Hell Column

Lazar had quickly regained his composure and was already preparing to act feeling that this phenomenon wasn't announcing anything good, 'It looks like they're hypnotized by this thing, I almost wish they'd panicked.'

He started to lower his eyes to examine the weapon he had just received, he didn't doubt that he could only count on this since the gun hidden in his belt had disappeared. Not feeling more than 1 kilogram on his knees he was already preparing to be disappointed, 'Please don't give me a crappy weapon.'

What he had received wasn't a conventional weapon, he saw it immediately, 'A hidden blade... At least I like the design.'

It was a concealed blade whose completely black sheath and handle were rectangular with rounded ends. He now wanted to examine the blade, he had barely separated the handle from the sheath when something unexpected happened.

A notification appeared directly in his brain. He took the time to read what was said slowly to fully understand all the pieces of information there and that had the effect of answering a lot of questions he asked himself since the announcement of Hermes on a so-called way of evolving, 'It makes things a lot simpler.'

▼ [Gift from [????????]] ▼

🔷 Grade 🔷 E ★★★★★

🔷 Bonus and malus 🔷 +1 agility ✦ +1 energy ✦ -1 constitution

🔷 Skills 🔷

▼ Energy slash (Offensive skill) ▼

⚫ A basic rank E ★★★★★ skill which allows you to attack one or more enemies, it should be executed at an intermediate-range for better efficiency.

⚫ To successfully execute this technique, concentrate your energy in the blade and project it by striking it.

⚫ Energy consumption ⚫ 10

🔷 ▼ Description ▼ 🔷

⚫ This weapon has a straight blade with a curved end and measures 70 centimeters in length. It was designed by [????????] to replace the dagger which was intended for you by the gods because he deemed it too ugly for you.

⚫ This extremely sharp weapon for a beginner cut in the flesh as in tofu. However, the fact that it has no guard greatly reduces its defensive capabilities and you are better off holding it well so as not to hurt your hand by accidentally touching the blade or drop it.

🔷 Evolution conditions 🔷

⚫ Kill 150 E-rank monsters ⚫ 0/150 ☐

⚫ Achieved level 10 ⚫ 0/10 ☐

'I feel like the question marks represent my guardian angel. Thanks for the weapon.'

Lazar was convinced that he had to get the fuck out of here on the spot, waiting for the traffic to clear wasn't an option. He got up to go talk to the driver and took the opportunity to look at the weapons of the other passengers, 'It seems that all our weapons have a default, but for some, it's on a whole new level... A rusty sword, a bow whose design is made to prevent from aiming correctly. The gods haven't spoiled them.'

"Hey, old man."

The bus driver got out of his torpor when he heard Lazar address him, "Yes?"

'At least he's reactive.'

"I know it's a mess. That surely all of your beliefs have been challenged and stuff. But don't you think we should stop wanking off on that flame explosion and get out of here ?"

Although Lazar's words weren't the most suitable for a convinced Christian like him who just understood that other gods than his existed. He nevertheless agreed with him, they must get out of here quickly, "And how do you want to do that? Can't you see it's blocked in front of us!"

The bus driver started to get angry aloud, exactly what Lazar wanted to avoid. In tense situations, if someone loses his calm it's often the spark leading to panic. All the passengers that heard him immediately began to panic until it becomes a mess in the whole bus.

"Eh! What if this thing extended to reach us?!"

"That's right! What are we gonna do?!"

"Mom, what's going on? Is this big fire going to hurt us?"

'We are wasting time.'

"Next time try to grumble in a low voice."

"I'm sorry, I guess you didn't come to me without a plan?"

'A plan, a plan! Are you kidding me? Everyone should have thought about it, I'm just going to point out the obvious.'

"We are playing our lives there, right?"

'What is he trying to say? Let's just play his game.'

"Yeah."

"So what you're going to do is smash this wooden protection. It's the only thing that delimits the highway. Even a car could easily cross it, it's just a formality with your bus. Then you go around by another road."

The problem with formulating a plan is that there are often disagreements. It only takes one person to make things complicated. A terrified middle-aged man went to join Lazar and the driver of the bus at the front. He shouted so that everyone could hear him before the driver could say anything. "We will not do that! I will never let a kid decide for everyone! If we get off the road there will be much more chance that one of our tires will burst than anything else...

He then pointed the column. You can see that this thing continues for several minutes now. I say we are waiting for the end of the traffic jam and we leave normally. Do you see someone breaking down the barrier? No! Because it's a dumb idea."

'Oh shit.' It now seemed certain to Lazar that everyone will choose the easy way out that asshole had just offered.

"He's right, the cars in the front are already moving!"

"Yes, let's wait!"

'We have advanced barely 15 meters in the last 10 minutes. You only have to look around to see that a quarter of the people preferred to take out their smartphones to take selfies instead of moving their car... It will take a while to convince him with words. He stinks fear, I will have to use the one thing he'll understand right away.' Lazar put his hand near the handle of his blade and walked towards the man in question while he was still pulling the other passengers together to convince them to wait.

But, he changed his mind. He realized that the flame pillar wasn't here anymore. He couldn't justify what he was about to do if the source of the fear of the passengers had disappeared.

This reversal of situation had the merit of making regrowth a pair of balls to the man that Lazar had targeted. A few seconds ago he was trembling with his whole body and the only thing that had helped him to convince the other passengers of rallying to his cause was his uncontrollable fear of getting stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire while all the other cars were fleeing from imminent danger and passed right before him, condemning him. But it turned out that his act, which he believed to be selfish himself had saved him and the others and that he had been right to want to wait since there was no longer any imminent danger.

He began to boast in front of the fool who had almost put them in shit according to him and that under the applause of almost all passengers, "You see kid! I told you, we just have to wait!"

But the boy in question didn't seem disposed to hear the critics. He was lying on a whole row of the bus and was still staring at the window. The flame column of a minute ago had given way to a huge crater... 'What the hell is he doing! There is nothing left to see.'

Suddenly he straightened up and shouted at the bus driver, "SMASH THIS FUCKING BARRIER !"

Furious at being ignored and not wanting the boy to screw everything up, the man tried to regain control of the situation, "Didn't you hear what we just said..."

The time was no longer for dialogue. Lazar kicked the guy who was about to make them lose precious seconds in the head so that he found himself against another window. The driver ultimately decided to pass through that damn barrier. Lazar then began to stare at the crater and pointed at it so that each passenger could see what was going on.

***

Earlier hadn't taken the fact that the flame column disappeared for a good thing, he started to stare at the crater in search of a detail or something weird. After a while, he saw them. It was way more than a simple detail, even hundreds of yards away he couldn't be wrong. Hundreds and hundreds of hands on the edge of the crater.

***

Only a few seconds had passed since the driver had restarted the engine and what Lazar and the other passengers were seeing was nothing but a vision from hell. Dozens of vaguely humanoid-looking creatures with partially burnt skin were running in their direction with the sole desire to massacre them.