Hunt Part 4

"( Is that... )" Aruka says as he looks at Shiro standing up above the corpses of the Djinns he slaughtered.

< You obtained an item. >

< You obtained an item. >

< You obtained an item. >

"( Shit, Do I really have to wait this long? )" Shiro asks himself as he sees both Tracker and Captain Raymond.

" Oh, Tracker, Captain Raymond? " Shiro says as he immediately kills another one that slightly moves.

< EXP Gathering Failed >

< You obtained an item. >

"( Dammit! )" Shiro says as he then jumps down from the pile of corpses.

< Quest Completed (!) >

< Rewards: >

< 1) HP Potions (X20) >

< 2) AEP (Astral Energy Potions (X20) >

...

" Shiro!? " Tracker says as he sees Shiro, he was so shocked in disbelief that Shiro would kill those Djinns in such a great number. A great achievement for any Soul Knights could've ever had.

" How did you..., no... "

" I don't care how did you do it, it's so awesome! " Tracker runs towards Shiro, leaving Captain Raymond whose lips show a slight anger.

As Tracker approached him, Shiro responds by greeting him but was suddenly interrupted by the System, showing some message.

< (!) Message (!) >

" Huh...!? " Shiro sees the message which made his eyes widen and then sharpened over Tracker and Captain Raymond.

" Stop right there, Tracker! "

" Don't move even for a bit! " Shiro tells Tracker which made him stop running.

" Huh...!? " Tracker says as he stops and when he stops, the time stops.

" Huh, what happened? " Shiro asks as things turned grey and everything seems stopped at the moment.

In his current confusion about all things, the System then pops up again.

< (!) Message (!) >

< (!) New Quest (!) >

< [Important Quest]: Choose who will Astral Player Fight >

< This is an [Important Quest], Astral Player can't refuse, for refusal means punishment. >

...

" Huh...? fight...? " Shiro asks as the System then shows another detail, relaying the information.

< " In order to do this quest, Astral Player will be given 30 seconds to choose between Subject [Tracker] and Subject [Raymond Warren]. Astral Player must choose which one the Astral Player would fight and kill in order to complete this mission. " >

" What did you say!? " Shiro asks at the moment.

" What's with the Quest!? dammit! "

" You're asking me to kill one of the two people I just recently acquainted with!? " Shiro angrily asks the System, protesting about the quest.

He was furious about it, rejecting that very quest as he tries to find the decline button, but can't find it, no matter how hard he tried, for instead of the Quest disappearing, the System then zaps him very hard for even trying to decline the Quest.

" Grrhhh for the Astral World's sake... "

" Are you really my Guardian, System!? " Shiro asks as he remembers the record of the System's Directive No.1*, the one that told the System to guard Shiro.

" Zapping me around painfully with your shocking thunder, out of f#king nowhere!!! " Shiro angrily comments to the System about it, for he can't take the very idea of killing the people he befriended.

But the System just continues to zap him for protesting as it really wants Shiro to choose, fight, and kill one from both of them. Despite Shiro's refusal, the System keeps zapping Shiro until he retreats his refusal, no matter how much it takes.

( 15 minutes later. )

" Okay, okay, stop!!! " Shiro says as his HP is just 1 out of how many HP he has.

As he asks it to stop, Shiro asks for his HP Potion and consumes ten of it, from the ones he just received after the quest. Replenishing his HP in full, making him can move again as he stands up.

< " So, does Astral Player want to do the Quest? (^_^) " System asks again as she shows the very Quest again.

< (!) New Quest (!) >

< [Important Quest]: Choose who will Astral Player Fight >

< " In order to do this quest, Astral Player will be given 30 seconds to choose between Subject [Tracker] and Subject [Raymond Warren]. Astral Player must choose which one the Astral Player would fight and kill in order to complete this mission. " >

< This is an [Important Quest], Astral Player can't refuse, for refusal means punishment. >

< ... >

< Rewards: (A) Rank Item Box. >

< " Accept the Quest? " >

< [Accept] >

" Grrkkhh... " Shiro grunts as he still can't get this very idea of a Quest.

" Fine, then... " Shiro accepts the Quest, unwillingly, half-hearted.

*Shiro touches the accept button*

< Quest Accepted >

< Choose your target: >

< *The target you choose will be made by the System as your enemy, so you must choose wisely* >

< 1) Tracker 101 >

< 2) Captain Raymond Warren >

< Astral Player will be given time to think of Astral Player's decision. >

< Think fast and choose wisely. >

< " Cheers" -- the System. >

< Duration: [00:29:59] >

" Grrkk... " Shiro says as it happens, he really didn't want to do it after all, since he begin to develop a relationship with them and tried to develop the bond more.

But sadly...

" What should I do...? " Shiro says to himself as time ticks so fast while he's having some time dealing with his doubts.

For he can't bring himself to do it, no matter how hard he tried, since he's already quite used to them, already wanting to be their friend in this world of the dead.

[00:27:04]

" Well, I can't choose Tracker... " Shiro says as he sees Tracker's level at level 9.

" Killing him will prove to be pointless, there's nothing to gain from him at that level. " Shiro says as he knew that killing Tracker isn't worth it, besides he still wonders why the hell the System wants him to choose between Tracker and Captain Raymond and kill them.

" Well, it's totally fixed that I couldn't kill Tracker then... "

" For that, the only other option is... " Shiro says as he then approached Captain Raymond.

He stands in front of him, looking at the captain who is good to him to even invite him into this very place.

< Name: Raymond Warren >

< Astral Manifestation: Soul >

< Caste: Soul Knight >

< Rank: Soul Knight Captain >

< Level: 70 >

" Captain Raymond's level is also too high for me to deal with... "

" And also... "

" Hmm...? "

" What's this...? "

< Scans detected something inside Captain Raymond... >

Shiro looks at what the System had found and then stares at Captain Raymond which he then chooses his options and time immediately moves again.

< Option Selected >

< Time will begin to move. >

" Huh...? " Captain Raymond says and was shocked to see Shiro in front of him, staring sharply at him.

" Shi..., Shiro...? " Raymond says to the staring Shiro and before he could say another word.

< Spirit Slash >

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Extra:

*System Directive No.1 appears in Chapter 5: Astral Status (1)