ambitions. Suddenly, he was brought to this world and encountered all kinds of different situations. It was too abrupt for him to adapt psychologically.

The only thing he could do is bottle up his emotions and act with logic.

This was the result of that.

He wasn't specifically feeling guilty for killing, neither did it hurt his conscience but there were emotions which couldn't be explained in simple words. He was… sad.

Some time later, he regained his cool.

'There's no point in self-reflection. The more I do it, the more pity I feel for myself. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I am going through depression.'

Rewen was a person with extreme self-awareness. Although this was the first time he is going through something like this, it didn't take him too long to figure out that he was going deep down the cesspool of depression.