Mutagen

Day 148 - 12:31 PM - Factory Area, Rebel Base, San Pablo Poblacion, Municipality of Viga, Catanduanes

Emellynn's rampage continued, causing more and more blood to spill.

Renz and his men wanted to run away already. However, as Emellynn began to prioritize targeting those who started to run away, they could only stop. If any of them ran first, they could allow others to run away too. But of course, the first ones would definitely die.

And unfortunately, none of them wanted to become a sacrifice for the others. It created the scene where the majority of them on the ground got pinned down. The only leeway was those at higher elevations continued to fire their guns in hopes of stopping the leader they betrayed.

Of course, their bullets were just like bb pellets that buffeted a concrete wall.

While listening to Felix's storytelling, Mark continued to observe Emellynn. Now that her story was known to him, the strangeness of her behavior vanished in his mind. Instead, he felt that it was just a normal thing for a person thirsty for revenge to go berserk at times like this.

Emellynn's behavior aside, Mark also observed her abilities. And to say, her skills seemed to contradict some traits with each other. Of course, it was aside from the visuals.

During Emellynn's lightning transformation, her hair was golden and flowed like flames, and her body was enveloped with electricity. When she attacked Mark, she was able to compete with him in terms of speed and body strength. But the only attack she used was those blades of solidified lightning and did not seem to have any means of ranged attacks. It was probable that she could not fire lightning similar to how Mark did.

On the other hand, during Emellynn's ice transformation, her hair turned still and ice-like. Her whole body was also covered in thin armor that seemed to be extremely compact ice. Because of this, not only her body moved slower, but it appeared to be a bit stiff. The ice on her body also seemed to be too heavy, but that weight only complemented its sturdiness. The last thing was that not only Emellynn could burst out ice to form walls, but she could create large icicles to use as ranged attacks.

In this observation, Mark concluded one thing.

Emellynn lacked perfect control over her abilities. It was something expected of a person like her, overflowing with the desire to take revenge.

While Mark observed Emellynn and watch her do his work, Felix continued his one-man storytelling. Mark did not request for the story of Emellynn's past, but Felix just went on and on without minding Mark's faked reactions.

Reaching the part where Emellynn started her revenge, Mark interrupted Felix with a frown.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

Felix paused, turning to Mark with a wide playful smile.

"I'm just trying to gain your sympathy. You know that?" Felix then tilted his head, reading Mark's actions. "Though I failed, horribly."

Then, Felix stood up.

"I know we're not your opponent at all. I rather not confront someone that can subdue a high-level summoner like Berrak. But I can't just let the daughter of my friend die, fighting a monster like you."

"That's not all, isn't it?"

Mark asked interrogatively.

"Woah, you can tell?" Felix laughed. "Well, you're right! What I said before is true. But that aside, I also want to advertise our services."

"Services?"

Mark tilted his head.

"Right, services!" Felix opened his arms forward like a business negotiator. "We dabble with information gathering, arms trade, and mercenary work. As long as you have the appropriate payment, we can give services around the globe."

"You are saying that even though the world is already ending?"

Mark mocked.

But then, Felix tilted his head, eyes opened wide with a creepy playful smile.

"What does the end of the world amount to? Business is business. It is even booming more than before. Who would not want our services in these rough times? We can find where safe places are, find information about enemies, or rent powerful soldiers to aid their endeavors."

Mark fell silent. Although this guy was behaving like a crazy maniac right now, what he said was reasonable. The poor survivors might not be able to afford it, but rich people, secret organizations, and other hidden powers around the world would pay a huge amount for things they wanted.

"So, this is why your group are scattered around the island, huh? Even the General's secretary at that."

Mark smiled behind his mask.

On the other hand, the creepy smile on Felix's face turned into a frown.

"Looks like Roach is right. You're someone dangerous." Felix's voice still sounded playful, although the tone was much colder. "Just how in the world did you know this?"

"You said that you dabble in selling information. Why are you asking something that is obviously won't be answered?"

Mark mocked once more.

"Heh, you got me." Felix shrugged, returning to his playful demeanor. "I won't pry on how you managed to find out about us. But I'd prefer it if you don't mess with our business."

"I'm not messing with you people, though?" Mark shrugged. "Or else, I would have already revealed that Vanessa was not just an ordinary Military Secretary as she appeared to be."

But then, Mark realized.

"Maybe, are you talking about that?"

Mark pointed at the chaos he started below.

"Since you noticed it, it will be easier to explain. This is a mission I commissioned myself for my deceased friend and her daughter. But you just showed up and destroyed our plans. Why?"

"Years of planning and resources had gone to waste, just what is your reason for doing this?"

Felix added. However, even though he was saying as such, he was still in a playful mood. It seemed that he did not really mind that everything was a mess.

"That's your fault then. You shouldn't have let these ants run amok. If your goal is to let that woman get her revenge, you should have stuck to that and not let them lay their hands on other things."

Mark smiled, not stating the specific reason.

It led to Felix believing that the rebels had done something to offend Mark, leading to this situation. But he was not stupid. He could feel that while Mark slaughtered the rebels without remorse, he left the captured women alive. By the looks of it, the farming area where the captured men worked was also under attack.

If that was the case. It must have something to do with the rebels capturing and forcing people to do their bidding.

Felix sighed as his eyes fell on Renz. Capturing people and making them work by force was all that guy's idea. Emellynn only agreed to it with the premise of the rules she established. However, secretly, Renz had been doing things in the dark, like sending those forced men to a suicide mission last night.

Since Felix was nurturing Emellynn's growth, he only provided her needed information and did not dabble in anything else in the rebel base. It looked like it was a mistake on his part.

Felix shrugged, looking at the rampaging Emellynn.

"If all you wanted are those captured people, just take them away and leave."

Felix said, shooing Mark with his hand.

"Hmm??" Mark smiled. "Why should I?"

Felix could not help but frown.

"What do you want to say?"

"I'm here to destroy this place and kill all the rebels. Why should I leave without finishing the work? Besides, with how that woman is behaving, I'm already on her list to take revenge on, right? Why should I leave such a threatening person alive? Can you give me a reason?"

"Heh. I might not be able to give a reason, but there's no way I'll let you kill her."

Felix sprang up from his position and jumped off the scaffold. He understood that Mark was not joking and took the initiative.

Mark watched Felix as he moved towards the rampaging Emellynn. He could not help but feel strange as Felix ran with light steps, yet he was as fast as Emellynn in her lightning form.

Felix was really a strange being in this regard.

Knowing that Felix now wanted to take Emellynn and flee, Mark, stretched his hand forwards.

CRACKLE!

Black lightning shot towards Emellynn.

Emellynn, who had lost control due to her rage, did not manage to react to Mark's attack and would definitely get hit.

But then, Felix turned his body around, throwing something into the trajectory of Mark's lightning attack.

BAM!

Like a shield, that item that Felix threw blocked the lightning bolt that Mark fired.

Mark shot two more bolts of lightning, but like before, Felix blocked it without problems.

Emellynn sensed that someone was approaching her and threw an icicle, not knowing that it was Felix. Nonetheless, Felix did not need any effort on dodging that cannon-like icicle.

Then, Felix slipped through the attack and appeared in front of Emellynn.

"Emellynn, you need to stop now. We're leaving."

"Felix?" Emellynn froze. It seemed that she managed to recognize Felix. However, she shook her head. "No, that bastard Renz should die first!"

CRACKLE!

Another roar of thunder was heard, making Felix click his tongue.

This time, however, instead of defending against Mark's attack, Felix faced Emellynn.

"Forgive me."

Felix said as he moved behind Emellynn and lightly tapped her nape. As Emellynn's nape was also covered with the ice armor, that tap would not be able to do anything.

CREAK!

Unexpectedly, that light tap destroyed Emellynn's armor before she collapsed unconscious just in time before Mark's attack reached them.

BAM!

Suddenly, smoke enveloped the surroundings, obscuring anything that was happening below.

However, Mark was sure that the two were still there and managed to evade that attack of his. Without waiting for anything, Mark prepared to fire another lightning attack.

That was when a huge figure soared into the sky, surprising Mark. From what it appeared, it was a crow about the size of a car. Furthermore, instead of black feathers, it had ash-colored ones. On its back, the unconscious Emellynn lay.

Even without his Empathic Detection, it was without question that this crow was Felix. Furthermore, it flew too fast. Faster than Mark, using all of his speed to fly.

Mark's eyes then turned red, releasing sparks.

Receiving Mark's mental attack, Felix staggered in the sky. However, it seemed that he had some resistance to it as he recovered immediately and flew away.

"Who would expect that that guy is a Natural Therianthrope. No wonder I can't feel any kind of magical or demonic energy on him."

Mark murmured as he watched the shadow of Felix flying in the sky vanish from his sight.

"Oh, well."

Mark shrugged.

***

At the center of the battle, the smoke started to dissipate.

Renz stood from his hiding place, looking around.

"What happened, did that b*tch leave?"

Then, Renz realized that Emellynn left as there was no trace of the woman anywhere.

"HAHAHA! SHE LEFT!" Renz roared in glee! "I'M STILL ALIVE!!!"

Following Renz, the men following him started to celebrate.

But then...

SHING!

"Huh?"

Renz voiced out in confusion as his vision suddenly turned around and upside down with the sensation that his head was floating.

That was when he heard a voice.

"I thought you're smart. How come that you forgot about me."

Renz wanted to turn to see where the voice came from and realized that he could not feel his body at all. But then, as his vision spun, he finally saw it.

He saw Mark standing behind a headless body that was already spurting blood.

"Impossible..."

Renz voicelessly groaned as color and energy drained from his face.

With a plop, Renz's decapitated head fell to the ground.

And there was silence.

Renz and his men were too focused and afraid of Emellynn that they totally forgot about Mark that was watching the show.

"Now, it's time to relive the nightmare."

Mark smiled sinisterly.