[Arguments]

"…" 

He stared at the number of people entering the safe zone with a flabbergasted look. Slowly turning towards me again, he then asked,

"NPCs?"

I nodded as I explained how I didn't want to be depending upon others and went on my own, towards the south area behind the school. Though it was dangerous, I could barely avoid the monsters.

My plan was to kill a couple of monsters before running away but while hiding in the houses, I stumbled upon the NPCs there, triggering the quest. 

"How many points did you get?" Asked Luke who seemed to be more focused on the [Rewards] than on the fact that I survived. 

"5000," I answered since they were going to get the same [Sub-Quest!] anyway. 

"5000?!!" 

"That many?!"

"I could barely get 200 after killing a goblin!"

"…"

"What's his name?"

"Tch! Lucky bastard!"

Astonishments and curses were thrown at me from the crowd. They looked at me with greed and envy, while I turned back to Mark and asked,

"What about you guys? Did you get anything?"

Given I was able to cross 50,000 Points, they should be around 10,000 right? It gets easier as you play smart. 

"I don't know. I left the party after we killed a goblin. I… wasn't feeling very well," he spoke as he looked at me with a bright smile, contradicting the sad words he was speaking.

"Hey Adrian. Will it be all right if you can buy a [Skill: Fireball!] for Alice? It would enhance her fighting power by a huge margin," Luke spoke as he observed me, hoping I would follow his words.

Though before I could answer him, someone else raged out.

"Are you out of your mind? Don't you feel any shame in those words?!!" Mark was angry. Enraged, to say the least. His eyes glared at Luke, given how he was behaving right now.

"Shut up Mark. I am not talking to you," Luke answered with an annoyed tone as he continued," I am just trying my best to find the most optimal solution for our survival. This is for all of us."

Hero Complex? Or was it worse?

"Adrian was it? Can you please help us out here?" Julia spoke, making a cute expression. I don't know if she was trying to seduce me or not, but it wasn't working. I just ignored her before looking at the two boys behind her, observing me with a rather jealous look.

"Adrian?" Luke spoke again, this time with a narrowed look. 

Was he the same Luke we knew? Did the apocalypse change him? Or was there something else? I wondered.

"What happened to him?" I turned to Alice, who was silent in this whole exchange. She knew Luke better than I did, so I wondered if she knew something.

"He changed after the apocalypse. Those guys kept bad mouthing you all the time, and he just listened. In the beginning, he was barely trying to defend you but as we hunted more Goblins, he became serious and started looking at everything objectively." Alice summarized what happened.

"Alice. What are you trying to do?" Not liking what she said, Luke was about to lash out at her, but Alice just looked at him with a hint of sadness and pity in her eyes.

"Don't try to be a saint, Alice. You too kept quiet when we were trashing this Twerp. And isn't he just lucky that he got that quest? Heck even we can get the points the same way tomorrow," Tristan stopped hiding his nature, as he observed me with pure jealousy.

'So what kind of expression should I carry here? What kind of face should I make? Remorse? Disgust? Or should I worry? Perhaps I could lash out on Tristan? Or even take Alice from that team since I can help her out?' I kept thinking as I looked around.

And perhaps because I was the one with the most points here, I ended up becoming the center of attention of all the people here. Even those who did not know me, were now paying attention to me. 

'It's such a drag.'

In the end, I was bored of this. 

"I guess, I understand what is going on right now," I said as I turned to Luke first," I understand you Luke. We must think logically and depend less on our emotions. It's the most optimal way of survival as a group together."

Luke smiled as he nodded before speaking,"it's glad that you understand-"

"But," I interrupted him as I continued," when you guys left me behind, you also removed me from your group. It wasn't a wrong move, I agree with that as well. But from that point, I had to think for myself. So, what I earn and what I don't, whether I live or die, it's also my own concern."

He had a blank look on his face. Unable to retort, he just looked at me with his mouth half opened.

"I don't owe you anything Luke. We are friends and I do want to help you out but…" I gave him a humble smile," we must think logically and depend less on our emotions. It's the most optimal way of survival after all."

"…"

I could see the trio dumbfounded at my words. Even though they wanted to speak, they didn't utter a single word. I could only smile at them before turning to Mark,

"Did you eat something? I got some frozen food on my way."

"You can't do that!" The one speaking was Julia. Her eyes were teary as she looked at me with a betrayed expression. Bitch sure knows how to act.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Leave us after you earned some points!" She spoke as if I were the one responsible for their group.

"What's wrong with that? It's the same logic your leader follows," I spoke, getting a bit irritated. I wanted to rest already, but things are just getting dragged for no reason.

"You-"

"I am leaving as well," Alice spoke as she looked at Luke before turning at me. Her eyes had a rather determined look, but it didn't concern me. Though I thanked her on the inside for getting the attention away from me.

"Let's go," I spoke to Mark, moving away from them, while Luke was still shocked at Alice's words. 

Under the gaze of everyone present here, I and Mark sat near the entrance where I took out a bunch of canned food from the bag that I found on my way here. It wasn't tasty but it was edible, so we filled our stomach with that. 

"Thank you Adrian," Mark spoke, his eyes filled with sadness," thank you for being alive."

I just smiled at him, before taking out the rest of the cans and standing up as I looked at the group of NPCs, sitting in a corner, away from the rest of the people here.

"??" Mark looked at me with confusion before I spoke," come with me."

And then both of us walked towards the NPCs. Reaching out to the elder man, who seemed to be their leader, I spoke," it won't fill your stomach, but here. You guys should eat something too."

The players looked at me with an interested gaze. Their eyes were narrowed at what I was doing.

"But… it's yours…" that man looked at me as if I were an Angel. He tried pushing the food back to me, but I just gave it to him, before looking at the rest of the NPCs there.

"It's fine. Plus, I need your help with something as well," I spoke with a calm look, making them all observe me with a question filled with faces.

"Thank you," the elder took the food before asking," what is it that you want, Sir?" 

"Nothing big. But can you lend a couple of people? I don't have enough hands and wanted to get more food. It would be a big help," I spoke as I looked at them, while they gave me a conflicted look.

"I will do it!"

"I will too!"

"As long as it's not fighting… I will too."

Three of the men stood up, before moving towards me. Looking at the elder, he seemed to be sighing at their vigor. Though he did not disagree with them. He simply looked at me before speaking,

"Please protect them. I will leave them in your hands."

"I will," I nodded as I then looked at the three and spoke," it's still night, so you guys sleep. We will leave early at dawn."

"Yes sir!"  x3 

I just chuckled at their enthuthiasm before passing the rest of the food. And then turning to Mark and speaking,

"Let's get you geared as well. You are going to do the most work as well."

His eyes blanked questioning what I was speaking, but I was pretty sure of it. While I could work alone, I needed someone to have a cover for me. Someone who can put a front for me while I do the hunting.

At first I was thinking of Luke but he was too much of an asshole. Then the teacher… Mr. Harrison… something about him never felt right. As for Alice, she was the perfect option if not for her [Contract!].

I would like to be with someone whom I can give a [Contract!], rather than with someone whom I can't. 

Mark wasn't the best option but given the situation, he was the only option I had. Whether I will give him the [Contract] in the future or not is something that only time will tell.

Looking at the still confused Mark, I then asked him,"Hey Mark. What's your [Gift]?"