Same Kindness

Erik picked up his pace as he headed toward the rooftop, leaving Jay behind to deal with Luna, who was staring daggers at Jay.

"Didn't expect to run into you so soon again." Jay said in a joking manner, trying to lighten the mood. "Care to talk for a moment?"

Luna remained silent. However, she did not lower her guard as the sparks of lightning were still visible around her. If Jay provoked her even a little bit, she would surely attack without hesitation.

"Let's start from the top, then. You see, Ella and I are actually..." Jay cleared his throat before he began to thoroughly explain to Luna his circumstances, who he was, and who Ella was. As he elaborated, he also included that everything that Ella had experienced would also become a part of his own experience, which was the reason why Jay happened to remember things that only Ella could remember.

"To sum it up, Ella did not die. She became one with me." Jay finished, pointing with his thumb at his chest. There was nothing more to say. He did not leave out a detail and told her everything she needed to know.

However, Jay crouched down as thin arrows of lightning were shot at him.

"It's an absurd story. But because it's happening inside the tower, where inexplicable phenomena appear normal, I could have believed you." Luna noted, her glare sharpening even more. "Still, I can't put my trust in your words. Not after deceiving me!"

Around her, more lightning arrows appeared, ready to be fired off.

"You say that you can't lie, but look at you! In the end, you put on an act!"

It had been a plan crafted by Erik. Jay only did as he was told. However, what Luna had said resonated with him. Despite being unable to lie, he deceived people.

"Everything you have said sounds reasonable. Even recalling moments that only Ella and I should have known about makes it sound convincing. But I can't and won't trust you!"

Caught up in her emotions, Luna launched her lightning projectiles at Jay. Unfortunately for her, Jay managed to avoid them once more, and while he dodged them, he closed the distance between them. It was then that Luna started to shoot her magic attacks more frantically, panicking over the nearing Jay.

Jay, in turn, clenched his teeth as he glanced at Luna regretfully. After hesitating once, Jay slapped her arm away and pushed her.

"Ngh!" Luna groaned as she was about to fall down the stairs. Though wobbly, she somehow caught herself.

However, Jay did not slow down and was already jumping down toward her, attempting to kick her. Luna immediately raised her arms and tried to block it. Thus, she managed to reduce the damage, but she was still overwhelmed and fell. Luna tried to get up instantly, but Jay swiped her legs out from under her.

"You—Ack!" she whimpered as she was hit with a finger flick on her forehead when she raised her face.

"S-stop!" she shouted, but again, Jay flicked her on the same spot.

Then, she mustered up all her remaining mana and summoned a few lightning balls that were sparking wildly. Still, she did not stop. Even with a nosebleed, Luna forced herself to gather even more lightning balls.

"I won't lose against—"

"Give it a rest!" Jay yelled urgently, throwing a punch at her face.

Luna flinched and reflexively closed her eyes as the fist was coming her way. However, even after a few seconds, nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes again, only to see the fist having stopped right before the impact.

"Ugh!" she groaned once more after receiving yet another finger flick. "A-are you mocking me—"

The moment she finished her sentence, all her energy left her body, and she lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. It was also the moment she started to remember something Ella had once told her.

"I should have known it...! Listen, okay? I understand that you're new to using magic since you must have learned it today, but remember to never overuse it. If you try to pour more mana than you actually have, you will—"

"Is this your skill?" Luna asked in an unusual, calm manner, interrupting Jay, who was reprimanding her usage of magic. She could not move, no matter how much she screamed at herself internally.

Jay also calmed down quickly and stared at Luna.

"Yes. It's—"

"Hexacution. It's the same skill Ella had." Luna said, turning her head to Jay. "The reason why I can't move right now is because of that skill."

Based on Ella's memories, Jay recalled that Luna had learned about the existence and usage of Exclusive Skills, and that every person's skill was different.

"Thanks for the advice." she added, her tone still monotonous.

The Exclusive Skill and the way Jay had tried to scold and teach her about magic just now drowned Luna's desire to get her revenge. Contrary to that, she started to see Ella in him.

"Don't you need to help Erik?" she wondered, looking at the perplexed Jay before averting her gaze. "You can leave me already. I need some time to sort my feelings."

Without a word, Jay turned his back to her, and with a last look over his shoulder, he rushed toward the rooftop. Although he still wanted to talk with Luna, it was neither the right time for him nor for her. However, a small smirk crept onto his face.

"Maybe we can share a laugh again when we meet the next time." he murmured hopefully.

After finally reaching the top floor of the dorms, he slammed the door to the rooftop wide open.

"Took you long enough." Erik remarked sarcastically.

"Erik!" Jay shouted in shock.

Not much time should have passed since Erik had arrived on the rooftop, but he was already in a bad state. Blood rolled down his face, and his axe was used like a walking cane to support his body, which had apparently suffered great damage in his abdomen and left leg.

Meanwhile, the monster in front of them looked fine despite its own damage. The shape of its tail was strange and looked like it hurt due to the aftermath of the previous confrontation with Scarlet, while there was a deep cut in its right shoulder, as if someone had attempted to tear off its right arm.

"Doesn't look so bad, right? Since I've done the groundwork, you won't have any problems keeping it in check while I take a rest, won't you?" Erik laughed wryly, leaning and sliding down the wall to take a seat.

When Erik took a deep breath, his expression turned stern.

"Surprisingly for its build, it's quick on its feet. Furthermore, it doesn't care about its injuries. Even with the tail being as it is and the right arm on the verge of falling off, it won't hesitate to use them in battle." he explained before pointing at himself with a self-deprecating smile. "Let down your guard, and you will end up like me."

"Got it." Jay stated firmly, approaching the mutant vigilantly.

The monster appeared calm despite its previous rampage. With blood trickling down its body, the creature observed Jay. Shortly after, it let out a roar and charged forward.

Jay readied his stance, preparing to jump to the side—however, the creature was way faster than he could have imagined.

"Argh!" Jay groaned after being hit by its massive forearm and sent to the rooftop's fence that was about to break from the impact. He bounced to the ground, where he slowly got up.

"I've told you, didn't I? It's fast." Erik chuckled wryly from the back. "Just focus on distracting it until I've rested. We only have a chance if we work together."

Jay's eye twitched, annoyed about the way Erik had said it since it implied that Jay stood no chance alone. However, he knew that Erik was right. The way he was now, the monster before him was on another level—even compared to the monsters in the Tutorial Section.

"Why and how could something like this appear here?" Jay wondered aloud with a forced smile. His question was valid, but then, in turn, anything could happen inside the tower—making people soon lose their curiosity about the reason why certain things were happening.

The monster rushed toward Jay again with its arm retracted. Blood was splattering from its shoulder wound, but just like Erik had mentioned, it did not care. It launched a punch with the same arm, which Jay was able to evade.

And seeing that its fist was stuck in the floor, Jay used that opportunity and punched as well. But then, its tail slapped Jay away.

"Idiot! Are you even listening to me?!" Erik yelled.

"Ugh...!" Jay groaned. His right eye was forcefully shut as blood trickled down his face. "My head is spinning...!"

Its tail wrapped itself around Jay and tightened, causing Jay to shout in agony.

"Jay!" Erik screamed worriedly. He clenched his axe and rushed to his aid. His body was not fully rested yet, but he could not afford to sit around any longer.

With its back turned to Erik, he used the chance to swing his axe. However, Erik should have known better than to underestimate his enemy.

The monster suddenly turned its head and grabbed Erik midair. Now, with both of them in its clutches, it let out a roar akin to laughter. It threw Jay in the air, whereas it pulled Erik closer to its chest.

"Shit." Erik commented apathetically, noticing too late what the monster's next course of action was.

As Jay was about to hit the ground, the monster clenched Erik more tightly before throwing a backhanded punch at Jay, shooting him to the ground—the very same ground where Scarlet and her people were evacuating everyone.

"J-Jay!"

Erik was concerned about his friend, who was hit with a punch that could kill any other person. However, at the same time, he forgot to be concerned about himself. He was lifted in the air before he was thrown like a baseball toward Jay.

He crashed into and destroyed a police car in the process. People were screaming in panic, although it was unknown if it was due to the monster on the rooftop or because of two men suddenly crashing down like meteorites.

"This isn't what you have promised me." Scarlet chuckled, standing in front of the two.

Whereas Jay was lying unconsciously in a crater he had caused, Erik squinted his tired eyes.

"Who said that we're done already?" he scoffed.

"I said it." Scarlet replied, smug. "Look, it's descending from there. From now on, it's a case for the police."

"I admit. It might have won the first round. However, I will finish it in the next one." Erik declared confidently.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Watch and judge for yourself." he replied, observing the unconscious Jay.