Let's do it.

We had cleared the zombies around the two female reapers. Still, Bella and I didn't relax. Instead, we waited for a few moments. She quickly moved behind me and placed her back against mine. 

We learned that the most dangerous moment in Reaper combat was when you thought the fight had ended. If not for {Rewind}, both Bella and I would have died way earlier during our grinding date. 

It had happened after we let our guard down. After we believed we had killed everything, a pair of Chuckies popped up from the ground like cockroaches. They took us by surprise and bit both of us without remorse. 

While we did kill them afterwards, neither of us would have survived if not for my {Fate}. From then on, we added to our combat doctrine. No matter what we were doing, at least one should always watch our blind spots. 

Chuckies, while having some ability to think, were still brainless zombies. If you hung around them long enough, they would pop out. 

Ignoring the two we had saved, we waited. 

A moment later, the ground broke apart in two spots. Two Chuckies charged at us from opposite ends. A bullet and a knife flew toward them, ending their surprise attack in a single breath. 

After a minute passed, Bella then retrieved her knife while I guarded her back. It was only then that she faced the pair of wraiths while I continued scanning our surroundings. 

"Hello, we came to help. Is your friend's health stable?" Bella began. 

The blonde woman flashed a huge smile as she responded with enough energy to light up the sky. 

"Salve! Thank you for saving me and my sister! You and your husband are, how you say… awesome! How do you fight so well?! My name is Josephine! This is my sister! Oh! Jasmine, say hello to our friends!" 

Similarly taken aback, my partner gave a wry smile as she tried to calm down the blonde reaper. Josephine had long hair that reached her back and seemed to glow in the darkness. Its luster wasn't bright like gold but appeared white instead, almost transparent. 

Her fair white skin and green irises were alluring. She probably was from Europe or something. I couldn't help but note that Josephine had an even bigger bosom than Bella. Her looks would have given most supermodels a run for their money. 

Her sister, Jasmine, had dark African American skin and long onyx hair. They had to have interracial parents, as they were quite literally shades of ebony and ivory. 

Body-wise, if Josephine was top-heavy, Jasmine had thicc, plump thighs. They were wide and pleasing to the eye. Adding to that, her body was further graced by a firm and beautiful ass. 

Perhaps as a result of her genetics, she also had an extremely beautiful face. Josephine's energy was overflowing. Her sister, in contrast, made a small smile and introduced herself. 

"I am Jasmine. Thank you for your help." 

I could tell the black beauty was on guard from how she gripped her bow tensely. Oblivious to her agitation, Josephine trusted us. So much so, she volunteered information without our asking. 

"We would have died if not for your help! A little nano attacked me from behind. Jas protected me and got bit. Thank you again so much... Uhm. What do we call you and your husband, friend?" the blonde beauty inquired. 

"I am Isabella. The man over there goes by John." 

I wanted to deny being her husband, but Bella gave me a disgusted look that forced me to shut up. I could roughly understand it as "stay silent, you ass; leave negotiations to me." 

'Why is she pissed? She didn't see me ogling the sister's assets, right?' 

"We only saved you on a whim. If you girls are okay now, my husband and I will be leaving. Farewell." Bella then turned around and slowly walked toward me. 

Like an abandoned puppy, Josephine became crestfallen and looked miserable. With pleading eyes, she looked at her sister as if begging for something. 

After a few seconds, Jasmine rolled her eyes and then nodded. Josephine raised her hands and embraced her sister with the enthusiasm of a child. 

So, Jasmine was the leader of their group, then? It seemed my partner was right. One could learn more from body language than from words. I remembered Bella's lecture during our date. 

"Listen well, honey. Here in Hellsgate, never give away anything for free. Negotiations are fought long before words are even spoken. So, leave them to me. We cannot be too eager to invite anyone to our group. The dynamics of whether they or we ask first greatly differ. The first to express interest has already lost the upper hand." 

My short daydream ended suddenly when I heard Josephine's cheerful voice. 

"Wait, Isabella! Please let us join your group! I am a strong vanguard. My sister is amazing with a bow. We can surely help you both stay safe." 

Just like Isabella planned, negotiations for both our groups to join began. Because their side asked first, we got to decide whether we would accept them in or not. 

Bella then faced her and stated our terms. 

"If we reach an agreement, I don't see why not. But right now, you need us more than we need you, right? Tell us your {Fates}, the soulgears you have on you, supplies, and the number of souls between you." 

Like a child seeking her mother's permission, Josephine looked to Jasmine before answering. After a short pause, the raven-skinned beauty opened her mouth and answered for the two of them. 

"Fine. Our {Fates} are centered around vision and hearing. Our original allies mugged us, so aside from a few low-level {heals} we only have our weapons. We have 600 souls between the two of us," Jasmine explained. 

My partner then mercilessly pointed out, "So the two of you were abandoned. Why?" 

Like a dog that had found a scent, Bella attacked the weak point of the sisters. She probably did so to establish the group's hierarchy should we join with them. But damn, how heartless could this woman get? 

Jasmine bit her lip as Josephine held her head down. After a few seconds, Josephine spoke in a sad tone. 

"My sister and I are Formless, friends. The group we came with bullied us to give our soulgears for the survival of the others. They then told us to separate as we would only bring them down." 

So, it was the same everywhere, huh? I remember the despair Bella felt at being among the Formless. I didn't know it would be this bad. 

"Figlio di puttana! They sucked up to us when we began forming groups. The moment they knew we were Formless they left us to die," Josephine grumbled. 

Hearing their story, I wondered if those people were right in the head. Both Josephine and Jasmine were perfect 10s in my book. Did people really think the Formless so worthless, they got abandoned despite their looks? 

'Why doesn't anyone think of making them into lovers, or at least pets, or something?' 

Jasmine then begged, "I'll be a meat shield. I'll draw all the zombies. Please, take Josephine in your group! Even just her is enough! I can no longer protect her! Please do so in my stead!" 

"Jas? Che due coglioni! What are you talking about? I refuse!" cried Josephine. 

She then kneeled toward Isabella and me while screaming, "My sister is injured! I am a melee fighter! Please take her in instead; I beg of you! Left alone, she will die! Give me the honor of being the group's spearhead!" 

An older sister who was willing to die as she could no longer protect the younger. A younger sister who would rather fight alone than risk her sister being left behind. 

I had half-siblings, but I didn't have such a beautiful relationship with any of them. If anything, the sisterly love between the two made them trustworthy. 

If the worst should come to worst, we could use one of them to control the other. My thoughts may seem wicked. But, to survive here, such measures were necessary. 

Ability-wise, Josephine was a powerful frontliner. Having her in front would make our fights easier without question. Jasmine, although injured, had toned arms and was a bit muscular. With a {Fate} related to eyesight or hearing, her accuracy had to be several leagues higher than normal. 

They had 600 souls after getting mugged. That meant they had killed many after being abandoned. I didn't think we needed more people. I wanted to save them, nothing more, nothing less. But I had to wait for Isabella's opinion. 

"Please give me a moment to talk to my husband." 

When she came close enough, I whispered low enough for only her to hear, "I'm not your husband." 

"Zip it, pervert! Don't try to deny that you were undressing them with your eyes earlier, you ass!" she retorted. 

Ignoring her words, I asked about the pressing matter at hand. 

"So? What do we do, Mrs. Code?" 

"Let's take them in, Mr. Code." 

"Why?" I asked with curiosity. 

"This whole world believes Formless are nothing but trash. What would happen if we survived with a group comprised of nothing but trash? If it's you and me, we can do it. I know we can. What do you say?" 

With eyes full of fighting spirit, my partner began to plan how to topple the current status quo. I naturally gave her a savage grin as I replied with three simple words. 

"Let's do it."