Chapter 3. Assassination Attempt
"It's fine if you don't want to," Delilah muttered, seeing her brother's expression.
"No, I'll go get a breather." He replied as he hopped back onto his wheelchair.
"Just ask a guard outside to accompany you. I'll call you back in when food is ready."
Darwin wheeled himself out the front door, glancing at the tall and intimidating aura of the guards.
"I need someone to accompany me to the roof." He ordered, wheeling past them while a guard stepped forward and began following him.
"Show me to the roof." Darwin glanced at the guard, who instantly walked forward and lead him towards the elevator.
The elevator doors promptly shut behind them as the guard tapped a button labeled 'R' causing a small shake on the elevator and it began to slowly rise with the music quietly humming out in the background.
A few seconds passed in the silent elevator and a high pitch ring rang out and the door slid open, revealing a small glass entranceway that opened up to a flat roof. The warmth of the sun penetrated through the glass dome surrounding the elevator.
Darwin wheeled himself forward as the guard walked ahead, holding open the door for him.
The moment his face came into contact with the wind and the sun shone dimly upon his skin, a cluster of emotions welled up within himself. For the first time in a long time, he felt free. Free from the crowds of people. Free from the responsibility which burdened him. Free from the expectations which held him down. For the first time, he felt alive, rejuvenated even. This was the second chance that was bestowed upon him. A second chance at life. A second chance to do what he wanted.
[New Quest
Someone is after your life.
Objective:
Stay alive (0/1)
Reward: 25 EXP, 2 Stat Points, 1 All Wheel Spin
Quest Failure: Death]
The sudden appearance of the screen instantly knocked Darwin out of his daydream as he glanced around in alert, a small shiver ran down his spine as the events of the ambush replayed in his mind.
"Where?" He silently muttered before he froze.
They were on the rooftop. Alone. The only way up is the elevator. How is someone targeting his life? Unless.
Darwin slowly spun his chair around with a slight frown. He glanced at the guard which stood behind him a few steps back.
Even upon close inspection, he didn't seem out of place. He wore the same uniform as the other guards, his posture was perfect, as if just out of military school. However, a daunting feeling enveloped Darwin the closer he looked.
The guard seemed too perfect, as he was trying to not stand out. As if he was trying to show that he was nothing but a bodyguard.
"How long have you been working here?" Darwin suddenly probed, acting as if he was simply asking out of curiosity.
"A little over 2 years now, sir." The guard replied without hesitation.
"2 years? What did you do before?"
"I was mall security before I joined. I was scouted personally by the Ma'am after a video of me apprehending an infamous shoplifter became viral."
"A mall security?" Darwin's eyebrows rose, "How long did it take for you to adjust to being a bodyguard?"
The guard slightly hesitated, "May I ask why are you inquiring about my life, Sir?"
"Just plain curiosity," Darwin replied nonchalantly,
"It wasn't too hard. Everyone was kind to me when I joined."
"Was it?" Darwin now had a slight smirk on his face as he faced the guard with a glare. "Who the hell are you?"
The guard froze, "W-what do you mean, sir?"
"When joining the Moss Inc, bodyguards all trainees are required to go through a rigorous boot camp session. Not a single person would say the session 'wasn't too hard." Darwin confronted him.
The guard stopped talking as a soft sigh echoed out into the air. He slowly reached his hand over his head and took off his hat, tossing it on the ground.
"I knew I should've made more of an effort researching this guy's backstory." The man muttered, tugging at the skin on his neck before peeling it back, revealing the face of a young man in his early 20s. His brown hair slightly covering his eyes like a pair of dull grey pupils glared from behind the curtain.
"Nice to meet you." He introduces, "I'm Dominic. Dominic Gill, con-artist, ex-convict…" He put's a finger by his lips. "…and I guess your killer for tonight." He lets out a chilling smile as his hand reaches behind him, revealing a pair of blades which he held in both hands As he rushed towards Darwin.
Darwin grits his teeth as he quickly dodges one of the blades, rolling out his wheelchair and into a defensive position a few meters back.
"So you're not disabled," Dominic raised an eyebrow as he turned around, his dagger's once again in the ready position.
Darwin scanned through his options as he watched the mad man running at him. Knowing that his killer would definitely reach him before he could even make it back to the glass door, Darwin could only fight his way out. He dodges another string of attacks as he eyes the edge of the roof.
However, as he begins his strategy of leading Dominic towards the edge to somehow push him off. Dominic suddenly stops his attacks as frowns, looking behind him and back at Darwin with a smirk.
"Thinking of pushing me down the side of the building, I see?" He chuckled, "Don't even think about it.
He forcefully swings his blade down into Darwin's neck, causing him to topple over and gags profusely.
"I was thinking of simply killing you up here and taking your identity to run away from this country, but now that I think about it, I think I'd much rather kill you, take your identity, and take control of Moss Inc." He said as he played around with his daggers, slowly running the sharp tip along Darwin's face.
A look of despair and shiver of fear ran down Darwin's spine as he laid there hopelessly on the ground, only able to glance up at his perpetrator toying with his food. After almost dying and finally waking back up, was he going to have to die again? Just as he thought he was going to live a better life?
No, no he can't die now. His life just started. He was finally given a second chance. A second opportunity to discover himself. As if something within him snapped, Darwin grunted as he heaved himself off the ground as Dominic simply looked with interest, a smirk still present on his face.
"If I'm going down." Darwin growled automatically raising his arm, "You're going down with me."
Pushing a step forward, He grabbed Dominic's arm and gave him a death glare.
[Intention received.]
[Skill activating: ??????]
[Target Life-force absorbing: 0%]
[Target Life-force absorbing: 2%]
As Darwin continued to hold Dominic's arm, a change of expression warped his face as he suddenly felt a strong sense of dread.
Darwin's hand began glowing a dim black as what seemed like energy began seeping out of Dominic's arm.
"Let go of me!" He suddenly exclaimed, tugging his arm away only to find himself incapable of moving, his whole body felt as if being weight down by 100 tonnes.
"W-what did you do to me?" He screamed, dropping down to the ground.
However, instead of a reply, all he saw was the misty-eyed stare of Darwin. His gaze was distant and distracted as his grip became tighter around his arm, his mouth slightly gaping in surprise.
[Target Life-force absorbing: 6%...]
[Target Life-force absorbing: 8%...]
As the percentage on the screen slowly ticked forward every second, the desperate screaming of Dominic became louder and louder. However, Darwin remained standing with his hand grabbed tighter than ever. A clear glance at his face would allow anyone to realize he seemed to experience something euphoric as he absorbed the life force of his victim.
"L-Let go of me…" Dominic's desperate voice shook as he was finally able to tug his arm away. However, to his despair, his body still refused to move.
Darwin slowly looked at his hand, his sluggish movement suggesting he was still somewhat in a trance. He then began tilting his head over to Dominic with an expression resembling either that of a person finally having found food after a whole week of starvation, or that of an addict desperately needing its fix.
Stretching his arm out in front of him, Darwin thrust his arm in front of him, gripping his fingers onto Dominic's skull and activated his skill once more.
…
[Target Life-force absorbing: 74%...]
The individual prior known as Dominic now sat hopelessly on the ground, his figure shriveled up, his appearance having distorted exponentially, now looking like that of a man in his later 70s. The lively eyes he once had now void of any life and his hair slowly dropping to the ground.
…
[Target Life-force absorbing: 100%]
Darwin released his arm as the skin and bones of the corpse cluttered before him. The corpse now completely unrecognizable except for the clothes which it wore.
[Gains: +250 EXP, +100HP, +10MP, +17 STR, +15 INT, +23 AGI, +2 Skills - Disguise, Dagger Arts]
[New Quest
Someone is after your life.
Objective:
Stay alive: Complete
Reward: +25 EXP, 2 Stat Points, 1 All Wheel Spin
Quest COMPLETE]
[You have obtained: +25 EXP, 2 Stat Points, 1 Wheel Spin]
[Do you wish to spin the wheel? Y/N]
However, the dazed Darwin took no notice of the system board as he slowly glanced at him, his arms held slightly forward.
"More… I need more…" He quietly muttered as his arms shook in excitement, his whole body graving the pleasure and euphoric feeling he had felt a few seconds prior. "I... I need more…"
He slowly waddled his way towards the side of the building, his misty gaze tracing down the building wall and onto the small alleyway below. His eyes instantly locked onto the half a dozen ant-sized figures grouped up on the ground below as a deranged smile slowly widened from his lips.
"PEopLe." He murmured.