Leave The Monster Alone

The smile on the other's face broadened just a little bit more but the tension escalated quickly. Did the people know that they were in company of such a monstrous creature? Or did they think of him as human.

"Put your weapon down right now" Mark did not obey that rule, his attention not shifting from the real danger inside the room.

"Ah, everyone calm down and put your gun away. He's just cautious since he knows I'm not entirely human" the people hesitated but they seemed to finally agree with that condition but Mark did not lower his own. He did not trust the other.

"Just what are you?" he asked, his voice forcing out the question.

"Me? I'm a special being chosen by this universe just like you. You know, one day this voice came to me and told me that this was all a game and I was just a pawn inside it, an NPC if you will. I was livid at that news but then it gave me an option to evolve so I did. Now I'm a beast king reincarnated. How cool is that?" it seemed to Mark like the other had his head in the clouds.

But he did seem to know a disturbing amount about all this. Was it the virus? Or another external interference?

"This voice, did it say anything else?" Mark asked, now just a little bit less cautious. The other sounded like an air head at any rate. He doubted he could be trusted to make all the decisions and that meant that someone was incharge of the strategy.

"No, not really. It did say that I was one of my kind and I was thrilled but then I met you and you feel similar to me so I was curious. I wanted to test you so I changed the vials and sold some and I was right - you came to me for help right?" the other elated at his accomplishment and everyone around them shook their heads.

"I'm here for a different reason though. What is your role in the rebellion?" The other looked stumped but huffed.

"It doesn't matter why you are here. In the end, you did end up here. As for the rebellion, I'm just a figurehead and not actually involved. I just know about the true human potential and that's all" human potential? 

"Does it have something to do with the invisible girl I saw?" If so, then this was huge. It meant that the drug for awakening was prepared even before the scientist had stabilised it themselves.

He needed to get a sample.

"You saw her? Isn't she amazing? Too bad we only had one vial with it. I heard that you captured two of them?  A pity we could not obtain their vial. Now only two of them are left" the ther moaned at the loss and looked genuinely unhappy.

However, it could very well be an act. Mark was still not sure what the other was after. But he did have news for the other which he was sure would not be appreciated.

"There might be only one vial left untouched from the supply. I saw an abnormality outside just now. It attacked that girl you gave powers to" the other froze and a small curse escaped his mouth at news.

"Damn those fools. After I went through all that trouble to get the vials out of the lab too. One would not be enough for us" the teen looked scary, his face twisting over itself. But then he paused and turned to look at his side where someone seemed to call him.

There was a hushed talk which Mark could not hear even with his enhanced hearing which was a first and then the other once again turned toward him. "Hey Mark, you said you wanted to join us, right?" 

And Mark knew another unreasonable request was coming his way and he could not avoid it. He did debate not answering the other but that was not an option at all.

"You need me to get you some vials? How do you expect me to do that exactly?" Was he making himself seem incompitent? Perhaps yes, but if it worked then it worked.

And clearly it would not work. Why had he expected it anyway?

"That's your problem now if you want to know more about things then this is your condition and remember, we have eyes everywhere and we are always on the outlook. Don't let our secrets escape" no one else said anything else, letting the conversation end at this note.

Mark would be the first one to say that the other was not the first or even the best choice for a leader of such an organisation and it was more than clear that he was being used for this purpose.

He might be the leader in looks but the real brain were the advisers around him. 

That was what it looked like to Mark anyway but who was he to say. First impressions were not everything and he doubted that everyone here was strictly human at all. He could tell this all to Liam but for some reason, he felt himself hesitate.

Would it help if he told anyone? The teen had made it seem like he knew enough about Mark to not trust him outright and for good reasons. And then there was that threat of behind observed all the time.

How deeply could he look into that information? 

Now, how to go about acquiring another vial for tham? After the last mishap, the security had been doubled around the lab and he doubted that walking up to Rika and asking for one would be productive.

It would just lead to questions he was not allowed to answer to her anyway.

The easiest way wouldbe to find the last lost vial and kill two birds with one stone but that was easier said than done.

If only Kuro wakes up soon and sniffs out the last vial. There were still approx 16 hours left in that countdown and there was no telling when it might get used up.

The forest was quiet and serene, a pleasure to walk through on such a nice day that his worries seemed so small in comparison. The fresh air felt nice on his face and it refreshed him.

The absence of animals was almost a shame because if there were some noises then he could almost pretend that he was back in the past and just out on a stroll. Mark closed his eyes and let his worries pass over him.

It was quiet and the animal-like sound made him go back to the carefree fun days.

And then he jolted awake with fight, his hands barely stopping the impact at his middle and he went flying into the nearest tree.

His back protested the moment when he tried to right himself and he groaned at the pain he was feeling. Nothing seemed to be broken but his reflexes did get hampered.

The next dodge was no good either, his steps unsteady and the assaulter did not allow him to remain vigilant for long.

It was clear that this monster had some growth over its body which was not natural and it hurt. Luckily, it did not seem to be toxic in nature or Mark was done.

The tree proved to be the saving grace for him, allowing Mark just enough ground to stabilise himself. He looked down and saw the huge body ramming itself in the trunk.

The tree shook but did not fall which was a blessing in disguise. 

The tree was not going to last any longer, but the ground did not look safe at all. He could jump down and pray that the other did not hit him or stay here and eventually wait for the other to break the tree.

He took a few seconds to observe the other and found that this was the very same monster that had attacked him before. An abnormality in looks and functionality.

The body was still partially human and the clothes were mostly intact but the reasoning was entirely gone from those eyes. Another person lost to them because of that stupid, unfinished drug.

Mark shot at the other's leg to slow him down and the monster howled in pain as he went down. And then the sound of something hitting the ground met Mark's ears and stole his attention. 

A vial.

It was a vial, the last one right in front of him and he could do nothing but watch as it got closer and closer to getting crushed beneath that creature's foot.

Mark could not allow that and he finally jumped down. He had to lead the other away from that vial before an unspoken tragedy happened right before his eyes,

The other followed him, his rage apparent and Mark finally let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it seemed like things were going his way.

But before he could retrieve the vial, he had a problem to deal with. A problem that seemed to be charging toward him at full speed.