Jason climbed up from the hole and someone greeted him warmly. Maria hugged him the moment he was within reach.

“Can you loosen up a bit? I’m hurt here,” said Jason.

She didn’t let go.

“Didn’t you just heal yourself?” Maria replied.

“I’m out of EP, my wounds aren't fully healed,” he said. She let go with her brows knitted together.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just let me rest a bit,” he said.

Jason and Maria were about to walk away yet a man blocked their path.

A man dressed in a black suit with a black shade. The wrinkle underneath that shades of his didn’t hide his late age. He’s one of the men in black.

“I need to talk,” said the man.

“Beat it,” said Maria.

He frowned underneath his shades.

“I’m not asking,” over the years, no one dared talk back to him. He’s the chief staff of protection for the whole Rawlings Conglomerate, Simon Price. If it wasn’t for the big man himself asking him a favor to protect his obnoxious bratty son, he wouldn’t have been in this situation. But this city detective had the nerve to talked back to him.

“Me neither,” Maria was quick with her hand as her handgun was already out and aiming at the man.

Simon had to admit, this woman was quick in her action. He was a step too late more so he was out of ammo at the moment. In times like this, rather than posturing with his dignity and pride it was best to be on the same page. Raising both of his hands up in the air, he offered a truce.

“I’m not here for trouble. From what I’d seen, you defeating that creature is related to this floating blue window,” said the man while pointing at Jason. The one he saw fighting while clinging on the ebony pterodactyl’s back.

“Am I right?” Simon asked.

Jason stared at this man. He couldn’t see Simon’s eyes but knew that this man wasn’t an ordinary man. Even so, he too wasn’t ordinary. Far from it.

“You’re right,” he said.

“Then what are these-” Simon wanted to know more but Jason intervened.

“You can figure it yourself, I need my rest. Unlike you guys doing nothing, I’m the one who did the heavy load,” Jason said his piece. He and Maria walked past Simon not before Simon spoke up once more.

“One last thing, what is that thing you are holding? I think I saw it appearing on top of the dead bird’s head,” a man with keen vision. Even from afar he noticed everything.

Jason simply replied.

“None of your damn business,” he and Maria, both returned to the group.

Leaving Simon standing there with his expression stoic and calm yet underneath no one knew what he was feeling.

“Jason,” Gina stood up and leaped for a hug.

“Ow,” he replied.

“Does it hurt?” Gina asked with her eyes moist.

Maria was annoyed by this cousin of Jason. Who in this world right now could hurt Jason, she herself knew that.

“I’m fine. Need some rest,” said Jason.

Eugene helped Jason out as he lay on the floor. He was about to rest his head on the carpet floor but a soft sensation met against the back of his head. He titled upwards and saw Eugene smiling in a refreshing way. She was giving him a thigh pillow.

“I hope you won’t mind,” said Eugene.

It bewildered Jason, wasn’t he the one who suppose to say that. For some reason, he felt a red hot glare coming from the side. He took a peek and saw Maria with her arms crossed over her chest glaring at him. Although he had broken up with her a long time ago, he still remembered what that look and posture meant.

Shit, am I more afraid of a woman than a big prehistoric bird?

It was a ridiculous thought but he couldn’t deny such feelings. He turned his head to the side towards the glass wall mirror. At least this way he wouldn’t need to see that face again.

Damn, I forgot about the reflection.

He tried but he couldn’t escape. The glass wall mirror reflected the look on Maria’s face. She was definitely staring Jason through the mirror itself. In mind, he was hoping another pterodactyl would show up so he wouldn’t have to deal with this. Then he remembered something.

The scroll.

After defeating the ebony pterodactyl, he waited for a bit hoping for some miracle to happened and it did. A scroll similar to the one he obtained from the razor hunter appeared. He snatched it up the moment it appeared. He didn’t want prying eyes knowing about this. But unfortunately for him, someone else already did a while ago.

“What’s that?” Eugene asked. She was curious about the scroll Jason was holding.

“It’s a scroll,” said Jason.

“I know that but is it important?” she knew that Jason wasn’t the type to favor books and literature. Him, holding on to an old looking scroll was weird enough.

“See for yourself,” Jason opened it as the letters were familiar from the last one. Then it glowed in a grayish light.

Maria and Gina were intrigued as they too came closer hoping to take a peek. Then the blue windows appeared.

Shadow Hide

Allows you to hide in the shadow for a short time.

Lv.1 : EP cost 1,

Duration : 30 seconds

Would you like to learn Shadow Hide?

Jason clenched his fist tightly as he restrained himself from shouting in excitement. An ability that can hide one’s presence was the epitome of survival. It can even be used both ways, defensive and offensive. An image came into mind.

Ninja!

Rather than the blonde hair with blue eyes wearing an orange jacket, Jason was more of a fan of the teacher. The one eye silver hair ninja, an all-rounder ninja that excelled in everything. Eluding enemies and spying are the most crucial skill set that a ninja needs to have and Jason having this new ability in hand would provide him a basic framework of how he progress himself further in the future.

“Oppa, you’re grinning with that creepy smile again,” said Eugene.

It snapped him off from his daydreaming and brought him back to reality. He turned back to the blue window and accepted the ability. Like before the whole scroll turned into ashes spiraling in front of him before going straight into the middle of his forehead.

The whole scene shocked the heck out of everybody who was around him. Eugene’s parent was calling Eugene to come over, afraid of something will happen to her. While Eugene, Gina, and Maria stared at the sight of Jason who has his eyes closed. They were worried but seeing that calm and serene look on his face, at least he’s not in trouble.

Then something appeared from the night sky with the lights blinking from afar. Someone caught sight of it first and shouted.

“Something is coming.”

All eyes were on the sky above. Then they came closer. The sound of the rotating blades blaring across the night sky. These choppers went above the hotel building as people started rushing to the staircase as the hope of survival was within the distance.

“Oppa, wake up. The rescue chopper is here,” said Eugene. She shook Jason’s body as she was brimming with excitement. She couldn’t stand inside this nightmare any longer. All she wanted was her normal life, peace, and quiet.

Gina too was elated with the corner of her smile reaching up to her ears. She cast down her sight to Jason who just woke up and looked at him with a caring look. Maria sighed out of relief. The thing she hoped for came true. She stared out into the night sky thanking her partner, Moretti, in her heart.

But her bliss was short-lived. Screams and gunshots came from above. The noise jolted everyone off their feet.

“What’s going on?” asked Jason as he stood beside Maria.

“I don’t know,” Maria ran to the staircase with the others following her from behind.

The staircase was blocked with people sitting down on the stairs, no one dared step out from the door.

“Make way, coming through,” Maria took the lead as she plowed through the people.

The moment she stepped outside of the door, corpses of dead people littered across the roof. From the sight of these men in black aiming their weapon at her, she knew who was the cause of it.

“What’s the meaning of this?” shouted Maria as her blood was boiling.

Jason stood to the side and saw the gruesome scene. Man, woman, children and even the elderly were shot down without remorse. He didn’t feel sad seeing this and rather apathetic, he knew what the world was becoming and these people in front of him would be the norm.

“Oh, Det.Lopez, you’re right in time. Come along, you’re supposed to escort me, am I right?”

The son of the conglomerate stared at Maria with dirty intention in mind. He licked his lips like a viper preparing for its meal.