Number 7

[Redirection. It's quite an interesting ability. Don't you think?]

[Hmm... I suppose so. What does it entail?]

A certain woman spoke to herself, two different voices exiting from her mouth.

[Well, it's obvious that physical movements can be redirected. But like all the other abilities, there are many other ways to use it. For example... if the energy contained within a person who is about to attack someone were to be redirected and used for something else... say for something more constructive.]

This woman's right half was completely white, and she had the complexion of an angel.

[Oh! So one would be able to take all that pent up rage and apply it in a way that is better for everyone. Is that right?]

And her left half was pitch black - that of a demon.

[Yes. That is correct. But say one were to take all the anger and hatred in the world... and redirect it to be used as a source of fuel?]

[That sounds... quite interesting.]

[Heh... indeed it does.]

The two voices soon merged together, laughing deviously from a realm of darkness as they watched.

[I do hope this human is able to show us something interesting.]

----

'My employees...'

Faced with the warehouse which he once had absolute control over, the man was presented with an unexpected scenario.

Each and every person had rotted to the core.

Blood and guts covered the walls, and the machinery was all destroyed from rust.

Not a single crate or product remained intact, and all of the assets which this store had once owned were now reduced to worthless piles of trash.

However this was not what disturbed the man.

"How could they have done this to you?"

What disturbed the man was the fact that almost half of the zombies were dead.

"Who did this? Which one of you was alive at one point... only to kill off so many of your coworkers before you fell to the virus as well?"

With the click of his tongue, the man gathered the attention of all the zombies present within this warehouse - totalling approximately 50.

"If you were going to end up this way regardless... why would you go so far as to destroy my labor force?"

His arm trembling with irritation, the man breathed in slowly as he calmed himself.

"Well... I suppose this is a minor setback. Yes... quite minor. After all..."

Stepping forward, the man waved his hand - and as soon as he did so, each and every one of the zombies immediately headed over to the broken equipment.

Little by little, the zombies began to gather the pieces, searching as they attempted to find anything which may still be used.

"While half of you may have died... the other half are now able to work twice as hard."

----

Business was booming.

Randov quickly discovered that while he could not redirect a creature which had no drive, it was the exact opposite to the ones which held an instinctual desire.

Some undead were tamer than others. Some seemed to be filled with violent urges, attacking him on sight - yet it was these same undead who would utilize that energy for whatever orders he gave them as soon as their mental states were redirected.

Regardless, all of the undead seemed to have a limitless amount of energy.

They never tired. They could work and work for hours without complaint.

However... there was one issue.

'I have to keep my eyes on them.'

Randov had quickly found out that the moment he left the room, all orders which he had given had ceased.

Yet if he viewed them from the security cameras, the orders resumed.

'Tch... like lazy employees... they refuse to work unless I'm watching them at every moment? How irritating...'

What he had thought of as a miracle soon became no better than his previous situation.

While his workers would never complain or tire, and while he wouldn't have to pay them anything in exchange for their work, they were completely brainless - unable to think on their own without his orders, and unable to work if he did not watch over them.

'At the very least, I can keep watch on them from this room... but I suppose I should find some living workers as well... but even more important than workers...'

Customers.

He needed customers.

Even if he could produce and produce, such a thing would be meaningless if there was nobody to sell to.

Was there anyone else who was alive in this world?

Surely he could not have been the only one to survive this calamity.

This had to be the case. If he alone had survived, then it would be nothing short of a miracle.

'For whatever reason, these people have been diseased... or transformed... whatever this may be. Yet without a doubt, there were some who were not initially diseased, since they fought back and killed off a number of the infected before becoming infected themselves. Therefore there are certainly people like myself who did not fall to such an infection. But what is the cause?'

Why was it that Randov alone had not been infected?

It was true that Randov had been in an office with a locked door, but the windows were open. If the disease could spread by air, then certainly he would have been infected himself.

'Yet... that doesn't make any sense.'

Everything around him had rotted.

Was the rot merely caused by the passage of time?

How much time had passed?

Decades? Centuries?

The decrepit state of everything he had witnessed seemed to suggest such a thing - and yet his body was the complete opposite.

'I don't feel as if I have aged much, if at all.'

There was only one explanation then.

The disease must have had some component which rotted everything it touched.

Yet this still left something unexplained - why did he alone not rot?

It clearly had horrid effects on humans.

Did Randov have some sort of immunity?

What of the ones who had survived initially only to be killed and infected once they had been bitten? Were they not also immune? If they were not immune, then why would the airborne virus not have affected them?

He didn't know.

He didn't understand it.

Nothing made sense.

He only knew one thing.

'I need to build myself... a paradise.'

With a grin, the man's thoughts seemed to reach the workers that he watched on the cameras.

'Yes... this will be my paradise.'

Holding his hand to the cameras, the man caressed the screen which displayed a group of zombies who were currently in the midst of repairing a forklift.

'A paradise in which I see all... and control all.'

Closing his eyes for just a moment, the man immediately opened them - ensuring that the workers would not cease their work as he failed to look their way.

'And if something happens which does not seem to be going my way... then all that I will need to do is redirect it.'

With the flick of his hand, one of the zombies turned around, heading to another area as he began to unload the contents of a crate.

'For that is who I have become... no... that is who I was in the first place.'

Then, like a conductor, the man began to play out an orchestra as each of the zombies followed his every command - working diligently without a complaint.

'Redirect.'

----

"Because even if you are a king... the only thing you control are pawns."

These words shook Randov to his very core.

'What?'

His head swung around as his eyes glued to the door which the voice came from.

'How did he...'

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The metal door was locked, however the one who stood on the other side of it was currently barging into it violently in an attempt to open it.

'How did he get here?'

Glancing over to his cameras, the man checked over and over as he frantically looked at each one.

'Shit! A blind spot? How could I have missed it... of course... there wouldn't be a camera near the camera room.'

Standing up as he prepared himself to fight, the man grit his teeth as veins formed on his otherwise smooth head.

'He thinks he can just barge in here and kill me? Hah... it looks like he's underestimating me.'

"Ah... what am I doing? Trying to use violence in order to enter... how truly brutish of me."

However these words filled the mind of Randov, and in that instant the banging stopped.

And as it did so, the lock on the door MELTED.

"After all, when one wishes to enter somewhere forbidden... all that is necessary is to obtain permission."

Swinging the door open, Randov witnessed the man.

His black hair was styled in the sleek manner of a businessman, and the suit which the man wore affirmed this.

A confident grin was plastered on the man's face - one which filled Randov with a desire to wipe such a grin off his face.

Casually he entered, dusting himself off without a care for the opponent in front of him.

"Ah... forgive me, forgive me. Surely you won't file a lawsuit over something like this, no? Destruction of property... trespassing... well, such things are merely minor offenses."

"Who are you?", Randov spat.

'I should first analyze him... try to find out his motivation... if he has any more allies... perhaps I can use him.'

This was what Randov thought, however the wry smile on the face of the man filled him with a discomfort unlike anything he had felt before.

It was his instinct as a businessman.

"Ah... but perhaps you're wondering... why would I enter such a place without obtaining your permission?"

Nodding his head as he ignored the question of Randov, the man merely clicked his tongue.

"Tsk tsk tsk... well, if you ARE wondering such a thing... then you would be gravely misunderstanding the situation."

'He's mocking me.'

Holding his breath as he observed the strange man, Randov was careful not to make any sudden moves.

The moment the man made an attack, Randov would redirect it - but until that moment hit, he would gather as much information as possible.

Yet the words which the man uttered at that moment were enough to make Randov explode in rage.

"I have no need of YOUR permission for anything."

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

Approaching the intruder, Randov grabbed the shirt of the man as he gripped the tie which was around his neck, pulling it tight enough to choke the man.

"You come into MY office... acting like you own the place... acting like you're the boss here... as if you know everything. Let ME inform you of something."

"This is assault, is it not?"

Even as he choked the man, the businessman spit out these words.

As if to mock Randov.

"No."

Nodding his head, Randov let go of the man.

Turning around, he began to laugh.

"Heh... no, that is not assault."

Raising a finger, Randov grinned to himself as he faced the man with that horrid smile.

"This... is assault."

And in that instant, the man pulled his finger as if he were controlling a puppet on a string.

"Hm? Ah... it would seem that my body is moving on its own."

And in that moment, Marcus found himself swinging at the man.

Smash!

Only for his fist to fly straight into one of the TV screens behind the man.

"Hey hey... destruction of property... aggravated attempted assault... you do realize that this could be taken to court, don't you?"

At that moment, Marcus found a fist in front of his face.

Smash!

His skull rattled as his head flew back, causing the businessman to reel backwards as he wiped the blood from his nose.

"Ah ah... how unfortunate... in a court of law, I'm sure that you'll claim that was self defense... no?", Marcus chided.

"It would seem you understand me well, businessman."

"Well then... I suppose I'll just have to settle this BEFORE it's sent to court."

Rushing forth, Marcus aimed a fist at the man again - however this time he was stopped in his tracks.

"UGH!"

And his fist landed right in his own face.

"Do you not understand? Perhaps you were overcome by arrogance just a moment ago because you failed to realize the situation. Hah... haha... it really is pitiful, businessman. Ah... now that I take a good look at you... you're rotten on the inside, aren't you?"

Wiping the skin off his face as he recovered from the self harming blow, Marcus spit a volley of blood as he stood once more.

"Rotten? Oh come now... you should know better than anyone..."

At that moment, the skin on the face of the man began to regenerate as Marcus approached Randov once more - and in that instant Randov felt something sinister within the man.

"Anyone in the field of business is rotten to the core to begin with."

"You cannot beat me."

Yet these words were immediately cut off with confidence.

Randov's expression became unimpressed, and he crossed his arms as he kept his eyes on Marcus.

"Even if you swing, your attack will be redirected. There is no way you could lay a finger on me."

"Is that so?"

In that instant, Marcus placed his hand to his forehead, slicking back his hair in a professional manner.

"Ah... but what if I already was aware of such a thing?"

"What do you-"

"If I was aware that no attack could connect... would it not mean that even if I were to attack you... that it couldn't even be considered an attempted assault?"

"Enough of these games."

In that instant, a series of tentacles exploded out of the chest of Marcus - all aimed directly for the head of the man.

It happened in an instant, yet each and every one of them changed their trajectory just before penetrating the man, instead shooting off as they plunged into a number of the monitors around.

"Your attacks cannot harm me. My attacks on the other hand CAN harm you. You have no chance of overcoming my ability. Regardless of your own abilities. Even if you were to surround me with flames or lava... even if you were to attempt something like that, I would redirect your INTENTIONS. And you would no longer be capable of performing such an action."

"Who said I was going to try something like that?"

In that instant, the tentacles which had retracted into the body of the man now appeared once more - this time exiting his hand as they shot again at Randov.

"I have no intention to win in such a dull way."

However, as if rolling his eyes, Randov merely swiped his hand, sending the tentacles flying to the ground.

Piercing into the floor below them, cracks formed as the rubble began to creak.

"Tch... now look at the mess you're making in my camera room. All this equipment - ruined. And even now..."

Smash!

The floor bursted open beneath the two, causing them to fall downwards in mid air.

Yet even as they fell, neither man appeared to be surprised.

"You think that you can kill me with something like this. And yet instead... you've merely set up the perfect field for me."

In that instant, Randov let out a laugh as he motioned with his hand - at which every single piece of falling rubble shot at Marcus.

"UGH!!!"

Like bullets, they pierced the free falling body of the zombified man as his suit was filled with holes, blood covering every aspect of him as his body and head were riddled with wounds.

His brain was on show, and pieces of his mind were ripped out as the man bled profusely before slamming to the ground below.

"Ngh!"

The clanking of metal was heard below as Marcus realized that he had landed on a metal container.

Looking up, he saw the bald man crossing his arms, completely unharmed.

"You're a complete fool.", he uttered with disgust as he placed a foot onto the head of Marcus.

"Just like your partner over there who died such a meaningless death, you too will die here. All because you underestimated my ability."

Randov stated these words, looking down on the man with pity as he pressed down on the man’s head.

"Any last words?"

"Do you understand what that really means?"

However even as he stepped on the mutilated head of the zombified man, he was met with a cheeky response.

"What it means... to die?"

In that instant, Randov felt something.

Something horrible.

"Heh..."

The man began to laugh.

"Heh heh heh..."

He was torn apart.

Littered with holes, his body had splattered onto the metal.

His guts and blood were spread about, and his entire existence amounted to that of a miserable lump of flesh.

"Hahaha...."

And yet... he laughed.

"What... are you laughing about?"

Filled with discomfort, Randov stepped back - and for once in his life, FEAR returned to him.

How long had it been since he had felt such a thing?

"No... you wouldn't understand."

Slowly, the man crawled upwards, barely managing to stand as his body seemed to slowly repair itself.

The holes filling in with flesh, Randov wondered if the organs inside of the man were being replaced or if he was merely shifting into an unrecognizable lump of meat.

"After all... you can't even see what's behind you."

In that instant, Randov knew something was wrong.

However it was too late.

Slice!

"AGHHHH!!!!!!"

Everything went dark.

Pain erupted in each of his eyes, and the man fell to the ground in pain as he grabbed them to realize it.

Knives had been gouged into him.

"AGH!!!! URGH!!! ARGH!!!!"

Rolling around in the pain, the man screeched and shouted, however his screeching was silenced by the cold and emotionless voice of a young girl.

"His sight has been eliminated."

"Excellent."

These were the only words that Randov heard as he realized something.

'I... no... no...'

This was his loss.

'I... let my guard down?'

'I... was too focused on the man?'

'I... forgot about the child?'

'I thought...'

'I thought that such a child... could never pose a threat.'

'She doesn't even have an ability...'

'Just a normal... regular... human....'

Ripping the knives out of his eyes, Randov stood.

However even as he stood, he could see nothing.

Blood flowed down his face, and he used his hearing to desperately attempt to feel out the positions of his opponents.

In that instant, he felt a kick.

He fell backwards, and his gut wrenched at the sensation of falling.

"UGH!"

Pain erupted in his back as he landed on the cold concrete, and the man found himself unable to breathe as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Goodbye, bald man."

"What do you mean, goodbye!? Ngh... I... I'll... I'll regain my sight... and as soon as I do..."

[Just how do you plan on doing that... REDIRECT?]

However, suddenly, another voice jumped into the mix.

It was the voice of the businessman... yet it was not.

No... this one was far more terrifying.

It was spoken by the same person, yet without a doubt, Randov immediately understood that it was not the same person.

[Yes... I know you're in there. Ah... how low you have fallen. Unnumbered. Return to me.]

With these words, Randov felt something in his body change.

'What... just happened?'

'My ability...'

'My power...'

'It's... gone.'

[It’s better this way.]

[Forgive me, Redirect.]

[It looks like you were quite unlucky when it came to... your host.]

[Perhaps the others won't be so unfortunate.]

The creature spoke these words, which Randov could never possibly hope to understand.

However he had no time to think about such things.

"Rargh!!"

"Grrr!"

For in that instant, he heard the growling of the undead - and they became louder and louder.

"No... wait... stop!!!"

"You can no longer see them. And that is a condition for your ability... is it not?"

"Eh?"

Just before he was bitten by a zombie, Randov was filled even further with a sense of terror as he fell to his knees.

For the voice he just heard...

"You... how did you...."

"Indeed... how did I come back from the dead?"

Was the voice of a woman.

"AGH!!!!!"

"GRR!!!"

"ROAR!!!"

Screams of anguish filled the warehouse that day as Randov was torn apart.

"HOW!?!?!?!"

He shouted and shouted, and soon enough everything quieted.

Torn to pieces, reduced to a fraction of his former self, the man's consciousness flickered as the pain began to numb.

And in that numbness, his hearing became clear and the growling stopped - at which he heard the last statement of the woman who he had killed.

"I don't understand that myself."