267 Danger

[Yuito's POV]

{Y-You killed him!!}

Nah, I'm pretty sure he's not dead.

{Not dead? Bro, he's not moving and he's bleeding out. Pretty sure he's dead.}

Eh? Maybe?

{Really? You won't kill Saki's dad or Hayato but you'd kill him?}

I shrugged. I made sure to stab him in the side of his abdomen where there were no vital organs. He should be fine.

Besides, he shouldn't have tried to kill Vivi when I took her in like a little sister. It's entirely his fault that he made me angry.

{I'm afraid to ask but how do you know the side of the abdomen has no vital organs?}

I paused.

"John Wick three. The part where the doctor asked to be shot there." I shurged when I felt the author face-palming. "If it makes you feel better, I know instinctively that, that part was not lethal."

{That makes me feel a bit better. But in the end, it's not like its a problem if he dies. Since these guys are running illegal operations, they wouldn't report his death to the police or something. His death would only make me question whether you were racist.}

True.

To the first part, of course.

I walked away from my fallen opponent and returned to Vivi. I stood in front of her as she looked up at me, unsure if I was going to hurt her or not since I just saved her.

"Umm..Is he dead?" she asked.

"No. I didn't kill him." I said, "So, where were we?" I put a finger on my chin in thought

"You were asking me why I invited you?" Vivi said helpfully. I snapped my finger in realization.

"Right. Who do you think I am? To invite me to such a game?" I said, repeating the question.

VIvi stayed quiet and appeared uncomfortable under my stern gaze, "It was his idea." She said and pointed at the little fatty I just beat up.

"He said all men like this game. He promised me you'd like it too so he pestered me to invite you when he heard we were friends?" She revealed.

I frowned and my brows knitted in confusion, "Why would he want you to invite me?"

"Oh, he likes men." She said, "And he really really likes you."

Ew.

{Ew}

I turned around and looked at the guy again and I felt a shudder.

Ew.

"Anyways." I said with a shake of my head, "You know this is wrong, don't you? You may behave like a child most of the time but I know you are not stupid. You should be more than aware that what you are doing is wrong, it is the worst crime of all. Why did you do it?"

She looked down at the ground and stayed silent for a while.

"You. You don't understand." She said, "This is normal for us. It's not considered a crime that we get to play with the life of peasants. I might know it's wrong but everyone around me says that it's not. My friends-"

"They are not your friends." I cut her off. "They never were, never will. They are selfish assholes who only act friendly because of your father."

She stayed silent. She knows it's true.

"And just because the people around you said so, it doesn't justify your actions. You are not like them, right? You do not see them as lesser than yourself. No, if you were, I would've never even be friends with you." I said.

Again, her love for Xialong had kept her sane even with her upbringing. She loves him although his parents probably tried to hammer the idea that he is just a tool she should use for protection a meat shield.

Love made her a better person.

"If you don't stop doing these things, I would hate you." I said and the speed at which her head snapped towards me was concerning. 

But not as concerning as the look of pure horror on her face. Her eyes started watering even just the idea.

It was wrong. No one should react that way nor should they be attached to a person that much only after four days.

How much did she need genuine affection?

"No!! Don't hate me." She stammered, "I'll- I'll. I'm sorry." 

It might've been the first time the word left her lips.

She was too vulnerable. She was a sheltered child given everything material but nothing genuine. Her father treats her like a trophy and plans to marry her off after she turns 18.

Everyone around her treats her like glass and the guards surrounding her never treat her like a normal person. Refusing to even interact with her because most of the time, they think they don't deserve it.

Even Xiaolong who loved her had never expressed his feelings because he thought himself unworthy.

She was...so poor.

I sighed and put out my hand out to give her head pats.

"Don't do these kinds of things okay? There are many other ways to play a game or have fun." I said and gave her a smile. My stern mask melted due to her tears.

Haaa, why have I grown so attached to her? It's almost like I adopted a lost cat. I wonder if-

My thoughts vanished.

The world stills.

And then every fibre of my being came alive. They warned no- They SCREAMED at me.

Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger.

A concept that had been a part of humanity. In the early days of the first man, it was a concept that allowed them to survive.

Danger. Whenever they felt danger, they ran the other way.

Now this ancient concept and instinct came alive inside me. They screamed at me, beckoned me.

Since I was so attuned to my instincts, it was defeaning.

GO DOWN!!!!

I did. 

I ducked as my rapid heartbeat became an engine in my chest. It was the first time I felt this amount of danger.

*VWOOOOOOOOOOSSSHH!!!!*

A blade swam pass my head, cutting my hair. The air around shimmered due to the sheer sharpness of the edge.

My body which act purely on instincts, waste no time as I moved away from my spot. As the weapon reflecting the light blinded my eyes, I knew that Vivi was not in trouble so I moved away from the vicinity as fast as I could.

I slide to a stop a few meters away. My body was drenched in cold sweat as my heart beat rapidly in my chest.

I used the Sun Breathing to calm myself as I watched Xiaolong put down his weapon and kneel down in front of Vivi.

He checked her body from top to bottom, he did not even care to attack me as her safety came first.

He checked her carefully, every inch of her as Vivi's face turned red. After he was done, he let out a sigh and apologized to her.

"Don't be scared, I am here now so everything will be fine." He said, "Even if it's not, i will make sure it is."

Vivi could only nod like the girl in love that she was.

He stood up and took his weapon again. His calm and assuring face morphed into something darker and more sinister.

Then I felt my very soul tremble as I felt him release his killing intent, his bloodlust. A feat which I thought was unique to me.

He turned to me as his dark eyes locked with mine. 

It was akin to a tiger baring his fangs. Or a gorilla beating his chest. It was a warning.

A threat. 

Of not what he could do, but what he would do.

I smiled. Cause of course I did.

*WHOOO!*

*WHIPP!!*

He whipped his Guandao around and pointed towards me. There was no playing around, he knew I was strong, not only because of Taegon Wi lying half dead in the corner but because I was a famous fighter.

There was a lump in my throat as I looked at him. His human form disappeared and it felt like a giant Gun pointing at me instead.

This was new.

I have fought strong opponents, I have danced around World Class fighters, but I have never faced off with a killer.

A cold-blooded killer, ready to take any lives for his purpose. A tool more than a human.

It was stated in the canon that Xialong was raised alongside 108 other children. His brothers, all of whom he was forced to kill in a battle for survival, and coming out as the sole winner.

And that was only what happened in his childhood.

I could not even wrap my head around how much more he must've been ordered to kill, how many enemies had he slain.

Well, I couldn't wrap my head around it but I could feel it.

Each and every life that had fallen from his blade.

His killing intent was not like mine, it was not obtained through a special system. His was raw and chilling.

Well...

"Come."

I was fucking crazy if nothing else.

I charged straight to death.

.

.

[Image]

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