BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

There are loads of reasons. So many reasons, you wouldn't believe it. To begin with, that's a load of crap. I couldn't save Anderson, but I used my powers to save you guys. Did you forget what I did at the club's exit? You didn't forget the questions you all made while we were on the run, did you? "

Erik's tone was now cold. It was true he did many mistakes, but he never had the intention of harming anyone.

"Plus, what if I used more powers, huh? What was the surefire way for me to save everyone? You think I'm invincible just because I have a couple more powers, but that's not what really makes someone powerful. There are two things I lacked back then, Mana and Experience."

For them, experience was obvious, but what did he mean when he said mana?

"You are talking as if you can increase your mana… or…"

"Yes. I can increase my mana. That's one of the advantages of the biological supercomputer. But I gotta kill to make it happen."

An uneasy silence descended, but it was quickly broken by Benedict. "That's pretty cool. Hey, do you have another biological supercomputer I could borrow?"

In response, Erik let out a hearty laugh, his amusement clear on his face. He almost forgot how his roommate was.

"Unfortunately not, otherwise I would have given you one long ago."

"B rank? Damn you were at D!"

"Indeed."

Then Amber chimed in. She had a serious and disappointed look on her face. "So, you weren't telling the truth," she said, her voice filled with disappointment. "From the beginning, you deceived everyone with your lies. I assume you are not even an awakener, right?"

"I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you about that. You get how risky it was for me to say that, huh? What if one of you tried to kill me or kidnap me to get the biological supercomputer?"

To that, Amber got really mad. "How could you say something like that?"

"Amber. I have the most powerful weapon in this world. Do you think I was exaggerating? Besides, what if one of you said something you shouldn't have? I would have been dead by now!"

He then resumed his speech. "I'm not an awakener, that is true. But does it matter? Until I stay alive, I'm bound to become much more powerful than any awakener that ever existed, maybe even stronger than Solomon Judd."

"Let's not change the topic," Aaron said. "Even if you didn't have enough mana or experience, you still could've helped Anderson somehow."

Erik stared at him for a few seconds. "Yeah. Let's assume I co've done something. Then this huge target would've popped up, not just on my back, which I already had, but on yours too."

At that, everyone remained silent. "Imagine what would have Becker done once he learned you were the friends of the guy with multiple powers. Do you think he wouldn't have used you to get to me? It was already bad when I learned you weren't the only ones who knew about my secret. I had no choice but to escape and make everyone believe I was dead, so you could have a chance."

A profound silence engulfed the room as Erik's words were absorbed. The dawn of comprehension settled on their faces, replacing curiosity with a grave awareness.

They exchanged looks, each one reflecting a shared acknowledgment of the danger Erik had shielded them from.

As the realization of the risks he had taken to protect them sank in, their expressions softened and their eyes were filled with a combination of gratitude and a newfound sense of respect.

The tension in the air eased slightly as they came to terms with the harsh reality of the situation Erik had faced.

They realized his actions, though painful, were borne out of a deep sense of responsibility and care for their safety.

"You may have had your reason to think that, but you are also thinking too badly of Becker," Amber said.

Much to his own disbelief, Erik did something he had never expected doing. He rudely replied to Amber.

Amber was startled and pulled back, feeling surprised by the tone Erik used. With a mixture of hurt and disbelief flashing across her face, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Becker is here. Just so you know, he told us a ton of stuff. Turns out, he was the first to fight the Blackguards. Becker said he knew the criminal underworld in Frant was led by them through a man called Shade. So, according to him, the Crystal Cross Gang kidnapped people and gave them to the Blackguards. Based on his investigations, they experimented on them," Floyd said.

"I'm aware of that. I discovered that on my own a while ago. But that doesn't mean he never did some messed up stuff."

"Yes, but he did that to save us all," Gwen said. "If you had just trusted him, maybe none of this would've happened."

"Seriously? How was I supposed to know he was one of the good ones? He didn't lift a finger when the Heniate attacked. He coiled underground in fear."

As Erik listened to his friends, his heart filled with aching sorrow. He completely understood the profound extent of their suffering and acknowledged that he was the cause of their hardships. Yet he couldn't help but feel a pang of disbelief.

How could they fail to see the reasons behind his actions? He had held onto the hope that they would understand and recognize the desperate circumstances that left him with no choice.

Within him, there was a storm of conflicting emotions as he grappled with the hurt and confusion caused by his choices, desperately trying to ease the pain they had caused.

"That's not true," Benedict said. The man's voice was unusually serious, surprising Erik.

It was out of character for Benedict to choose a side so solemnly.

Erik found it odd to see him adopt such a grave demeanor, a stark contrast to his usual lighthearted nature. The moment felt surreal.

"According to Becker, Sinisa Volkov, the new top dog, looked after the Heniate. Volkov sent it to New Alexandria to take him out, or at least to make him lose support. Obviously, you can guess who gave him the Heniate's egg in the first place."

"I'm not aware of that. I haven't had the opportunity to speak with him yet."

"Well, you better. Becker is giving it his all to fix things and fight the Blackguards. He also started training everyone, us included."