Chapter 166: 167: Cloaked figure

I was slammed into a wall, my back colliding with the bricks behind me. The cloaked figure's hand was clutched to my shirt, he tugged on it aggressively. His cloak concealed the upper part of his face, covering his eyes, casting shadow and leaving nothing but his mouth perceivable to my eyes. He gritted his teeth as he held me against the wall. 

I flinched. "Please ... don't hurt me." It was said so softly I had no idea whether he heard me or not. But a part of me didn't want him to hear my sheepish words. I couldn't show my fear to him. I still had one advantage over him. 

The cloaked man scoffed. "What were you doing following me around?" He yanked on my shirt. "Who sent you?" He demanded. 

I quailed. His voice was deep, and gruff. I couldn't see his eyes, so there was no looking him in the eyes. But it wasn't like I was gonna if I could have. He was already daunting enough. His aura pressured the air around him. And since I was in his personal space, I got to witness some of it. 

My skin tinged; the tiny hair strands on my forearm were aloft. 

I looked up at him. "I wasn't ... following you around, okay? I don't even know who you are. Like who are you anyway? That's what I wanted to know for a while now."

The cloaked man gritted his teeth again. "What business do you have here ... in this part of the dome?" His tone rose.

I fumbled to improvise an answer out of the blue. What could I have said? I didn't want to make him suspicious of me. Ah, that's it! "Eh-exploration," I stuttered, "I'm looking for new houses to loot. I figured here would be a perfect place to start. Since, y'know, it's a lot more quiet and unexplored and such."

He clicked his tongue. "No. You're on the wrong terf for that. All the houses in this area is owned by me. If you don't turn back; things are going to be very consequential for you. Or maybe," he leaned in, "it's already consequential — I think I've secured myself some extra breakfast." When he had leaned closer, I was able to smell him. He smelt like a fresh open wound. His entire body. It was a metallic scent. I was no stranger to the stench of blood. 

"Sir," I said, "I don't know if you're a cannibal or whatever, but trust me ... you don't want to eat me. If you do, you might become a coward. My ability," I looked at him, "is called Bad Omen."

He slammed my head into the wall behind me. I winced. He leaned in; drawing his head closer to mine. He was much taller than I, so he had to look down. "I couldn't care less about the ability in your possession." 

"I'm sorry," I looked away, my voice unintentionally sheepish. "It's just that I thought it'd be better if you knew. My ability causes you a lot of bad luck. If you kill or even eat—"

"Shut up!" He snapped. "What did I just say!"

"Stop apologizing. Only just met you, and I'm already sick of it!"

"S-sorry." It couldn't be helped. I would have covered my mouth, but I didn't bother. He made me realize just how stupid I was. I couldn't stop apologizing for nothing. 

The creature at my shoulder started cackling. "That's hirlarious! This isn't the worst you'll experience. Because if you don't pay that little debt, things are going to resemble hell." It grinned at me. 

I shook my head. But I couldn't afford to make the man before me suspicious. He couldn't see the debt creature. 'Maybe I can use this to my advantage ...' I thought, peering up at the man. 

"Your presence and physique just irritates me. I can't even live a second longer with you next to me. That's why you have to die." He said it with ease. 

I frowned. "Please, sir. Just spare me this one time. How was I supposed to know I wasn't allowed here? Now that I know, I promise I won't come back again unless I have no other choice."

He smirked. "Instead of begging, why don't you just use your Bad Omen to stop me?" 

I shook my head. "No, it doesn't work like that. Someone is required to impose some form of harm upon me. Only then will my ability activate."

It sounded quite legit to me; this improvised ability of mine, which I didn't even own. 

The cloaked figure sneered. "I really wanna kill you. That would be one less annoying being in the world. But I won't stop until all evil people—who don't have a good reason for being what they are—are stopped. So, yeah. I really want you dead."

"But," he sighed, "what good is your death doing me anyway? I'm already at full capacity so your blood isn't needed. I'd kill you just for the fun of it like I did to many others ... but you can consider yourself incredibly," he scowled, "lucky. Then again, I didn't want to get this 'Bad Omen' of yours." He released my clothes.

He released me; but my heart was still thumping quickly. Raging in my chest. I retreated a bit. The cloaked figure just stood there. I couldn't see his eyes, so I couldn't confirm he was looking at me. "Tha- thanks ..."

"Save it," the cloaked figure said, "I didn't do you a favor. You nearly got a heart attack exactly twenty-two times during our conversation, and your face is battered from a single punch. What is there to thank me for?"

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To me, the question was rhetorical, so I decided not to answer it. However ... 

"Answer me when I'm speaking to you, weakling!" He snarled at me. 

I narrowed my eyes. "The answer to the question is I don't know what there is to thank for you except the sparing of my life. Can I ask you a question now?"

The cloaked figure snorted. "Sure, ask the monster who just spared your life; and now has regrets and might just attack you any second now."

I paused for a bit, but then I said, "Okay. I'll be quick. Who," I furrowed my brows, "are you?"

The cloaked man stood there, silent and unmoving. When suddenly, he clenched his fists tightly. "Leave, and never return," he carried a hand to his hood, and raised it such that I could have seen his eyes. "Don't make me change my mind." His voice was gruff and bold. Strong.

The eyes to which I was revealed were impenetrable. But they pentetrated my soul. The eyes were glowing red, energy emanating from them constantly. 

I suddenly felt weak on my feet. I turned around, and walked immediately walked away. I felt his eyes on me as I edged away from the anomalous young man. I felt chills running down my spine upon recalling the image of those formidable, red eyes. In a way, they resembled the debt creature's.

But they were far more daunting yet less grotesque. By one look, I was able to tell that he was all but feeble: he was one of the most powerful I've met; at least twice as powerful as Jin.

I headed north; returning to the crowded areas of the new world. In the distance, I was already able to make out the busy people. A new civilization was being built. 

After leaving the area, I noticed a different smell in the air. And this scent made me recall the cloaked figure's scent. He smelled like fresh blood. He even mentioned blood a few times in our conversation. But he didn't have any wounds; and he wasn't bleeding either. 

I walked through the area where commerce was eminent. There were a lot of people trading items. Strangely, some traded jewelry. Apparently some people still had value in those things and placed it above something as pivotal as a larger supply of food in these hard times.

I scoffed. "Tsk. I don't get some people at all."

***

I started toward a bench, where two people sat. As I neared the bench, I felt a sudden relief. It couldNce even been considered a sense of safety. There was hardly any tension in my shoulders. They eased. My body deflated. 

"Oh! Baby, look!" shouted Claudia, being excessively loud and overdramatic. "It's your ex, Ash."

What was she talking about? I missed my comfort zone, but I did not mess her. At all. 

Hanso smirked, looking at me as I sat down next to him. "Hey."

"What's up?" I asked, happy, looking at him. 

"We almost had sex," Claudia said, excited, "but my adorable handsome Hanso insisted that we'd use a shield on his pickle. It's bomber, really. Who would have thought doctors would be so hard to find around here. Those women in the white suits have issues too!" 

'What did I just listen to?'

"Yeah, we had a great date. But before that, we ended up sorting out the problems with Claudia's ability. The old Fernando, mí amigo, said we can to see expect results within ten to twenty days. In other words, we'll be duplicating the hell out of thing pretty soon, right babe?"

"Totally!"

"What about you, Ash?" Hanso asked. "WhatMs up? Where'd you run off to? We've been waiting for you for a while now."

I slowly turned to him, furrowing my brows. "Hanso," I said, "I think might've found Andrew today."

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