Leo’s fighting spirit burned hot, only slightly dampened by his own line. It had the intended effect however. The men now regarded him with a bit more wariness, no longer smiling.

  “Hold on,” the warrior said, putting a hand on the pugilist’s shoulder before he attacked. “We need to do that thing Reggie told us about, Identify.”

  “Really? Don't be a pussy,” the pugilist said.

  “Take a look and tell me I'm wrong.”

  Leo glanced at Ron, who was now standing a bit further back, bow drawn with an arrow knocked. Then back at the two men, who were now standing in a bit of an argument. Leo decided to also use Identify.

  Human - Level 8

  Human - Level 7

  Nothing he was overly concerned about. Still, he wouldn’t get careless. A single stab to his heart or head could end him just as easily. For now at least.

  The men seemed to finally finish their quibble, figuring out their Identify.

  “Holy hell,” the pugilist said, awed. “Level 13!”

  “I'm not so sure about this anymore.” The warrior glanced around nervously. “This isn't what Reggie promised.”

  “Nah, he’s just killed a lot of ants,” the pugilist scoffed. “Doesn't mean shit.”

  “You know what these Mana Strikes can do.” He smirked.

  The pugilist’s fists glowed, the mana coating them just enough to illuminate his hands. It reminded Leo of his first time using the skill.

  Leo raised his fists again. He’d dropped them while they bickered, the somewhat unintelligent atmosphere bewildering him.

  “Sloppy,” Leo said flatly.

  “What you talking about? We have the same thing, right?” The pugilist asked.

  “Not quite.”

  Leo channeled his mana into his fists, the Refined Mana Strikes responding, coating them in a bright white glow. The air audibly hummed as the mana was itching to be unleashed.

  He couldn’t stand the less than serious–almost cartoon-like–goons that these two were. People were hurt, suffering, dying. And they just acted like it was nothing.

  “What the-” the man started, but before he could say anything else. Leo pounced.

  To the man’s credit, he dodged better than Leo expected, bobbing and weaving through the first exchanges. Leo’s rage was making his moves predictable.

  The man seemed to have some experience in either boxing or fighting in general, favouring upper body strikes and using his feet only for movement, much different than Leo’s style.

  Leo took a few blows to his torso. Voltaic Reflex tried to tug him aside but rage drowned it out. He barely felt them with his Stoneskin and emotional overload.

  But it couldn’t keep going like this. The damage was stacking up.

  Leo took a step back, centered himself, and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, regaining some control.

  Leo feinted, overstepping with a wild haymaker that looked as messy as intended.

  The man tried to capitalise on it, moving to counter with his own devastating punch. Leo ducked in and under the blow, his reaction speed being so quick that the man couldn’t keep up now that Leo’s mind was not a complete mess.

  Leo unleashed a flurry of Mana Strike blows at the man’s torso in rapid fire jabs. His Iron Repetition built with every clean hit.

  The man was beaten bloody in moments.

  By the time the rhythm peaked, the man was barely standing. He swayed on his feet, arms dropped at his sides. His eyes looked vacant as blood slowly seeped from his mouth.

  Leo stepped back and slammed a kick into the pugilist’s midsection–charged with all the rage, mana and fire he could muster. Unleashing it with a raw yell.

  The man crumpled as his bones shattered. His body went flying to the side, folding in on itself. Leo got the notification before his body even hit the ground.

  You have slain: Human, Pugilist - Level 8

  Experience Gained

  +120 Store Credits

  Leo looked over to the warrior. He hadn’t moved during the small skirmish that Leo had with the Pugilist. Fear halting his movements.

  The man glanced left and right. His body language broadcast that he wanted to flee.

  An arrow flew past Leo, embedding into the leg of the man. He grunted in pain and collapsed to one knee.

  “Please! Wait! I didn’t want to do any of it! They all forced me to! Th-They told me I’d be killed. You’ve saved me!” The man begged.

  “I think you’re lying,” Leo said through gritted teeth.

  Then shook his head. “But I don't care if you're not. Even forced to do it, what you did to those people is unforgivable. You don’t get a pass.”

  Leo wasn’t buying any of it. And apparently neither was Ron. Another arrow came soaring out, wreathed in the dim glow of the setting sun, burning with heat. The arrow split in two. One piercing his head and the other his chest.

  “Damn,” Leo said, genuinely impressed.

  He then chided himself for being impressed at someone being killed. It was becoming easier to stomach once again. Justified.

  Was it the storm that urged him to unleash his fury at everything he came across promising harm? Or that he truly believed that these men deserved no less than death?

  Either way, his morals were shifting. And he didn’t know if he could shift them back. It was becoming more and more likely that this place would change him forever. After seeing what people could do after just a few days in this new world…

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Part of him hoped that it wouldn’t get harder.

  Leo closed his eyes, settling the storm inside him. Pushing it back down to where it could be managed.

  The storm seemed to become much more prominent when it came to fighting with strong emotion. The sad thing was, it didn’t make him any stronger. If anything, it made him more sloppy. Technique traded for berserk rage.

  Hopefully when I get strong enough to talk to whatever that storm-eyed thing was I’ll get some answers about the storm inside me, and why it feels so calm in the dream.

  Leo and Ron moved silently back to the building, he glanced towards the archer.

  Ron’s face was usually a stoic calm. Never showing any emotion or giving anything away. Right now, that poker face had cracked. Leo could see anger, pain, sorrow.

  A tear flowed down his cheek. Leo wasn’t sure which emotion had caused it, nor would he ask. A gentle hand was placed on Ron’s shoulder as they walked.

  No words were needed. An understanding of what needed to be done.

  Leo moved back inside to where his group was tending to the injured. Glancing around, he could see they had been separated into sections.

  One section held those who could still stand, the less injured.

  The remaining two groups were divided up, one taken by Ashley and the other by Amy. Leo assumed that these were the people who needed the most help. There were a lot.

  Without the rage that had been surging him on since he first spoke to David during the interrogation, Leo felt only sorrow and pain. The men had been dealt with, the people rescued. But it wasn’t a victory. There were no winners here.

  Leo’s eyes searched for Cecelia, her meeting his gaze and gesturing him over with a tilt of her head. Ron and Leo moved over to where she was crouched.

  “What can we do to help?” Leo asked solemnly.

  Cecelia frowned. “These people have been starved since day one, barely given water from what I could tell. The men kept them too hungry and thirsty to even dare fight back. Apparently there were fighters that tried to break free at one point and take control but it ended in bloodshed. The level gap was too large by the time they tried it.”

  “Animals,” Ron spat.

  Cecelia nodded. “We need to find the food and water supplies that the men have been hoarding or they won't be of any use for what's to come. How much do we have in your ring?”

  Leo's jaw tightened. “I'll check.”

  He was able to feel what was in his ring at all times, instantly sensing the numbers he had from all the people they’d killed or pouches they’d found of those killed by ants. He conveyed the numbers to Cecelia.

  “Excellent, that should at least make a dent. Ron, can you check the other buildings for the spare supplies? If you find them, then just bring what you can carry back or come and find Leo and he can go collect them.”

  Ron nodded, swiftly moving off and towards the exit.

  Cecelia sighed. “If Ron doesn’t find any food supplies, we will have to ration. These people will want to eat, desperately. Rationing could cause an unfortunate uproar. I do not want to use intimidation if that happens. These people have been through enough.”

  “We can't give out what we don't have. Let’s hope that with us helping them then they will be more cooperative,” Leo said, hopeful.

  “Worth a try.”

  Leo and Cecelia moved to the group that were not actively seeking immediate healing and just shuddering in a huddle, scared and anxious.

  Leo took the lead, hoping that his high level and armour would give them some much needed safety and security. He wasn’t even sure if they had learned Identify yet.

  “I know this seems like an intimidating question, but I promise we are only here to help. Is there anyone in charge?” Leo asked gently.

  The people’s eyes landed on a singular man. He was bulky, built a bit like Bjorn, but older. The clothes–barely–covered his torso and legs, rags of what seemed to be pulled together cloth. He cautiously hobbled forward.

  “I’m Hector,” he said, his voice croaking. “Thank you for saving us. Those men were…well, you can probably tell.”

  “Yes,” Cecelia said, voice gentler than Leo had ever heard. “You needn’t explain the details. That horror is over now.”

  A few people began sobbing, using what little moisture they had left to cry as they began to believe that their nightmare had come to an end.

  “We have food and water. We don’t have enough on hand to properly feed all of you right now but one of our friends—Ron, the archer—is going to go and find where the men kept their food,” Leo explained.

  “I doubt there is enough in that pouch of yours to feed us all, nor enough water. But we will take what we can get. Thank you kindly,” Hector said, graciously bowing his head.

  “Oh, they aren’t in the pouch.” Leo held out both hands. A canteen appeared in one, a food brick in the other.

  Hector was startled, taken aback by what he saw. The man’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, but his mouth watered in temptation.

  “It’s not a trick,” Leo said calmly. “It’s a storage ring. It's a magical item of sorts I found.” He held up his hand showing off the ring on his finger.

  “Do you have more?”

  “Rings? No. But we have enough canteens to give out to probably quench everyone's thirst. Food-wise we may have to ration—depending on what Ron finds.”

  “Thank you, thank you.” Hector’s voice was cracking in gratitude, taking the items from Leo.

  “Mind if I just start handing some out?” Leo asked.

  “Of course, please do.” Hector said thankfully before turning to his group.

  “Please take no more than you desperately need, I know you’re all hungry, I am too. But there are others that need help after they have been healed by our saviours.” His trembling hand raised the canteen to his mouth. An audible gulp came from one of the spectators.

  Leo then went around everyone handing out what he could. There was no anger or greed from any of them. They were just… exhausted.

  Nothing that Cecelia had feared came to fruition. He knew she was worrying needlessly.

  The people were extremely grateful, thanking both Cecelia and Leo with hugs, handshakes and some dropping to their knees in gratitude.

  It was a bit overwhelming. Leo struggled to not get emotional himself. Each wound he spotted, each set of eyes he met that were empty, damaged, it was all a stark reminder of what they had been through. Heartbreaking.

  After handing out all they could spare, Leo and Cecelia found Ashley and Amy, who were healing the gravely injured.

  “Hey Ash, how are things?” Leo asked cautiously.

  She gave him a sad smile. Her eyes had gone slightly red from crying.

  “These people have been through so much pain. My class—and Amy’s—lets me see where people are hurt most and what injuries they’ve been inflicted with. I didn’t even know you could get scars anymore… I wish I still didn't.”

  “I’m glad those men got what was coming to them.” Her voice was icy hot, her eyes raging.

  “Seconded,” Amy said from nearby.

  “Do we know if we got them all?” Cecelia asked, suddenly concerned.

  “I think so. If anyone was still around and hiding they most likely would have run off or fought. I’ll double check though,” Leo said.

  “Good. I hope this new reality has hell, and they end up in it,” Ashley said.

  “Here,” Leo held out his hand and a few mana potions appeared. “Use these when you guys get low. I don’t want anyone else to die.”

  “Thanks, I’m going through mana pretty quick, I’ve put my free points in wisdom just to help with the potency,” Ashley said, grateful.

  “Hey, don’t hog 'em all. I’m burning through it here too,” Amy said without looking over.

  “You guys are doing great,” Leo praised. “Thank you.”

  Ashley’s sorrowful look brightened for a brief moment before fading. Amy simply raised one of her hands and flapped it down a few times as if to say “yeah, yeah no worries.”

  The mood was sombre, spirits were down. But there was a lot of work to be done.

  Suddenly, a strike of lightning coursed across the sky, thunder following, loud enough to shudder and shake the building.

  Leo winced at the noise, as did all the people in the building as sounds of terror began once again. These people had only just gotten the glimpse of hope that things would get better. Now a different kind of fear waited for them tonight.

  Leo only hoped that whatever was coming tonight was something he could handle. These people had been through enough.