Mutagen

Day 127 - 6:35 PM - Hamilton Commons, Mays Landing, Hamilton Township, New Jersey, United States of America

BAM! CRASH! BOOM!

Different loud sounds echoed across the compound of Hamilton Commons. The gunshots and explosion of grenades before, now, it was the sound of breaking cement, thrown vehicles, and exploding cars.

Outside the wall of Miasma isolating the compound, the infected started to gather. The loud sounds were enough to attract them in droves, but what they could not resist even more was the thick magical energy emanating from the area. Most of them dived through the wall of Miasma, only to get a few steps through before they slumped into a rotting pile of flesh. The mutated ones could enter further, but the result was the same.

Nevertheless, it was quite dangerous as there seem to be some that managed to last longer than the others. It would not be surprising if any of them mutated because of the Miasma if any of them managed to last enough time to mutate.

On the other hand, evolved animals in the area started to flee in fear, with the exception of feral ones, of course. The pressure from two terrifying beings was not something that they would be able to withstand. While the most evolved animals fled, however, the feral ones started a riot.

With many infected in gathering in the area, the feral evolved animals saw this as a hunting ground. They started to attack the infected. The infected did the same as they spotted the non-infected animals.

Outside the walls of Miasma, it became a battlefield of its own.

Inside, it already became a dump of chaos.

The raiders already retreated as far as they could from the battle zone of the two non-human beings. It was something that humans like them could not interfere with anymore. Nevertheless, non of them tried to hide or escape. Everyone here realized that doing those were futile. They could not go anywhere in the first place. They saw what happened when the enemy killed one of them using that ball of smoke. Going through the swaying black wall could result in the same ending for them.

Thus, they could only watch the battle that could decide their survival.

Nevertheless, inside their minds, they wondered where things had gone wrong. They could not remember how they offended this enemy they were facing now. Was it because of Kesser? But Kesser was already dead, and the ones here knew nothing of their plans.

No, they knew. It was just that the ones remaining did not participate in it. 

Nevertheless, this should not warrant their deaths, right?

"You all must be wondering why."

As if their thoughts were being read... The enemy who was currently avoiding the one-sided attacks of Gregor spoke to them.

"Then, I guess, it's fine to tell... Since all of you will die anyway."

Mark said with a grim smile.

"How was it? Watching my wife with indecent thoughts."

That question did not ring a bell to most of them. However, the lookouts during the afternoon and even Lady Amelie froze.

To think that this threat was brought by them. 

"We are only looking! What is wrong with that?"

One of the raiders that were guilty of the accusation stood up bravely to find a way out. However, he could only shiver and fall on his butt as he received the direct killing intent from Mark.

"Just looking is fine to some extent. But your indecent thoughts are not. My wife had some emotional and mental scars, you all see... She's very sensitive to that kind of stares, and you all pretty much reminded her of what she wanted to forget. That is enough for me to kill you all. It was way better than the likes of you who killed others for fun, isn't it?"

Mark said with a smiling face. Nevertheless, from that smile, they could see their demise.

***

Gregor was already being frustrated in this battle. The enemy never attacked him even once, but none of his attacks were hitting. As fast as a bullet, Gregor swept across the parking area, picking up and throwing cars at the enemy.

Most of the cars only crashed on the concrete, of course. Some managed to explode, and those were the vehicles that were used by the men of Kesser earlier.

And every time that a vehicle exploded, Gregor could see the eyebrows of the enemy twitching in annoyance for some reason.

Nevertheless, there was really nothing Gregor could do now. He was already lacking the options for attacking.

In the first place, Jersey Devils were feared because of their superhuman strength and speed. Using those, they could trample and kill humans. But in fact, Jersey Devils were easier to kill than most have thought.

They had strength and speed. Their muscles were thick, and most weapons humans had would not easily work on them. However, unlike dragons, their bodies were not covered in thick, impervious scales. A small pistol could kill them if they got hit in vital areas. Furthermore, Jersey Devils were not known to have any inhumane regeneration abilities. Their wounds needed to heal as normal people did.

After all, Jersey Devils were not a race of magical demons. They originated from a curse on a newborn child. The thirteenth child of a family. A curse that many families around New Jersey had to bear. It was not all families, of course, and only those that lived around the forest for some reason.

It was very rare to happen, especially in modern times. Who in the right mind would have thirteen children in these times, anyway? Furthermore, each instance would result in at least the death of the mother. At worse, the whole family would be massacred. However, the common people never knew of it because the instances that it happened were being suppressed by the government, not allowing the news to be known by the public.

Only the first instance was known, and it was made to turn into a folklore story used to scare children.

In the past few years, no incidents like this happened. The last one recorded was twenty-five years ago. That one was Gregor.

It could not be confirmed if he was the only Jersey Devil still living. Nevertheless, before the outbreak, rumors and sightings of Jersey Devils were still circulating here and there. There might be a chance that there were others out there.

***

Mark watched the Jersey Devil in front of him, attack relentlessly. Sure enough, the repertoire of this kind of creature relied on physical attacks. Jersey Devils were physical demons, even considered as a cryptid. They did not have powerful magical abilities. That roar was the only ability known to exist outside of its transformation abilities, superhuman strength, and superhuman speed.

And when none of those worked, the Jersey Devil could easily be subdued. It was very rare to happen since there were no normal humans that would be able to contend with the physical abilities of a demon, like the Jersey Devil.

The strength and speed of this man called Gregor were commendable. Even Mark had to carefully keep an eye on him while using the enhancing ability of his blood through his eyes to keep up with his speed. That was the reason his eyes were glowing red all this time. On top of that, he was using his empathic ability to pressure the raiders.

That surprise attack earlier was dangerous, after all. If Mark did not protect his vital areas, although he would not die, he would be incapacitated for a while. That was a bad thing.

And that man he killed, that was not just a warning. 

That bastard shot at his manhood. Anyone would be ticked off if that was the case.

Also, Mark was not numb to pain. Those bullets boring holes in his flesh hurt like hell. However, he could not and would not show any sign of weakness towards his enemies.

Mark could tell that Gregor was already frustrated. He started to wonder if he should kill this guy or add him to his collection. If it was the latter, it would be hard to subdue this guy. Then...

Mark's eyes turned to the blonde woman among the raiders. She seemed to be someone important to his Jersey Devil.

But then, as Mark did that, he was able to feel that Gregor started to fear for something.

In haste, Gregor tore off the gas tank of one of the motorcycles and threw the gas tank at Mark with great strength.

However, instead of hitting him, the gas tank fell in front of him, causing the gas to leak and the metal scraping at the cement to ignite it.

The gas tank exploded in front of Mark, forcing him to retreat a bit.

His [Shadow Mist Movement] could allow him to pass through any gap in space, no matter how small it was as long as he could see it. However, in an instance of an explosion, the heated gas was everywhere. It was one of the weaknesses of this ability. If not for that, he would have no reason to dodge explosions.

Amidst his dodge, however, his vision was obscured. He started to become alert of any incoming attack as Gregor was not in his view anymore.

That was when he realized... Gregor was not aiming for another attack.

Even with his obscured vision, he could feel Gregor's mental fluctuations sweeping towards that woman within the raiders.

With great speed, Mark kicked the ground and moved around the explosion.

Mark could only scratch his head as he watched Gregor flew away with the woman and the man with annoying looking eyes.

Flying with the speed of a bullet, Gregor managed to get a wide distance away before Mark realized his intentions.

"What a bummer. Next time, I should also cover the sky."

That was what Mark said as he watched the Jersey Devil fly away. Nevertheless, it was not possible to do either. If he covered the sky with Miasma, everything inside would be pitch black. Even Mark would not be able to do much in that darkness.

However, Mark was not keen on chasing Gregor either. In the first place, it was obvious that he was not one of the offenders this time. They might have killed people before, but it was not Mark's job to punish them for that. He was also feeling too lazy to chase a creature constantly flying at bullet's speed. Even Mark's natural flying speed would be able to keep up with that. He could use his blood to enhance his flight, but it would last shorter compared to Gregor's stamina. It would also give the real culprits a chance to escape since he would not be able to maintain the wall of Miasma if he flew too far away.

Still, that woman seemed to be one that ogled on Mei since she also reacted fiercely on Mark's reason for attacking them.

"Hah... Nevermind. I'll let them go this time. The Jersey Devils are pitiful anyway."

That was right, the Jersey Devils were pitiful creatures. In the first place, they came from a human family. However, they were turned into a creature like that because of a curse.

With those thoughts, Mark turned to the people in front of him. They were all shouting towards Gregor, who escaped with only two people with him. These people were cursing the three that escaped without holding back.

"Now then, what should I do with all of you... You people had been abandoned."

Mark said with a sinister smile. It made the remaining raiders freeze in fear.

And the first one appeared. He kneeled in front of Mark.

"Sir! I'm not one of those you are talking about! Please, don't kill me!"

But then, Mark kicked the man's shoulder, the man rolled several times away, with his arm bent in the wrong direction.

"AHHHH!!!"

The man wailed in agony, that was when Mark approached him and picked him up, grabbing his neck.

"Do you really think that I won't realize your lie?"

The man stared to Mark, wide-eyed, filled with tears, and with nose dripping with snot.

"To think that the first one to beg for his life was a liar. You people are less than garbage."

That was right. This person was one of the people that reacted strongly when Mark said his reason. His reaction was even stronger than anyone here. And yet, he was the first person to deny his offense.

"What a thick face."

Mark said as he bent down. Scraping the man's face on the rough cement until it bled.

With his throat being chocked tightly, he could not even scream in pain.

The others watched in horror as the torment began.