Chapter 10: Fang Shi (2)

The Masked man's mask is now broken.

Liu Kai walks towards the man and grabs his clothes to raise him.

"Who are you?"

Liu Kai asked the man.

The man looks at Liu Kai's glowing eyes and gets scared to respond. He can feel all the hairs on his body raising just by looking at Liu Kai.

'That's the same feeling that I had when the first time I saw Liu Kai use his skill.'

Jin Chow thought to himself.

"Answer me if you want to live." Liu Kai threatens the man.

Jin Chow comes forward to identify the man and to his shock, he saw a familiar face.

"You! You're still alive?"

Jin Chow asked the man.

The man regrets talking to them and kicks Liu Kai then jumps so high but when he looks down, he only saw Jin Chow on the rooftop terrace.

Liu Kai knew that his skill is something to do with heights that's why when he jumps, Liu Kai jumps higher to follow him.

The man tries to locate Liu Kai while rising in the air and to his surprise, he sensed Liu Kai behind him.

Before he can turn his head to check, Liu Kai returned the favor and kicks him back to the rooftop terrace.

"It's no use, I won't let you use your skill again."

Liu Kai stated after landing on the rooftop terrace.

The man doesn't want to cooperate and jumps again but...

Before he can even get on top, Liu Kai appeared again and kicks him back to the rooftop.

The man is bleeding but still doesn't want to admit his defeat.

"Sergio Von Croy...."

"Also known as The Falcon. What are you doing here?"

Jin Chow asked him.

Liu Kai looks at Jin Chow with a confused look on his face.

Sergio Von Croy, the strongest knight in Second Squad of the Seventh Domain's Monarchy and was reported as missing and considered as dead after not going back to the Seventh Domain's Monarchy for more than three months.

"Who are you? How do you know me?"

Sergio Von Croy asked Jin Chow.

"I already informed you earlier, I am Jin Chow a Knight apprentice and the only survivor of the Fourth Squad." Jin Chow answered.

Sergio Von Croy removes his hoodie and sits on the ground.

"Go on and ask, what do you want to know?"

Sergio Von Croy asked them.

"What happened to you and your squad?"

Jin Chow asked.

"The same thing that happened to you."

Sergio Von Croy answered casually.

"By the way, who is this guy?"

Sergio Von Croy points his finger to Liu Kai.

"Just answer our questions and don't ask us a single question."

Liu Kai answered for Jin Chow.

"What's your skill?"

Liu Kai asked him while coming closer to show his authority.

"I thought you already know about it."

Sergio Von Croy answered while looking on the other side.

"It's 'descend' if I recall it correctly."

Jin Chow answered Liu Kai's question and Liu Kai got irritated about it.

"I'm still famous, I see."

Sergio Von Croy laughs.

"Don't answer for him." Liu Kai stares at Jin Chow and Jin Chow froze a bit from his stare.

"Explain your skill."

Liu Kai mandated.

"It's just simple, the higher I am from the ground the stronger my attacks when I descend."

Sergio Von Croy answered.

'So that's why there is a delay from his attacks. He's taking his time to jump as high as he can to maximize the effect of his skill.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

"How are you alive? and what are you doing in this place?"

Liu Kai continues his questions.

"That..."

Sergio Von Croy doesn't want to answer Liu Kai's question and thinking of a way out.

"Answer me!!"

Liu Kai yelled at him.

"Alright, alright, please don't shout on me."

Sergio Von Croy replied to Liu Kai.

"My Squad, the Second Squad, was able to step on this place with no casualty. I am the Squad Leader and I thought that everything will run smoothly. But just like the both of you, after we stepped on this place, our senses halted."

"My squad members don't want to continue our investigation anymore since it's dangerous to proceed. But as the Squad Leader, I force all of them to continue our mission."

"We slowed down to be more cautious and after a while, we're attacked by a Giant Water Strider. We defeated a lot of Giant Bugs easily with our coordinated attacks. But here on the swamp, we are on the Giant Water Strider's mercy."

Sergio Von Croy recalls his Squad's battle versus the Giant Water Strider and tells it to Liu Kai and Jin Chow.

*****

Sergio Von Croy and his Squad members are all moving from different floating plants to move ahead to the east. After some time, they stopped on a single large water lily. They sensed a large creature and prepares from an attack.

They tried so hard but they can't locate the exact location because it's changing every moment. For them, it's impossible to change your location that fast, that's why they thought that they are surrounded by a lot of enemies from different directions or their senses is not giving them the correct information.

However, they met a Giant Bug floating on the water surface. They thought that it wouldn't be a problem since it will drown in water after a few minutes but the Giant Bug moves so fast like a blink of an eye that they can't see where it went.

They saw another one far away and they prepared to attack.

Sergio Vin Croy initiated their coordinated attack by jumping so high. His Squad members are preparing for him to descend for them to succeed after his attacks but the Giant Water Strider jumps higher than Sergio Von Croy and smashed him to an abandoned building using its long legs.

The Giant Water Strider's jump uses the water surface just like a trampoline to propel itself upward and reach the apex of its jump in less than a second.

The Giant Water Strider just stand on top of the water and didn't move. Sergio remembered that one of his Squad Member moves from the floating plant to run but just in a second, the Giant Water Strider is already there and caught that Squad Member and sucked him dry.

Everyone is shocked by the incident that transpires in front of them and causes them to panic. The dried remnant of their teammate falls in the water. Fear of death made quit their right reasoning.

Everyone is shaking in fear and has a grim look on their faces. The Giant Water Strider faces them after sucking the life out of one of them. Sergio tries to warn his Squad members below not to move but it's too late.

Some of them jump into the water and some of them jump to a different floating giant plant. The Giant Water Strider moves and it almost looks like it's teleporting.

One of the members was pierced by the giant proboscis of the Giant Water Strider and sucked the life out of him. Sergio Von Croy can only watch them and shake in fear while injured inside of an abandoned building.

The Giant Water Strider can feel everything that moves in the water even the ones that jump inside the water. Everyone that is above water was caught and died already.

The Giant Water Strider is not done and waiting for the others. Sergio Von Croy saw that one of his Squad members was going to the water surface to breathe but the Giant Water Strider moves and on top of his member in an instant. Before that member can get to the surface, she was already pierced by the Giant Water Strider on the face and raises him above to suck her dry.

The same thing happened on the others that jump in the water. When they are going to the surface the Giant Water Strider will move above of them and will pierce their faces and suck them dry.

Sergio Von Croy can see his last member underwater, which is his closest friend since childhood, that doesn't want to give up and doesn't want to go on the surface because he is sure that he will die.

But he doesn't have time to look for a different option since he's out of breath already. Out of fear he just chooses to get drowned, and when his dead body floats on the surface, it was sucked by the Giant Water Strider.

That's so hard to watch for Sergio Von Croy, who is bleeding and injured in the building.

WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!

Sergio Von Croy shouted as loud as he can while crying. He doesn't have his sanity anymore after what happened. He loses consciousness and falls asleep.

When he wakes up, the Giant Water Strider is gone.

*****

Jin Chow remembered what happened to his Squad Members while he can't also do anything to save them. He felt empathic towards Sergio Von Croy and touches his shoulder.

"I'm interested to know your story too."

Sergio Von Croy said.

Jin Chow nods.

"There's no time for that."

Liu Kai cut them off.

"I still have questions."

Liu Kai added.

"Hey, Brother Liu Kai do you have a heart?"

Jin Chow said.

Liu Kai remained silent to the question.

"Why am I attacking you or why I'm still here, is that it?"

Sergio Von Croy asked Liu Kai.

"Yeah."

Liu Kai replied.

"Hahahaha you're thinking is so rational."

Sergio Von Croy said while laughing.

"Even I already told you my story, that still doesn't matter to you since the questions in your head are not answered, well you are right, that didn't answer why did I attack the both of you."

"I know people like you, you're just like my closest friend, insensitive bastard but thinking so logical in every situation. If only the Monarchy picked him as the leader instead of me, maybe...."

Sergio Von Croy started crying.

Jin Chow is holding his back to calm him and Liu Kai just remained silent.

"If only I listened to them, then maybe they are still alive."

Sergio Von Croy said while sobbing.

Sergio Von Croy's feelings hit Liu Kai on a different level with his temporarily upgraded perception due to his skill 'Berserk'.

But Liu Kai doesn't know what he's gonna do with it. He wants to console Sergio but doesn't know how to.

"I'll just check the area, we need to be safe first."

Liu Kai said.

Jin Chow nods and continues to console Sergio.

Liu Kai left Jin Chow and Sergio Von Croy on the rooftop.

"I'm sorry about your Squad Members, I know how it feels."

Jin Chow said.

Sergio Von Croy just nods while crying.

"I'm sorry about Liu Kai too but he's not a bad person."

Jin Chow added.

*****

Liu Kai is looking for something to eat while thinking about what happened.

He keeps imagining what happened to Sergio Von Croy and Jin Chow.

'I don't have stories like that.'

'I think it's better to just leave them for a while.'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

*****

Liu Kai came back on the rooftop with an E-Rated Bug. He started a fire and prepares to burn the bug.

Sergio Von Croy already calms down and confronts Liu Kai.

"Hey, I'm sorry that I attacked you. I can answer your questions now."

Sergio Von Croy said.

"That doesn't matter to me anymore."

Liu Kai answered.

It does matter to Liu Kai but he doesn't want to look like a heartless man again.

"I don't think so, your mind won't let you sleep in peace if the questions in your head are not answered."

Sergio Von Croy stated.

Liu Kai's eyes are wide open because of Sergio's statement.

'How did he know?'

Liu Kai thought to himself.

"You're thinking how did I know, is that correct?"

Sergio Von Croy added.

Liu Kai twitched his eyebrows and doesn't want to admit it.

"I told you, you're just like my closest friend."

"You think the same."

Sergio Von Croy said while smiling sincerely to Liu Kai.

"I'll hear about it while we're eating. For now, just help prepare the food."

Liu Kai responded.

"Okay."

Sergio Von Croy answered and helps Liu Kai burn the bug.

Jin Chow is on the corner of the rooftop and guarding the place while Liu Kai and Sergio Von Croy are preparing the food.