As I closed the distance, I noticed a glint in Castor’s eyes—something I hadn’t seen before. A hint of excitement. He was enjoying the challenge.
He stepped forward and threw a jab toward me. Reacting quickly, I raised my left arm to block, taking the impact on my elbow.
*Pa!*
The heavy blow threw me off balance. Twisting my body as I slid, I kicked his knee again, forcing him to stagger.
"Should we end this now?" I asked, my breathing steady.
We’d exchanged numerous strikes, but neither of us had gained the upper hand. Landing a devastating attack was the key, but I wasn’t confident enough to pull it off.
Castor, on the other hand, showed no signs of injury. He’d taken multiple hits, including a strong blow to the head, yet he remained standing. It was clear who had the advantage in durability.
"Haa," Castor sighed, closing his eyes. "Alright, you win. It’s clear that if you use your ability, I’d lose."
I stared at him in shock. ''Why is he giving up now? Things were just getting interesting.''
"But I said I wouldn’t use them, didn’t I?" I replied.
"Yes, you did... But now it’s meaningless. I might win if you don’t use your ability, but I’d lose the chance to make a connection with you," he said.
''A connection? What does he want?''
"How about this? I’ll pay the debt, and we’ll settle this matter," he offered.
He was smarter than I’d thought. He knew he could win in a fair fight, but he also understood that a real battle would end in his defeat.
''I was planning to use ''Kairosflow'' as a last resort anyway,'' I thought. But this wasn’t a bad outcome either.
"Alright, let’s settle it here," I said, relaxing but remaining vigilant.
Castor reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. He tossed it to me, and I caught it with my good hand. Opening it, I saw glittering gold coins.
A single gold coin was worth around 2,500 R. He’d given me twelve coins, settling the debt.
"Let’s go," I said to Albert, who emerged from his hiding spot, his eyes gleaming at the sight of the gold.
"Feel free to drop by," Castor said, his gaze lingering on me.
I nodded and left the bar, giving him one last glance.
"Thank you! Now, give me the pouch. I’ll keep it safe for you," Albert said, walking beside me, his greed evident.
"Oh, am I not the debt collector?" I smirked, giving him a sharp glare.
''I still remember what you did back there, you bastard. Did you really think I’d let you off the hook?''
Albert laughed nervously, rubbing his nose. "Ah, of course you are. You can take half the extra amount we got from Castor."
"I’ll take two coins. The rest will go to your boss," I said, pocketing the extra money.
I might have let him keep half if he hadn’t tried to pin everything on me. Now, he’d face the consequences.
"But... why?" Albert stammered, his eyes wide with shock.
"Next time, think twice before making me the villain," I replied with a smile.
He gritted his teeth but nodded in defeat.
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"Take me somewhere with good food. I haven’t had breakfast yet," I said.
Albert, still sulking, led the way to a nearby tavern. The aroma of roasting meat and fresh bread filled the air as we entered.
We sat in a corner, eating in silence. Seeing his dejected expression, I started to feel a twinge of guilt.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he finally broke the silence.
I sighed and pulled out 500 R from my pocket, sliding it toward him.
"This is your share for now," I said. Taking a sip of water, I added, "Do you remember our deal?"
Albert picked up the note, surprised. "I do, but you don’t have to—"
"No, this isn’t for today’s collection. It’s a payment. Let’s make another deal, aside from our previous one. You’ll help me with my investigation into the potions I mentioned."
Albert looked at me skeptically. "What kind of deal?"
"One that’s profitable for you," I said, tapping the table rhythmically. "Take on more debt collection tasks or similar jobs. You can bring them to me if they seem safe."
He stuffed the money into his pocket, his eyes never leaving mine. "Why should I help you with that?"
"I’ll pay you for it. Act as my informant. For every task or piece of information I find useful, I’ll pay you generously," I said, watching his eyes light up.
He took the bait. "Alright, I’ll keep my eyes open for you. But what kind of information are you looking for?"
I exhaled, thinking for a moment. What was I truly looking for? The potion? Or answers about my village?
"Any illegal activity involving potions or drugs. Especially keep your ears open for rumors about humans turning into monsters."
"Mon-monsters?" Albert stuttered, his face pale.
Seeing his hesitation, I added, "You don’t need to risk your life for it. Just let me know anything you hear. If it gets too dangerous, you can back out."
Albert nodded, though his mind was clearly racing. "I can do that," he said firmly.
"Good. You can meet me at the Cozy Inn. That’s where I’m staying. Don’t let others know I’m taking on tasks through you," I instructed.
"I won’t tell anyone. You can count on me, boss," Albert replied, a hint of excitement in his voice.
To him, this felt like a game of detective—far more exciting than his everyday life.
After finishing our meal, we stepped outside. The sun was high, casting a warm glow over the cobblestone streets. The city was coming alive with its usual hustle and bustle.
We parted ways, and I found myself sitting on a bench near the fountain.
"Ugh, my hands still hurt," I muttered, rubbing my arms. I hadn’t shown it in front of Castor and Albert, but the pain was real.
Closing my eyes, I replayed the fight in my mind. It had been enlightening, to say the least. Every small move mattered when fighting a human—an intelligent opponent, not a mindless monster.
My mistakes were obvious. I’d learned quickly, but it was still instinctive. Even when I’d deflected his second strike, it was instinct, not calculation. My mind and eyes could keep up with ''Kairosflow'', but without it, I’d have been beaten senseless.
"My footwork needs improvement too," I sighed, sketching a mental plan for my combat style. Next time, I’d use my abilities as well.
The pain was a reminder of how unfair the world was. Even though I wasn’t a body-type Awakener, as a Rank 2 Awakened, I’d managed to withstand Castor’s blows. I wondered how strong a Transcended would be now. I was certain that even ten Awakeners couldn’t defeat me unless they could counter my abilities—something I doubted would happen anytime soon.
---
### Five Days Ago
**Location: Sefron City**
In a dimly lit room, two men sat facing each other, their presence filling the space with palpable tension.
"Did you check them?" the man with blue eyes asked.
The other man, Antra, smiled. "I already checked their memories. The people who participated in the ruin were quite interesting, I must say."
"Antra, don’t play with words," Gram, the head of the Orgus family, said coldly.
Antra shook his head. "The man with silver eyes was definitely the one who killed your son. He became an Awakener just last month, by the way. He’s the youngest person to achieve rank 2 now."
"And did you find out why Kena turned into a monster? The potion was supposed to heal him, not turn him into... that," Gram asked.
Antra crossed his arms, his smile fading. "It was a prank by ''him'', they said. According to their report, ''he'' occasionally alters the potions as a joke."
Gram listened silently, his face unreadable as he gazed out the window.
Antra licked his lips, then asked with concern, "Gram, how are you holding up?"
Gram turned back, his eyes flickering for a moment before returning to their usual calm. "The same as always. Just because my son died doesn’t mean I need to grieve. I can always have another."
Antra gave him a pitying look before standing. "I’ll be heading to Atlas. Do you want me to dispose of that man?"
"Do as you wish," Gram replied.
As Antra turned to leave, Gram’s voice stopped him. "Where did things go wrong?"
Antra hesitated, wanting to say, ''You did your best,'' but the words wouldn’t come. He left without another word.
Outside, Antra sighed, his servant Hugh following closely.
"Hugh, what kind of person do you think Gram is?" Antra asked.
"If I may be frank, Lord Antra, Lord Gram seems cold and calculating, devoid of emotion. Even after losing both his sons, he shows no grief," Hugh replied.
Antra chuckled and shook his head. "My friend is cold and calculating, yes, but emotionless? Far from it. I’m sure he’s suffering more than even the mothers of his children."
"Fate is cruel, isn’t it? Even though he never spent time with his sons, it took them away from him."
Hugh tilted his head, confused. Antra smiled faintly. "I just felt like sharing something about him. Maybe it’s fate telling me to let someone know about my friend."