Free Web NovelChapter 108: Chapter 107 - Doesn’t Feel Human
Point-of-View: Inoka Fonseka
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"Oh, good, looks like you two are already ready," Remarked Neo, as he walked through and closed the portal behind him.
"Hey, guys," Greeted Liling with a smile.
"So, is this them? The girl who’s supposed to be stronger than a Category 0 and the guy who created a more advanced healing technique?" Inquired the third person to come through the portal, walking over and narrowing his eyes at us before we could respond.
He was kinda short, looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties, with a slender, agile build, and a pale complexion. He had medium-length spiky black hair, black eyes, and a chipped front tooth in his upper jaw.
He wore a dark gray t-shirt under an unzipped, sleeveless black jacket with the collar upturned and two white horizontal stripes across the bottom, black trousers with white stripes along the sides of legs and dark blue sneakers.
"Sorry about him, he’s a naturally suspicious and very confrontational person," Sighed Neo apologetically, as he pulled the guy back by with an exasperated look on his face, "Come on, play nice and introduce yourself."
"Hmph...I’m Kechik Lee, nice to meet you or whatever," He grumbled in response.
"Hi, I’m Inoka Fonseka," I replied with a nod.
"Aurora Pretorius."
"Waste of breath, I’ve already forgotten," He shrugged condescendingly.
Wow, talk about petty...
"This guy’s annoying," Mumbled Aurora, her left eyebrow twitching slightly.
"Yeah, he seems kinda high maintenance," I whispered back.
"Hey, are you talking shit about me? I see you whispering!" He snapped with a frown.
"Can we take a vote on this? I feel like this guy’s gonna be a total pain in the ass to deal with," I remarked bluntly.
"Excuse me? Are you suggesting that I might get in the way of this mission? Well, are you?" He growled, approaching me threateningly...though at his height, it wasn’t all that intimidating.
"Huh? I mean...I thought that was obvious," I responded with a bemused look.
"Now, now, let’s all calm down and get along," Intervened Liling with a wry smile, before turning to me and adding, "I know he’s a handful, but once the mission starts, he’ll get serious and behave, you’ll see."
"Yeah, I don’t know..."
"Come on, can’t you put up with it for me?" She requested with a smile.
That’s not playing fair, she’s clearly trying to persuade me with cute expressions, and she’s doing it deliberately. Fine, whatever...
"Alright, I’ll do it for your glasses," I relented with a sigh.
"You’re always in character, aren’t you?" She responded with a wry smile.
"Grr, this is all really pissing me off...," Muttered Kechik with an annoyed look on his face.
"Okay, so, if you guys are done bickering, can I drop you off already?" Spoke up Neo impatiently.
"Worst taxi ever," Quipped Aurora with a snicker.
"Hey, don’t call me a taxi," He shot back dryly, before opening a portal and gesturing to it, "There, I’ve opened this by the village, they’ve already been informed that you’re coming. Liling, give me a call when the mission’s complete. Do not contact me for anything else. If you call me for another other reason, I won’t come to portal you back."
"You know what, you’re pretty high maintenance yourself, man," I remarked as I headed for the portal.
"Pointing that out won’t make me change my mind. Now, get going already," He replied with a sigh.
"Your attitude sucks," Stated Kechik, as he walked through the portal first.
"Coming from him, that’s rich," Muttered Neo in response.
"True, but he’s not wrong," Said Aurora, before heading into the portal.
"See you later," Waved Liling, as she followed suit.
"Hey, get me a case of beer and put it in my room, ’kay? I’m starting to run low," I instructed him with a smirk, entering the portal.
"Hey, I’m not your personal errand b-...," He began to reply, before his voice cut off as I walked through the barrier, emerging in a grassy area with a pleasant breeze blowing across.
"Ah, are you the super humans that are supposed to help us?" Came a voice, as a middle-aged man approached us.
"Yes, we were sent here by Harmony," Responded Liling with a polite smile, "We’ve heard about the situation, but if you could provide us with more details, that would be really helpful."
"Of course. Right this way," He replied, gesturing to us to follow him, as he led us into the village.
We entered one of the houses and headed up a flight of stairs, before he showed us into a living room.
We sat down on the couches in the room, before he left to get us some drinks. There was a black cat in the room, which perked up as we entered with a wary look on its face, before glancing at Aurora and bounding towards her, hopping onto her lap.
"Man, I wish I could talk to cats too. Hey, maybe you could ask the cat if it knows what happened," I suggested.
"No, it’s not that simple. I can’t have complex conversations with cats, it’s too much for them to comprehend," She explained, as she gently petted the cat.
"You can talk to cats?" Responded Kechik with a skeptical look on his face.
"Yeah, I can either hold simple conversations, make requests, or forcibly command them. I don’t like using the third option unless it’s really necessary though," She answered, as the cat began purring.
"So, you’ve used the third option, then?" I asked her curiously.
"A couple of times, yeah. Once, a pack of hungry lionesses tried to attack me and my coalition of cheetahs, so I commanded the lionesses to go away, and they did."
That’s...pretty awesome.
"Anyway, gotta say, this is nice and pleasant place. It’s kinda hard to believe that something sinister happened here recently," I remarked, as a gentle breeze blew in through an open window.
"Actually...I’ve had a strange feeling since coming here. I don’t quite know how to put it into words, but...it’s like there’s a presence here, one that makes me feel uncomfortable," Frowned Aurora with a slightly tense look on her face.
"Huh? Sure it’s not just your imagination or paranoia?" Responded Kechik dubiously, with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I’m sure, I can still feel it now...I’ve really never felt something like this before. It’s almost like...it’s trying to hide, but isn’t doing so very well," She grimaced, her hair standing up slightly.
"Well, that’s not at all suspicious or ominous. Think we should check it out?" I asked Liling.
"Hm...yeah, we probably should. We can’t afford to ignore or underestimate Aurora’s senses," Nodded Liling, before turning to Aurora, "Are you able to pinpoint where the presence is coming from?"
"Yeah, I should be able to...but focusing on it makes me feel on edge and disconcerted, my senses are telling me that this is something dangerous...I think," She responded uncertainly, her forehead creasing up.
We then heard footsteps approaching, and the old man from before walked in, with a tray in his hands. He then set the tray down and handed us each a cup.
Is this some kind of tea? Back home, before I got disowned and stuff, I drank tea pretty much everyday, but after I was kicked out and started drinking alcohol, I didn’t really drink that many non-alcoholic beverages besides water and soft drinks.
I lifted the cup and took a sip...oh, that’s pretty nice. It’s got a fruity taste to it, with a subtle, pleasant sweetness to it. Aurora was practically gulping it down, a content look on her face.
"We appreciate your hospitality, sir. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but we should get down to business. The sooner we have all the details, the sooner we can resolve this issue," Remarked Liling objectively.
"Yes, of course. Actually, only one of us witnessed the attack five days ago, by the time I and some others heard the commotion and came to see what was happening, the assailants were already gone. I’ve asked the boy who witnessed it to come here and tell you everything that he saw, he should be here any minute now. But I ask that you don’t pressure him too much...he saw two of his close friends get killed, so he’s understandably shaken," Explained the old man with a sorrowful look on his face.
"Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. He wasn’t injured, was he?" Asked Liling in response, a sympathetic look on her face.
"He was, but nothing serious. He had deep scratch marks on his chest and right arm," Came the reply.
Hm? Weird, something doesn’t add up here...if Werewolves are as powerful as Mike said they are, and they came to this village to attack the people here, why retreat after just killing two people and sparing one with just a few injuries? Moreover, why retreat at all? Ordinary humans wouldn’t stand a chance against them, right?
Something definitely doesn’t add up, that’s for sure-...hm?
I noticed Aurora suddenly stiffen and tense up, as she set down her cup with a strange look in her eyes...her arms were trembling, not in fear, but as if she was restraining herself from springing into action.
"Ah, here he is, this is the boy who witnessed the attack," Remarked the old man, as a guy who looked like he was in his mid-teens walked in.
He had bandages around his right arm and more peeking out of his shirt around his chest. He gaze was slightly narrowed and kept darting about anxiously, his expression a bit grimaced and faint dark circles under his eyes.
"You...what are you...?" Growled Aurora, standing up with a wary look on her face.
"Er, is something wrong...?" Responded the old man in bewilderment.
"H-huh? What do you mean?" Stuttered the boy, taking a step back.
"Aurora? What’s the matter?" Inquired Liling cautiously.
"The presence I mentioned...it’s coming from him. It’s...something sinister, it feels so vile," Aurora replied with a slight edge in her voice.
"Are we sure this isn’t paranoia?" Chimed in Kechik.
"There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind...whatever this is, it doesn’t feel human." freёwebnovel.com
"H-hey, what is this, y-you’re scaring me, miss," The boy stumbled back fearfully...but there was something calculated and unnatural about his fear...
"You don’t fool me...I don’t know what you are, but I don’t like it. I’ll ask you one more time...what the hell are you?" She inquired with a slight growl.
"Hell, huh? How ironically fitting. I must say...that was quite impressive. And here I thought that I’d concealed my presence quite well," Chuckled the boy, as a dark Aura began emanating from him, sending chills down my spine, "Greetings, humans, or should I say, Meta-Humans. I am a Demon."
"Oh, no...," Frowned Liling, a look of dread on her face.
"Seriously?" Muttered Kechik in disbelief.
"I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me, but first, I have a question of my own," Remarked the Demon, before glancing at Aurora and pointing at her as he met her gaze with a smirk, "It’s actually the same question you asked me...just what the hell are you...?"
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