Free Web NovelChapter 48: Rising Tensions
"Why did she have to show up now?" he muttered. "I was doing good, and she just had to reset all the progress I made through these days!"
Shinon stormed through the forest, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His jaw was set, and his eyes glinted with an anger that he couldn’t shake off. He had been walking for what felt like hours, his mind consumed with thoughts of Selena and the Phoenixes and how they had treated him.
He kicked a nearby tree, causing it to shake violently, and let out a frustrated growl. It wasn’t just Selena and the Phoenixes that had him angry; it was everything.
The way the system worked, the constant danger he was in, and the fact that he was stuck in this world, unable to leave. It was all too much for him to handle. freeweɓnøvel.com
As he walked, he suddenly heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. His hand instinctively went to his sword hilt as he prepared for whatever danger lay ahead. Out of the bushes emerged a group of zombies, their mouths frothing with acid.
"You guys found me at the wrong time," he muttered.
Shinon didn’t hesitate. He charged forward, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he swung it in a wide arc. The zombies dodged out of the way, but Shinon was too quick for them. He kicked one in the stomach, causing it to double over in pain, and sliced another in half with a swift stroke of his blade. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
"Thought I could trust her," he grumbled to himself as he chopped down zombies in half.
The fight was over almost as soon as it began. Shinon stood there, panting heavily, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, and he felt more alive than he had in weeks.
"Maybe it’s for the best," he said aloud, "I don’t need her or anyone else to succeed in this world. I should focus on getting out of here and back to the world and time I belong to."
But even as he caught his breath, the anger still lingered. He had faced these zombies without hesitation but couldn’t shake off the anger gnawing at him all day. He sighed deeply, feeling a sense of resignation wash over him.
***
Shinon walked into the base, his shirt torn and his hair dishevelled. Kira was sitting in the common area while Rico chopped some wood nearby when they noticed Shinon’s state. They both stood up in alarm and rushed towards him.
"What happened, Shinon?" Kira asked, her voice filled with concern.
"I went for a walk," Shinon replied, his voice calm and collected. "Encountered some acid-spitting zombies, fought them off."
Kira and Rico exchanged a look, not quite sure they believed him. But Shinon’s calm demeanour and lack of visible injuries left them at a loss for what to say.
"You look like shit, dude," Rico said finally, his voice tinged with worry, yet he couldn’t help but tease Shinon a bit. "You should have called for backup."
Shinon shrugged. "It was just a couple of zombies. I could handle them on my own."
Kira and Rico watched as he removed his shirt, revealing his toned muscles. Meanwhile, Kira tried to find any sign of injuries on his body. But there were none. Shinon had come out of the fight unscathed, and Kira couldn’t help but wonder how that was possible.
Kira gave him a stern look. "That’s not the point, Shinon. We’re a team, and we look out for each other."
Shinon nodded, his eyes softening a bit. "I know. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. But, like I said, I can take care of myself. You guys don’t need to unnecessarily worry about me."
Kira and Rico looked at each other, not entirely convinced by Shinon’s dismissal of the situation. But they knew better than to push the matter further. Shinon had always been independent and preferred to handle things on his own.
Rico gave him a pat on the back. "Unfortunately, you’ll need a replacement for your clothes. I don’t think the zombies would be any less attracted to you even if you didn’t show them your abs."
"Fuck off, dude!"
Shinon gave a small smile, grateful for the words of encouragement. Kira and Rico were the only reason for him to stay back in the zombie-infested world because even if he found a way to go back, he would constantly be worried about the two of them.
"Give me your shirt," Kira asked, extending her arms. "I’ll figure out a way to make it last till we find you something else. In the meantime, the two of you can go and do whatever ’manly’ shenanigans you usually do."
"Alrighty," Rico nodded. "Let’s go and chop some firewood. I’ll do the chopping while you keep the pieces from flying off into the stream."
"Doesn’t sound like much fun, but I got nothing else to do, so why not?" Shinon sighed before joining the brute.
Kira watched as the two men walked away, their conversation fading into the distance. She couldn’t help but feel worried about Shinon. His behaviour was becoming more erratic with each passing day, and she wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up his tough-guy act.
Kira let out a sigh and got to work on fixing Shinon’s torn shirt. She knew it was only a temporary solution, but it was better than nothing.
As she worked, her mind kept wandering back to Shinon and the look on his face when he arrived at the base. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off, but she didn’t know what it was.
Kira knew that the constant danger of their world had taken a toll on Shinon, but she didn’t know how to help him. She was worried that if things continued the way they were going, he would eventually crack under the pressure.
