As soon as the survivors cremated those who died last night and collected their weapons and items, we headed toward our base. We had four vehicles at our disposal, but those weren't near enough to transport three hundred survivors. So, we were crossing the city at night on walking speed. In most situations that would be madness, but we had a lot of firearms, and we had three survivors who could kill monsters faster than dozens of guns: Claire, Rose and me. Not to mention, I could detect enemies before they could even see us.

However, instead of giving the position of the monsters to the others, I was killing them as soon as I could see them with my own eyes. It was amazing, by using the elemental magic arrow, I could kill monsters two hundred meters away from me without even aiming. I just have to decide where the arrow should hit, and the arrow would hit that target. So, to have more opportunities to do it, I climbed the truck, and for the past hour, I have been sniping monsters, as long as they couldn't see the arrows, they wouldn't be able to dodge it. And for some reason, Claire was there with me.

While I was dumb, and probably had some mental issues, I knew that she wasn’t for some reason, she obviously was trying to become intimate with me. Maybe she really wanted to become my friend, or perhaps she wanted to become something more. It was hard to be sure, and I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. But none of those options were available. At first, I wasn’t interested in becoming their friends, and I didn’t have a good reason for it. But now I had, Ann gave me the reason why couldn’t become their friends.

In any case, the elemental magic arrow was evolving at a fast pace. However, the arrows weren’t like I had imagined they would be. For example, I created an ice arrow, but by using the minimal amount of MP to create that arrow, it had the same size as my bolts. But the power was of the arrow was absolute. That arrow could pierce the skulls of the mutant cats easily, not only that; it was so cold it could freeze anything almost instantly. I hit one paw of another mutant cat, and the monster’s leg turned into crystal after two seconds then it shattered because of the beast’s weight. The arrow was also quite heavy and sturdy; I could tell because I almost lost a finger when I touched it.

‘The only downside is that I can only create four with my current MP. Anyway, these arrows can be created with any material or substance. So, the possibilities are endless. But the cost to create something absurd would also be absurdly high.’

I had a lot of potions, so I could experiment with that skill as much as I wanted. But it was better to keep that training in secret, all the survivors in the city are together, but nothing guarantees they would stay like that forever.

‘Anyway, gravity isn’t a substance. But it is a property of the universe, right? Maybe I can create an arrow which can make the monsters heavier and slow them down. I should write that down on the notebook.’

After all that thinking, I also remembered that I needed to create a monster to help me and that I should create a considerable number of those plants. Because of that, I checked those plants, and I noticed they have one more leaf.

‘Plants and monsters… I have to test if those leaves can create another plant and I also have to decide what kind of monster I want. But can the monsters who obey me even enter the hotel? Even if they could, I don’t think there is enough room in that hotel anymore.’

It would be awesome if I could create that evolved mutant eagle, but that creature was many times stronger than the mutant dire wolf, so to create it, I would have to spend probably two hundred thousand of evolutions coins. I will create one, I definitely will, probably, when I leave the city.

Thanks to our numbers, we returned to our base without suffering a single loss early in the morning. But, everyone, aside from me, looked exhausted. That was understandable; they worked for almost twenty hours to cremate and collect the items of those who died. And they also didn’t drop their guards in the entire night. The only who recovered fast had been Claire, the kids hugged her, and just that made her feel relaxed. But the job wasn’t over; we still had to organize the rooms for the new survivors.

“All right, everyone, rest for the day.” Sandra said after sighing.” At night we will discuss with our new allies if they will become fighters or non-fighters. Good job.”

I wasn’t tired at all, but I decided to spend the day increasing my MP. I could always train the elemental magic arrow, but I needed more MP to train it more effectively. Claire looked at me with a dubious expression, but I just shrugged at her, and I headed to my room, which also was Claire’s and the kids’ room because these new survivors would probably use my previous room. But before that, I bought a vase with sand and put one of those leaves inside of it. I was hoping that I ten days I would have another magic plant.

When I entered the room, without wasting time, I sat on my new bad for the first time and began to meditate. Soon after Claire and the kids came, and they made a lot of noise, but I ignored because I was trying to imagine what kind of monster would help me a lot. The easiest choice would be the mutant dire wolf, although that monster was strong and fast, the beast couldn’t use any magic.

‘While I had the evolution coins to create one, I don’t know if can create one who can use magic.’

Besides, was that my best option? For the time being, it was, I could probably even use the beast to move around the city to conserve my STA. The creature was fast and strong and probably could fight for hours against the weakest monsters which could be found currently in the city. But I was wondering if instead of a single powerful monster, I should create dozens of weak ones, like the bees. In the end, I decided to create a mutant dire wolf; after all, I wouldn’t be able to use bees as a vehicle.

‘I hope I can create one who can use lightning attacks like that eagle, it will be handy to kill dozens of small fries in an instant, and it would give the beast the chance to escape if it finds a powerful foe.’

Once I decided what kind of monster I would create, the day passed slowly because I didn’t have anything better to do. But at least, I managed to increase my MP by six points. After twelve hours in the lotus position, I decided to take a break, and to my surprise, the room was almost empty. Aside from me, only Claire was in the room, and she was sitting on the bed, and by her expression, I could tell that she didn’t sleep.

“How can I make this feeling disappear?” Claire asked while staring at Martin’s crossbow. “This feeling of guilt of having taking lives. How can I make it disappear?”

“...It’s not that simple; you can only endure. Eventually, you will feel less guilty. Those who died were a lost cause, Ann’s death didn’t dispel the brainwash and the item to make them return to normal was way too expensive.”

The remedy to dispel the brainwash was called panacea, and the price was fifty thousand evolution coins. The remedy was all-purpose and could cure almost any mental disease or recover damaged minds, but wasn’t something that we could buy and use on five hundred survivors. We would lose many lives if we tried only to stop them. I was feeling a bit bad, but only because Claire dirtied her hands to help me. I didn’t regret a single bit of my actions.

“It was beyond us,” Claire said while looking down. “But that doesn’t change what I’m feeling. Even if we had no other choice, I don’t think this disgusting feeling is something that will disappear because of reasons or logic.”

While I could still recall my feelings at the beginning of the battle, I couldn’t feel bad anymore. And because of it, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Claire was feeling. It was probably something way more intense than what I felt when I killed those criminals. We both did to save someone, but the survivors she and others killed could return to normal, the chance was small, but it was possible.

Harry and the others will probably feel like Claire for the next few days. I didn’t know if Sabrina killed someone, but if she did, she would be the person who would need more help. Rose probably had some experience in dealing with people with traumas, but she also dirtied her hands, so, she wasn’t free from that feeling of guilt.

Although I decided to not care about such things anymore, I was feeling a little discomfort, Claire received some mental damage because of me, after all. And it didn’t matter how much I could try; I couldn’t just become a robot and eliminate all my emotions. I could suffocate my feelings like I was already doing, but I would always feel something, no matter how weak the feeling would be, I would feel it.

I couldn’t help her or the others, so, to make her feel a little better. I decided to say some empty words.

“I guess I owe you guys one for helping me, and I also have to apologize, because of my mistake you have to do what you did. Something like that probably won’t happen again, but I will keep my impulsive actions in check from now on.”

“If you really feel sorry,” Claire said, showing a weak smile.” Then there are a few things that you can do.”

“And what would those things be?”

“First, don’t disappear again,” Claire said, showing a serious expression. “I already lost all my family, and most of my friends already died. I don’t want to see the friends that I made here die too. Promise that you won’t disappear and die.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t promise any of those.”

I wanted the strength to go wherever I wanted in this new world, and I would do everything to obtain that strength, but some things are beyond human control. So, it was unreasonable to promise that. Besides, if I survive for those two remaining months, I would leave the city, and nothing would stop me.

“Somehow, I knew you would say that,” Claire showing her weak smile again, but I also saw sadness and pain in her eyes.

Seeing Claire like that made my heart ache, I decided not to get attached to the survivors of this city, and I decided not to get attached to anything anymore. But for a brief instant, I felt that I should felt attached to her. But I get rid of those thoughts; it was absolutely impossible. Besides, she deserved a good person as a friend, not a cold-blood killer like me.

“There is one more thing that you can do, and I won’t accept a no as an answer,” Claire said while opening her arms.

“A hug?”

I was honestly confused, but Claire just kept smile with her arms open. While it was something that I could do, it was a bit strange. I didn’t hug anyone on the past two years after all. And that made me realize that I never had any real bond aside from my parents and siblings.

“I guess that’s fine; it’s nothing compared to what I owe you.”

I awkwardly hug Claire, but she almost crushed me with her inhuman strength. But that wasn’t surprising, she broke her physical limit more than ten times, after all.

“In that case,” Claire said, smiling. “You have to do this every day from now on.”

“The brats don’t you hug you every day already?”

“The more, the merrier,” Claire said.

I couldn’t help but smile a little because of her words. Claire’s body was very soft, even though she was absurdly strong. Her natural fragrance and her body’s warmth made me feel very comfortable, and since Claire also looked pleased, I decided to enjoy that for a little longer. For the first time in my entire life, I felt that I had formed a bond with another person.