No Piety

Alexandre demanded in a sure voice, "Who are you? Why'd you attack me?"

The man didn't answer, though it wasn't clear whether he was doing so out of contempt or out of terror.

Alexandre was in no mood for either option. He slammed his foot into his attacker's stomach and screamed, "Answer me or your life ends here! You think I care about the rules when someone shoots me with a real bullet!?"

At last, the man whimpered in agony, "My name's Richard Jekon, and I'm a first-year student like you! I just wanted to steal your weapons! I know I could sell them for a few hundred grand… I promise I don't have any grudges against you, I just took the opportunity when I saw it… I'm sorry!"

Alexandre smiled like a lizard and said, "Don't worry, I understand." Then he reached out his hand to help the young man up.

Richard hesitated for several moments, then slowly reached out to take Alexandre's hand.

The moment he had his attacker's hand within his own, Alexandre tightened his grip and broke the young man's wrist. Then he hauled the screaming Richard up by his arm and pummeled him like a punching bag, breaking his neck and injuring his arm. Alexandre felt a savage energy rising in him, the innate longing to destroy and consume that Hunter energy instilled in its hosts.

But even though Alexandre had recently advised William to be cautious about letting his new biology control him, Alexandre embraced it. He struck again and again and again, taking out his tension and frustration on this poor fool who had been so stupid as to attack him.

Even though he couldn't feel pain below his broken neck, Richard wept openly in abject terror, begging for mercy. "I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Please spare me, please!"

Alexandre finally stopped, still holding Richard above the ground by his arm, as though he were dangling a broken doll. "Alright then, you have two choices. Either empty your bank account and I'll give you a second chance, or you've already seen the sun rise for the last time. Your money or your life—which will it be?"

Richard's face went deathly pale. "I… have no money. I spent it all already, on my gear. I've barely got enough left to pay fees and bills for the semester, barely $6,000… but, but, I'll give it to you! I'll do anything you want! Tell me to eat dog shit and I'll do it! Need someone dead? I'll kill them for you! I'll be your whore and your slave, just please don't kill me!"

Alexandre thought about it for a long moment, weighing the risks and benefits of keeping this pathetic excuse for a man alive.

Then he raised his hand, put it on the back of Richard's skull, and crushed the young man's swollen head with his palm. There was a popping sound like a bursting pumpkin as the fool died, and then Alexandre dropped the corpse to the ground in contempt.

Alexandre didn't trust humans. He knew that leaving his attacker alive would only have served to create someone who hated Alexandre with all his being, someone who would surely betray him at the worst possible moment. That was simply a risk he wasn't willing to take.

But then, to his surprise, Alexandre received a notification.

╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕

╟─╼[Log]: You have just killed a Human.

║╰╼[Exp]: +10

║╰╼[Karma]: -0

║╰╼[Unlock]: You have just unlocked the "Karma" system.

╚══════════════════════════════════════╛