Chapter 87: CH 087: Dave & Tasha (part 1)
After Jackie declared Dave to be the new leader of the merger faction, he had approached him with a handshake which he had taken after seeing the message from the system.
"Let’s put our conflicts behind us?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah, of course." Dave said as he nodded thoughtfully before excusing himself. "I appreciate the... unexpected turn of events, and your great sacrifice into making me the leader of the faction," he said, "but I have some personal matters that I need to take care of, which demands for my attention. I’ll need to take care of them before I can focus on... leading the faction."
Jackie nodded in acknowledgement, but he couldn’t help but speak as he took a step forward. "Perhaps it would be wise to take one of our members with you? For your safety, of course."
Dave shook his head firmly. "I appreciate the offer, Jackie, but I don’t want anyone coming with me. Having someone by my side doesn’t increase or decrease my powers, and before I came here, I’ve managed just fine on my own."
He paused, his expression firm. "Besides, where I’m going, I need to be alone. It’s not a place for... company."
The words hung in the air, and Jackie’s face showed a flicker of understanding. He nodded slowly, though a hint of concern still lingered in his eyes, but he decided not to press the matter further, "Very well, Leader. We’ll await your return tomorrow." With a slight bow, he stepped aside, allowing Dave to leave the factory.
With that, Dave turned and walked away, leaving the factory and its occupants behind. The cool night air enveloped him as he stepped out into the darkness, but it serves as a comfort to him compared to the bright lights of the factory with everyone staring at him.
He breathed deeply, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. For now, he was free to focus on his own problems, without the weight of the merger faction’s expectations.