Joe and Shelly stood there eyes widened as they took on the scene. The townspeople kept propelling rock after rock on John's corpse, pieces of his flesh were peeling off due to the endless battering. They had stripped the boy down leaving him exposed as his inky pale skin was now mixed with crimson.

The pole he was on was placed an a wooden platform and a large crowd had gathered for this ‘event’. Others whistled in joy while others clapped their hands like this was some sort of celebration. Numerous thoughts played in Joe's mind at that very moment but his mind immediately landed on Shelly.

He glanced at her “She—” before he could finish whatever he had in mind. Shelly stormed past him, her eyes widened and fierce. She had clenched fists as she strode forward at rapid pace. Joe had never seen Shelly like this. She was a completely different person.

She barreled through the crowd and eventually reached the front of the platform.

The chubby shopkeeper of the bread store was the only figure who stood on the stage, he seemed to be the conductor of this entire event. When Shelly reached the front, he noticed her immediately. He smiled before he raised his hand, and immediately everyone stopped flinging rocks at John's corpse. He then clapped once and everyone was quiet.

“It's you… you're the girl from earlier right? The one who caught this piece of trash.” He gestured at John's corpse. He then reached for his pocket and escaped with a large piece of rock. He extended his arm towards Shelly. “This wouldn't be possible without your hard work. It wouldn't be fair if you weren't allowed to eat a piece of the pie. Take this,” he offered her the rock.

Shelly got on the platform and strode towards him. Small circular barriers around the size of boxing gloves formed around her fists. [Skill Activation: Green Fists]

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. “What are yo—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Shelly's barrier enhanced fist collided with his face. It smushed his face and the sound of breaking bones was audible for everyone present. The shopkeeper was sent flying and drifting along the wooden platform. He nearly fell off the platform but his body managed to halt centimeters from the edge.

Before he could think about getting up, Shelly was already looming over him. The Shopkeeper's face was drenched in blood and one of his eyes was forced shut. His teeth had fallen out, with only a few stubborn ones still clinging on despite being cracked. His nose had been broken and his lips swollen ust a few seconds after getting punched.

Shelly's eyes were Ice cold, and she didn't say a word. The shopkeeper raised his hand over his face, he looked to be uttering something but due to his ravaged teeth and bleeding mouth, everything came out as a mumbled mess.

His words wouldn't have matterd to Shelly even if he could somehow form them. She knelt on knee and deactivate her [Green Fists] on one hand. She then used this free hand to wrap her hand around the Shopkeeper's throat before firmly gripping it.

The shopkeeper gasped for air to no avail. He tried to wiggle his body free but his body had already reached its limit. Just wiggling was now almost an impossible task. He was forced to look on with widened eyes.

Crack.

Shelly unloaded her second strike and it was even louder than the first. She then just kept at it, punch after punch after punch. The shopkeeper's blood spattered everywhere with no signs of stopping.

The crowd were stunned to silence, withonly a few whispers breaking through.

“Who is that girl?”

“Does she have any idea what she's done.”

“The Frozen Wing Party will surely come for her now.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“She's as good as dead.”

After just 10 blows the shopkeeper was unresponsive. Whether he was dead or not was uncertain, but he was definitely out cold. His face was flattened like dough and his fashionable black suit was more red than black.

Shelly grabbed the shopkeeper by his suit and started dragging him as she moved to face the crowd. He pointed at four individuals in the crowd, they seemed be male and around 22 years. Their Mana Signatures were pitiful to say the least. “You four… get that boy's body down from there!”

They all aggressively nodded as they rushed to bring down John's body. As for the shopkeeper, Shelly flung his body to the crowd before shouting with a venomous gaze. “Get the hell out of my sight!”

The townspeople people scattered with a few of them teaming up to drag the shopkeeper's body away.

When Shelly turned around, the four man had already brought down John's body. Shelly didn't have to say a word, her eyes sent the message loud and clear. Immediately after their task, they scurried away like frightened mouses.

Shelly took cautious steps towards John's body her skill long since deactivated. When she reached him, she crumbled to her knees. Before tears just surged out her face as she cried. Her stoic expression had been broken and her vulnerability was exposed. She tried to wipe her tears but they just kept coming. “I'm so sorry….. I'm so sorry.” She repeated her apology for 3 minutes straight before her eyes finally dried. She stood up, as she wiped the last of her tears.

She brought her hands together as one would do for a short prayer. Her eyes closed, before a green light shrouded her hands. [Skill Activation: Decomposition] A warm light surged forth and encompassed John's corpse. It then brightened as John's corpse was reduced to particles of light. The light formed a small orb which then sunk into the platform and the ground below. A lone flower sprouted where Joe's body once was, a beautiful yellow flower that shimmered under the son. “May the Soul King be with you.”

Shelly's eyes gently opened, before she turned around. She jumped off the platform and made her way back to Joe.

Before Joe could utter a word, Shelly spoke before him. “Let's do it Joe, let's find Mikey and make him pay.” Her eyes were a stark contrast to how they would be normally. They weren't gentle or warm. They were cold and vengeful.

Joe responded with a stoic expression of his own. “We'll do it, we'll definitely find him don't worry.”

“Hi” a voice of a young girl called out.

Joe and Shelly turned their heads and they saw her. It was the same girl from the Meat Is Money store, the one they managed to save from Red's abuse. Shelly had healed all her injuries and she looked to be doing well. But even though Shelly had managed to heal her completely, the girl way too thin for her age. It seemed like she was suffering from something more than just the injuries she suffered. Her chest heaved and sweat had accumulated on her forehead. She must've ran all the way after both of them.

She bowed slightly, before she rose again. “Thank you so much for helping me… I was so scared… I thought I was going to die! I thought I'd never see my brother again!” She whimpered, as she tried to wipe the tears from her face.

“It's all good. I'm glad you're doing okay.” Joe said with a warm smile.

The girl finisjed clearing her face, “its thanks to you both.” She said, with a smile.

“My name's Joe and this is Shelly. What's your name kid.” Joe asked.

“I’m number 3.” She responded immediately.

Joe shook his head. “No, not that one, I mean your real name.”

“I'm not allowed to say my real name. I'm number 3” she responded in a low voive.

“Red is gone, you have nothing to worry about.” Joe tried reassuring her.

It took a few seconds before she replied, “it's Viola.”

Joe grinned widely, “that's a really cool name. It's nice to meet you Viola.”

Viola's cheeks flushed pink momentarily. Her expression turned sour though when her eyes fell to the pole John's corpse was hung from. “That boy, John. He was a good friend of my brother's but now his gone..." Tears streamed down her face. “So many of us have died trying to please father. It's not fair!”

Joe's eyes widened, “father?”

Viola wiped her tears, “Yeah… his the one who rules the Trash Can and is the most feared man in Perina. We aren't allowed to call him by his real name… but his real name is Mikey.”

Joe stepped closer, “you know where we can find Mikey.”

Before she could respond, Viola was overwhelmed by another fit of cough. This one lasted 10 seconds, and ortunately there was no blood this time.

“Are you alright?” Joe asked with a worried expression.

Viola nodded, “I'm fine.” She then exhaled before she spoke, “I can take you guys to Mikey If you want because I'm also going there. I need to see my brother, I fear he may be in trouble. “

“Plese show us the way.” Joe said, with urgency in his tone

Viola led the way like she promised. The road had many twist and turns and looked to be on the western side of Perina. After 20 minutes they finally arrived.

Infront of them was a large gate made of wood. “This is it,” Viola pointed to the gate. “This is where Mikey is located. This is the Trash Can.”

Joe and Shelly glanced at each other before they nodded. Without wasting another second. They made their way to the entrance, prepared for the battle that was about to follow.