Shepherd

In another part of the world.

A man with twin blades stood in front of a couple who had several cuts all over their bodies.

The man taunted the couple every time the couple got up to fight, he'd give them more cuts and defeat them once again, while making it all look like a child's play.

This continued on for a while under the couple was too tired, exhausted and had suffered too many injuries to get back up anymore.

At that point, the shepherd stopped attacking and put the twin blade back in their sheaths on his waists all the while gazing at the couple with an impassive look.

Then he spoke.

"I've watched you for the longest of times Edward. The first time when you completed your 6th evolution on your own, thus catching my attention. Do you realize that you were one of the three people in the whole england who reached the 6th evolution in their first life without any outside help."

"I admire you for that. I truly do."

"You were a very skilled swordsman and had a very good mind for tactic along with a plethora of other skill sets which you used to their fullest extent to reach to the top."

"When I looked at you I was filled with hope. Hope that you will be the one who'll rise to the top and be the one who breaks our shackles once and for all."

"And then you died, which was… unfortunate. I had expected much from you but it's all right. We all make mistakes from time to time."

"The second time, you used the first half of your life trying to find your loved ones and protect them. And you did well, in protecting them. But you failed to focus in the most important thing. You stopped growing and thus, when you faced a powerful opponent, you lost everything."

"It was a good wake up call for you and you did pretty well after that. Completing your 7th evolution and died while trying to achieve the 8th one. I was impressed. And that doesn't happen very often."

"So this time I decided to pay more attention to you and have personally come to check your status and what do I see."

"A love sick man who has divulged in the pleasure of the flesh and have forgotten to grow."

"I LOVE HER!!!" the wounded man shouted from the ground, his voice seething with hate.

"Oh I'm sure you do. But at the end of the day, that's not the thing that matters."

"What matters is if you allow your love to hold you back or to reach new heights."

"Let this… battle be a wake up call for you Edward. You're weak. You may love her but if you're not strong enough then you won't be able to protect her to that love will only bring you pain."

Then he bent down and looked in the eyes of Edward.

"I'm not your enemy. In fact, I'm one of the few people in the world who truly care."

"So don't stop growing." He patted Edward's shoulder."You understand what I mean??"

Edward nodded weakly before looking down in shame as the one who had defeated him and his beloved stood up and turned around before stopping once more.

"Here. This should help you remember." He said and before he could even blink, the twin swords had done the damage and went back to their sheaths.

A spurt of warm liquid hit his face from the side. He turned to look at the source and was shocked when he saw his beloved without any arm, as blood spurted out of her shoulder where her arms had once been.

She looked back at him in shock at what had happened before her brain registered the pain.

Then the screaming began.

As he put a piece of cloth in her mouth and applied medicine to her grievous wounds, he heard a sound coming from the distance.

"Don't stop growing Edward or the Shepherd will visit you again."

—————

'I love it every time you say those words after giving them their parting gift.' a sultry voice rang inside the Chris as he jumped from one building to another.

'Please say that again for me. Won't you. Don't stop growing, or the Shepherd will visit you again. Hehehe.' The voice giggled but Chris continued on quietly without showing any response in his stoic face.

'Oh you're no fun.' The voice complained before it turned serious 'Was that truly necessary?' she asked.

'Was what necessary, Astoria?' he said for the first time in his mind.

'Cutting of her hands like that.' She said 'Punishing someone for her lover's mistake.'

'She'll be able to regrow them soon enough. And Edward will remember his lesson more clearly this way. And that's all that matters.'

'But still. They'll take a while to grow back and she'll be defenseless for that amount of time. Don't you feel sad for doing this to her. An innocent woman.' Astoria asked in a husky manner.

'You have a better solution?' he asked stoically.

'Of course. You could have raped her. And made Edward watch while you did it. I'm sure he wouldn't have forgotten such an experience and after you'd done the deed, she would still be able to protect herself. Tell me. Isn't my plan better than yours, hehehe' she giggled maniacally while Chris continued on ahead while maintaining his stoic expression before he finally spoke.

'I may be a monster, destined for hell Astoria. But I still have a few morals.'

'And that's exactly why I like you sooooo much…' Astoria said in a sultry voice which Chris ignored once again.

"We're finally here." He said as he suddenly stopped at the edge of a tall building.

Below that building was a large playground filled with the corpses of high tiered abnormals and mutant beasts.

Four abnormals could be seen feasting on the corpses while two were resting on the side, going through some kind of change.

"It's almost done." He said as the two abnormals who were resting up till now started to wake up.

'You sure about this. These are all 5th tier abnormals after all. You might have created them by feeding them corpses upon corpses of high tiered monsters but that doesn't make them any less dangerous.' Astoria said in a serious voice with a hint of concern and worry.

"After living so many lives, after going through so many battles, I've reached a point where I won't grow anymore unless I'm under a life threatening situation."

'I know… That's why you stopped wearing your defensive suit in the first place.' Astoria said, sounding tired all of a sudden 'Still… be careful okay.'

Chris smiled at her words "Don't worry. If I die down there, this'll just start all over again. So there's really nothing you need to worry about."

'But what if it doesn't?' she asked 'What if you can be brought back for only so many times.'

"That won't happen." He said.

'But what if it did?' she asked sadly, already knowing the answer.

"Then I'll finally be free." He said with a genuinely sad smile in his face.

Then he took out his swords from their sheaths and jumped.