Chapter 52 - Spirit War

Boss Sik and Nathan went around, contacting the Ogre's close associates back then.

After Teren quitted the Handwing Gang, members were just not that close to one another anymore. Albeit active, they don't really give Sik the respect they had for Teren.

Riding in his car, they arrived at an unpopular restaurant.

Seeing that it Sik, no one stopped them from entering the backdoor.

"Oh... Boss Sik, what brought you here?"

In the kitchen, a middle-aged man was cooking, only batting Sik an eye and nothing more.

"Yo, Uncle Jo, we just want to ask something."

"Ask something? I have a phone, you know."

Sitting on some vacant seats, Sik replied. Meanwhile, Nathan just stood.

"This has been bugging me for a long time and since we've reached contact with Boss Hark, I want to know it as soon as possible now. Also, this will be too long for a chat."

"Is that so..." Uncle Jo seemed disinterested before his face changed.

Tak* he dropped the butcher knife and looked at Sik with a strange expression.

"You contacted Boss Hark?"

This time, it was Nathan who responded.

"Yes, Uncle Jo, I just learned last week that my brother was almost killed by Boss Hark. The silly boy's tried to bully the boss, not knowing who he is."

Uncle Jo then burst into laughter.

"Bully Boss Hark HAHAHA, I commend your brother for not dying. What a mighty coincidence though, Boss Hark did say that he's going to school that's why he's quitting. What school is it?"

"Mershen High, Uncle Jo." Nathan replied startling both Sik and Uncle Jo.

"That's... quite close." Uncle Jo went into deep contemplation before asking, "So why did you contact Boss Hark? It shouldn't be as stupid as helping us in this gang war, or else, we're dead." he laughed.

"...."

Sik and Nathan's unresponsiveness caught Uncle Jo off-guard.

"You... contacted him for that reason?"

Nathan looked at Sik.

Being the "current boss", Sik toughened himself and answered.

"Yes, Uncle Jo, what do you mean by we're dead?"

The other kitchen crew looked at Sik with dumbfounded looks.

"Did you two not know why Boss Hark didn't want his name to spread?" Uncle Jo asked in frustration.

Sik and Nathan just shook their heads.

"You two!" Uncle Jo shouted, scaring the two but calmed himself as he muttered, "We are drug dealers, not drug abusers, are two always high?"

The two just replied with silence.

"Let me tell you... Boss Hark, the Devil Himself is on the top target list of the SSDA. He's the scariest Aberrant there is and the SSDA would do anything to kill him. Now, if we got his help during a gang war, wouldn't his name spread? The SSDA will come to this city, stopping us Aberrants and we will have to halt our activities not to be under their radar. Unless we intend to enter the Spirit War, we shouldn't let Boss Hark be in this."

Seeing the confusion on Nathan's face, Uncle Jo stopped and looked at Sik.

"Sik, inform him later about this Aberrants and SSDA thing. In short, Boss Hark should only be in the dark. He doesn't want to be known. Not just the SSDA but Boss Hark himself will kill you if you try to force him back in this world. Let him live a normal life, killing bullies and something."

Nathan gulped as he and Sik looked at each other.

"What?" noticing their behavior, Uncle Jo asked.

Sik scratched his head.

"Uncle Jo... I just became a temporary boss because I have a strong Spirit but I honestly don't know much about this... don't blame me for what I'm about to tell you."

"Say it." Uncle Jo squinted his eyes.

"Umm, Nathan here said that Boss Hark already agreed to help us..." Sik's voice got smaller at the end.

Hearing this, instead of getting angry, Uncle Jo just sighed.

"It is our fault for putting you in that position. Did the others not tell you about this?"

"No... I think they hate me..."

"Hah, they hate you because you talk like that. You're the boss, talk heavier! But anyway, since Boss Hark agreed, we just have to cling onto him and hope that we don't enter the SSDA's radar."

"Okay, so... ehem! So, Uncle Jo, tell me about this Spirit War!" Sik mimicked Uncle Jo's heavy voice which made the latter laughed.

"Good, good, the Spirit War is a war between the top five gangs in the country and the SSDA's Condigns. Of course, gangs don't hold every Aberrant there is so even if you're not part of any gang, as long as you're strong, you can join this tournament."

Sik and Nathan nodded, being interested in this so-called Spirit War.

"The Spirit War is not just a tradition. Since we're small compared to the big ones, we can't really compete. The reward for the Spirit War is getting the chance to enter the Spirit Plane. The top ten Aberrants and Condigns will get this position and will have a chance to obtain another Spirit, strengthen their current Spirit, or even encounter a Great Spirit! That is why gangs would desperately expand their territory. The trend for gang wars started because of that."

While Nathan felt it was just dangerous, Sik found it great. His eyes shone in greed.

"A second Spirit... that's possible?"

Uncle Jo laughed at Sik's words.

"Boss Hark have already shown us seven!"

"S-s-s-seven!?" Sik's eyes widened, even the other kitchen workers. This is the first time he heard this.

"Yes, I'm the Ogre's right hand back then so when Boss Hark took the seat, I naturally became his right hand too. Anyway, don't worry about it, let us, your elders take care of this. You're just a puppet boss anyway, a figure just to say that we have a strong Aberrant as our Boss."

Hearing this direct hit, Sik wanted to cry.

"I'm a bit aware of that... so you're really not angry for us contacting Boss Hark?"

"Half, although it's our fault we didn't tell you, but why the fuck did you not consult us, huh!?" Uncle Jo walked over them with widened eyes, intimidating the hell out of them.

"S-sorry...!" both Nathan and Sik shrunk.

Uncle Jo smiled before turning around.

"Mershen High, huh...."