97 Hopelessness 2 (2/2)

At this realization, Sofony's tears started to stream down her face. Her legs never stopped the sprint. She was doing her best to arrive at the top floor as soon as possible to the point of jumping up two or three steps per lift of her foot.

She did not even think twice to answer, 'YES!'

'Damn you!'

She really hated that it even did something like this given that it perfectly knew how serious the situation was. As she gradually neared the rooftop's door, she kept on cursing Clarissa and the system, her tears still flowing down and sometimes clouding her vision.

”Wendy!!!”

The moment she appeared on the doorway and arrived at the rooftop, she anxiously shouted her best friend's name. Her voice even cracked, showing just how upset and afraid she was.

Unfortunately, when she set foot at the place... In the moderately lit rooftop, the only thing she saw was the back of a tall but lean teenager in a black long-sleeved shirt and blue denim pants.

At this sight, Sofony shook her head and tried to look around, disbelief written all over her tear-stained face.

Unfortunately, from her position, no matter where she looked...

There was really no Wendy.

.......

At Cryptos.

Because of the warning from someone, no one dared to set foot in the floor. They did call the police to notify them with a murder case. But they were yet to arrive. Normally, Clarissa would have really appreciated this information were it not for the fact she was still trapped in the barrier. She couldn't deactivate it because the system said she no longer have enough points.

Thirty seconds before the expiration of the barrier, Clarissa despaired when she was met with a barrage of bullets that rained down from above. Of course, she was still temporarily safe, but once the thirty seconds were up, how would she survive?

'Do I have no choice but teleport out using 'her' token?'

Clarissa bit her lips in frustration. When hopelessness finally struck her, she seemed to realize that things were odd these past four days. To be exact, it was she who became strange! She became too irritable and impulsive! Though she really had that tendency, it should not be to the point that she'd be as mad as she had been these past four days!

'He's aware of who I am, so it's normal to get agitated. After all, the enemy knows my real identity and is also trying to fish out who 'she' is. I don't even know what fishy motives he has!'

'He did piss me off and anger me so much. Especially today! Because of it, I purchased an item which he later rendered useless! Because of him, I suffered from a severe lack of points when I confronted Sofony Mendez!'

'I totally get now why I lost... and it's laughable that I only did when I became cornered like this.'

'But because I'm finally sobering up, I can finally see how odd things are for me! I'm not supposed to be this impulsive, complacent, and hot-headed! I only prey on the weak! If it's a host stronger than me, I'm not the type to provoke and go after him! So why! Just why did I do all those stupid things before?!'

When there were only twenty seconds left before the shield disappears, Clarissa shivered and felt chills all over her body.

She then grimly asked to herself,

'What if the first time I saw that boy, he activated another skill against me? I only heard it once from 'her', but what if it's a skill which amplifies negative emotions, especially wrath and pride? If so, then that explains why I've been too irrational these days! Damn! Damn! I've been really had by a powerful and lunatic host!'

Three seconds before the expiration, she rained profanities towards the two hosts. Then from the neckline of her shirt, she took out a necklace hidden there and crushed the black small oval shaped tourmaline-like pendant on it. Extreme reluctance and resentment showed in her eyes. It was because the black pendant was important for her.

It was the first and only item she ever received from 'her'.

Unfortunately now, it was crushed, its particles turning into a burst of white light... Just to save her...