CHAPTER 172: The Strongest

  The laughter coming from Rexus echoed loudly across the area. Sentinel Army soldiers were packing the wall, trying to hear what was happening. They had come to celebrate the victory and the return of their leader, especially after he had singlehandedly turned the tides of the battle. They hadn’t expected to hear the confession of a human betraying the world they fought for.

  A second voice then rose in laughter to join Rexus. While Rexus’s was loud and mocking, the other voice was genuine, finding the joke to be the height of humor. Rexus frowned and looked at Tom.

  “Oh boy, T-Rexy! That’s too rich! You think what you’ve accomplished is impressive? That you’re something special? All you’ve become is a giant pile of poop, not even worth getting squished in the boot treads of the boss!”

  Still dumbfounded, Carmichael took a breath and pulled himself up. His voice was a low rumble as he asked, “what did you sell out humanity for, Victor?”

  “Sell out, Howard?” Rexus continued, with less mirth in his voice as he shot glances at where Tom bent over laughing. “Humanity is doomed. This planet is doomed. I took a good deal. She helped me get strong. Helped us get strong. Not all the information you had came from these kids. I mixed in information from her to guide our troops’ class and skill selections.

  “On top of that she sent all those waves of monsters for us to level with. That’s the real advantage that we had.”

  “The waves that killed tens of thousands of our people?” gasped Chad from behind Gregor.

  “What of it? The strong got stronger, like you, Alvarez. The weak died off, like they were expected to do from the beginning. In the end, they had just as many chances as you or me. They simply didn’t make the cut. Without those fights, the struggles, you never would have survived to reach here either.”

  As Rexus talked, Carmichael’s face got stormier and stormier. The hardness of it grew until it became a mask of stone, glaring at his subordinate.

  “What about the rest of the special forces?” demanded Carmichael.

  “I gave them all a choice when we raided that invader base. It was also set up by the vampire. Enemies, equipment, and experience. I just couldn’t let anyone who found out live until I had gotten strong enough. Now it doesn’t even matter.”

  “You killed your own company?” one officer asked incredulously.

  In response, Rexus just shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

  Carmichael then looked at the rest standing with Rexus. “You all knew about this?” he accused.

  “Of course. They agreed to help, and I made sure I’d be able to bring them along.”

  “Bring them where?” asked Carmichael, his voice calm and steady for the first time in this conversation.

  “The vampire said she’d support me so I could survive, and would then send me to a world where I could do whatever I wanted. You should praise me, it would have ensured humanity’s survival,” chuckled Rexus.

  “And in exchange?”

  Once more Rexus shrugged. “She was obsessed with the kid. All I had to do was disrupt things here, to keep him uncertain. Then she would take him, which she did. Except, since he's here, I’m guessing she isn’t around anymore. Oh well, I’ll just need to find my own exit to another world now.”

  “Disrupt?” burst out Gregor. “You were arguing for peace! I was the one who wanted to fight!”

  “What better way to get Howard to focus on the base then keep pointing out why he wouldn’t be able to get it? To make him give in to the kids he hated.”

  “And Gregor?” asked the general.

  Rexus let out a dramatic sigh.

  “I was never going to bring him with us. If there was anyone who could have survived the hell this world has become, it was Gregor. Seriously, he even unlocked a rare class without trying. The guy has always been too good at everything. On top of that, he’s inspirational and charismatic. It was a shame the ambush at the base didn’t kill him. There was never any time to set another trap for him since then.”

  Gregor’s skin started to turn red, and heat wafted off him. His eyes grew bloodshot, and his muscles swelled. Dalton Coleman pulled out his bow and an arrow, aiming them at Chad.

  “No, no, big guy. Control yourself if you want your little friend to live.”

  Gregor took a few deep breaths and then calmed down. His rage was still obvious, but his mind didn’t reduce.

  General Carmichael had been watching stoically. Now, he turned to Adam. “To answer your first question, kid, I did not know. This is all coming as a shock to me. I guess I was too blinded by our losses and my desire to create a safe place to recognize the situation. It’s no excuse, but I spent my whole life fighting for this country. Whether it's gone or not, I should have done more to protect everyone.”

  There was no apology in Carmichael’s statements, no request for forgiveness, just an acceptance of blame. Adam looked at the man like a judge about to deliver a verdict, his face just as stoic as the lifelong military man.

  “Then you can live. We’ll discuss it later.”

  “Since we won’t be getting this base,” said Rexus, “we’ll be moving on. I’ll put some space between us and Jackson, find a good base to take over, and then work on finding another planet to go to. No point in sticking around here now.”

  “You think you can walk?” asked Lucas in surprise.

  “Fighting isn’t worth it at this point. You’ll kill some of mine, I’ll kill some of yours, and in the end no one wins. While my decisions are different than yours, in the end we’re all just trying to survive. Besides…”

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  “Besides?” asked Brittney, her shield and hammer held ready for a conflict.

  “The kid and I are the same. I know you say you’re doing all this to protect, but in the end, we’re just two fighters trying to find the next battle. Even at your young age you’re full of bloodlust, the drive to end your enemies. Justify it however you want, but when it comes down to it, we’re just two people hell bent on conquering the world.”

  Rexus turned his back on them and began walking to the edge of the wall.

  “Uh, commander,” spoke Kevin Spence. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We took the deal to survive but look what they’ve built here. Look at how they’re managing. We can still work things out and find another way.”

  Coming to a halt, Rexus turned his head. “Are you saying you’re with them, Kev?”

  “I’m saying it doesn’t have to be them or us. It can be both. Surely, we can find middle ground.”

  Rexus looked at Spence with disgust.

  “Is that it for you? You’d rather take the easy way? To stay with them? Are you turning on me, Spence?”

  “O-of course not. I-I’m just saying we have more options than when you did all that. We’ll be stronger together.”

  “Stronger together? Spence, I’m already the strongest. Sticking around, sharing out kills, will just weaken us over time. Would you rather stick around here or are you with me? I’ll find a new world to be ours, to take control of.”

  Spence exhaled loudly but then spoke quietly. “I’m with you, commander. Always with our unit.”

  Rexus nodded and continued walking when Adam spoke up.

  “A shame, Spence. I rather enjoyed you,” Adam muttered. Then he spoke to Rexus. “There are two ways we’re different.”

  Rexus met Adam’s eyes, without reacting to their intensity. “That is?”

  “You want another world to run away to like a coward, while I’ll be keeping Earth. I won’t give my world to anyone.”

  Everyone could hear Rexus’s teeth grinding as his jaw clenched and anger filled his face. Calling him a coward? Him? Rexus had battled long before the [System] had arrived. To be called a coward was instant fighting words. “And the second way?”

  “Before the sun finishes setting, you’ll be dead, and I’ll still be here,” growled Adam.

  “Don’t even try it, kid. I’ve seen the condition you’re in right now. The vampire lady had me take a class aimed at countering yours. You can’t beat me, especially in that shape.”

  Adam’s eyes blazed, and the heat increased even as he grimaced from the pain caused by the river. He was weakened by the damage Cruxannith had caused. His power was partially sealed by [Body and Soul Shaping] to keep the river from escaping his soul to reach Gregor. Finally, his body was running on fumed from all that had happened today. A week of rest and daily gorging would be needed to get him back to fighting shape.

  Yet the voice inside still screamed, CONQUER!

  “[Gladiator’s Approach],” whispered Adam, right as Tyler Zito shouted, “[Change Ally].”

  Adam found himself standing where Rexus had been, his arm holding up a person by the throat. A piercing pain entered Adam’s gut. His eyes focused on the face in front of him, surprised that it didn’t belong to Rexus. Instead, Willis Abrego was suspended in front of him.

  Slowly lowering his eyes, Adam saw the short sword jabbed into his stomach, blood leaking out. A second sword then stabbed him next to the first. Adam grunted and looked back at Abrego’s face.

  “How’s that feel, tough guy? You ain’t even in the commander’s league,” scoffed the dangling man. “[Dueler’s Pocket]!”

  A barrier popped up around the two of them as Abrego activated the skill to prevent Adam from teleporting to anyone else. Abrego wiggled his body, trying to get out of Adam’s grip, but even with his two swords in Adam, the hand didn’t waver. A frustrated look at Adam turned into surprise as Adam held the soldier up while turning to look at the people outside of the barrier.

  “Coward!” Adam mouthed towards Rexus, baring his teeth at them.

  Concerned looks sprang up on most of the special force’s faces. An arrow, fire lance, and wind blade went for Adam before they bounced off the boundary that Abrego had formed.

  “No!” they yelled after seeing Adam smile at them, like a shark approaching a fish.

  Adam lifted his right arm slightly higher than the height he was holding Abrego. Willis was really struggling against Adam now. He had let go of his swords, still in Adam, and both his hands were clenched on Adam’s forearm. There was a blur of movement as Adam swung his right arm. Then a crack echoed along the wall and the barrier dropped.

  Human “Pocket Dueler [32]” slain. 7,928 XP gained.

  For a moment, everyone was stunned. The former special forces, General Carmichael, his soldiers and officers, and even the Sentinel Army stared in disbelief. No more attacks came towards Adam, except for Rexus who launched himself forward.

  Adam’s friends had readied themselves, but they were still too slow to stop Rexus from tackling Adam. As Rexus’s arms wrapped around Adam’s midsection, Adam jumped into the air to try and prevent himself from being grabbed. The momentum from Rexus sent the two men and Abrego’s corpse off the edge of the wall.

  Seeing both men disappear over the wall, Rexus’s team went into action. Dalton Coleman quickly notched an arrow and pulled back his bow. A dome appeared from Tyler Zito’s spell cast, summoming healing energies for his team. A second spell added thickness to the air, reducing the damage that they would suffer from ranged attacks.

  Jamari Gillum stepped behind Kevin Spence, vanishing once he was out of sight of his enemies. Fire enveloped Fleming’s hands while wind swirled around Cody Sloan, lightning and water forming inside as a storm quickly built.

  “You sure disappointed the boss, Punchie,” tsked Tom, ignoring the building tension and incoming violence. “If you stand down now, I’d be happy to put in a good word for you.”

  Spence sighed, the only one from his comrades to seem hesitant to fight. Yet, even at Tom’s words he shook his head.

  “I might regret what will happen here, but I’ve been with them for a decade,” said Spence remorsefully. “The commander has saved my ass more times than I can count, and I’ll watch his back until the day I die. You all have done an amazing job here, and it impressed me. I just can’t betray my teammates at this point.”

  “Even if I order it as a superior officer?” asked Carmichael.

  “Sorry, general. The country is gone. It’s survival of the fittest now, and that will end up as the commander. If you just let us walk, then I swear you’ll never have to hear from us again.”

  Fleming bristled at Spence’s words. “Who are you to promise that? These kids have been asking for a beating since they showed up. They couldn’t even keep up with our leveling speed. Outnumbered or not, this’ll be a quick fight.”

  Tom shook his head. “That’s a shame. He might have saved your life before, but now he has condemned it.”

  “I can’t believe how much they are looking down on us,” said Brittney, with her own mocking smile. “Are they unable to look past my pink skirt?”

  “Does it matter?” asked Randall. “Higher levels or not, these guys have never seemed like a challenge.” Joseph nodded in agreement.

  Fleming’s face went apoplectic as the disrespect came in. His fire began to burn a hotter color, going from red flames to orange. Then they spread out, forming tentacles of flame that looked ready to snap in any direction.

  “How about this?” threw in Tom. “Since you guys are done for either way, we should do this Anime style. One on one. Then you won’t be able to complain with your last words. Pick a partner, boy-ohs and girlies.”

  “You will regret this as I burn you alive!” Fleming hissed through clenched teeth.

  “I’ll take the hothead,” said Elias, stepping forward. He seemed indifferent, pushing up his glasses and casually staring at the fire. His friends were surprised he was the first to the fight.

  “I’ll take the storm guy,” said Andrea.

  “The healer is mine,” said Alissa.

  “I got the Outrider,” whispered Nick, black wisps surrounding him. “[Shadows Bind Us]!” His hand came up and pinched the air. A black line formed between it and behind Abbey.

  “Thanks, Nick, but I knew he was there,” said Abbey, revealing a knife already in her hand.

  The knife was positioned where a figure materialized into sight next to her, even closer to the man’s throat than his own blade was towards Abbey’s. A scowl of hate was on Jamari Gillum’s face as he glared at Nick. Then he realized that there had also been an arrow pointed at his chest as Lamar had been tracking him as well.

  “How are you all able to see through my stealth?” gasped the Outrider.

  “There is something you guys need to know,” said Tom, acting as high and mighty as ever. “Levels aren’t everything.”

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