Frizz sighed, tossing a pebble due to the boring, long wait. He glanced at the uncovered window of a house, seeing Mina inside mingling with her friend. The breeze outside was getting chillier, and he half-regretted his decision to become a temporary guard.
The wind rushed through as a loud sigh escaped him; he had waited for an hour and felt the lull of sleep. (She better have a good explanation for this.)
The door opened as Mina stepped out, waving goodbye to her friend before heading toward Frizz. Mina spotted Frizz leaning against a tall tree with an annoyed expression on his face.
Their expressions soured as they both approached each other.
"What? You offered to walk me home." Mina scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"That I did," Frizz replied, turning his gaze away. (Damn bitch.)
Mina brushed her tight pants and patted her bottom. Aware of how distracting her conduct was, she turned to Frizz, who was turning his head away. Not interested in her display.
"A question: why didn't you call the police?" Frizz inquired, causing her to raise a brow.
"If I did call them, what can they do? Take a profile description and then leave?" She sharply replied, snarking.
"Then, the night watch?" Frizz suggested.
"The night watch here in this town is even more useless—a number of retired security guards, firemen, and old people with nothing better to do!" Mina replied scornfully.
Another chilling breeze rushed through, causing the two to jitter. "That's not true. Their presence and patrols deter most thefts," Frizz corrected. "They're also first responders in fires and emergencies.
Mina's brows furrowed, unreceptive in Frizz's defense. "What about drug dealers?"
Frizz hesitated, unable to come up with a counterargument, and remained silent.
"Exactly!" Mina said, shrugging. "Maybe what you say is true that they're first responders, but they've done nothing about the drug epidemic. For years, all they've done is patrol the streets, telling drunkards and teenagers to go home."
"They'll act against teenage gangs, sure, but what about the drug gangs? They don't do shit, claiming that it is out of their payroll. What a lame excuse."
(She really is affected by this.) Frizz mused, listening to her rants. (I should keep her away from them. I may hate her, but she doesn't deserve to be harassed...probably.)
"You're right, I yield. Let's not argue." Frizz put up his hands, signaling to end this conversation. Mina scoffed, walking away.
"Just one last question, though," Frizz asked, following Mina from behind. "There are many service vehicles around, from motorcycles to scooters. Why don't you take a ride home?"
"I need the money," Mina bluntly answered, disliking the question.
Frizz didn't pry any further. Aware that money was tight and that she needed to provide for her whole family since she was the eldest.
(You should never skimp on safety, though, but it's her business.) He mused, turning away from the distracting bottom display in front of him.
"It's an almost twenty-minute walk. Keep up!" Mina declared.
Sixteen minutes later...
Frizz glanced at his watch. It was 10:04 pm. He turned to look behind him every so often. They felt like someone was stalking them.
(Maybe it's just my paranoia?) he thought. The road ahead was getting dimmer despite the glowing streetlights since they were too far apart to provide a brighter road. As they neared a dirt path, Mina broke off from the road and waved Frizz over.
A light drizzle has started. "Is this where you live?" Frizz asked as he cupped his cold hands near his mouth. This was the coldest night the two had ever experienced.
"Yes, only a few minutes walk from here," Mina pointed at the dirt path.
Frizz scanned the area and spotted no one aside from the occasional vehicle. The road was quiet.
"I'll walk on my own from here." Mina paused and hesitated before adding, "Thank you..."
"You're welcome!" Frizz replied, noticing the hint of hesitancy but choosing not to comment. He turned back toward the main road, eager to get home.
Mina observed him with a pensive look as he faded into the distance. "Should I tell him?" She muttered as she headed home, her opinion of Frizz slightly increasing.
*Clack!* A pebble hit the post of a streetlight. "What a long way home," Frizz sighed, kicking another pebble. "It's an almost hour-long walk."
However, Frizz slightly smiled. He had successfully returned Mina to her home, and despite the tension, there was a possible reconciliation.
(Wait, wasn't that an escort quest? A shame the system didn't recognize it as one.) Frizz thought, continuing. (Oh well, this was mutually beneficial. I get to have a clear conscience, and she gets to go home. Win-win.)
Frizz stopped, glancing at the cloudy night sky. "What if they'll target my family too?" he contemplated. It was a thought that sent shivers down his spine.
"I don't know if I can protect them on time. I'm just one person." He muttered, slightly regretting being reckless with his powers.
Another chill went down his spine. (The days from now on will get harder and harder. How do I get these people off my back?) He mused, feeling his heartbeat.
The fear that he'd been suppressing has finally burst; he couldn't help but overthink the situation he dug himself into. (I need to be stronger; I need more perks.)
Frizz continued to walk towards home, ignoring the fear, hoping that tonight would be uneventful. However, a figure came out from the foliage and blocked his path.
"Huh?" Frizz froze as another appeared, another, another, and then another.
Five men blocked his path while their faces were obscured by black balaclavas. They were distanced roughly eight meters away from him. Their figures were illuminated by a faulty streetlight, blinking in and out of view. The middle one unsheathed their machete and pointed it.
Frizz's heart beat faster; the danger in front of him was imminent. (They're here to k-kill me with those machetes. They're here to hack me to death!) He gulped, panicking and taking several steps back.
(They're going to hide my body.) His already faulty calm exterior had finally cracked, revealing a man on edge. A prey cornered by predators.
Frizz wasn't acclimated to this. He was used to his enemies either being the ones surprised or actively not trying to kill him. "Mama..." He instinctively murmured.
The masked man in the middle pointed it at him. "Frizz, right? Hmm..." asking in a rough and coarse voice, slight hints of a sadistic glee escaped. Frizz couldn't mutter a single word, silenced by fear.
"It's him! Look at him, he's shaking!" The masked man on the left declared.
"Indeed..." Another one on the far left agreed.
The middle one unraised their machete. "Baron sent his regards. This time you'll be the one sent flying... That's what he wanted me to say, though I have no idea what that means."
"You didn't actually think that you'd get away, right? Not many people fit your description." They point the machete again at him, brandishing it.
"Stop talking to him. Let's do our job!" Another declared, tired of the tirade.
"Right... Force of habit."
Frizz put up his hands, signaling a surrender, hastily forging a lie. "Please, you've got the wrong guy."
"That's a lie, and remember, each lie is one finger hacked off."
[System]
New Objectives for New Name.
Defeat the hit group: 0/5
Rewards: Enough experience to advance.
(Enough experience to advance...) Frizz couldn't believe what he was seeing. The system wanted him to fight these five armed men. (Frick! HOW!? They have machetes.) He cursed, planning to run away.
The middle one stepped forward while the remaining four remained.
"If you surrender now, we'll target you and only you. We'll leave your family and that girlfriend of yours alone." The masked man 'reasoned' to Frizz, convinced it was a fair deal.
(Like hell, I'll believe what you say.) Frizz internally chided, maintaining eye contact with the dangerous armed man. (I got no choice but to fight.)
Frizz spotted several small rocks in the distance, on the side of the road and behind the four masked men. An idea formed in his head.
He focused on the rocks and made them float while spinning, imagining them being on a slingshot, and made them 'stretch back' as far as he could.
"Is that a yes or a no?"
Frizz's whole body quaked in fear as he slowly opened his mouth. "Fuck you and die, asshole. Get fucked!"
"I gave you a chance..." The masked man charged.
(Now!) The rocks hurled forward at great speed, striking three of the masked men behind.
"GAH!" "AHH!" "AGH." The three yelled in pain except for the one on the far right; the speeding rocks hurled past him.
(Shit, I missed one of them.)
"What!?" The unscathed masked man exclaimed, causing the charging masked man to suddenly stop and turn, spotting three of his accomplices on the ground writhing in pain.
"The fuck?" The masked man cursed, glaring at his target and seeing not a single weapon on him. "It's not him, and there's no one around us!"
"Fuck it! Anton! Come here now." The masked man charged at Frizz with his machete as another masked man closely followed.
"GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH PLEASE, HELP ME BEAT THESE UNHOLIES!" Frizz roared with a mix of desperation and fear.
[System]
[Righteous Fury] perk is active.
"Tag!" "Tag!" The two charging attackers were highlighted; their silhouettes glowed. Fueled by adrenaline and fear, Frizz braced himself for the fight ahead. (Defensive, I have to be defensive!)
"Goddamnit!" He bellowed, raising both of his hands.