28 His Choice...
'What happened... where am I?'
⁜ Host is in critical danger! Wake Up!
The screams of the campers once again filled the area; Seth's head was like jelly as he tried to stand only to roll back and hit his back against a sharp stone... his wounds made him feel agony... yet the image of the orange-haired girl... replayed in his eyes over and over!
"Help us!!!!"
"Gyaaaha!!! Monster.... h....help....mother..... mother!!!"
He had always said he would prepare for the worst... To always ready for the unexpected, yet he lets down his guard.
In his mind, a Stage Two Brute, a monster that didn't show up for two weeks in the novel...
How could he have known, or should he have been more prepared? The arguments went through his head as if to block out the tragic death of the girl and her friend, who was now lying on the ground, missing her body from the waist up.
'I have to get up, fight or run... Ugh...'
There was no lamenting or tears in his eyes, but there was a horrific realisation that this wasn't some romantic comedy world thanks to his levelling system, and this small cheat didn't make him the master of this world...
It was a cruel but vital wake-up call.
Level: 7
Exp: (513/640)
Class: None
Condition: 3/34 (Hazard)
Seth grasped his pistol, crawling across the ground to grab his blade, while finally, the blurry scene became focused... twenty zombies were clawing at the trees as three of the six campers were trying to hide from the huge brute... that was eating the body of one of the males slowly, the crunch of its teeth cracking the bones... the slurping of its lips sucking the flesh and meat into its throat...
"Disgusting..."
'How did this happen, though... I cleared the death flag... Did helping the campers trigger another story or quest?'
⁜ When did I say there was only one death flag for this quest? Host.
This is the final event of your current side story; your choice will affect the direction and path for your entire future.
"..."
An unknown anger triggered inside him upon hearing this machine's voice... A cute girl's voice, yet why did it suddenly feel so lifeless?
Seth looked at the camp before shaking his head. Although he wasn't a hero, this was something he caused.
Taking a deep breath, he came to one conclusion as their screaming continued. Seth Darkwood, the person, not the novel character, couldn't accept taking his future path on such a sour note.
'If my path starts after today, then for now. I will save whoever I can.'
⁜ Hmph! So much for becoming the supreme villain; why save these useless mobs?
"Why..." Seth whispered to himself, watching the brute almost finished with his meal.
He cocked the large pistol, and without aiming, he just pointed and shot twelve times. The rapid firing of his pistol was followed by the thud of corpses and the roaring sound of the Stage Two Brute.
"This moment has nothing to do with this world or the stupid plot or role you want me to play... It is a farewell."
⁜ Incomprehensible! Farewell? To whom, for what, and why!?
Bang!
"To myself!"
Bang!
"To let go of my past life!"
Bang! Bang Bang! Bang!
"Because it's the least I can do for causing that girl's death!"
Seth killed all twenty of the walkers without trouble, the huge brute now climbing to its feet and huffing; wet blood and meat spread all around its mouth as the yellow and decaying teeth showed with its roar.
⁜ Why? You didn't even know her name!
The huge brute rushed towards him as Seth pointed the pistol, shooting bullets one after the other. The high calibre bullets merely bounced off the armoured body and muscles of the brute with golden sparks as its body charged like a bull seeing red.
Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Click-Click!
Seth didn't move, his hands holding the gun shooting until his clip emptied, and the loud sound of the empty echoed with each heavy step of the brute. He became angrier, more indomitable, and more determined.
"Tsk... damn bulky fucker." Seth complained, using his higher agility to leap to the side as the huge brute shot several metres away and smashed into a huge rock, completely buried in the wall, causing the ground to shake because the impact was so big.
Reloading his pistol, he leapt into the air and stood on a tree just above one of the campers who were yet to flee; her eyes looked up at him with sorrow and terror... "H-Help...."
"Eh? Why are you still here!?"
Seth was stunned, but as he was about to converse with her, not only did the brute roar, but its body seemed to explode with air and anger before charging towards the tree... what stunned him was the system that spoke after a while.
⁜ Side Quest Ending: Choose your path!
⁜ Shoot the girl and end her misery
⁜ Let her suffer and end the brute.
It was as if time slowed down, the huge body of the brute approaching slowly, its eyes not on him... but on the girl who began to struggle due to him jumping above her...
"U...gh....help! Let me.... out...!" Her grunting and voice caused the Brute to lock onto her, Seth's eyes widening as he felt despair...
If he missed this chance to kill the brute.
The only way to kill them early on was to shoot the brain tumour at the back of their heads. A swollen lump used to make way for the virus, and the changes made to the brute's body, most vital functions are taken care of in that tumour.
'....'
Seth felt his heart and mind become dull; he felt so much agony and pain watching the approaching brute... as it opened its disgusting mouth, the rotting teeth... twin tongues filled with blades and flat teeth that would crush the bones of its prey first...
He took a deep breath as its mouth bit down on the girl, her helpless eyes staring at him, the words no longer leaving her lips as her spine had been crushed...
Finally, he took the shot.... emptying an entire clip into the back of the brute's head.
Bang!
Not once did he ask for her forgiveness. Seth watched her eyes, never removing them until the light faded from hers, becoming dull, and she passed away.
****
How long had passed?
♪Beep-Beep♪
It was the alarm for five in the morning as the sun started rising. He had been wandering for over three hours before finding his way to the abandoned shop and his bike.
The sound of a motorbike sang along the dark backroads of the northern part of the city, the rider wearing a tattered riding suit revealing most of his body, and the broken helmet abandoned as he stared ahead with dark, piercing green eyes that seemed to lack a portion of the gentle and naive boy that went up the mountain.
"System, upgrade my pistol to be able to kill Stage Two zombies, enough to pierce the muscles and armour of a brute."
⁜ Are you sure? That might be a waste. What if they don't show up—
"Upgrade it. I don't want to listen to your nonsense right now. Give me the rewards for clearing the second death flag and the side quest. Also, what was the name of the girl who died offering me cake."
There was a moment of silence; the system seemed unphased by his colder attitude when dealing with it instead of completing the tasks asked.
⁜ Upgrading Weapon To Tier Two Level will cost 2400+1000 Villain points. The Strength Requirement is 40 per shot at your current strength.
It will cause your muscles and bones to shatter every fourth shot.
'Upgrade it.'
⁜ I don't see why you need to know, but the girl's name was Freya.
"I see. Rename my pistol to Freya X-923."
There was a moment of silence before the system panel and the gun's name completely changed; even its classification became a "Magnum" rather than a pistol.
⁜ Do you plan to blame yourself forever and anchor yourself by naming the gun after her and the date she died?
Seth didn't respond. Instead, he parked his bike and jumped onto the roof of the old store; without trouble, his eyes looked around before seeing the sun rising as if the hell he suffered was nothing but another day...
"That's right... it's just another day."
Sitting down, he began to perform his breathing techniques... waiting for the quest rewards and other miscellaneous things.
⁜ Host has defeated Stage Two Brute: + 1000 Villain Point (4000)
∟ Gained 300 experience points
∟ Gained 500 Bonus experience points for Avoiding the Side Story Death Flag!
⁜ You Gained 1000 Experience and 5000 Villain Points from the Side Story Task: Defeat or Escape Stage Two!
—LEVEL UP! (Level 10)
STR + 5 - DEX + 3 - AGI +4 - INT +4
It seemed during his roaming, he had killed many monsters. Slowly, his body creaked and cracked, while he felt the comfortable energy flowing through his body, filling him with warmth and positive feelings until he finished with a deep breath, the sun covered by dark clouds.
⁜ Unique Soul Weapon Completed
⁜ Soul Weapon (Unique) - Freya X-0923 Magnum
∟ Self Maintenance - Increased Accuracy
∟ Rapid Fire - Increased Fire Rate
∟ Deadly Rounds Lv.7 - High Calibre Magnum Level Damage
∟ Seth Darkwood Only
Freya X-0923 - Also known as Freya X 09/02/2023.
A gun formed with the resolve never to forget his past mistakes and naivety, marking the day of two tragic victims' deaths due to his failure and marking the day when Seth Darkwood vowed that his past self died.
An unbalanced weapon but able to damage even Tier Three Zombies.
⁜ I see, so that's your reasoning.
Seth didn't respond and pulled out his smartphone while still naked, tapping several numbers and waiting for the dial tone to stop. Immediately before they could speak, his tired and weary voice sounded deep and hoarse.
"Hey... I feel so horrible and just wanted to hear your voice..."
