[Wishes of the Weak]

Previously, the world runs more often by or with morals and ethics. He who can reason more can go further. But what if the world was to suddenly lose all sense of reason? A lawless place where the dividing line between right and wrong is shrouded, covered by strength.

If that were to happen, how would we decide which one is actually right? Who will get to decide in the first place? The false theology of the strong, or the righteous shouts of those who were less fortunate to gain something?

Which path are we supposed to follow?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

JOHN

"France, that was amazing, bro. I didn't know your ability was that overpowered."

The rest of the fight went easy with our mana fully replenished. It cannot even be considered a fight anymore, but a massacre. Kevs just sent bolt after bolt of lightning. Charls, which barely took damage from the earlier hit, went on a rampage and managed to kill over ten more monsters.

I believed that he had the highest amount of monsters slain in this fight. The most versatile one, however, was Kenny. He rarely finish a monster, and was more occupied with pinning them down so that the others can finish them off. He made fight easier to be honest.

"Not really. I didn't even manage to kill one."

"Firepower is not always the solution. Take earlier, for example, if not for your ability, we would have surely died here. From now on, we must ensure your safety."

Charls suddenly stated to which we hurriedly agreed. He's right. Currently, France's ability is the most important out of all of us. As long as he doesn't die, the chances of us winning will surely skyrocket. 

"No time to waste, everyone. Let's continue."

After taking a few minutes to rest and prepare, we continued on our way. We expected to run against some monsters here and there, but on the contrary, the remaining journey was pretty smooth. No monster, not even a single one, came to attack us, and after walking for several minutes more, we finally arrived at Phase 2.

"No... this can't be happening."

We've just arrived in front of France's house, but we can already see a dismantled corpse lying in front of the house. The person's head was half eaten from the left eye down to the cheek with the brain laying out in the open.

He had several large wounds on his back, along with a gaping hole in his chest where his heart should've been. It was my first time seeing something like that, not even when I watched movies did I see something that gory and brutal, and I had to vomit.

"Bluwwahh..."

"John! Are you okay?"

I was too disgusted, but France was the opposite. He went to check up the face of the corpse to see if... the guy was a family of his. Fortunately, the corpse belong to a neighbor of them and not his family.

However, France was not delighted at any least. He quickly rushed inside his house to try and find his family. But luck was on his side that day.

"They're not here... Where? Where did they go?"

Worry and anxiety seems to be caught up with him as he frantically searched the whole house. Hell, he even entered the adjacent houses just to try to see a glimpse of his love ones. However, he couldn't find anything. No letter, no corpse, no nothing. It's like they vanished completely.

"Don't tell me that they..."

France was beginning to lose hope that his family was still alive. He began to think of many unfavorable situations inside his mind, which did him worse.

"Let's not jump into conclusions. Maybe your family escape somewhere outside. Not everybody hid in their homes. This corpse is the proof of that."

What Kenneth said makes sense. There's no way to prove that France's family is dead, so there is still some hope. A hope that he has to cling on. After sweeping the house clean of its belonging, France said that he was alright and we can continue our journey now.

Although he did not see his family, that wouldn't be a reason for him to abandon us. He will continue regardless if his family were alive or not, that was the decision that he made. A decision that not everybody can do.

After France's house, our next destination was Charls' house, and I'm not going to lie. After seeing France's situation, I'm a little worried about my family now. I feel restless. I want to go to our house right now, but I shouldn't. We made a plan and I have to follow through with it.

But what if by the time I get there it's all too late? What if they need me right now to save them? What if by not heading there now I am letting them die? Thoughts ran through my head. Thoughts that made my heart ache with worry.

"John, you good man?"

Kenneth asked with good intention. I really don't understand how they can manage to stay this calm. Aren't they the least bit worried about their families? Wouldn't it make sense for them to abandon the plan and use their profound powers to save their love ones?

"Yeah bro, just a little dizzy."

I remained quiet for most of the journey. I couldn't get my mind off my family. Are they okay? Are they still alive? I wanted to know. I want to remove this feeling from my chest. My mind was drifting in the clouds when somebody suddenly pulled me back.

"John, be careful!"

A spike made out of dark flesh came out of the ground right where I used to be. If they were a second too late to pull me, then I would've surely been skewered by the spike.

"ROOOARR!"

"What the hell is that?"

A giant abomination of a creature suddenly came out of the ground. It has several spikes protruding out of its body with patches of blue flesh in its dark figure. It had six elongated arm-like limbs that serves as a weapon for offense. It also had two wing-like flesh on its back that serves a shield.

Clearly this monster is on a different league that the rest.

"Electra!"

Without hesitation, Kevin made the first attack and sent out a lightning strike against the monster. But it was easily blocked by the wings on its back. 

"Stone Nails!"

Two giant earthen spike came out of the ground to try to pierce the monster, but they were quickly destroyed by the creature. It swung one of its arm all around itself that force Kenny and Kevin to retreat.

"Demolition Fist!"

Charls followed up with his strongest attack yet, Demolition Fist, an attack that is strong enough to destroy several houses. The creature tried to block it with its wings, but the attack was too powerful, and it was sent tumbling down a few meters.

"Is it dead?"

"No! Not yet!"

*Fush*

A wave of fire suddenly rose and charged on to our direction. It was so powerful that I could feel the changes in temperature even though I'm tens of meters away from the creature.

"Earth Wall!"

Kenneth raised a thick earthen wall about five meters tall to defend our group, then I covered it with mana to strengthen it. I don't know if this will be enough to block the attack, but it's our only hope.

*BOOM!*

"AAAHHHH!"

I was sent flying by the explosion and rolled over onto the road. I could see that only I was sent flying. Everyone else managed to remain standing, even France did so as well. Some of my rib bones were broken, and I had bruises all over my body.

'Damn it...'

Is this the gap between me and them? I know I am not much of a fighter but this is just too unfair. I'm useless. Incapacitated in just a single blow without even contributing anything. I'm a burden in this fight.

"Zone: Virtus Sanctuarium!"

France activated his ability and absorbed mana from the surrounding to replenish all of our mana. He was our saving grace in this fight. As long as he can continue supplying Charls and the rest with mana, we can win this fight.

However, we underestimated the creature.

"Wha-"

With a swift move, it quickly got behind France and struck him. He got launched to a nearby house with his fate unknown.

"France!"

Kevs was enraged when he saw what happened to France. Sparks of lightning appeared all around him as I feel his mana getting stronger and stronger. 

"Lightning's Calling!"

A giant lightning continuously struck the creature. The lightning was so powerful that I could see the creature's flesh getting disintegrated every second. 

"Demolition Fist! | Earthen Tomb!"

A wave of pure destructive mana hit the creature while it was still getting struck by the lightning. After that, an enormous boulder, enough to flatten an entire two-story house, appeared from the sky and smashed it.

*BOOM!*

"Huff...Did that fucker die?"

Surely it wouldn't be able to survive that many powerful attacks. I doubt even the legendary mantis that was rumored to be the first monster slain would be able to survive those. However, reality is often disappointing.

"Come on... you've got to be joking."

The creature didn't come out unscathed. Five out of its six arms were destroyed, same with its two wings. It was also considerably smaller than before. It definitely took damage from the attack but it survived, nonetheless.

'We can do thi- they can do this! They just need to do what they did earlier and that fucker surely is gone for good.'

That was what i thought.

There is an ability that is always present in a fantasy novel or story. An overpowered ability that can make someone nearly immortal. Normally, this ability is only possessed by an extremely powerful individual that you will only encounter in the late stages of the story.

'Why the fuck do you have that?!'

That ability is called regeneration.

"Kevin! Attack it again! Use anything, just don't leave it alone!"

I shouted at the top of my lungs. We can't let it regenerate completely. I can see its second arm about to be completely regenerated. Clearly, the regeneration speed is extremely fast, but not instant. We still have a chance.

Kevin didn't even ask why and sent out another lightning strike, which the creature easily dodge. Kenneth hurled out several pieces of earthen boulders that made the creature focus its attention to.

Charls moved behind the creature and sent barrages of wave of pure mana. None of them had any plans to let it regenerate. But it was clear that with France out of the field, the three of them will quickly ran out of mana. Even more so that they keep using attacks like that.

'Damn it, John! Just how useless are you?!

You're here laying down on the ground while your friends are risking their life just to protect you! I thought you were going to save your family? How will you save them if you can't even save yourself?! Do you want to always rely on others?'

I wonder if I could do anything in this situation. Now, I'm starting to think that telekinesis is pretty weak. At first, I thought it was a cool power, but right now I kind of regret it. 

(I regret being weak.)

"Charls! Its third arm is about to form!"

{I hated being useless.)

"GAAAHH!"

"Kenneth!"

(I cursed not being able to do anything)

"You fucking monster! Die!"

'Just what is the purpose of strength?'

(To decide whether who is weak or strong.)

'Do you want to remain weak?'

(Hell no.)

"Gravity Manipulation: 5x increase!"

The creature was forced to the ground as the weight of gravity around it increased. The ground began to plummet from the force, and because the creature was too immobilized, it couldn't continue regenerating.

"Charls! I can't hold this for much longer!"

Controlling Earth's gravity is no easy feat even if your ability is telekinesis. Not only does it consume so much mana, but I also feel like my head is about to split every second. Strong ability also comes with strong cost.

"Don't worry, John. This'll finish that fucker."

Charls jumped into the sky and reinforced mana onto his right arm. The mana was so strong that It even developed a visual image. I could see his arm coated with a blue water-ish air-like substance.

"Rest in hell, bitch! | Desolator's Tryst!"

*BOOM*

A giant flash of blue mana covered the creature that completely eradicated it. Not even a single piece of flesh remained. I forcefully stopped the increase in gravity and fell down on the ground.

I'm so tired right now. I just want to sleep. Although it was a brutal and a heck of a long one, in the end we still managed to kill the monster. It's an unfair five against one but that fucker was just too strong.

Still, we managed to win.

"I wonder what Ray is doing?"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Ahh, they left already?"

"Yeah, just a few hours after you left."

I just got back to the academy bringing the first batch of supplies from Karisa. I left Samanta there to guard the supplies. I don't want anyone to steal our food after all, if anyone even has the thought to do so.

"When do you think, they'll be back Miel?"

I asked Ramielle, the person tasked to guard the academy while the main Elementors were gone. I have to admit she looks a lot different that she used to be yesterday in her fight against the gorillia. What could've change her in such a short time? I wondered.

"The expedition will take about two to three days, so they should be back by wednesday if nothing goes wrong."

Today was monday, exactly two days after our hell of a graduation day. It has only been two days since the world change but I feel like months have passed. Well, I did do a lot of work so it's normal that I feel like this.

"I see. Please take this and distribute them to everyone."

I gave to her the supplies that I took from Karisa. 

"These are? Wait! How did you manage to get this many canned food?"

"Oh, they're from a convenience store in Karisa."

"Karisa?! That's the next town already. How did you manage to get there?"

She was surprised when she heard that the supplies was from Karisa. It's not that unexpected since travelling nearby the academy is dangerous enough, then what about the next town?

"By my feet, of course."

"You did not encounter any monster along the way?"

"Well, I was a bit lucky."

"Bullshit. We only went a few meters into Kaipyan and we already encountered a giant beast. How do you expect me to believe that you went through the neighboring town, get some food from a convenience store, and return home without encountering any single monster."

"What can I say? God loves me, after all."

"You..."

"Don't think about it too much. Anyway, I need to get the rest so I'll be going now."

I was about to leave and go back to Karisa to fetch another batch of supplies when Ramielle stopped me.

"Wait."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It's you, wasn't it?"

"Me?"

"You're the one who killed that mantis, right?"

"Huh?! Why would you think that?"

I made sure to leave no trace of my relation to that mantis. All they could have thought was that I was a victim of it, not somebody who fought and killed it.

"Your weapon."

"My weapon?"

'Why would a weapon be related to the mantis? I don't even use a weapon.'

"As someone who has the affinity of wind, my sense of smell has been enhanced to the point that I could smell something in the wind."

"What about the smell?"

"A kitchen knife was used to kill the mantis, and although the killer is unknown, we still managed to retrieve the weapon."

'Wait... don't tell me."

"That weapon should've smelled bad because it was rusty and left in the cafeteria for a long time. However, strong mana disintegrated that smell, only leaving the user's mana."

"And what about the mana?"

"This is only a secret between us, but I have a special ability."

"And what is that ability?"

"I can smell mana."

'Fuck.'

"And I can smell your mana on that knife."

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