Resolution

My eyes were locked at the sudden notification. I opened the status screen and it did increase.

[EXP - 10/100]

I already had an idea of why it increases. The car was buffed by me. So it gave me EXP even if I didn't kill it myself.

The car took a sharp left turn, but the road was blocked by a flaming bus. Barry hit the brake, abruptly stopping the car. We were stupefied by the scene in front of us. There was an ongoing slaughter. No living being left alive, only Genmas scanning around for new victims. A Genma ninja that just finished cutting the head of a woman saw our car.

"Maybe if we don't move, they can't detect us?" whispered barry in low voice.

I gave Barry a sideway glance while thinking, 'What do you think they are? A T-rex?'

With all its power, the four-legged zombie ninja howled loudly onto the sky. It brings the attention of nearby Genma soldiers as they were racing toward our car. One, two, four, seven... there were 15 of them coming from all corners of our vision. And the number keeps multiplying.

Chris shook Barry's shoulder to wake him from his dazed state. "Get back! Get back! Get back!"

"F**king hell!" , Barry cursed out loud. In this situation, any other expression would only waste your energy. He shifted the gear and the car moved backward. The road was too cramped to turn the car.

Meanwhile, Chris grabbed two Beretta M9 from the compartment. After checking it was fully loaded with 15 bullets, he wanted to pass one of the guns to Barry. "I can't! My hand's full. Give it to Edward!"

Chris looked behind and tossed one to me. "Just hold it for now. Do you know how to reload?"

I answered, "yes, Dad taught me how to."

Chris smiled to ease the tense atmosphere. "Good, when I emptied the chamber, toss me the other one and start reloading."

I silently reinforced both guns while talking to Chris. Another sharp pain crushing my head, but I keep holding it. I could not faint yet. Not in this situation. The Genmas are getting closer, and Chris started shooting while he got up and sat on the car door. His left hand was holding on the car's roof rack.

*BANG BANG BANG

[+10 exp]

Three shots were enough for the reinforced gun to take out one of the closest genmas. If it was a normal gun, even if you empty your magazine, the Genmas won't die.

*BANG

One-shot would only stagger them, but that was enough to buy time for us. Speeding backward after a while, Barry saw an intersection. Meanwhile, Chris killed another two Genma Ninjas that were jumping mid-air.

[+10 exp]

[+10 exp]

Barry swerved the wheels and the cars finally turned around. While the car was turning around, Chris shoots three genmas that were jumping toward them, pushing two back and killing one. The firepower of the reinforced gun was really wonderful.

Chris swapped the gun on his hand with the one I held. I started reloading the other gun. The genmas were still chasing us, but the car completely outrun them. Now, Chris could focus on the genmas that were blocking the road. His capability as a S.T.A.R.S. member was unquestionable. He already killed 12 of them by himself. However, attracted by the sound, another would join the chase and the genmas entourage seemed never end.

Chris already emptied four clips of the magazine, and I leveled up twice to level 3. We pretty much already far away from the chasing genmas. Just as I finished reloading the last magazine. Suddenly a huge shadow fell from the second floor of a nearby building.

"Oh god," muttered Chris helplessly watching the shadow falling. He shouted toward Barry, "hit the brake!!"

But alas, it was too late. The huge shadow crashed on top of the hood of our car, wrecking the engine. The car flew and flipped twice on air before it crashed and rolled on the road. It stops at the nearby entrance of a subway station.

To minimize the damage, I held my knees up close to my chest. If not for the seatbelt, I might bounce around the car. Barry was being hugged by the popping airbags. Chris didn't do well as he flew out of the car. He landed on the hard concrete sidewalk with a loud sound.

The shaking was so hard it makes me dizzy. The reinforced hoodie at least protected me from the shattering glasses and debris. Even though there are scratches on my leg, I was pretty much okay.

The car was turned upside down, I was hanging with the belt holding my body. The only good thing was there seemed to be no presence of a genmas soldier nearby. I tried to call out Barry, checking his state.

"Barry, hey Uncle Barry. Are you okay?"

There was no response. He seemed to have passed out from the sudden impact. I looked around, not seeing Chris on the front seat. I started panicking and hurriedly release the belt. I fell down accompanied by a dull thud. I peeked outside by crawling and saw Chris laid unconscious on the sidewalk. There's no sign of him waking up soon.

Time started to feel slower for me. There was constant screaming around the city. It was the voice of innocent people getting slaughtered by the Genmas. Sound of helicopter, explosion, and gunshot mixed as one. The military might have been deployed, starting their futile resistance.

Run...

A voice was calling me to run, inside my head. I wanted to deny it, but I can't. I was too scared. Corpses of French military division, or what's left of them, could be seen laying around our car.

See... There is no hope... No one can save us...

Shut up!! I closed my eyes and covered my ear. I still heard the sound of guns being fired, but they didn't seem to get closer or any louder. I knew they were too far from us. Even if they came, it won't really change anything. Human's weapon was not strong enough to fight them yet.

Yes... Just hide... Or run... Nobody will blame you...

*Gung gung gung

I heard footsteps, huge footsteps. I opened my eyes looked at the thing that produces those sounds. A giant fat Genma, twice the size of an adult was walking. On its hand, there was a huge bloody morning, a third his size. I looked over where he went to. He was approaching the fainted Chris.

That was the moment I started trembling. I was terrified by what it aims for. I called out to Chris, but I couldn't voice a single word out of panic. I glanced at the Genma. It was getting closer, and closer. I looked around, seeking help. But no one was there. No one was alive.

What are you doing...? Leave them... At least... You will survive... Isn't that your purpose...? Survive...?

SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

Just run... Edward. Run... Like that day... Where you leave your mommy... and daddy...

The scene from that day flashed inside my head. I saw my dad getting out of the car. Standing with his back in the middle of the road. I saw my mom, embracing me while hiding her sorrow. Telling me to go. And their smiling face.

Tears started dripping from the eyes. I dropped my head, touching the ground.

Guhh...!! Arrrggh...!!

I hit the asphalt road with my fist. I wanted to deny it. I wanted to... it was true. I didn't know anything. I might be a reincarnator, but in this world, I was just an 8 years old boy. And half of my mentality is still of that child, blurring my judgment.

Is this it? Is this what I am? A coward. A weakling. A crybaby. Running. Running. All I know is running.

Yes... Edward... This is how we are... This is you...

The whisper didn't stop. But then, I felt cold metal on my hand. There was a gun laid down on my left. It was the gun that I reloaded earlier. As I hold it somehow I calmed down. There was no more whisper. Ironically, the most feared tool was soothing me.

Yes. I am weak. I am a coward, a crybaby. I can't even protect myself. I didn't deserve getting reincarnated. I am no hero, nor a symbol of justice. The enemies are stronger than me.

But, so what. The answer is simple. Just shoot. If they still standing, shoot twice. Not enough? Shoot until it falls.

The slow time finally started to flow normally. My eyes were focused on the ugly face of those monsters.

"Mother."

I crawled out of the car.

"Father."

I stood up.

"Witness me. As I grow."

I reinforced the gun. The pain stabbed my brain and blood flowed down from my nose, but I didn't care. Even as my vision got blurry, I can still see the monster's silhouette.

"I am weak. I am a coward. But I will protect what is dear to me."

Holding the gun with both my hand, I aimed at the ugly Genma's head.

*BANG

"I'm sorry."

*BANG

"For being hateful of myself."

*BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!"

* BANG BANG click click click

There was no more bullet. I dropped the gun. My arm felt weak and numb from the constant recoil. The huge Genma fell down on its back.

*BOOM

[+200 exp]

[Level up]

The notification bar popped up at the corner of my eyes before it faded in a second.

Suddenly I heard howls came from far away. I looked over. It was the Genma's that chased us earlier. I looked at the gun beside my feet.

Shit! This is bad.

"Chris!! Wake up!!"

I ran toward his side. I repeatedly shake his body. I noticed that there was blood dripping from the back of his head.

"We have to escape! Wake up!"

Chris didn't wake up even after I slapped his cheek. It seemed the impact from hitting the hard concrete was worse than I thought. As I was about to give up. A familiar voice spoke to me.

[Warning. User has less than 10% probability to survive]

[Initiating assist mode. Asking permission from Admin.]

[Permission granted. Assist]

It was a familiar voice.

[Hello, user]