Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.
Zane had the same stick and tire on his hands by which the children were playing earlier.
And as soon as he got them, a system window appeared in front of him.
[ Major Quest Generated! ]
[ Quest: Declaration! ]
[ Objective: Set An Example. ]
[ Rewards: Conflux Interface Unlocked. ]
[ Failure Penalty: -1.0 Synchronization! ]
Zane read the window and was expecting some details of the quest but only the objective was written.
Set an example.
Only one phrase was there and Zane figured that the system had let him interpret this on his own.
I'll see what I can do.
He held the stick on his right hand and the tire on his left hand.
The tire was flat, thin, and made of rubber that was used for high-end carriages booked by the rich to travel alone or with their family or friends only. No other passengers were allowed.
The kids usually get such a tire from their fathers or on their own as many drivers kept their carriages updated with premium material and timely repairs and such work was mostly done by the Gutterborns living in Cinder Row.
Nevertheless, Zane rotated the tire on his hand as he watched Fork running towards him again.
Zane changed his motive from defending to stopping the man in one place and his body followed suit.
Fork reached in front of Zane and without any delay, the man latched onto Zane's neck with his hands.
Zane bent his knees, Fork's hands held nothing and since Fork was already closer to Zane, the young man launched himself and hit the man's chest with his head.
THUN!
"Anghh!"
The man groaned and fell down on the ground.
The crowd went into a frenzy as this was the first attack.
"Kill him!"
"Sit on him and butcher his face!"
They demanded their requests and some even pushed Zane to go towards Fork.
Zane didn't listen to them as he was already clear in his plan.
His body wasted no time and jumped on top of Fork's chest.
His knees rested on Fork's arms, making them idle and unable to move.
He then held the tire and made it double by overlapping it, increasing its tightness and shortening the size of the hole in its middle.
Then, like a garland, Zane made Fork wear the tire from his head and slowly Zane moved the tire down to the man's waist.
Inside the tire were Fork's hands as well, finally making him unable to move.
Zane got up from his chest and patted his hands.
During the fight, his body had moved on his own, if not for that, he would have taken more time to subdue the man as he didn't know anything about fighting. Physically at least.
I am also learning how to fight with this skill.
After doing all that, the merged skill stopped working and Zane felt his body under his control again.
This was the first time the skill hadn't stopped because of low synchronization.
The intent is still there though. Does it mean I can handle it from here? Fatigue would be coming soon.
"Rip this thing off me! If you are a man of one father, fight me fair!" Fork barked, slithering on the ground.
Zane looked down. "You have long lost the right of fairness."
Looking around, Zane's eyes stopped at Mickey and the kid didn't know what was going on.
He wanted to ask but his hands shivered looking at the scene.
Zane gestured with his eyes to the kid, assuring him to calm down.
The kid nodded but his hands didn't stop.
Zane couldn't do anything so he darted his eyes away from him and focused again on the lying man.
The crowd cheered for Zane to do more violence but he had already started ignoring them.
He jerked the thin wooden stick, making a sharp sound in the air.
He circled around Fork and stood right above his head.
"Do you know why this is happening?" He asked.
"Yes. Because I rampaged your mom when you were in the wound!"
Zane closed his eyes and opened them after a second.
"Can you remember doing something to earn this kind of treatment?"
"Yes! I screwed your whore mother over and over again! You are my bastard cunt!"
The crowd laughed out loud at Fork's remarks as the man showed no signs of regret and guilt.
Zane pinched his forehead and inhaled a deep breath.
"As you wish."
Zane circled the man again and this time, he stood near his feet.
He then raised the stick in the air.
The crowd went silent and Mickey cried.
But this time, Zane ignored Mickey as he couldn't hold back anymore.
With all his strength…
STINN!
He thrashed the stick right on Fork's feet.
Just as the stick landed, two shouts erupted at the same time.
"Aaaaaaaa!"
"Yeahhhhh!!"
The man cried and the crowd cheered.
And among the crowd, some women were present and one such woman was the skinny prostitute.
"Kill him! This bastard didn't even spare me in my periods!"
She also cheered with others and with the most vigor as if she wanted to see the man bleed a thousand cuts.
But nothing fell on Zane's ears anymore.
"Do you remember now?" He asked.
"Noo!"
STINN!
Another strike landed on the same feet.
"Now?"
"What do you want from me!?" The man cried, rolling left and right.
"What happened to the man who rampaged my mother?"
STINN!
STINN!
STINN!
Zane landed consecutive attacks on the man, venting all his anger.
He hit his feet, his leg, his stomach, his thighs. Fork's clothes torn from places as Zane went all out.
And when the one eyed smiling face of Mickey flashed in his mind, his hand moved faster than ever.
Blood seeped out from all spots of Fork's body as the muddied black puddle turned red under the two moons.
Fork tried to roll but Zane followed him everywhere.
Fork rolled towards the crowd but the crowd threw the man back near Zane.
The audience had lost all control as they broke empty bottles of liquor in excitement. They wanted blood, they got blood.
But even after the blood, Zane didn't stop.
He kept thrashing the man and only when his hand felt heavy and hurt to move, he stopped.
The after effects of his merged skill was arriving and acting on his body but before getting what he wanted, he would not rest.
"Do you… remember now?" Zane asked, not hiding his panting.
Fork groaned and cried in whimpers as his body hurt all over.
"I… I.. forgive me. I am sorry. Whatever I did, I will not do it… again. I am.. I am a believer of the First Flame. I don't follow other religions. The first flame is true. The Halocrats are our savior. I believe in the-m. Please leave me! Have mercy!"
Fork announced everything he thought would be the cause of him being thrashed and a vein popped up on Zane's head.
"Don't make me more angry."
Fork shivered at the words and rolled towards Zane's feet.
His head rested on Zane's toes.
"Please. I am sorry! Don't get angry! Don't kill me! Tell me what you want. I will do it. Don't kill me. Don't hurt me! I have a kid!"
Zane exhaled.
Fork's tears and saliva fell on his feet and Zane stepped back.
But Fork moved forward again.
"Stay right there." Zane said.
Fork froze. His face remained down, kissing the ground.
Zane gripped the stick and sat on one knee.
He used his left hand and grabbed Fork's hairs.
Fork shivered and Zane jerked the man's head up.
The man had sweat and black dirt all over his face, stinking the same as the insects dwelling in the sewer.
The man who badmouthed Zane's mother was nowhere to be seen and Zane had seen such men everyday. Exploiting only those whom they could.
In the face of danger, fake manliness takes a back seat.
Fork stared at Zane's chin and with trembling lips, he did one last try using the same words as before.
"Please don't kill me. I have a kid! Who will look after him? Have mercy. Spare me for the kid."
Zane gritted his teeth, clenched the hairs with more force and peered deep inside the very soul of Fork.
"So you finally remembered your crime."