9 The frail-looking man
"Kuber Walton, the name I've heard about. They call you a traitor's son," Stalin uttered with a murderous gaze fixed upon Kuber. Suspicion enveloped him, wary of someone carrying the label of a traitor's offspring.
"You know how kids these days come up with nicknames. Oh, what was it again, Brandon?" Stalin asked, struggling to recall the other moniker used for Kuber. After a brief moment of contemplation, Brandon finally remembered the new-generation name for him.
"I think it was 'Goblin' or something. I don't remember properly; forgive me, Captain," Brandon mumbled, bowing down with guilt for not recalling the name accurately. He felt ashamed for not being able to answer his superior.
"Yeah, right. No need to apologize, Brandon. I believe you got the right name. Isn't that right, Kuber Walton?" Stalin coldly addressed Kuber, his disapproval evident in his demeanor. He clearly had a negative impression of Kuber.
"That's just a nickname some idle minds came up with. You need not concern yourself with such trivial matters, Captain Stalin," Kuber replied, attempting to allay any doubts Stalin had about him. Despite his efforts, Kuber couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling that he might face repercussions if he failed to earn Stalin's trust. Nonetheless, he couldn't help feeling upset by Stalin's arrogant behavior.
"Oh! Is that so? I heard that you are an untrustworthy man, though. That's why they call you a goblin, a greedy and uncultured monster," Stalin's eyes reflected arrogance as he stared unwaveringly into Kuber's eyes.
"You must have heard wrong. I am a reputable businessman known for my trustworthiness. Those rumors are likely spread by my competitors," Kuber asserted, trying to defend his character. Though he felt the urge to retaliate against Stalin's rude behavior, he knew he had no choice but to remain composed.
Stalin remained silent, maintaining his position in the comfortable chair as he continued to gaze at Kuber intently.
However, the silence was short-lived as a sudden heavy pressure engulfed the room. It felt as if an immense boulder had been placed upon Kuber's head. He began sweating profusely, his nose started bleeding, and his legs trembled to keep him from falling.
"Are you okay, young master? Do you have a fever? Your nose is bleeding," Alvin asked, concerned about Kuber's condition. Kuber was taken aback to realize that Alvin, as well as Stalin and Brandon, seemed unaffected by the overwhelming pressure.
Feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet, Kuber tightly gripped Alvin's shoulder for support, trying to regain his balance.
Meanwhile, Stalin appeared unfazed by the situation, his eyes turning from black to dark yellow. The mysterious occurrence left Kuber bewildered.
"What's happening? It feels like someone dropped a massive boulder on my head," Kuber exclaimed, trying to make sense of the situation. He couldn't tell if he was poisoned or if some other supernatural forces were at play.
"Very good, Kuber Walton. You managed to withstand the pressure. I'll allow you to join my team, for now," Stalin declared, his eyes returning to their original black color as the oppressive force vanished in an instant. It became apparent that Stalin was responsible for the pressure.
"Here, take these. This red band is the symbol that signifies you're part of my team," Stalin said, tossing two red bands toward Kuber. Although they appeared ordinary, there was an unmistakable air of uniqueness about them.
—————
[You have been invited to Alister Davis's team]
[Accept]
[Decline]
—————
Another screen panel materialized in front of Kuber, and without hesitation, he accepted the invitation. Alvin followed suit and also joined Stalin's team.
"Good, now you may take your leave. Brandon, explain to them how things work here," Stalin instructed.
"Yes, Captain. I will do so," Brandon replied dutifully.
Brandon opened the door to the room, gesturing for Kuber to follow him. As they exited, Kuber couldn't help but clench his lips in frustration. He had never experienced such humiliation before, especially from someone like Stalin, who seemed insignificant to him. However, he knew now wasn't the time to retaliate.
Walking alongside Brandon, Kuber, and Alvin left the mansion while Brandon elaborated on how the team operated.
"When we entered the barrier, we stumbled upon a demon statue after about an hour of roaming. It emits a mysterious aura and gives off a chilling sensation when touched."
Brandon pointed towards a statue covered by a blue cloth, which was roughly the same size as the angel statue.
"We covered it to prevent it from affecting the residents' mentality. If you have any questions, feel free to ask," Brandon explained.
Kuber pondered for a moment before asking, "I only have one question. What are we fighting for?"
Brandon looked at Kuber with confusion, baffled by how he could know Stalin's name without understanding the purpose of their fight.
"Well, when we touched the red circle on the demon statue, a system notification appeared," Brandon replied, weariness evident in his expression as he further elaborated.
"It instructed us to choose between intelligence and strength. Those who chose intelligence became the blue team, while those who chose strength became the red team. The strongest among us became our leaders. That's how these two teams were formed, all for a reward that merely enhances our wisdom or strength stat, depending on our team."
Kuber stood there in silence, processing the explanation he had just received.
'So, these people are fighting over mere stats. This world is wilder than I thought,'
He thought to himself, wondering if the residents were mentally unstable or influenced by their surroundings.
"I see, thank you for the information. So, what do we do now?" Kuber inquired.
"What else? We patrol the area and guard the statue. Our main goal is to prevent the other team from touching it, or it'll be the end for us," Brandon replied, his tone serious.
As Brandon spoke, it became clear to Kuber that the statue held significant importance for the red team, and he would now be responsible for protecting it, despite knowing very little about its purpose.
Boom!
A sudden explosion echoed from a residential area near the statue.
"What the hell was that?"
"I think those blue team cowards finally launched an attack,"
"What do we do? Should we inform Captain Stalin about it?"
"Are you retarded? Wouldn't he be able to hear such a big explosion? He'll step in if needed,"
Amidst the chaos, a voice resonated through the air, capturing everyone's attention. "Calm down, guys. We should check out the place where the explosion occurred first," Kuber shouted, standing out amongst the crowd. The attention shifted to him as he spoke.
In the midst of the huge crowd, a young man raised his voice and asked, "Who the hell are you?"
Kuber looked at the young man with a baffled expression, uncertain how to respond to such a stupid question. "Who I am doesn't matter, kid. What matters is that enemies are invading our home, and we need to defend it right now.
"Yes, he is telling the truth. We should check the current location at the explosion site first," Brandon reaffirmed, supporting Kuber's judgment. With his endorsement, everyone else also accepted the advice and hastened toward the location of the explosion.
Meanwhile, Stalin observed the unfolding events from a small window in his mansion, casually sipping his tea as he watched his men struggle for their lives.
The explosion site wasn't far, and they reached it after running for about a minute. At the scene, a seemingly frail man with weary eyes was fiercely wielding his knife against a member of the red team. Behind him stood a whole group of men from the blue team, all armed with knives, ruthlessly attacking the members of the red team.
As they watched the cruel scene unfold, the men from the red team who followed Kuber became enraged. Without uttering a word, they launched a coordinated attack.
"Kill these cowards! How dare they touch our brothers?" Brandon roared, inspiring the men from the red team to unite and retaliate with force.
Kuber and Alvin stood on the sidelines, contemplating their next move. "I think we definitely need to fight this time," Kuber asserted.
"I understand, young master. I'll go ahead then. Please take care of your safety," Alvin said before leaving Kuber's side to join the other men in hunting down the members of the blue team.
Kuber scanned the blue team men, searching for a suitable opponent to fight.
'Let's just find a weaker opponent to fight. That way, no one will suspect me of being an untrustworthy man and I will be able to breeze through this battle easily.'
As Kuber surveyed the battlefield, his attention was drawn to the frail man who had been swinging the knife earlier. Assuming that this seemingly delicate man was the weakest among the blue team, Kuber approached him without hesitation.
"I will be your opponent today, Mr... what's your name?" Kuber inquired.
"Sure, you can definitely be my opponent for today. By the way, I am Thomas Nolan. You can call me Tom too if you want," the man responded calmly.
Intrigued by Tom's composed demeanor, Kuber's curiosity grew, prompting him to use his unique skill to open Tom's system window and gather more information.
—————
[Level] – 3
[Name] – Thomas Nolan
[Title] – Professional in Arnis martial arts
[Lifespan] – 29/36 years
[Class] – None
[Unique Skill] – Viper's Veil(B)
—————
Seeing the status screen of his opponent, only one thought came to Kuber's mind.
"This is bad... What should I do now? Should I run away or face this bastard"
