Gamble

[Master, this is not like you. Your thoughts are being clouded. Deactivate the skill immediately.] 

"I said shut... fine." 

He stopped running and hid in an alleyway that wasn't used by many. There, he rested, catching his breath while also trying to collect his thoughts. 

'Almost did something dangerous there.' 

[Yeah, it seems you were too connected with Wren that you began taking on her animalistic tendencies.] 

He looked at Wren, who was acting cute beside him. "Who knew such a cute little thing could have such a strong hunting urge?" He tickled under her chin, causing her to fall over and roll. 

[It seems the evolution didn't just make her stronger; her hunting senses have been leveled up. Unlike you, she can control them... a beast stronger than its master, truly a tamer.] 

"Shut up. Let's just think of a plan. Should we run?" 

[Yes, that is the best option right now.] 

"Hey... can you feel how angry I am right now?" 

His eyes started slowly glowing, and his urge to hunt was coming back. [Yes, but if you do this now, you will die. I have been thinking all this time. You have been awakened for only a few days, but in those days, you have done nothing but cause trouble for yourself. I am not saying you are stupid, but you give in to your urges too much. This might be rude of me, but you are acting like a kid right now.] 

"What do you know? My whole life crumbled because of lies. I spent months eating rotten food, sleeping on the cool ground, and so much worse, all because of people I trusted. Then the same thing happened right in front of my eyes. Why should I be the only one to suffer? Why should I hold back? Why should I not kill them? Why, why, why? TRASH SHOULD BE THROWN OUT, BURNED, AND IF NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT, THEN I WILL DO IT FOR THEM!" 

His power surged higher than ever, causing him to bleed as his body struggled to contain it. The air around him felt burning, and the ground itself could barely hold him. 

[And then what?] 

"Huh?" 

[You give in to your rage and go after them. Let's just say you somehow killed them, then what? How will you handle people hunting you down? No, can you even make it out of this city? This is the truth, Master: you are weak, terribly so. If you don't run away now, you will die, and all your hard work would be for nothing. Isn't it better to go somewhere else, train, and then come back? Master, you have so much potential, but right now you are not thinking straight. You have no plan or goal; you are acting on feelings, which is dangerous. Calm down and assess the situation carefully. You are a genius; use your intellect.] 

He remained quiet for a few seconds and then slowly calmed down. Revenge was important, but he was beginning to understand what the system meant. He indeed had no plan or goal; for all these days, he had let fate guide him, but it seemed that fate was not in his favor. 

He exhaled and let out a loud scream that went on for a long time. The longer it lasted, the stronger it became. He continued, releasing his rage, sadness, and everything that held him back. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that oxygen was being cut off from his brain; he wobbled, fell to the ground huffing, and watched the world spin. 

"Hahaha... that felt good. My mind is so clear now. I can't believe I almost threw my life away. I am still angry deep down, but I can safely say that I am in control now. Thanks, system; it's nice having you around after all." 

[Just doing my job as your helper, Master.] 

He sat back up and looked at Wren lying next to Yenna; they both looked so peaceful. There was part of him that wanted to leave Yenna behind. He didn't know her, and who knows if she would betray him as well? 

"Guess I should take her with me. How annoying." 

[Hmm, did your personality just change?] 

"What do you mean?" 

[.... Nothing, must be imagining it.] 

"Let's get out of here before people come swarming in." 

He picked up Yenna and jogged toward the edge of the city. The way there was uneventful; he avoided all eyes and made sure to preserve his energy. It didn't take him long to reach the edge, only a few more buildings, and he would be out. Suddenly, he sensed something heading straight for him and dodged at the last second. The object smashed into the ground, revealing itself to be a metal ball. 

"Shit. So they were waiting for me." 

Two players fell from the sky and landed in front of him; their aura alone made him feel like he was about to pass out. 

'What rank are these two to have such an overwhelming presence?' 

[Apprentice rank... I know what you might be thinking, but just because players are in the same rank does not mean they are at the same level.] 

'Makes sense... hmmm.' 

[So what's the plan?] 

'I will face them head-on.' 

[.....] 

"Wren, get on. Things might get rough, so hold on tightly." 

He crouched down and looked at the players, who were smiling. They were unsure of what he was trying to do but kept their guards up just in case. He then leaped toward them, but one of them stepped forward, easily catching him and kicking him away. Vell regained his balance in milliseconds and continued trying to run past them. He was knocked away repeatedly; the players enjoyed toying with him, but Vell's eyes remained fixed on the city's edge. 

"Persistent little insect," one of the players sneered, stepping forward and preparing to strike him down for good. 

Vell wiped blood from his mouth, feeling the exhaustion slowly building up. His legs were sore, his body bruised, and using his power was becoming increasingly difficult. Yet, he continued running, determined to get past them no matter what. 

'Okay, I am almost ready.' 

He thought, getting up from another attack. His legs were shaking, but he kept his eyes on his goal, which only annoyed the players even more. 

"Persistent little insect." 

One of the players sneered, stepping forward and preparing to strike him down for good. 

Despite the pain, his mind remained calm, and he continued to analyze his opponents, picking apart their movements. They were strong, much stronger than he was but their confidence was a weakness. They thought he was just an insect to be crushed, and he could use that to his advantage. 

[Master, don't do anything foolish.] 

He smirked. "You think I will follow the same foolish plan, huh?" 

[Yes, I just have this feeling.] 

'...Hehehe, you are right.' 

He crouched low, his hands digging into the dirt beneath him. 

"Wren, you ready?" 

She nodded, her runes slowly beginning to glow. Her entire demeanor was different, deadly. 

He exhaled sharply, drawing on the mana from his reserve core. "Then let's gamble everything on this." He launched forward once more, but this time, instead of aiming for an escape, he darted directly at the player who seemed the least amused by the game. His movements were erratic and unpredictable, just as he'd planned. 

"Huh?" 

The player stepped back, clearly not expecting the sudden change in pace. But before they could react, Wren leaped from Vell's shoulder. Her form shifted mid-air, claws elongating as she slashed toward the player's face. Instinctively, they dodged, but it bought him the fraction of a second he needed. 

Using the momentum of his charge, Wren spun around, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. The second player, now on high alert, charged at him, but Vell rolled out of the way, using the cover to position himself closer to the city's edge. 

[They're getting serious now!] 

"Too late for that now." 

His mana began spinning inside his core, and his body started emitting steam that was incredibly hot. 

[Master, STOP THAT! You will shatter your core!] 

He ignored the warning and continued spinning the mana, letting it surge through his body. 

"KUGH!!" 

His body would not last much longer in this state, but thanks to that, he had the speed needed to escape. Using an extra boost of resonance, he dashed away at extraordinary speed. He was so fast that the players would not be able to catch up even if they tried. They looked in the direction he had gone; it had only been three seconds, but Vell had already traveled at least five kilometers. 

"Well, shit, he got away." 

"....." 

Temporary Stats: 

Name: Vell 

Age: 21 

Title: Beast Tamer 

Rank: Human 

Forge Slots: 1/3 

Overall Stats: E+ 

Skills: Taming, Resonance 

Magic: None