Jacob looked at the branch, non-plussed, and said: “Never seen it before. Did the man who rescued us use that?”

Francis was now really losing it. His friend showed a perfect poker face, and people were starting to doubt what went down. If Jacob could, he would shove the branch of the Steelbark Bloody Tree up that little weasel's ass.

“He told me that people were going to die!” Francis was now screaming.

“Francis puked right after I asked him to get me to the bathroom, and after that, he dragged me to the forest first and to the main street later. I have no idea what he was up to, honestly. I think he was sick. He probably still is.”

Frederick frowned and looked at Francis.

“Everyone felt sick, and some did show confusion. I fainted too, dad, and found some oily grime all over my skin”, Frederick commented.

His father, Luis Albert, nodded and looked at Francis and Jacob. The words of his son instantly changed his opinion.

Frederick has a 9th level talent. The grime was due to the impurity leaving his body. He still has not realized the massive change he just underwent; however, his body is now stronger than a Demonic Wolf, almost as strong as an Alpha.

Jacob slowly inhaled. The situation was probably going to get out of hand soon. He had hoped to manipulate things from behind the scenes, thanks to Francis. However, his friend just demonstrated how unreliable he could be. All his plans had just gone tits up.

“Well, Jacob, can you tell us more about this weird man?” Frederick asked.

“He was covered in grime, like the one you just mentioned,” Jacob answered. “He looked strong and muscled. I’ve never seen him before around here, but he saved us without flinching. The man had a ripped white shirt and some bloody gashes over his skin. If you saw some blood on the scene, it was probably his, I’d say.”

Jacob had just laid down some thick influence on the people around him. First, he just indirectly compared Frederick and his savior, giving him heroic attributes. Then, on top of that, Jacob just mentioned some blood which no one would ever get to analyze. It was obviously wolf blood, but the scene he just painted would make his story stronger.

Frederick was indeed pleased and smiled.

“Well, people showed some new strength,” he said, “now I wonder if…”

He clenched his left fist and brought it in front of his face.

He just realized he’s way stronger than before. Since he’d want to test his limits, this farce should end soon.

“Well, dad, people, I think what Jacob is saying sounds truthful. Francis must have been confused. Let’s gather again in the City Hall in one hour. Jacob, rest well but try to come. Everyone should. We lost contact with the rest of the world, and we don’t know what’s happening. Few cars still work…”

Jacob could hear the excitement in his voice. That arrogant little bastard was excited for his new strength while the world just went through the literal apocalypse.

After a few more chats and Francis crying some more, people started leaving his room.

“Jackie, how are you?” his auntie finally ran inside the room.

Jacob's heart softened immediately.

His parents had died while he was still an infant in a car crash. His aunt was a high school teacher in a city close by. In his past life, she had died during the second day while venturing out to find help in another village.

She was short and sweet, a little pudgy but with sharp features on her face. She taught French and English, and she could speak Spanish and some German too. She never had married and kept to herself, spending most of her day reading; her only other hobby was traveling, and she loved learning about new cultures.

If Jacob had any interest in reading, it was thanks to his aunt.

“I’m a little bruised, but nothing serious.”

“Oh, Jackie,” his auntie softly hugged him while whimpering.

“Don’t worry, auntie. It’s fine. The mysterious man saved me.”

He said that last sentence a little louder compared to the rest.

His aunt was a brilliant woman and very hard to lie to. She instantly grabbed his shoulders, and Jacob nodded toward the window.

Someone was there, keeping an eye on him. People had trusted his words only to a point. However, some doubt had made Frederick’s father ordered one of the kids to stay outside of his window, and Jacob had noticed it thanks to his overly developed Sixth Sense.

His aunt instantly started making gestures with her hands.

“What is happening?”

They both knew sign language. Jacob did not have many friends, and he had spent an insane amount of time reading and chatting with his aunt in his life. When he was ten, they were both so bored during the summer that they learned sign language. It had been a tough summer since they could not travel. His aunt had some summer courses to teach, and he couldn’t go anywhere on his own. All the other kids had gone abroad or to the beach with their parents. So he had stayed home reading and learning sign language from the web.

“Many people dead. Shit went down.”

His aunt slapped his arm for his swearing. Jacob almost cried out loud for the pain.

“That hurt!”

“No swearing, mister!” his aunt gestured seriously.

“Knowledge about the future. I lied. I know things. I can help you. I can save everyone. Please don’t tell others.”

Jacob was a bit ashamed, but his sign language was rusty. The last time he had used it had been a lifetime ago when his aunt had still been alive.

His aunt frowned, and her eyes stared at the window outside. Then, right after, she nodded and asked a question.

“What can I do to help?”

Jacob had made a huge mistake in trusting Francis. However, he would have trusted his aunt with anything. Even with his medical problems and frail body, the woman had taken it upon her to raise him. He was not a child to be proud of, but she always loved him no matter what. She gave him all she could, and even more. She even started teaching some extra classes and private lessons to make money for some friendly trips they had taken together.

She had also brought him to specialists in Rome and Milan who helped diagnose and treat his disease. It had cost a pretty penny, but his aunt never faltered. She was resourceful and smart. Jacob thought she probably intimidated possible suitors with her brain.

“We need to get something. I need your help.”

Jacob forced himself out of bed. He needed to get some herbs to speed up his recovery. If new Demonic Beasts attacked and he wasn’t ready for it, he would risk not only dying but getting his aunt killed too!