Chapter 338 (2/2)

Ace’s face twisted into a frown. “Those women are probably exaggerating.”

Sydney said nothing, but gave him a look that just reminded him how far apart they had drifted in the last 6 months. Hell, how far they had been drifting apart for years, since she was diagnosed with cancer. But that was her fault, and now Ace knew very well that he was pushing them farther apart.

And although he was dismissive outwardly, Roy’s excesses were not unknown to him. But for the sake of the dream, but for the sake of the hope he had felt that first day, hidden in the wreckage of a destroyed building, ready to die… Ace didn’t mind ignoring a few small flaws.

Life was too cheap these days.

“If you insist on this…” Sydney said, breathing deeply. “I will kill you one day.”

“...What….?” Ace blinked, unable to comprehend what she had said. Instead, he just stared at her for several minutes. And then several more, as she simply turned and walked away, saying nothing more.

….

“Refugees are already arriving.” Rose reported, viewing the clipboard dispassionately. “Fighting is happening in the Village, heavy fighting. And based on the numbers fleeing…”

Ace’s hand’s tightened into fists. So… Sydney had been right. Roy had lost. Their hero had fallen.

“A couple dozen even arrived here, and we-”

“They need to be eliminated immediately.” The village spirit, interrupted, a very tall and skeletally thin man. “Their bodies will begin to transform shortly, if their town really has fallen. Into monsters. Monsters of a strength that will damage us.”

Rose blinked, looking at the Village Spirit. “But… they are people.”

“They are a liability, then.” Ace said slowly, surprised at how empty his voice sounded. He lifted up the biker helmet and placed it over his head. He was so tired of this. So tired of everything. There really was no justice, no perfection. People were shit, and they struggled, and then they died.

The world was only shaped by strength, and without it, everything fell to anarchy. What you needed was not a hero then… no….

But a power. A power strong enough to wipe away all others. The ability to burn the rest of the world to the ground if it dared threaten you. And to Ace…

That sounded an awful lot like a villain.

“Ace, we should-” Rose began to speak, but again, she was interrupted.

“When I have the helmet on… I am only Dauntless.” Ace said dispassionately, all the human elements of his voice muffled by the plastic. “I will remove the liabilities.”

….

Ace blinked, coming awake. Then he winced. Then he chuckled, looking at the ceiling. Rose was at his side, looking down at him with concern. Brute, Left, and Right, were at the far while, their spines ramrod straight, looking at anywhere but him. The small doctor clucked her tongue and began explaining how and when to take her potions over the next two days to fully recover.

Apparently Randidly had did a number on him.

“So… I lost.” Ace said shortly. The doctor fell silent.

Grinding his teeth, Ace said, as quietly as his voice would go. “I gained 10 Levels in Adapt in 1 minute of me being destroyed… it’s laughable…. Why….”

There was a tear in his eye, but Ace crushed it, pressing his eyes closed so tightly it was grinded to extinction. “Why is that power not mine….?”

No one spoke. For the weak, the world had no answer.