After collecting the souls of the fallen, Alicia brought me to a big restaurant in a city. Finally, there was some decent food to eat, unlike in that small village. I feel sick every time I think about it. I ordered a hamburger, pizza, and cola. Then I ate to my heart's content.
"So, can you tell me what happened?" Alicia asked.
"Just shut up. People will think I'm crazy for talking to myself," I said.
"Why would you mind them? Everyone's busy living their own lives; you don't have to be afraid."
"Alright then, I'll tell you. Nothing beats the satisfaction of being able to take revenge for my parents' death. I also helped those ladies escape," I said.
"And how did you get that wound on your leg?"
"I was shot. I didn't listen to you. I should have gotten out of there within 30 minutes, but my time was over. I didn't expect that it would bring bad luck."
"But at least he didn't kill you."
"He was about to, but someone called him. I don't know who it was. Perhaps his friend?"
"Connections. The mafia boss has a lot of connections. Even if you killed all those men in that mansion, there are still a lot of them. Your task isn't over yet, Kaila. I'm sure you'll face more of them in the future."
"I'll kill them all, I promise," I said.
"Do you remember what I told you? Don't let anger or hatred control your actions and become impulsive. Those emotions will lead to your demise."
"I got it. You sound like my mother." I stood up.
"Hey, where are you going?" she asked.
"To the restroom. I don't feel good." I went inside the restroom and looked at the mirror. It has been a while since I last saw my reflection, but I think I have grown a lot, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.
"Are you done?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah, I'm done. Let me pay for the food first, then let's get out of here." I walked towards the counter and paid for my food and cola.
Alicia followed me outside the restaurant. There was a group of men fighting, and I got caught in the middle of their fights, so I had no choice but to fight back. I kicked and punched them until they all gave up. I was about to kill them when Alicia told me to stop.
"You've grown a lot, Kaila," Alicia said.
"Thanks to the hellish training you put me through. Now, tell me, where's the enemy?" I asked.
"They are coming."
"What do you mean 'they'? How many are they?"
"No more questions. They are here."
"What the hell?" A huge building slowly fell toward us. I ran as fast as I could. Thanks to Alicia's hellish training, I avoided a certain death. "What are those things?"
"Monsters," Alicia said. "Huge ones."
"How did they get here? Where did they come from?"
"They are man-made monsters, probably caused by a failed experiment."
"Those damn scientists. Thanks for their creativity and innovation. They have put our planet at risk instead of protecting and preserving it. Humans are truly the real virus in this world."
"They are not the problem, Kaila. These monsters are all controlled by one person. You have to find him, kill him, and everything will be over," Alicia said.
"You should have told me that earlier." I used my search skill to find the person who controlled the monsters. I have found his location, but it was far from where we were. "Can you bring me there?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't."
"Why?"
"My mana has dropped off after being hit by a fallen building."
"You could have escaped; you're a ghost."
"That has nothing to do with being a ghost. Just stop blaming me and find that person. I'll try to hold the monsters back. Go!" Alicia exclaimed.
I ran as fast as I could toward the location of their leader. "Holy shit!" I cursed, seeing the person who controlled the monsters already dead when I arrived. I looked around to find the killer, but I didn't see anyone. It must be someone strong. The monsters stopped attacking and gradually disappeared.
"Got him?" Alicia asked.
"Nope, someone else did," I said.
"You saw the killer?"
"I didn't have the chance."
"Let me see." Alicia walked toward the corpse of the man. "Someone else has already taken his soul."
"But who would do that? Are there other soul reapers aside from you?" I asked, confused.
"It must be him," Alicia muttered.
"Are you saying something?"
"Uh, um, nothing. Let's just get out of here."
I became more confused about why Alicia wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, as if she were trying to escape from something or someone. I asked her about it, but she didn't say anything.
"Is there someone you're avoiding?" I asked, following her as she walked on the road.
"Hell no, I'm not avoiding anyone," she said.
"Then why did you leave that place so soon? Alicia, please, don't avoid my question. You can tell me anything. I won't judge you," I said.
"There's nothing you can do about it, Kaila. He's not someone you can play with. He owns the game."
"Who?" I asked, confused.
"You wouldn't like to know him. His name itself is a curse that no one amongst us talked about. He killed everyone, even his own siblings. I was lucky to escape," she said.
"Why won't you just tell me who he is?"
"You don't have to. This has nothing to do with you."
"It obviously has something to do with me. He snatched my enemy. How am I supposed to complete my mission now? I won't be able to kill a hundred people."
Alicia stopped and faced me. "Don't worry about that. There's something I want you to do, but first, you have to become really strong."
"Don't tell me... you want me to face him?" I asked.
"There's no other way, Kaila. Kill him, snatch the souls he has taken, and you'll be free from the curse. His kills will be counted as yours," she said.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"Very dangerous. But I'm sure you can do it if we have a plan. We have to defeat him and his assistant."
"He's not alone?"
"That boy. He's strong. He must have been cursed by him. You have to beat him too."
"Him again? Don't worry. He's destined to be my enemy. I'll surely meet him again soon."
"Kaila, I hope you take this seriously. That boy and his master are strong, stronger than us. They are on a different level. If you want to win, you have to train harder."
"I got it. Just do what you want," I said.