Anger

a few minutes before he left. 

[Master, are you sure it was a good idea to kill her? Judging by her mana strength, she is definitely someone of high status. Won't they come looking for revenge?] 

"You are right. This is getting more and more annoying, not to mention dangerous. Luck like this will eventually run out." 

[Yes, so I recommend you move to a different city. It's 1,000 miles away, but it's better than dying here.] 

"....you are right, we should leave." 

[Good, let's pack—] 

"But I still have unfinished business here. If I am right, they will come looking for her in about three hours, and if we are not back by then, Yenna will be in trouble, so let's hurry." 

[Alright, but this should be the last thing. Where are we going?] 

He walked out the door, ensuring that no one around looked suspicious. 

"I am going to track down Yenna's friend for answers, and after that, we will come, pick up Yenna, and pay a visit to my 'loving' family." 

[.....please don't do anything stupid.] 

"What do you mean? I am thinking straight right now." 

[If that's the case, then I am even more worried.] 

"...." 

He closed his eyes, and the symbols on him and Wren began to glow, causing his whole demeanor to change. 

[You managed to figure out resonance in that short time?] 

"It's my skill; why wouldn't I know how to use it?" 

[Is this how you defeated that woman?] 

"Yeah, she tried to put me to sleep by hitting a pressure point that would cut off oxygen to my brain for a short while, but in that split moment, I activated resonance, and my senses were reset, nullifying her move." 

[That makes no sense.] 

"Who cares? It worked. Wren's skills are very useful, especially this tracking ability. And if you're wondering how I snapped the neck of someone so strong, I used a skill that made my arm wrap around her throat like a snake. Then I simply used all my mana to boost my strength. Both her neck and my arm were broken." 

[You are crazier than I thought. And about that arm, you are going to look for them with it broken?] 

"Relax, I am not going to fight; we won't even talk. I will just track them down and see if they betrayed Yenna or not." 

[Why are you going so far for someone you just met?] 

"Why did you help some beggar on the streets?" 

[.....fair enough.] 

He then ran, avoiding eye contact with fluid agility and precision. It was as if he had become a weasel; his movements were so smooth they seemed impossible for a human. It didn't take him long to arrive at the location where he last saw them. He crouched down and slowly inhaled the air. Wren was also following his lead, and they both began sniffing around, trying to pick up their scent. It took them ten seconds before they locked onto it. 

"They are not that far. Hm? The scent is getting stronger. Are they heading here?" 

He wasted no time getting out of there, finding a good spot in a nearby building. They arrived and sat down, all of them quiet, not saying a word, which confused him. Why were they just sitting there silently? 

Then, just as he was about to leave, he heard them burst into laughter. This was even more confusing; his heart sank. He knew what they were laughing about but decided to wait. He wanted to hear them say it. So he watched, holding himself back; it was suffocating to see this, reminding him of terrible memories. 

"Jolly, you are so evil. Your acting was so good that even I was convinced," the smart one said with a villainous smile. 

"True, but was it necessary to sacrifice Yenna in the process?" the one who couldn't control himself said, looking as annoyed as ever. 

"It's a shame, but she just doesn't fit our group. I've seen her try to defy my orders before. It's no big deal; we can find another member easily." 

They all laughed, and Vell was on the verge of losing control, but Wren's comforting touch calmed him down. He looked at her and smiled, exhaling to settle himself further before continuing to listen. 

"So, do you think what that guy was saying was true?" 

"About the corrupted mana nonsense? He probably just made that up on the spot so we wouldn't turn on him. I wanted to knock him out right away, but I just couldn't help myself. Raising the hopes of someone and then crushing them, ahhh, it gets me so excited." 

They looked at her touching herself and both knew she was in 'that' mood. "Hey, should we head to our spot?" 

She looked at them after their question and smiled. "Sure, let's go." Licking her lips, she got up, spinning around to give them a better look before she began walking away. They followed behind her but couldn't see the sinister smile on her face. 

'Men are so stupid. I will keep these ones for a while before moving on to new toys.' Her expression was lewd and villainous, to say the least. 

'We came here just in case they escaped and came looking for us, but it seems that was unnecessary. I will enjoy myself and then go to the association to see her expression... but before that...' She side-eyed the building where Vell was but did nothing. 

He watched them disappear into the distance, thoughts racing through his head. Something told him to run back, get Yenna, and escape. He had always trusted his instincts, so he ran without looking back. As much as he wanted to get revenge, he was too weak right now. 

'Hm? So he ran? Who was that? Maybe it was him? No, there's no way he could have escaped the section chief. It's probably just someone... why do I have such a bad feeling about this?' 

Her instincts were telling her to go after him, but her lewd feelings were stronger. 

Vell arrived at Yenna's house, rushed in, and picked her up, wasting no time running out. Not sure where to go, he just ran, thinking he would figure it out later. 

".....I will not leave them alive." 

[Master-] 

"Know your place." 

The atmosphere around him was more predatory than ever, charged with resonance, and his hunger to hunt was beginning to consume him.