Except for Eric, who is already inside the jeep, all four of them turned their heads back at me with an expression that says; this bullshit isn't funny even with the best weed out there.

"It's enough Victor," Alec said, his brow furrowed "you are in more of a hurry than we are. If you can't reach a cover before the coming storm hit, the monster won't be your only concern."

I clenched my fist and tried not to furrow, or show any sign of displeasure. Hypocrite people like that, are truly fucking good at pissing me off. And it is not the fact that he did not believe me that bothers me, no, that is quite understandable. A young man not even in his mid-twenties claimed he killed a monster capable of decimating an entire village, it is nonsense even for me. Although the young man is a Blessed, his blessing isn't ample enough to offer a reasonable excuse. And Alec knows that even if he doesn't know of the blessing details.

No, what bothers me is the hypocrisy; giving me a ration and a map, then taking away my rifle and telling me to fuck off. As if they are saying, look we gave you all that you need to live until you die somewhere we couldn't see. It reminds me of those old bastards that like to pour a ton of money into solving problems, and when money doesn't solve a shit they concentrate their attention on who is to blame, pointing fingers at those below them, firing some, demoting some until everyone forgets the problem.

Of course, Alec is different than those politically driven bastards, but his actions aren't. It is not bad per se but, if you expect results, it is useless and unreliable.

"Less than thirty minutes walk," I said as I saw him turning around, he paused in his track, his expression as always unreadable "off the track road, I killed it yesterday, we can go and check it if you want."

I don't know if its body is still there, though I doubt anything other than its breathing will ever come near it since the thing scared even the beards. Regardless I don't think it is necessary to see its body to believe my claims. After all, Alec himself affirmed that even a trained soldier may not survive to confront one Shredder, let alone kill it.

So all I have to do is to answer the question that I am waiting for, and it didn't make me wait long.

"Wow! Amazing! really, friend Victor never ceases to surprise me," Zane's eyes wide in awe, an expression that would have fooled me had I not spent some time analyzing each of their gestures and interactions "I fought a bunch of them before but I always struggle against their four arms. I would be really grateful if you could give me some advice on how you did it."

The fucking bastard.

Framing a devious trap as a request for advice. Had it not been me the target, I would have been interested in admiring the slyness wrapped in a colored, pretty, and inconspicuous wrapping paper with a bow and a red ribbon.

Regardless, the question I was waiting for is here, albeit in dubious form.

"Four arms?" I said with furrowed eyebrows as if trying to remember what it looked like and playing the ignorant of Zane's lure "The one I killed has only two arms, they are long, it shoulder are big..." I told them about the appearance of the monster I fought the day before. Of course, I tried to sound terrified which isn't a lie since I am quite so. I also didn't leak anything other than its broad appearance.

A silence descended after my description of the monster's appearance. A silence that could have been awkward or even scary if you take into account the dead bodies no long away from us. However, I enjoyed it as well as their changing expression as I spoke, especially Zane's who had a moderately serious one.

"Is that the Shredder that you all are talking about?" With an uncertain voice, I broke the silence. My uncertainty isn't entirely fake either. I guessed Zane was trying to bait me out with a lie, and the monstrosity that almost killed me yesterday is a Shredder. However, I have no confirmation if it was true. I am not from this world, after all, so I judged it by the standard of the world I originated from; Earth, meaning anyone from Earth will regard that thing as a monster. But this is not Earth, so who is to say that thing is just a common animal predator of this world?

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"How did you kill it?"

Fortunately, Bell's question confirmed my guesses. Not that it changed much, I would have regarded that thing as a monster even if the people from here sees it as just another animal or used a cute name for it.

"With my rifle." I said emphasizing the last word as I looked at the object in question in Bell's hands. Admittedly the one strapped to her shoulder appears to be more advanced and more modern looking with a black carbon fiber feel for the chassis or the long barrel. It is also lean probably to compensate for the metal weight or the enormous, black scope mounted to it. I couldn't see it in detail fault to distance and angle, however, it is quite an alluring weapon.

I should probably propose an exchange, she seems to like mine... which is now in her possession. Problematic.

Still, It is also surprising for me to be captivated by a weapon I once considered noisy and money guzzler.

"What are you looking at?" Bell said, abruptly switching the topic, her voice a little high-pitched, as she noticed my scrutinizing gaze.

The woman that calmy told me I can look at her ass, less than fifteen minutes ago, is now upset I am following her words?

"mmh? you said I could look."

"I also said you lost that right, and second you are NOT looking at my ass, you are ogling my Svelt!"

Oh!

Fortunately, it is not another syndrome rearing its head, it is just her priorities that are slightly off. It would have been quite discomfiting to lay a lethal weapon in the hands of someone with multiple mental problems, after all.

"...why do I get the impression you're cursing?"

"It's just an impression, really, I would never dare." I said, wincing as my injured nose chose that moment to jab.

Women have a sixth sense they say, this, however, is slightly beyond what is typical, it is borderline a blessing.

I made another mental note. This woman is dangerous.

"Your rifle?" Alec said, steering the conversation back on track "that doesn't explain anything."

Perhaps I didn't want to?

There are two reasons for asking idiotic questions; either the asker is stupid or believes that the asked is. Which, frankly, in both cases are not less worrying in my current situation.

"We can go and confirm it if you don't believe me."

I already informed them approximately of the location two times now, but since he didn't accept the offer to check the first time, he won't accept the second. I am now certain they are in a hurry. And when in hast you details are opulence.

Alec creased his brows, contemplating the veracity of my claims. And this tells a lot, which can be bad or good depending on the circumstances, really.

Even though my ability can be a boom for his team, I am but a civilian. And the fact that he is considering letting me join them, is proof of either lack of confidence or kindness which in this case is no different than stupidity. But my bet is on the former, no matter how they appear tolerant of me, even after my little accident with Eric, letting a civilian join in their mission out of concern is unprofessional and can cause harm to both the mission and the team members.

Therefore, it is safe to assume that he is not entirely confident, or at the very least he is in no position of refusing any able help he could get. Of course, this does not necessarily imply that he is in a bad situation, just he is uncertain. And uncertainty usually stems from a lack of information.

After some enerving moment of silence, Alec sighed, his breath leaving a trail of vapor "Alright, you win kid," he said, after looking at the other three noticing that none of them objected, perhaps if Eric would if wasn't already in the jeep, "but. I say move right," He pointed his index finger at me "you follow without looking left, I say shut up you follow without breathing from your mouth, I say run you follow without checking if you wear shoes. In brief, I say. you do!" he paused for a moment "did I make myself clear?"

"Yes." I nodded my head. A listen to what I say would have sufficed to be honest.

"And Roney," Alec frowned at my lukewarm reply but didn't comment on it, he looked at Bell and said, "you seem to get along well with the kid, make sure sticks out." before heading to the front passenger's door of the jeep

"Roger that." Bell responded, looking from my rifle in her hand and then at me "Aren't you a lucky one, Vic?" she said to me as she pushed the rifle into my hand "I will remedy that."

Ignoring her ominous words, I smiled as I felt the weight and the rifle's rigid wood of stock and forestock in my hand. But then I winced as the pain reminded me once more that my face isn't in a festive condition.

"Welcome on board friend Victor," As I walked over to the jeep's backseat door, Zane put his hand around my shoulder, stopping me before opening the door, "I think, however, that you are mistaking the seats"

I furrowed as I looked from Zane to Bell for assistance. I did not like where my thoughts were going.

Raising her brows for a moment before giving me a smile that will make you double check your pockets then said "I can smell it, your luck already running out."