Chapter 32- Another Variable

32 Chapter 32- Another Variable

Bang! Bang!

"Haa... Haa... Bastards, if you have guts, then don't hide!" gasped a man in a black suit, seeking shelter against a concrete pillar after narrowly escaping gunshots.

Swiftly turning with his gun to retaliate, he heard a hollow sound.

Click Click 'Fuck,' realizing the cartridge was empty, he disregarded his gun before reaching for a knife at his knees.

"David, come here," a hushed whisper called from nearby barrels.

He turned to see his comrade, Max, lying with a shoulder wound, calling him to a safer spot.

He swiftly leaped towards the barrels.

Bang!

"Kughh?!", He felt a searing pain as a bullet pierced his thigh, though he managed to get half his body under cover.

"David!" Max, spotting the bullet in David's legs, quickly shifted to pull him further into cover.

"Ugh, David, we might not survive this time," Max looked at his comrade, who removed his suit and tore a piece to tightly wrap around his wound, staunching the bleeding.

"Max, you know, right? How many times I've said I won't die at the hands of some bastards." David turned to his comrade before reaching for the karambit knife strapped to his knees.

"You wait here, buddy. We're getting out of this damn place and enjoy some massage." With those words, David stood despite his leg wound, and sprinted toward the broken walls amid the gunfire.

Bang! Bang!

Watching David run despite his injury, Max felt a glimmer of hope that everything would be alright.

Swish

David darted through the walls, evading the gunfire directed at him, leaping forward and turning towards a ladder leading to the building's first floor.

Tap Tap

Upon entering the building, a dozen armed men followed, leaving behind the already injured Max.

"Where's Code 0?" one of the men asked, using a flashlight to scan the dark room beside him, pointing his gun cautiously.

"He's here," a voice suddenly called out, making the man turn, but before he could react completely.

SCHLKT! Bang! "Kugghh!... Thud."

With a slashed neck and a silenced gunshot, the man fell, alerting others who rushed in that direction.

David, having dealt with one of the assailants, noticed another arriving.

Taking advantage of the darkness, he zigzagged towards the newcomer, dodging gunfire.

Bang! Bang!

SCHLKT

"AggGh!....Thud." With each move, he dispatched his pursuers, triggering a chain reaction as more came, and utilizing his superior visibility, David took down each one of them.

Bang! Bang!

The entire night resounded with gunshots and the screams of assailants meeting their end, unable to touch the man known as the special Agent, Code 0.

.....

"Is it over?" Max, hearing the gunshots cease and sensing approaching footsteps, already knew that his comrade had, as usual, eliminated all the assailants.

A smile formed on his face as he lifted himself, gripping a knife to finish the job.

Slowly, he moved toward the silhouette covered in bloodstains, recognizing it as David.

"Max, let's go. We've taken care of them," David said, going to support his stumbling comrade.

Both, despite their wounds, moved away from that place.

"Hey David, you know what I'm about to say, right?", Wrapping his arms around his shoulder, Max asked with a smile.

While they moved forward, David, anticipating Max's usual words, preemptively repeated, "Yeah, yeah, your usual spiel about feeling jealous of me and how you...!? "

SCHLKT!

David's gaze slowly lowered to his ribs, where a knife had pierced through, before turning towards Max who finished his sentence.

"How I feel inferior to you and how everything would have been better if not for you. Die, you bastard!" Max forcefully twisted the knife before kicking David to the ground.

"Kughh!... Y-you?" Fallen on the ground, David slowly looked at Max, who had just stabbed him and was looking down at him.

"Yes, you fucker. How do you think there's still no backup arrived yet?" Slowly bending his knees, Max sat on the ground, gazing at the widened eyes of the man who had become nothing but a hurdle in his life.

The room's door swung open, revealing a man with blonde hair and the same emerald eyes.

"Edward!" Swiftly moving towards the boy, the man lifted him up and settled him back onto the bed. He continued, "Are you fine, my nephew?"

"Where is that bastard!" Edward shouted, remembering an amber-eyed boy cutting his hand off while mocking him, making his anger surge.

"W-who?" Augustus felt confused, seeing Edward gritting his teeth while clenching his cloth as he inquired about someone.

"That amber-eyed bastard!" Edward shouted, wanting to tear down the boy who dared to touch him.

He didn't know why his memories returned after losing his hand, but now, he wanted nothing but to shred that boy into pieces.

"Edward!...Control your mouth!" Augustus shouted before standing, making Edward feel surprised, not understanding the sudden reaction.

It had been a few days since he arrived in this place after being protected by this man who claimed to be his uncle.

But due to his body not working properly, he could only hear things and nothing else.

From what he gathered, he came to know that he was an Abernathy, albeit without many details, as he had always been in a coma while this man visited him, making him understand the attachment this man had with him.

"S-sorry?" But now, seeing that frown on the man's face, Edward couldn't understand what wrong he had said.

Seeing Edward's expression, Augustus's anger slowly subsided, realizing the potential impact of his words.

Recognizing it as his first mistake, he warned him, "Don't mention that kid until you're over twelve years old, or there will be consequences."

'What the hell,' Edward, already feeling overwhelmed by memories that should have surfaced since birth instead of when he lost his hands, felt even more agitated by everything.

Understanding that he needed the support of the man who had saved him, he conceded, "I-i Understand, forgive me, Uncle."

Augustus, upon hearing Edward's response, felt calmer.

Observing Edward's attempts to move his paralyzed legs without success, he explained the situation Edward was facing.

"I've sought the help of specialized healers. Your legs will recover in a few days, but your hand..." Augustus trailed off, his eyes narrowing in confusion about the energy that had drained mana entirely from Edward's body, leaving even his mana vessel dry causing him to get paralysed.

Though they can heal his other body parts but that energy concentration is higher on his hand.

"Don't tell me it can't be healed," Edward's eyes widened as he looked at the man, who shook his head before continuing, "Your hand was severed by something with mana-suppressing properties, rendering any healing ineffective."

'That bastard did it intentionally!' Realization dawned on Edward, understanding that his sudden kidnapping by someone who first calmly requested his company and then forcefully brought him to a dungeon resulted in a boy his age, cutting off his hand.

Observing Edward lost in deep thought, Augustus continued, "Nephew, don't worry. There are far better prosthetic hands available that can surpass the capabilities of your own."

'Sigh, at least there's still hope.' Edward felt slightly relieved knowing that he still had a chance to recover.

But then, he gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and vowed.

'I will kill you one day, you bastard!'

.

.

.

'What can I expect from an Idiot'

Ryuk looked toward the system's window that suddenly popped out:

╔═══━━━──── • ─────━━━═══╗

Previous life memories Awakening Detected Target Body :: Edward Abernathy ( Son of Heaven)

╚═══━━━──── • ─────━━━═══╝

'So, Heaven is compensating his son like this.' Ryuk looked at the system's window, a smile forming on his face as he understood that things were becoming interesting.

He continued moving toward the main palace, not feeling overwhelmed by the revelation about Edward.

Having already accepted such occurrences when he decided to make these individual's lives hell.

Ryuk knew Heaven wouldn't remain passive and would try to compensate in some way.

Just like how Maria, influenced by the Demon Seed, suddenly awakened her Divine Energy and became a saintess, advancing her status sooner than expected.

And now, Edward, facing a setback due to losing his arm, received an overpowered perk: past life memories.

Having memories from a previous life in this world might seem insignificant, where the laws of nature were entirely different. However, given enough time, it could become overpowered.

Similar to how Ryuk adapted to a child's body and focused on self-improvement, it was evident that Edward's growth would also accelerate significantly.

However, it wouldn't reach a level where Ryuk needed to fear him.

By severing his hand, Ryuk had ensured that no future variables would stand in his way.

Instead of concerning himself with a handicapped prodigy possessing memories from a past life, he decided to focus on his own improvement.