Revenge is nothing but the dark side of the sense of fairness.
Zane wanted fairness, for him and most of all, for others.
Mickey lost his eye to his father and Zane wanted the father to go through the same.
He had many questions whether he should make a move, whether he should attack but the non-chalant face of Mickey's father after ruining the kid's life, Zane's body moved on its own and before he knew it, his elbow was aiming for the man's right eye.
The man wasn't on the heavy side. He was taller than Zane, his hands were long, fingers thin and if anything he was tired after spending time with the prostitute.
On the other side, Zane was a weak scrawny kid who only got a power today that doesn't especially give him any strength. He had a Skill which only specialized in mostly surviving just like Zane himself.
But Zane moved only by the anger running inside his heart and with that anger, he wanted revenge for Mickey.
"The world may go blind…"
He lifted his elbow high up and with full force, he brought it down on the man's eye.
"But I'll always take an eye for an eye."
However…
THUP!
The man stopped it.
"What the fu*k you are on about?"
The man groaned and pushed Zane.
Zane fell back but since his legs were crossed onto the man's neck, the man fell with Zane as well.
Both men rolled on the ground and Zane quickly got to his feet.
The commotion was loud enough for the men sitting outside the shack to notice and when they did, all of them got up.
They all circled around the two men.
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
They began cheering and their chants brought other men in front of the shack.
Soon, the silent atmosphere turned into a brawling match with an audience with Zane and the man in the center.
Zane was on his feet and he circled around the man.
He didn't know what to do.
As he circled, someone from the crowd held his hand.
He looked and it was a man with yellow teeth.
"Kill him. Show some entertainment. Kill him, boy!"
Zane jerked his hand away from the man.
Kill? I am not a murderer.
Zane hadn't killed anyone.
The closest he has been to fighting was when the system took over him and attacked the Enforcer.
Even then, after the system's control was over, he wasn't able to move his fist to actually punch the guard.
The man was slowly getting up and Zane might not be a murderer, but the man who could stab his son's eye would certainly not spare the life of a stranger who attacked him first.
My impulse got the better of me.
"Get up!"
"Finish him!"
"Kill him, Fork!"
The crowd also chanted for Mickey's father Fork as the man was on his knees now.
But because of the shouts from the crowd, the children also gathered around the area.
Zane surveyed the area, looking for means to either attack or escape and during this, he saw a familiar face.
Among those children, one such child was Mickey.
Fork finally got up on his feet and Zane's eyes locked onto Mickey.
[ Harmful Intent Detected! ]
[ Survival Threshold Is Acting! ]
The system came between Zane and Mickey but he wasn't able to react fast which as a result…
THAM!
He wasn't able to stop the kick.
The man landed his thin leg on Zane's chest as he shifted some inches backwards, bumping to a drunk man.
The kick didn't hurt Zane as much as he expected.
"Father, stop!" Mickey screamed but the kid's scream couldn't fight the chants of men wanting blood.
Seeing his father won't listen, Mickey shouted for someone who would.
"Big brother, stop! Don't hurt him!"
Zane's ears picked up Mickey's voice as his eyes went to the kid.
The kid's hands were shivering, tears streamed down his face and the sight only made Zane angrier.
His fingers curled inward, his breath became slower as he glared at Fork.
The man also had the same look as Zane as he stomped towards him.
"My mood was already bad and you made it worse, little shit. I will chop you down and sell you as meat!"
[ Murderous Intent Detected! ]
[ Merged Skill: Survival Threshold Activated! ]
Windows appeared in front of Zane and the next second, he felt his body becoming lighter and awake. As if it came to life.
Fork dashed towards Zane with his hands outstretched and when he reached closer, Zane slid from between his legs.
Not bad.
His merged skill focused on survival so his body slid on its own to avoid the attack.
Simultaneously, he ran his mind about what he should do with Fork and how that won't break Mickey's heart and teach a lesson to Fork at the same time.
The man turned around right away and again dashed towards Zane.
He doesn't appear to have any offensive skill. What did he get from the slab?
Fork was only using physical attacks that required running towards Zane and reaching closer. Since everyone tries to touch the slab whenever they get a chance, Fork must have done that too and he must have gotten a skill as well.
But since he lived in Cinder row meant the skill wasn't good enough and the fact that he didn't use it yet, meant it won't do him any good in fights.
Zane felt at ease knowing that but he would still be careful as the skill could be anything with any conditions to fulfill before using it.
Fork reached in front of Zane once more and raised his fist.
Zane kept thinking about how to deal with this as his skill continued his work.
Zane shifted to the side, making Fork hit only air.
"Stop dodging!"
"Fight!"
"Fight like a man!"
The crowd wanted to see blood and they wouldn't get it if no contact was made.
They were so invested in this they forgot about their turn to be with that woman. The man who was inside had also come out hearing the shouts.
All eyes were on the fight.
Zane also agreed with the crowd as if he kept running around and dodging nothing would come out of it.
When the system had taken over Zane, the system had used the skill he got from the slab because of which he was able to dodge the Enforcer and was about to attack him as well. But Zane was only dodging.
Did the skill change after merging or I can't use it well enough?
Zane didn't have the answer for that as his body was moving on its own and was only dodging.
Mickey shouted all the while and Zane also felt heaviness on his legs.
This skill takes a toll. I need to pin him down.
Zane figured out his next move and surveyed the area.
He had control over his mind but he wasn't sure about his body. He didn't know if his body would move by his will under the skill.
Nevertheless, he tried.
He focused on the place where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do with Fork and the next second, without him knowing, his legs moved on his own to that exact place.
Seeing this, he understood the mechanism of the skill.
The skill follows my motive.
His body matched his thought and in a second, he reached where the children were standing.
Unlike Mickey, they were also cheering like their real and illegitimate fathers as most of them were the children of the prostitutes living here.
Kids shouldn't see such a thing. Forgive me.
Zane reached in front of a kid and snatched the stick and then he jumped to another kid and snatched the tire from him.
Then he turned around, facing the running Fork.
The crowd broke the records for screaming as they believed Zane would finally change his ways.
They would finally see some action.
And by all means…
They were right.
Because the moment Zane held the wooden stick…
The System acted.
[ Major Quest Generated! ]
[ Quest: Declaration! ]
[ Objective: Set An Example. ]