1.07.2 Girium and the pool

Like many things, Girium hated being unproductive. The only reason he was even able to obtain such strength was due to this certain disgust toward being unproductive.

While he stood still, he trained his mind, while he caught fish, he trained his accuracy and while he punched boulders to dust, he trained his strength.

But it was a different case when he was on the bed.

Although he got ample free time without much disturbance. But his mind was never free of a certain thought.

It was to teach the ones who would be shameless enough to plant a bomb in the hospital.

The hate that drove him to train was now impeding him from training his mind. And this was why he so desired to take revenge.

'If I can't train my mind.' Girium thought before stepping from his bed.

And feeling the injuries still apparent on his legs.

If things kept going the way they are, then it would take him a few more months to properly recover and this level of inactivity will cause atrophy to his leg muscles.

Which he can't accept no matter what happens.

So in the end. He planned to not give much thought and show one of the abilities he has developed after surpassing the limits of humanity.

Barely standing straight, he walked over to the door and opened it. Ignoring the guard that sat on the side.

"Where is the Pool?" He asked, scaring the man who was lost in the world of the newspaper.

Startling him.

"Poo… Pool?" He stuttered, worried why the giant who had been silently sleeping on his bed for so long was here.

"Yes, Pool. Where is it?" He asked again, his voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Tha… That. We.. we don't have one." The man explained.

This was just an old factory, why would one have pools in this place.

But the response he got in return was something unexpected.

"Then make one… " Girium ordered, pointing toward the floor, specifically, the empty water pools that were below this floor used for soaking finished products in chemicals for refinement.

But the man didn't know this, he has never explored this new place as much as others. From Girium's gesture, the man thought he had been ordered to dig a new one, unaware of one present right below his feet.

"Ye… yes sir." The man ran fast, spreading the news everywhere he could, asking others for help.

But before the man could take any drastic actions, this news reached the ears of Risa.

"He wants a pool?" She wondered, recalling the giant chemical vats that had been left empty for long. "Why are you all jumping around over the orders of a man that hasn't even officially joined us?"

"That … we just thought he was a guest." These men can't say that they were scared of the giant and shame themselves in front of her.

This man was someone capable of going toe to toe with their big boss and remaining active enough to cripple an assassin with a single throw of his spear.

How can they dare to deny the request of a man like this? Not to mention the stature of this man along with his tone always commanded their respect.

Rarely do they see such a physically threatening opponent in their whole life.

"Don't be ashamed to say that you got scared." But Risa already knew why they were in so much hurry to follow up on his order.

And the reason for this was simple as well, Risa herself was scared of this man. Only the executive truly knew the extent of the danger this man possessed and there was also a time when she had tried to poison this same man.

It was this reason she was scared of facing this man once again.

One part of the shame and the other part was fear.

She wondered whether this man would try to exact any kind of revenge against her.

But things were different now, this man had dared to do something that no other "guest" had ever done before.

He ordered the members of Bear bastards for his gain, while not even being part of the gang.

He was just an honorary member or so her boss had told her.

"Sorry boss." After learning that Risa already knew the reason why they panicked so fast. They apologized silently, knowing full well that they have shamed the name of Bear Bastards, albeit out of fear.

"Sorry won't do, you will be punished accordingly for the shame." She said,

"But before that, tell me. Why would a crippled man need a pool? He should have given you the reason for this… right?"

What Risa wondered was right. Girium was an injured man with plaster covering his legs. It was bizarre for him to go to a pool even for a bath.

So there must be a reason for this.

Or so she thought.

But her men had no answer to this question, as the only man who heard Girium's order was out looking for laborers to build a pool.

"..."

*****

During his training in transcendence, Girium had learned many things about the human body. How to efficiently use his muscles to increase his output of strength, how to heal his body by wilfully increasing his metabolism, how to stay awake for days on end without sleep, and many more.

Among all these things, there was one thing that made him what he is today.

A state of the body that can only be achieved underwater as his heart rate starts to drop to dangerous levels.

And this is what he was looking for, that certain state that would fix most of his problems. It was why he was looking for a pool.

But it might seem that his request was a bit too much for the Bear Bastard.

Otherwise, why would an executive boss of a gang approach him?

"I wondered why you ordered my men to dig a pool for you?" She asked, curious and a bit angered.

Curious as she wondered if this man would say something about his poisoned food and angered as he had looked down on the men from Bear Bastards.

It was not like she had forgotten the fear she had felt from this man before, she knew she was like a criminal in front of his eyes.

But for the honor of the Bear Bastards, she had to set things straight.

Her fellow gang members were not his slaves to be ordered around.

"I never did." But Girium unashamedly denied these accusations. Because from his perspective all he requested was for the leftover chemical vats to be used as a pool and all these men had to do was fill it with water.

There was nothing concerning digging in any of his words.

But Girium was not dense as many others, after hearing these words. He understood that his request had been taken in the wrong way.

So he further explained.

"I wanted the chemical vats to be filled with water," Girum said while pointing down below once again, with the additional context given.

Looking at Girium's gesture and his words, she understood that Girium truly meant what he said. And it was her men who got the wrong message.

And more than that, she also knew that Girium has no grudge from long before, he still maintained his stoic facial expression.

It was as if she never existed in his eyes.

"So you claim a misunderstanding?" Although still surprised that Girium has not once mentioned anything about the poisoned food, she still waited for a reaction from him.

But her expected topic never came to the front as Girium slowly turned his head towards her and said. "Yes, Sorry for that." Before, slowly closed his eyes. His method of saying that she can leave now.

The misunderstanding was fixed and there was no need to continue this conversation.

And Risa understood this perspective. No one likes to waste their time. More so for people like Girium.

But it still hurt her a bit at how nonchalant Girium was to her existence.

No, it was more like that he looked down on her as a person.

Which hurt her a bit.

She hated this feeling.

But nothing can be done.

Besides one thing.

"Instead of saying sorry, speak more. So that misunderstandings like these don't occur in the future." She said, leaving her room of Girium without looking back once.

Whether he heard her or not, she didn't care. She was here to confirm something and she had already done her job.

Now it was time to punish the people who were part of these misunderstandings.

"Speak more… eh?" But Girium did. He did hear her words, but whether he would listen to them, only time will tell.

*****

On the other side of the world, it's been two hours since Robin and the rest of the children entered a dark passageway. And an hour before they left the security of the bus and were now walking in a straight line following the orders of the leaders.

'It feels ominous." Robin thought, not liking the damp and dead air of this dark cave.

The arid humidity didn't help much.

"I am tired brother…" Jory cried in a faint voice.

"Don't be tired so early… I don't feel good about this place." Robin mentioned while supporting his younger sister.

"Save your energy, and run if anything goes wrong."

The hype and wonder he was feeling before reaching this place were all gone now. And the only feeling left in him was dread.

"But brother… What about you?"

"..."

"Jory, why do you think they brought so many of us?" Robin asked a question that had been eating away at his brain for a long time.