Plundering in the Apocalypse

Alex and the others were speechless. Why did Shin agree to go? There is no way he would have been afraid of Jake. Shin was very powerful after all.

They were also speechless by Jake's shamelessness. They couldn't believe such a person was a member of their team. Selene and Marine were creeped out. Even Alex was disgusted.

Alice had a calm expression on her face while she was fuming from inside.

'He shall die.'

'No more patience.'

'I won't tolerate such people.'

'Even though I forgive people easily with small punishments. But I never get excessive. I try my best so people can learn from their mistakes. But this guy is beyond saving.' Alice sighed as she remembered how lightly she had punished people in the past. She should be a little violent from now on.

(A.N:- 'Leander brothers' and her Ex-father's souls must be crying. Oh! My bad, she didn't even leave 'Leander brothers' souls. She also absorbed them. )

'I will torture him slowly and kill him. But I should wait first. It seems Shin is also angry and wants to teach him a lesson.' Alice thought as she looked at Shin's angry face.

'So dashing.' She thought as she covered her blushing face with her hands. 'How embarrassing.'

Shin who saw Alice's actions thought she was sad about how rudely this bastard talked to her. How dare this bastard hurt such a sweet girl? Shin was enraged. He always knew Alice was a very nice girl. She treated everyone nicely. She is also like a part of his family. So how can anyone touch her?

'I'll kill him and peel his skin off.' Shin thought. As after all this time his title got activated.

<Maniac>

Seeing Shin angry Jake laughed inwardly.

'These guys are just a bunch of fools. They get agitated so easily.'

'So what if he is angry it's not like he could do anything. If anything unexpected happens I can just run away.' Jake had absolute confidence in his high agility and ability to escape.

Even if Shin was 10 levels higher than him. Jake could easily escape him with his amazing speed.

That was also the reason he dared to challenge him so openly. He also wanted to humiliate Shin. So he could get more generous rewards from Steven.

He agitated Shin so that he won't try to escape. Unfortunately for him Shin never needed to escape.

Jake had already sent a message to Steven's people who were outside the dungeon. This way he also had some assurance.

Jake would do anything for his benefit even betraying someone close to him.

On the day of the Cataclysm, he killed his best friend and used him as bait. His family members were dying but he just escaped. He didn't want to save people who would only be a burden to him. This awakening is a chance for him to change his life. Now that he got a golden goose named Steven. Of course, he would reap as many benefits as he can.

This was a chance for him to earn Steven's trust by suppressing Shin and humiliating him. It was a chance for him to rise.

"Good, I am glad you are smart. If you had rejected I might have needed to use some excessive means and you don't want that." Jake said with a threatening glare.

Shin tightened his fists in rage.

"Ooh, you want to fight? I see you are angry. huh? Lemme see what you can do. Are you afraid now? Beg for mercy if you are." Jake laughed and scoffed at Shin.

Selene looked at him thinking what is this fool talking about? From where does it look like Shin is afraid? He is barely controlling his anger.

Marine wanted to stop them but Selene didn't let her.

"What are you doing? we should stop them." Marine said to Selene who was grabbing her. She was worried about Shin and Alice.

"Just let it be. Does it look like they need your help? And I also want to see Shin beating the ass out of this bastard." Selene said in amusement.

"Shin is already super strong. Do you think Jake stands a chance? And he also crossed the line just now. You can see how close Shin and Alice are. There's no way Shin is going to forgive him. It will be an amazing show. How that fool makes a fool out of himself. He is underestimating Shin." Selene said to Marine.

"But why so? Even if Jake is a little stronger than us. He is still weaker than many people. From where is his confidence coming from?" Marine said not understanding Jake's reasons.

Selene frowned she didn't think of that.

Marine was right Jake wasn't confident about taking Shin. But he got an item from Steven which made him boost his confidence.

[Level detector] - An item made by Magic engineers which tells the Awakeneds level. This product was in its prototype phase. As it was demanded by many big influential groups. Which were working in making guilds and recruiting powerful awakeneds. With this device, they can only detect levels and no other information. But it was enough for guilds to find good potential talents.

Everyone wants the best. Although this information is not available to the general public. Many big organizations know this and Steven of the Mark corporations of course had some of those devices.

When Jake asked Steven how powerful is the target. He gave one Level detector to Jake, who was overjoyed getting it. Steven wouldn't have given such an important device to Jake under normal occurrences. But this time his rage overtook him. He wanted nothing more than to capture him.

Jake was expecting the target to be powerful but when he used the Level detector on Shin and Alice. He was surprised.

[Level - 14]

[Level - 17]

Once he saw Shin's level he was full of confidence. This man was just level 14. Even the girl was at a higher level than him.

"If you want a fight follow me," Jake said with a smirk. He had done a good job agitating Shin.

Others also stated following them.

"Oh! Are you all going to fight together? Is he so scared to fight a one-on-one?" Jake said as he berated others.

"No one will interfere. Even if someone cries and begs for help. No one will involve themselves. Right?" Shin said in a calm cold voice. Others knew Shin never needed their help so it's fine. They just nodded.

Jake raised his eyebrow.

'Something feels wrong here.' His instinct was telling him he should run from here. But he ignored it and decided to trust the device and his abilities.

*Ding*

Jake had already decided on the location so he had texted a message to Steven's goons beforehand.

[We will arrive shortly. Just don't let them escape.]

Jake smiled reading the message. He leads them towards the deeper end of the forest. There's an open space and there won't be others who see them. Once Steven's goons arrive they will kill them all. Away from others' eyes.

'Hahaha,' he laughed inwardly. Thinking how easy this was.

***

Inaka was tired of searching for high level awakeneds from all these people. She wanted a break. So she let her secretary do the work. She had been working nonstop for the last few days.

"Ahh, taking a break is best." She said as she sipped the coffee in her hands.

"Mam, we found 8 people above level 20." She heard her Secretary's voice.

"Oh! Good. Keep at it. I want the best of them." Inaka was happy everything was going well.

Suddenly her eyes fell on a few people who weren't going to the location of the dungeon, nor in the direction of the city. They were going further inside the forest.

"Where are they going?" Inaka asked her secretary Sophia while pointing at Shin and the group.

Sophia turned in the direction her boss was pointing at.

"I don't know. Mam. All the monsters are further inside the forests but from their lack of proper equipment, it doesn't look like they plan to go monster hunting." Sophia continued.

"They might be trying to search for herbs or trying their luck outside the dungeon." She assumed.

"Hmm, I don't think that's the reason. This is something else. I have a gut feeling that something interesting is going on." Inaka said with an amused smile.

"Sophia."

"Yes, Mam."

"I am going to follow them. I want to see what they are up to." Inaka said.

"But Mam. You can't go there alone. I'll come with you." Sophia said. She didn't know what made Inaka interested in them but she had to do what her boss wants.

"Okay, Leave the work to your assistant. I don't think there are many potential candidates here." Inaka said.

Sophia did so and they both followed after Shin and the group as they were led by Jake.

Inaka didn't know but today's encounter will change her whole life.