Chapter 13: Surprise Reward

Honestly, Ryder wasn't even sure if he could kill the man. He was hesitating, but he remembered the words that Janus had said to him at that time.

'Punishment for failure: Alice will die.' 

The words kept echoing in his mind.

Alice's smiling face appeared in his mind. His shaking hand had stopped shaking as he made a determination... a determination to kill.

He thrust the knife forward and stabbed the chest of the man.

"I can even go to hell for her. After our parents' death, She is the only family I have left. I'll never let anything happen to her,"  He muttered.

He could see the painful look on the man's face.

Ryder realized that he would never be able to forget the eyes of the man that stared at him while he died.

His hands were covered by the man's blood, just like the knife. Fortunately, his clothes were still fine.

He pulled the knife out and let the man fall to the ground.

The man's lifeless body was in front of him, while he stood there with a knife in his hand. He was still having a hard time believing that he had killed a real person.

He turned back to leave, but his eyes fell on the girl at the corner of the alley. She still hadn't left, probably because of fear.

The girl was shivering as tears kept falling from her eyes.

Ryder started walking towards the girl.

"What is your name?" He asked the girl as he gazed into her eyes.

"M-mary, Please don't kill me, Sir," She stuttered. He could see that she was shivering.

Ryder was wearing a jacket over his shirt. He took his Shirt and Jacket off without taking the time to think. He was now standing topless in front of the girl.

"W-what," The girl took a step back. She wrapped her arms around her chest. Ryder could guess what she was thinking. 

'She thinks I'm going to force myself on her. Well, I can't blame her for thinking kill that after what she went through,' Ryder thought with a wry smile on his face.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to do anything. Here, take this shirt. You need something to wear as you leave this place," Ryder said in a gentle tone.

He extended his hand towards her.

After a little bit of hesitation, She took the shirt from his hand.

"You can go now," He said to her in a calming tone. He wore his jacket and turned back to leave.

"Ah, Can I know your name?" The girl asked abruptly as she saw him leaving.

"Me? You can call me Hades," He said before he left.

He didn't tell her his real name for his protection. He told his avatar's name that he had used in 'Divinity.'

"Hades?" She muttered to herself. She just stood there and watched him leave.

After he left, she left the alley as well and walked towards her home.

She didn't realize it, but Ryder was keeping an eye on her. He wanted to make sure that she got out of this area safely. 

'I'm not a saint, but I should keep her safe since I have saved her. I can collect some good karma in the process. I don't think that it can balance my sin of murder though,'

After making sure that she was out of this area, he walked back.

He had to pass through the 67th street to get back. Fortunately, his jacket didn't have any blood on it. He had found a water source and was able to wash the blood off his hands as well.

He placed that knife in the system storage instead of throwing it away. He felt like it was much safer to keep it there.

He was still a little shaken though. The dying face of that man kept flashing before his eyes.

"Janus, Why don't you announce my completion of the mission? Stop being lazy and give me my rewards," He muttered.

He was hoping to divert his attention by talking to Janus.

<The 30 main mission has been completed! origin points have added to the account of host for completing>

<Extra 20 Reward: Since the host has completed his first main mission before half time, An additional origin points have been awarded to>

<Extra Reward: Since the host has completed his first main mission before half time, A mystery box been awarded to>

"Cool, you finally woke up. Were you sleeping?" He asked in a joking manner.

<The system never sleeps>

"Why were you so late then?" Ryder inquired. He was actually curious about it.

<The system was waiting for the host to get home>

"Why? Were you being considerate?" Ryder couldn't help but laugh, but Janus didn't reply.

"Hey. At least tell me about the mysterious box. What's in it?" He asked Janus.

Although he could open the box, he didn't want to stop in this dangerous place to open the box.

<That's a mystery. Even Janus don't know>

"Then open the box and tell me," Ryder said as his curiosity got the best of him. He decided to open the box right now.

<The box can't be opened without the key. The host needs key>

"What key? Where can I find the key?" Ryder let out with a shocked look on his face, but Janus' reply only made him angry.

<The system can't answer>

"Are you serious? So you gave me a box as a reward that I can't even open? Are you messing with me?"

Ryder cursed out loud with an annoyed look on his face.