NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 3: Mikasa Ackerman
**Chapter 3: Mikasa Ackerman**
The air crackled with tension as Grisha's voice, sharp and urgent, sliced through the silence. "Eren, August, did you see a little girl your age nearby?"
Eren, his eyes wide with an unsettling intensity, and I shook our heads in unison. Grisha, his face etched with worry, nodded. "I'll report this to the Military Police Brigade. Eren, take August to the foot of the mountain, got it?"
Eren remained frozen, his gaze fixed on the scene before us, radiating an ominous aura. Grisha, oblivious to the storm brewing within his son, rushed out to alert the authorities.
Eren, his movements swift and silent, entered the house and headed straight for the kitchen. He grabbed a knife, the glint of steel catching the dim light. My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Hmm...? What are you going to do with that knife, Eren?" I asked, my voice flat, a flicker of curiosity in my eyes.
Eren ignored my question, his gaze hardened, as he walked past me towards the door with his eyes brimming with intense determination.
"Why save the little girl?" I asked, my voice laced with a chilling amusement, a sinister smile playing on my lips. "You don't know her, and she doesn't know you. Even if you managed to save her, she might see you as nothing but a murderer. She wouldn't thank you for it. Are you still going to do it, even after all that?"
Eren stopped abruptly, his gaze meeting mine, his anger palpable. "It doesn't matter if she sees me as a murderer, I don't care if she won't thank me for it. It's just... all the people who go ahead and destroy someone's happy family are nothing but animals who deserve nothing but to die a gruesome death!" He yelled, his voice charged with righteous fury.
I remained silent, a wave of memories washing over me.
Right... I used to be someone like that right?
"I see... You're a kind person, aren't you, Eren?" I said, my smile widening, a hint of something dark lurking beneath the surface.
Eren looked at me, confused. "Ha? I'm going to kill people, you know? That's not what kind people do."
My smile remained unwavering as I extended my hand, a silent request. "Nah... You're plenty kind... Now, give me the knife and get down the mountain. I'll do the job for you." My voice was deceptively innocent, my eyes gleaming with an unsettling light.
He tried to speak, but I cut him off. "I'll make sure to give them a gruesome death, so... Trust me, okay? You're still a kid, so your hands don't have to be dirty just yet. You're not ready yet, after all." My innocent tone was a stark contrast to the darkness that pulsed within me.
"But you're my age though..." he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
Eren's gaze lingered on me, his hesitation evident. When he saw my eyes, glowing with an eerie, dark violet light, he flinched, his grip on the knife loosening. He handed it to me, his face a little tensed.
"Make sure to give them hell then..." He said to me
"Thanks... Now go," I said, my smile predatory. He nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of a little fear and trust, and rushed out of the house, disappearing into the shadows of the mountain.
Now then...
I had impulsively accepted a troublesome job. I accepted it because his ideals resonated with my past self... And perhaps because of that, I sympathized with him?
Oh well... Let's do this quickly.
I stepped out of the house, my gaze scanning the surroundings. The bloodstains on the victims were still fresh, indicating they had fled the scene approximately ten minutes ago. It had started raining twenty minutes ago, leaving behind a trail of footprints.
There is more than one guy. No way the kidnapper would go uninjured fighting two adults, even if they were weak as fuck.
Anyway, I soon found the traces of footprints. It seems like there are three robbers, huh...
I followed the footprints, a plan forming in my mind.
I can't fight them head-on. I could probably kill one, but three at once is impossible unless I catch them off guard or they let their guard down. And I'm more prone to assassination, not martial arts, so it would be a little difficult for me to fight them.
So... What should I do?
Hmm... I wonder indeed.
Oh? How about that? I always wanted to try it at least once in my life, after all...
It is most likely going to work since this... People doesn't seem very good at their job since they couldn't even properly hide their tracks, amateurs in other words.
Finalizing my plan, I played with the knife in my hand, twirling it with practiced ease as I followed the trail.
After a few minutes of walking, I spotted a small house. I hid myself, observing the house from a distance. I noticed two people in the main room, the girl unconscious on the ground.
The last guy is not inside, so where could he be? He's probably somewhere deeper inside the house, I think?
Well whatever, time for me to start my plan.
I approached the house, the knife hidden behind my back. I knocked on the door, my expression as innocent as a child's.
After a few seconds, a man opened the door, his face contorted in anger. "What are you doing here, brat?!" he yelled.
I put on my most innocent expression, a tear threatening to fall from my eye. "I'm lost, mister... Mother and Father suddenly left me alone when we were having a picnic." My voice was trembling, a perfect imitation of a lost child.
The man glanced at his companion, who nodded in agreement. He turned back to me, his expression softening. "I see. How horrible your parents are for leaving you alone. How about you come with me? I'll help you find your parents." He gently smiled, patting my head.
"Okay! But before that, mister, can I ask something?" I said, my smile widening, my eyes gleaming with a sinister light.
"What is it?" he asked, his expression still gentle.
I smiled eerily, my voice a whisper. "Will you say my greetings to King Yama for me? later, of course, after I'm done with you..."
With lightning speed, I plunged the knife into his stomach, pulling it out just as quickly. He clutched his wound, a scream escaping his lips as he crumpled to the ground.
His companion stared at me in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. I quickly lunged at him, my movements swift and deadly, stabbing him in the same spot.
Aren't they too weak...?
Anyway
He collapsed beside his companion, his screams echoing in the air. I calmly walked towards the girl, who was tied up, her eyes wide with fear.
I slashed the rope, freeing her. She looked at me, her eyes lifeless, a deep sadness hidden behind their onyx depths. She had long black hair that reached her waist, her face oval, still bearing the traces of baby fat. She looked Asian, the same age as me.
Seeing her eyes, my smile widened.
She has the potential to be more... I guess I'll put on a play for her to awaken her real self.
I've already noticed the faint tremor of the wooden floor and the sound of footsteps approaching, normally, I would try to quickly subdue the third person but why not put on a play?
"Are you alright? What's your name?" I asked, my voice laced with fake concern.
She looked at me, her gaze empty. "I'm Mikasa Ackerman... And... There is a third person with them..."
The door behind us swung open, revealing the third man. He looked at his companions, groaning in pain, his eyes blazing with anger.
He grabbed me, his grip tightening around my throat. Mikasa watched us, her eyes filled with terror.
I feigned pain, my voice choked. "Mikasa... Grab that knife and stab him! That's the only way for you to be strong. The world doesn't allow the weak, so you must be strong. Grab it and kill him!"
Mikasa looked at me, the knife in her hand, her face a mask of indecision.
"I... Can't do it," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Throw away your hesitation and release your true self!" I yelled, my vision blurring as the man's grip tightened.
"This cruel world punishes the weak and rewards the strong, T-That's why you must be strong, you must fight to be strong!" I said out of breath and stuttering a little as my vision blurred more from the grip of the man who is strangling the absolute fuck out of me
Mikasa stared at the knife, her eyes filled with a strange intensity, as if remembering something.
Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she yelled, the wood beneath her feet cracking as she ran towards the man.
Stab
With great strength and precision that would make any yandere proud, Mikasa plunged the knife into his back, the blade reaching to his chest. He staggered back, clutching the wound, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He released me, collapsing to the ground. I coughed, my throat raw.
After a moment, the man died, his body slumping lifelessly. I approached the two men who were still groaning in pain.
I quickly roped them together, my movements precise and efficient. Mikasa stared at her hand, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at her bloody hands.
I went to her and smiled, a genuine smile this time, a sense of satisfaction washing over me. "Don't worry. You did a great job. If you didn't do it, I would've died, and you wouldn't have been able to avenge your parents, right?" I said, patting her head gently.
Mikasa nodded after a little while, her hair covering her eyes as she looked at the roped-up men with a dangerous glint in her eyes, clearly wanting to punish them more.
Hmm... Nah... She is just a child. I shouldn't teach her the dao of torture yet.
I patted her head again. "Don't worry... I'll make them suffer for you, so get out for a little bit, okay?" I said, my voice soft, my eyes filled with concern.
She hesitated, her gaze meeting mine. After a few seconds, she nodded. "Okay... But please be careful..."
I nodded, a reassuring smile on my face.
As she left the house, I turned to the two men, my expression emotionless, my eyes cold and calculating. "You two didn't really do anything wrong against me, but... I will kill you two because I feel like it. Be grateful, okay?"
Now then... I'd wager I have about thirty minutes left before Dr. Grisha and Eren arrive here. That's plenty of time, I guess?
Time to get started then.
The small house was soon filled with screams, the air thick with the smell of fear and pain.
Twenty minutes later, the three men were dead, their bodies twisted and broken. I walked out of the house and saw Mikasa sitting on the ground, her arms wrapped around her legs, her eyes fixed on me.
After making the two men's lives 'happy,' I had returned to my normal self, the darkness receding, leaving behind a calm facade.
"Oh? You waited for me? How kind of you, Mikasa." I patted her head, her lips curving slightly in a faint smile. "As promised, I made them suffer, so you can rest assured now, okay?" I smiled gently at her.
Mikasa nodded, her hair covering her eyes as she said, "Can I... Hug you?"
Well, she just lost her parents, so she must be sad, I think? Well, most likely, since I've heard losing your loved ones hurts.
I nodded, opening my arms.
She rushed towards me, burying her face in my shoulder, tears streaming down her face.
I sat down, her weight pressing against me. 'Great, now my shirt is getting wet,' I thought in annoyance, but I let her be.
Soon, she passed out from exhaustion and the trauma of the day.
A bit later, it was dark and cold. I hugged her, trying to keep her warm. Then, I heard footsteps and saw Dr. Grisha and Eren, followed by two officers in uniform.
They approached us, their faces etched with concern. Dr. Grisha spoke first, his voice filled with worry. "August, what happened?! When I heard from Eren that you rushed to come here, we all thought you would die. And what happened to Mikasa?!"
I stared at Eren, who was avoiding my gaze, scratching his head sheepishly. "I couldn't lie, okay? Dad saw right through me."
I sighed, my gaze shifting to the two officers who were approaching me.
"Kid, can you explain what happened in the house?" one of the soldiers asked gently to assure that everything was now fine.
I nodded, acting scared. "When I entered the house, I suddenly got held by one of the guys and tied up next to Mikasa... They were talking about selling us to some nobles when suddenly a masked person entered and... K-Killed them after torturing them..." I explained, my voice trembling.
The two soldiers nodded, entering the house to confirm my story.
Dr. Grisha tried to take Mikasa from me, but she tightened her grip, refusing to leave my side.
Dr. Grisha sighed. "She seems to have gotten attached to you, August... And since you... are pretty much in the same situation as her now, then how about you come live with us?"
Eren's eyes widened, but after a moment of thought, he nodded in agreement.
I stared at Dr. Grisha, a flicker of surprise crossing my face. "Are you sure? I won't refuse such a big offer, but are you sure you want to take us two in? It would be costly, you know?" I said, my gaze meeting his.
I wouldn't refuse it, since it would be stupid for me to do so. After all, I have no money, no common sense of this world, and I doubt anyone would hire a brat for a job, maybe.
He smiled, his eyes filled with warmth. "Yeah... I'm sure... I'm a doctor, so I get paid plenty enough, so... Welcome to the family, August, Mikasa."
Eren also smiled, his teeth flashing. "Let's get along, August, Mikasa!"
I nodded, my mind was busy thinking of how lucky I have gotten to have gotten adopted
Looking at the two with the traumatized girl in my arms I couldn't help but think:
Aren't things going my way a little too smoothly?
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A/N: Third chapter Let's go!!