“Team Alpha, this is team beta please report your current position over,” a man was talking through in-ear communication device as another person was looking at him with a stoic face. They were only two of them and it was already uncomfortable enough being alone with this man here but being stared at only put him more at unease.

 

There was no response coming from the other side, as Scott couldn’t stop shaking his leg out of nervousness. His last bet was rendezvousing with the team alpha the only one who is still surviving, team gamma who had been tasked with scouting the perimeter of the city had retreated after experiencing a loss against an unknown force. But know Scott definitely knew who was that unknown force, he and the rest of the deceased beta team had been told the unknown force had three known individuals with each of them having a possibility of being above level ten. At first, Scott scoffed at that information since he knew to level up was a difficult process.

 

But after witnessing the prowess of a lone man now he knew of how shallow his mind was.

 

Scott’s eyes were shifting left and right trying not to meet Jason’s eyes. One thing he knew about this man that he was powerful and ruthless, he came to knew that this man watched him and Hakeem fight to the death without lifting a helping hand, all in the name of getting stronger. Scott understood why he did so but he didn’t want to go through such a thing once more.

 

“So?” Jason’s voice broke the silence between them.

 

Scott only flashed a smile and continued pressing the little button on his ear as he repeated the same thing over and over again.

 

“I repeat please report current position team alpha, team beta is requesting your immediate position over,” said Scott.

 

But his waiting finally came through.

 

“This is team alpha over, please identify yourself and report your current situation over,” the in-ear relayed the message from the other side.

 

“This is Scott Langdon, Awakened rank no.3, code name Iceman, the whole team is wiped out and I’m the sole survivor over,” said Scott.

 

Meanwhile, even with a stoic expression, Jason was rather amused seeing how these people in the military had their own code name. It seemed childish and judging by how this Scott had Iceman it must be related to their own ability.

 

Hmm, should I also have code name to? At least I don’t need to give out my name if I meet someone like them in the future. I should probably name those two also, Black Iron for Hakeem… Wait, that’s kind of racist, is it? I guess I should omit the ‘black’ and just use the iron…

 

While Jason was deep in his own thought, the nervous Scott finally got a hold of team alpha current position.

 

“I’ve got their location, they’re currently at a catholic school at Woodglade Boulevard,” said Scott.

 

“Know how to read a map?” Jason asked.

 

Scott nodded as before being sent here, the Awakened conscripted had gone through a basic course for survival that included map reading.

 

“Here,” Jason threw a map at Scott. He got it while loitering around the area, he thought it would come in handy and he wasn’t wrong.

 

Scott grabbed the map and he felt a touch on his shoulder.

 

“You’re the navigator and try not to puke,” said Jason flashing a rather insincere smile.

 

Scott didn’t have the time to process what was told to him as he was suddenly being zipped into the shadow world. He felt his stomach queasy immediately and knew why Jason said not to puke.

 

Jason lifted him off the ground and exploded in speed. Scott who was still baffled by everything that was happening held on tight to the map as losing it might be ending his own life. Right now, he took back his words, this man who was carrying him like he was a handbag was at a whole other level. As if he was more than just an Awakened like him.

 

After a few times taking a rest in between their journey both Jason and Scott in a suburban area a bit far from the city. All the citizens had been evacuated leaving nothing but empty houses. Jason lay on top of the roof as he eyed down the surroundings.

 

This is going to be a hassle.

 

Next to him was Scott and he too was worried after noticing the condition of this suburb area.

 

“There are about five hundred meters to the school,” said Scott as he looked at the map multiple times as he tried to estimate the distance. “The streets are swarming with UC, can we even get there?”

 

He wasn’t wrong as this part of the suburb was teeming with monsters, monsters that were hard to even describe.

 

“Scan,” Jason muttered.

 

One-Eyed Crawler Low-class demonic creatures coming from a line of grotesque chimera breeding. One-Eyed Crawler, an agile creature that can easily outrun any normal human being with its only two legs. The huge tail on the back can make it jump in the air five meter in height with not much problem. Known to feast on humans as well as insects. Species: Demonic Chimera Level : 22 Elemental Weakness : Light S.Ability : Vertical Leap, Frontal Leap, Eye Cannon

 

“Come on, I’m dropping you off,” Jason said. As these creatures weren’t a problem for him since he had his invisibility.

 

“Wait, what? Then what about these weird monsters? There’s no way team alpha can fight against them,” said Scott. In another way, he was telling Jason that him being sent there was no different from sending him to his death.

 

“Relax, I’ll handle it,” said Jason flashing that insincere smile again. Scott had seen that smile and knew what he showed and what he meant was entirely different.

 

“Oh, yeah,” said Jason.

 

“Hmm?” Scott didn’t have the time to evade as Jason grabbed by his neck.

 

“What are you doing?” Scott was horrified as his throat was being choked. The sudden change in this man’s heart was too sudden and only one thing came into Scott’s mind, this man is psychotic.

 

“Don’t move, I’m just gonna put a curse on you,” said Jason in a nonchalant manner despite the words he just used.

 

“What?!” Scott was shocked. Why all of a he turned into the enemy?

 

“Sit still, it won’t hurt a bit,” said Jason while he mumbled something inaudible to Scott’s ears.

 

Then Scott saw his whole body engulfed in a brownish glow. He turned speechless as this man really did curse him like he said he would.

 

“If you don’t want to die listen to me,” Jason said.

 

Dying was a no go and Scott shook his head vigorously.

 

“If you speak anything about me, my abilities, my combat capabilities and about the other two, this curse will eat you alive and gouge your heart in an instant, you understand that?” said Jason.

 

“Yes!” Scott said shaking his head numerous times. He should have known about it, there was no way Jason would let him go without doing something to avoid leaking of any sort of information about him. Scott realized something and swore to himself to never cross path with this man ever again, this man was more than just a monster.

 

Jason tapped lightly to Scott’s shoulder flashing another smile.

 

“Okay, now we’re good,” said Jason.

 

Jason stood up on the roof along with Scott by his side. Jason grabbed on to Scott and again they disappeared into nothingness.

 

A few moments later, Scott stood in front of the catholic school entrance door. His eyes darted around left to the right hoping no monster would suddenly jump on him. He pressed on his in-ear and called out to team alpha.

 

“Team Alpha, this is Iceman team Beta, I’m currently in front of the school entrance door, over,” Scott said. He turned around and crouched close to the floor. He leaned over his back to the floor ready to engage anything that might come.

 

Meanwhile inside the catholic school.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me, how the heck is that pretty boy manages to make his way here? The streets are full of those one-eyed monsters,” said one of the soldiers who was currently hiding inside a bunker underneath the catholic school.

 

What left of the team alpha are only these seven men, from twenty and now there was seven. It showed that this team went through hell and still survived.

 

“Corporal Lee, stand down. I don’t have the energy to entertain your childish tantrum,” said a man with the dog tag around his neck spelled out William Martinez, the captain of this team.

 

“Stavs and Specks, go and retrieve Iceman at the entrance, make sure to seal up the door once he gets inside and I repeat do not attract the attention of those one-eyed, now go,” said William.

 

The two other soldiers went out of the bunker to get Scott.

 

Cpt. William glanced at the corner of the bunker, where a man was sitting facing the wall. The great axe on his shoulder had never budged away except during combat. The man known as rank no.1 of the Awakened in the special ops team, the Awakened called Frank Corallo, code name, Berserker.

 

“Hey Berseker, your ice cube is at the door. You’re probably smiling in the inside since one of your guys still alive and ours are dead,” said Corp. Lee.

 

The Berseker who was sitting down stood up immediately facing Corp. Lee who was trying to pick a fight. The man known as Berserker stood tall reaching six feet five. His bulky body showed he has a big muscular frame. The Berseker stared down at Corp.Lee in silence.

 

“What? You’re trying to pick a fight with me you piece of shit? You think you’re all tough since you’re an Awakened? Useless piece of shit who can’t do a thing at those monsters,” Corp. Lee didn’t back down as he spurted out those words which only made tension even more suffocating for the others.

 

“Corp. Lee stand down you idiot!” Captain William reprimanded his man as making a scene in this small space would only worsen the condition.

 

“Puih,” Corp. Lee spat to the side and fled from the Berseker.

 

“You too Berseker, stand down and sit quietly,” said Cap. William. As he tried to ease up the situation.

 

Berseker sat back on his seat facing the wall once more. But then, he spoke.

 

“If he acts up again, I’m gonna chop his head off.”

 

To those words, the four men in this bunker stood up staring at the back of this man. Their eyes were open wide and Corp. Lee who did argue with Berserker out of frustration gulped down a mouthful of his saliva as he knew he messed up big time.

 

Silence prevailed for quite a long time as then someone emerged from outside the bunker door. It was Specks and he brought good news.

 

“Cap, you’ve got to see this! The one-eyed UC are all dead.”