CHAPTER 36

*WHISPERS* *WHISPERS*

People were whispering to each other and talking to each other in a low tone. It was a cafe. The environment was very aesthetic and calm. The people behaved well and in fact even though the cafe wasn't extraordinarily expensive , it was still somewhat pricy. The rich people who wouldn't even take a second glance at this cafe visited it. 

Why?

The cafe was under the franchise "The lotus garden". The franchise was fairly a popular one and had over 1000 branches all over India for the past 50 years. The family which controls it is a business tycoon.

Even now so their status seemed to be boosted as those affiliated with the family got some really good talents. Its even said that the daughter of the owner of the franchise is level 23 and could wield the spear like she has been doing it for time immemorial.

What was more incredible? She was really young about 18 years old , a prodigy in musical instruments, pretty and had many milestones unimaginable for the average 18 year old.

Karthikeyan after hearing a lot about talented individuals really started to doubt if his own "So called curse-talent" was really that powerful.

Given that some time later in the future or anytime now , he and for that matter the people of Earth would come into contact with other species , the chances of it being just a ordinary talent was very high.

But then he was reminded in the past 11 days that he was probably the one who had a strange interface in the system that gave him certain tasks to complete.

Well whatever be the case. He couldn't stay arrogant or indecisive or careless. He had to step up his game and actually get moving. He really didn't want unparalleled powers or didn't want to be the hero of the story nor the villain. He didn't want to be a corny , edgy dude either.

He wanted enough strength so he could defend himself against threats. Thats it. Can't he at the very least wish for that ?

Besides all these new things like magic , mana, chi or qi , swords , weapons , fantasy elements really excited him. He wanted to try a lot of these things out.

 There was also the fact that if he didn't finish the tasks given by the "Being" then he was sure there was a good chance for him spending time in eternal hell as the condition stated.

Karthikeyan got chills. Then he also remembered the fact that he didn't look at the tasks at the start either. What if it was a timed task? 

He tried to comfort himself that if it was then it would have showed itself first without him needing to access it.

Maybe all the tasks as said by the "Being" could really be completed in a lifetime? 

What would the "Being" achieve by saying false things?

Well. Keeping that aside.

He now had a task and for that he was in this cafe. He was here to meet Yerilia.

Why? well for starters she had become really strong. She was now level 22!.

Karthikeyan even though forming a squad didn't have particular benefits wanted to from a squad with her as it would greatly benefit him.

How she managed to go that high? He had no idea. But it was clear that the girl was quite determined. It was clear that the girl didn't want any trouble her way as when they raided the dungeon together she always stayed out of the matters of the team and only focused on fighting. Even her fighting style represented "Solo" vibes.

Her weapon was a Halbert. It was a steel one.

He had messaged her on the chatting app which was used by almost everyone globally "The connection". He didn't even know if she would come here but she gave her word.

 He didn't have his mask on .People were staring at him but he didn't mind.

Suddenly a shadow crept by and caused a slight distortion in Karthikeyan's own shadow.

"She is here, Master" a voice seemed to resonate inside Karthikeyan.

"Alright. Thanks for the help Oluz" Karthikeyan said.

Oluz accepted the gratitude. Ever since he became Karthikyean's servant not only he had to increase his own combat strength but also he had to keep an eye on a girl called "Yerilia" who he didn't think of much at the start.

But boy was he wrong. The girl was more hardworking than anyone he had ever seen.

....

A girl who was maybe slightly above average in looks stood by the door of the "Lotus garden" cafe. She had blond hair that came to her waist. She had green eyes that was quite common. Instead of "Hot" or "Pretty" she could be described as" cute ". She was not that tall but stood at around 5 feet 5. She wore a minimal dress that boasted a light denim jeans and a white top crop.

"Is this for real" she stared at her phone. She had been doing this for a quite a while now. Ever since that "Guy" who she had met on the start of the apocalypse and wanted to never meet again texted her saying he wanted to "Meet" her.

He said that out of the blue and only after the announcement was made by the prime minister. She was suspicious of the guy's motive and wanted to reject it as in the first place , how did he get her number?

But somewhere her heart said that she should meet him.

Why? he saved her life. Her friend died but still if he wasn't there she would have died too.

....

"Ok then where is this guy?" she mumbled under her breadth.

The cafe's interior was quite big and there were many tables.

She typed a message.

"Im here , where are you sitting?"

"Yerilia?" a voice sounded. She looked up.

She saw a boy of her age probably sitting across the tables at the end situated by the windows. He was siting on a sofa smiling at her.

"Long time no see eh?"

Yerilia stood rooted to her spot.

It was not because of social awkwardness or she didn't know the person in front of her .She knew him too well in fact.

How could she forget those purple eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul and always mesmerise her whenever she looks at him?

Seeing that Yerilia was not replying, Karthikeyan stood up and went towards her.

Karthikeyan was tall. Not that tall but he was 6 foot 2 , towering over her where she was forced to look up and her entire frame only came up to his chest.

He was quite lean and looked athletic. He was not very muscular or not muscular at all. He was somewhere in the middle. His face though was beyond "Handsome".

She had never seen someone as handsome as this. Yeah she knew he would be handsome and all based on his general appearance when she saw him back then. She maybe thought he would be as handsome as that tiktok stars or celebrities.

But man was she wrong. Those TikTok stars or celebrities were not even a match for him.

His eyes were striking , his nose was thin and his eyebrows were shaped as though they were swords. His jawline was so sharp that it looked as though it could cut anything. Well she was exaggerating a little but she was not wrong ok!

Combined with this, his not so pale white skin which had a tinge of tan on it made him look not "pretty" , but "striking" "handsome" and even intimidating. He didn't look pretty at all but masculine looking.