Chapter 33. Hendry They really took a long way back. After following the trail for another fifteen minutes, we were now being led towards the forest. I knew they wouldn't go towards the center, there was nothing to gain from going there. The forest was the key in these times. You had fresh meat, an open area to build, and practically unlimited resources if you know how to use them. No big organization would prefer going deep in the city unless something was hidden there. We were nearing the city borderline and there were already signs of people living nearby. No monsters were visible in the surrounding area, not even a goblin belonging to the F-grade. Someone or some people had cleared out the area. That was what I did in the trial. Walking into the forest you then started to hear voices. Joyous sounds, something akin to a celebration but if you had a really good perception then the tiny, soft voices seeking help were also audible. And I had really, really good perception. "Let's hurry, or we might not make it in time," I said and everybody picked up their feet. "You still came." The one greeting us was Hendry. "I did not think you'd be able to follow us all the way back. We tried so hard to confuse you, but it looks like your class has some interesting skills." I wanted to speak but someone beat me to it. "Hendry! You bastard! Where is my wife?!!" The guy who had lost his wife screamed. He was scared and angry, scared for his significant other and angry at himself for not being able to protect her. "Hmm? Ah, was the blond chick your wife? She was quite fun but I'm scared your too late to do anything. You see we reached almost an hour ago and a lot of things can happen in-" "Enough," I hit the poor man's head and made him pass out. Any more and he will run straight to his death, I did not want to see more deaths today. Except for these people before me. They were going to die. "We were just getting to the fun part, why did you have to spoil it once again. During the first goblin attack too you spoiled everything." "You knew I was helping? I did not expect that." Hendry was good at hiding his emotions, not even I was able to make out any difference from normal people. 'The Syndicate, what an interesting bunch of people.' "That was why I waited. Only communicated with my peers when you were on your daily rounds, patiently waiting for you to leave. But sadly you took that girl with you, even her brother had some eyes on him." Hendry was laughing as he said. Everything was a joke to him right now. "You shouldn't have mentioned those two. The abysmal chance of survival that you had, is now gone." "Is Hendry still meeting his 'Guests'? Does he really need to waste so much of his time? He's missing out on all this fun!" "Let him be, he said that the strong one will probably come." "Whoever comes, do you think he could beat ten of us? All of us are above twenty-five, even if he's thirty do you think he stands a chance against us? A single person?" "Not really. But what if he is one of those?" "Only kings and their equals have two classes. Even in the Syndicate, there weren't many people that were able to unlock their second class, and you think a 'nobody' managed to do that?" "Yeah almost everyone that had a second class was being monitored." "Just wait a few minutes, he'll be back. ""Yes Sir."" Everybody said. Hendry really did do a good job this time. After we reunite and form a proper base, I could talk about his promotion with the overseer. But only if he licks my ass like a good dog. Hehe- "AAAGGHHHHHHH!!!!" I heard a scream, it sounded like his soul was being tortured. "That sounded like Hendry right?" "Everybody! Get your weapons out, right now." I gave the order and rushed out. But the scene before me almost made my heart stop. 'Who is he?' "Ouch, my head! My wife where is she? Where-" What is going on? I was stubborn and followed that guy here even though he said not to, just because I was worried for my wife but this pressure, what is this heaviness that I feel. I looked around and saw a man as he held Hendry by the neck, lifting him up. Blood flowed out from Henry's mouth, there was fear in his eyes that even I could recognize. He tried to say something, I was not able to hear what but the man, the one that guided me here, I clearly heard his reply. 'Too late,' he said. Hendry's eyes widened, more blood flew out of his mouth, his whole body was shaking. More people came out of the large tent behind them, all armed with weapons. The man just looked at them and raised his other hand. At first, nothing happened, then as if he just suffered some big wound, blood started falling onto the ground. But it did not mix with the soil, instead, it jumped back into his hand to solidify into the shape of a sword. The people that were running at him froze after getting close to him. He threw Hendry on the ground and walked towards the other people. Just walked, like he was strolling in a nearby park. He walked past the first four and killed everyone that remained. A quick slice to the neck and every single one fell down, like puppets after their strings have been cut. No one resisted they just let it happen, accepting the death he was granting them. The scene was too much and knowing that it was all 'real' did not help either. Slowly everything went black and only one question remained, "Who is this man?" "Was killing humans really so easy?" I looked down at the sword in my hand, not a single drop of blood on it but when I turned around a river of blood made its way into the ground. The question wasn't in terms of capability but in terms of mentality. If it was before the 'Merge', would it have still been so easy for me to kill another human? Was I always like this, taking the value of human life so lightly? 'What am I becoming?'