Mary held his gaze for one more second before reluctantly nodding.
She would have much preferred if he made himself useful in some other way, especially since this was only a secondary objective, but she knew she couldn't reason with that boy.
She knew kids like him by heart; they only ever did what they wanted and nothing else.
Normally, that wasn't a problem—just a bit of discipline and things fell back into place.
But when that same kid possessed superhuman power, it was a completely different story.
« Let's meet back here before the timer hits an hour and thirty. »
Victor didn't answer. He simply walked away into the darkness, leaving the other four to their tasks.
*
The boy walked slowly through the main gallery, observing the many shops lining each side.
There was everything—leather goods, hardware, jewelry, and more.
If his life weren't in danger, he probably would've paid more attention, but he knew he didn't have that luxury.
His expression hardened after a few more steps.
He could feel something watching him.
He couldn't tell from where, but he was certain.
Something was there, prowling in the darkness, scrutinizing him, dissecting him like a mere lab rat.
He didn't like that.
Victor kept walking as if nothing had happened, not wanting the other party to know he had sensed it.
But in truth, he was already engaged in a kind of hot-and-cold game, gauging the intensity of that gaze depending on where he stood.
The stronger the feeling of being watched, the closer he was to his target.
Honestly, he wasn't sure whether this was a good idea; he had no clue how strong this hidden enemy actually was.
But logically, defeating this invader shouldn't be impossible—if this being was truly far above him in power, Victor would never have sensed its gaze in the first place.
[1:35]
Victor didn't have much time left; he had to return to the others in less than five minutes.
He had to keep them alive, after all.
But he didn't need more time.
He had already located his target.
The boy stopped suddenly and, in the span of a single second, snapped his head toward the clothing store they had used to rest earlier. He dashed toward it like an arrow, crossing the dozens of meters separating them in an instant.
The moment he entered, he heard a faint breath of surprise lingering in the air.
A breath that wasn't his.
He charged toward the sound and saw a blurred shadow detach itself from the wall, avoiding his attack.
Victor didn't stop, continuing his assault as the shadow dodged his every move, despite the boy's surprising agility.
Finally, realizing it was useless, Victor halted and simply watched the blurred shadow take shape little by little.
The creature's silhouette was human, but that was the only human thing about it.
Its skin was a patchwork of pieces from other bodies, a parody of the human form—some pieces dark, others pale, others still a strange shade of blue or purple—held together by thick metallic-looking stitches.
A pair of brown-feathered wings sprouted from its back, tearing through the rear of the long black suit it wore.
The strangest part was its eyes—one looked human, while the other resembled that of an eagle or a hawk.
A cavernous, raspy, inhuman voice echoed, making Victor's heart jolt in surprise.
« You're too slow, monkey. »
Victor tensed. The fact that this creature could speak meant it was intelligent.
That was dangerous—far more dangerous than an animal driven by instinct, and much harder to predict.
« And what exactly are you? »
He had already abandoned any hope of catching the invader, and the creature didn't seem eager to attack for now.
He decided to extract as much information as he could.
A deep laugh escaped the creature, though its mouth never opened.
« The name of my species is unpronounceable in your language. The closest term would be… a chimera. »
Victor nodded. That made sense given its appearance—he really did look like an unhealthy amalgamation of different species.
« And why aren't you trying to kill me? »
It was the question Victor had been asking himself ever since he saw him. If their roles were reversed, he'd already be dead.
For the first time, the being's face twisted into a crooked smile as it narrowed its human eye.
« Finally, a good question… but why should I answer you? »
Victor's lips curled, his smile stretching widely.
Maybe this thing wasn't as smart as it seemed.
« Because you want something from me… and if you can't take it, that means you're not allowed to attack me. »
Silence hung for a moment before the gravelly voice responded with what Victor assumed was irritation.
« You're a clever monkey. Fine, yes—I came here to… expand my collection. But the rules of this stupid game prevent me from doing so. »
The invader's words confirmed Victor's suspicions—it was yet another game, orchestrated for reasons he still didn't know.
« And what do I get out of this? »
« I see you have many questions. Understandable—your planet was requisitioned only recently, after all. I'll answer a few of them. »
It was a tempting offer—knowledge was sometimes more powerful than strength itself.
Victor didn't waste time beating around the bush.
« What do you want? »
The chimera's already grotesque smile stretched even further, its stitches creaking.
« A sample of your species. Limb, bone, skin, blood, tendon—anything. »
He'd expected that, but hearing it out loud was still unsettling.
Undoubtedly, the chimera intended to assimilate whatever sample it received into its own body.
« And how do I know your information is worth the cost? How do I know you won't just leave after getting what you want? »
A glimmer flashed in the chimera's eyes—if the human in front of him asked that, it meant he was considering the offer.
« You can't. But I'll give you the first answer right now as a sign of good faith. »
Victor's expression returned to its impassive state. For him, it was a win-win either way, whether he gave the creature what it wanted later or not.
Thinking about it, he had countless questions gnawing at him—about the meaning of these "games," their purpose, the system, and more.
After a few seconds, he finally decided.
« What should I do? »
It was a simple question.
And yet, the chimera's body began trembling slightly as a powerful, inhuman laugh burst from its vocal cords.
It sounded more like two rocks being scraped together than a laugh.
« Hehehe… You're far wiser than you look.»
Victor ignored the obvious jab, simply staring at him with his dark, empty eyes.
« The answer might disappoint you. It's very simple. You must kill. »
Victor's brows furrowed.
« Reduce cities to ash. Wipe out species. Slaughter clans. Eliminate every living being that crosses your path until you become so powerful that the mere mention of your name is a blasphemy. »