Chapitre 6: 6.) Standing Up For Oneself

"So I'm a rank higher than Roger and his group now!" Dawn's new rank fueled her confidence and allowed her to feel more comfortable now that she had the strength to defend herself.

"It's a good thing I left. Plus, if this world is anything like World Savior, staying in that warehouse would only lead to death or even more troublesome problems. Now, let's review my notes." Dawn reached into her back pocket, checking for her phone only to panic when she felt nothing.

"Damn it! Don't tell me I dropped my phone at the warehouse?! Let me retrace my steps, and if I don't see it, I'll make my way back to the warehouse."

After Dawn left the Giant Rat Nest, she retraced her steps and searched for her phone, only to come up empty-handed.

"Really didn't want to come back here." Dawn stood outside the warehouse and felt like cursing the sky.

Dawn spent an hour trying to find a way back in. Luckily, she found a crack in the wall that she squeezed into and found herself on the west side of the building. Crouching down below, Dawn blended with the crowd and began her search.

She had just made her way to the east side when a voice made her heart jump. "Well, lookie here! It seems a little rat has snuck herself back inside the building~!"

Knowing that the jig was up, Dawn dropped her head in defeat and turned around. The sight that greeted her was Misty.

"You know, you really don't know how to appreciate others' kindness. I offered you a chance to stay safe and be fed, but what did you do? You left in the middle of the night as if I damned you. And here I thought we were friends." Misty's sympathetic voice had drawn a crowd around them.

"Drop the fake act, Misty! You don't give a damn about me and I am not your playtoy!" Dawn defended herself, tired of Misty and her fake mask.

Taken back by Dawn's sudden outburst, Misty was ready to rebuke the girl when a hand touched her shoulder. "Now, that is no way to speak to my favorite girl. Especially since I believe this is what you came back here for, right?"

Standing beside Misty was Roger, who waved Dawn's phone in his hand. "You bastard give that back!" Neko-chan sensed Dawn's attitude and glared at the human man that dared anger its new master.

"No can do, sweetheart~! For you must be punished for going against your superiors. I'm the king around here and I can't have a servant disrespecting my authority."

Roger threw Misty the cellphone and summoned a sword to his hand. Sensing the man was up to no good, Dawn fused with Neko-chan just in time for Roger's sword to collide with her claws.

'She's changed!' Misty was hit with yet another dose of shock, eyes taking in Dawn's new appearance.

When the world collapsed and monsters invaded, Misty felt as if she had somehow entered a nightmare. When Roger took a liking to her, having seen the haul of food his group would bring back, Misty had no problem turning on the charm, seeing the man as nothing more than a shield of protection.

If this was the old her, she would have never lowered her standards to such an average-looking man. but the world had changed and so did her priorities. Instead of a handsome man with money, she needed someone strong to protect her.

Misty would admit that at first she hardly took notice of the other girl, but as Roger's hunter group appetite continue to grow, so did the labor and Misty was sick of it! Out of desperation, Misty recalled Dawn's excellent baking skills and wanted to use them for her own advantage and at the same time give herself a break.

In the eyes of Misty, Dawn was a timid girl with ordinary looks. One who was too afraid to take chances and was easy to bully which is why she brought up her name to Roger. Misty was not one who favor hard labor, and cooking in a kitchen did not fit her! Better yet, it was beneath her, which was why she was going to use Dawn to do her bidding.

Two bill birds with one stone, but Dawn just had ruined her perfectly laid out plan. Even now the other girl was getting on her nerve.

"Oh, not bad! It seems someone has leveled up!" grinned Roger, swinging his sword only for each blow to be blocked by Dawn's claws.

"You bastard! I've been waiting a long time to knock that arrogant smirk right off your face! Don't you dare underestimate me!" Dawn swung a kick and sent Roger sprawling against the ground.

"You bitch! How dare you humiliate me!" Rage glowed in Roger's eyes, humiliated that such a little girl landed an attack on him when his level should be higher than hers.

'No way can this little girl's level outrank me when she has only been gone a day! It took me three weeks to reach level five! Never will I allow myself to be outmatched by a woman!'

As a child, Roger's father taught him that a woman's place was beneath that of a man, which he drilled into his son's head. Roger believed this, watching his mother act submissive when in the presence of his father.

But upon entering the real world, he learned the hard truth that not everyone thought in the same way as his father, and Roger hated it.

His anger became more prominent when he began working at a law firm and experienced how the women at work would talk down or ignore his advances, hating the fact that a mere woman got the promotion he had been eyeing and sucking up to the higher braces for weeks.

So when the opportunity came knocking at his door, Roger relished with pride and enlightenment at how those foolish women now fell at his feet—forsaking their precious pride, willing to do anything for his protection. Roger was a man who believed that a woman's place was in his bed or his kitchen. Never the other way around!

The blade of Roger's sword was coated in flames, eyes hot with rage. "At first, I only wanted to punish you, but it's time for you to know your place! Your death will be quick! A warning to others to never cross me!" Roger swung his sword and a burst of flames shot out of it.

"I could say the same thing about you!" Purple flames danced in the palm of Dawn's hand, transforming into a giant fireball which she launched at Roger.

The two fire attacks collided. The spectators watched with wide eyes, many believing Roger had the upper hand. Misty also believed victory was in Roger's hands, but both were flabbergasted when Dawn's attack proved to be superior, overpowering Roger's flames before heading in his direction.

"N-No! T-This can't be! S-Stop! I don't want to die!" Seeing the giant fireball closing the distance, Roger could foresee his death and rejected the idea of dying.

He fought tooth and nail just to reach this point! For three weeks, Roger had beautiful women offering their bodies to him, willing to do anything for him. And Roger wanted to continue thriving off this power, but his wishful dream had come to an end.

Roger's painful screams filled the warehouse as the flames devoured him. The spectators that were watching either froze in place or screamed, shielding their eyes from the gruesome scene. Dawn ignored the crowd and calmly walked over to a stunned Misty and snatched her phone.

Ready to make her exit, Dawn spotted the blonde beauty that was harassed by one of Roger's cronies and decided to leave her with a few words of advice before she departed this place.

"Instead of staying here, relying on their protection, you should rely on yourself. The world has changed. If you wish to bring an end to your situation, do it yourself instead of waiting for a hero." With that said, Dawn left the warehouse, never once looking back or planning to return to such a place.