One thing that is strange in this scene is that there are several bullets from nowhere that are still hitting my head, but...

What kind of little gun can really tickle me anyway?

Maybe the police’s from afar?

I turned my face around as these small metallic splatters still adorned my strands of hair without hurting this skin even a bit. While the other six people on my team ignored the police, they instead raised their swords at the local Sins Taker member who was tasked with protecting this one elder inside the car that had been stuck in our midst.

So... They really are going to kill their fellow members of their own organization?

Like… I know that I didn't mishear what they said last night, but…

You know? Unlike them, I still haven't lost my humanity. And I'm not hurt and exhausted enough to not think rationally. So to see these people clashing swords while I know the position of the two teams are actually on the same side, it just feels a little odd in my heart.

What's more, that it doesn't even take too long... I mean, it only took about fifteen seconds for these sins takers to be bounced off and torn in half by us who were mostly three to four times stronger than those poor carriers.

“I can't stay still here for too long, can I?”

I advise myself to move from inside of my mind.

As I tread among these murderers, slowly as if I'm on purpose, I opened the car door where the old man with his white army uniform full of medals looked at me with that one fear of death, just right behind the gaps of the last two sins takers who are still threatening us and trying to make themselves as human shields for that old guy.

Which only ended in vain after they both were dragged out and beheaded right on the open road. Indeed become a very distinctive way of execution within this type of terrorist organization that we are currently imitating.

“Our main target…”

Albert dragged the old man to his knees above the pool of blood of people who had previously died to protect himself. The guy said, “It’s your turn.” For me to execute the last person… Head tilted, I closed my eyes while ending his life.

The first time I killed an ordinary helpless human in my entire life by decapitating him with my own sword…

What words can I say to describe how I feel right now, eh?

“Ugh… I feel sick…”

~~~~~

Escaping from the other personnel of The Sins Taker is not at all difficult for all of us since information can actually be manipulated easily by Edward from within the organization itself. The rest we just need to follow the instructions to get inside and through many underground canals, to the high roof of a building.

We were all then picked up by helicopter to the other end of the city.

Using buildings and rooms that are different from the previous one to have some rest and get ready for the next target, I joined in watching dozens of news from many different sources that discussed last night's terror with our team’s mentor and my personal guide.

Well, I guess this rather old man can no longer be said to be my personal guide after all.

He only serves as this team's helper from the outside world for a while until all this massacre is over.

But whatever it is, it seemed that these two, who served outside the official personnel of this special team created by Edward, knew quite a bit more about their own leader than anyone. So maybe this can be an opportunity for me to get some important information.

“Does Edward actually have a higher boss that people at my level still don't know about?”

The two people who were focusing on watching the news in front of me suddenly turned their heads at the same time to see who had just spoken, looked at each other for a while, then went back to watching that news program again.

“I don’t know.”

“None of your business.”

Yeah… Sure… Sure they’ll also understand that I'm actually starting to realize that now… About the only thing they can do is to just avoid nothing but that one conversation.

As one of them said, “Get ready for the second target. And try not to be surprised later because from here on out, the guard will be much stricter than before.”

The television was turned off by the mentor while still maintaining a flat tone, holding his poker face as he spoked.

I didn't force any of them, as they walked further and even further away from me, joining Albert and his subordinates. But from this distance I can still hear their casual or daily conversation while getting ready for a quick rest.

“Hmm… So this is how it feels to be exiled, huh?”

~~~~~

For this second night, we raided a luxurious house belonging to another elder of The Sins Taker as the second target. Dashing straight from all directions, the entire army of guards, five souls in strength, instantly collapsed by my bare hands.

They all dragged their injured bodies away from me, while I was cursing myself that I couldn't kill even a single one of them…

Before becoming a great carrier, I didn't even care much to look at the body parts of the many humans lying in front.

Maybe this is what I once said about something that was poisoning myself… Or… Does it actually heal my psyche, which has been crazy from the start?

The point is, I never felt anything when I saw someone dying…

But look at me now…

Even when I need that strength, I don't even dare to kill them.

I'm just not moving… Not even an inch, just before the sound of explosions from vehicles in the garage of this house brought me back to reality.

~~~~~

Albert was given the task of eliminating all the means for the owner of this house to escape…

While I was told to guard these stairs alone and slaughter anyone who intends to come down from the second floor… Also to secure the escape route.

“Ah… Fuck… I haven't killed anyone since a while ago, have I? I wonder how many souls Ellie has right now. That girl... I'm afraid that she will also lose humanity like these people who are assigned with me… I don't like their eyes, Ellie. Their gazes are exactly the same as the ones I had when my father was still…”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?”

I straightened my body which was previously leaning quietly beside the stairs. Passed by those personnel who ran in a hurry towards the door that I had guarded all along, I just shook my head saying that it was not something to think about to any one of them.

Without me witnessing the main stage, the second night then also passed just like yesterday…

~~~~~

“Six point four…”

“Sixty four, genius.”

Those random guys who checked my soul count again narrowed their eyes imitating my own genes after I explained the number casually.

“Only increased by one since yesterday… So you're actually afraid to kill, huh?”

“I don’t know…”

“During the hostage rescue mission, you also didn't kill them, did you?”

“I killed four.”

“Just because they really intend to kill those kids.”

Hmm? Not really…

It was because Ellie didn't want me to kill too many people… But there's no way I can say that to this random guy… Can I?

“In the end, all these missions ended up very easily. Where it was Edward who worked too hard to falsify the information and threatened the elders not to claim himself as a suspect in this terrorism attempt… What a sly man…”

Hearing the bold opinion of the random guy, one of Albert's personnel while he actually doesn't know anything about the truth behind something that has always been above this Edward guy, I slightly turned my eyes towards our senior who also listened to those words earlier instead…

The mentor of this team who looks a little too pushy to be calm, which made me even more convinced that Edward wasn't doing all of this shit by himself at all.

~~~~~

We have completed many missions so far. One target each night, seven nights shifting from one city to another, easily tracking down any elder who had truly given up hope of hiding.

There were thirteen more elders left, and they still didn't seem to have any intention of obeying us, apart from just running away.

My only hope was that all of this would be over at least two or three days before the twelfth of december… While here I thought those elders would give up so easily if their lives were at stake, but they turned out to be quite stubborn as well…

Supposedly, by carrying out all these murders in an orderly and timely manner, as if the world could do nothing to save them, showing that the world would never suspect or dare to accuse Edward of being the perpetrator of all this terror, was enough to fulfill my contract with Edward in this mission. This, but of course it's not that easy…

Whatever means Edward or someone above him uses to create this tyranny and terror, it seems to have quite a few obstacles and flaws…

Well, of course I don't really know how… I don't even know anything about those mysterious people's plans, so the only thing that I can do is to obey all orders without being given permission to even look at my own order sheet and the purpose of all this I have to do in the first place…

~~~~~

“The entire remaining existence of the elders, even those who were still scattered across many different countries, had disappeared completely from the radar. Most likely, the great carrier of teleportation had something to do with this matter.” A voice from the speaker, echoed in this dark room, which was filled with us inhuman murderers…

According to Edward's explanation from the same video that was sent to this team, he then ordered us to proceed to plan B, a plan that they had set up from the start for it to happen…

There Edward also said something terrible that doesn't even raise these people's eyebrows at all, does not show any surprise at something that sounds so deeply hurtful…

For the fact that tomorrow night we will massacre the next of kin that the remaining elders have in exchange for them choosing to hide from us.

Including killing their son and grandchild…

“What’s wrong, Daniel? Are you scared?”

What’s wrong, you say!?

My eyes widened at one of Albert's personnel who asked with his haughty face... But luckily I can control my expression in order to keep things from getting worse for myself.

“Now if those elders are indeed more human than us, they'll be surrendering right after tomorrow night.”

“No, don’t talk about humane or someshit for this one, buddy...”

“Well then no, I don't need your opinion.”

My fake expression came off after the man's response made me even more emotional. Which is the reason why everyone is now looking at me like I've managed to disturb their feelings… “Even if you are a great carrier… Dude, take a look around you.” He threatened me as a cover threat.

The average strength of the five of them had already exceeded eighty. Apart from that, Albert the Dominant is now at exactly two hundred souls in strength.

But they underestimate me too much…

“There is a ninety percent probability that if we succeed with tomorrow's mission, it will be the last for us. Just hold on till then, Daniel.”

Oh?

So there is actually someone?

This is the first time someone is on my side while working with these kinds of people. And that was my personal guide before reaching this mission.

Even so I can't easily nod in agreement.

So I immediately went to just be alone outside, because there was nothing else I needed to hear from the mission explanation for tomorrow.

~~~~~

Boarding a new... Large military helicopter the next night, I realized the arrival of someone I never expected to come right in front of my face. Yet for the mission this time, Edward came by himself.

The real one without any illusions.

I forced myself to be silent during the flight. Then after using some kind of communication device, we were all finally able to hear what Edward actually wanted to say to us…

“I've created illusions all around our helicopter, so that this thing can't be seen and heard by people from the outside… And we're canceling the get-away route you've been planning last night. Instead, try to outwit the enemy while escaping to the hotel helipad that I have marked on this map… But remember, do not enter the hotel building if you are still being chased by someone. Kill, or fool them, the main thing is when you're all there I'll guide you back into this invisible helicopter.”

While receiving the map, Albert asked as if he wanted to confirm what he had guessed beforehand… “Why all of a sudden?”

“A bit of information leaked out to Evelina. That most likely she will soon realize the place of our abattoir for tonight… Which if we get caught, it would be impossible for you people to escape from her teleportation ability.”

“Wait… Wait… What do you mean by information leaked?! So she already knew that I was playing as a terrorist?! That Evelina!? But you have a promise to me, Edward!” Albert for a moment seems to have lost his own inhumanity…

The nature of himself that becomes fragile when he falls in love… A one-sided love.

Which is a good thing for me…

Fuck you, dude…

“No. Don't worry. Of course I didn't record any data about you anywhere. No one knows who is playing the character you are playing. Evelina only knows that this murder was the work of me, so you take it easy, Albert.”

“Okay… Good…” Albert then looks relieved from that man's words.

But hey… What the hell?

Why does this guy still seem pretty confident about that girl again?

Hasn't he been rejected outright?

~~~~~

“We have arrived.”

The voice of the pilot ended our conversation, as the vehicle doors opened wide for us to free fall without even needing a parachute.

Not wanting to question anything, I followed the line to jump.

Turns out Edward was right…

When I looked up, the helicopter really couldn't be seen in the wide sky. There is no sound, not even anything.

Also because of my fascination with it, I actually landed with my back first touching the surface of the road.

Lifting myself up slowly like a slacker with no passion for work, then again I followed my team walk casually to the front of this one house while many people screamed as they ran away from us.

Even though I am still a little doubtful about what will happen in front of my own eyes…

Yet I suddenly meet their eyes…

Through the window, I could see these two children peeking out, then disappearing to lock themselves up somewhere around the house.

~~~~~

“You sure that we really are going to kill those children?”

My question just ended up in vain...

As the entrance was immediately kicked to pieces by Albert's psychic power, while the sound of threatening barks from the local Sins takers came from the street right behind us.

All of these inhuman murderers then stopped and instead rushed over to kill them first...

Before running with the thirst for power kind of aura, one of Albert’s personnels smiled as he said to me… “Daniel, you take care of the family members. Leave these Sins takers to us.”

“Dude, admit it, you all just want to kill people with a larger number of souls in order to maximize your efforts to grow further and even stronger, aren’t you?!”

But my words won't even be heard by anyone…

That being the case, doesn’t it mean that I would again kill some more defenseless ordinary human for tonight?

Except this time, the children will be involved!

Okay… Daniel...

Maybe you need to stir your own mind about things that we need much more right now, buddy… What is it?

Have any idea?

“This will most likely be the last mission.”

“I didn't record any data about you guys, so don't worry…”

Again that conversation suddenly echoed in my head…

Okay, well… Fuck with it!

I mark all the souls in my own eyes that exist in this house… There are four people in total. Husband, wife and two children. Through the wall and floor, the form of their souls seems to be crawling down while hugging each other, hiding as if I couldn't figure it out myself.

“On the second floor that is…”

I walk slowly around, cursing myself for having become someone worse even than any trash… Now they are right above me…

“Should I blast these concrete until they all fall down, get crushed and die by themselves without these eyes seeing it?”

Wait… Ugh... We were ordered to behead them, right?

No... I can't... Two of them are just kids!

Suddenly from my communication device I heard one of us scream in pain before the man's body itself was flying into the house, right in front of my face, hitting a glass cabinet as he crushed the surface of the wall behind it.

Then I thought to myself…

“Who the hell can throw a body as strong as this man even so far into the living room?!”

“Evelina…”

Albert's whisper sounded through the voice channel, losing his self confidence.

Oh… I see…

I mean…

Ah!? Really?!

~~~~~

“What should we do?!” Asked by one of Albert’s personnel.

But not only him, I think we all must have freaked out at Edward's earlier explanation…

Do we really have a chance to escape if things have become like this?

“Okay, that's enough. Change of plans! I'll come pick you guys up. Albert, buy some time to hold that girl down, you hear me?” Even Edward had to step in.

Now, let's hear how Albert handles this kind of problem...

As that man yelled, “We have hostages!”

Oops…

It seems that Albert immediately ran out of ideas in front of the girl he likes… Or…

Maybe that one is actually a good idea?

“Albert? Is that you behind the mask?” Ellie laughed as if she had expected.

“If you want them to be safe, just stay there, Evelina. Move a little, we kill one after another.”

“I do not care. Where is Daniel?”

Awh… Ellie… I'm blushing...

Oh…

Wait…

I was reminded of the poor guy who got hit hard by this girl!

So I helped the man to rise to his own feet. But instead he pushed me pretty hard as if he was annoyed.

Well, it's not the first time for me so I don't really mind...

“Have you killed our target?” He asked me.

“... No…”

“Okay… That’s good... Then where are they now? I’ll do it.”

“Right above us. Maybe inside a closet.” I pointed upwards as if I was very sure of their location.

Once again this man pushed me, then he ran up the stairs, until I heard a scream that suddenly became quiet.

But I can still feel their souls, so that man is just silencing them I guess.

“Where’s Daniel, Albert? Tell me right now.” Ellie's cold voice again came from my communication device.

“That guy is also with us. And he has killed a lot of innocent people, you know?”

“Yeah, I don’t care, just tell me where he is!”

With what Ellie was concerned about, Albert should be able to read the mood and instead take me as his own hostage for all of us... But this guy seems afraid to talk.

Even his comrade who was previously outside, sneaks in and approaches me, much smarter for the time being than Albert himself…

Because he is now aiming his sword right beside my neck.

Which of course I fully understand. I don't want to be arrogant, but I do understand much better than all of them.

So I just raised both hands, and surrendered without the slightest bit of resistance…

“Albert, I have now taken Daniel as our hostage. Tell that to the girl!” This man brought his communication device close to his mouth while speaking, I just nodded as if I would be fine.

“We could easily kill that guy. So just take another step, Evelin… I’m warning you.”

When Albert gave in and repeated those words aloud, Ellie's voice actually trembled a little… I don't know if that sounds good to me or not, but these members of my team seem happy about that fact.

She said, “How do I know if he's actually here? It’s impossible for him to be a hostage…”

“Richard, cut his leg a little.”

“Okay.”

“Ouch!” This man actually slashed my leg, though he could just tell me to scream!

“Jesus! You fucking stupid, Richard! Is that personal!?” My words are ignored by him.

But of course that was enough to convince Ellie.

~~~~~

“Daniel!? You’re just faking it, aren’t you?! You can definitely beat them all, right?! Then don’t tell me… Are you siding with them now!? And not to me!?”

“Please don't expect too much from this Daniel… What can I say? They hate me after all…”

“Oh…”

Even though we can only shout without looking at each other directly, maybe our friendly conversation sounds annoying to these people… That's why this Richard kicked me in the face who was kneeling in pain… Again…

“So what do you want? Albert?”

“Just get out of here, Evelina.”

“What?! No! Give me Daniel… Now!”

“Ellie…” Looks like I have to step in for this one…

That girl is probably already very worried...

“Daniel, where are you!? Please just tell me! I will save you!”

See?

“Ellie, listen…” My voice stopped before I could calm down Ellie, because I was the one who couldn't calm down after hearing Edward's words from the communication device.

As he said, “My team can kill Fanya and Deo even one second from now, Daniel. I'm not a fool for not planning all these things at once. So I beg you, cooperate with us...”

“I know that, Edward, you asshole… Just shut up for now.”

Then I'm back shouting… “Ellie, Now Fanya and Deo are in their grasp. I can handle this alone… No… Not that. I mean, I will come back alive. I beg you to believe in me, so just please go for now, Ellie... Please…”

“No! They will surely kill you!”

Yeah I also know that, but…

Ugh… It’s useless!

Then… There's only one way left...

“Ellie… Do you believe in destiny?”

“Daniel, don't even try to play that card! It’s not the time!”

Oops... Okay… I'm a little disappointed… And embarrassed…

~~~~~

“Okay, now you two shut up!”

Albert finally reached the peak of his own emotions as he continued his words. “Evelina, that guy can’t do anything but to obey and we all know that. So if you don't want Daniel to die now, then just get the hell out of here. Please…”

“Ellie… I’ll be back. I promise.” I'm on the guy's side. Even though I hate it.

A silence then suddenly approached us…

A silence that I didn't like, something that seemed to have come in the form of a nightmare for myself, as Ellie said, “No, I'm sorry Daniel. As I thought... I really had made a mistake to let you go at that time. And I'm not willing to lose you right now. So… It's okay if you hate me, Daniel… But I apologize for those two…”

“What? No… No! Ellie?!” You mean you want to sacrifice Deo and Fanya for this?!

There came a super cold explosion that even somehow managed to emit a blinding blue light that destroyed everything around this place.

Ice spikes everywhere… All the buildings within the blast radius collapsed with ice crystals dotting the night sky…

~~~~~

In front of my face I saw that one family, the four people we were supposed to kill, died in Ellie's hands, even before being crushed by the concrete debris.

Something made me shiver but not because of the ice, as I whispered into my communicator… “Edward, I tried to stop her... So please don’t…”

But the man just kept silent, with my beating heart started hurting myself while I was waiting for the answer.

“Albert, evaporate all the ice, while the others head south, the bridge side twenty meters from your own position, but just right after that place is covered by steam and smoke. Follow the direction of the strong wind gusts from this helicopter that I made invisible, because I'm already very close to all of you.”

Even before a quarter of his orders were spoken, Albert was ahead of Edward in turning all the water and ice around this place into thick steam so we could escape from Ellie.

I could hear Ellie's shouts searching for me, but I ran away from her instead…

Hiding and throwing lots of debris in opposite directions to confuse Ellie who was surrounded by the impact of Albert's magic power and her own, we all actually managed to escape eventually and got to exactly where all these strong gusts of wind were coming from.

For ten seconds the helicopter form Edward deliberately showed, we climbed and entered as fast as we could before this vehicle disappeared again, swallowed up by the invisible illusion… Rising higher, traveling even further.

~~~~~

Ellie must be really sad right now. Maybe she's still looking for me.

Maybe she still doesn't know that I'm actually no longer there.

But I have made a promise.

I've been forcing her just now to wait for my return…

I have shouted swearing to return to her.

So I just have to hope for her to believe.

“Ellie. I'll be handling the ones here, so I beg you to protect them… Fanya and Deo before I finish everything…”

I don't know if this hope in my heart can really come true…

I don't know if everything can go as I wish…

But I've thrown the dice, so I'll leave it all to luck…

“Fanya… Deo… Ellie…”

~~~~~