Chapter 192 192: What To Live Your Life For

The entire base was in disarray, by this point Cole reckoned that news of an approaching Zombie horde would have spread across the whole of sanctuary. He also had to admit that sanctuary was a much nicer name than Solitude, but there was no reason that there should be a competition between the two of them…. At least not within his head anyways.

Cole made it back to the hangar and stepped out, if there was going to be an waves to be dealt with, it would be directly at the entrance where the hordes would be coming from. But never the less he had a moment to himself now to at least gather his thoughts. He probably earned some exp from the fight, but considering there was no ping to signify any new notifications, he guess the exp was just a drop in the ocean compared to what he needed to get to the next level.

"You know, you fight like a demon from hell…. I've never seen anything like it man." Cole raised an eyebrow as he noticed Neral standing besides him, the Cyborg/ cyber dog seemed to have a sort of melancholic expression on his face, though Cole wasn't exactly sure how that was possible. The metal that made up his entire body was so expressive it was as if it was literal skin. Never the less Cole shrugged as he said to the Dog.

"I have no idea what you mean by that Neral." The dog scoffed, the sound accompanied by gears turning and whirling within his brain and body. It seemed to Cole as if Neral had come to some sort of enlightenment, or perhaps seeing him in such a destructive fight had short circuited more than a few boards within him. It didn't matter though, Cole considered the Dog at least a companion, that was enough leeway to do the right thing and just listen to what he had to say.

"At any given moment that fight could have awry for you, heck perhaps it did more than a few times but you still always found a way to get out of it. But one things I saw, one thing I noticed through it all. Past the gore and blood you're literally bathed in, you kept smiling. It was not as if you weren't fighting for your life and the by Inclusion my life too along with Irma's. But the entire thing was some sort of comedy to you, a fucking joke!

For every second spent on the edge was one of abject enjoyment. You lived for that moment when your blade slides into a person's body and out of it, their blood slick and warm in your hands. Pure and abject chaos is what you are…. Or perhaps it is what you are becoming. And in this reality of ours, I can't help but think that Chaos, specifically your type of crazed fucking Chaos is what we would all need if we want to survive and not get trampled by the fucking system as a Whole.

But I digress, I'm not some sort of prophet or anything, I'm only a zombie dog that does not know when to keep over and die, and now his fragile brain is kept functional by machines. I still feel, by 88% of my biology is now a mix of living metal and nanotechnology. Really expensive shit from back when the world still made sense and super powered Zombie civilizations did not live in the ruins of our once came arcologies….our Babel towers.

I don't know about the other aspirants Cole, but your arrival here has been a necessary shock to the system, and it has given me a second chance at life that I never thought possible while I rummaged and scavenged fro the next meal, or the next unsuspecting human who would wander too close to those ruins for their own good. But a life is just that, a life, and it means nothing if I don't make it worthwhile and live if for something. But there in lies the question, what would I live it for?" Cole opened his mouth to answer, probably to give some eloquent speech, but Neral cut him off.

"Don't answer that! I already know what I want to live for, I'm just being dramatic so that I can build the necessary drama up until that point. Jesus take a hint man! Anyways as I was saying, I need to live my life for something, it doesn't matter what it is or could be, as long as I keep moving forwards, keep growing in any way that I can, then that would have been a life worth living, even if it means being the personal hound of a man who does chaos every where he goes."

Cole knew exactly what Neral meant, and the offer was shocking. He didn't even know if it was possible to take the damn dog out of this floor, but never the less he was still surprised. Neral seemed to be having some sort of mid life crisis and the best decision the dog could come up with was to follow him…. To follow Cole, a guy who up until this point has lived up to the moniker of 'World Breaker'. Someone that could or is potentially the most dangerous man on earth….. guess nothing makes sense in the world anymore.

"You baffle me Dog. You do realize you are more likely to die right? Permanently." Cole said to Neral as he finally turned and looked at the dog, all of his attention on him.

"I know that Man, but they call me the Grand General. A hero of the masses and little kids, a symbol of hope and one who is always ready to fight every evil that comes out way. Evil came and I couldn't fight it, I succumbed and became that which I was supposed to fight. But you, I don't think you were ever good though, you've been evil from the get go I think, all you cared about was your own power, the path you tool to getting it was one you forged for yourself and you did not care if you trampled people in the process. But! You never let a stain be on your consciousness.

You save even when you don't want to, and you condemn only when you absolutely need to and it's absolutely necessary. You're a Tyrant but a good leader. Even if death is all that awaits me at the end of this path, if I don't follow you, then that would be the worst mistake made since the birth of the freaking universe. So I guess the question now is if you will have me."

[Silver Ranked Pet/Companion Has Offered A Master/Servant Bond! Accept Y/N]

Cole thought about saying no, it was at that point he realized that he had grown fond of the canine. But ultimately this was a means for growth, he knew Neral was not making the choices lightly, and Cole could appreciate the balls required to make such a decision. He understood it, so he decided to honor it, he would be less of a man if he did not do that for Neral.

[Biomechanical Undead Lifeform Neral 'The Grand General' has become your pet! Due To Being A Higher evolved Lifeform, you can not receive stats from your pet, however your Pet has received +580 to all stats in tandem with your level]

[Name: <Neral>|| Title: <The Grand General>|| Level: <39(0/390,000)>|| Species: <Undead Cyber Shepherd>|| Rank: <Silver>]

[Strength: S-VIII(580/900) Control: S-II(580/300) Agility: S-IX(580/1000) Psi: S-V(580/600)]

[Active Skills: Str(<Lock Jaw> <Bionic Tackle>) Ctrl(<Hack> <Emp Howl>) Agi(<Boost Chase> <Bionic Charge>) Psi(<Mind Meld> <Telekinesis>)

[Passive Skills: Str(<Steel Stature>) Ctrl(<Technopath> <Radar Sense>) Agi(<Engine Heart>) Psi(<Infection> <Hunger> <Undead>)

[Parts: <Star Engine(S-II-0/5)> <Living Metal Exterior(S-V-0/8)> <Aegean Diamond Frame(S-I-0/4)> <Psi Bonded Nanite Colony(S-VII-0/10)]

Cole was left baffled, he had no idea what most of the things that Neral was made up off was, but those he could recognize was enough to leave him speechless. This damn dog cost more than his family's entire estate back on earth, heck the combined price of the estate would only be able to afford a quarter of what this damn god was made of. Cole swallowed, perhaps he had lucked out a little bit more than. He would care to admit.

"So what do you think, you seem how cool I am right? So when I tell you to fear and respect me, I wasn't lying." Cole snorted, but this was a very welcomed gain, and perhaps pioneering new floors would not be so hard now that he has some semblance of a companion….. okay maybe he would just admit that he did have a full and trustworthy companion.

"So what's our next step Boss? I don't really know how this Aspirant thing works for you guys, but I'm guessing our next adventure would be fun right?" Neral asked as he literally stood up on his hind legs and began to work like a human being, drawing more than a fair share of looks thrown his way. Cole chuckled as he answered.

"Well first we have to take inventory, I have a lightning cannon and nanites shields to fully claim and look over. And above all I want to know finally what the fuss about this spear is all about and see if perhaps it would be able to give us an edge. Because whether we like it or not my friend… Death is coming"