Her reply made him smile cheerfully. He said, "Thank you, Mel. Have I ever mentioned how much I appreciate you?"
She replied with a grunt, "Yes, you do. You do so every time you make me do something dangerous and difficult."
He continued to smile as he went over to one of the data ports in the elevator. "Then I think it is necessary that I tell you that I appreciate you this time."
He chatted with her for a few seconds while she helped him gain access to the door of the apartment. Then he cut off the call and went back to the apartment.
The door had become open for him. He opened it easily and entered the room.
"She is overly concerned sometimes, but I've got to give it to her; she does good work."
She is reliable, but he is not going to take her warning about the death of the Count seriously. If anything, he is happy that the heroes are investing more manpower and resources into it.
He is on the cusp of becoming a B-rank. He achieved this power through killing. That is one of the things that the foreign battlefield has aplenty.
If he can gain a large amount of fans, the temporary destiny they will provide will cause his power to increase rapidly. The best way to do that is the war that is coming up.
So he intends to make a big impression on the viewers during the war. For him to achieve that, it would be great if a lot of heroes came after him. The sight of him shattering the minds of so many great heroes will surely propel him to greater heights.
With that power and the possible recruitment of a shape-shifter, his next tour in a foreign world will become easier. Just thinking about it made him begin to look forward to meeting the target he is currently tracking.
He was looking around eagerly for the sight of his target. However, he hadn't spent 10 seconds in the first room when the watch he was wearing pinged to notify him of poisoning in the air. The notification made him frown and leave the apartment in a hurry.
The watch was a present from Mel. It tracks his position, health, and environmental conditions. It is an important gift for protecting his life in the hostile environment of the foreign battlefield.
Sometimes, the locals in a place are not the most dangerous thing he will encounter in a new world. The fauna, flora, and inorganic constituents of the environment can kill him too.
He walked outside of the apartment away from the danger. But he didn't leave. He was contemplating what to do outside of the apartment when it exploded.
He smiled and said, "Two attempts to kill me just because I'm following you? This is too much."
"Unfortunately, this is not nearly enough to deter me. If anything, I want to get to the bottom of this at all costs. I like a challenge like that."
He walked around for a bit and picked up the trail again. Then he resumed his tracking.
Kelvin was at home when it happened. He was on the couch thinking of what to say to Wrath.
Eventually he settled for the universal thing to say. He said, "Thank you."
She nodded and said, "You're welcome."
She didn't look at him when she said that. She was looking forward at the television. He knew that because he was stealing glances at her.
Her behavior made him sigh in frustration. He is frustrated because he is feeling guilty. He is feeling guilty because when he asked her for help last night, she helped him immediately without asking for anything or mentioning their strained relationship.
It was the same thing she had done in the past. She was always there for him. But this time it felt different because he knew that she didn't have to help him.
She didn't have to help him as she didn't owe him anything. But she helped him after he had said he didn't need her. Now he wants to do something for her in exchange, but he can't think of something to help her with. So he is feeling guilty and frustrated.
He eventually decided on something to say. He said, "The ability is great. I can siphon the life force of everyone around me. The distance is dependent on the power of my mind. I can use this life force to replenish my stamina and focus."
"The rate I siphon is dependent on my mind attribute and how much life force the target has. I will be able to siphon more from enemies that are stronger than me. I can then use the life force to heal all my injuries."
"Actually, as long as my head is not crushed, I am practically immortal. With this ability, I will be able to fight forever. And if my stamina and focus become full, I can use the extra life force to buff my physical attributes."
"The ability is truly worthy of being an Omega ability. It shows its full power in the face of adversity. I can even use it forever. It is seriously broken."
He was explaining the ins and outs of his new ability to Wrath like he usually does. It is a tradition of sorts. He would inform her of his new ability, and she would marvel at it and offer possible combinations.
He hasn't done that for weeks now, and now that he did, it is clear that things have changed. She only nodded and said, "That's good."
He said all of that, and she only said that line. Then she became silent again.
He began to contemplate admitting to her that she made him stronger. It is because it is the truth. He is smart enough to know that while he is fine on his own, things would be easier and better if they worked together.