3 1.3

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Sending a glance at the nervous pregnant woman, I said, "I fear the outside isn't as safe as the inside… By the way, we should exchange names. For better coordination once inside. I'm Alex, short for Alexander."

Travis nodded, extending his hand, "Travis."

Then, looking at the rest of the group, the pregnant woman was the first to speak.

"Clara."

The rest followed, and I learned that the military man was called Chris, the old woman Geraldine, and the man in a business suit Karl.

Karl with a k, he had insisted.

By the time we were finished with our presentations, we were the only ones left outside the field.

I could see Travis was looking at me a bit warily, probably because of the knowledge I seemed to have about the field, but it was better to have him doubting us but with us than otherwise, so it was fine for now.

As we were about to step in, I wanted to say we shouldn't lose sight of each other, but afraid it would result in a Point reduction, I slowed my step, and whispered it only to Chris.

The military man looked at me seriously, before nodding, saying, "I'll watch our back."

I nodded, before walking back to the front of the group. As I did, Clara also stepped up, arriving next to Travis.

Seeing this, he asked, "How many months?"

Clara held her belly with a complicated expression as she replied, "8 months."

Travis smiled, saying, "My… girlfriend is also pregnant. That's why I'm here, actually."

Clara smiled back, while I felt someone nudge my shoulder. Looking to my side, I saw the man in a suit, Karl. He asked with a lowered voice, "If you were in a game where you could use your points to grow stronger, and you were about to enter a horror movie, would you keep your points as a fail safe, or would you spend everything?"

I paused for an instant as I understood what he was talking about.

After a moment, I replied, "Probably use it… You think Hunter came here with no points, and he just accidentally killed two characters."

Karl nodded, "I've seen his kind many times before, a kid drown in his own power. If it wasn't for the point reduction in killing teammates, I'm positive he would have killed us."

I gasped at this, and was about to refuse, when Chris, who was behind us, suddenly added, "The kid is a killer, and he had a lot of killing intent in his eyes when he looked at us."

I frowned at this, reconsidering everything Hunter had said, before realizing, "He doesn't want anyone to challenge his leadership. So if he can have us die…"

The two answered together, "He will."

I bit my lower lip in frustration, when the last member of our group, Geraldine, snorted, "That's a cute little mutiny you are making, but did you forget what he did? You think you have a chance at killing him?"

Killing him? I looked at her in shock, but the two next to me nodded, "Killing him ourselves is not very realistic, but if he leaves the mission with negative Points…"

W-what the fuck? What kind of psychos had I gotten as teammates?

How were they speaking of killing someone, a teen nonetheless, so calmly? Didn't they feel anything?

The logical part of my mind knew that it would eventually probably come to that, but I'm human god dammit, I can't just sentence someone to death like that!

Clenching my fists, I said, "It's not like we can stop him from finishing a mission anyway. We don't even know what the side missions are."

Karl shrugged, saying, "We don't, but I doubt those side missions give more than the main mission. And if the main mission gives 1000 Points, then let's say each side mission is 600 Points. Considering he most probably killed those two by accidents, he is minus 2000. Assuming we fail the main mission, and he finishes less than four side missions…"

He left us hanging, but we all got what he meant, and it made me feel sick. Not what he said, but that I was actually considering what he said.

What the hell was wrong with me! I can't just kill a kid!

But a sweet, sweet voice whispered at the back of my mind, 'You saw it too… the bloodlust in his eyes when he looked at you.'

I was left feeling conflicted as I didn't know what to do.

Fortunately, Chris said, "Not very feasible of a plan. Although we would survive even if we fail the main mission, since we wouldn't dip in the negative even with a failed mission, for that we need every target to die, and whoever kills them isn't coming back."

This made me feel better as it meant we, or rather I, wouldn't have to blindly kill these people.

Karl snorted softly and said, "I watched that movie, at some point that Caroline stops the rest from touching the magic rock. With her dead, as long as we let things happen, the cast will quickly die out on their own. Or be converted into killers out for us."

his eyes shining with a cunning light, he asked, "So, what say you? We sacrifice the 1000 Points from the mission to earn our freedom."

Geraldine and Chris did not even hesitate to reply with a nod, while I paled. And under the pressure, I nodded too.

Karl showed a wide, toothy grin as he walked ahead of us, taking the lead as he went to speak to Travis, as if he hadn't just decided to leave him to die.

I felt worse by the second, but as I felt like I was about to puke, Chris grabbed my shoulder, speaking in a strangely soothing voice that didn't suit him, "Don't worry, you don't have to do anything. I know it's hard, you just have to… let things flow."

I looked at him, and saw a kind smile on his face. It only made me feel worse, but in the end I nodded, earning myself another pat on the shoulder as Chris walked ahead.

As for Geraldine, she threw me a scornful glance, and stopped looking at me.

Having started at the front of the group, leading them, I was now left at the back, feeling sick as I realized this was no different from the real world.

I've had enough of this shit.

Clenching my fists hard, I felt my fingernails dig into the flesh of my palms, blood dripping down as I bit so hard into my tongue that the taste of blood filled my mouth.

Yet as I felt like I was about to go berserk and hit one of them, I felt like a cool current circulated through my mind, and everything became clearer.

[Mental Limit broken! Rewarded 500 Points, Intelligence increased by 20 points, Mental Capacity increased by 30 points!]

A rigid and dignified voice sounded by my ears, making me falter in my step. The world seemed to suddenly grow brighter, my mind speeding up as I felt more clear-headed than I ever was.

However, as I raised my head back, I was stunned to find no one in front of me. Panic gripping my heart, I jumped forward, but as I did I heard a faraway voice call out, "Alex!"

I looked in the direction of the cry, my heart skipping a beat.

The voice was at least several dozen meters from me, maybe more, as I barely heard it.

I… had lost them.

Fuck!