The War God Is Back

Chapter 5

The woman seized my arm as though I were the only solid thing left in her world, her voice trembling with panic. “There’s a huge cockroach in my room! Please, you have to help me!”

For a moment, I simply stared at her, trying to make sense of what I had just heard. “A… cockroach?” I repeated, not entirely convinced this wasn’t some kind of joke.

“Yes!” she burst out, her fear completely unfiltered. “It’s massive, and it’s hiding somewhere in there! I can’t go back until it’s gone!”

A long breath slipped out of me as I pinched the bridge of my nose, already regretting whatever series of choices had led me to this moment. Of all the reasons someone could drag me out of my dorm room, it had to be this. “Fine,” I muttered at last, giving in.

Before I could say anything else, she was already pulling me down the hallway, her grip tight around my arm as if letting go would somehow doom her. When we finally reached her room, I stopped short, genuinely taken aback by what I saw.

The place looked like it had been through a small storm. Pillows lay scattered across the floor, a lamp teetered dangerously on the edge of the desk, and clothes were thrown across the bed in chaotic heaps.

I glanced around carefully, taking in every corner. “Where did you last see it?” I asked, my tone steady despite the situation.

“Under the desk,” she replied, pointing with a trembling hand as though she were indicating the location of something far more sinister than a simple insect.

Suppressing a sigh, I crouched down and leaned forward, focusing my attention beneath the desk. “Alright,” I said calmly, “let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

The moment I moved closer, the cockroach suddenly darted out from its hiding place, its glossy body catching the light as it scurried forward.

“Oh my God!” she shrieked, stumbling backward as though the creature might leap at her.

The cockroach, seemingly offended by the noise, made a straight dash for the door. I reacted instantly, lunging to block its escape, but just as I reached for it, she grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked with all her strength.

Riiip.

The sharp sound of fabric tearing echoed through the room, and in the next instant, we both lost our balance. I hit the floor flat on my back, and she came down right on top of me.

For a brief, suspended moment, everything went still.

My shirt hung in ruined strips, leaving my chest completely exposed, and her wide eyes were fixed on me in stunned silence.

More specifically… she was staring at my abs.

And she didn’t look away.

“Uh…” I cleared my throat, shifting slightly beneath her, trying to break the strange pause. “You okay there?”

As if snapped out of a trance, she jerked her gaze back to my face, her cheeks flushing a deep red. “Oh! Yes, I—um—sorry!” she stammered, scrambling off me so quickly she nearly tripped over herself.

I pushed myself up, brushing dust from my clothes and glancing down at what remained of my shirt with mild irritation.

By the time I looked around again, the cockroach had already vanished, no doubt halfway across the building by now.

“Great,” I said dryly as I stood and dusted off my pants. “Your ‘giant cockroach’ is officially someone else’s problem.”

She bit her lip, her expression turning sheepish. “I… I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“Next time,” I replied, “try not to destroy my wardrobe while panicking over a bug.”

She crossed her arms, clearly unwilling to let that go without a response. “Well, maybe next time, you should catch it faster.”

I let that comment slide and turned toward the door, ready to leave her room behind and put the entire ridiculous situation to rest. Just as I reached for the handle, her voice stopped me.

“Wait,” she called.

I paused and glanced back at her.

“I’m Delilah,” she said. “Delilah Carter.”

I gave a small nod, assuming that would be the end of it. I was wrong.

“And you are?” she asked, tilting her head slightly, her curiosity plainly written across her face.

“Justin,” I answered. “Justin George.”

“Justin George,” she repeated slowly, as if testing how the name felt. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked me up and down, her gaze lingering briefly on my torn shirt. “I haven’t seen you around before. And from the way you look…” She studied me again, more carefully this time. “You don’t seem like an ordinary guy. Are you a soldier?”

Her questions didn’t stop there. “Did you just get here? What position do you hold?”

I exhaled quietly, holding on to what little patience I had left. “If you’re done asking questions,” I said evenly, “I think I’ll be going now.”

Delilah blinked, clearly caught off guard by my response.

“Goodnight,” I added firmly before stepping out and heading back toward my own room.

As I reached my door, something felt… wrong.

A chill crept down my spine the moment my hand touched the handle. It had already been turned. Someone had been inside.

I understood immediately.

Without making a sound, I pushed the door open and slipped into the darkness.

The room was completely black, but I didn’t need light to know I wasn’t alone. I could feel it—the faint rhythm of breathing that wasn’t mine, the subtle shift of weight against the floor.

Then, just behind me, I heard it—a nearly imperceptible movement, the quiet preparation of someone about to strike.

I didn’t hesitate.

Spinning around, I drove my fist forward, connecting solidly. The man crumpled to the ground before he could even react.

And then came the sound that confirmed everything.

Click.

The door locking behind me.

I turned, my eyes adjusting effortlessly to the darkness, and took in the scene.

Six men surrounded me.

Each of them was armed. Knives glinted faintly in the low light, and one of them swung a chain with deliberate menace.

They had no idea who they had just walked in on.

As the captain of the Valkyrine Unit, I had endured training that pushed the limits of human capability. I was also the direct disciple of the finest fighter in the world, a man who had taught me how to dominate any battlefield, whether bathed in light or swallowed by darkness. My vision in the dark was sharper than most people’s in daylight, and handling multiple opponents at once was second nature to me.

The first attacker lunged, aiming his knife at my side.

I stepped aside with ease, caught his wrist, and twisted sharply until I heard the unmistakable crack. His cry of pain filled the room as I stripped the weapon from his hand and sent him crashing into another man.

Two down.

Another rushed me, swinging the chain wildly. I ducked under it and closed the distance in an instant, driving my elbow into his jaw. He collapsed immediately, his body hitting the floor like dead weight.

The fourth tried to catch me off guard from behind, but to my ears, his approach was anything but silent. I turned at the last second, intercepted his arm mid-swing, and drove my knee into his stomach. He folded instantly, dropping to the ground.

The last two froze where they stood.

I could sense their fear, thick and unmistakable.

Their weapons slipped from their hands as they began backing toward the door, desperation taking over.

“Not so fast,” I said quietly.

Grabbing a fallen stick from the floor, I hurled it with precision. It struck one of them behind the knees, sending him crashing down. The other barely managed two steps before I caught up, dragging him down with a firm grip.

Seizing both by their collars, I hauled them up and slammed them hard against the wall.

My voice dropped, cold and controlled.

“Who sent you?”