Chapter 5: Fate of The Weak (Edited)

Joe’s face solidified for a moment, overwhelmed at the revelations he just heard.

Franswift shouted again, “I told you we don’t have time, I heard the sounds of the tide coming at the gate.”

Joe finally came to reality and said, “Alright, let’s say I believe you. What do you want?”

Franswift expected this question and said, “I need some weapons and a lot of level 1 or above meat. In exchange, I will escort you to one of the smuggling points you use for your goods. As for your safety, don’t worry, if you die, I would already be dead.” His idea to get out of this death trap was he would use his life as a guarantee for the deal. Either he died in their attempt to escape, or they both escape successfully. This was his only hope, even though something was worrying him about it.

“And why should I trust y...” As Joe spoke, both him and Franswift abruptly froze in place when they heard screams, shouts, and howls from a distance.

Franswift face grimed. He could not see the main street, but he was sure the guards must have opened the gates and let the beasts in.

He looked back at Joe and said, “I told you we don’t have time.” He did not wait for Joe anymore and barged his way inside the shop and closed the door.

Joe squinted at Franswift with a wry face. I can’t contact the guild or even any other hunter now. The best solution currently available is to bet my life with him and I hope this is not the wrong choice.’ He headed for the door behind the counter and opened it with a key from his pocket.

“Follow me.”

Franswift went after Joe. He saw stairs leading down behind the door. Going down, a light lit the room. He took a quick glance around. It was a storage room filled with uncommon goods and scraps that were either in boxes or on shelves. Fortunately, there were few weapons atop one of the shelves in the back. On the shelf were a couple of swords, shields, daggers, spear, throwing spear, some armors, and other strange objects he did not know their use.

Franswift straight off went to that shelf. He wore the lightest brown leather armor and took out a light circular shield, a spear, followed by a dagger which he strapped to his waist. Lastly, he took a quiver of throwing spears.

Afterward, he quickly went for the shelves and boxes labeled meat. “Joe where is level 1 and above meat. And is there any healing herbs?”

“There are about 10 pieces of level 1 meat, 3 pieces of level 2 and 1 piece of level 3, each piece is one pound. There are healing pills which are better than the herbs, as the pills are processed herbs.”

Joe didn’t ask why he needed the meat, he just showed Franswift where the items he needed were. He next went to the weapons shelf and took out a pouch with beads inside it, a necklace which he put it on his neck, a sword, a shield, and a set of armor.

While Joe finished his preparations, Franswift hastily ate all of the level 1 meat. He needed all the energy he could get. He would be using his focus ability in every instance of combat. He had a weak physical ability since all of the energized meat that his focus ability used over-drafted his body.

Right after Franswift and Joe finished preparing, they moved to get out of the shop. Staying here wasn’t an option, if a beast sniffed them out they would be done for. And even if they go unnoticed, they risk the chance of the shop collapsing. Which had a high probability of happening due to the massive size of the tide.

When they got out of the shop, they heard the shouts and blood-curdling screams of the people of the slums. Joe and Franswift looked at each other, and they both could see the fear on their faces. They steeled their wills for what was about to come and marched forward.

Franswift said, “Show the way.”

Joe nodded and started pointing the direction in which to move while Franswift lead in front. With the moon luminescence being their only light, they moved in the damp narrow alleys, then between the dilapidated buildings. The stench did not even register to them due to their heightened alertness.

As they moved, they started to see corpses littered on the grounds, and even when they tried to stay away from the trail of corpses. They still, unfortunately, encountered some beasts. Four rats at the size of a human being were crawling on all fours as they gnawed on corpses. Franswift wanted to avoid the rats the moment he saw them, but they sniffed and located him. Then they slowly crept their way towards him.

Franswift looked behind and saw Joe stopping about 5 meters away from him. Franswift feigned that he wanted to run towards Joe, which baited the four rats to run and attack him. When the rats were a couple of steps away, Franswift turned around as he entered into focus and dashed forward to their direction.

Due to his twisted sense of time, he would be able to easily avoid their attacks. He dodged the attacks of the first three rats, sidestepping and avoiding their assaults by a hairbreadth. Reaching the last one, he used the momentum of his dash and stabbed it in the head with the spear. Next, he turnaround and jumped backward while throwing a javelin at the farthest one from him. And due to his focus, he was able to accurately aim for the head.