Spirit Hunting Union

But despite how cocky Quinn wished to be, his body ached all over. Because, why does it always turn out this way when he starts trusting someone?! Now, he feels like an idiot saying last night that his teammates couldn't kill him.

They showed him they cared. But he was still not far from being betrayed if they couldn't trust him anymore.

That's just it. Again, Quinn would say:

Humans are hideous creatures!

Silas walked to a lone table on the left, and he leaned there. He crossed his arms. Eyes steady. Face perfectly neutral.

"How is the current situation treating you?" he asked.

Quinn quirked his brows. What a joke!

He groaned, glaring at the man,

"Wow, you're so nice! Imagine someone strangling you and still asking if you can breathe. You're so bloody nice, team leader Silas! I might—"

Silas cut in,

"Make a choice."

His voice echoed.

"Get handed over to the Union Officers. Face judgement here, right now. Or, get spared. What's your choice?"

It's like showing someone the easy way and the hard way. Then asking them which one they'd choose. That's one of the lamest offers Quinn had ever heard!

People ask that question, expecting you to choose the good offer. When they'd never give it to you anyways.

It's either a joke or they will push you the bad way.

Quinn tilted his head.

"As if you will let me off."

Silas breathed out.

"Of course, I can. But… you must discontinue the contract between you and your system."

Discontinue? What the…

"Asking me to get comatose forever, eh?"

But Silas didn't answer any longer.

Actually, Quinn saw what was wrong with him. Everything. He got a clear idea why.

If he wasn't ready for this, why tie him up in the first place?

He cockily asked,

"Unable to decide whether to kill me or not?"

Silas's response came earlier than he had expected,

"Not that. I have to do it anyway."

Quinn's chest sank. Wait, why talk about his death like it's a compulsory rite or something?

They say they couldn't watch him die. If not, then don't kill him. Only to be told it had to be done.

A few tears lined up in Quinn's eyes. As he leaned forward, he yelled:

"It's not like I am a bad omen or anything!"

Silas said back,

"You are."

Quinn gasped.

The man raised his stare to make more intense contact with him.

"You're more than a bad omen. A small wildfire that could take over the whole world if left uncontrolled for days. You, Quinn Vale, are a disaster…"

A scorching heat spread across Quinn's chest. He roared,

"Then kill me already, you god damn bastard!"

Ignoring his remark, Silas went on: "You have just been granted the path to godhood in less than a week. And… you have already killed four people. Placed a non-ending mark on another. How many do you think will suffer at your hands if I spare you? Uncountable."

Quinn clenched his fists behind him.

"I said do it, bastard! I have got no time for your rants…"

Yet, Silas continued: "First, it was your principal. Yes, he was almost dead back then. But Lady Maya had the power to heal him. You rushed to do it because you'd have done it if he weren't like that to begin with. Next, it was the Hunter on your team - Kael Dawson. Everyone but him respawned outside after dying in the dimension."

Quinn's chest sank.

Silas shifted his weight, his face frank.

"Tell me, Quinn… Why did you rush to extract the kid's Soul Fragment? Because he's already dead? To save his corpse from the trouble of infestation? No. It's because you couldn't imagine how exciting it'd be to get one time stronger. IMMEDIATELY! The poor child suffered an unfortunate death just because of… you. Quinn Vale."

Quinn went silent. So, the bastard could have been saved?

Ah, he thought there was no respawning, though. The system really is some stupid charity giver.

Most importantly, he seriously had lost the bet with Doran? Geez, he hates the thought of being a loser.

A gentle smile spread across his face.

"Ah, you said it all that I can't even defend myself anymore. But it seems easier to do for you than for anyone. As if you have secretly terminated people like me in the past too. What does that make you then? A killer. From another point of view, a justifier. Yes, just like me. The principal and the school scientist killed their own students. Their students. And that bastard that I ripped his eyes out? All thanks to him, I died in the fire. Maybe if he hadn't beaten me up in the hall, deeming me immobile, I might still be the naive high schooler. I wouldn't have been cursed. Am I seriously deserving of being called a killer? Or a justifier like you?"

…

At that moment, Silas pulled off his shirt. What Quinn saw next left him agape. But he said nothing.

He wasn't dreaming or anything. The man's body was just… rock. No skin. Nothing. Only his head and a little of his arms showed a fair complexion.

What's this?

Silas then spoke,

"You're right: I am a killer too. Maybe that's why I'm doomed by the system to turn to rock." Soon, he put the shirt back on.

That's when Quinn realised he had never seen this because the man was always wearing long sleeves.

"That's my Flaw. Rotting Beauty. The more I use my ability, the more different parts of my body solidify. Into rock. I'll never die as a human. But a rock golem."

Quinn swallowed.

"Everyone is a killer. That's why we all have a Flaw. If you had levelled up more, you'd have got one too."

Quinn chuckled, cutting in,

"And you're killing me before I get one? That's a kind of help too. Thanks."

Silas seemed to frown. Because, why not?

In a moment, he prompted Quinn,

"Look beneath you. The ground there is an automated one."

Quinn looked. He could see it too. The surface looked like it could open at any time…

Silas said,

"Once it opens, you're gone. I can boast that the abyss beneath is four times the height of the City State Building."

Quinn's saliva ran dry. Four times one thousand five hundred feet?!

"Yes, the hole beneath you is six thousand feet deep."

Quinn couldn't stop staring at the ground.

So, once this shit opens, he's gone?

Quinn burst into laughter.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! THAT'S SO FUCKING SCARY! STOP, I'M GONNA PISS MYSELF!"

It didn't take long before tears rolled down his face. He turned to Silas and said,

"Do it."

Silas nodded. He then went over to the wall close to the rusted pipeline, on which there was a red button. He said…

"The world just doesn't need another disaster. Goodbye, Quinn Vale."

… and he pressed the button.

Quinn groaned,

"I will kill you…"

Then - foosh! - the ground beneath him opened. He dropped down deep.

The air itself whistled.

After what felt like an eternity… SMASH!

His body hit the ground hard.

'Humans… are the real monsters.'

His eyes shut, the darkness embracing him.

(SPIRIT HUNTING UNION.)