Kill to evolve: A system that demands blood
Chapter 55: No weapons

Chapter 55: No weapons

Chapter 55

Ronan smirked, slow and dark, the kind that wasn’t meant to be friendly. He almost chuckled in mockery because of how predictable Ezren was, but instead...without a word, he raised his hand and gave Ezren the middle finger.

For a second, Ezren just stared at him speechless, as if he couldn’t believe it.

Then the dangerous glint flickered in his eyes, his fingers twitching like he was half a second from drawing a blade across Ronan’s throat. It was clear that Ronan had hit a nerve.

The room felt like it dipped into freezing cold for a heartbeat.

Ezren’s jaw tightened. His muscles tensed like loaded springs ready to snap. But somehow, he reeled it in.

Just smirked instead, a tight, strained thing, and looked away.

Before either of them could push it further, Aldric’s voice cut through the air the tension, drawing back everyone’s attention.

"Meeting’s over. Thirty minutes," he barked. "Be in the van. No excuses. No delays."

The tension shattered, everyone moving at once like soldiers released from a leash.

Boots thudded against the floor, chairs scraped back, weapons clinked.

Voices rose, quiet curses and rushed conversations as they scrambled to prep.

Ronan didn’t move right away. He pushed off the wall slowly, ignoring the flickering looks thrown his way. They all seemed to avoid him now, and to him... that was a fucking lot better.

He shoved his hands back into his pockets and walked toward the exit, shoulders loose but his mind tensed. Something felt wrong. Deep down, that sense of unease gnawed at him like a dull blade scraping bone. He had a feeling that this mission wouldn’t go as well as they all expected.

The others turned down the hall toward the armory, the weapon hall.

Standard procedure whenever they had to leave on missions, gear up, stock ammo, check comms.

Ronan, instead, veered left, heading down a side corridor.

Colt sighted him going the other way and decided to quickly talk to Ronan.

"Hey!" he called out, jogging a few steps to catch up. "Where you going? Armory’s the other way."

Ronan didn’t slow down.

Colt frowned. "You’re gonna need a weapon, rookie," he said, voice low but urgent. "Those things out there aren’t gonna die from a glare. Besides..."

He lowered his voice even more. "The weapons are mana-enhanced. You’ll hit harder and cut deeper."

Ronan finally glanced sideways at him, just enough for Colt to catch the glint in his eye.

"I don’t need them," Ronan said flatly. His system could give him darggers and claws now, he really didn’t need weapons, not that he was trying to show off or anything.

Colt blinked, thrown for a second. He opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but Ronan had already turned away again, heading toward the dorms without a second look.

Suit yourself." Colt called out loud enough for Ronan to hear before turning to leave.

The hallways were almost empty now. Most of the squad had already rushed to arm themselves.

The silence felt heavier without the clatter of weapons and armor. Ronan walked quietly down the hall and into the nearest elevator they led to the dorm.

"System, show me my stats." Ronan summoned. He needed to know exactly what his abilities were now or if the system still hid that information.

A screen popped up in his view.

User: Ronan Vale

Level: 65

Class: N/A

Core Ability: Hidden

Status: Stable

Active Abilities: Locked

Ronan’s jaw clenched, although his level had increased by three, his abilities were still hidden.

Inside the dorm room, Ronan moved fast, He yanked open his locker, pulled out the standard black tactical uniform. Heavy, reinforced, built for battle.

He stripped down quickly and suited up, the thick fabric rough against his skin.

The Uniform clung perfectly to his muscles and shoulders.

He paused in front of the small mirror bolted to the wall.

Stared at himself.

Same face. Same dead look in his eyes. He had gotten to that look now, the new person he had become.

He flexed his fingers once.

A faint crackle of mana pulsed along his knuckles, invisible to anyone else.

Good enough,his system was set.

He slammed the locker shut and left.

By the time Ronan made it back to the vehicle bay, the others were already gathered.

The van was a hulking, armored beast, matte black, low to the ground, looking like it could plow through a brick wall without slowing down, real sturdy.

The back doors were yawning open, squad members hauling their gear inside, checking weapons, adjusting straps.

Voices buzzed, but nobody was laughing now. The energy was different. Everyone seemed tensed and focus.

Ezren sat sideways on one of the benches inside the van, cleaning under his nails with the tip of a knife, but his eyes kept flicking to Ronan as he approached.

Colt was double-checking his rifle’s sights, stealing occasional glances too.

Rhea loaded her shotgun with sharp, efficient clicks. Tyce was muttering something about kill counts under his breath.

No one said a word to Ronan as he climbed into the van.

The metal floor rattled under his boots.

He grabbed a seat at the end of the bench, leaning back, arms folded, gaze blank.

Keeping to himself and acting nonchalant as always.

The last stragglers piled in.

The driver slammed the doors shut, sealing them inside the thick metal box.

The van rumbled to life, a low growl of an engine that sounded hungry for blood.

With a hard jerk, it pulled out of the garage.

Just when everyone thought the seemingly silent ride couldn’t get more awkward, someone’s voice broke through, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Let’s end this quick. Last thing we need is the captain unleashing that freaky ability of his. Gives me the damn creeps just thinking about it."

For a beat, the van stayed silent, the rumble of the engine filling the space.

Then Tyce snorted under his breath.

"Yeah. I’d rather take a bullet to the face than see that shit up close."

Ronan was quiet for a moment, but then...to everyone’s surprise, he spoke.... well, not because he wanted to, but something in him was dying to know exactly what ability Aldric possessed. Was he really so powerful as he had heard in the rumors.

"What ability does he possess?" Ronan question, his tone firm and emotionless.